Blog Archives

Wright's extension and potential change in Mets offseason plans

11/30/2012

Ed Coleman from WFAN reported last night that the Mets and David Wright agreed to an 8 year, $138 million extension. He reported this at approximately 3 am, which is ironically the same time Willie Randolph was fired during a roadtrip in Los Angeles in 2008. The Mets can finally go on with their offseason plans of adding outfield help, a catcher and strengthing their bullpen. As I have thought all along, the Mets entire offseason has hinged on Wright and the Mets agreeing to an extension. Furthermore, nothing else noteworthy was going to happen until this situation was resolved.

    Not that this opens up Fred Wilpon's wallet. Obviously, the Mets are not in the spending business because they committed to Wright. They have opened up dialogue with RA Dickey and seem to be negotiating an extension with him. A good sign the Mets are ready to explore improving the team at the winter meetings would be if the Mets extend Dickey before then. However, not signing him would leave open the option of trading him to address other needs.
    Reading the latest posts regarding the team's plans is like going to the tabloids to hear good news about your favorite entertainers. Most of the spin is negative, obviously, with stories changing by the day. After the 2012 season ended, Sandy Alderson led some to believe the Mets were going to be active in the trade market when he said "There are other ways to obtain players". Accoring to baseball reference, the Mets now seem more interested in addressing needs through free agency.
    It is funny that there has been some talk about the Mets bringing back CF Angel Pagan. Obviously, that is not going to happen. But, Ryan Ludwick intrigues me. He is coming off a year where he made just $2 million for the Cincinnati Reds. He hit 26 HR and drove in 80 in 125 games. Add in the fact that he plays against both right and left handed pitchers, and he could be a fit. The question is, of course, do the Mets want to pay him and how much will it take? He probably earned himself a two year deal as he will only be 34 next season. As much as I appreciate what Scott Hairston did last year, Ludwick would clearly be an upgrade. Hairston will also likely get a two year deal for his performance last season. Other OFs that should interest the Mets are Nate McLouth, Reed Johnson, Juan Rivera and Don Kelly.
    The Mets will be watching the non-tender deadline tonight. If Jesus Flores is non tendered by Washington, expect the Mets to get involved. However, it does not solve the Mets problems in finding an every day catcher as Flores does not provide much as a hitter. Other players, particularly pitchers, should become available at this time, opening up the possibilities of all teams to address needs. And then theres always trades, but depending on what tabloid you read, the Mets may or may not be interested in making trades.

Former White Sox RHP Monty Stratton: a great story of strength and determination

11/28/2012

On this date in 1938, Chicago White Sox RHP Monty Stratton had his right leg amputated after a hunting accident. At the time, Stratton was just 25 years old and coming off two very impressive seasons. His 1937 season stood out the most, when he went 15-5, 2.40 in 22 games, 21 starts. He followed that up with a 15-9, 4.01 in 26 games, 22 starts. His life story was chronicled in "The Monty Stratton Story" which stars James Stewart as Stratton and also features appearances by Gene Bearden and Bill Dickey, among others.

