WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! - A's Pick Up Bob Geren's Option
by Zonis on Sep 11, 2010 4:19 PM PDT
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PrintAccording to our own Susan Slusser's tweet, the A's have picked up Bob Geren's option for 2011. Will this be his last chance and last season? Who knows. All I know is that I could hear JD's scream of terror at the news from a mile away. Up Wind.
It's offiicial, Geren's option exercised for 2011. #Athletics
The A's have exercised manager Bob Geren's 2011 option.
Geren has been with the Athletics since 2007 and has posted a 296-329 record over three-plus years. The A's are 70-70 this season under his watch, outperforming some expectations that had them as the worst team in the American League West. He seems like a nice fit for their young roster. (Rotoworld referencing Susan Slusser)
Commence screaming.
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Sigh...
As much as I didn’t want this to happen, I figured it would. Not surprising, but not exactly encouraging either.
"But at this time of year, two plus two doesn't always add up to eight. Sometimes, it equals four." - Geoff Baker, Mariners beat writer.
Oh. Fuck.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaah
{breathes}
AAAAAAAAAAH
"Sorry guys, I’m not going to try and hit (Douglas) Murray anymore. It doesn’t work." - Steve Ott, Dallas Stars.
by SwisherThresher on Sep 11, 2010 4:24 PM PDT reply actions
What the fuck
why?
What we’re asking is for people to stop pretending that ipse dixit counts as a "source." When you make a claim about baseball, you should be willing to put some reasonable amount of effort into explaining why it’s correct if someone asks you to. That’s basic respect for the other poster. - PT
by designatedforassignment on Sep 11, 2010 4:30 PM PDT reply actions
I like Geren.
I don’t think I have any worthy arguments in favor of him, other than maybe that his puffed up cheeks are pleasantly gerbil-like.
I still like him, though.
Bob Geren was born in a suburban apartment complex he built with his own two hands.
by QueenOfCansAndJars on Sep 11, 2010 4:53 PM PDT reply actions
^$%#%$#@^%$*&^%!1!
I mean, yeah. Knew it was gonna happen. Just didn’t want to see it. Not yet
Zooey Deschanel!
Cluck 'em all and let the Chick sort 'em out - DMOAS
You're worried that you'll come off as nerdy as frack? On AN? That’s like being ashamed of your alcohol use at a meth convention. - danmerqury
well, shit.
Hope springs eternal…but this time my optimism was not rewarded.
CT ..."he’s not just an asshat with a mic" - cuppingmaster
amen
Zooey Deschanel!
Cluck 'em all and let the Chick sort 'em out - DMOAS
You're worried that you'll come off as nerdy as frack? On AN? That’s like being ashamed of your alcohol use at a meth convention. - danmerqury
by ChickenStanley on Sep 11, 2010 5:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Interesting timing...
It says, “Bob, the team’s shown enough improvement, don’t kill yourself (or the pitchers) trying to get back in the race.”
really? What makes you say that, vk?
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
by cuppingmaster on Sep 11, 2010 5:45 PM PDT up reply actions
the delay
It’s just a theory. Bane picked up his option in March last year, so why not this year? Because Beane wanted to put him on the spot. I thought he figured he needed to go 82-80 to make sure of keeping his job, not too many managers are allowed four losing seasons in a row. But to do that, he’s had to work his young starters harder than last year and harder than ideal, in the case of Gio, with 20 innings pitched more than last season (majors and minors) already. By extending Geren now, the signal is that he can relax.
I agree with this
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Sep 11, 2010 11:36 PM PDT up reply actions
Bane picked up his option?
I think we’re all OK if Bane is the GM now.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Sep 12, 2010 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
I am pissed off!
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
Eh, I'm not surprised
But based on what CT said, I really had no doubt this was happening. The timing is a little curious, but hey, at least it’s the enemy we know, right?
!#%&$#@&%&% antioxidants! - pam
I didn't want it to happen, but I expected it to happen.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
So, if the A's do well next year...
…and win 90+ games, will Geren suddenly be a good manager?
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
Isn't that normally how it works?
A's Fan in Sweden
"Some of us know him as the a-hole who piled into Ray Fosse in an All-Star game (it's why Ray is the way he is folks)" - OptimistPrime
Usually...
…but I wonder if our dislike has run too long for the usual.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
Dear Mr Beane,
You’re killing us.
Sincerely,
AN
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
by UncleLeo on Sep 11, 2010 5:58 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I was really hoping they would not do this.
but would you fire your best man after a season his team put up the best record they have had since you hired him?
I would have at least waited until after the season, to see how the next few weeks play out.
He didn't have to fire him
He just had to not pick up his option.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Well the problem with hiring is your best friend
is that it’s really tough to fire/let him go.
"You know, a long time ago being crazy meant something. Nowadays everybody's crazy."
