Tuesday, August 31, 2010

What does Jim Leyland have to do in order to get a contract extension?

My latest column in The Oakland Press: http://tinyurl.com/27d2qnd

6 Comments:

Blogger Barry said...

For starters, get a new 3B coach. I think it is Gene running 3B and does he have poor judgement. Leyland been here since 06 and it is time to move on. Beside his team are poor fielders and he relies too much on feeling.

8:25 AM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Leyland is a paradox.

Tactically and strategically, he is in the top 10 managers in the league. He's been around.

He can get the team hitting on all cylinders but when the car sputters, he seems to stuggle to get the car fixed.

He's pragmatic. "oh that's just part of the game, ok guys let's just go onto the next game."

It's hard to understand.

How does Gardenhire take a team like Minnesota with injuries and their backs to the wall, pull the team out of a funk and win 7 of 10 games later in the season?

Personally I think Leyland is a bit overrated. But still a good manager.

Question is, do the bosses want to see the same thing happen year after year?

I don't blame Leyland at all for this year's tumble. It was a perfect storm in which the Tiger's had significant injuries right at the beginning of a very tough one-month schedule.

Problem is, who can you find to replace him? I'm sure there's a star or two out there but the younger guys will make mistakes in learning. But isn't that how you make a great team? Take risks?

10:52 AM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Barry,
I don't know. A lot of people agree with you about Lamont, but I usually put it on the base runners. To me, that's overblown.
Caputo

6:32 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Anonymous,
I agree with you. Paradox is a good word for Leyland. He's done some great things as a manager, but some things are questionable, too. And if he gets fired, who will do better? Were the collapses on him? As for Gardenhire, what has he done in the postseason? In that regard, Leyland is much more accomplished.
Caputo

6:34 PM 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Agree, Pat.

As for Gardenhire, you can look at it two ways.

Either Gardenhire takes a team to the pennant or wild card that he really had a hand at getting the potential out of them. But they petered out in the playoffs vs. the big boys.

Or Gardenhire has good players with whom he can't produce in the playoffs.

That's what is great about sports. You never know.

But it's the big boys on the field that make a manager look good or bad.

That's why one is crazy to bet on sports ... you never know.

7:23 PM 
Blogger Pat Caputo said...

Anonymous,
I really Ron Gardenhire as a manager, too, but sometimes I think he gets too much credit. Twins have a lot of good players - and a couple great ones.
Caputo

2:36 PM 

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