Should Manny Acta be fired?

[Minty Fresh]

So you think we should hire a two-year old to manage the team?

I understand where you're going here, but would it be too much to ask to have Manny show some passion about something other than benching Dukes?

[tomterp]

I understand where you're going here, but would it be too much to ask to have Manny show some passion about something other than benching Dukes?

I agree, I want Manny to show more passion, but think the idea that the only way you can do that, or even the best way to do that, is to act like a two-year old throwing stuff around or breaking things, is laughable.   

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I agree about that, but there's a medium between acting like a raving lunatic and being an overly stoic tree strump.  Manny could just show a little more fire.

You need to use some type of psychological conditioning with at least some of your players, so acting the same way no matter how things are going isn't a good use of stimuli.

[blue911]

Why didn't Josh Bard bat for Willie Harris?

[MrMadison]

I agree about that, but there's a medium between acting like a raving lunatic and being an overly stoic tree strump.  Manny could just show a little more fire.

or at least show that he actually gives even a little bit of a crap.  he looks like he's just babysitting the team until the Mets job opens up.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

After watching Acta's post game interview, I sense that yeah, he is saying some really bullcrap things, but the way he looks and his mannerisms tell me he is deeply upset about it at the same time. I don't know.

http://www.masnsports.com/ml/video.php?show_id=78543

*For those who didn't see it.

[sportsfan882]

you really believe he cares? I don't buy it. he's just counting the days until he's fired so he can go back to the Mets.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

you really believe he cares? I don't buy it. he's just counting the days until he's fired so he can go back to the Mets.

I think he wants to do at least a half decent job. If you believe he is actually waiting for the Mets, that is one thing. It is another to completely believe the Mets actually want him.

Could you imagine how high the suicide rate would go up in NY if the Mets announced they just ditched Jerry Manuel for Manny Acta who just had two 100+ seasons in a row? In New York? Maybe you could pull that stunt in DC (sadly) but they would go apecrap in New York.

[saltydad]

I find him way too unemotional. Maybe he is seething inside but I see no evidence of it. More to the point, do the players see any evidence that their manager is dissatisfied with their level of play? Even the pitchers barely get a negative nod.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

I find him way too unemotional. Maybe he is seething inside but I see no evidence of it. More to the point, do the players see any evidence that their manager is dissatisfied with their level of play? Even the pitchers barely get a negative nod.

I agree, he is too unemotional. I think he is pissed inside, but that does little to help the situation any. I don't want him to start throwing water coolers out on the field and kicking dirt at the feet of umpires, but there is a level of acceptable rage at horrid play all managers should have. They don't have to cross the line into frenzy. Just show enough to give a little chill down the spines of the players that says, "This crap won't stand anymore."

I used to believe in what Acta was selling, that he truly believed the passive way was the mature and good way, but I am beginning to believe it is more of a cop out to disguise flaws in his style.

[sportsfan882]

He has to start calling them out in the media and ripping them in the locker room until they play better.

[PatsNats28]

He has to start calling them out in the media and ripping them in the locker room until they play better.

No way, calling people out in the media is NEVER a good idea. Rather, he should tell them that they're playing for their jobs from here on out and no one is exempt. I'd tell them they're playing like crap and everything, but not in the media. That just causes resentment.

[sportsfan882]

No way, calling people out in the media is NEVER a good idea. Rather, he should tell them that they're playing for their jobs from here on out and no one is exempt. I'd tell them they're playing like crap and everything, but not in the media. That just causes resentment.

nothing else is working. these players are too relaxed and comfortable with losing. maybe public embarrassment will shame them into playing better.

[PatsNats28]

I doubt it. That only works if they would actually feel shame, they'd just be pissed.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

nothing else is working. these players are too relaxed and comfortable with losing. maybe public embarrassment will shame them into playing better.

In that case, we should file them down the Mall in dresses as fans hit them with socks filled with pool balls and soap.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I totally agree with SoxNats.  There's no sense in eviscerating them in front of the media.  Just show some more emotion in the dugout.  Act accordingly when something goes wrong.

There is NO WAY that acting that calm with every player when they screw up is doing every good.  I'm sure some of them would respond better to a little emotion.

