Now Firmly in the Larry Dierker for Manager Camp

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I've been reading Dierker's book, It Ain't Brain Surgery, and after seeing his thoughts, I'm certain he could be an excellent manager.

 

A few random quotes...

 

On rating pitchers:

 

But just for simplicity's sake just consider two and you were able to rate almost every major league pitcher: 1) baserunners per inning, and 2) opponent's slugging average.If you know how many chances a pitcher typically gives his opponent and how many extra base hits he allows, you can rate him without looking at his ERA or won-loss record.

p. 78

 

On offense:

 

The most important statistics in terms of evaluating a hitter are his on-base average and his slugging percentage....Foot speed and base-running ability are not included in this calculation and must be considered minor factors.

p. 122

 

A general summary:

 

Once again, my philosophy was to play for the big inning on offense and to try to avoid letting the other team put up a crooked number.

p. 126

 

There's much more. If you're really interested, cheap copies of the book can be found online.

 

I was really impressed when he noted he used a Runs Scoring Probability chart to help him with in-game decisions.

 

I don't know if he'd want to manage again. He mentions in the book that he was fairly burned throughout the experience. I think, however, he would be an excellent choice.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wow, great stuff. Too bad there isn't a similar resource for other people that would be considered for the job.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Wow, great stuff. Too bad there isn't a similar resource for other people that would be considered for the job.

 

That is true.

 

On the flip side, we would probably bemoan Dierker for PAP. He wants his starters to go 7+ innings and said he believes they should be in good enough shape to go 120 pitches every time out.

 

I also think he would make an excellent pitching coach as his ideas make a lot of sense to me.

 

The book is well worth the time to read it. Some of it is simply memoir-type stuff, but when he discusses philosophy and strategy it is good.

 

He also takes some digs at Milo which are pretty funny.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

On the flip side, we would probably bemoan Dierker for PAP. He wants his starters to go 7+ innings and said he believes they should be in good enough shape to go 120 pitches every time out.

 

Does he go into more detail on why he thinks that(i.e. pitching/throwing programs, strength/conditioning stuff, etc.)?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

On the flip side, we would probably bemoan Dierker for PAP. He wants his starters to go 7+ innings and said he believes they should be in good enough shape to go 120 pitches every time out.

 

Does he go into more detail on why he thinks that(i.e. pitching/throwing programs, strength/conditioning stuff, etc.)?

 

I think it's more from his experience as a pitcher. He does discuss some pitching/throwing programs, but doesn't go into great detail.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I also found the section where he discusses the use of the intentional walk to set-up a double play.

 

Dierker explained that he was not a fan of the move in most instances. While some may agree or disagree with him, it was his explanation that earned the most respect from me.

 

Most managers don't know how it feels out there, but I think they would appreciate my way of thinking if they were aware that the average frequency of a double play is 10 percent in all force-out situations. I knew this from my days as a broadcaster because I used a book published by Elias Sports Bureau....If you walk a batter to get a double play, you're drawing to an inside straight. p 128

[WrigleyField 22]

Hmmm, his 120 pitch count theory doesn't sound so nice. At the least hes better than Baker though.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Hmmm, his 120 pitch count theory doesn't sound so nice. At the least hes better than Baker though.

 

One of his reasons he explained this way...

 

It was hard for me to accept the practice of using pitchers just for a fresh arm and I seldom took pitchers out of the game when they were effective...I know from experience that some days you have good stuff and control, and some days you don't. I hated to take a chance on a guy having an off day when I already had a guy on the mound who was throwing well.

 

In another section, he mentions that he didn't use velocity to evaluate whether a pitcher is done, but rather his control and whether he was hitting his spots.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

I have mixed feelings on Dierker. While I like most of his philosophies, have you seen his teams he lists in the book as the best teams assembled of the players during his tenure in baseball? He has Craig Biggio starting at 2B, and Jeff Bagwell is the backup 1B. He left out Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Robin Yount, and the list goes on. I listened to a radio interview with him and he really didn't have any reason to backup his claims on those two guys (Biggio and Bagwell). Just seems like they were "his guys" which is all too familiar.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I have mixed feelings on Dierker. While I like most of his philosophies, have you seen his teams he lists in the book as the best teams assembled of the players during his tenure in baseball? He has Craig Biggio starting at 2B, and Jeff Bagwell is the backup 1B. He left out Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Robin Yount, and the list goes on. I listened to a radio interview with him and he really didn't have any reason to backup his claims on those two guys (Biggio and Bagwell). Just seems like they were "his guys" which is all too familiar.

 

There's some sections in the book where it is clear that he will bench an unproductive player for a productive one. His use of Berkman even after Cedeno returned from injury is indicative of this.

 

And since it is clear that he feels that Biggio and Bagwell were instrumental in his reaching the playoffs four of five years, I'm not surprised he chose them. His philosophies seem very sound, regardless of how he ranks some players in a book.

[WrigleyField 22]

Hmmm, his 120 pitch count theory doesn't sound so nice. At the least hes better than Baker though.

 

One of his reasons he explained this way...

 

It was hard for me to accept the practice of using pitchers just for a fresh arm and I seldom took pitchers out of the game when they were effective...I know from experience that some days you have good stuff and control, and some days you don't. I hated to take a chance on a guy having an off day when I already had a guy on the mound who was throwing well.

 

In another section, he mentions that he didn't use velocity to evaluate whether a pitcher is done, but rather his control and whether he was hitting his spots.

