Bob Boone Supporters, Chime in Please!

[westofyou]

I believe that strikeouts per innings are at an all time high, and I expect that walks per inning are also at at least 50 year highs

RB, I too was pondering this part of the equation and did a little surface scratching to see if this true as well.

1970 1 bb every 9.6 AB - 1 K every 5.9 AB
1980 1 bb every 11 AB - 1 K every 7.1 AB
1990 1 bb every 10.3 AB - 1 K every 5.9 AB
2001 1 bb every 9.7 AB - 1 K every 5.2 AB

In that span the average BB occured every 10.22 AB and a K every 6 AB.

I think that contracts and the fear of ruining an asset plays into the coddling as well.

You're right that pitchers of the 60's often had almost NFL running back careers, short and burning bright.

Koufax retired at 30
Drysdale retired at 32
Malony retired at 31

The amount of pitchers who achieve a complete game is getting smaller at a prodigious rate.

1960-1969 - 598 seasons with 5 complete games - high Marichael 30 -1968

1970-1979 - 610 seasons with 5 complete games - high 30 3 times.

1980-1989 - 437 seasons with 5 complete games - high Langford 28 -1980

1990-1999 - 147 seasons with 5 complete games - high 15 twice

2000 - 2001 13 players high of 9 by David Wells.

[RollyInRaleigh]

You're probably right, GAC, with the exception of Alou.

[SteelSD]

Originally posted by creek14
For some odd reason, Steel, I would be willing to bet that Red Dog knows oodles about the game. Mega oodles.

Well, creek, he's surely doing a great job of feigning the reverse then. To say that a manager is only as good as his people is as incorrect when applied to a baseball context as it is when applied to any work environment.

A good manager brings out the best in his people and has the ability to make the right decisions at the right times. A good manager takes responsibility for his team's shortcomings- he doesn't point fingers and chide players in the press. A good manager develops individual players' skills and puts them in the best position to succeed.

As soon as Bob Boone demonstrates the ability to do any of this on a consistent basis, you'll see people back off.

[guernsey]

Gammons addressed the managerial situation for the upcoming offseason in his new & notes column.

*************************************************
Looking for a new manager?
No one knows exactly how many managers will be out of jobs come the offseason. Mets owner Fred Wilpon insists that manager Bobby Valentine and GM Steve Phillips are safe and has accepted public responsibility, although there are some who wonder if Wilpon won't exercise his right to change his mind and make at least one change. There has been speculation that Giants GM Brian Sabean and manager Dusty Baker will not co-exist another season in San Fransisco, although owner Peter Magowan believes they will both be back with the club next season.

There have been rumblings that Lou Piniella's unhappiness with ownership's refusal to add any help during the season may lead him to trying to get out of the last year of his deal with the Mariners, which would make a very attractive candidate should the Cubs or Mets be in the market. There also are several people in the Tampa Bay organization that claim that Piniella would love to come home and work for the Devil Rays, and clearly the Rays need him. But GM Chuck LaMar was hesitant to go after Piniella before, which makes one wonder if he'll try to keep Piniella out again.

"There are going to be an extraordinary number of managerial openings," says one AL GM, "but I challenge anyone to put together a list of 10 really good candidates."

If and when there is a change in Texas, John Hart has told fellow general managers that he will need to hire a name, and he has had contact with Buck Showalter. Diamondbacks bench coach Bob Melvin is considered the frontrunner in Milwaukee, but three weeks from the end of the season everything else is pure speculation.

**********************************************

http://espn.go.com/gammons/s/2002/0907/1428662.html

[RedsBaron]

westofyou: Thanks for the research. I am surprised to learn that walks per innings are not at a higher level compared to 1970.