SI.com – Writers – John Donovan: Managers on the hot seat – Friday August 25, 2006 12:39PM

SI.com – Writers – John Donovan: Managers on the hot seat – Friday August 25, 2006 12:39PM
Bruce Bochy, Padres
It’s hard to imagine that the skipper of the defending division champs would be on the hot seat, harder still when you consider that the Padres are in the race again this year — and with a better record than they had in ‘05. But the rumbling in San Diego continues about Sandy Alderson wanting his own guys. Bochy and GM Kevin Towers aren’t his guys. Hard to can Bochy if they win the West, though.

You’ve got to be kidding me!  Do I think Bochy’s the greatest manager ever?  Of course not, but who’s better that the Padres are going to get?  I know, I know…  They can go out and get Dusty Baker!  Brilliant!

/em pats himself on the back!

Look, I’m all for firing Kevin Towers, in fact I’d welcome it!  Give Bochy something to work with, then decide whether or not to keep him.  I mean come on now, Chan Ho Park as one of your top pitchers?

FOX Sports – MLB – A-Rod 0-for-10 in last two games vs. Angels

FOX Sports – MLB – A-Rod 0-for-10 in last two games vs. Angels

I wonder if this will lead Steve Phillips to make up more trade rumors about him?

ESPN.com – MLB – Neyer: ‘Overall contribution’ clause could open HOF doors

ESPN.com – MLB – Neyer: ‘Overall contribution’ clause could open HOF doors

“Dusty Baker
Baker was never a great player, not even for a moment (not like his teammate Reggie Smith, for example). In The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, James ranked Baker as the 54th-greatest left fielder in major league history. Not Hall of Fame-worthy, by any measure. But what if we consider Baker’s 14 (and counting) seasons as one of the game’s best-known (and often successful) managers? You might not like what he has done with the Cubs lately, but he does have a winning record in his career and three first-place finishes and a near miss in the 2002 World Series.”

We’re talking about Dusty Baker right? How the hell is he considered a potential hall of famer as a MANAGER? My god Rob, come to your senses! Let’s compare his managerial record with Bruce Bochy, manager of my beloved Padres.

Bochy: 863 Wins, 901 Losses, .489 winning average, 3 division titles, and a trip to the 1998 World Series.

Baker: 1096 Wins, 945 Losses, .537 winning average, 3 division titles, and a trip to the 2002 World Series, losing in Game 7 to the Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels.

Well, hot damn look at that record Dusty! But wait, How many years did Bochy have a player like Barry Bonds? What about what Dusty’s done to the careers of some young pitchers? I can’t back it up, but my suspicon is if you gave them identical teams Bochy would do better. But, is he a hall of fame manager? Nope, and neither is Dusty.