How a real GM reacts to poor performance

[skinnyhorse]

Below is a interview with St. Louis GM, John Mozalok. He sounds a little different than the Pirates GM.





"I certainly have been an advocate for the word patience, but at some level you've got to do it. And you can't just come on a show every Sunday and come with new excuses ... So at some point, something has to change. As I watch this club and I try to figure out exactly how to find the right solution to fix it, there are a lot of things going through my mind at the moment. And just trying to figure out what would be best, not only for the short term solution, but thinking long term as well. As much as I want to tell you it's simply just being patient, at some level we need guys to start picking it up."



Without naming names, there are a few people that we can infer Mozeliak is talking about. One being Dexter Fowler, who owns a .169 batting average and -1.4 WAR. With two doubles on Sunday, that was the first multi-hit game since May 31 for the Cardinals right fielder. Another could be Marcell Ozuna, after earning National League player of the week honors he followed that with a week of seven hits and eight strikeouts. Also a consistently struggling starter, Kolten Wong has a .188 batting average, but his glove is keeping in the lineup.



Then there's Carlos Martinez, one of the prominent culprits of Thursday's 11-3 collapse in Milwaukee. No mention of nagging injuries has been made since Martinez's returned to the mound from a lat strain, which makes his 0-2 record and 8.10 ERA in four starts since returning, even more surprising.



But as Jose Martinez has carried this team with his bat and surprise ace Miles Mikolas throwing gems every fifth day, St. Louis is four games above .500 and within five games of first place in the NL Central.



Beyond the players, Mozeliak also believes some of the blame lays with the coaching staff.



"If you look at really this past week and how many strikeouts we've had, really it has been mind-boggling," Mozeliak says, talking about St. Louis' 64 strikeouts in its last six games. "Where does it start, obviously with the players, but at some level you have to put some responsibility on the coaching staff and specifically the hitting coach. But I always hate to say that's the problem."

[SCBucco]

St. Louis is a winning organization. It demands players to perform at a high level and if not, will hold them accountable. Then there is the Pirates ... total other end of the spectrum.

[Bobster21]

That's the difference between our GM and one who expects to win. Or it could be the Cardinals just aren't getting enough rest.

[RichD]

Cards expect to win .Pirates hope to win. It all starts in player development and the Pirates have failed/sucked  at it for 30+ years . We get lucky for a couple 3 year stretches now and again. Its not rocket science. We always draft guys who are projectable to do this or that ...And never draft guys who  do it.



We made NCAA hr leader a pitcher .Van Benscoten (sp ???)





We are drafting middle IF in droves that are small who dont hit ...Almideyis last year, the guy from Vandy this year . Velario has some pop but is like under 300 obp.



It goes on and on..If I was GM I would draft my needed quota of Pitchers and just find all the best hitters.. Fans love to see hitters....,Then you trade hitters for pitching.



Just think of the crap we have had over the years..Shon Walker ,Charles Peterson ,Hermanson ,Bulington ,Linclon it goes on and on high picks who fail.

[skinnyhorse]

Why do we put up with it, why doesn't the City put pressure on the owner to win, it's costing the city millions, why don't the fans revolt, why can't something be done. I'm sick and tired of it, I want to see this team become competitive again, and it starts with a GM who understands we have to be better at everything we do, and quit with the excuses.

[sdimmick3]

unfortunately, im not sure a good GM candidate would come in with the current owner and his penny pinching.

[sdimmick3]

some fans are not attending games, i know i haven't been to a game in two years, this will be three. Altoona is 1-1/2 hours closer and i enjoy the experience there. I will keep spending my money there.

[dmetz]

Well, that's how a winner talks.   He doesn't belittle the fans griping by saying things like "this isn't fantasy baseball" or utter nonsense like "we would love to be in a position to add in July for the 8th consecutive year"



Talking like a winner doesn't make a GM good (actions > Words), but it's surely preferable to talking like a loser, with low goalposts and incoherent defenses of status quo.

[notes34]

4255585C5C58525A02310 wrote: unfortunately, im not sure a good GM candidate would come in with the current owner and his penny pinching.
I'm with you I won't go to any games and spend my hard earned money.

[Bobster21]

39303829275D0 wrote: Well, that's how a winner talks.   He doesn't belittle the fans griping by saying things like "this isn't fantasy baseball" or utter nonsense like "we would love to be in a position to add in July for the 8th consecutive year"



Talking like a winner doesn't make a GM good (actions > Words), but it's surely preferable to talking like a loser, with low goalposts and incoherent defenses of status quo.


No one was added to the MLB roster in July 2014 so he must have meant August that year. At the time of the first addition on 8/3 the Pirates were just 2.5 games out of 1st place. Here's who was added in August 2014:



Unemployed utility infielder Jayson Nix was signed as a free agent (8/3).

Struggling reliever John Axford was picked up when Cleveland waived him (8/14).

Minor league reliever Bobby LaFromboise was picked up when SD waived him out of their system (8/24).



These additions somehow did not propel the Pirates to capture the division and they had to face Bumgarner in the WC game. Good job, Neal.