The TLR Manager Thread

[raBBit]

24 minutes ago, Focurjay said:

By no means I'm a TLR supporter, but in this video, he does appear to be out of the dugout. However, no one can tell for sure if he did ask Mercedes to take the pitch.

 

He looked upset at the end...

LaRussa said he was out of the dugout yelling to take prior the pitch. I was referring to what LaRussa did prior to the homer not after after.

[CentralChamps21]

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

At this point the "TLR hire will derail the season" types have had to walk that back to "well it's suboptimal".  I'm not sure any serious person ever accepted the first premise but there are certainly data points for the latter.  I do wish we could move on from Yermingate.

Are his bad decisions going to cost the Sox enough games to keep them out of the playoffs? No. However, if the pattern continues he could definitely cost them a playoff game and that could fit a lot of people's definition of "derail the season."

[South Side Hit Men]

59 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

 I really think someone needs to show Tony splits, and also show him Leury Garcia is not, and never has been, a decent LH hitter. They would have most likely lost the second game even if Tony acted like he knew what was going on, but give the team a chance. 

He’s using Shelley Duncan’s fuzzy math, the same math which dictates to lead baseball in bunts.

Garcia should be pinch hit for, not a pinch hitter.

2021 Splits

• Late & close games: 21 PA, .217 OPS
• Innings 7-9: 40 PA, .359 OPS

[Focurjay]

10 minutes ago, raBBit said:

LaRussa said he was out of the dugout yelling to take prior the pitch. I was referring to what LaRussa did prior to the homer not after after.

It's fair; there is no evidence of such a thing, so he very well could lie to the media.

[chitownsportsfan]

34 minutes ago, WhiteSoxFan1993 said:

Are his bad decisions going to cost the Sox enough games to keep them out of the playoffs? No. However, if the pattern continues he could definitely cost them a playoff game and that could fit a lot of people's definition of "derail the season."

I don't think there is a manager in history that has managed in the playoffs where the fans don't 2nd guess a decision that ended up "losing" a game.  That can be the bar, sure but I'm not sure it's that conclusive either way.

Edited June 1, 2021 by chitownsportsfan

[Kyyle23]

38 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

At this point the "TLR hire will derail the season" types have had to walk that back to "well it's suboptimal".  I'm not sure any serious person ever accepted the first premise but there are certainly data points for the latter.  I do wish we could move on from Yermingate.

Nah man, the entire genesis of this is "will this come back to bite us in the playoffs because it appears he can't derail that part". I believe either Tony or Soxbadger mentioned before that this feels similar to Cody Parkey in 2018, looking like ass all season but the Bears were good enough to get to the playoffs.  They got to the playoffs and immediately it bit them in the ass.  I don't want him to fuck this up but he isn't doing anything to make me think that this decision making is all getting better, it's just that this team is pretty damn good 

[Big Hurtin]

1 hour ago, Focurjay said:

By no means I'm a TLR supporter, but in this video, he does appear to be out of the dugout. However, no one can tell for sure if he did ask Mercedes to take the pitch.

 

He looked upset at the end...

It's refreshing that he has his priorities in order.

[chitownsportsfan]

8 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

Nah man, the entire genesis of this is "will this come back to bite us in the playoffs because it appears he can't derail that part". I believe either Tony or Soxbadger mentioned before that this feels similar to Cody Parkey in 2018, looking like ass all season but the Bears were good enough to get to the playoffs.  They got to the playoffs and immediately it bit them in the ass.  I don't want him to fuck this up but he isn't doing anything to make me think that this decision making is all getting better, it's just that this team is pretty damn good 

I think comparing the NFL to MLB is lunacy but I've seen this analogy about a dozen times here on the forum.  I'm sorry Bears fans that Cody Parkey did that to you.

[Kyyle23]

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I think comparing the NFL to MLB is lunacy but I've seen this analogy about a dozen times here on the forum.  I'm sorry Bears fans that Cody Parkey did that to you.

Come on dude it's not a direct comparison of the sports.  It's the fact that you are ignoring a large problem because the team is winning, and when you get to the playoffs, the problem you ignored the entire season rises up and takes you out.  Don't be dense

[Look at Ray Ray Run]

4 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

Come on dude it's not a direct comparison of the sports.  It's the fact that you are ignoring a large problem because the team is winning, and when you get to the playoffs, the problem you ignored the entire season rises up and takes you out.  Don't be dense

There's no need to go back and forth with Chitown on this; he was one of the guys saying the exact same thing about Renteria last year that we're saying about LaRussa this year. He understands but would rather play naive and pretend it's an absurd narrative because he loves laRussa for reasons no one understands and feels the need to defend his laughable first post in this thread through thick and thin.

