12/26/24
September 17, 2003
Power to the (old) people. Who should win NL manager of the year? Atlanta's Bobby Cox (62), San Francisco's Felipe Alou (68), or Florida's Jack McKeon (72), whose Marlins have the best record since late May?
Yeah, I'd say McKeon or Baker, both of whom are first time (in the case of McKeon, inheriting after the season started a seemingly failing team) managers on their teams, yet are poised for post-season action beyond expectations.
posted by hincandenza at 01:25 PM on September 17, 2003
God I miss Trader Jack. Damn you Jim Bowden, damn you to hell.
posted by mick at 01:32 PM on September 17, 2003
How about Frank Robinson for guiding Les Expos, a team utterly shit upon by MLB at every turn, to a .500 record?
posted by Mookieproof at 01:50 PM on September 17, 2003
Atlanta isn't doing anything they haven't done since the Eisenhower administration. And if I recall correctly, Bobby hasn't the award won since 1991 either. And this was the year that the NL east was supposed to catch up with the Braves. When is he going to get some credit for 12 of the most consistent years in baseball history? (I know there's that whole world series thing.) If not Cox, I would definitely vote for McKeon.
posted by trox at 04:00 PM on September 17, 2003
Look at all the wins Cox got out of Ortiz, I think he deserves consideration just for that. Which, by the way, Baker never did here in SF. But I say give it to the Tigers manager, just for not locking the doors during a player only meeting and then shooting everyone including himself.
posted by billsaysthis at 04:59 PM on September 17, 2003
For the casual fan, the only way to judge such things is who did the most with the least talent (which is why it is difficult to gauge how great of a coach Phil Jackson is). So I would probably pick Mckeon.
posted by panther at 05:57 PM on September 17, 2003
I'm down for McKeon as well.
posted by mbd1 at 09:13 PM on September 17, 2003
How about Frank Robinson for guiding Les Expos Wow, I forgot about him (68 years old). Many good choices, but I vote for McKeon for taking over a team and guiding it to contention. Has anything like that ever happened? A team fires a coach/manager in mid-season and the replacement leads them to playoffs?
posted by msacheson at 09:35 PM on September 17, 2003
Steve Fisher comes to mind, but it was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.
posted by vito90 at 10:12 PM on September 17, 2003
Bobby Cox is the youngest out of these guys? He's only 62? Wow - I used to think he was older than God. Or at least had dinner with him a couple of times. Frank Robinson is my pick, with McKeon a close second. Cox deserves way more credit than he gets - the Braves are a totally different team this year - but he works for a stable franchise with some money. Msacheson - Cito Gaston in 1989 - Jimy Williams is fired in May and Cito leads the Jays to the playoffs. No, he didn't win manager of the year - the Jays were horribly underachieving with Williams.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:59 AM on September 18, 2003
Felipe may have "inherited" a WS team with the Giants but he still deserves much credit for somewhat changing their style of play. Their ability to bring runs home in two-out situations seems far better than previous Dusty years. 'Course I'm just stoked that the team clinched last night and we'll get another chance to go all the way... GO GIANTS!
posted by JohnSFO at 11:23 AM on September 18, 2003
Robbie Ftorek was fired by the first place Devils with 8 games left in the 99-00 season and and his replacement (Larry Robinson) leads them to the Cup? The second link suggests that a midseason replacement coach has won a Cup twice (yeah, that isn't baseball and it isn't "making the playoffs" but topical in a sense).
posted by gspm at 12:28 PM on September 18, 2003
Why no love for Dusty? Felipe inherited a World Series team. Atlanta isn't doing anything they haven't done since the Eisenhower administration.