Fire Dusty Baker!

[Leroy Veritas]

It's stunning how far sycophants will go to defend the brainless manager. He had 2 years, 15 years ago, with playoff success. Other than those two his teams are now 6-18 in the playoffs. He's got the awareness and tactical prowess of a speedbump.

[varoadking]

It's stunning how far sycophants will go to defend the brainless manager. He had 2 years, 15 years ago, with playoff success. Other than those two his teams are now 6-18 in the playoffs. He's got the awareness and tactical prowess of a speedbump.

Come up for air, Barney...that vein in your neck is starting to bulge... 

[whytev]

It just makes no sense how these bats go silent. Rendon, Murphy, Zimmerman and Harper. All have 25+ HR and 100 RBI. Turner 3rd in the league in stolen bases. Taylor had a good season. Yet we have had 11 hits in 3 games.

What is Dusty supposed to do with these bums? Starting Kendrick and Lind would do nothing if the rest of our lineup is doing nothing.

Zimmerman’s bat is silent? Interesting.

[Expos]

Zimmerman’s bat is silent? Interesting.

1 big hit in 3 games..

Compared that to what Chicago's 1st basemen is doing.

They have brass balls. We don't have any balls.

[Slateman]

Your stupid ass would've led the charge.

Is that why in the 6th I was screaming for Albers/Perez?

[Slateman]

1 big hit in 3 games..

Compared that to what Chicago's 1st basemen is doing.

They have brass balls. We don't have any balls.

Two big hits in the last two games. Zim has been fine.

[Ray D]

A conundrum to be sure.

More like a condom..

[imref]

1 big hit in 3 games..

Compared that to what Chicago's 1st basemen is doing.

Zimmerman .250 / .850 OPS
Rizzo .333 / 1.000 OPS

That' what, one more hit for Rizzo?

Zimmerman and Taylor are leading the team this series with .250 averages.  If you want to point fingers:

Turner: .000
Harper: .167
Rendon: .100
Murphy: .091
Werth: .100
Wieters: .000

[WashingtonWizards23]

dusty is good at interviews but his managerial skills is lacking.

[rbw5t]

They have brass balls. We don't have any balls.

This is unfortunately what it's coming down to.  Pitching has been very good, managing has been fine.  Can't win if you can't hit.  And we're good hitters.  We're pressing, and thus sucking, because we're overwhelmed by the moment.  Their pitchers are good, but not nearly as good as we're making them look.  Their hitters have confidence and expect success, and our hitters flail hoping we'll eventually hit something.  Our team is built to win 90-100 games over a full season, but we don't "IT" for the big stage.  The hard part is there's no good solution.  The team is too good and generally well-built to make major changes.  We need to sack up, put together a bunch of good at bats, and let it build on itself until we've overcome our negative psychology (i.e., grow some balls).  I think it's unlikely to change, and we'll keep winning divisions and flaming out in the playoffs.

[tzinc]

Maddon the Genius pulled Quintana too early

Meanwhile Dusty is dealing with Max and his injuries people would lynch him if he lets Max stay in
and Max gets hurt again

Solis has being very good lately - people would cry if Dusty overused his BP

Maddon makes changes and Cubs lose big Maddon pitched a righty vs lefty another mistake by genius  yet he is not being roasted
meanwhile Dusty is responsible because this team suddenly quits hitting really?

Blaming Dusty is overlooking reality they lost by 1 run on a fluke bloop single
The reality is and no one wants to hear this but in the end the players need to do what they do and if they fail it is NOT on the manager also a bit of LUCK makes a big difference


Dusty Haters waiting to pounce chew on this this team was devistated by major injuries all year and he played without any sort of bullpen for half a year and he delivered --- anything can happen in a short series just pray your hitters don't get cold and pitchers do their jobs

[mdnatsfan]

I'd sign Dusty to a two year deal. I'd send a clear message to the players that this year, it is on them. The pitching has been fine. The batters have choked.

Next season Werth: Gone
And after next season, if they come up small in the PO's again: Harper Gone, Turner Gone, Murphy Gone Rendon Gone.

This team doesn't need big bats that go quietly in the night every October. We need guys who can get on effing base.

[PowerBoater69]

Dusty has always shown a level of ingenuity in his line ups, not just stacking the high OBP guys at the top, mixing in the bench guys, switching the order around. Suddenly the Nats are locked into a line up that is more standard but doesn't match up with anything Baker has done the last two seasons. This isn't the work of a guy who manages based on a mix of instinct and probability, this is the product of careful planning and a rigid adherence to the plan.

My strong suspicion is that Rizzo is mandating these line ups. Werth is Rizzo's guy, Baker would have had Taylor higher in the order and found a way to get Lind or Goodwin on the field. Refusal to make changes despite exposed flaws in the game plan is much more of a trait of the GM.

[varoadking]

Dusty has always shown a level of ingenuity in his line ups, not just stacking the high OBP guys at the top, mixing in the bench guys, switching the order around. Suddenly the Nats are locked into a line up that is more standard but doesn't match up with anything Baker has done the last two seasons. This isn't the work of a guy who manages based on a mix of instinct and probability, this is the product of careful planning and a rigid adherence to the plan.