    Stratton's story could have easily been one of a man who had the ability to pitch in the major leagues, but one that was cut short because of an unfortunate accident. Stratton initially accepted his fate and began his career as a coach. After his rehabilitation, he stayed with the White Sox for several years coaching. But a burning desire remained with him to once again pitch in the major leagues. Playing with a wooden leg, he threw on the side for nearly 8 years, finally deciding to make a comeback during the 1946 season. He pitched for the Sherman Twins in the East Texas League and managed to make 27 starts, going a remarkable 18-8 and pitch 218 innings. This was all with a wooden leg! While players like Pete Gray and Jim Abbott get a lot of credit for having big league careers in spite of missing one of their arms, Stratton's story in more incredible.
    The story ends on a little of a down note as Stratton failed to duplicate his 1946 success and does not make it back to the big leagues. In 1947, he made 15 starts for the Waco Dons of the Big State League, going 7-7, 6.55 in 103 IP. After that season, he battled several injuries, one forcing him to miss the entire 1948 season. He made 2 starts during the 1949 season, one for the Vernon Dusters of the Longhorn League and one for the Temple Eagles of the Big State League. He didn't give up an earned run (4 unearned) in 13 innings. Fighting injuries and the difficulty of throwing with one wooden leg, he pitched to a 2.25 ERA, winning all four of his starts (all complete games). The only downside of his season is that he gave up 31 runs (27 unearned) in two leagues that were obviously pitching him to add some ticket sales. The competition at that level was very questionable, but the complete games and wins make his run very remarkable. He did not pitch professionally during the 1951 and 1952 seasons and made one final comeback in 1953 at age 41. After struggling in his two starts, he finally ended his attempt.
    It would have been an unbelievable story if Stratton made a return to the major leagues. Unfortunately, there was never enough momentum built up for it to be realistic. I wonder if Bill Veeck ever thought about signing Stratton as a publicity stunt, like a couple of the lesser professional leagues did. All kidding aside, Monty Stratton could have easily gave up his dream of pitching after losing his leg. He had a couple of very good seasons, something many MLB pitchers can never say. The five seasons he continued to pitch in the minors after his amputation should be an inspiration to many athletes who are faced with an adversity as serious. It is my hope that the story can continue to be told, 74 years after his amputation and 53 years after a movie was made about his life. Once again, the movie is called The Monty Stratton Story and was made in 1949. Stratton passed away in 1982 at age 70.

45 years ago today, Gil Hodges hired to change the culture

11/27/2012

The Mets first six seasons could not have gone any worse. The years of bringing in over the hill talent got them nothing. Through the draft, the team took advantage of some high draft picks to get themselves some better, younger talent. But, the turning point was when the Mets traded for a manager who they traded away as a player just a little over four years prior.

    During the 1963 season, Gil Hodges realized he was finished as a player. No longer the power hitting 1B during his prime, Hodges planned on retiring after the 1963 season. Then, an opportunity came from the eyes of the Washington Senators, the same expansion team that would later become the Texas Rangers. They were interested in Hodges as a manager. For Hodges, the Mets acquired declining OF Jim Piersall, who once clubbed 40 2Bs for the Boston Red Sox. Piersall would hit .194 in 40 games for the Mets before being granted his release on July 27th, finishing the season (and the final four seasons of his career) with the Los Angeles/ California Angels.
    Hodges did not have the success he had as a player behind the bench, at least yet. But when he managed the Senators to a 42-79 record for the rest of the 1963 season, that was good for a .347 winning percentage. 1964 saw him managed the team to a 62-100 record, a .383 percentage. 1965, 70-92, .432 and 1966, 71-88, .447. So, after he led the Senators to a 76-85 record for the 1967 season (.472), he could say his team got slightly better every season he was there.
    The 1967 Mets finished last for the sixth straight season, having not finished any higher. What was encouraging though, was the fact the Mets were putting a much younger team on the field and it was showing a little improvement. Ed Charles was the only regular player above the age of 28, and he played in just 101 games. This rookie pitcher named Tom Seaver took center stage, going 16-13 with a 2.76 ERA in 1967. And something about him gave the impression he would not accept losing.
    After manager Wes Westrum was let go toward the end of the season, the Mets were in search for their next field boss. Despite the five straight losing seasons in Washington, the Mets felt Hodges was leading them in the right direction. Still under contract, the Mets had to trade for him just like when they dealt him to Washington in 1963. They sent RHP Bill Denehy, who would pitch in three games in the 1968 season with Washington, and $100,000 to the Senators to get back Hodges.
    We all know the rest of the story. Hodges did a lot of observing during his first season with the Mets. In 1968, he led the Mets to an all time best 73-89 record; finishing 9th and not last for the first time in their history. The Mets won the 1969 World Series in most improbable fashion, with Hodges and his leadership having much to do with it.
    The rest of the discussion has been about why Hodges is not in the Hall of Fame. He gained over 60 % of the vote in three years when he was eligible and once again in 2007 and 2011 from the Veterans Committee. Heres hoping he gets elected soon, as today was the day the Mets went from being a doormat to a potential World Series Championship contender (45 years ago).

