In many of the professional sports if a team appears unprepared the head coach, manager or whatever the elder leader of the team is called in that sport, is typically held accountable.
If a defensive back is not hustling on a play and completely misses a coverage the onus is on the player, but as soon as the entire defense appears to be missing assignments, reads or coverage then the head coach is on the hot seat. If there is one mental error that is on the player but as soon as those mental errors become more common it is a systemic issue.
In the NBA if players are not hustling back down the court or not playing defense instead of the highly paid professional athletes being held accountable for their lack of effort the lowly paid coach is fired.
Should the same be said about baseball? I don’t think so. Heck, I don’t think it applies to most cases in professional sports. It’s just that the manager or head coach is an easy target.
In football I think the head coach can be held accountable, more so than any other sport because schemes are so important and if players haven’t been coached to be in the right place at the right time it should fall onto the coach(es).
This weekend there were two instances in which it appeared the Rockies were completely unprepared.
The first came on Saturday night when Wilin Rosario started to run towards the dugout after a Juan Nicasio strikeout. The problem was there were only two outs in the inning. If there is one player on the field that must know how many outs there are, game situation, the count, etc, it is the catcher. Outfielders are known for throwing balls into the stands with only two outs in the innings but that is almost understandable as they will stand out in that big green pasture for minutes on end with no action, but the catcher is always involved.
(I love how Nicasio looks to third expecting to see the baseball making its way around the horn and when he doesn’t he starts to look back at Rosario with a look of wonderment.)
If a bunch of NFL players started to run off of the field on third down the head coach would take a ton of blame. Even when special teams personnel do not get onto or off of the field in time at the very least the special teams coach takes a ribbing from the media.
But I don’t see how Rosario’s mental lapse can be a fault of Tracy’s. (Maybe in this instance it isn’t a big deal but what if Tony Gwynn Jr. or Dee Gordon was standing on second? I bet they would have taken advantage and moved to third.)
The second big gaffe came on Sunday afternoon when Tyler Colvin and Carlos Gonzalez converged on a fly ball to left centerfield and neither of them called for the ball and the ball dropped right between the two of them. How basic and rudimentary is that?
That shouldn’t even happen on a big league field. That sort of play is covered ad nauseum in Spring Training and one might be inclined to heap the blame of this onto Tracy because his team is obviously not prepared. I wouldn’t.
These are just the most recent plays that have made the Rockies look silly. Let’s not forget the time Marco Scutaro didn’t apply the tag to a potential base stealer simply because he thought the batter was walked (he wasn’t and in fact the batter struck out and if Scutaro would have just applied the tag it would have been a double play). And how many defensive errors has this team had this year? If Clint Hurdle was the supposed reason for the historically great defensive play in 2007 then wouldn’t it stand to reason that Tracy is just as responsible for the horrid play in 2012?
I don’t think he is. The players need to play. The manager puts the players in the field and they just need to do their job. CarGo mis-played two routine fly balls in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago and has shown an overall lack of hustle in the field. The play on Sunday is just another occasion in which CarGo (and this time Colvin, too) didn’t do their job and didn’t do something each has been doing since Little League: call for the ball.
Tracy has been provided a heaping pile of you know what at this point and as my good friend likes to say “you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken ****.” The pitching staff is obliterated and really at no fault of Tracy’s. The team has essentially six or seven potential starting pitchers but four or five of them would have a hard time finding a spot on the roster of 80% of the teams in the Major Leagues. Troy Tulowitzki squeezes his bat so hard in high leverage situations I think his hand is littered with splinters and causing his early season awful play at shortstop.
Michael Cuddyer might be turning into a fan favorite with his hustle on the base paths but at this point in the year he has been worth -0.2 WAR.
Tracy was not dealt a favorable hand and I think the lapses in the field are no fault of his own. If anything they are the fault of Dan O’Dowd. He is the one who brought in a stable full of “clubhouse guys” with “slow heartbeats” and those guys apparently are responsible for keeping the younger kids focused.
Now if we want to blame Tracy for the idiocy that is the contact play, go right ahead. I am sick of seeing a runner thrown out at home a few times a week. If there is a runner on third, less than two outs and the bases are not loaded how about the Rockies try something different? Instead of telling the runner to break for home as soon as the ball is hit, have the runner make sure the ball is hit somewhere in which they will not be thrown out at home? I know the team struggles at the plate with runners in scoring position, but that isn’t as excuse to get a guy thrown out at the plate.