[harkness99]

2 hours ago, tray said:

No. just responding to hundreds of posts, including the false narrative that Mercedes did not get a take sign on 3-0.

(The frame shows 2-0  because it was not updated after the 2-0 pitch

Then there was LoungeGate also filled with false information and angry critics.

that pic proves nothing... one it looks photoshopped.

 

also everyone said yermin looked towards the dugout for a split sec - that picture because of the way it's frozen is total bullshit. makes it seem like he is staring down hard at the 3rd base coach - nice try.

Just lame.

[chitownsportsfan]

Just now, Kyyle23 said:

Come on dude it's not a direct comparison of the sports.  It's the fact that you are ignoring a large problem because the team is winning, and when you get to the playoffs, the problem you ignored the entire season rises up and takes you out.  Don't be dense

I'm not being dense I think it's insane to compare the influence a head coach has in the NFL to the influence a manager has in the MLB.  It's a non starter.  If you're arguing that a bad manager in all sports prevents a team from reaching its full potential well sure.  The thing is that I'm convinced TLR is a bad manager.  We can only see so much.  If you look at that WAR chart that @caulfield12 has been helpfully keeping you can argue that TLR has done a masterful job keeping every guy on the roster productive and engaged after losing roughly 9 WAR to injuries.  Has he made some tactical mistakes?  Sure, but every manager makes those. 

[southsider2k5]

58 minutes ago, WhiteSoxFan1993 said:

Are his bad decisions going to cost the Sox enough games to keep them out of the playoffs? No. However, if the pattern continues he could definitely cost them a playoff game and that could fit a lot of people's definition of "derail the season."

Let's be honest, there are enough TRULY BAD teams out there that as long as the White Sox can get fat on them, they should make the playoffs.  I know we have had injuries, but the closest two ALC teams to us have also had some pretty major injuries and losses.  I think we all knew coming into this season that this was the Sox division to lose, and we had more talent than the rest of the division.  Now that the season has started, nothing has really changed there as all teams have taken a hit to their talent pool, it was just nice that the Sox were starting from ahead.

But we all saw last year what can happen in the playoffs when the difference between the teams is much more even and little things make the difference.

[chitownsportsfan]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Let's be honest, there are enough TRULY BAD teams out there that as long as the White Sox can get fat on them, they should make the playoffs.  I know we have had injuries, but the closest two ALC teams to us have also had some pretty major injuries and losses.  I think we all knew coming into this season that this was the Sox division to lose, and we had more talent than the rest of the division.  Now that the season has started, nothing has really changed there as all teams have taken a hit to their talent pool, it was just nice that the Sox were starting from ahead.

But we all saw last year what can happen in the playoffs when the difference between the teams is much more even and little things make the difference.

Coming into the season the projections at Fangraphs and B-Pro had the Sox as roughly 40/60 to win the Division over the Twinkies.  And that was with Eloy and Robert healthy.  The Sox were not clear favorites except perhaps to the most optimistic fans.  I think most people expected a dog fight.

[DoUEvenShift]

 

 

The replies are gold

[35thstreetswarm]

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Coming into the season the projections at Fangraphs and B-Pro had the Sox as roughly 40/60 to win the Division over the Twinkies.  And that was with Eloy and Robert healthy.  The Sox were not clear favorites except perhaps to the most optimistic fans.  I think most people expected a dog fight.

Yes, I think this far more accurately captures the conventional wisdom coming into the season both on this board and off. I say that as someone who is terrified of TLR in the playoffs, but the team as a whole has exceeded expectations for a full roster, and far exceeded them for a team missing two core players.

[chitownsportsfan]

1 minute ago, DoUEvenShift said:

 

 

The replies are gold

Woah, some fire from Stone Poney.

 

[Tony]

10 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

I'm not being dense I think it's insane to compare the influence a head coach has in the NFL to the influence a manager has in the MLB.  It's a non starter.  If you're arguing that a bad manager in all sports prevents a team from reaching its full potential well sure.  The thing is that I'm convinced TLR is a bad manager.  We can only see so much.  If you look at that WAR chart that @caulfield12 has been helpfully keeping you can argue that TLR has done a masterful job keeping every guy on the roster productive and engaged after losing roughly 9 WAR to injuries.  Has he made some tactical mistakes?  Sure, but every manager makes those. 