Proposition for a 2013 Phillies outfield

11/25/2012

    The Philadelphia Phillies are coming off a very disappointing 2012 season as their expectations were very similar to the past five seasons where they won the National League East division. Among reasons for the teams lack of success was he lack of situational hitting. In particular, their offense struggled to live up to the hype as they ranked toward the bottom of the National League in several important categories. They started the season behind the eight ball as stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley missed significant parts of the early season. Despite a stronger second half, it became too much of an uphill climb for them to become a factor in the NL East race.
    As the team struggled toward the July 31 st trading deadline, decision was made to trade OFs Shane Victorino and Hunter Pence, despite the latter having another year remaining on his contract. While the Phillies played better ball towards the end of the season, it is clearly obvious they need a new plan when it comes to their outfield.
    The offseason did not get off to the best of starts for them as LF Juan Pierre signed with the Miami Marlins. Pierre was part of the options the Phillies were considering moving forward with. Much talk has been about the Phillies potential interest in free agents Josh Hamilton and BJ Upton, with the Phillies discussing numbers with Upton. In my crystal ball though, I see Upton in Atlanta and Hamilton in San Diego.
    So where does that leave Philadelphia? I understand the importance in a centerfielder, but they should not over react if they do not land Upton. I suggest they focus on the corners, upgrading both leaving money available to address other needs such as 3B and the bullpen. In my opinion, the first player they should sign is a guy the Phillies remember very well from his 2010 postseason success against them. Cody Ross had a breakout season in Boston and has proven he can play every day. His power would work well with the dimensions at Citizens Bank Park. The only thing is, he earned himself a two year deal which should pay him about $14 million total as he just played out a 1 year, $3 million deal with Boston.
    For the other corner outfield spot, they should make an offer to Nick Swisher. Yes he will be looking for a long term deal, but he will soon realize he is not getting a 4 year contract. I am thinking two years, $24 million with an option for a third season. Swisher can bat in a number of spots in the order and will have a good presense in the clubhouse. Playing the last several seasons at Yankees Stadium should allow him to continue to put up the regular season numbers he put up with the Yankees.
    As for centerfield, I am proposing a trade. The Angels are looking to move Peter Bourjos, who is an excellent defensive CF with a lot of speed. The Phillies can bat him leadoff. Though he has not hit for a tremendously high average, he will give them a leadoff batter and should be able to put up numbers similar to what Pierre gave them last season. If the Phillies traded Domonic Brown to LA, they would likely get another piece back. With the prospects of adding a thirdbaseman ahead, the lineup could be Bourjos-Swisher-Rollins-Howard-Ross-Utley-3B-Ruiz-P. Add in a Kevin Youkilis type in the 3B spot, that lineup becomes much more balanced than it was this past season.

Warren Spahn: most dominant LHP of all time

11/24/2012

On this date in 2003, Hall of Fame LHP Warren Spahn passed away at age 82. His 363 wins ranks 6th all time in baseball history and trail only Christy Mathewson among left handed pitchers. While it is hard to knock what Mathewson accomplished, he did it in the complete dead ball era, netting most of his wins from 1901-1914. Spahn set a standard that has been hard to duplicate, winning 20 or more games 13 times (same as Mathewson). It is fair to say Spahn had tougher competition.

