SABR-friendly Managers

[RichRed]

From what I've read about LaRussa, he often overreacts to small sample sizes. There were numerous quotes in "Three Nights in August" saying something to the extent of "Well, player A is 4 of 9 with a homer against this guy" -- ignoring that the guy has hit .200 over 300 at bats against the rest of the league.

Hmm, you mean kind of like playing a guy in the regular season because he hit well in 35 spring training ABs even though he blew chunks for 10 years? I'm glad the Reds would never do that.

[Johnny Footstool]

From what I've read about LaRussa, he often overreacts to small sample sizes. There were numerous quotes in "Three Nights in August" saying something to the extent of "Well, player A is 4 of 9 with a homer against this guy" -- ignoring that the guy has hit .200 over 300 at bats against the rest of the league.

I consistently got the image of LaRussa as a new driver, constantly over correcting the steering as soon as shifted the slightest bit off course. There are simply so many opportunities for managers to makes moves, change strategy, etc., that it seems they often fail to have the patience to accept natural variation -- instead trying to control individual outcomes.

Of course, one could argue that a good manager can micromanage his way to an optimal outcome --- but even with all the data in the world, doing so in real time seems just about impossible.

Yet he seems to bring out the best in guys like Womack, Mark Grudzielanek, Placido Polanco -- guys with little-ball skills. He seems to be able to find situations in which they can succeed. And he handles his bullpen pretty well.