Thoughts on Mike Matheny

[kfm]

Let's pretend like Matheny is our manager today. What did you all think of him resting 3 starters when they have a day off tomorrow? Bringing in a lefty to face votto in the ninth, Intentionally walking Ludwick in the ninth because he hits righty and then bringing in a righty to face Heisey who hits right handers better than lefties. I Would hate to see what this board would look like today if Dusty made these moves today and the reds lost. I think there are better fits for this team than dusty and am looking forward to getting a new manager but I think he did a very good job today working the bullpen. I know we always focus on the reds manager, but I am curious to hear what people thought of the job Matheny did today. I thought he was awful and aided the reds victory with a number of bad moves.

[bigredmechanism]

Unless there is some crazy double switching or tons of bullpen calls, it's hard for me to ever say a manager 'did good.' Usually it's either 'they screwed up' or 'did okay.'

I didn't notice much about Matheny other than he is way younger than TLR.

[kfm]

How do you rest freese, berkman and Beltran in one game when you are going for a sweep on the road against a rival. That would be like dusty resting votto, Bruce and Phillips when going for a sweep in st Louis. Seems bizarre to me.

[Ironman92]

Originally Posted by kfm

How do you rest freese, berkman and Beltran in one game when you are going for a sweep on the road against a rival. That would be like dusty resting votto, Bruce and Phillips when going for a sweep in st Louis. Seems bizarre to me.

Yeah....sitting all 3 is awful.....I'd be pissed as a Cards fan, but since I love the Reds and hate the Cards....thanks Mike.

[joshua]

I don't think there would be much calling for his head if we were on top of the division heading into a road trip at 5-2 instead of being in fourth place and a half game back from the Astros

[kfm]

Originally Posted by joshua

I don't think there would be much calling for his head if we were on top of the division heading into a road trip at 5-2 instead of being in fourth place and a half game back from the Astros

The year the reds won the division there was a ton of Dusty bashing on this board. What did you think of Matheny today? I dont care what place my team is in, he was horrible today. This race could come down to one game, and this could be the game. After all in 2010 the reds faced the cardinals in the first week of the season in gabp, lost the first two and won the final game on a walk off hit by the left fielder. Just sayin

[markymark69]

He didn't complain about the mud they rub on baseballs or cry foul when Cueto hit Furcal in the back one at-bat following his triple, that to me is a positive - perhaps the Cardinals won't be as whiny this year - even though Lance Berkman didn't get the memo - as he was mouthing at the ump on a strike call late in the game.

As far as his strategy I don't care - the Reds won and at the end of the day that's all that counts.

[joshua]

Originally Posted by kfm

The year the reds won the division there was a ton of Dusty bashing on this board. What did you think of Matheny today? I dont care what place my team is in, he was horrible today. This race could come down to one game, and this could be the game. After all in 2010 the reds faced the cardinals in the first week of the season in gabp, lost the first two and won the final game on a walk off hit by the left fielder. Just sayin

The difference is Matheny is a rookie manager, Dusty is not. Matheny automatically gets more leniency because of that and it's understandable that he's going to make mistake his first year as a manager...and he's 5-2 right now. The Cardinals look much more prepared to play baseball, on the mound and at the plate than the Reds do right now.

[Magdal]

I smelled a rat, so to speak, when MM played not 3, but 4 rookies in the rubber game vs. the Brews. It is rare for a manager to have 4 players zoned in at the same time.....Furcal, Beltran, Freese and Molina are crazy hot. You don't sit a player when he's on fire.

The IBB to Luddy had to be horrifying to Card fans...when he is in one of his funks (as he is now) he is an easier out than the pitcher. MM's gaffs where discussed plenty in the GDT, so I won't rehash them any further.

My take is this: Matheney is copying some of LaRussa's most flawed practices. Since TLR invented baseball, these flaws were largely ignored. MM's will not be. He will be ran out of town if he continues this style of managing.

[jhu1321]

Agreed, I thought he had lost his mind when he intentionally walked Ludwick in the ninth. I was at the game and everybody in our section was looking around at each other in amazement. Ludwick looked terrible in his previous AB's.

[Magdal]

Originally Posted by jhu1321

Agreed, I thought he had lost his mind when he intentionally walked Ludwick in the ninth. I was at the game and everybody in our section was looking around at each other in amazement. Ludwick looked terrible in his previous AB's.

Yup...to tell you the truth, Rolen and Ludwick are both worthless right now in the clutch, but Baker must be the only person in Ohio that can't see that.

Bruce should be batting 4th, PERIOD. Stop the madness!

[Ironman92]

Originally Posted by Magdal

Yup...to tell you the truth, Rolen and Ludwick are both worthless right now in the clutch, but Baker must be the only person in Ohio that can't see that.

Bruce should be batting 4th, PERIOD. Stop the madness!

Dusty might be the slowest ever to adjust to things like this.

[Who Dey Time]

Originally Posted by Magdal

Yup...to tell you the truth, Rolen and Ludwick are both worthless right now in the clutch, but Baker must be the only person in Ohio that can't see that.

Bruce should be batting 4th, PERIOD. Stop the madness!

The same Bruce that struck out in that situation in the bottom of the ninth?

Ok.

[swaisuc]

Originally Posted by Magdal

I smelled a rat, so to speak, when MM played not 3, but 4 rookies in the rubber game vs. the Brews. It is rare for a manager to have 4 players zoned in at the same time.....Furcal, Beltran, Freese and Molina are crazy hot. You don't sit a player when he's on fire.

The IBB to Luddy had to be horrifying to Card fans...when he is in one of his funks (as he is now) he is an easier out than the pitcher. MM's gaffs where discussed plenty in the GDT, so I won't rehash them any further.

My take is this: Matheney is copying some of LaRussa's most flawed practices. Since TLR invented baseball, these flaws were largely ignored. MM's will not be. He will be ran out of town if he continues this style of managing.

I don't think it was a mistake to walk Ludwick. RL would have been bunting there and I think he knew Bruce couldn't (or wouldn't even try) get a bunt down.

[Grouse]

The sad thing is they played us even with there b Squad, and bad bullpen calls. 3 To 3 in the 9th.