    Deservedly so, Bob Feller and Ted Williams are applauded for risking their lives and playing careers to serve their country. Spahn gave up three seasons (1943-1945) to serve this country in World War II. It is safe to say, he could have become just the third pitcher to win 400 games for his career had he pitched those three seasons in the big leagues.
    Spahn led the NL in wins 8 times, ERA 3 times, complete games 9 times, shutouts 4 times, innings pitched 4 times, strikeouts 4 times and WHIP 4 times. He did this, for the most part, pitching on bad Boston and Milwaukee Braves teams (for the exception of the 1948, 1957 and 1958 teams that won a World Series and 2 NL Pennants).
    I always make the joke of Spahn being one of the ten Hall of Fame players to wear a Mets uniform. Of course, when he joined the Mets, his career was finished. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants where he enjoyed a little bit more success before retiring after the 1965 season.

2012 Black Friday value list for the Mets

11/23/2012

Obviously, this offseason, more than the previous two, has left New York Mets fans completely in the dark as far as their offseason moves are concerned. The stalling in the negotiations with 3B David Wright and RHP RA Dickey have given fans the feeling it will be a long offseason. GM Sandy Alderson has stated, in the few times he has addressed offseason moves, that the Mets are more likely to use the trade market as opposed to free agency to address the most important needs. So, once again, it seems the Mets may be interested in potentially prying players off the "dollar rack". (Which, by the way, they did not even try to do last offseason.) So, while this is no attempt on my part to say this should overtake the priority of adding more proven and sound players, I once again, have listed a group of players who are lower risk, higher reward type players who can give the Mets something if they perform to their greatest capabilities.
If the Mets are to compete in 2013, they need to address needs in the outfield, catcher and in the bullpen. That has to be done in addition to these potential bargains if the Mets want to compete in any way. Just as a reminder, here is my article I wrote on the day after Thanksgiving last year.