-Charles Manson
by kaweahkaweah on Sep 11, 2010 9:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Which is why the two should never have gotten involved with the same organization in the first place
Or Beane could have just done his due diligence when he actually needed to hire a manager.
AN: Where you will be an A's fan or Dallas Braden will show you the repercussions of your actions.
by stranahanahan on Sep 11, 2010 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions
Right
But if you need to fire him, simply not renewing his contract is a great way of saving face.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Not really. Effectively, it's the same thing.
“Why did you fire me, Billy?”
“Why didn’t you pick up my option, Billy?”
IF there are going to be hard feelings afterward, said hard feeling will emerge regardless which method is used.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
It's about spin and rhetoric
Being fired has the stigma of “you failed, you sucked at your job.” Not having your contract renewed simply says, “you did the job for as long as it was asked for and now someone else will do the job.” Contracts don’t get renewed all the time and while the results are the same, the meaning isn’t.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Disagree.
Not renewing a contract, or rather not picking up an option, is the same thing only without added cost. The employer is free-and-clear at that point.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
Put it this way
In Geren’s case, if they let his contract lapse they could say he did a good job but we’re looking to go in a different direction. If they were to fire him, they really couldn’t. Not every contract lapse is a result of displeasure for the job done, but a firing is.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
"Different direction" = not doing a good job?
“Good job” meaning winning, or at least making progress in the case of a young and developing team. Winning is pretty much the only goal of a manager, isn’t it? What else is there?
You can spin it as positively as possible, but I suspect the vast majority won’t see the subtle nuances. His option wasn’t picked up because he wasn’t winning… he wasn’t doing his job.
Hell, in some cases the only reason he stayed as long as he did is because he had a contract.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
Depends
Yes, winning is the most important thing. But some managers are better at helping player development. Something the A’s have needed for the last couple of years and needed in the late 90s. But others are better at focusing themselves on winning the division/series etc. and less on whether so and so got enough playing time to become a better player. It’s a strategic shift in what you’re hoping to get. For instance, if you’re rebuilding, a Pinella or LaRussa type is probably a really bad idea. If you’re in a position to win it all, you might want them.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
I don't disagree with that at all.
It could be argued that Howe was such a manager, and that the team became so good that it took over and carried him to heights beyond his ability and made him look better than he really was.
I do believe, though, that this starts the “general rule vs exception to the general rule” territory.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
Positive side
I get to keep my sig for another year
WTF GEREN?!?!?!
by robbo650 on Sep 11, 2010 6:33 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
I favor Fredi Gonzales...
…if he’d be willing. He’s been mentioned for the Cubs job.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
I don't have a job right now and
I know how to execute a double switch for when we play NL plus I will give zook days off
WTF GEREN?!?!?!
by robbo650 on Sep 11, 2010 8:47 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Hire Rickey.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Sep 12, 2010 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't have a problem with it
Geren’s not my #1 choice, but he’s managed to somehow keep us w/in striking distance despite all the limitations: injuries, unlimited flow of AAAA players, no star bat, etc.. and we are playing .500 ball.
I also respect Beane for deciding to stick with one manager instead of having a rotating door of managers year in and year out. Stability on the bench means a lot to the players and having a new manager in any of the last 3 years wouldn’t have helped us into the playoffs.
by sf drift king on Sep 11, 2010 10:04 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Thats about right...
Take a team to the AL championship – you’re fired. Three loosing season and possibly a 4th – pick up his option.
by mojay on Sep 11, 2010 10:13 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Not to mention Art Howe.
3 straight postseason appearances, plus (IIRC) FOUR straight 2nd place Manager Of The Year finishes. Pretty amazing, huh?
"Never overlook an orchid while searching for a rose" - Buck Showalter
by Philip Christy on Sep 12, 2010 1:03 AM PDT up reply actions
Howe wasn't a bad manager, but...
…the team made him look better than he really was.
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
I would be happy with a manager that I don't even notice
Rather than one that constantly makes head-scratching decisions.
by Billy Frijoles on Sep 14, 2010 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions
Congrats to Geren
Any manager will get despised here for not adhering to whatever orthodoxy. The message from Beane is that the players are the main thing, not the manager. You could do worse than Geren, you know (proof not supplied).
Hi ho.
Can they really do worse than Geren?
He abuses pitchers (though not as badly as Dusty Baker). He doesn’t stop players from doing dumb things (Barton bunting). He can’t manage a bullpen (most managers, it seems). I honestly don’t know what he does well as a manager.
This probably doesn’t cost the A’s very much in the long run (I agree with PT below that paying a manager tons of money is silly), but it certainly doesn’t help them either.
The only thing in Geren’s favor is that it’s possible that he’s just doing what he’s told in certain situations.
www.zekeishungry.com
by thejd44 on Sep 12, 2010 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions
You forgot he has zero clue on how to contruct a batting order too.
