Lou Piniella the New Cubs Manager

[ThePenguin11]

What is it that everyone hates about Larry Rothchild? What is it that you expect from a pitching coach? I dont have any problems with Larry, I hate that they signed Lou though he's way wrong for this team. A pitching coach can only do so much if he has a bunch of guys that arent listening and a bad manager thats going to make him look pretty bad. I have a feeling that most of the pitching problems with the Cubs were not due to Larry, at least I dont blame him.

 

I like Rothschild as a person, I don't know whether or not our pitching problems are his fault. But I tend to think that Dusty's track record for burning out arms has more to do with our problems than Larry's work.

[Banedon]

WSCR say it's a 3 year 9 million dollar deal. Not a bad deal.

 

WSCR is bush league. I dont believe anything they say anymore.

 

I want this dude and that hardcore WMVP hater to argue. Who was that guy again?

 

CubbieRich

 

:banned: ?

 

I love how everyone was trashing WSCR yesterday for reporting this (too early?) and now they have no credibility and never get anything right. I don't think anybody hear even listens to the Score anymore. It's the only place in Chicago that actually talks about Chicago sports. Unless you consider Mike, Mike, Salisbury, Patrick, Gameday, etc., foremost experts on Chicago sports. Obviously someone is though because ESPN is now getting beaten in the ratings books.

 

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

[ThePenguin11]

Are you aware that the "AL manager" does have a World Series ring from the NL. And by all accounts that I've been hearing this past week, Piniella is the "exact opposite" of Dusty Baker in pretty much every facet of coaching, philosophy and personality.

 

I've heard opposite personality, but I've seen nothing to indicated opposite in the other things.

 

Maybe you're just not listening as hard as I am then.

 

Possibly, but then again, maybe I'm just not hearing things that aren't really there.

 

Yeah, you obviously hear everything, so I must have imagined it.

 

Never said I did hear everything. I've just yet to hear anything to suggest Lou is the opposite of Baker, other than his fire and brimstone approach.

 

I think it's pretty obvious as to what you were insinuating.

[goonys evil twin]

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

 

I've assumed Piniella was going to be the manager for a while now, so it's kind of hard to react one way or the other. My timetable for serious thought on this team is once Hendry starts making player decisions.

 

It will be pretty annoying to read about how much of a difference Piniella made if they do win next year, but if they win, I'll live with that annoyance.

 

 

It seems pretty clear that Hendry believes Detroit will win the WS, going with the crotchety old manager who won't accept failure approach.

[goonys evil twin]

Are you aware that the "AL manager" does have a World Series ring from the NL. And by all accounts that I've been hearing this past week, Piniella is the "exact opposite" of Dusty Baker in pretty much every facet of coaching, philosophy and personality.

 

I've heard opposite personality, but I've seen nothing to indicated opposite in the other things.

 

Maybe you're just not listening as hard as I am then.

 

Possibly, but then again, maybe I'm just not hearing things that aren't really there.

 

Yeah, you obviously hear everything, so I must have imagined it.

 

Never said I did hear everything. I've just yet to hear anything to suggest Lou is the opposite of Baker, other than his fire and brimstone approach.

 

I think it's pretty obvious as to what you were insinuating.

 

Yeah, I was insinuating that either I haven't heard the evidence to support your claim, or there is no evidence to support the claim.

[C.C.]

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

 

I've assumed Piniella was going to be the manager for a while now, so it's kind of hard to react one way or the other. My timetable for serious thought on this team is once Hendry starts making player decisions.

 

It will be pretty annoying to read about how much of a difference Piniella made if they do win next year, but if they win, I'll live with that annoyance.

 

 

It seems pretty clear that Hendry believes Detroit will win the WS, going with the crotchety old manager who won't accept failure approach.

 

I really doubt that's why Hendry hired Piniella. I believe (just guessing) that if the TRIB does raise salary (115mil) the upper management as well as Hendry prolly want someone that has experience.

[goonys evil twin]

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

 

I've assumed Piniella was going to be the manager for a while now, so it's kind of hard to react one way or the other. My timetable for serious thought on this team is once Hendry starts making player decisions.

 

It will be pretty annoying to read about how much of a difference Piniella made if they do win next year, but if they win, I'll live with that annoyance.

 

 

It seems pretty clear that Hendry believes Detroit will win the WS, going with the crotchety old manager who won't accept failure approach.

 

I really doubt that's why Hendry hired Piniella. I believe (just guessing) that if the TRIB does raise salary (115mil) the upper management as well as Hendry prolly want someone that has experience.

 

Maybe so, but it sure does fit his style. I'd be surprised if there was a press conference and Leyland's name doesn't figure prominently.

[synergy]

Let's go Lou!

[baseball7897]

http://media.scout.com/Media/MLB/371383_piniella.JPG

[goonys evil twin]

http://media.scout.com/Media/MLB/371383_piniella.JPG

 

I have to admit, I do appreciate a good Lou picture.

