Joe Girardi won’t be named AL Manager of the Year for his efforts in the regular season — that honor will go to Buck Showalter or Bob Melvin — but he made the most memorable substitution of the year last night when he replaced Alex Rodriguez, one of the most prolific home run hitters in baseball history, with Raul Ibanez. As you know by now, Ibanez homered and then homered again as the Yankees took the lead over Showalter’s Orioles in the Division Series. Now for today’s managerial notes…
- Reds GM Walt Jocketty told reporters (including John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that he expects manager Dusty Baker and the coaching staff to return in 2013. Baker has completed his last year under contract with the Reds and said he's “not sure where my career is going here in Cincinnati. We’re going to talk about that in the next couple of days. But I’m not through managing. I have more to do.”
- The Red Sox are prioritizing Major League managing, coaching or playing experience in their search for a new skipper, which is why Triple-A Pawtucket manager Arnie Beyeler is not being considered, reports Gordon Edes of ESPN Boston. The Sox have yet to contact Blue Jays first base coach Torey Lovullo or White Sox third base coach Joe McEwing (who was considered for Boston's managerial job last year).
- The Red Sox will interview Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus for their managerial job early next week, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). Ausmus, the former MLB catcher, isn’t the only NL West-based candidate who has caught the attention of Red Sox personnel. The Red Sox are also expected to interview Dodgers third base coach Tim Wallach for the position.
- The Rockies announced that they will interview Tom Runnells for their managerial opening, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. Rockies executives will interview the 57-year-old bench coach today. Runnells, the former manager of the Montreal Expos, is up against Stu Cole, the manager of the Rockies' Triple-A affiliate.
MLBTR's Mark Polishuk also contributed to this post
That A-rod move was a no-brainer that other teams would have made a while ago. Why are they making Girardi look like a genius?
Not sure how you call it a no brainer. Because not many managers would have pinched hit a guy with 600+ career HR, who happened to be the tying run at the plate
Put it this way, if Jim Thome were in a big slump with many strikeouts as of late, (not sure if he does have that actually), and if he were the tying run in the 9th and if Buck pinched hit for him and the pinch hitter hit a game tying HR, would you be calling Buck a genius?
Who cares how many HR’s he has? If you’ve watched him at all recently, he’s just not getting around on fastballs right now, particularly against RHP.
I think you’re missing my point. I”m saying not many managers would have done what Girardi done in the 9th inning, but as Lunchbox also pointed out and I completely agree, not many managers would have batted him 3rd.
That’s my whole point. Only a stubborn Girardi would keep ARod in the 3 hole.
And TRUST me, there is not a single Yankee fan or anyone in the NY media who would ever call Joe Girardi a genius.
Wrong he’s a genius. Not many managers handle a bp better and that’s primarily their biggest job.
Not many managers use 3 pitchers in 1 inning to get 3 outs, especially with some of them in blowout games. I will say Girardi is a better manager than Torre in regards to keeping his players healthy and rested. Torre overused pitchers a lot. Girardi knows when guys need rest.
But his managing is ridiculous. He almost never uses his gust and always goes by the binder.
Girardi is not a Terrible manager, but he is not a very good manager either.
I’m sure giradi wouldve preferred to have joba all year but since Eppley and rapada are only platoon pitchers he really didnt have a choice. He didnt do that last yr.
most teams wouldn’t pinch hit their #3 hitter..
so if you compliment him for that you have to criticize him for keeping him in the 3 hole during this slump
Yup, it goes both ways.
Most teams wouldn’t have a slumping ARod in the 3 hole to begin with.
The strangest thing about all this, well at least it sticks out in my mind, is that no one is talking about Brian Cashman. I mean he traded AJ Burnett to the Pirates so he could afford to sign Kuroda and Ibanez. Otherwise, I don’t think what happened to the O’s last night would have been possible.
Hopefully the keys to the O’s victory tonight.
1.)Showalter thinking outside the box.
a.) take away Adam Jones bubble gum
b.) no sacrafice bunts, I want everyone swinging away tonight.
2.) Patience at the plate, I don’t how long it takes, I want patience at the plate. If Phil Hughes doesn’t have a 100 pitches by the 4th or 5h inning, I am going to be disappointed.
PS
Two other things. Pleasac was gushing about Kuroda’s performance last night, however in my opinion, Gonzalez was the star or at least should have been.
sorry lefty, looks like the orioles ‘thisdoesn’tmakesensehowisthishappening’ season is about to come to an end.. it was fun until ibanez went and messed everything up
Didn’t the Red Sox have it narrowed down to Bobby V and Gene Lemont last off-season? Is it possible they’re just waiting til the Tigers are out of it so they can sign last year’s runner-up?
They could interivew him now if they wanted. Look at what happened with Bo Porter and the Astros.
Nope, it’s just that Lucchino isn’t in charge of the manager hunt anymore (thankgod). It’s all Cherrington this time around.
Wow… I think that’s the first time I’ve seen a posting about the Red Sox manager search that didn’t include Farrell.
hopefully its a new trend.
“I don’t believe you”
– Ron Burgundy
C’mon Rockies! What, is Gene Mauch too DEAD to interview?
Speaking of Girardi, I just found out his father passed away.