He’s really an abomination of a manager. I really hope we bring in legit star players next year so we have a chance to win, if he was crafty, we’d be in 1st place right now. He is not, so we are 7 back. Its as simple as that. You dont continually hit Kurt Suzuki with his SUB-700 OPS 3rd for months on end. Crisp should have been there, with Cliff hitting leadoff.
Nah
Cust, Barton, Crisp should be your 1-2-3.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
that would woork too
but Id rather have a speedster in front of Barton though, it cuts down on his opportunities to bunt.
I think Barton's bunting is a thing of the past
I think they finally spoke to him about it and had him stop.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Word is that the players aren't terribly fond of Geren
So if it’s really about the players, how does that play into the message?
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Do the players actively dislike him, or...
…are they just “meh” about him?
I've come to the conclusion that the two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.
~Bob Lemon, 1981
I think it's a problem either way
Whether the manager does much or not, they should want to play for him. They’re more likely to care and be more engaged in the games and less likely to go on auto pilot and ride the season out.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Where'd you hear that?
Personally I don’t think the Manager really has much affect on the win/loss record of the team but I would be concerned if he were actually losing the clubhouse. I haven’t heard anything about the players turning on him, but if that were the case I might jump on to the Fire Geren bandwagon.
Good
He’s cheap. Pay players, not managers. There’s no difference between him and anyone else except that he comes with a lower price tag.
The worst thing about the Macha firing was that they had to pay him for a couple of seasons to potter around and do random crap like commentating. I entirely approve of hiring only managers who you can get on a year-to-year basis.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
Hes a terrible tactical manager tho
What we’re asking is for people to stop pretending that ipse dixit counts as a "source." When you make a claim about baseball, you should be willing to put some reasonable amount of effort into explaining why it’s correct if someone asks you to. That’s basic respect for the other poster. - PT
by designatedforassignment on Sep 12, 2010 12:37 AM PDT up reply actions
And the players apparently don't care much for him.
Choosy Feebas choose Leopold Bloom nipples
Daring. Sensual. Invigorating. Squirrel.
BLOOM. For men.
If the eggs actually hatch I made more than a mistake, I made some scientifically impossible crime.
Can you prove this statement?
Gotta ask since you’ve brought it up a couple times.
Question: Who goes first? Beane or Geren?
by Colorado Fan on Sep 12, 2010 5:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Beane.
Geren will not go until Beane goes. Then the next time the A’s underperform, which will be the season immediately following that, Geren goes.
"I wasn't able to extend so I had a serious lack of extension."--Dallas Braden
by StJosephBurningTheOakTreesToTheGround on Sep 12, 2010 5:35 PM PDT up reply actions
Everyone thinks their manager is a terrible tactical manager
Either they’re right (and everyone is equally terrible), in which case it doesn’t matter, or they’re wrong, in which case it’s just as likely that they’re wrong about Geren as about anyone else.
"We don't want our people to be preoccupied with seminude, crazy men jumping up and down who are chasing an inflated object," said Sheik Mohamed Osman Arus, head of operations for the Hizbul Islam insurgent group.
I was perfectly fine with Howe or Macha's managing
im not one to complain often about these kind of things.
What we’re asking is for people to stop pretending that ipse dixit counts as a "source." When you make a claim about baseball, you should be willing to put some reasonable amount of effort into explaining why it’s correct if someone asks you to. That’s basic respect for the other poster. - PT
by designatedforassignment on Sep 12, 2010 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Could we all be wrong?
Like most posters in AN, I cringe at the idea of Geren being around another season and I think Beane is making yet another big mistake. What’s interesting is the overwhelming negative feelings towards Geren, almost no one thinks retaining him another year is a good idea- but could we all be wrong? Could Bob Geren really be the man the A’s need right now as Beane seems to think and are we just a bunch of finicky fans who unfairly blame the manager for the team’s woes? I don’t think so- but it will be interesting to see the attitudes of folks next year when the team starts winning.
The greenmachine
by greenmachine on Sep 14, 2010 5:20 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I don't think any attitudes will change even if the team does start winning. I still rec'd this, though.
There were serious inetentioned “Fire Macha” comments even as the teams was taking 1st in the division and going to the ALCS.
by LowcountryJoe on Sep 14, 2010 7:48 AM PDT up reply actions
You want proof the players dont respect Geren, read this from Joe Stiglich on Monday
“Geren came out to separate Barton from Wendelstedt and then had words with Wendelstedt. But Barton’s expletive-laden shouting in the clubhouse afterward suggested he thought A’s hitters should have gotten more backing from their manager regarding the strike zone.
His yelling came within earshot of Geren’s office as Geren addressed the media."
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_16058513?nclick_check=1
The A's are a fairly quiet team, and then there's Ben Sheets. Sheets, as a kid, must have been thrown out of every library in Baton Rouge. ~ Scott Ostler
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