Sunday, September 11, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves
Still Alive, Steve?
At least, that's what I imagine Tim Brown's asking in his latest Times column:So, what to do with Jim Tracy?So what's that? Failing to get Choi in the lineup more often? Failing to find a damn place for Antonio Perez, lame glove or no? Suddenly come down with amnesia, Tim? Maybe he's still polishing up his Los Angeles Angels job application. On the other hand, maybe the point is moot, especially if Tracy has to pause to think when asked questions like this:I'd keep him.
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I think players play for Jim Tracy, once they get past the usual incentives, such as wealth, fame, innate competitiveness and to meet women.
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Two walk-off wins later, the Dodgers might appear done in the standings and on the lineup card, but did you catch Oscar Robles' gleeful dash after Wednesday's win?
It's not that they're not trying. It's that they're not very good. And where does that responsibility fall?
The Dodgers (64-77) are all but certain to finish with a losing record for the first time in Tracy's five seasons. There has been plenty of frustration, on and off the field.Tracy: it's like "Jeopardy". Being slow to the button doesn't help you win. But at least DePo is aware there's a problem:So, again, does he want to be back?
Tracy took a deep breath. "Yes," he said. "The answer is absolutely yes."
DePodesta says he genuinely likes his manager and believes Tracy has elicited strong effort from the injury-riddled roster. "Our current place in the standings is not a reflection of the job he's done," DePodesta said.Maybe it's time we had a Fire Paul DePodesta blog. Not because DePodesta has made bad player personnel choices -- though there's an argument in that direction, I don't think it's a compelling one -- but because he's waited until September to have this discussion with Tracy. It's one thing to get along with your coaching staff, and it's another to wait until the season's over before developing a spine and telling him to sit Jason Phillips and play the guy with the third most homers on the team. I've said before that Moneyball is only the press release for a book on how to run a major league ballclub; expecting everyone who appears in that book to be robots capable of extracting the same results is absurd.However, they disagree on several significant issues. DePodesta and Tracy had a lengthy meeting when the Dodgers were in Colorado last weekend and have had two shorter meetings this week.
"They've been fruitful talks," Tracy said. "… It's a good thing to do now and then."
One point of contention is Tracy's reluctance to utilize two players DePodesta believes can be productive — first baseman Hee-Seop Choi and infielder Antonio Perez.
Taking advantage of a rare start Saturday, Choi singled in the first after Aybar walked, and both scored on a double by Oscar Robles when a relay throw was bobbled by second baseman Mark Loretta. Robles scored on a passed ball.
Quote, Unquote
God bless Kelvim Escobar:"I've still got to get used to pitching, and I can't throw every day," said Escobar, who had a bone spur in his elbow shaved down in June. "But I'm having fun. I like throwing in relief. I'm very happy to be back on the team, and I just want to do whatever I can to help."And I bet they're big on recycling, too:
The Angels have been an environmentally sound bunch this season, using only as much power as is necessary, and sometimes leaving the switch turned off completely for stretches at a time.
Weav Only Just Begun
Rich's title was so clever I had to swipe it for my own hed, and so here he is on Angels prospect Jered Weaver.
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