M's missing golden opportunity
Quick thoughts over the past few games:
1) It is obvious this team has been unable to play to its talent level. The AL West is arguably the worst division in baseball. If the Tigers were in the West, this season would have been declared over weeks ago. So even with the gift of equally lousy division teams, they refuse to take advantage. The schedule was set up perfectly for them... sub .500 teams, some momentum... and it led to nothing. This team has no passion, no fire, no ability to rise to the occasion. These past 6 games have been just terrible to watch knowing what could have been.
2) The pressure is on Mike Hargrove. When national publications like USA Today start listing baserunning gaffes as reason for losing, you are in trouble. These aren't little mistakes... the kind only rabid fans like to second guess when their team is losing... these are unexplainable, what-were-you-thinking kind of mistakes.
3) I still maintain Bavasi does not share the bulk of the blame. He deserves to see the team he put together play at something resembling a predictable level. I don't think anyone foresaw Beltre being as crap-tastic as he has become. Or Sexson. You can't have the middle of the lineup perform at the level they have and win many ball games.
4) At least Hargrove did SOMETHING with the lineup today. While I don't agree with it, I don't mind seeing changes. When guys don't perform, move them around/bench them until they do.
5) Felix has been given gift leads and still finds a way to get into trouble. This is troubling beyond just missing the strike zone with his fastball.
6) I don't think Hargrove is close to being fired just yet. Until we hear the local beat writers openly pondering his future, I think he is safe. Usually management likes to float the idea first before springing a firing on the public. Sure a ten game losing streak might change that, but until I see Finnigan et al talking about his future, I don't see him getting fired just yet. His future is in doubt, but I don't think we know just how short the leash actually is.
Well, the M's won today... too bad they chose an afternoon game when no one could watch it to actually score some runs.
Quick thoughts over the past few games:
1) It is obvious this team has been unable to play to its talent level. The AL West is arguably the worst division in baseball. If the Tigers were in the West, this season would have been declared over weeks ago. So even with the gift of equally lousy division teams, they refuse to take advantage. The schedule was set up perfectly for them... sub .500 teams, some momentum... and it led to nothing. This team has no passion, no fire, no ability to rise to the occasion. These past 6 games have been just terrible to watch knowing what could have been.
2) The pressure is on Mike Hargrove. When national publications like USA Today start listing baserunning gaffes as reason for losing, you are in trouble. These aren't little mistakes... the kind only rabid fans like to second guess when their team is losing... these are unexplainable, what-were-you-thinking kind of mistakes.
3) I still maintain Bavasi does not share the bulk of the blame. He deserves to see the team he put together play at something resembling a predictable level. I don't think anyone foresaw Beltre being as crap-tastic as he has become. Or Sexson. You can't have the middle of the lineup perform at the level they have and win many ball games.
4) At least Hargrove did SOMETHING with the lineup today. While I don't agree with it, I don't mind seeing changes. When guys don't perform, move them around/bench them until they do.
5) Felix has been given gift leads and still finds a way to get into trouble. This is troubling beyond just missing the strike zone with his fastball.
6) I don't think Hargrove is close to being fired just yet. Until we hear the local beat writers openly pondering his future, I think he is safe. Usually management likes to float the idea first before springing a firing on the public. Sure a ten game losing streak might change that, but until I see Finnigan et al talking about his future, I don't see him getting fired just yet. His future is in doubt, but I don't think we know just how short the leash actually is.
Well, the M's won today... too bad they chose an afternoon game when no one could watch it to actually score some runs.
posted by Tom at
1:53 PM
