How good is Kenny Williams as a GM

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Vazquez is one of the more underrated pitchers in the game.

 

That said, Williams isn't very good. It's great that he won the World Series, but that team's success wasn't the result of his development of the organization, as their collapse into awfulness so soon afterward shows. In fact, you could say remarkably similar things about Hendry if the Cubs were to win big this year.

 

he may have been underrated a few years ago, but he's most certainly not now

 

Why? Because people actually realize he's good, or because he's not good anymore? I haven't seen much in the way of the former, and the latter just isn't true. Vazquez is an amazing model of durability, and he consistently puts up top notch K/BB numbers. He's like the right handed Rich Hill, results-wise.

[jjgman21]

I think Williams had a well-built team in 2005, but he didn't realize why it was well-built. He thought players like Podsednik and Rowand sparked the team with their SBs and they ground out games like the grinding grinders that they were.

 

When, really, it was the insane amount of HRs and outstanding pitching that propelled them through the season and playoffs, despite having a .322 OBP.

 

I think he had a terribly built team. despite the HRs, they finished ninth in the league in runs scored. the pitching was some of the best in the league, which was accomplished by a staff that had no history of pitching so well.

 

Jenks was a nice move. other than that, he got lucky. look at how far out of line most of that pitching staffs numbers were from their career numbers, and if someone can honestly tell me they would have predicted it, than I posted too late, because I would have gotten the MegaMillions and Powerball picks from them.

[third eye]

I think Williams had a well-built team in 2005, but he didn't realize why it was well-built. He thought players like Podsednik and Rowand sparked the team with their SBs and they ground out games like the grinding grinders that they were.

 

When, really, it was the insane amount of HRs and outstanding pitching that propelled them through the season and playoffs, despite having a .322 OBP.

 

I think he had a terribly built team. despite the HRs, they finished ninth in the league in runs scored. the pitching was some of the best in the league, which was accomplished by a staff that had no history of pitching so well.

 

Jenks was a nice move. other than that, he got lucky. look at how far out of line most of that pitching staffs numbers were from their career numbers, and if someone can honestly tell me they would have predicted it, than I posted too late, because I would have gotten the MegaMillions and Powerball picks from them.

 

Right, it reminds me somewhat of the staff that the 1993 Philles put together. Outside of Schilling, it basically had career years out of all of the starters. Though that offense was pretty nasty too.

[KenCub]

Trading Chris Young for Vazquez is looking pretty terrible right now.

That trade looks a lot worse because Brian Anderson is useless with a bat in his hands and Ryan Sweeney is inconsistent at best.

 

meh, I don't think those 2 have to factor in at all. Bottom line is that giving up a talent like Young for Vasquez who is nothing spectactular, was terrible.

 

Right now the only think holding Young from being an elite player is his plate discipline, but if I'm not mistaken his ISoD in the minors was always around .900-1.000. If he can translate this at the big leagues, watch out.

 

I only factored in Anderson and Sweeney because Williams obviously thought he was dealing from an area of depth. The failures of Anderson and Sweeney, along with the Young trade, made it necessary to rush Jerry Owens up and move a third-baseman to left field.

Williams took a calculated risk, feeling that Anderson was ready, and that a veteran arm would strengthen their attempt to repeat. The move failed on both counts. Sometimes that happens.

[nilodnayr]

I think Williams had a well-built team in 2005, but he didn't realize why it was well-built. He thought players like Podsednik and Rowand sparked the team with their SBs and they ground out games like the grinding grinders that they were.

 

When, really, it was the insane amount of HRs and outstanding pitching that propelled them through the season and playoffs, despite having a .322 OBP.

 

Um, that makes no sense. He traded Rowand for Thome. His other main acquisition was Vazquez. The only thing that I credit Kenny with was realizing that his 2005 team was insanely lucky and he needed to improve them in the offseason to have a shot at repeating. He realized that the team suceeded because of pitching and power hitting and brought in MORE pitching and power hitting because he knew what he had was due to regress.