Or how about the awful call on Saturday night in which Rosario was caught stealing with Nicasio trying to lay down a bunt with no outs in the inning and the game tied? First of all, how asinine is it to try to attempt a stolen base with a catcher? Secondly, the game was tied and if Tracy has already given up Nicasio for the sake of an extra base (Nicasio sac-bunting to move Rosario to second) why try to steal second? What would have happened if Rosario successfully stole that base? Would Nicasio have tried to move him to third?
If that is Eric Young Jr. standing on first I am game, but not Rosario and not in a tie ballgame.
If we want to blame Tracy for the daily change in his lineup, for the insistence of batting Scutaro leadoff (.314 OBP), his handling of young players or his worst offense of all – letting pitcher lay down a bunt late in a game and then pull the pitcher before the next half inning, fine, blame away. But I don’t see how his teams mental lapses on the field are any fault of his own.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below and let’s discuss.
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23 comments
1 ping
Brendan Giles
May 14, 2012 at 10:18 AM (UTC -6)
I agree that it is difficult to blame Tracy for the mental lapses. However, the “players coach” part of Tracy’s managerial style could be part of the problem. When there are no consequences for making stupid mistakes (getting called out in the media; lectured in the clubhouse; benched for a game or two) there is no incentive to work harder. Should highly paid athletes always work hard and pay attention? Absolutely. Are a bunch of dudes in their mid 20s the typical demographic from which hard work and consistent effort are expected? not in my experience. The lackadasical play is quite possibly a function of the “relaxed” atmosphere and maybe some manager-driven accountability is needed. The problem with asking for accountability from the players is that the organization from top to bottom must adhere to the same standards and when there is no accountability for the GM, scouts, manager or coaches it is impossible to demand the players to be the only ones whom must answer for poor performances.
Travis Lay
May 14, 2012 at 10:28 AM (UTC -6)
Very good points. I would agree that the manager sets the tone but..
1. Was all of that accountability removed from Tracy this past offseason by what DOD said and did? Does that matter? (Has DOD ever been right…?)
2. I am not sure the manager can make a player play harder but I guess it would be interesting to see both CarGo and Colvin sit today and have Tracy reference that play in the outfield as the reason why.
Brendan Giles
May 14, 2012 at 10:51 AM (UTC -6)
DOD blaming the clubhouse and jetisoning players sure looks like he doesn’t believe tracy can regain control on his own. it just feels like all of the scolding comes from DOD (for example, Chacin this spring). Maybe Tracy takes care of things behind closed doors and away from public scrutiny. its been said many times, but the quality of the individuals does not influence the clubhouse atmosphere as much as the results on the field. wins, not good guys, make a good clubhouse just like losses, not bad guys, make a bad one.
S–t roles downhill and i think that when the organization from top to bottom is all about making excuses instead of plays, maybe it is time to look up the hill rather than just complaining about the mess at the bottom.
Travis Lay
May 14, 2012 at 11:10 AM (UTC -6)
I think there is the problem and the fear: will anyone ever get tired of the sh!t?
TroyF
May 14, 2012 at 10:50 AM (UTC -6)
I agree that part of the problem is the players, Yet Tracy picks and chooses which players get held accountable for mistakes and which ones get a pass. My problem this year is the fact that it’s the ENTIRE roster who commits constantly stupid plays.
Helton decides to run a ball to first when the pitcher is already there and loses the race. Scutaro with the no tag and the slow turn on a lot of DP’s. Tulo completely breaking down mentally before our eyes. Cargo’s defense has been a damned joke all year.
The manager has a difficult job. He has to flip between supportive and fire and brimstone. He can’t be one or the other or he loses the locker room. But let me ask you this one question Travis and forget DOD and any other variable when you answer this.
Are the Rockies playing up to their talent level and have they done so in 2011 and 2012?
I’m not saying they should win a World Series with their talent. I’m not saying they should even make the playoffs. But right now, should they be the third worst team in baseball?
To me the answer is obvious. No, they shouldn’t be. That means that the manager isn’t doing his job. I don’t need to analyse why he isn’t doing it, it’s just clear he isn’t.
DOD is another topic as is the horrible coaching staff. I’m not saying they should get off scott free, they shouldn’t. In fact, I’d fire the entire lot of them right now. But going back to the question above. . . there really is no defense for Jim Tracy unless you truly believe the Rockies are the third worst team in baseball. If you believe that, then DOD needs to be fired and there needs to be a fire sale of the players to start over.
Travis Lay
May 14, 2012 at 11:07 AM (UTC -6)
I can’t argue with any of that. Trust me, it is hard to defend Tracy. Maybe a better point would have been that these plays this past weekend are the tip of the iceberg?
