A day after Felix Pie’s two gaffes on the bases contributed to a 7-6 loss to the Minnesota Twins, Orioles manager Dave Trembley and third base coach Juan Samuel took accountability for the team’s poor base running this season, but said the responsibility ultimately lies with the players.
“For some reason, they’re not processing it,” said Samuel, who has served as the Orioles’ base running coach the past three seasons. “It’s just a lack of concentration because they know. They are major league players or at least we think some of them are. To me, some of them are not. Some of them to me have to be thankful that expansion came because some of them wouldn’t be here. Some of the stuff that you see them do is not OK. You’re going to tell me that they are in the big leagues and don’t know how to run the bases?”
...While Trembley said that he took full responsibility, he also said that he “doesn’t buy” the theory that bad base running is entirely the fault of the manager and coaching staff.
“You don’t have a little sound piece in somebody’s helmet out there,” said Trembley, who described the state of base running in the majors as ‘atrocious.’ “Base running is instinct, base running is anticipation, base running is the score, the situation, the number of outs, how important is my run and who’s on deck. It’s all instincts. The coach doesn’t tell you when to go and when to stop. It’s too late. When you’re out there playing this game, you’re on your own. All of that stuff is predetermined.
“I take full responsibility, but the player should be accountable. What am I going to tell Felix Pie last night when he’s at second base and there’s a foul ball right in front of the dugout? Do you think you’re invisible? Come on.”
Repoz
Posted: August 27, 2009 at 04:19 AM |
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1. DKDC Posted: August 27, 2009 at 04:38 AM (#3306418)Lollygagging!
Aubrey Huff is not a speedster. He does not strike fear into the hearts of catchers around the world. I rather suspect that, if you asked Huff whether he wanted his own "green light," he'd indicate a certain measure of fatigue at the mere thought of running unnecessarily hard, (save to fulfill a promise he made to Daniel Cabrera in spring training, owing to the latter's inability to hold runners.)
So: Huff doesn't run. Who decided to go hit-and-running with Aubrey Huff on first? Huff was caught stealing six times. Six times. I repeat, Six Times! Often on hit and run plays where the ball was not, in fact, hit, and Huff stopped off for his usual plate of wings between first and 2nd, getting thrown out by 75 feet.
Could it have been, perhaps, the manager behind some of this?
If so, isn't Trembly, along with the Melvin Mora school of baserunning, somewhat to blame?
Pie's just trying to follow examples...
So he doesn't take full responsibility, then?
"I take full responsibility," strikes me as one of those phrases that is only ever used when it isn't true, kind of like "It's not about the money." When's the last time someone said "I take full responsibility" and didn't follow it up with some sort of weasally excuse or blame-shifting.
not-Trembly: "If those guys were better I wouldn't have to stand here and pretend it's my fault."
Could it have been, perhaps, the manager behind some of this?
Tom Kelly used to send Kent Hrbek on hit and runs to avoid the DP, but you gotta have a contact guy at the plate or it's pretty dumb looking.
But that's what everyone said Trembley would do when he was hired!
What's the recourse here? Fire Trembley and hire yet another manager who says he stresses fundamentals and good, clean Oriole way baseball?
As for the GM, it seems that MacPhail has made more positive steps than his recent predecessors (I know, I know; damning with faint praise).
Bring in Sam H as a coach, and give him a title like "Designated Neck Stabber."
This sounds like the best plan to me.
Hire a better manager and coaches.
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