2013 MLB postseason running thread

[NDJournalist]

Aside from Dusty Baker this year, has there been a manager to lead his team to the playoffs and get fired in the same season since Grady Little?

It seems like teams don't do that. Decisions get bigger in the playoffs and bad ones are spotlighted, though.

 

[old_tony]

Braves have now lost eight straight post-season series. Well, seven series and the wild-card play-in game last year.

They've made the post season 17 times since 1991 and have one World Series title to show for it. It's gotta be heck to be a devoted Braves fan.

 

[LongTimeListener]

Aside from Dusty Baker this year, has there been a manager to lead his team to the playoffs and get fired in the same season since Grady Little?

It seems like teams don't do that. Decisions get bigger in the playoffs and bad ones are spotlighted, though.

The A's fired Ken Macha in 2006 after they reached the ALCS for the only time in the past 21 years. But that was because of what a raging asshole Macha was; I think players had a going-away party for him without inviting him.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Wait, how come Kimbrel didn't get to pitch the bottom of the 9th?

And Tony, it is, but I figure it's my penance for being an Alabama fan in college football.

 

[ifilus]

Craig Sager soaked ... that was worth it.

Old Tony is concerned.

 

[Shelbyville Manhattan]

They've made the post season 17 times since 1991 and have one World Series title to show for it. It's gotta be heck to be a devoted Braves fan.

I've tried to tell myself I've had it better than my octogenarian father-in-law (a Cubs fan), a friend of three decades (a Padres fan) or others I know who are fans of the Mariners, Rockies and Pirates. But to have legitimate hope so many years, only to have it dashed in excruciating fashion, one way or another, eventually scours your emotions until there's nothing left but anger at a manager who left the best closer in baseball standing useless in the bullpen with nothing left to do but mutter profanities under his breath -- which likely resembled the fusillade that spewed from my lips.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Aside from Dusty Baker this year, has there been a manager to lead his team to the playoffs and get fired in the same season since Grady Little?

It seems like teams don't do that. Decisions get bigger in the playoffs and bad ones are spotlighted, though.

The A's fired Ken Macha in 2006 after they reached the ALCS for the only time in the past 21 years. But that was because of what a raging asshole Macha was; I think players had a going-away party for him without inviting him.

Torre was essentially fired by the Yankees. They offered to renew his contract, but at a lower salary.

 

[NDJournalist]

Aside from Dusty Baker this year, has there been a manager to lead his team to the playoffs and get fired in the same season since Grady Little?

It seems like teams don't do that. Decisions get bigger in the playoffs and bad ones are spotlighted, though.

The A's fired Ken Macha in 2006 after they reached the ALCS for the only time in the past 21 years. But that was because of what a raging asshole Macha was; I think players had a going-away party for him without inviting him.

My theory is that talent can overwhelm poor decision-making within a 162-game season and games against the Marlins, Mets, etc. to pad the record. But in the playoffs, when everybody is good, the decisions are crucial.

 

[Steak Snabler]

Fredi Gonzalez went by the book, which says you save your closer for the 9th. The Braves are the ultimate "by the book" organization, and they'd never fire a manager for going with the conventional wisdom.

If they were, they'd have fired Bobby Cox in about 2002.

 

[old_tony]

Aside from Dusty Baker this year, has there been a manager to lead his team to the playoffs and get fired in the same season since Grady Little?

It seems like teams don't do that. Decisions get bigger in the playoffs and bad ones are spotlighted, though.

The A's fired Ken Macha in 2006 after they reached the ALCS for the only time in the past 21 years. But that was because of what a raging asshole Macha was; I think players had a going-away party for him without inviting him.

Brewers players did the same, then won the division the year after he was gone.

 

[old_tony]

Fredi Gonzalez went by the book, which says you save your closer for the 9th. The Braves are the ultimate "by the book" organization, and they'd never fire a manager for going with the conventional wisdom.

If they were, they'd have fired Bobby Cox in about 2002.

Fredi said the were ready to bring him in for the final four outs. There were still six outs to go when Uribe homered.

It's a no-win situation for Fredi. If he brings in Kimbrel to start the eighth and then Kimbrel gives it up in the ninth on his 35th or 40th pitch, then everyone benches that he brought him in too early.

 

[NDJournalist]

Fredi Gonzalez went by the book, which says you save your closer for the 9th. The Braves are the ultimate "by the book" organization, and they'd never fire a manager for going with the conventional wisdom.

If they were, they'd have fired Bobby Cox in about 2002.

I disagree. The book probably said Maholm was a better choice to start the game than Garcia, and Fredi made that decision before the series when he didn't put Maholm on the roster. The book says not to walk the go-ahead run intentionally, but Fredi did that when he decided to put HanRam on in front of Adrian Gonzalez. The book says not to bunt with position players and the Braves do it all the time.

And the book says to use your closer in high-leverage situations. Most managers don't really do that, but that was the time to. It depends what book you're reading, but if you're reading one on proper decision-making, the decisions he made tonight don't really fit the bill (though most of them seemed to work).