How long will the Pillar leadoff experiment continue?

[KingKat]

 

Then if Pillar sucks he can go to Saunders but if he went straight to Saunders after he didn't even play last year, I'm guessing Pillar would not have been happy. Should Pillar just suck it up? Yes, obviously. But again, these guys aren't robots so Gibby does the most diplomatic thing. We've all seen the dumb s*** Pillar says. Gibby giving him first crack is the definition of managing egos. I would be a lot more scared of Pillar leading off if I hadn't seen Gibby make multiple changes to that spot last year.

 

Same thing with Carrera. Probably Jose, EE, etc. like the guy and if our 4th OF isn't going to play that often, then why dampen the clubhouse by straight up cutting a vet guy.

 

I think it goes beyond Pillar. There's a clubhouse hierarchy and Saunders has to prove himself to be a part of it. It's bizarre and stupid but I do think it's real. Pillar even though he's not very good has paid his dues vis-à-vis his teammates and that's true of Colabello too (a popular teammate coming off a productive if fluky season). Pillar's getting the gig is not so much to make him happy but because it's what the clubhouse probably wants and ditto to some extent for Colabello. Not every manager operates this way. Heck, Gibbons himself didn't used to operate this way but he's also never managed a playoff team before and maybe this is just a side of him we never saw before. I f***in' hate it. I think it's stupid. There are managers of good team who aren't afraid to enforce the platoon advantage, who don't care about seniority but that's not something you implement midstream.

[intentional wok]

My issue is that removing Pillar after he fails results in way more soreness and drama than it does if you don't put him into a position to fail in the first place. This is on top of the side effect of costing the team runs (and perhaps wins).

[Krylian]

My issue is that removing Pillar after he fails results in way more soreness and drama than it does if you don't put him into a position to fail in the first place. This is on top of the side effect of costing the team runs (and perhaps wins).

 

I don't think there would be any drama or soreness... Unless Pillar is a complete meathead and can't see that he wasn't performing to the level that he'd need to to stay in the #1 spot.

[KingKat]

I don't think there would be any drama or soreness... Unless Pillar is a complete meathead and can't see that he wasn't performing to the level that he'd need to to stay in the #1 spot.

 

Well... Maybe not a complete meathead but I'm not so sure he'd get it either. It's a weird situation. At no point, did he seem to understand what should be expected of a leadoff hitter. Pillar didn't even feign to try to be more patient. Can he understand why he failed when he wasn't even trying to do what he needed to to succeed?

[burlingtonbandit]

I think it goes beyond Pillar. There's a clubhouse hierarchy and Saunders has to prove himself to be a part of it. It's bizarre and stupid but I do think it's real. Pillar even though he's not very good has paid his dues vis-à-vis his teammates and that's true of Colabello too (a popular teammate coming off a productive if fluky season). Pillar's getting the gig is not so much to make him happy but because it's what the clubhouse probably wants and ditto to some extent for Colabello. Not every manager operates this way. Heck, Gibbons himself didn't used to operate this way but he's also never managed a playoff team before and maybe this is just a side of him we never saw before. I f***in' hate it. I think it's stupid. There are managers of good team who aren't afraid to enforce the platoon advantage, who don't care about seniority but that's not something you implement midstream.

 

Players know the managers make the lineup, GMs make roster moves etc.. They really don't have much say in anything and they know they are paid to perform not be GM or manager. This would apply if you were a legacy player like Jeter but not Kevin Pillar.

[glory]

I don't think there would be any drama or soreness... Unless Pillar is a complete meathead and can't see that he wasn't performing to the level that he'd need to to stay in the #1 spot.

 

Pillar makes JPA seem modest by comparison.

 

He'd probably be upset with it.

[Lil Looper]

The pillar leadoff experiment should never have happened

guy is a 8-9 at best

[CultofShatkins]

Wilner: "Pillar should be leadoff and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot. Unless Shapiro/Atkins/Gibbons thinks he shouldn't be in which case anyone who said Pillar should be leadoff is an idiot."

[Statman]

This is getting ridiculous.

 

Gibbons is asleep at the wheel again.

[Nafro]

I was all for giving Pillar a chance, 12 games is a chance. Let's try something else, please.

[Dr. Dinger]

Realllllly getting tired of seeing our MVP come up with one out and nobody on base.

[TilsonBritoFan]

Gibby has to make a change, right? Right???

