Manny Ramirez was known for his unusual attitude as a player, and his current role with the Cubs is unclear, but he’s latched on with the organization as a coach, the Associated Press writes. Ramirez isn’t listed as an official member of the Cubs’ coaching staff, but he regularly works with all the team’s hitters, and Jorge Soler and Javier Baez, especially, look up to him. His metamorphosis into an admired coach has been unusual, given that he was suspended for PEDs and that he himself was known for being less than coachable as a player. He was, however, a hard worker, and his appetite for improving his game has also helped him as a coach. Here’s more from the National League.
- The Dodgers’ playoff ouster shows that Andrew Friedman needs to adjust to the demands of baseball in a big market, Steve Dilbeck of the Los Angeles Times writes. While the Dodgers did win 92 games and the NL West, Dilbeck writes, they were still disappointing because they didn’t advance further than the NLDS and didn’t show appropriate “urgency” by making high-profile deadline moves. From my perspective, that sounds somewhat harsh, given the seemingly limited amount of control a front office has over how its team plays once it reaches the roller coaster of variance that is the postseason. Dilbeck has a point, though, that this winter will be an interesting one for Friedman, who will likely have to strongly consider signing, for the first time in his career, at least one player to a nine-figure contract.
- The Mets’ unexpectedly strong season has placed starter Matt Harvey in an awkward position, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. He continues to pitch in the postseason despite a controversy earlier in the year about his innings total this season as he returns from Tommy John surgery. Including the playoffs, Harvey has now pitched 194 1/3 innings this season. Pitching more might risk further injury, but as the reaction to the initial controversy showed, Harvey would be a “pariah” throughout the game if he stopped. And it isn’t hard to understand why the Mets might want to get everything they can out of him now, while they have a chance — clear shots at championships aren’t easy to come by, even for teams that appear to have bright futures.
I’m a die-hard Mets fan who have lived through the greatest highs and lots of lows since ’83. I want this World Series for my Mets – I want it so bad!
I would never want to risk a young pitcher’s career to get there though.
I don’t understand how any other player would alienate him. Who among us, who had a chance to earn 100,000,000 would risk that all for any sort of glory?
I want the World Series real bad.
Praying that Harvey doesn’t have an injury next season or another TJ. That would really leave a sour taste in my mouth toward my organization.
Agree, for a team and fan base who cared about a slide injured player. They sure aren’t as supportive for a player who plays a position with the highest injury rate in the game.
i think in this case the issue is that Harvey, as far as anyone knows, is perfectly healthy and the only issue is that he theoretically could hurt himself with a high work load.
if all the trainers, doctors and even Harvey himself agree he’s healthy enough to pitch, but he doesn’t in the playoffs because of what it might do to his future earnings potential (the elephant Boras brought into the room when he opened his big mouth…) that’s a bit different than a guy with a known injury missing time.
Agree with your point and honestly, I’ve just seen it laid out on this site but boris’ study seems to have some merit. The mets have put his future in jeopardy for their gain which I see as inconsiderate. Whatever though, I’m a Nats fan so if we were talking giolito or whoever I would have stronger feelings but whatever floats their boat.
Hey, in the big picture, he could step off the curb tomorrow and break an ankle or get hit by a car! Keep Boras the hell out of things! If he and the trainers are ok with it let him throw!!
True but if they really want a championship you sign him to “X” amount. You don’t just get married or have a child and say oh well just because your own gain and/or feeling(s) were more important to you at the moment.
McGwire is a highly respected hitting coach and it looks like there will be plenty of demand for Giambi’s services for next season. Manny’s attitude is one thing, but it’s pretty clear that no one is withholding jobs from talented hitters because of PEDs anymore.
Charlie, I’m in complete agreement with you. As a Yankee fan who thinks Cashman is a decent but not great GM, it baffles my mind on how some fans say “1 title in just 15 years” but exclude 9 division titles and 12 playoff appearances. It’s almost no different than a Braves fan to say (if any ever did) John Schureloz was a terrible GM because the Braves only won 1 WS despite winning 15 straight division titles
I didn’t read the article, but Dilbreck needs to look at playoff history to show that anything can happen in any series. We can look at this year, or just last year, when 6 of the 8 LDS teams won 90 games, and the 2 teams that did not met in the WS.
Could Friedman have done more? Maybe, maybe not. But the Dodgers series loss isn’t on him. Dodgers just happened to lose to the hotter team, much like how the team with the best record in baseball lost to the team (for 2 straight years now in MLB).
The Dodgers were NOT a championship caliber team, and that IS on the front office. Starting pitching not as deep as the Mets AND the deadline deals (especially Latos) did nothing to help the issue. In fact, pulling Bolsinger from the rotation in favor of Latos also impaired Bolsinger. The bullpen; well besides Hatcher and Jansen, who was reliable? Nuf said.
If you make the playoffs, you are championship caliber.
162 games tell you more about a team than a sample of 10-15+ games
I think a lot of people forget that is Friedman’s m.o. No movement at the trade deadline. He has some really great under the radar moves. But a lot of the ones he did make the past two or three years with the Rays didn’t work out so well. I would maybe give him another season to see what he can do.
When teams like the Yankees and Dodgers have huge payrolls meaning they BUY the best players and do nothing with them, then yes it’s a failure. Baseball teams are built with strong pitching staffs and core players. You have to draft well. Besides Severino the Yankees have not much to show for. If you are happy with how the Yankees are built then good for you. There will be no winning baseball in the Bronx if they keep up with those strategies.
I think the “World Series or bust” expectations are absurd. Sports media sees the payroll of a team and automatically put up the narration, team X needs to win the WS or else
I think there is a study that indicates the average life of a repaired UCL is 4-5 years. Chances are Harvey will have another if he can pitch that long, and he’s certainly good enough to.
Andrew Friedman has to stop running baseball teams through a computer. It doesn’t work. Besides Kershaw and Greinke the pitching staff is a joke. The bullpen is a disaster and his bench is laughable.
After Grienke and Kershaw the Dodgers expected at least one of Ryu or McCarthy to be there. Losing both was a major blow. The Bullpen was a mess, and the Dodgers have one of the best if not the best farm system in baseball so why they didn’t make a move on top end bullpen help to at least give them depth behind a shaky back end of the rotation is beyond me.
Jim Johnson was supposed to be that person.
I want to know what kind of moron tries to “coach” a hall of fame hitter?
“If it ain’t broke…”
Exactly which Hall of Fame hitter do you think got there without coaching? Hitters need to constantly evolve or pitchers will figure them out long before they make the Hall of Fame and that is what coaches are for.
I do have one question though, what does your question have to do with this story? The only hitter mentioned that might be HOF-caliber is Manny Ramirez and the story said he was DOING the coaching, not receiving it.