Fire Lou Piniella

[soapy]

Also, while I'm here: It's maybe been beaten to death at this point, but for God's sake let's at least get Theriot away from the top of the order. The guy isn't even hitting lefties at this point. If you insist on playing him*, at least put him down at the bottom of the order.

 

 

*It's probably not realistic to outright bench him with Aramis on the DL and Baker being needed at 3B against LHP.

[dew1679666265]

Lou has never handled a bullpen well over the course of his managing career.

 

Yes, but it seems that he's been "harder" on his starters this year than he has been in the past, no? It's certainly possible that I'm imagining this [insert the Fred Signal] but it seems starters are getting taxed a little more this year. I just remember wondering about Lou's starter use when he was hired (typically my primary concern with any manager) and feeling like he really hadn't really over-taxed his starters in his time with the Cubs coming into 2010. Early on this season may have been because the bullpen was struggling, but that excuse is gone now.

 

Like I said, I may be off on this and haven't looked it up yet. That's the perception I'm getting though.

 

This is purely perception on my part as well, but I agree with you. I don't recall Lou being very tough on the starters in previous seasons and generally thought he did well at keeping the pitch count down for the starters.

 

I think he tended to abuse Marmol a couple years ago, though.

[soapy]

From a purely # of pitches per start standpoint, Cubs starters this year are at 97 pitches/start (Dempster is up to 109).

 

2009: 97

2008: 96

2007: 95

 

Really not an increase at all in the number of pitches thrown per start as a team.

[Guest]

The handling of the starters has always been my favorite part about Lou, and my biggest worry with a potential new manager. He's been very good at not overextending starters.

[dew1679666265]

Maybe starters seem to be going longer this year because they've been better and able to pitch more innings more effectively? Or maybe I'm just wrong.

[dew1679666265]

Maybe starters seem to be going longer this year because they've been better and able to pitch more innings more effectively? Or maybe I'm just wrong.

 

Nope.

 

Innings pitched per game started for Cubs starters in the Lou era:

 

2007: 5.9

2008: 5.9

2009: 6.0

2010: 6.1

[Tracer Bullet]

i don't remember high pitch counts being an issue. but I do think Tim and others are right that sometimes Lou leaves a guy in when it would seem to make sense to pull him (esp b/c we have so many damn RPs). I'm not worried about arm injuries. It's just an inefficient use of the roster and risks losing games (though how big of a risk I'm not smart enough to determine).

[jersey cubs fan]

The handling of the starters has always been my favorite part about Lou, and my biggest worry with a potential new manager. He's been very good at not overextending starters.

 

was very good

[Tracer Bullet]

why in the world must theriot lead off? why?

[Banedon]

why in the world must theriot lead off? why?

 

He's grindy.

[woodchip2153]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/piniella-loses-his-marbles/

 

the title says it all

[Guest]

Is it just me or does Lou decide to take out a starter based on when he gives up a final run or two in the late innings?

 

Why carry a seven man pen if you're going to make your starter go back out for the seventh with a five run lead and 104 pitches already thrown?

Exhibit B

[J.R.]

Piniella has left his starting pitcher in for 120-plus pitches six times, the most in the majors. Dempster has four of those, matching Ubaldo Jimenez for the major-league lead. Dempster had three in 2009, and no one else on that staff had any.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/06/your-morning-phil-120-pitch-starts-target-field-iwamura.html

[jersey cubs fan]

Piniella has left his starting pitcher in for 120-plus pitches six times, the most in the majors. Dempster has four of those, matching Ubaldo Jimenez for the major-league lead. Dempster had three in 2009, and no one else on that staff had any.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/06/your-morning-phil-120-pitch-starts-target-field-iwamura.html

 

Rogers blames it on a weak bullpen, but it's more of the perception of a weak bullpen. The relievers have been fantastic in June.

[TruffleShuffle]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/piniella-loses-his-marbles/

 

the title says it all

 

“We’re going to face two left-handers tomorrow and the next day, so Soto will be there,” Lou said. “We’re going to face a couple left-handers over the weekend against the Angels. We’re just trying to win baseball games right now. Hill’s been swinging the bat OK. He does a nice job behind (the plate). Actually, both catchers have done a nice job behind the plate. But I don’t know. We can go either way with that. Tonight, Hill’s catching because we won the other night. This is basically the same lineup that played the other night. We played a good ballgame. So we’re sticking with that, not changing it.”

 

go away you incompetent moron

[Geech]

Yeah, that quote struck me as incredibly stupid because it's such a basic screw up to make. If you are going to manage a baseball team professionally, you have to be able to tell that Soto is a much better player than Hill.

[BigSlick]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

 

why must every manager seem to have one player that is so so so bad, but they can't help but love and play so damn often?

 

Why must there always be a Nick Punto, an Aaron Miles, a Koyie Hill?

[Clem Fandango]

The fact that this thread gets bumped with new information, articles, etc almost every day and they all point to how bad Lou is at managing baseball is really really disheartening.

 

Someone pull the plug already

[Irrelevant Dude]

It is becomingly increasingly clear that Lou will be allowed to finish out the year with the Cubs. Does anyone know the last time a team allowed 2 consecutive managers' contracts to expire without firing or re-signing them?

[Backtobanks]

The handling of the starters has always been my favorite part about Lou, and my biggest worry with a potential new manager. He's been very good at not overextending starters.

 

I'm sure Lou is very popular with the starters because it seems that he leaves them in a game to try to get the win rather than replacing them. Sometimes that strategy works, but often it doesn't.

[Guest]

Why is Lilly back on the mound this inning? He obviously had nothing left.

 

Argh.

[RedFlash]

It's clear Lou is tired of "Chicago" and thus the two sides should agree to a buyout and send Lou to his retirement village. They won't because of the stubbornness and ego of all parties involved, but it would be the right thing to do.

[Keener98]

Whats that old saying....Bad fundamentals goes directly back to the manager/coaches? Well it doesnt get much worse fundamentally than this Cubs team. If Hendry stays as GM next year, I guarantee defense is going to be this offseason slogan.

[TruffleShuffle]

It's clear Lou is tired of "Chicago" and thus the two sides should agree to a buyout and send Lou to his retirement village. They won't because of the stubbornness and ego of all parties involved, but it would be the right thing to do.

 

"chicago"?

[javy knows my name]

http://bp3.blogger.com/_-dk1axrNmqU/R36OtAprWPI/AAAAAAAAB-g/I8b6FEpTExA/s400/a.JPG