Front Page of ESPN: Dusty the Scapegoat

[Mizzou]

Calling Gene Wojokowski a sportswriter is an insult to sportswriters.

Isn't he the guy who wrote Cubs Nation?

[YearofDaCubs]

There is no positive to having Dusty on any team. Now, we all know why the Giants were so glad to get rid of him even though he was the manager who made it to the WS. He's the worst manager in baseball.

[Banedon]

This is good stuff. I think Wojo has a crush on Baker.

 

Bryan, Chicago IL: Gene, As long as you're defending Dusty despite all evidence to the contrary, would you care to explain why Dusty Baker continually runs out low OBP options like Neifi Perez, Juan Pierre, Corey Patterson, and Jose Macias in the 1-2 spots in the batting order over the last 2 years?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:34 AM ET ) You make it sound like Baker had Reyes on the bench, but decided to start these guys instead. These are the players he had on the roster. Somebody had to lead off. The encouraging sign for the Cubs: Pierre is finally starting to hit and get on base. Problem is, nobody can drive him in.

[USSoccer]

This is good stuff. I think Wojo has a crush on Baker.

 

Bryan, Chicago IL: Gene, As long as you're defending Dusty despite all evidence to the contrary, would you care to explain why Dusty Baker continually runs out low OBP options like Neifi Perez, Juan Pierre, Corey Patterson, and Jose Macias in the 1-2 spots in the batting order over the last 2 years?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:34 AM ET ) You make it sound like Baker had Reyes on the bench, but decided to start these guys instead. These are the players he had on the roster. Somebody had to lead off. The encouraging sign for the Cubs: Pierre is finally starting to hit and get on base. Problem is, nobody can drive him in.

 

OMG, I posted that!

[Banedon]

This is good stuff. I think Wojo has a crush on Baker.

 

Bryan, Chicago IL: Gene, As long as you're defending Dusty despite all evidence to the contrary, would you care to explain why Dusty Baker continually runs out low OBP options like Neifi Perez, Juan Pierre, Corey Patterson, and Jose Macias in the 1-2 spots in the batting order over the last 2 years?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:34 AM ET ) You make it sound like Baker had Reyes on the bench, but decided to start these guys instead. These are the players he had on the roster. Somebody had to lead off. The encouraging sign for the Cubs: Pierre is finally starting to hit and get on base. Problem is, nobody can drive him in.

 

OMG, I posted that!

 

What a dumb answer too. Baker had no other choice...

[USSoccer]

This is good stuff. I think Wojo has a crush on Baker.

 

Bryan, Chicago IL: Gene, As long as you're defending Dusty despite all evidence to the contrary, would you care to explain why Dusty Baker continually runs out low OBP options like Neifi Perez, Juan Pierre, Corey Patterson, and Jose Macias in the 1-2 spots in the batting order over the last 2 years?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:34 AM ET ) You make it sound like Baker had Reyes on the bench, but decided to start these guys instead. These are the players he had on the roster. Somebody had to lead off. The encouraging sign for the Cubs: Pierre is finally starting to hit and get on base. Problem is, nobody can drive him in.

 

OMG, I posted that!

 

What a dumb answer too. Baker had no other choice...

 

I posted a follow up. We'll see if it gets answered.

[Banedon]

This is good stuff. I think Wojo has a crush on Baker.

 

Bryan, Chicago IL: Gene, As long as you're defending Dusty despite all evidence to the contrary, would you care to explain why Dusty Baker continually runs out low OBP options like Neifi Perez, Juan Pierre, Corey Patterson, and Jose Macias in the 1-2 spots in the batting order over the last 2 years?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:34 AM ET ) You make it sound like Baker had Reyes on the bench, but decided to start these guys instead. These are the players he had on the roster. Somebody had to lead off. The encouraging sign for the Cubs: Pierre is finally starting to hit and get on base. Problem is, nobody can drive him in.

 

OMG, I posted that!

 

What a dumb answer too. Baker had no other choice...

 

I posted a follow up. We'll see if it gets answered.

 

I've posted 3....he hasn't answered them thus far.

[UMFan83]

I think Todd Walker and Matt Murton are checking their pulses to make sure they are still alive.... no better options??

