We Are All At A Manager's Whims

[DOUGHBOYS]

We make a lot of our decisions based on Manager's decisions.
If we think that Chad Qualls is a better pitcher than Luke Gregerson, it doesn't matter.
Houston's Manager has made Qualls a footnote. Null and void for NFBC competition.
It's the same for Sergio Romo, Jordan Walden, Dellin Betances and others. What we think doesn't mean crap.
So, we fight over Closers who DO have the job.
We are the jerk to the Managers knee.
We're in the first week of May, and already four different pitchers have closed for Colorado.
When Hawkins got roughed up, we ran to either Axford or Ottovino.
Then, when Betancourt got a Save, many bids on him.

The Atlanta Manager started Eric Young Jr a lot in his lineup. He loves speed at the top of his lineup.
Old school.
Then, realizing that Young couldn't hit, moved him down to the eighth spot.
And now, realizing that Young can't hit (again), out of the lineup.
We are at his mercy.
If needing steals, Young is an option. Especially leading off. We'd sacrifice average for a few thefts.
His Manager raised our own hopes in Young's abilities.
He should know better and so should we.

The Chicago Cubs Manager made a rookie mistake with Kris Bryant. At least, that is my opinion.
Starstruck by Bryant's hype or seeing some of the balls he hit in Spring Training, he put Bryant in the fourth spot in the lineup.
No pressure, huh Rook?
It is so much better to start a rookie in the seventh or eighth spot.
He gets better pitches.
He has less pressure.
He feels more at ease.
Hitting third or fourth, has the opposite effect.
He slumps, hits no homers. Where is he to go?
Down the lineup, where he should have started.
Only now, instead of feeling lucky just to be in the lineup, he feels a little like a failure.
Not good.

I have a partner who wants all of his offensive players to be one of the top four hitters in a lineup.
I want hitters who EARN their way into the top four of the lineup.
Eric Young didn't earn his way into the top spot. It was given to him.
Washington likes hitting Yunel Escobar in the top four spots of a lineup.
He's hitting pretty well there, but I'd bet he's not there in a month.
DJ Lemahieu hits for a Manager who somehow thinks it an advantage to hit a pitcher eighth.
So, he hits ninth sometimes.
LeMahieu will be hitting second when a few Rockies start getting hurt.

We are at the mercy of these Managers. They have the power.
Some are starting to see the light. Their best hitters should hit near the top of the lineup and they finally get it.
Mike Trout, Troy Tulowitzki, Matt Carpenter, Anthony Rizzo, and others are hitting second a lot this year.
Managers finally breaking away from the 'clean-up' hitter or 'best hitter hits third' blah blah.
These hitters up in a lineup, makes it tougher on pitchers.
AND for our purposes, more at bats.

What angers us all, is 'rest'.
We see some players playing every day. Yet others having a weekly rest.
We're at their mercy.
I watched an interview with Willie Mays. It's his birthday today.
He was asked the biggest difference in what he sees between today's players and yesteryear's players. He looked at the interviwer and said, When players from our era played, we would never tell a Manager about a headache, stomach ache or any minor injury.
And with an almost incredulous look on his face, he exclaimed to the interviwer, "NOW, THEY TELL THEM!"
Mays shook his head, knowing it was never a thought for him while playing.
We shake our heads the same way at Manager decisions.
But what can we do?
We can only be reactive to their whims.