That was seemingly all it took to cost Grady Little his job today, although it's questionable whether Little would have returned next year had he been asked. Not too many guys get fired after delivering 93 and 95 wins their only two seasons on the job. Never mind the White Sox; wouldn't Cito Gaston be a strong, commanding presence for the Red Sox position? I'd worry that an untested field boss like Glenn Hoffman would be simply overwhelmed by the forces inside the Boston clubhouse. Anyway, that's one manager down, more to come no doubt. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the Bronx next.
After seeing the Red Sox and their antics in the playoffs, and along with other pre-existing grips I've had, I must say this couldn't happen to a nicer organisation. Their overwhelming offensive talent, and the presence of Pedro Martinez, will keep them in contention next year, and while "chemistry" may be at best ethereal, it cannot be eliminated simply becaue there's no way to measure it. Here's hoping they go the route of other talented rich clubs and implode even further. They really are an unlikable bunch, which is a shame, because they have three of the best players in baseball.
On a seperate thread I asked Mick if he thinks Torre will be back, but let's throw it out to the rest of Da Box. My personal hunch is that he'll quit and, as Coach said earlier, challenge the Boss to find someone who can put up with the millionaires. More than anything I want the A's to win a World Series title and for Jason Giambi to be part of the sinking ship in the Bronx.
On a seperate thread I asked Mick if he thinks Torre will be back, but let's throw it out to the rest of Da Box. My personal hunch is that he'll quit and, as Coach said earlier, challenge the Boss to find someone who can put up with the millionaires. More than anything I want the A's to win a World Series title and for Jason Giambi to be part of the sinking ship in the Bronx.
I suspect that Little wasn't coming back to the Sox and leaving Pedro in was just an easy way for the Sox to get rid of him.
I actually think that the Bronx would be the perfect place for Cito. In Toronto's heyday the Jays had a few, shall we say clubhouse distractions (Gruber and Ricky come to mind). They also had some solid citizens (Molitor, Winfield, Olerud, etc.). They really remind me of the current Yankees from that perspective. The Jays never struck me as being dysfunctional and neither do the Yankees. The Red Sox strike me as being dysfunctional (or at least were dysfunctional until Little came along). I think Cito would suceed best in NY.
I still believe that Boston would be a good fit for Cito Gaston. Any opinions???
After posting my note, I noticed that Nigel stated that the Yankees would be a good fit for Cito--that would be very interesting. There is no doubt that he would be able to handle "King George".
In any regard, it would be a real shame if Cito does not get an opportunity to manage in 2004.
In any regard, it would be a real shame if Cito does not get an opportunity to manage in 2004.
If Cito does land in Boston, I think the Red Sox will have to clean house to some degree. Cito would never have let the sort of antics that that team got up to this year go on, and certainly would not have deferred to his star players like Little did to Pedro. Cito may cater to his stars - giving them preferential playing time over guys who haven't yet proven themselves - but he remains in control.
I'm not sure Pedro Martinez would accept that situation. Any time that a manager, or the organization in general, attempts to exercise any real control over Pedro he makes dark hints about wanting out, and the team caves.
The Yankees job is indeed an ideal situation for Cito - with bullpen problems and veteran players who lead from the front (Posada, Williams, Giambi, Jetes) and an undisciplined young superstar in Soriano. Sounds just about perfect.
My main concern about Cito in any job, at this point, is that he is getting older (he will be 60 by the time the season opens) and may not have the energy or desire to get back into the grind of day-in, day-out managing under a media microscope (witness today's column by Moron Jay Mariotti, who would like Cito better if he was Jack McKeon. No duh.)
I'm not sure Pedro Martinez would accept that situation. Any time that a manager, or the organization in general, attempts to exercise any real control over Pedro he makes dark hints about wanting out, and the team caves.
The Yankees job is indeed an ideal situation for Cito - with bullpen problems and veteran players who lead from the front (Posada, Williams, Giambi, Jetes) and an undisciplined young superstar in Soriano. Sounds just about perfect.
My main concern about Cito in any job, at this point, is that he is getting older (he will be 60 by the time the season opens) and may not have the energy or desire to get back into the grind of day-in, day-out managing under a media microscope (witness today's column by Moron Jay Mariotti, who would like Cito better if he was Jack McKeon. No duh.)
There is no doubt that he would be able to handle "King George".
