Let the Firings Begin!!
There are a lot of differences between football and baseball, but one that stands out so particularly this Monday is how each sport replaces their players and coaches. In football, the window of success is much smaller, and results are expected so much quicker that often players lose their jobs sometimes mid-game. Just look at the Arizona Cardinals. In one month, the team has gone to their 3rd quarterback after losing faith in Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson (how could that possibly happen?) and made one of those switches mid game yesterday. Baseball however, does the exact opposite.
Today the Mets finally fired their general manager Omar Minaya and manager Jerry Manuel. Yesterday was the last day of the regular season. After 4 unsuccessful seasons and 2 very notable play-off run collapses, the organization finally said goodbye to two leaders that were obviously incapable of running any team.
The best (sarcasm) decision I ever saw Minaya make was signing K-Rod (Francisco Rodriguez) after he clearly reached his professional peak with the Angels, and cutting Billy Wagner after he needed surgery which would put his career on hiatus. Billy Wagner is now closing for the Braves. 37 saves this season with a 1.43 ERA and 104 strikeouts to 22 walks. K-Rod… is now in fighting charges of beating up his girlfriend. Obviously it was hard to guess that in 2008, but I’m a blogger, I don’t concern myself with those things. I live in the now.
The Pittsburgh Pirates, a team renown for poor managing decisions, finally fired their manager as well just minutes after the Mets did. John Russell led the team to a 105 loss season this year, and overall having 299 losses in 3 seasons. To be fair, the Pirates don’t really have the talent the Mets do, but it takes you 3 seasons to figure out this guy sucks? There’s 162 games each year.
You know who SHOULD be fired? Bruce Bochy, the manager of the Padres. Matter fact, fire all the Padres, except Matt Stairs (he’s epic.) They had a huge lead in the NL West this summer, a meager lead in September, and then NOTHING in October. They had a chance for glory by tying the Giants in the NL West for an epic play-off game yesterday, but like the lead in their division, that fell to pieces as well. Note to San Diego : Pay your players. You guys are the 2nd lowest paid team in the NL, and in September, it shows.
Ugh… I just sounded like Jim Rome there didn’t I?
Matt Stairs for president.