[CultofShatkins]

I would have put Saunders up there a week ago.

[Laika]

I think at this point you have to wonder if the pressure is getting to Pillar. I feel bad for the guy.

 

Ignoring the lineup implications, they should move Pillar down simply for Pillar's sake.

[Boxcar]

I think at this point you have to wonder if the pressure is getting to Pillar. I feel bad for the guy.

 

Ignoring the lineup implications, they should move Pillar down simply for Pillar's sake.

 

Stop being such a pussy. Maybe I'd feel bad for Pillar if he wasn't so self absorbed and didn't f***ing vainly campaign for himself to be the leadoff hitter all winter. I bet he even made those appearances at those talks and stuff with Gibbons to drum himself up.

 

This is what he gets. f*** him. If Pillar realized that he's a perfectly fine #9 hitter and got thrown in against his will, then maybe I'd feel bad.

[intentional wok]

I don't think there would be any drama or soreness... Unless Pillar is a complete meathead and can't see that he wasn't performing to the level that he'd need to to stay in the #1 spot.

 

I'm a day late on this, but moving a guy out of the spot you promised him is embarrassing for him. The guy lobbied for the job (as anyone should, dedicated fellow that he is) and is pretty much going to get shamed out of it because of a skill set that should be apparent to his boss. Pillar doesn't need to be a meathead to take a confidence blow, but then again I don't know him and maybe he'd be unfazed.

 

My point is that if Gbby never gave him the job in the first place, the worst he'd have to deal with is a super quality CF lobbying for a promotion. Address it with "Look, we love you Kev, but the big bats need to be up there. It's always been like that." Sucks, but he can't argue with that. Now you risk embarrassing the guy (which I'm sure is a thing, because I've never had a job in which the media has been down my neck) as well as putting the team's overall performance at risk. This is all Gibby's fault. I'm sure there are a dozen guys in the locker room who are lobbying for something that shouldn't get, and it's the boss's job to say no.

[JosJos]

did anyone mention the stat Pillar is the only major leaguer with minimum 20 AB who haven't had a walk yet? too funny

[JFD]

did anyone mention the stat Pillar is the only major leaguer with minimum 20 AB who haven't had a walk yet? too funny

 

He had a walk yesterday that was registered as a K for some bizarre reason.

[Nafro]

He had a walk yesterday that was registered as a K for some bizarre reason.

 

Had to say the lead off batter with next to no walks in 12 games

[admin]

#firegibbons

[Laika]

Stop being such a pussy. Maybe I'd feel bad for Pillar if he wasn't so self absorbed and didn't f***ing vainly campaign for himself to be the leadoff hitter all winter. I bet he even made those appearances at those talks and stuff with Gibbons to drum himself up.

 

This is what he gets. f*** him. If Pillar realized that he's a perfectly fine #9 hitter and got thrown in against his will, then maybe I'd feel bad.

 

KP the best

[jays_fever]

#firegibbons

 

Take Casey with him

[BigCecil]

My issue is that removing Pillar after he fails results in way more soreness and drama than it does if you don't put him into a position to fail in the first place. This is on top of the side effect of costing the team runs (and perhaps wins).

 

Exactly. Pick your poison. Gibby could have told him to try to change his approach down in the order, and if successful he would move up. Assuage his ego that way.

 

Now we will have to deal with the inevitable "clubhouse hierarchy" sideshow in another 2-3 weeks of him being bumped out.

[fatcowxlive]

Saunders leading off today!!

 

[intentional wok]

Saunders leading off today!!

 

 

I'm positive I made a prediction that it would only be a few weeks before Gibby's dumb ST ideas wore off. I wish I could find it so I could puff up my ego a bit more.

[Belliss101]

It's over... Is finally over!!!!

[flafson]

It's over... Is finally over!!!!

 

Don't count your chickens yet, it may be just to give him a breather...

[vdubmvp]

It's over... Is finally over!!!!

 

It really felt like it went on for so much longer than it actually did.

[BTS]

Clearly incorrect Gibby decisions that required reversing:

 

- Carrying Arnold Leon (reversed)

- Naming Pillar leadoff hitter (reversed)

- Carrying Ezequiel Carrera

[FrozenRopes]

Clearly incorrect Gibby decisions that required reversing:

 

- Carrying Arnold Leon (reversed)

- Naming Pillar leadoff hitter (reversed)

- Carrying Ezequiel Carrera

 

Zeke is serviceable and the others had options.