 

Well that does sound better. You would hate to see a pitcher have to throw 120 innings with mad mechanics "because they're supposed to".

 

I'm not too knowledgeable as to who other possible candidates might be, but he sounds like he could be reasonable.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

No, he just doesn't leave them in there. I think he doesn't want to have to pull a pitcher who is pitching well because of a pitch count.

 

Here's another statement...

 

I wasn't as protective as most managers. If our opening day starter didn't go nine, it wasn't because he wasn't ready. I tried to get my starters up to 120 pitches before the season started so that they would be able to go the distance if they were pitching well. p. 58-59.

[Drew Doughty]

since i have absolutely nothing better to do...

 

i just ordered a copy for about 6 bucks total.

[A New Era]

I have mixed feelings on Dierker. While I like most of his philosophies, have you seen his teams he lists in the book as the best teams assembled of the players during his tenure in baseball? He has Craig Biggio starting at 2B, and Jeff Bagwell is the backup 1B. He left out Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Robin Yount, and the list goes on. I listened to a radio interview with him and he really didn't have any reason to backup his claims on those two guys (Biggio and Bagwell). Just seems like they were "his guys" which is all too familiar.

 

Tell ya what. "his guys" are way better than "baker's guys". I have no problem with a manager who "has guys" if the "guys" are like Biggio and Bagwell. . . :D

[Jazz]

has there been any mention of him as a possible canidate for the managerial position next year?

I'd even love to have him as a pitching coach, just having him on the staff at all would improve the team tremendously.

Vance, does it say anything about his influence on GM Decisions?

[3finger]

has there been any mention of him as a possible canidate for the managerial position next year?

 

I haven't seen any discussion of Dierker as a candidate, although I'd love to see him come to Chicago. I'm also gonna get his book -- looks very interesting.

 

I'm a little worried about the PAP issue -- in Dierker's day good pitchers routinely went 7 innings, but it takes more pitches to get that far today. Still, the quotes from the book suggest that he thinks about these issues, which is more than we can say about many managers.

[NewUserName]

I really dont have much of an issue with Biggio being the best 2nd baseman in his tenure in Baseball. I know we as Cub fans are supposed to bow down to our guy Sandberg and Sandberg was great. I do think that a legitimate arguement that Biggio is better could be made. I have always admired Biggio and wished the Cubs would get more players like him. I think that if we were in Dierkers shoes we would probably go with Biggio also.

 

On a side note didnt we not go after Biggio when he was a free agent because Sandberg came back. I love Sandberg but if we didnt get Biggio because of that it really didnt work out well for the Cubs in the long run.

 

I really liked his philosophy on the intentional walk. I almost always am against it unless it is walking the 8th hitter to get to the pitcher with runners in scoring position. Most other cases I think you are just adding fuel to the fire.

[CubinNY]

I've been in the camp since UK posted his weekly columns last year. I wonder why he hasn't been given another shot.

[illiniguy]

I really dont have much of an issue with Biggio being the best 2nd baseman in his tenure in Baseball. I know we as Cub fans are supposed to bow down to our guy Sandberg and Sandberg was great. I do think that a legitimate arguement that Biggio is better could be made. I have always admired Biggio and wished the Cubs would get more players like him. I think that if we were in Dierkers shoes we would probably go with Biggio also.

 

On a side note didnt we not go after Biggio when he was a free agent because Sandberg came back. I love Sandberg but if we didnt get Biggio because of that it really didnt work out well for the Cubs in the long run.

 

I really liked his philosophy on the intentional walk. I almost always am against it unless it is walking the 8th hitter to get to the pitcher with runners in scoring position. Most other cases I think you are just adding fuel to the fire.

Who is this Sandberg and did he know Ryne Sandberg?

[UK1679666180]

I've been in the camp since UK posted his weekly columns last year. I wonder why he hasn't been given another shot.

 

http://blogs.chron.com/larrydierker/

 

If he wishes to get back into coaching, whichever team that would hire him would likely get a very good manager.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Wow. After reading this, I like Dierker even more.

 

Of course, after reading that, I understand there is now way Jim Hendry hires him.

[Monco]

His philosophies and Billy Beanes are very similar.

[Warpticon]

"Statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything."

 

My new favorite quote.

[soccer10k]

I'm joining you in this camp. It sounds like he has a good grip on things. He seems to know what makes up a good hitter and when is the right/wrong time to take a pitcher out of a ball game. I'm not so sure he's interested though.

[thedaymen]

I really dont have much of an issue with Biggio being the best 2nd baseman in his tenure in Baseball. I know we as Cub fans are supposed to bow down to our guy Sandberg and Sandberg was great. I do think that a legitimate arguement that Biggio is better could be made. I have always admired Biggio and wished the Cubs would get more players like him. I think that if we were in Dierkers shoes we would probably go with Biggio also.

 

On a side note didnt we not go after Biggio when he was a free agent because Sandberg came back. I love Sandberg but if we didnt get Biggio because of that it really didnt work out well for the Cubs in the long run.

 

I really liked his philosophy on the intentional walk. I almost always am against it unless it is walking the 8th hitter to get to the pitcher with runners in scoring position. Most other cases I think you are just adding fuel to the fire.

Who is this Sandberg and did he know Ryne Sandberg?

 

The Mets announcers this weekend were saying Biggio> Sandberg because Craig could produce more runs then Ryno and I nearly blew a fuse.