[USSoccer]

I think Todd Walker and Matt Murton are checking their pulses to make sure they are still alive.... no better options??

 

That was pretty much my follow up.

[USSoccer]

You go, Scott from Chicago:

 

Scott, Chicago: Ok, Dusty has a dugout full of guys that have given up - that seems to be your basic defense for why he shouldn't get fired, right? But, what is the manager's job if not to prevent this from happening? Should Hendry dump ALL the players becuase the manager cannot inspire and lead?

[Banedon]

Scott, Chicago: Ok, Dusty has a dugout full of guys that have given up - that seems to be your basic defense for why he shouldn't get fired, right? But, what is the manager's job if not to prevent this from happening? Should Hendry dump ALL the players becuase the manager cannot inspire and lead?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:53 AM ET ) The world's best thoroughbred trainer can't inspire a donkey to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 1997 Baker's teams have won 90,89, 86, 97, 90, 95, 88, 89 and 79 games. He knows how to manage. That's why the Cubs hired him. He didn't forget how to win. But you need players. And you need healthy players. Should the Cubs be 23 games under .500. Absolutely not. But firing Baker right now isn't going to change a simple, brutal fact: the Cubs don't have the personnel right now to win this division.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Scott, Chicago: Ok, Dusty has a dugout full of guys that have given up - that seems to be your basic defense for why he shouldn't get fired, right? But, what is the manager's job if not to prevent this from happening? Should Hendry dump ALL the players becuase the manager cannot inspire and lead?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:53 AM ET ) The world's best thoroughbred trainer can't inspire a donkey to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 1997 Baker's teams have won 90,89, 86, 97, 90, 95, 88, 89 and 79 games. He knows how to manage. That's why the Cubs hired him. He didn't forget how to win. But you need players. And you need healthy players. Should the Cubs be 23 games under .500. Absolutely not. But firing Baker right now isn't going to change a simple, brutal fact: the Cubs don't have the personnel right now to win this division.

 

Translated: Baker is a terrific manager only if he is loaded with talent.

[Banedon]

I sent a post asking if he was going to ask Dusty out on a date soon.

[goonys evil twin]

Scott, Chicago: Ok, Dusty has a dugout full of guys that have given up - that seems to be your basic defense for why he shouldn't get fired, right? But, what is the manager's job if not to prevent this from happening? Should Hendry dump ALL the players becuase the manager cannot inspire and lead?

 

Gene Wojciechowski: (11:53 AM ET ) The world's best thoroughbred trainer can't inspire a donkey to win the Kentucky Derby. Since 1997 Baker's teams have won 90,89, 86, 97, 90, 95, 88, 89 and 79 games. He knows how to manage. That's why the Cubs hired him. He didn't forget how to win. But you need players. And you need healthy players. Should the Cubs be 23 games under .500. Absolutely not. But firing Baker right now isn't going to change a simple, brutal fact: the Cubs don't have the personnel right now to win this division.

 

Translated: Baker is a terrific manager only if he is loaded with talent.

 

Except even then he's not terrific, as evidenced by his lack of postseason success (not to mention the lack of postseason appearances).

[USSoccer]

I sent a post asking if he was going to ask Dusty out on a date soon.

 

I think he's in Dusty's living room at the moment anyway.

[YearofDaCubs]

I definitely could not have a conversation with this writer face to face. To him, Dusty can do no wrong.

[badgercub]

I sent him this, but obviously got no response.

 

Gene,

 

Have you seriously sat down and watched these Cubs? Dusty's teams may have put up some good records over the years but most true baseball fans in Chicago and San Francisco believe that those teams won in spite of Johnnie B. Baker, not because of his managerial abilities. Any fool can see that, maybe it is time to get your eyes checked and put down whatever Dusty Kool Aid it is that you are drinking.

 

Too bad we can't get him to come on a chat on NSBB, he would be exposed.

[Mizzou]

Wow, Gene Wojo is an idiot.

[daske17]

Wow, Gene Wojo is an idiot.

 

It's such a shame because I really loved his book on the 2004 season. It's like finding out there is no Santa Claus. :wink:

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

We should do a FJM-like thread and dissect that chat piece by piece.

