Looks like Leyland gets the last laugh twice

[Mitchrapp]

Probably. Nonetheless, we got the prize in Miggy so I'm happy.

 

[mjsb2]

1. gets ridiculed all season about giving the important players too many days off, and now we're sitting atop the Central and everyone is rested.

2. almost everyone also ridiculed his lineups, yet we are..

4th in Runs
3rd in Batting average
5th in on base percentage
4th in Slugging percentage

http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/det/detroit-tigers

Good post I stood by Leyland while he was the speedbag of the Tigers board. I have always said he is a top 5 manager. Lots of people eating crow this year.

Really?

Like who?

He still puts out poor lineups.

He still doesn't manage a pitching staff particularly well.

Leyland has never been considered a great in game strategist, and he's done nothing this year to suggest he is.

Leyland is allegedly a good manager of people, and the players do seem to like him so at least he has that.

It all comes down to how much you value that vs the impact of his poor strategy.

 

[mjsb2]

[quote="Mitch":eageoio9]If anyone gets credit, throw the praise to DD. Betemit and Young aren't world beaters but they took guys out of the lineup and placed them on the bench. Plus, he got us quite the starting pitching.

DD has made some fantastic moves this year, even the Sizemore for Purcey was a decent gamble, just can't win em all.

The Waiver clam on DY might be the biggest coup this year, the Twins are kicking themselves right now.[/quote:eageoio9]

Sizemore for Purcey was absolutely horrible.

It was a no upside move.

Purcey sucks.

He has always sucked.

And there was no reason to believe he would do anything other than suck here.

At least Sizemore has/had the chance to be a solid 2B (which he has been for the year with a 111 wRC+ ).

He traded our best 2B option for a pitcher that was going to do nothing but suck.

We could have called up pitchers from the minors that could perform at Purcey's level.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

imo there is no reason to think this team would be any better with a different manager.

leyland does do some frustrating things but over the course of 162 you're never going to agree with everything a manager does.

we can all lament over his lineups (which are headscratchers sometimes) but at the end of the day the team has gotten the job done.

to say he's cost the team 10 games is crazy btw.

 

[sggatecl]

I think Leyland does an exceptional job keeping his clubhouse happy. I think a lot of his moves (Not pulling pitchers fast, giving players days off, etc) are to do just that, keep the players content. Whether he's wrong or right is up for debate.

 

[tomdalton22]

I think Leyland does an exceptional job keeping his clubhouse happy. I think a lot of his moves (Not pulling pitchers fast, giving players days off, etc) are to do just that, keep the players content. Whether he's wrong or right is up for debate.

Keeping all players invloved and having a good clubhouse environment is much more important than a few questionable line ups or pulling or not pulling a pitcher. That is what makes a good manager IMO.

 

[Mitchrapp]

You sound like players are happy to get days off. They want to play, even starters, every game. And how do any of us know what the clubhouse environment is? Because we see smiling faces in the dugout?

 

[ihatebadenglish]

Mitch[/color]]You sound like players are happy to get days off. They want to play, even starters, every game. And how do any of us know what the clubhouse environment is? Because we see smiling faces in the dugout?

Better question would be is there anything to point to an unhappy clubhouse?

I can't recall an issue between players or coaches while he has been in detroit. Leyland has ranked high on the "Managers you would want to play for" polls.

There was an article this year about Leyland and how he can read his players better than anyone. He knows when a guy needs a day off even if they want to play.

Is he overly loyal at times? Probably. Does he run some head scratching lineups out there on occasion? Yep.

Those issues are small compared to a warring clubhouse filled with unhappy players. You can't just bench guys after 2 or 3 bad games. Leyland gives ample opportunities for players to rebound, and I think the players have a healthy respect for him.

 

[tomdalton22]

Good post I stood by Leyland while he was the speedbag of the Tigers board. I have always said he is a top 5 manager. Lots of people eating crow this year.

Really?

Like who?

He still puts out poor lineups.

He still doesn't manage a pitching staff particularly well.

Leyland has never been considered a great in game strategist, and he's done nothing this year to suggest he is.

Leyland is allegedly a good manager of people, and the players do seem to like him so at least he has that.

It all comes down to how much you value that vs the impact of his poor strategy.

I value a manager's ability to manage people much more than any in game strategy. In game strategy has very little to do with the overall record in the long run.

 

[mikem2780]

I know the Leyland haters will never agree to this, but I'm just gonna pose a question. I'm not saying I believe this to be the case nor that I don't.

Could it be said that part of the reason for the Tigers late season surge is that they are better rested than most other teams? People are always complaining that he rests guys too much, but I never hear anyone talk about how much more life they have than the teams they're playing.

 

[Thumb]

I know the Leyland haters will never agree to this, but I'm just gonna pose a question. I'm not saying I believe this to be the case nor that I don't.

Could it be said that part of the reason for the Tigers late season surge is that they are better rested than most other teams? People are always complaining that he rests guys too much, but I never hear anyone talk about how much more life they have than the teams they're playing.

The only guy he rests is Peralta, and he does it too much.

Every other player is either a platoon player or a bench guy. (that is not an everyday guy)

most of us wanted Avila rested a bit more when he was taking that beating a month or so back, but he never did, so i don't know how you can say they're playing better because of extra rest.