Today, as part of the BBLVPAs, Batter's Box salutes its 2003 Mis-Managers of the Year.
This year, there was absolutely no contest as to who the voters would pick. In two near-unanimous landslides, Jerry Manuel and Larry Bowa were selected as Mis-Managers of the year. Manuel received seven of nine first-place votes, Bowa eight of nine.
Larry Bowa - 2003 NL Mis-Manager of the Year
What more can be said about Larry Bowa that hasn't already been said? Lawrence Robert Bowa, as everyone knows, was for many years a classic good-field, no-hit shortstop for the Phillies and later the Cubs. He has since found his niche as a famously splenetic manager, and was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2001. In 2003, his third season as the Phillies skipper, Bowa managed to outdo himself, and produced the most notable performance of his career. Given a multitude of new and expensive talent (including $85 million for Jim Thome, $17 million for David Bell, $24 million to re-sign Mike Lieberthal, a $9.9 million contract for new acquisition Kevin Millwood, Bobby Abreu beginning a $64 million contract, and $50 million to re-sign Pat Burrell) many thought that the Phillies should cruise to a playoff spot. Instead, Bell and Burrell flopped, and the Phillies finished 86-76 and missed the playoffs when they were swept in a crucial three-game series by the Marlins at the end of September.
Along the way, Bowa had more of his characteristic freak-outs, including a memorable meltdown on August 28 after a 4-0 loss to the Expos. At a closed-door meeting, reporters outside the clubhouse could hear Bowa scream so loudly that his obscenities were audible over a pumping clubhouse stereo. Ironically, immediately before that game Bowa said that "As bad as things have gone - and they've gone bad - believe me, I'm going to give myself a star because I could go crazy right now." Jack McKeon later indicated that the freak-out was a sign that Bowa was "panicking", and though McKeon later withdrew that remark, it turned out to be prescient.
GM Ed Wade has given Bowa his vote of confidence, so we may yet have Larry to kick around for a while yet. Team insiders, quoted anonymously, have described there being "not any trust between the players and [Bowa] and the coaches," and that Bowa's yelling and screaming contributes to that. Should be a fun 2004... all that talent hasn't gone anywhere.
Jerry Manuel - 2003 AL Mis-Manager Of The Year
Unlike Larry Bowa, Jerry Manuel wasn't able to weather the storm of having a talented and promising team fall short of the playoffs. Manuel was fired the day after the regular season ended.
Unlike Bowa, who is easily pegged as Billy Martin without the Billy Martin, Jerry Manuel is something of an enigma despite a fine career as a manager and a Manager of the Year winner (in 2000). The White Sox manager since 1998, he managed to lead the team to four second-place finishes and only one pennant in that time - the best way to guarantee your firing. In fact, the instant the White Sox were eliminated, Manuel understood that there was no way he would not be fired, acknowledging that nothing could save his future.
It's unfortunate, but Manuel's just not a guy you can poke much fun at. An interesting, contemplative man, Manuel simply finished second too many times, and was saddled with an oddball cast of players this year, many of whom have been charged with less-than-perfect dedication in the past. Whatever the reason, this team badly underachieved.
BBLVPA 2003 Mis-Manager of the Year Voting (Top 5 only)
Nine votes were received; each voter was asked to rank three choices, points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.
This year, there was absolutely no contest as to who the voters would pick. In two near-unanimous landslides, Jerry Manuel and Larry Bowa were selected as Mis-Managers of the year. Manuel received seven of nine first-place votes, Bowa eight of nine.
Larry Bowa - 2003 NL Mis-Manager of the Year
What more can be said about Larry Bowa that hasn't already been said? Lawrence Robert Bowa, as everyone knows, was for many years a classic good-field, no-hit shortstop for the Phillies and later the Cubs. He has since found his niche as a famously splenetic manager, and was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2001. In 2003, his third season as the Phillies skipper, Bowa managed to outdo himself, and produced the most notable performance of his career. Given a multitude of new and expensive talent (including $85 million for Jim Thome, $17 million for David Bell, $24 million to re-sign Mike Lieberthal, a $9.9 million contract for new acquisition Kevin Millwood, Bobby Abreu beginning a $64 million contract, and $50 million to re-sign Pat Burrell) many thought that the Phillies should cruise to a playoff spot. Instead, Bell and Burrell flopped, and the Phillies finished 86-76 and missed the playoffs when they were swept in a crucial three-game series by the Marlins at the end of September.
Along the way, Bowa had more of his characteristic freak-outs, including a memorable meltdown on August 28 after a 4-0 loss to the Expos. At a closed-door meeting, reporters outside the clubhouse could hear Bowa scream so loudly that his obscenities were audible over a pumping clubhouse stereo. Ironically, immediately before that game Bowa said that "As bad as things have gone - and they've gone bad - believe me, I'm going to give myself a star because I could go crazy right now." Jack McKeon later indicated that the freak-out was a sign that Bowa was "panicking", and though McKeon later withdrew that remark, it turned out to be prescient.
GM Ed Wade has given Bowa his vote of confidence, so we may yet have Larry to kick around for a while yet. Team insiders, quoted anonymously, have described there being "not any trust between the players and [Bowa] and the coaches," and that Bowa's yelling and screaming contributes to that. Should be a fun 2004... all that talent hasn't gone anywhere.
Fact File : Larry Bowa's 2003 Philadelphia Phillies
86-76, 15 games behind, 5 out of Wild Card.
Pythagorean Record of 91-71 (missed by 5 games)
20-18 in 1-run games, 10-3 in extra innings
Diamond Mind Baseball 2003 Prediction :
91-71, First Place in NL East,
62% chance of winning NL East,
72.6% chance of making playoffs
Jerry Manuel - 2003 AL Mis-Manager Of The Year
Unlike Larry Bowa, Jerry Manuel wasn't able to weather the storm of having a talented and promising team fall short of the playoffs. Manuel was fired the day after the regular season ended.
Unlike Bowa, who is easily pegged as Billy Martin without the Billy Martin, Jerry Manuel is something of an enigma despite a fine career as a manager and a Manager of the Year winner (in 2000). The White Sox manager since 1998, he managed to lead the team to four second-place finishes and only one pennant in that time - the best way to guarantee your firing. In fact, the instant the White Sox were eliminated, Manuel understood that there was no way he would not be fired, acknowledging that nothing could save his future.
It's unfortunate, but Manuel's just not a guy you can poke much fun at. An interesting, contemplative man, Manuel simply finished second too many times, and was saddled with an oddball cast of players this year, many of whom have been charged with less-than-perfect dedication in the past. Whatever the reason, this team badly underachieved.
Fact File : Jerry Manuel's 2003 Chicago White Sox
86-76, 4 games behind, 9 out of Wild Card.
Pythagorean Record of 89-73 (missed by 3 games)
18-22 in 1-run games, 8-5 in extra innings
Diamond Mind Baseball 2003 Prediction :
86-76, Second Place in AL Central,
34% chance of winning AL Central,
34% chance of making playoffs
BBLVPA 2003 Mis-Manager of the Year Voting (Top 5 only)
Nine votes were received; each voter was asked to rank three choices, points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.
American League
Manager 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Jerry Manuel 7 1 0 38
Alan Trammell 0 4 1 13
Mike Scioscia 0 3 0 9
Mike Hargrove 1 0 1 6
Bob Melvin 1 0 1 6
National League
Manager 1st 2nd 3rd Points
Larry Bowa 8 0 0 40
Bob Boone 1 0 3 9
Tony LaRussa 0 2 1 7
Jeff Torborg 0 2 0 6
Jimy Williams 0 1 2 5