[goonys evil twin]

The "he hasn't forgotten how to manage" line sums up exactly what is wroong with baseball people. To them, once you do anything good in the game, you are always that good, and once you build up any sort of history, you have the credentials. Every single man who has spent any significant amount of time around the game of baseball (but only the professional game) is a "good baseball man". It's all about tenure. They are like a teacher's union. Where you don't have to be a good teacher, you just have to be hired back often enough. That's not to say there aren't any legitimately good baseball men, or any good teachers for that matter. But it takes so little to get praise in this sport it's amazing. Guys like Neifi and Rusch are great. In the NFL those guys would have been gone years ago. There's no ridiculous love affair with veterans or those who have been there. It's a what have you done for me lately sport. Baseball is a "hey you can't criticize him, he's been here a long time" sport.

 

It's questionable whether or not Dusty ever knew how to manage. He's always known how to put on a uniform and talk about baseball. But he's had trouble filling out lineup cards, making proper changes to those cards, getting guys ready to come into games in time, pulling guys out of games in time, thinking more than 15 seconds into the future, strategizing in any way shape or form, keeping a clubhouse upbeat, positive and strictly focused on the task at hand, getting the most out of players, getting his team to the postseason, winning in the postseason, stemming the tide of bad momentum and developing young players into great players. His managerial career was propped up by the greatest hitter in the game. Without him, he's been nothing special.

[bobbyd20]

I sent him a question similar to this.

 

No other options? Perez is 14th on the Cubs in OBP (of guys with 75+ at bats), yet Dusty continues to hit him second at least 3 times a week. In fact, in Minnesota, he had Perez hitting 2nd and Walker hitting 8th. Under no circumstances should Perez ever hit above 7th in any lineup.

 

How do you explain Baker's insistence on using Perez and his .266 OBP at the top of the lineup?

[BigSlick]

I sent him a question similar to this.

 

No other options? Perez is 14th on the Cubs in OBP (of guys with 75+ at bats), yet Dusty continues to hit him second at least 3 times a week. In fact, in Minnesota, he had Perez hitting 2nd and Walker hitting 8th. Under no circumstances should Perez ever hit above 7th in any lineup.

 

How do you explain Baker's insistence on using Perez and his .266 OBP at the top of the lineup?

 

He's a second basemen.

 

He's gotta bat second.

[Irrelevant Dude]

What a bunch of garbage. Someone please put an end to this misery. This has gone well past the point of being a distraction and it's making me very angry listening to the Dusty defenders use the same meaningless baseball quotes over and over.

 

And on top of that, Hendry has backed off his comment about evaluating the coaching staff over the All-Star break...

"I never had a time frame," he said. "I never looked at the All-Star break."

[CuseCubFan69]

The "he hasn't forgotten how to manage" line sums up exactly what is wroong with baseball people. To them, once you do anything good in the game, you are always that good, and once you build up any sort of history, you have the credentials. Every single man who has spent any significant amount of time around the game of baseball (but only the professional game) is a "good baseball man". It's all about tenure. They are like a teacher's union. Where you don't have to be a good teacher, you just have to be hired back often enough. That's not to say there aren't any legitimately good baseball men, or any good teachers for that matter. But it takes so little to get praise in this sport it's amazing. Guys like Neifi and Rusch are great. In the NFL those guys would have been gone years ago. There's no ridiculous love affair with veterans or those who have been there. It's a what have you done for me lately sport. Baseball is a "hey you can't criticize him, he's been here a long time" sport.

 

It's questionable whether or not Dusty ever knew how to manage. He's always known how to put on a uniform and talk about baseball. But he's had trouble filling out lineup cards, making proper changes to those cards, getting guys ready to come into games in time, pulling guys out of games in time, thinking more than 15 seconds into the future, strategizing in any way shape or form, keeping a clubhouse upbeat, positive and strictly focused on the task at hand, getting the most out of players, getting his team to the postseason, winning in the postseason, stemming the tide of bad momentum and developing young players into great players. His managerial career was propped up by the greatest hitter in the game. Without him, he's been nothing special.

 

You are absolutely 100% right. These "He's a great manager" thing gets spread around like herpes and everyone spouts it out without looking and knowing what they are talking about. Dusty is a salesman and these guys have bought his goods.

Edited July 7, 2006 by CuseCubFan69