Who compared an NFL head coach to an MLB manager? No one did? 

But you are being dense, or WAY dumber than we all think you are, because the sport doesn't matter. The Cody Parkey example is used to show when a team is very good and filled with talent......bad spots can be overlooked by all the winning. When the Bears made their run in 2019, Cody Parkey was terribly inconsistent....he missed 4 FG's in one game and the Bears still won. So while fans celebrated victory, there was still an area of concern that you hoped didn't come back to bite you when the games really mattered. 

That's what happened with Cody Parkey and the Bears, and that's what some believe could happen with the Sox. The sports don't matter. 

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Coming into the season the projections at Fangraphs and B-Pro had the Sox as roughly 40/60 to win the Division over the Twinkies.  And that was with Eloy and Robert healthy.  The Sox were not clear favorites except perhaps to the most optimistic fans.  I think most people expected a dog fight.

Except you're also the guy three weeks ago saying how the Sox roster is currently like a cheat code when you've been ripping off the other team in trades in OOTP. Seems like any warm body could have gotten this team to this point, no? Ricky did in 2020....right? 

[southsider2k5]

2 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Woah, some fire from Stone Poney.

 

Like I how he didn't mention that Tony has guys like Lance Lynn, Liam Hendriks and Michael Kopech.

[chitownsportsfan]

Just now, Tony said:

Except you're also the guy three weeks ago saying how the Sox roster is currently like a cheat code when you've been ripping off the other team in trades in OOTP. Seems like any warm body could have gotten this team to this point, no? Ricky did in 2020....right? 

The manager has the guys playing well above the back of their baseball cards.  He's empowered TA to infuse Billy fucking Hamilton with the spirit of Hank Aaron.  He's got Jake Lamb looking like Jake Wolfpack.  There is a counterpoint to every narrative.  

[Tony]

3 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

Yes, I think this far more accurately captures the conventional wisdom coming into the season both on this board and off. I say that as someone who is terrified of TLR in the playoffs, but the team as a whole has exceeded expectations for a full roster, and far exceeded them for a team missing two core players.

See....BOTH CAN BE TRUE. 

I 100% agree right now this team is playing above my expectations. The players and LaRussa deserve praise for that! Yay Tony! Yay Players! 

Major tactical errors shouldn't be overlooked because of a very talented roster and LaRussa being possibly good in the clubhouse (something we have no way of knowing) 

Both can be true. I want Tony LaRussa to lead this team to a World Series championship. I'll be thrilled. I also wanted Cody Parkey to make a few FG because I was rooting for the Bears. He showed me he had trouble doing that before, and my fears were answered during the playoffs. I hope that isn't the case with LaRussa calling for a bunt in the third inning of Game 2 or letting Giolito go an inning too long when everyone watching can see he's gassed. 

[Tony]

1 minute ago, chitownsportsfan said:

The manager has the guys playing well above the back of their baseball cards.  He's empowered TA to infuse Billy fucking Hamilton with the spirit of Hank Aaron.  He's got Jake Lamb looking like Jake Wolfpack.  There is a counterpoint to every narrative.  

Alright, so now you're just phoning it in. 

This is what irritates me. Whenever you actually call out one of the LaRussa stans, they have no argument. It just turns into a joke. 

[southsider2k5]

8 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

Coming into the season the projections at Fangraphs and B-Pro had the Sox as roughly 40/60 to win the Division over the Twinkies.  And that was with Eloy and Robert healthy.  The Sox were not clear favorites except perhaps to the most optimistic fans.  I think most people expected a dog fight.

Soxtalk sure thought so.  Including 68% of the site picking them to win the Central, and over 60% of posters picking the Sox at 92 wins or more.  About 75% at 89 wins or more

 

 

[chitownsportsfan]

1 minute ago, Tony said:

Alright, so now you're just phoning it in. 

This is what irritates me. Whenever you actually call out one of the LaRussa stans, they have no argument. It just turns into a joke. 

If you don't think the manager has an influence on the guys he's around and their play over 162 games then I just can't agree with you.  One thing that the manager can do to keep everybody feeling really fucking good is play all his players and put them in positions to succeed.  It seems, as far as I can tell, that Tony is doing that.  The comparisons to 2020 are pretty useless, Stone is right about that.  I've said over and over it's pass fail this year for TLR.  If the Sox falter down the stretch fail him.

[Dick Allen]

8 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Like I how he didn't mention that Tony has guys like Lance Lynn, Liam Hendriks and Michael Kopech.

Not to mention a completely different version of Rodon and Cease.