TroyF
May 14, 2012 at 11:51 AM (UTC -6)
Travis,
We can only hope. I especially hope apa gets canned before he destroys a new cr of arms. Nicasio, Pomeranz, White, Chatwood, Brothers and Friedrich all have a chance to be decent. We already know what will happen to all of them if he says.
Dom
May 14, 2012 at 12:45 PM (UTC -6)
As bad as we’ve been this year, I sure wouldnt want to be the coach that was handed this roster/rotation and told to make it competitive. Mr. O’Dowd has completely and udderly failed to provide Tracy with a competitive team to work with. No legit ace, poor unproven starters, no third basemen, no real closer – the list goes on. While Tracy isn’t blameless he didnt assemble this mess.
JD
May 14, 2012 at 12:57 PM (UTC -6)
O’Dowd deserves far more blame than Tracy. He assembled a truly pathetic roster. That said, Tracy is doing all the things that cost him his previous jobs. The team is NOT there mentally, and that’s on the manager.
Chance
May 14, 2012 at 1:09 PM (UTC -6)
Since the 07 season the attendance at Coors field has risen, hoping to see the Rockies return to some kind of relevance. But DOD has failed miserably. I have a hard time believing that this has to be put on Tracy. The talent level of the pitching staff as well as some of the lineup guys(Nelson, Fowler, and up and down Tulo and Cargo) is just not there. Ever since the Hampton/Neagle signings, DOD has failed to bring in big name pitchers. Tracy can coach strategy, not talent and heart. But the reality is that you see organizations clean house when winning has become minimal, and that needs to happen to the Colorado Rockies from the GM to the pitching coach. The fans pay for a product, and if the fans are not happy with the product, they stop buying (I.E tickets, merchandise, etc) and that’s the only way the Monfort’s will realize that change needs to happen, when they start losing money, because as we have seen, money is the only thing the Monforts care about.
Logan Burdine
May 14, 2012 at 2:42 PM (UTC -6)
The Rockies have a leadership problem that starts at the very top with the Monforts. We are looking at an organization that has no direction and no accountability. Excuses for losing are accepted. When the owner’s accept poor results, so does everyone else in the org. That’s what we are seeing. The manager is terrible. The GM is terrible. The player development department is terrible. Plain and simple, this is a poorly run organization and will continue to be as long as there are butts in the seats. Currently, they are 13th overall in attendance. Last year they were 12th. In 2010, they were 10th. There has been a decline, but not enough to create some changes.
Mike
May 15, 2012 at 6:03 AM (UTC -6)
I have to agree with all of this. Someone above said that Tracy can’t coach hustle and effort, but rather only strategy. If that is true then he is certainly a big part of the problem….he is possibly the worst strategic manager currently employed. O’Dowd certainly deserves some of the credit as well. As the Rox finish off their nice 1-7 road trip today (just a prediction) I find myself thinking that maybe this is a good thing. Perhaps if the Rox are sufficiently putrid then the entire management arm of the organization will get cleaned out. Yes, the players deserve a fair helping of the credit for this situation, but they are hardly alone.
Oh, and can I echo the hope that Apodaca receives his well-deserved pink slip before some other promising young starter destroys his arm hiding an injury in fear that he will be summarily shipped down to get his brains beaten out in the Springs? I mean, really….Morales a few years ago, Chacin this spring, there must be 4 or 5 other sterling examples that I am too tired to think of at the moment…. Sigh.
Simone
May 14, 2012 at 2:54 PM (UTC -6)
I’m going to be a bit brunt here but if I was a Rockies player I think i’d probably not give it 100% knowing that this entire year is a wash.
There is absolutely 0 motivation from these guys. It’s frustrating yes, but can you really blame them?
If you are CarGo and your team is already 8 games below .500 in mid-May then you look on the mound and see a 50 year old guy pitching. What goes through your head? You know what would be going through my head?
“I hope someone remembered to but the beer in the fridge at the hotel. I hate warm beer.”
That’s what I would be thinking about.
Sam
May 14, 2012 at 5:32 PM (UTC -6)
Everybody needs to go. DOD put together a team that really has no shot to compete for several years to be blunt. Relying on old, veteran hitters and young, completely inexperienced pitchers? What formula is this? All the meanwhile the Dodgers just became the NL Yankees with the new ownership. The Dbacks have young talent as both hitters and pitchers. And the Giants have a staff that will wreak havoc for years. DOD has completely failed in putting together a team that can compete in a suddenly very good division. Look at what Towers did to AZ….we need a competent GM.