2011 BLACK FRIDAY VALUE LIST FOR THE METS

    Not to stear this discussion in another direction, but the Mets have to address the Wright situation (I prefer to see him extended) as well as set themselves with major league calibur players in the outfield and behind the plate. That, if it is addressed at all, should be done through trades and possibly signing a player below market value.
    Jeff Keppinger had a breakout season as a utility player for the Tampa Bay Rays last season. He hit .325 (125-385), 9, 40 playing 2B, 3B and SS. Though he made his MLB debut with the Mets, he may command a little more money than others, but he could be had for less than $4 million being he made $1.53 million last season.
    Yuniesky Betancourt is coming off a down season with Kansas City where he did not play every day. Prior to that, he was an everyday SS for KC in 2010 and Milwaukee in 2011. He made just $2 million last season, and can likely be had for that or less for 2013. To me, he is an upgrade over Ronny Cedeno and can put up some decent numbers at SS or 2B.
    Brandon Lyon may have gotten himself a decent contract with his strong finish in Toronto. He was 4-2, 3.10 in 67 games, striking out 63 batters in 61 innings for the Astros and Blue Jays. He is coming off a 3 year, $15 million contract with Houston that did not necessarily work out. He should be had on a 1 year contract paying less than he made annually the last three seasons.
    Juan Cruz has been an enigma on so many levels. He has had some good seasons, struggled in other occasions, but ultimately has not been able to stick with any one organization. He was 1-1, 2.78 in 43 games, striking out 33 in 35 2/3 IP with Pittsburgh in 2012. However, he was released after the Pirates fell out of contention and was not picked up by anybody afterwards. He made $1.25 million last year, and perhaps could sign a deal for around the same for 2013.
    The first three players I mentioned should draw interest from other teams but could be in play for the Mets. This next group of players will be risks in some way because they have struggled to retain form the had years ago. But they can all be had on either minor league contracts or one year deals with low base salaries similar to what Alderson has been dishing out. Grady Sizemore missed the entire 2012 season sitting on a $5 million deal he got from Cleveland. Nobody will come near that for this season. Perhaps a minor league or $1+ million offer for the 2013 season may entice Sizemore. Will he return to the 2006-1008 version when he was one of the top CFs in the AL? Probably not, but he would be a good player to take a chance on for that money.
    Marlon Byrd is a free agent coming off a tough three years after signing for $15 million with the Cubs. After a 3-43 start in Chicago, he finished off hitting .210, 1, 9 with the Cubs and Red Sox. He is expected to be available on a minor league contract with some incentives.
    Chris Snyder looked like a solid all around catcher during his time in Arizona. He has struggled the last two seasons in Pittsburgh and Houston, finishing off a .176 (39-221), 7, 24 season with the Astros. While he is not the answer as a starting catcher at this point, his upside should make a minor league offer worth considering from both sides.
    Xavier Nady still has a lot of fans from his cameo with the Mets in 2006. Though he is not the same player, he hit better with the Giants in the second half of the season after a rough start in Washington. Overall, he hit .184 (28-152), 4, 13 for the season and would be worth a minor league contract with a spring invite. Ryan Spilborghs had some success in Colorado for several seasons, in spite of not playing in the major leagues last season. Playing in AAA for Texas and Cleveland, Spilborghs hit .288 (131-455), 9, 68 and could be a cheap replacement for Scott Hairston. Perhaps a Nady/ Spilborghs battle in spring training can allow the Mets to use that money to fill other needs. (This is assuming the Mets plan to address their OF needs as mentioned earlier.)
    Among relievers who can be had for little, Todd Coffey is coming off a disappointing and injured season in LA. He was signed for $1 million, and was 1-0, 4.66 in 23 games, striking out 18 batters in 19 1/3 IP while missing most of the season. Hong-Chih Kuo went to spring training with Seattle last season, but did not pitch in 2012. His upside includes his All Star 2010 season in LA, making him an option as a minor league invite. Hisanori Takahashi was terrible in his two seasons with the Angels, finishing off last season in Pittsburgh. He proved to be nowhere near worth the $8 million, two year contract he got after he left the Mets. However, when he signed a minor league deal with the Mets he shined in 2010, both as a starter and reliever. Why not give him a shot on a similar deal?
    This article was not meant to get Mets fans excited. In my opinion though, moves like this will give fans some hope. The task at hand has been set for Alderson, who I feel must put his stamp on this team. None of the moves I mentioned will have any impact on any better moves the Mets hopefully will make. But if the Mets can have for little to nothing, Betancourt, Nady/ Spilborghs, Snyder, Coffey, Kuo and Takahashi along with the possibility of Sizemore, the Mets will still be able to use what little resources they have to address the outfield, catcher and bullpen.

RHP Kyle Lohse: Top five teams that should have interest

11/22/2012

A lot of attention has been given to free agent RHP Zack Greinke, and rightly so as he should get a contract in the excess of $100 million. Former Cardinals RHP Kyle Lohse (he is unlikely to return) is coming off a career season, but has done very well in the majority of his five year career in St Louis. Entering age 34 for the 2013 season, he should get himself a multi-year deal better than the one he signed with the Cardinals before the 2009 season. His 2008 season where he was 15-6, 3.78 in 33 starts and 200 IP got him his 4 year, $41 million deal with St Louis. His last two seasons, particularly his 2012 season, should get him a deal which should pay him about $13-$15 million a season at a length of about 3 or 4 years.

Lohse led the NL in winning percentage (.842) with his 16-3 record in 2012. He seems to have defined himself as a ground ball pitcher and it has been very good over the past two seasons. He also had career highs in IP (211), Ks (143) and WHIP (1.090). He was 14-8, 3.38 in 2011, after going 15-6, 3.78 in 2008, so he will not be getting rewarded for one season like he was in his last contract. Though few larger market teams will be in the mix, as the preference is usually in power pitchers, Lohse will get a lot of attention and there should be several suitors. I have selected five of the most likely destinations and explained why I think he will end up at my number one choice.

