The Mariners Prove Two Points
Interesting news out of Seattle as the Mariners have fired hitting coach Alan Cockrell. They did so in large part because Seattle ranks at the bottom of the league in hitting – worse even than our beleaguered Orioles.
That fact alone surprised me since I had assumed the O’s were the worst. It’s splitting hairs, though. Both teams have suffered from the same basic affliction.
The move intrigues me on two levels, both of which are addressed in the article.
First, it speaks to the notion that sometimes change is good for its own sake. Seattle GM Jack Zduriencik all but admitted as much when he said that “Sometimes just the same message from a different messenger sometimes carries some weight, but it’s certainly apparent we’re not doing what we should be doing offensively.”
Read between the lines (and take note of how he said “sometimes” twice) and he’s basically saying “We can’t fire the players but we need a change and this is the option we had.”
Is there wisdom in that approach? I think there is. Hitting coaches don’t hit but baseball is a game of habit and routine. When those things go wrong an indirect change can make a difference. Take, for example, the idea of working standing up instead of in a chair. Change something around the work and you create a fresh opportunity to change the results of the work.
Yet that idea shouldn’t obscure the importance of the second point, which is that production is the only change that matters. Mariners DH Mike Sweeney put it best when he said “I know our offense hasn’t had a heartbeat, but it’s not due to Alan Cockrell. It’s due to us, the players.”
All of which surely sounds familiar to Orioles fans. Things aren’t going as planned and we, too, have reached the point where it might be time to shake things up. Yet we also realize — or should — that it’s still up to the players to go out and execute. To perform consistently to the best of their abilities.
I wonder where Andy MacPhail stands on this. He’s already talked about sending players to Norfolk but I’m sure he also realizes that there’s nobody better to replace them. He has to realize that if the offense doesn’t improve soon it might make sense to pull the trigger on a symbolic move in hopes that it breaks the shackles of bad habit. I have nothing at all against Terry Crowley, but he’s been here a long time.
Then again, the Mariners are in town starting on Tuesday. Here’s hoping that firing Cockrell makes no difference at all.
I don’t have any big connection to Crowley. I’d probably be excited to see him let go if only because it’s a change. I think he’s good with individual hitters, but I also think he waits too long during a slump to start really working with hitters, and he doesn’t appear to preach an approach other than “if you get a good pitch to hit, swing”. We probably would do well to have a guy that preaches an approach. We are, after, dead fucking last in OBP, I think, or close to it. Likewise for pitches seen, etc.
But then you have to wonder if that’s DT’s call. If it is, DT will likely decide to go down swinging with Crowley because of some loyalty-type thing, which is annoying. It’s largely DT’s call to hire coaches during the offseason, so unless MacPhail brings the hammer down from the top, I’m not sure the Crow is going anywhere.
Adam Jones needs to get sent down to AAA. It happened to Torri Hunter early in his career, and it needs to happen with Jones if he doesn’t turn it around by the end of May. It’s a big shot of credibility, I think, if the O’s choose to make that move.
I’m not sure why DT didn’t stick with the same lineup that scored 7 runs off Liriano. Why change that? Sure, maybe you get Tatum in there and DH Wieters, but other than that?
I keep hearing DT make comments like “I dont know what to do.” “If I could pull a rabbit out of my hat I would.” “I miss my leadoff hitter” (Pretty sure not having B-Rob isnt the reason why Jones Reimold Scott and Atkins cant hit). That sounds like a guy who…
A: Doesnt care anymore.
B: Lost control of the team/clubhouse.
C: Has given up hope on his team.
D: Forgot that the words “I Cant, or I Dont know what to do” is NOT in a coaches vocabulary, EVER, in any sport.
E: All of the Above
If you answered E you are correct, and the change should be made there. Crow doesnt need to be the scapegoat.
DT: “I dont know what to do”
A-Mac: “We’ll were gonna bring in somebody who does. Fair winds, and following seas my friend”
@ Mike R:
I’m not sure those quotes from DT really means A, B, C, or E. It might mean D, but that’s about it. DT obviously cares. Probably too much. The team has come out and backed him. I don’t think he’s given up hope, either.
Doesn’t mean he’s a good manager, I just disagree that we can definitely say all the things you said about him.
I’m not saying Crow should be the scapegoat. I’m just saying I wouldn’t complain if he gets let go, which he probably won’t as long as Trembley is the manager.
Montanez for Patterson is the obvious move today, I think.