Tracy deserved blame for CLEARLY not getting the most out of his players. Mismanaging the lineups, pitching has been a fixture since he has been here. What other team decides to rest ALL of their starters on the same day, which is usually the last game of a series (arguably the most important of a series, in terms of carrying momentum to the next series)….and Drew/George wonder why we dont win on Sundays…hmmm..
Overall, we need to scrap it all. Its a real shame considering where this team was several years ago. But something needs to be done, NOW.
The real problem lies in the fact that people still go to the games. They paid the fan favorites to get people coming back, so what is their REAL motivation to win? Obviously its not there. Honestly, a dip in attendance for a year might be the best thing to happen to the Rockies.
Simone
May 14, 2012 at 6:33 PM (UTC -6)
I agree with Sam. Time to clean house.
The best thing that could happen to the Rockies is for Marc Cuban to buy the team. Until the ownership AND the front-office get thrown out in the street nothing will change.
Simone
May 14, 2012 at 6:33 PM (UTC -6)
http://www.MarcCubanpleasebuytheRockies.com
Dennis
May 15, 2012 at 8:22 AM (UTC -6)
I suspect that Tracy and Apodaca have pictures of the Montforts and O’Dowd from their last team building trip to Tijuana. There is no other explanation for these gentlemen keeping their jobs, considering the incomprehensible field decisions and utter failure to develop talent. In the name of all that is holy and good, will someone please explain why Tracy moved Tulo down to the number five slot in the batting order and moved him back up to number four a day later? is there a law that says you have to leave Jamie Moyer in the game past the fifth inning until he gets beat like a rented mule? Will it take a 2 x 4 to the head to make Tracy realize you shouldn’t bring Matt Reynolds in against lefties? At the beginning of the season, in addition to all the pablum about “veteran leadership” in the clubhouse, there was all this talk of whom to keep out of Spring training based on player versatility. I thought to myself, “Oh, oh, the worst thing you can give Jim Tracy is lineup options.”
Eric
May 15, 2012 at 2:13 PM (UTC -6)
Tracy is terrible. Why did he pull Friedrich after the 7th inning last night? Here is a list of why that decision made no sense.
1. Pitch count was only at 93.
2. He was going to have to pinch hit for him next inning anyways.
3. Rockies offense is sputtering, so keep the pitcher in there that can keep the game close.
4. Rex Brothers, the relief pitcher, shouldn’t be on the club. He needs to be in the minors.
I hate Tracy as a manager. I get he is a good person off the field, etc, but his in game mgmt is absolutely the worst I’ve ever seen.
Logan Burdine
May 15, 2012 at 2:17 PM (UTC -6)
Agree with all of this except for the part about Brothers. He has been very unlucky so far. A .500 BABIP is completely unsustainable even for the worst pitchers. He needs to rein in the walks a little, but 12+ K’s per every nine innings is awesome. Kid is a stud. He has room for improvement, but he belongs in the bigs.
chrischrisman
May 15, 2012 at 2:38 PM (UTC -6)
I see what you’re saying, but I actually thought Tracy made the right move in pulling Friedrich after 7. He was under 100 pitches, but he’d be facing the top of the Giants’ order for the 4th time, and the first guy up in the 8th (Blanco) homered off of Friedrich in the 6th. Even with a subpar lineup like the Giants, I’d be reluctant to have a rookie face them a 4th time in the 8th inning. The Friedrich move, and subsequent loss, is what makes this season particularly maddening for critics of Tracy like me: He ought to go, he ought to have gone after 2011, but there’s nothing he’s doing in particular this season that’s significantly contributing to the team’s poor performance. It’s by and large awful execution. The manager bears responsibility for this indirectly, and as a proxy for the team, but ultimately it’s about the players performing (or not, as it were).
Steve
May 16, 2012 at 9:51 AM (UTC -6)
How in the world can anyone defend Jim Tracy, even sorta. Jim Tracy is the worst manager in Major League Baseball.
Travis Lay
May 16, 2012 at 9:52 AM (UTC -6)
It’s hard.
Tom Isom
May 21, 2012 at 7:47 PM (UTC -6)
The whole crew needs to go from the top on down. Odowd put this team together and has been a disaster for a long time. Tracy had 4 good months since he took over. How does Apodaca still have a job, and Lansford is no better. No pitching, no speed, no fundamentals, hitters stink, this may be the worst Rockies team ever. At some point there has to be accountability, unless the Monfort’s fire themselves, start the housecleaning below them.
The Rockies need to hustle - Blake Street Bulletin » Blake Street Bulletin
May 16, 2012 at 1:02 PM (UTC -6)
[...] is going to counter what I wrote a few days ago when I tried to defend Jim Tracy. In that piece I said the guys have to be accountable for their play on the field and Tracy cannot [...]