The Departed

[Doc]

The Reds fired manager David Bell after yesterday's loss to the Pirates. Management wasn't satisfied with the progress the major league team was making. This must mean that our management IS satisfied with our field manager, and that what our major league club is doing is considered adequate progress.

Appears the Cardinals are contemplating some moves after the season as well. At the very least the Pirates should replace Andy Haines. They need a batting coach similar to Harry Walker. Someone like him could teach a player like Bae to slap the ball like Matty Alou.

I'd have no problem if a hitting coach could turn Gonzales, Yorke, IK-F, Triolo, and any other non-power hitter into another Matty Alou with his .342 average. But everyone has fallen in love with launch angles, upper cutting the ball, backspin, and hitting for power. Is there a hitting coach available who can even teach what Harry the Hat taught?

[Bobster]

The Reds fired manager David Bell after yesterday's loss to the Pirates. Management wasn't satisfied with the progress the major league team was making. This must mean that our management IS satisfied with our field manager, and that what our major league club is doing is considered adequate progress.

Appears the Cardinals are contemplating some moves after the season as well. At the very least the Pirates should replace Andy Haines. They need a batting coach similar to Harry Walker. Someone like him could teach a player like Bae to slap the ball like Matty Alou.

I'd have no problem if a hitting coach could turn Gonzales, Yorke, IK-F, Triolo, and any other non-power hitter into another Matty Alou with his .342 average. But everyone has fallen in love with launch angles, upper cutting the ball, backspin, and hitting for power. Is there a hitting coach available who can even teach what Harry the Hat taught?

In his playing days, Walker was a high-average hitter with very little power. In an 11-year career, he totaled only 10 HRs but once won a batting title with a BA of .363. Seems like the perfect guy to turn Alou into a high-average, no power hitter. Others thrived under him too. Manny Mota went from a .270 hitter to a .300+ hitter. Gene Alley had his 2 best BA seasons (.299, .287) with him. And even power hitters did well with Walker. Clemente, Clendenon and Pagliaroni had their career best HR seasons with Walker. Mazeroski's 16 HRs in 1966 was his career 2nd best and his most since 1958. Maz also had a career best 82 RBIs in 1966.

Walker wasn't a great manager, but he knew hitting! And he did it without analytics. I think Cherington values new baseball theories and analytics that don't seem to work. Maybe they should look for an older, experienced baseball man who's more into hitting than the science of hitting.

[Doc]

Appears the Cardinals are contemplating some moves after the season as well. At the very least the Pirates should replace Andy Haines. They need a batting coach similar to Harry Walker. Someone like him could teach a player like Bae to slap the ball like Matty Alou.

I'd have no problem if a hitting coach could turn Gonzales, Yorke, IK-F, Triolo, and any other non-power hitter into another Matty Alou with his .342 average. But everyone has fallen in love with launch angles, upper cutting the ball, backspin, and hitting for power. Is there a hitting coach available who can even teach what Harry the Hat taught?

In his playing days, Walker was a high-average hitter with very little power. In an 11-year career, he totaled only 10 HRs but once won a batting title with a BA of .363. Seems like the perfect guy to turn Alou into a high-average, no power hitter. Others thrived under him too. Manny Mota went from a .270 hitter to a .300+ hitter. Gene Alley had his 2 best BA seasons (.299, .287) with him. And even power hitters did well with Walker. Clemente, Clendenon and Pagliaroni had their career best HR seasons with Walker. Mazeroski's 16 HRs in 1966 was his career 2nd best and his most since 1958. Maz also had a career best 82 RBIs in 1966.

Walker wasn't a great manager, but he knew hitting! And he did it without analytics. I think Cherington values new baseball theories and analytics that don't seem to work. Maybe they should look for an older, experienced baseball man who's more into hitting than the science of hitting.

We all know what they should look for, but we all know what they’ll end up with: more coaches who are inadequate. It’s what happens when winning isn’t the priority.