5. Detroit Tigers: While some can say Detroit can use Lohse as a contingency plan if they are not able to bring back Anibal Sanchez, I think the Tigers may be able to benefit more from having Lohse than Sanchez. Having Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello all being hard throwers, balancing it out Doug Fister and Lohse may be best for the makeup of the rotation. The Tigers seem poised, however, to retain Sanchez.
4. San Diego Padres: I have said before that I expect the Padres to be active during this offseason. They have a new ownership group that seems like it may be willing to spend. They should fly under the radar when it comes to OFs like Josh Hamilton, BJ Upton, Juston Upton and Josh Willingham. Lohse would be interested in pitching his home games in San Diego, one of baseball's most pitcher friendly parks.
3. Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers are now without three fifths of their 2012 opening day rotation, as Shawn Marcum will likely leave as a free agent, joining Greinke and Randy Wolf missing from last year's mix. Yovanni Gallardo was missing some of his dominance of past seasons and the Brewers can use a number two starter. Lohse could marvel in more abscurity playing in Milwaukee after spending the past several seasons doing the same.
2. Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles, in my opinion, would be one of the best fits for Zack Greinke. It seems however, he will end up in Los Angeles with the Angels or Dodgers. The Orioles should be in the mix for a starter like Lohse, as they will also be looking at Edwin Jackson and Sanchez, among others. Lohse should be able to keep the ball down in hitter friendly Camden Yards.
1. Kansas City Royals: The Royals have been serious about upgrading their starting rotation, something they strongly feel was the reason they were not in contention in the AL Central. They have traded for Ervin Santana and signing Jeremy Guthrie to a three year contract. Lohse would put the finishing touches on a solid offseason, putting the Royals in contention with the Tigers and White Sox. Their rotation will be improved with Lohse, Santana, Guthrie, followed by a mixture of Bruce Chen, Vin Mazzaro and Luke Hochevar- if the three are retained. They also have LHP Mike Montgomery almost ready to help the big league club as well as Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino recovering from Tommy John surgery. It is realistic to expect the first three to keep the team in many more games than last season.

Stan Musial and his place in the all time greatest player discussion

11/21/2012

Stan Musial is celebrating his 92 birthday today. In my opinion, he is by far the greatest living player representing the game today. The game has had tremendous players who have dominated in all areas and it is fair to say Musial ranks amongst the best to ever play this game.

    Musial finished his 22 year career (from 1941-1963, missed 1945 due to millitary service) with a .331 average, 475 career HRs and 1951 RBIs. His 3630 career hits ranks him 4th all time behind Pete Rose, Ty Cobb and Hank Aaron. He managed 6134 total bases, for which in baseball history, only Aaron had more. His 1377 career extra base hits trail only Aaron and Barry Bonds. He also had 725 2Bs, where only Tris Speaker and Rose had more.
    In addition to those all time stats, Musial managed 177 3Bs and scored 1949 runs, and finished with a .417 OBP and .559 SLG to total a .976 career OPS. His OPS ranks him 13th all time. He won the NL MVP 3 times (1943, 1946, 1948) and played for 3 World Series winning teams (1942, 1944, 1946). He was also part of the 1943 NL Pennant winning team that lost to the Yankees in the World Series. As expected, he was an All Star just about every season he played.
    The hardest thing to do is quantify who the greatest player is to ever play this game. It is impossible to compare both hitters and pitchers; I am 100% in favor of splitting wins above replacement into batter and pitcher catagories. When you factor in the different eras of the game and different advantages and disadvantages players of different times had or have, many opinions will differ. However, few thought out opinions would be considered wrong. You also have to but into account what a fair judgement of players who used steroids (Bonds, Alex Rodriguez) and players who have been expelled from the game (Rose, Joe Jackson). I chose in my analysis to include all players, for the expection of current players, who have no completed their book yet.
    The three players I initially said could be the greatest of all time were Babe Ruth, Cobb and Ted Williams. My secondary group consisted of Musial, Aaron, Willie Mays, Speaker, Honus Wagner and Bonds. I had stated that Ruth, Cobb and Williams could each make their own case of being the best player ever. Musial makes the best case in the second group because of what he accomplished all around.
    Based on what Musial accomplished, I find it most amazing that he only got 93.2% of the Hall of Fame vote in 1969. I understand that writers did not vote for guys such as Ruth and Cobb in their first year of eligibility and Williams got 93.4% the vote. But, think about this. Since Musial and Williams, only Aaron and Mays have been eligible for the vote afterwards. Mays got 94.7% of the vote in 1979. Aaron, though, got 97.8% of the vote in 1982. In my opinion, Williams and Musial were better players than Mays and Aaron. I know we are comparing the greatest against the greatest, but Williams and Musial hit for a higher average (.331, .347 respectively). Perhaps a critic can state that Mays and Aaron hit more HRs, but like I said before, Musial only trailed Aaron when it came to total bases and just Aaron and Bonds in extra base hits. Let the discusion continue...