Whoa! There is always doubt about that, with anyone. The people who do survive working for George don't "handle" him as much as they tolerate him. Until you've witnessed a real Steinbrenner outburst, aimed at someone else, you don't know what it's like. And he saves his nastiest attacks for his employees.
There was a time, about 11 years ago, when George was negotiating to buy the Florida harness racetrack where I was a department head. It didn't happen, and I moved back to Canada, but even I have no idea how we might have gotten along. Though we had a great relationship for three years, things often change once you're on his payroll.
Cito might be a theoretical perfect fit for the Yankees in every other way, but the uncertainty about how he would cope with the unique parts of the job -- The Boss and the New York media -- makes me wonder if it's in his best interests.
The Boston gig has similar pitfalls, though again, Gaston appears to be a good fit for the playing personnel. Theo Epstein's first managerial hire will be someone who is closer than Little to being "on the same page" as the front office.
I think if Cito does come back this year, it will be in Chicago, where the GM is one of his former players. He'll still have to deal with the likes of Mariotti:
If Gaston would just chill out, smoke a cigar and play the bongos like McKeon, I'd love to have him.
Uh, Jay? If you could just think and write like Red Smith, we'd love to read you.
Whoa! There is always doubt about that, with anyone. The people who do survive working for George don't "handle" him as much as they tolerate him. Until you've witnessed a real Steinbrenner outburst, aimed at someone else, you don't know what it's like. And he saves his nastiest attacks for his employees.
There was a time, about 11 years ago, when George was negotiating to buy the Florida harness racetrack where I was a department head. It didn't happen, and I moved back to Canada, but even I have no idea how we might have gotten along. Though we had a great relationship for three years, things often change once you're on his payroll.
Cito might be a theoretical perfect fit for the Yankees in every other way, but the uncertainty about how he would cope with the unique parts of the job -- The Boss and the New York media -- makes me wonder if it's in his best interests.
The Boston gig has similar pitfalls, though again, Gaston appears to be a good fit for the playing personnel. Theo Epstein's first managerial hire will be someone who is closer than Little to being "on the same page" as the front office.
I think if Cito does come back this year, it will be in Chicago, where the GM is one of his former players. He'll still have to deal with the likes of Mariotti:
If Gaston would just chill out, smoke a cigar and play the bongos like McKeon, I'd love to have him.
Uh, Jay? If you could just think and write like Red Smith, we'd love to read you.
After a year of Mariotti, Cito might long for the days of the fair-minded Toronto press corps with whom he got along so well.
Boston's curse has perhaps less to do with Ruth that it has with the stain of being last on board the color wagon. I think Cito, for whom it's all about race--he says so, might be exactly the drastic purgative the fenway cloaca needs. He'd sure intimidate hell out of the local media.
Apparently Whitey Herzog has put his hat in the ring for the Bosox job- http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1648484. If my options included Glenn Hoffman and Charlie Manuel, I'd definitely be interviewing Whitey. Plus Bill James loves him.
Thanks for the insight, Coach. Obviously, I have never met Steinbrenner.
Cito still deserves an opportunity.
Cito still deserves an opportunity.
I have never been a Cito supporter, and I aint gonna start now. I worked at a golf course where Cito was playing in a tournament, and 'The Great' Cito comes to the bar and asks for a Martini. With a snide and arrogant manner, he adds "You do know how to make a martini, don't you?" The barkeep thought better of asking him "You do know how to manage a ball club?"
Apart from his personality, I never thought him much of a baseball mind. I swear, though I can't prove it, that he ruined Pat Hentgen's arm. Pat would be asked to go another one or two innnings time after time. Granted there was nothing in the bullpen, but the team was going nowhere in the standings. After his Cy year Pat was never the same. And what of all the trades he foisted upon management. David Wells, gone. Who's the guy they traded for Darren Jackson and whose name escapes me now. He had a couple of great years. Yes, yes, I know, he won two world championships. But his performance after that left a sour taste in the mouth.
Farewell Cito, just away from Toronto.
jason
Apart from his personality, I never thought him much of a baseball mind. I swear, though I can't prove it, that he ruined Pat Hentgen's arm. Pat would be asked to go another one or two innnings time after time. Granted there was nothing in the bullpen, but the team was going nowhere in the standings. After his Cy year Pat was never the same. And what of all the trades he foisted upon management. David Wells, gone. Who's the guy they traded for Darren Jackson and whose name escapes me now. He had a couple of great years. Yes, yes, I know, he won two world championships. But his performance after that left a sour taste in the mouth.
Farewell Cito, just away from Toronto.
jason