[C.C.]

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

 

I've assumed Piniella was going to be the manager for a while now, so it's kind of hard to react one way or the other. My timetable for serious thought on this team is once Hendry starts making player decisions.

 

It will be pretty annoying to read about how much of a difference Piniella made if they do win next year, but if they win, I'll live with that annoyance.

 

 

It seems pretty clear that Hendry believes Detroit will win the WS, going with the crotchety old manager who won't accept failure approach.

 

I really doubt that's why Hendry hired Piniella. I believe (just guessing) that if the TRIB does raise salary (115mil) the upper management as well as Hendry prolly want someone that has experience.

 

Maybe so, but it sure does fit his style. I'd be surprised if there was a press conference and Leyland's name doesn't figure prominently.

 

I wouldn't be shocked...

[wastra]

If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a seperate thread for it. Lets keep this a Piniella thread. Thanks.

 

I've assumed Piniella was going to be the manager for a while now, so it's kind of hard to react one way or the other. My timetable for serious thought on this team is once Hendry starts making player decisions.

 

It will be pretty annoying to read about how much of a difference Piniella made if they do win next year, but if they win, I'll live with that annoyance.

 

 

It seems pretty clear that Hendry believes Detroit will win the WS, going with the crotchety old manager who won't accept failure approach.

 

I really doubt that's why Hendry hired Piniella. I believe (just guessing) that if the TRIB does raise salary (115mil) the upper management as well as Hendry prolly want someone that has experience.

 

I'm sure that is a big reason as well, but unfortunately, mimicing the latest "team of the year" has been Hendry's M.O. for many years. Every offseason, hendry starts talking about how he wants to build the team like whatever the previous surprise team was like.

 

 

And I don't have any problems with a GM wanting to take an established, respected manager, btw. When your job is on the line, like Hendry, you don't save it by reaching out and taking chacnes on unproven guys- you sign the "safe" guy. f they win, he gets to take credit for bringing in a big name manager. If they lose, he can say "I did all I could- I even brought in the biggest name manager." Ultimately, Lou is the "safe from criticism" pick win or lose. He may fail, but it's tough to blame Hendry for hiring someone with his reputation.

[cjbucks]

What is it that everyone hates about Larry Rothchild? What is it that you expect from a pitching coach? I dont have any problems with Larry, I hate that they signed Lou though he's way wrong for this team. A pitching coach can only do so much if he has a bunch of guys that arent listening and a bad manager thats going to make him look pretty bad. I have a feeling that most of the pitching problems with the Cubs were not due to Larry, at least I dont blame him.

 

I think he should suggest to them that maybe they could throw a strike once in a while? The # of base on balls our staff gave up this year is hard evidence of incompetence on someone's part. So I suggest to you that A) our pitchers all suck or B) our pitching coach/pitching philosophy sucks.

[baseball7897]

What is it that everyone hates about Larry Rothchild? What is it that you expect from a pitching coach? I dont have any problems with Larry, I hate that they signed Lou though he's way wrong for this team. A pitching coach can only do so much if he has a bunch of guys that arent listening and a bad manager thats going to make him look pretty bad. I have a feeling that most of the pitching problems with the Cubs were not due to Larry, at least I dont blame him.

 

I think he should suggest to them that maybe they could throw a strike once in a while? The # of base on balls our staff gave up this year is hard evidence of incompetence on someone's part. So I suggest to you that A) our pitchers all suck or B) our pitching coach/pitching philosophy sucks.

 

I dont like Larry's philosophy either. He should teach his pitchers to attack the zone. Larry also dosent like the slide step with his pitchers. I dont have a problem with that, because some pitchers prefer to use a higher leg lift than others. But, with Barrett behind the plate, you have to give him some chance of throwing out the runner.

[A New Era]

True, but I like Piniella and Piniella's mentality better than Baker's. And we didn't raise the payroll to $115 mil ... last time either.

 

Them chickens ain't hatched yet.

 

Fair enough. I still don't beleive Piniella would be so eager to come unless he had some sort of behind closed doors reassurance that the Cubs were significantly raising the payroll. And I will continue to beleive the Cubs are going to be really aggressive this off-season. Piniella's hiring seals it for me.

[Andy]

2004: Boston wins World Series with "Idiots" clubhouse. Hendry copies it, unaware that Boston also won the Series because they had a fantastic lineup, two ace-quality pitchers, and two of the five best hitters in the major leagues.

 

2005: White Sox win World Series. Hendry copies "Ozzieball" with speedy leadoff man + middle infielders who like to bunt in the 2 hole, unaware that the Sox won the Series because they hit 200 home runs and had fantastic pitching.

 

2006: Tigers (probably) win World Series. Hendry copies the "let's hire journeyman, supposed no-nonsense manager who's been out of the game for a while" approach, unaware that the Tigers won the Series because they had a high-OBP top of the order and they had fantastic pitching.

