Every fanbase in baseball nages about their manager about the same things; "Bad bullpen management", "No feel for starting pitching", "Over reliance on veterans", "To much/little reliance on statistics", "Bad lineup management," etc.
Is what it is. I sit back and realize the guy has won at the highest level for a reason and he has forgotten more about baseball than any of us will ever know. Guys like Charlie Manuel, Fredi Gonzalez, and Dusty Baker will never out think Davey Johnson. If we give him equal talent he'll take that talent and kick their ass.
The HRod obsession is a bigger issue with the organization as a whole. In general, Davey clearly understands how to manage a pitching staff. This is something that guys like Riggleman never understood. Managing a pitching staff isn't playing push button manager and over managing in a game. It is understanding the development and needs of each pitcher, the fact that you manage for a season, not one game, and that guys pitchers perform best when they are not overused, know their role, and understand the situation they should expect to be brought into a game. Good managers don't simply let a game unfold and move pieces around complete ad hoc. They have guys prepared for their roles and situations and work to stay within that framework as best they can. That's why Davey blames himself when he ends up bringing a guy in a different time than originally expected. It's not a matter of rigidly sticking with a plan, but it is about managing players in certain ways over an extended season, and understanding that the game is a marathon, not a sprint.
