Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

Seriously, what do they do? Decide the line-up? Call for a bunt a few times a game? Walk out onto the field and motion for a lefty to come in?

What is it that makes Joe Torre worth $5 million a year, or more? How is his skill set when it comes to managing, any different from a decent high school baseball team coach?

Compare this to football head coaches. I think they're worth every penny and truly lead their team.

Baseball managers sit on their butt and decide who to play today. Okay, that's something...but really...is it that difficult?? Is their knowledge that vastly superior than any one of you who knows baseball?

The Emperor is naked, dammit, and no one is seeing it.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

I think like 90% of SE posters already think this and say it often.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

Hmmm
Really?

What does my boss do anyway? Just delegates assignments and organizes us, handles talking to other bosses, is approachable and has a knowledge base, designs projects...

Managers make the big decisions. They also make the smaller ones you don't know about.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

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I think like 90% of SE posters already think this and say it often.

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It'd be awesome if a Baseball General Manager came out and said something like this, hiring some unknown to manage their team for $75,000 a year.

Really, in a world where Joe Girardi can replace Joe Torre, it must mean the job is not so special.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

A manager just has to perform the basic duties of a manager effectively. Anything on top of that is extra credit.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

Managers prepare the team throughout the year. Much more important than their contribution during the game, esp. in the American League. When the Royals fired John Wathan I watched the same defense slowly deteriorate under Hal McRae. Same players, just no emphasis or guidance. It took a year before they really started to show a marked drop off. I'm sure the same goes for managers who are hitting or pitching geniuses, but filtered through their asst. coaches, etc.

They also set the tone for how the team will handle adversity. After that yeah, the actual game is a lot like poker. You just to prepare, make the best decision, but most of your success on a given day will come down to whether the cards fall your way.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

Managers have little impact on actual games. Pretty much everyone knows this, and has for a while. My best guess is that owners who choose to pay 5 million for someone like Torre believe that managers can be excellent leaders/coaches to maximize the performance of their players.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm
Really?

What does my boss do anyway? Just delegates assignments and organizes us, handles talking to other bosses, is approachable and has a knowledge base, designs projects...

Managers make the big decisions. They also make the smaller ones you don't know about.

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I could probably come up with a list of meaningful large and small decisions that my boss makes. So, lets hear your list of things baseball managers do. You seem to be aware of them.

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think like 90% of SE posters already think this and say it often.

[/ QUOTE ]

It'd be awesome if a Baseball General Manager came out and said something like this, hiring some unknown to manage their team for $75,000 a year.

Really, in a world where Joe Girardi can replace Joe Torre, it must mean the job is not so special.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, part of having a manager is having someone to talk to the media, and its also part of playing the game. And I dont mean baseball. If someone came out and paid some nobody 75k to run their team, they had ABSOLUTELY better win a [censored] of games, or fans are going to be PISSED. Even if its +EV from a winning standpoint (spend the money elsewhere) they simply cannot afford to be wrong.

But yeah I think that would be pretty sweet. Hard to know how the players would react though. Its entirely possible that the players think it matters, even if it doesnt. After all, players think they are on cold streaks or hot streaks even when they arent (or at least they say they do in interviews).

Re: Baseball managers are vastly overrated
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I think like 90% of SE posters already think this and say it often.

[/ QUOTE ]

It'd be awesome if a Baseball General Manager came out and said something like this, hiring some unknown to manage their team for $75,000 a year.

Really, in a world where Joe Girardi can replace Joe Torre, it must mean the job is not so special.

[/ QUOTE ]

girardi has managed, and has a degree from some ivy league school