[sportsfan882]

Milledge pops out on the first pitch of the game. *Acta throws his hands up in the air and says "WTF are you thinking?!"

Belliard botches a routine DP on the infield because he fails to field the ball cleanly. *Acta grabs all of the gloves laying around in the dugout and chucks them on the field in the direction of second base and tells Ronnie that he needs all the help he can get out there.*

Bases loaded with 1 out in a tie game. RZ comes up and hits into a DP on the first pitch he sees. *Acta picks up the cooler and slams it against the dugout wall and yells in agony "freak The Face!"*

[PatsNats28]

I'm fine with the first one kinda lol...

[DCFan]

Milledge pops out on the first pitch of the game. *Acta throws his hands up in the air and says "WTF are you thinking?!"

Belliard botches a routine DP on the infield because he fails to field the ball cleanly. *Acta grabs all of the gloves laying around in the dugout and chucks them on the field in the direction of second base and tells Ronnie that he needs all the help he can get out there.*

Bases loaded with 1 out in a tie game. RZ comes up and hits into a DP on the first pitch he sees. *Acta picks up the cooler and slams it against the dugout wall and yells in agony "freak The Face!"*

This isn't rocket science is it?  You may be too young to remember the Richie Pettitbon era (2 years??) when he was head coach of the Skins.  This was in the early 90's.  Most humiliating time to be a Skins fan as they were usually blown out by halftime enroute to a 3-13 record.

I remember the line Kornheiser used to describe him, (I'm paraphrasing) "he looks like he's standing there waiting for a bus". Pettibone was a terrific player and defensive coach but was clueless as a head coach. He'd be standing on the sidelines with his arms crossed and a blank stare on his face as his players were an absolute embarassment, which prompted the calling out by Kornheiser. Kinda like what we see with Manny.

[hammondsnats]

I know it's out very Acta-unlike, but I would love to see before the team hits the field for him to address the club tonight.  It doesn't have to be a publicised closed door meeting, but maybe a pep talk to the group and say it's 3 freaking games, everyone is already writing you off (fans, media, stan and obama (jk)) go out there and prove those bastards wrong.

frank showed a lot of emotion and the guys respected that.  i know acta keeps his cool, but it's okay to get fiery sometimes.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'm fine with the first one kinda lol...

LOL, yeah, those were uhhh...colorful.

All he needs to do is get pissed.  Get red in the face, yell things out, bench guys for bad play, dole out punishments.  Also, get ejected once in a while.  He got ejected ONCE in two years, and it was for the worst call I've ever seen in my life.

[blue911]

LOL, yeah, those were uhhh...colorful.

All he needs to do is get pissed.  Get red in the face, yell things out, bench guys for bad play, dole out punishments.  Also, get ejected once in a while.  He got ejected ONCE in two years, and it was for the worst call I've ever seen in my life.

He should have benched Milledge for missing the team meeting. Fining a player doesn't work and everybody knows it.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Of course not.  You're talking about a minute fraction of a large paycheck (even if a guy is making league minimum).

[Nat of the Living Dead]

My patience with Acta is finally wearing thin:

After the game, manager Manny Acta appeared stunned that the Nationals left 16 runners on base. The team had the bases loaded four times and couldn't put the Braves away.

"It's a funny game. I don't think I ever seen a team have the bases loaded four times and not be able to score a run," he said. "We can't blame anybody but ourselves. We battled, but we played hard. We just have to continue to fight, and we'll come out of it. It was tough, because we had plenty of opportunities."

Manny, it is your freaking job to get them to "come out of it." Stop this waiting for sunshine bullcrap!

[PatsNats28]

I know it's out very Acta-unlike, but I would love to see before the team hits the field for him to address the club tonight.  It doesn't have to be a publicised closed door meeting, but maybe a pep talk to the group and say it's 3 freaking games, everyone is already writing you off (fans, media, stan and obama (jk)) go out there and prove those bastards wrong.

frank showed a lot of emotion and the guys respected that.  i know acta keeps his cool, but it's okay to get fiery sometimes.

Exactly, it can even be like positive underdog fire... doesn't have to be pissed. Just something!