John Gibbons and the history of MLB managers who joined same team for a second stint

11/20/2012

The Toronto Blue Jays surprisingly announced the return of former manager John Gibbons (2004-2008) after talk had former MLB managers Manny Acta and Mike Hargrove as favorites. I threw my two cents in yesterday when I suggested Jim Riggleman, who apparently never got a call.

CLICK TO READ MY ENDORSEMENT OF RIGGLEMAN

    Since 1961, 30 managers have managed the same team on more than one occasion. Among the ten who won World Series managing that team, only Pittsburgh's Danny Murtaugh (1960, 1971) won World Series titles in two or both of his stints. In fact, only Atlanta's Bobby Cox (1995) and Oakland's Alvin Dark (1974) won World Series during their second tenure. In fact, it makes sense that the remaining seven teams brought back their skipper because of the fact they won them a World Series. Cito Gaston won two WS in Toronto in 1992-1993, left after the 1997 season and returned from 2008-2010. Earl Weaver had a great run with Baltimore from 1968-1982, winning the World Series in 1970 and winning AL Pennants in 1971 and 1979. However, after leaving the Orioles after the 1982 season, they won the World Series under Joe Altobelli in 1983. He returned for the 1985 and 1986 seasons.
    Ralph Houk won World Series in his first two seasons at the Yankees helm in 1961 and 1962. He was fired after the 1963 season, which saw him lead the Yankees to the AL Pennant before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He returned to manage the team from 1966-1973, one of the worst stretches in the history of the team. Red Schoendienst managed the Cardinals from 1965-1976, winning the World Series in 1967. He returned for brief cameos in 1980 and 1990.
    Billy Martin managed the Yankees from 1975-1978, winning the World Series in 1977. He returned for separate stints in 1979, 1983, 1985 and 1988. In fact, before passing away on 12/25/1989, reports are he was planning to manage the Yankees once again in 1990.
    Of course, Yankees manager comings and goings were something very common in the George Steinbrenner era. Dick Howser took over for Martin in 1978 and returned to the team in 1980. Bob Lemon replaced Howser in the same season, leading the Yankees to the World Series that season, only to be replaced by Martin during the 1979 season. Lemon would once again manage the team from 1981-1982. Yogi Berra led the Yankees to the AL Pennant in his only season in 1964, and returned to the team from 1984-1985. Gene Michael managed the team in 1981. After getting fired, he was named manager in the 1982 season.
    Jack McKeon took over the Florida Marlins during the 2003 seasons, leading them to an unexpected World Series win. He stuck around through the 2005 season before returning in 2011. He also had two stints with the Oakland Athletics in 1977 and again in 1978. Dark's first tenure started with the Kansas City Athletics in 1966 and lasted through 1967 before having issues with owner Charley Finley. He returned after the A's won consecutive WS in 1972 and 1973 after Dick Williams had similar issues with Finley. After winning the 1974 Series, he managed the team for the 1975 season before leaving for good. Hank Bauer also managed in Kansas City/ Oakland from 1961-1962 and returned for the 1969 season in Oakland.
    Others won pennants for their respective teams. Paul Owens managed the Phillies in 1972, but returned to lead them to a NL Pennant in 1983 and left after the 1984 season. Harvey Kuenn managed the Milwaukee Brewers in 1975, but returned for the 1982-1983 seasons, winning the AL Pennant in 1982. Al Lopez, who had won a Pennant with the Cleveland Indians in 1954, managed the Chicago White Sox from 1957-1965, winning the AL Pennant in 1959. He returned to Chicago for the 1968-1969 seasons.
    Others who had two stints with the same team include Gene Mauch (1981-1982, 1985-1988) and John Mc Namara (1983-1984, 1996), both with the California Angels. Joey Amalfitano (1979, 1980-1981) and Lou Klein (1961-1962, 1965) both managed to have two stints with the Chicago Cubs. John Boles (1996, 1999-2001) did so for Florida and Jim Fanning (1981-1982, 1984) for Montreal. George Bamberger managed the Brewers from 1978-1979 and again in 1985-1986. Ray Knight had two runs in Cincinnati (1996-1997, 2003) while Birdie Tebbetts did the same for Cleveland in 1963 and 1966-1967.
    Simliar to Schoendienst returning briefly in 1980 and 1990 with St Louis, Johnny Pesky did the same with the Boston Red Sox in 1980, after managing the team from 1963-1964. Cal Ripken, Sr got the job from 1987 to beginning of the 1988 season after serving a brief stint in 1985.