[Vinestal]

What is it that everyone hates about Larry Rothchild? What is it that you expect from a pitching coach? I dont have any problems with Larry, I hate that they signed Lou though he's way wrong for this team. A pitching coach can only do so much if he has a bunch of guys that arent listening and a bad manager thats going to make him look pretty bad. I have a feeling that most of the pitching problems with the Cubs were not due to Larry, at least I dont blame him.

 

I think he should suggest to them that maybe they could throw a strike once in a while? The # of base on balls our staff gave up this year is hard evidence of incompetence on someone's part. So I suggest to you that A) our pitchers all suck or B) our pitching coach/pitching philosophy sucks.

 

Id have to lean more toward A since a lot of our pitchers came from AA and probably shouldnt have even been there or never should have been resigned (like Rusch). You can try to tell someone how to throw a strike, try to show them but in the end the ball is in the pitchers hand not the pitching coach's. Rich Hill sure did make a big turn around from when he first was brought up till the end of the season, how much of that was Larry's coaching and how much of it was Hill making the proper mental adjustments on his own? Hard to say, Larry had alot of young unproven pitchers and some real big pieces of crap to work with this year, I dont blame him. Injuries happen and alot of them because of Bakers stupid desicions.

[Bull]

Are you aware that the "AL manager" does have a World Series ring from the NL. And by all accounts that I've been hearing this past week, Piniella is the "exact opposite" of Dusty Baker in pretty much every facet of coaching, philosophy and personality.

 

I've heard opposite personality, but I've seen nothing to indicated opposite in the other things.

 

Maybe you're just not listening as hard as I am then.

 

Possibly, but then again, maybe I'm just not hearing things that aren't really there.

 

Yeah, you obviously hear everything, so I must have imagined it.

 

Never said I did hear everything. I've just yet to hear anything to suggest Lou is the opposite of Baker, other than his fire and brimstone approach.

 

I think it's pretty obvious as to what you were insinuating.

 

Yeah, I was insinuating that either I haven't heard the evidence to support your claim, or there is no evidence to support the claim.

 

Someone did suggest in another "Piniella hired" thread that Lou has been talking up OBP.

Edited October 16, 2006 by Bull

[goonys evil twin]

What is it that everyone hates about Larry Rothchild? What is it that you expect from a pitching coach? I dont have any problems with Larry, I hate that they signed Lou though he's way wrong for this team. A pitching coach can only do so much if he has a bunch of guys that arent listening and a bad manager thats going to make him look pretty bad. I have a feeling that most of the pitching problems with the Cubs were not due to Larry, at least I dont blame him.

 

I think he should suggest to them that maybe they could throw a strike once in a while? The # of base on balls our staff gave up this year is hard evidence of incompetence on someone's part. So I suggest to you that A) our pitchers all suck or B) our pitching coach/pitching philosophy sucks.

 

Id have to lean more toward A since a lot of our pitchers came from AA and probably shouldnt have even been there or never should have been resigned (like Rusch). You can try to tell someone how to throw a strike, try to show them but in the end the ball is in the pitchers hand not the pitching coach's. Rich Hill sure did make a big turn around from when he first was brought up till the end of the season, how much of that was Larry's coaching and how much of it was Hill making the proper mental adjustments on his own? Hard to say, Larry had alot of young unproven pitchers and some real big pieces of crap to work with this year, I dont blame him. Injuries happen and alot of them because of Bakers stupid desicions.

 

Larry has been the pitching coach for 5 years now. This year's batch of AA pitchers is only a small part of that issue. Control has been an issue every year.

[Balsa]

And with that dubious hiring, the offseason is off to a crappy, crappy start.

 

Thank god for the Bears, otherwise I think I'd be holding a seppuku party.

[badgercub]

I might be wrong, but I thought it was reported (on here maybe by Bruce) that Dusty and Rothschild were often at odds and that Dusty often ignored Rothschild as to how to handle the staff in regards to leaving guys in to long,etc...

[C.C.]

True, but I like Piniella and Piniella's mentality better than Baker's. And we didn't raise the payroll to $115 mil ... last time either.

 

Them chickens ain't hatched yet.

 

Fair enough. I still don't beleive Piniella would be so eager to come unless he had some sort of behind closed doors reassurance that the Cubs were significantly raising the payroll. And I will continue to beleive the Cubs are going to be really aggressive this off-season. Piniella's hiring seals it for me.

 

I agree. Lou would not come here otherwise, espically with the NY job opening next year...

[Keener98]

Bruce Levine is coming up on ESPN news any minute to discuss this. Just a heads up.

[C.C.]

I might be wrong, but I thought it was reported (on here maybe by Bruce) that Dusty and Rothschild were often at odds and that Dusty often ignored Rothschild as to how to handle the staff in regards to leaving guys in to long,etc...

 

I don't believe that. If they were at odds LR would've taken the 3 year deal that Detroit offered him last year...

[Bull]

deleted Edited October 16, 2006 by Bull