@ dan the man:
I’m alright with that move. Montanez isn’t very good, and I always like Patterson when he was here. He needs to be more patient at the plate this time around, but at least he gives us some speed. We have ZERO running game without B-Rob, and if I’m not mistaken C-Pat stole like 80 bases with us over his 2 years
This is not a comment on any of us here, at all, but it’s really, really sad when our central focus has to be on how much Corey Patterson could add to the lineup. I had hoped and prayed that these days were over…
@ dan the man:
I’m sure Trembley cares, and doesnt want to see his team lose. But he’s not doing anythng about it. He specifically said “I don’t know what to do. I’ve done all I can do. If I could pull a rabbit out of my hat I would.” Hey Trem, how about “We’re struggling so Crow and I are going to get these guys more time in the cage. Were gonna spend more time watching tape on the pitchers were facing so we’re better prepared at the plate.” Managers have been fired with a lot better records than 9-23, and they probably never said I dont know what I’m doing here.
I cant take this lightly like some of you guys can. 13 years of “maybe next year,” It’s geting old, and sick, really fast. I understood why we have lost. 98-02 was “rebuilding.” We got Albert Belle, seemed like a good idea at the time. But eating that contract hurt for a few years. I understood that. Then we get Javy Lopez* Raffys* back, B-rob* hit 10 homers in April, Miggy* with 150 rbi’s, Gibbons* had a breakout year. 1st place at the break. But wait, oh no, Jason Grimsley* gave them all roids. Had to clean house. Theres another set back. I understood that. Macphail comes in with a plan. But its gonna take time. I understood that. 3 years we sacrificed to “the plan” And we bring in a waste of human life like Atkins, brought in Lugo, Patterson. give me a break. Lets go get Kevin Millar Gary Matthews jr* and Sidney Ponson while we’re at it. I dont understand this. And the guy who is the general actually says “I dont know what to do.” Do your fucking job, or go get someone else who will. how about that.
@ Mike R:
You can’t really blame Trembley for the offensive woes and then transplant that onto the past 13 years of awfulness. Let’s focus on what he actually can do and affect. 2005 isn’t even something you should be allowed to bring up in a serious discussion of Trembley’s efficacy. Heck, I’m not even sure 2009 is really fair game.
We’re here now. Let’s deal with today, not yesterday.
Furthermore, you don’t know that they haven’t been putting in the extra time. I’m certain that the players and coaches would be rather offended at the implication that they aren’t trying hard enough and that if only they would bear down and focus they could get these guys right. I mean, I feel a little offended for them, and I honestly don’t think much of any of these guys as coaches.
@ Mike R:
The only players you mention under Andy’s tenure here are Atkins, Lugo, and Patterson? You kidding me? Come on dude. That’s instant lack of credibility.
Wieters
Reimold
Pie
Bell
Sherrill
Jones
Tillman
Matusz
You yourself laid out exactly what MacPhail inherited coming in: repeated demolitions of the roster, except those previous GMs didn’t do anything to restock the farm.
I agree with you in part about DT, but give credit where credit is due with what MacPhail has done to the overall talent level in the minor leagues. It’s not showing at the bigs yet. But I’m sure glad we didn’t set ourselves back another decade by continuing to make stupid decisions. Atkins and Lugo are stopgaps and the right kind of stopgaps at that: the 1-year kind. I’m not saying they’re good moves – they weren’t, clearly – but I’m damn sure 5 years ago those would be 2 or 3 or 4 year deals.
@ dan the man:
very true. I am happy with what Andy has done up to this point, and your right, he had one hell of a mess to clean up. I think i’m just mad at trembley and i took it out on everybody.lol
…also, i think i freak out when I hear things like “corey patterson could provide a spark in the offense.” I feel like I need to jump in my hot tub timachine and get out of 2007
Mike R wrote:
I hear you. No arguing with this.
I know the Adam Jones discussion and complaints are getting kind of old, but look at the numbers below (which I pulled off Melewski’s blog). It is really, really scary, worse than I thought…
April/May 2009: .344/11/36……..45 gms….25 EBH.
Since June of 2009: .233/11/41….125 gms…28 EBH.
28 extra base hits in 125 games??? If this is the real Jones, it’s a huge blow. As Andrew said, it’s THE story of the season so far. He is still young for sure, but wow.
@ sci:
Well of course, those April/May numbers were him playing over his head with BABiP’s close to .400(!) and a 6.5 BB% (which wasn’t much different from his overall season rate) and a ridiculous 24ish HR/FB ratio. It all added up to a guy who looked like a breakout all-star with a huge batting average and isolated power through the roof, but was in actuality a two month statistical aberration which may or may not have resulted in some bad habits. It certainly resulted in at least increased expectations and a developmental hiccup.
He HAS to get right. The Orioles have built a plan with so few players of Adam Jones’ talent that the few they do have basically MUST at least become solid regulars. Right now AJ looks destined for the greyhound to obscurity, and it has to be one of the Orioles top priorities to get him right.
I don’t hear anybody complaining about the Ty Wigginton signing anymore. It’s amazing what Andy gets criticized for, but when things actually work out people look the other way and whistle.