Though unlikely, Jays should give Jim Riggleman chance of managing this team

11/19/2012

According to MLB trade rumors, it seems like the Toronto Blue Jays are close to naming their next manager. Reports are, it will be former Nationals and Indians manager Manny Acta. The Jays have gotten most of the talk of this young offseason, as they pulled off the blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins and added OF Melky Cabrera as a free agent. Though this team is not guaranteed anything coming into the season, they obviously have every opportunity to be much better given the increase in talent the team has added. In my opinion, the best man for this job is Jim Riggleman.

    Riggleman was Acta's bench coach during their time in Washington, and managed the Nationals when the team started to improve. Riggleman's black eye resignates from his resignation during the middle of the season after leading the Nationals to a winning record. Riggleman felt he was not considered the long-term solution in Washington and wanted an extension to get the sense of some job security. That being said, he is still considered one of the better baseball minds and at least, should serve as a team's bench coach this season. As much as he can be blamed for giving GM Mike Rizzo an ultimatum, he should deserve a chance to manage again in the big leagues.
    Riggleman does not bring in the best MLB managing resume. Most of his credit goes to his baseball knowledge and the fact that he has been trusted with a couple different kind of teams. When he took over in San Diego, he got to manage a team that had enough talent to win. He was part of the carousel of managers brought in to try to get this team to win, something that continued to fail until Bruce Bochy took over. After being let go after the strike shortened 1994 season, he landed in Chicago leading the Cubs to a winning record in 1995. He also saw the transition of leadership, or a least best player, from Ryne Sandberg to Sammy Sosa. This resulted in the team becoming a playoff team in 1998 after two losing seasons.
    After he was let go following the 1999 season, he was not given another crack at managing a team. He spent 2000-2004 as the bench coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers and after becoming Seattle Mariners bench coach in 2008, taking over as manager when John McLaren was fired. He was named bench coach in Washington the following season and replaced Acta that same season.
    He made an impact on Chicago and Washington, making both better. Though Davey Johnson has done a great job with the Nationals, Riggleman got them close enough that it could be stated that they may have won the division with him still at the helm. It is hard to say, but Riggleman still leaves doubt over how good of a manager he is.
    Hopefully, he is getting consideration. Perhaps teams have shyed away because of the incident in Washington. I would be curious to see if he could win with a team like Toronto. If they struggle, we can close the book on Riggleman as a big league manager. Even if Acta does get the job, it would be wise if he brings back Riggleman to be his bench coach.

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