HIRE DEPO NOW!! & Bring Carney back as the manager!

by connie mack on May 18, 2009 3:45 PM PDT

Not Selling Jeans, makes the argument better than me:

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-best-out-of-work-gm-in-baseball

I say keep Beane on as the President of Baseball Operations. He will understand what Paul is up to and run the necessary interference with the Front Office.

Give Paul DePodesta a clear shot with fresh eyes at the problem.

Have Paul fire Geren.

Try to get Carney Lansford as the manager. Heck, you could trade a prospect for him, or even take back some of Zito's contract and Zito in the process.

At least it would be interesting to be an A's fan again.

Poll

If you were the owner of the A's who would be your General Manager:

Billy Beane

61 votes

David Forst

14 votes

Paul DePodesta

41 votes

116 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

You wouldn't need to trade anyone

the Giants would let Carney go to be the Manager of the A’s if the A’s did ask for him.

Teams generally will let coaches leave and manage for other organizations as long as it is a promotion for them (ie: they are not already the manager or general manager of their own organization) or they are planning to make that person their manager for their team within the next year (as we did, I believe, with Ken Macha).

Don't believe in yourself.
Believe in Me who believes in You.

by Zonis on May 18, 2009 3:49 PM PDT reply actions

I assume a trade would be necessary if it happened midseason

They're called RUNS for a reason.

by connie mack on May 18, 2009 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions

it wouldn't.

Don't believe in yourself.
Believe in Me who believes in You.

by Zonis on May 18, 2009 5:12 PM PDT up reply actions

I have to admit

that if I woke up the next morning and read that this happened, I would have a smile on my face.

I’m not one of the ones hating on Mr. Beane right now. In fact, I would love to see him get the chance to run a big time European soccer club.

DOUBLE REVISED- The magical goblins that live in the Reverend Billy Lard's shower just told him that actually, nobody's gonna improve this year and everyone will be released by June except for Suzuki and Cust... Sorry, kids...

by Gaijin_Suketto on May 18, 2009 3:51 PM PDT reply actions

Do people here still think Beane is running the A's as the general manager?

Like others, I think Forst is the GM because Beane is too busy with soccer/other matters. If that’s the case, Depo would be good but you should point out he works with the Padres and the article you cites is quite old.

"Stanford has no fear of losing versus Cal, as they have done so every year but one for the last 20 years. They are, however, very afraid to get injured and indeed fear for their safety." - Furd Rugby Coach on forfeiting 2001 Rugby game vs. Cal

by oaktownmario on May 18, 2009 3:59 PM PDT reply actions

I keep reading this, but...

…I’m not so sure.

It is possible that Beane has been “side tracked” by other pursuits, but Beane is also a VERY intense competitor, and I have a hard time believing that he would let the A’s slide so far under his name without coming back and pro-actively working to fix it.

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 8:13 PM PDT up reply actions

I thought this was telling:

(from Slusser)

Landon Powell strained a hamstring so badly he didn’t make it to first on a ninth-inning groundout, and manager Bob Geren was huddled in his office with assistant GM David Forst for more than half an hour after the game, trying to figure out what to do.

No mention of Beane being involved in any way.

by Rocktopus on May 18, 2009 9:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't doubt that Forst is taking a larger role in a general day-to-day sense, but...

…that doesn’t mean he’s been given the controls to the team and roster.

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 9:23 PM PDT up reply actions

why do folks keep on insisting that beane is..

preoccupied with soccer? under what context is this presumption made? just because he shows up at a few functions doesn’t mean that is his priority now. The quakes do have a GM after all (and it’s not Beane)….

"Twenty minutes," says Jack Sr. "Thank god for Billy Beane."

"Any fan that wants us to do that is going to be disappointed because that just isn’t us." - Wolff

"Joe Morgan's going to think Beane wrote the movie too..." -whitshoes40

"What am I going to do, seriously? Maybe be a bouncer at strip joints. That's about all I'm qualified to do." -Giambi

by ST on May 19, 2009 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions

It's an oldie but a goodie.

i’m sure San Diego would let him go if the job presented itself.
Regarding Depo’s tenure with Los Angeles, I think he looks even better now than he did two years ago, especially given the development of all the young hitting talent in the Dodgers organization.

They're called RUNS for a reason.

by connie mack on May 18, 2009 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

Yeah...

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah...

…I think DePO will be judged better after some time has gone by. One of those hindsight things.

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Depo was fine

At finding and developing talent but pretty much pissed off everyone he came into contact with (including the owner of the team). While Paul may have a great mind he has zero interpersonal skills (the two skills can and often are mutually exclusive). So as long as Paul is burried deep behind a computer it could be okay. But if he has any reason to come out from behind the computer screen and talk to anyone other than Billy Beane he will be a disaster.

by skwid on May 19, 2009 1:34 PM PDT up reply actions

where did you get that info?

That is the first I’ve heard that about Depo. I’m not saying it is wrong.
On the other hand, I think Billy Beane’s personality has been a major issue for the A’s.
I distinctly remember reading a couple instances where he treated Macha like shit.

They're called RUNS for a reason.

by connie mack on May 19, 2009 1:42 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't know about that....

but Dep did run afoul of the “Old school Dodger Blue” with his approach to building a team. I’m speaking of LaSorda and his crowd. Then he infuriated the fan base by trading LoDuca. The funny thing is that all his moves resulted in the Dodgers having a better long term outlook. Of course the new GM got all the credit for everything Depo did right.

"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer

by alox on May 20, 2009 8:31 AM PDT up reply actions

If I were the owner of the A's... I would be the GM.

Otherwise whats the point of owning a baseball team.

Also tickets, beer, and garlic fries would be cheap.

Some of the most violent things I’ve ever seen were at Raiders games. And I’ve been to jail. - leopold bloom

by designatedforassignment on May 18, 2009 4:10 PM PDT reply actions

Well, the only thing better than owning a team

is owning a winning team. And to that end, I’d hire a real GM :)

by ohmangoAs on May 18, 2009 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions

Meh... I would only resort to that if I was terrible.

Some of the most violent things I’ve ever seen were at Raiders games. And I’ve been to jail. - leopold bloom

by designatedforassignment on May 18, 2009 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions

yeah...

you gotta give your own self half a chance to f**k things up, first!

by Gaijin_Suketto on May 18, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions

didn't Connie Mack own and manage at the same time?

by OaklandSi on May 18, 2009 6:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I believe so

Some of the most violent things I’ve ever seen were at Raiders games. And I’ve been to jail. - leopold bloom

by designatedforassignment on May 18, 2009 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes, but that's not allowed anymore. Ask Ted Turner.

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions

Charlie Finley lives!

I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup

by UncleLeo on May 18, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions

No!!!!

Carney Lansford is my favorite player of all time I don’t want him to have suffer with this group. Despite the poor start I’d keep Beane as GM and if the A’s do make a change at manager I’d like to see them go with someone whose got some experience and is maybe a little bit of a red-ass as this team need some fire and to be held accountable for the errors and all these walks.

by sirbed on May 18, 2009 7:21 PM PDT reply actions

A shake up is about due.

Carney would be a great choice, but I still think it should be Gene Tenace, he has had some managerial, albiet minimal, experiance. He has the Blue Jays hitting the ball well, and he knows how to win. A link to past greatness would not hurt either. Our current manager is a log, just sits there and rots.

Stomp,em, stomp the piss out of em.Then pound the budweiser after the game. Joe Schultz Seattle Piolts Mgr 1969

by billyball1981 on May 19, 2009 9:16 AM PDT reply actions