Inside the Front Office

[wheels]

Originally Posted by icehole3

Even if the approach is right or wrong, dumb or smart, works or doesnt work at least there's a plan in place. It beats not having a plan in place and at least a top five draft pick didnt blow out a shoulder. Do they at least get any credit for that...let me get back in my hole before the whole Redszone world comes down on me.

What's the plan? Pray tell.

Oh I remember...

Grossly over pay for historically incompetant pitching, draft for seven years down the road, pitch to contact, take first pitches.

Yeah, you're right.

At least they have a plan.

[wheels]

Originally Posted by WilyMoROCKS

Hey, at least the Dude's got a "PLAN"

Nothing sums up the '05 season more than this picture.

Good work.

[icehole3]

maybe we should fire everyone in the front office every year until we get it right

[Boss-Hog]

Originally Posted by icehole3

maybe we should fire everyone in the front office every year until we get it right

Hiring some people with a clue as to building a winning team works for me.

[wheels]

Or we could just keep everyone around, regardless of record or result.

Who needs that accountability thingy anyway?

[KronoRed]

Originally Posted by icehole3

maybe we should fire everyone in the front office every year until we get it right

Better then what we're doing now.

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by Boss-Hog

Hiring some people with a clue as to building a winning team works for me.

I believe even if we could land Billy Beane guys here would complain

:

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by icehole3

I believe even if we could land Billy Beane guys here would complain

:

you write as if folks are complaining just to complain about current leadership. So, defend the current era purely on merit. What have they done that has you excited about the future and warrants commendation?

[cincinnati chili]

Originally Posted by icehole3

maybe we should fire everyone in the front office every year until we get it right

I know you're somewhat kidding here, but I don't think it would necessarily be a bad think to fire EVERYONE in the organization and just start over. I know it didn't necessarily work out too well, but that's what Dan Snyder did when he took over the Redskins.

It's harsh, and you end up eliminating competent people too (like Kullman). But it's a good way to infuse an organization with energy. I think you see in organizations like airlines that when new management comes in and asks old employees to change their behavior, the old employees' natural reactions are to say, "why should I work harder, I'm not getting paid any more than I used to."

[ochre]

Pitching bearing fruit in the low minors? Call me when it makes it to/past AA without rotting.

The biggest component of a plan that I can determine is to draft weak hitting college fielders. That's been the most consistant aspect of their strategy that I have seen. I'm sure they play the game the 'right' way though.

[paintmered]

Originally Posted by westofyou

The Maginot Line was a plan.

That worked out well.

[icehole3]

Originally Posted by traderumor

you write as if folks are complaining just to complain about current leadership. So, defend the current era purely on merit. What have they done that has you excited about the future and warrants commendation?

whenever I do that the whole Redzone world comes crashing down on me, telling me to get back in my hole. So lets just say that every aquisition the Reds made this past year didnt turn out to be sour grapes, but because OBrien doesnt make the fantasy league fancy pants moves like some of the regular stat-loving Redszone posters would like him to he gets bashed with the "I wish they would fire him, I wish they would fire him" once a week posts. Its just a tired act after reading it aaaaaaaall year long.

:

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by icehole3

I believe even if we could land Billy Beane guys here would complain

:

If he was here two years without making any obvious progress, then yeah, we probably would.

To me, it's pretty simple. We're a small-market team, like it or not. But we're not doomed. Teams are out there proving that being in our payroll class is not fatal. But to make that happen, the small-market GM can't be subpar or even average -- he has to be above average, well above average, in terms of making baseball decisions, evaluating talent, finding edges. He has to "win" most of his decisions and for crying out loud he can't make the big, crippling mistakes. I see no way to look at the totality of O'Brien's tenure and conclude that he's that kind of guy. And if he's not, the sooner we cut our losses, the better.

Kind of a moot point until the ownership situation is resolved, though.

[icehole3]

How on earth can anyone implement any type of program that was so depleted talent wise as this organization was in a little over a year and half time period. Give this group a chance to put his people in place, develop a system in the lower minors and try to stockpile some prospects at AA and AAA, last week he made some cuts of different personel in the minors and everytime I turn around this board is wanting someone new put in the GM spot...thats why I say OK lets start over every year.

[WMR]

Originally Posted by icehole3

How on earth can anyone implement any type of program that was so depleted talent wise as this organization was in a little over a year and half time period. Give this group a chance to put his people in place, develop a system in the lower minors and try to stockpile some prospects at AA and AAA, last week he made some cuts of different personel in the minors and everytime I turn around this board is wanting someone new put in the GM spot...thats why I say OK lets start over every year.

Eric Milton.

As bad as the Milton signing was, the true demonstration of DanO's utter and complete ineptitude, in my opinion, was his re-signing of Paul Wilson when he KNEW THAT WILSON'S SHOULDER WAS HANGING TOGETHER BY A FEW SHREDS OF MUSCLE!!!

What more do you need to know? That is far from the only mistake that he has made, but that re-signing, more than any other single decision, demonstrate DanO's braindead approach to building a winning ballclub.

Has he ever done anything proactive?! He's the most reactionary GM I've ever observed outside of maybe Steinbrenner (let's be honest, he's the real GM) and maybe Omar Minaya. Notice, both those guys are operating with payrolls well in excess of 100 million dollars!!! THEY CAN AFFORD TO BE REACTIONARY.

We, The Reds, CANNOT.

The truly great organizations are the ones who combine a hefty payroll WITH a great GM (cough cough, Atlanta Braves).

We aren't going to have the payroll, so we've sure as hell got to have the GM!!! DANO is NOT that guy.