My strong suspicion is that Rizzo is mandating these line ups. Werth is Rizzo's guy, Baker would have had Taylor higher in the order and found a way to get Lind or Goodwin on the field. Refusal to make changes despite exposed flaws in the game plan is much more of a trait of the GM.

Rizzo has always said publicly that the lineup is up to the manager...though he also always said Desi/Espinosa/(insert name here) is our (insert position here).

Can't trust him...

[Slateman]

Maddon the Genius pulled Quintana too early

Meanwhile Dusty is dealing with Max and his injuries people would lynch him if he lets Max stay in
and Max gets hurt again

Solis has being very good lately - people would cry if Dusty overused his BP

Maddon makes changes and Cubs lose big Maddon pitched a righty vs lefty another mistake by genius  yet he is not being roasted
meanwhile Dusty is responsible because this team suddenly quits hitting really?

Blaming Dusty is overlooking reality they lost by 1 run on a fluke bloop single
The reality is and no one wants to hear this but in the end the players need to do what they do and if they fail it is NOT on the manager also a bit of LUCK makes a big difference


Dusty Haters waiting to pounce chew on this this team was devistated by major injuries all year and he played without any sort of bullpen for half a year and he delivered --- anything can happen in a short series just pray your hitters don't get cold and pitchers do their jobs

Maddon pulled Q at the right time

His pitching matchups won

And when Dusty made the enormous mistake of going with the power fastball lefty, Maddon countered with the .340+ hitter against LHP in their place.

[Ray D]

This lineup is predicated on Turner getting on base.  When he's on base, the pitcher is distracted, making it easier for #2 to get on base, and so on.  I would suggest batting someone else leadoff who can get on base, but I have no one to  suggest; Turner is the leadoff guy for the duration.  He needs to start getting on base.   If he's 0 for 4 tonight we lose.  If he goes 3 for 4 we have a good chance.  Has nothing to do with Dusty.

[RobDibblesGhost]

Steve Phillips‏
@StevePhillipsGM 

John Jay stepped out of the batter's box on his bunt.  He should have been called out and the runner sent back to first.


If a washed-up disgraced former GM could notice this, why couldn't Dusty? Or Wieters? Or one of the coaches?

[varoadking]

Steve Phillips‏
@StevePhillipsGM 

John Jay stepped out of the batter's box on his bunt.  He should have been called out and the runner sent back to first.


If a washed-up disgraced former GM could notice this, why couldn't Dusty? Or Wieters? Or one of the coaches?

Is that reviewable?

[bluestreak]

Steve Phillips‏
@StevePhillipsGM 

John Jay stepped out of the batter's box on his bunt.  He should have been called out and the runner sent back to first.


If a washed-up disgraced former GM could notice this, why couldn't Dusty? Or Wieters? Or one of the coaches?

How often does this get called?

[RobDibblesGhost]

Is that reviewable?

Supposedly it is. But, as bluestreak noted, I don't think it gets called very often.

[spidernat]

Blaming Dusty is overlooking reality they lost by 1 run on a fluke bloop single

This is the thing that killed them and gets overlooked. That ball could not be placed any better. But the reason that was enough to beat them was because they just have not been able to put together any semblance of offense.

[spidernat]

Steve Phillips‏
@StevePhillipsGM 

John Jay stepped out of the batter's box on his bunt.  He should have been called out and the runner sent back to first.


If a washed-up disgraced former GM could notice this, why couldn't Dusty? Or Wieters? Or one of the coaches?

Come on? Are we really going to resort to this type of loser mentality whining over this petty crap? The players have freaking choked at the plate. That's why they lost. Just like game 1 where Rendon botched an easy free out that led to the winning run, the only thing that would do is delay the inevitable. It would just force the cubs to win in extra innings since the only run they got in this game was because the cubs gave them 4 outs. But then again, this is RDG so I shouldn't expect more.

[RobDibblesGhost]

Come on? Are we really going to resort to this type of loser mentality whining over this petty crap? The players have freaking choked at the plate. That's why they lost. Just like game 1 where Rendon botched an easy free out that led to the winning run, the only thing that would do is delay the inevitable. It would just force the cubs to win in extra innings since the only run they got in this game was because the cubs gave them 4 outs. But then again, this is RDG so I shouldn't expect more.

I completely agree and I've stayed out of this for the most part. I was just posting this because I thought it was interesting. When you're batting .093 as a team, you're going to lose no matter how you cut it.

[skippy1999]

I completely agree and I've stayed out of this for the most part. I was just posting this because I thought it was interesting. When you're batting .093 as a team, you're going to lose no matter how you cut it.

it was interesting.  Bill Belichick wins a lot by knowing the rule book in an out, seems like something the manager should've addressed. 

[Optics]

Seems like MLB is just full of braindead managers. Girardi got eviscerated after his Game 2 decisions. Farrell is getting hammered for yesterday's. Maddon hasn't exactly been a genius either(see Game 2 pitching decisions).