Mike Scioscia | The Baseball Zealot

Selig’s on-field committee: Where are the players and the umps?

Bud Selig has announced the formation of a 14-person committee that will discuss all “on-field” matters. Selig claims there are no “sacred cows” and top of his list is “pace of game”.

What is interesting is the composition or perhaps what is lacking from from the committee. Here is list:

Current Managers

Tony La Russa
Jim Leyland
Mike Scioscia
Joe Torre

Current or Former GMs

John Schuerholz
Andy MacPhail
Terry Ryan
Mark Shapiro)
Chuck Armstrong
Paul Beeston
Bill DeWitt
Dave Montgomery

special advisor

Frank Robinson

media observer

George Will

The good news is that have some current managers on the committee. Though as the as the article points out, there will be no current players or umpires submitting their feedback. In my opinion, if you’re going to be talking about issues that relate to on-the-field or gameplay issues (for example, oh I don’t know… pace of game), it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some input from players.

And to not include any umpires is beyond me. After all, they will be the ones who will be enforcing any rule changes, if any.

And mark my words, there will be some. Because if Selig says “pace of game” will be among the first topics discussed, those aren’t just idle words. He’s making a definitive statement that something will be done about pitchers like Jonathan Papelbon.

…and really, George Will? I respect his knowledge of baseball but whenever I hear his name in the context of the sport, I can’t help but think of this SNL video.

2009 MLB MGRs of the Year: Tracy & Scioscia

Padres Rockies Hurdle Fired Baseball Jim Tracy took over for Clint Hurdle in Colorado, guiding a struggling Rockies team to a 74-42 finish, and a postseason berth. It’s hard to argue with the selection of Tracy as the NL Manager of the Year. Twice before teams he’s managed have finished with 90+ wins (2004 Dodgers finished 1st), while three times his teams finished with 90+ losses (2007 Pirates finished 6th). So it just goes to show, being a successful manager has alot to do with being in the right place at the right time, and having the horses.

Mike Scioscia won the AL Manager of the Year Award. It was the 2nd time he’s won the award, the first coming in 2002, when his Angels won the World Series. Scioscia has averaged 90 wins per season in his ten years as the Angels skipper, and has finished in 1st place five of the last six years. The Angels have built a winning baseball philosophy around their manager’s belief in fundamentals, speed, & defense.

2009 Managers of the Year: Mike Scioscia & Jim Tracy

scoscia The Sporting News has announced the winners of the Manager of the Year award as Mike Scioscia of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Colorado Rockies Jim Tracy.

This was the 10th year Mike Scioscia has been the Angels skipper, averaging exactly 90 wins per year. He is a two time Manager of the Year award winner, winning the award in 2002, when his ballclub won the World Series. Although LAA won three less games (97) than the previous year (100, his only 100 win season), Scioscia had one of his best seasons at the helm. Early in the year an up & coming rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart was tragically killed in an automobile accident, Scioscia’s steadying influence kept the Angels focused. But the biggest thing Mike brings to the table as manager is “Angels baseball”, it starts in the minors, and everybody in the organization knows what’s expected of them. If somebody doesn’t do their job, they’re are pulled out of the ballgame, and reminded of what’s expected. It’s a throwback brand of ball, where the little things are expected, little things produce big results.

Jim Tracy took over from Clint Hurdle as the Rockies manager on May 29th. In only 116 games at the helm, he turned Colorado around, with a 74-42 record, winning a wild card playoff berth. Under Tracy the team lost their first three games in Houston, and he came in that next day and said, “Guys, I want to just let you guys play the game. But if you all force me to come out here, I’m going to come out here”. Jim Tracy has experienced success before as a big league skipper, in 2004 he guided the Los Angeles Dodgers to a first place finish with 93 victories.

Both Scioscia & Tracy are the one and only winners of the Manager of the Year award in their ballclubs history.

GAME ONE – SOX at ANGELS – 05/12/08

It was nice of the White Sox to let my Angels win one in this series. ;–)

Seriously, if I were to pick which of these games the Angels were most likely to win, Buehrle vs. Adenhart would NOT have been the one. That’s why baseball is the most fascinating game of all.

Did you know that Buehrle has only beaten the Angels once in 15 career starts? I would think that his skill package would give the Halos trouble. Wouldn’t you? Changing speeds and taking away the stolen base completely.

Tonight is Jered Weaver vs. John Danks. I have referred to Weaver as “a right-handed Danny Jackson.” No one understands that this is a compliment.

“First Pitch – Strike One” is a key for the Halos tonight. They won last night despite NOT doing this. 4 double plays won the game.

Orlando Cabrera had good things to say about Mike Scioscia: “With all due respect to managers around the game, I think that Scioscia is on another level,” Cabrera said. “This guy dominates the opponent, the thinking,
all the things that they do, the scouting reports. He has an advantage. I think he’s the smartest guy in the game right now, no doubt.”

I can sincerely return Cabrera’s compliment to Scioscia. Ozzie Guillen’s in-game baseball strategy, more often than not, is what I would do. I think he is real solid in that area. He can’t field for Joe Crede or get hits for Nick Swisher. The players have to come through to make the manager look good.

DonS.