Joe Maddon leaving the Rays.

[shortstop]

Yep, if only they'd had Maddon to lead them to a stellar 77-85 record this year...

 

the Rays fell off a cliff early on when almost their entire starting rotation was injured.

[TheHurl]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Pendleton_Sinking_Ship.jpg/800px-Pendleton_Sinking_Ship.jpg

 

Wasn't everyone on the Pendleton rescued?

[Deadpool]

the Rays fell off a cliff early on when almost their entire starting rotation was injured.

 

Yep, it's almost as though the manager couldn't miraculously win games when he wasn't presented with the assets to do so... Interesting...

[jaysblue]

Where are the Tampa Bay fanboys now lol?

[z3r0s]

Maddon to the Cubs makes too much sense.

[RealAccountant]

Where are the Tampa Bay fanboys now lol?

 

I am pretty sure they are okay with a Tampa Bay Rays rebuild after they have been one of the best franchises in MLB over the last 8 years. When teams are good for a while, their fans can sustain a proper rebuild

 

However when teams have not sniffed post season in 21 years, well that is another matter. Of course that situation is unique to our sad bunch

[shortstop]

Yep, it's almost as though the manager couldn't miraculously win games when he wasn't presented with the assets to do so... Interesting...

 

No manager could've had a chance imo with the injuries to the jays in 2013 and the rays in 2014. But does a manager make more of a difference than another?

 

One could take the argument many ways which have been beaten over by many, but I will say this - imo, keeping things constant and all that you changed in 2014 was Maddon, Showalter, Matheny, etc. over Gibby - and this isn't a knock on Gibby but to what I consider the excellence of the others - I'd definitely rather have one of those guys instead of Gibby. Not to say the team would have won more in 2014 for sure b/c who knows (but generally, M/S/M would imo get more wins than Gibby keeping everything else constant), but imo, managers do make a difference on many things inside and outside the actual game including the culture and how the team plays ball. To take it one step further, I'm not sure what Gibby's philosophy is (other than let them be free and play) with this group and perhaps that's a function of the players put on the field by AA. But you take M/S/M and insert them as manager before the beginning of the 2013 season, the culture of this team would imo be drastically different - and for the better in my opinion.

[jaysblue]

Dodgers.

 

I heard BTS and Nox are now moving to Malibu.

[Deadpool]

No manager could've had a chance imo with the injuries to the jays in 2013 and the rays in 2014. But does a manager make more of a difference than another?

 

One could take the argument many ways which have been beaten over by many, but I will say this - imo, keeping things constant and all that you changed in 2014 was Maddon, Showalter, Matheny, etc. over Gibby - and this isn't a knock on Gibby but to what I consider the excellence of the others - I'd definitely rather have one of those guys instead of Gibby. Not to say the team would have won more in 2014 for sure b/c who knows (but generally, M/S/M would imo get more wins than Gibby keeping everything else constant), but imo, managers do make a difference on many things inside and outside the actual game including the culture and how the team plays ball. To take it one step further, I'm not sure what Gibby's philosophy is (other than let them be free and play) with this group and perhaps that's a function of the players put on the field by AA. But you take M/S/M and insert them as manager before the beginning of the 2013 season, the culture of this team would imo be drastically different - and for the better in my opinion.

 

So, what changed for John Farrell between 2013 and 2014? Essentially the same assets, exactly the same manager and drastically different results... So, with the same assets, the same manager went from winning the World Series (sorry, let's pause while I throw up in my mouth a little...) to dead last in the AL East.

 

Now, there are objectively bad managers (Cito and his absolute hatred of rookies, Farrell and his torrid love affair with sac bunts... etc) who still manage to win despite obvious, glaring mistakes because they have either a good team, have the stars align or have a mediocre team who plays well over their heads for a season.

 

What I'm saying is that certainly, making completely moronic decisions (batting your best hitter 6th, sac bunting in the 2nd inning...) can certainly HURT a team, there aren't any strategies that managers can employ to get more out of a team than the players can provide over the long haul.

[Nox]

I heard BTS and Nox are now moving to Malibu.

 

Joke's on you. In RL I'm actually Magic Johnson.

[jaysfan2014]

Based on the info, we know this:

 

-Not the Dodgers, Mets, Blue Jays

-Cubs favored

-Willing to take a year off and join a broadcast team (ESPN? TBS? FOX?)

-Wants 5 years/$25M.

[bill]

gibbons sucks!!!!

[thatoneguy]

However when teams have not sniffed post season in 21 years, well that is another matter. Of course that situation is unique to our sad bunch

 

Well at least when the Jays are doing well, the fans actually show up eventually. I've seen the stadium half-empty in Tampa when they're in the playoffs.

[GNick49]

All these people leaving Tampa...wonder if beginning of end for franchise?

[RealAccountant]

Well at least when the Jays are doing well, the fans actually show up eventually. I've seen the stadium half-empty in Tampa when they're in the playoffs.

 

Maybe we can trade teams with Tampa Bay. Roster player to Roster Player?

 

LOL at the end of the day, its a moot point because winning is not on the Jays cards at least in the next 3 to 5 years

[xposbrad]

Maybe we can trade teams with Tampa Bay. Roster player to Roster Player?

 

LOL at the end of the day, its a moot point because winning is not on the Jays cards at least in the next 3 to 5 years

 

Well, it could even be further than 3-5 years. Just look at the Maple Leafs, anything is really possible.