I dont understand why some fans dislike Dusty.

I mean come on guys, on every post you show up with some little bashing comment toward our manager. I for one believe that the man should be given a little more respect. If you would have told me at the beggining of the year that "hey your gonna lose Prior and Wood twice this year, Nomar wont be back til August, there will be a bunch of rookies and second year guys in your pen, Borowski and Hawkins are going to bomb, Ramirez will hit .250 the first 2 months of the year, and your are going to have 2 bad losing streeks, but hey come August you are going to 3 games out of the Wild Card and right in the thick of getting into the playoffs." I would have told you that you were nuts. But Dusty and the kids have kept it together and just keep fighting their butts off. I am surrounded by Reds fans and trust me the situation could be much worse. Be happy that this man has made us contenders and no more lovable losers. He has changed the mentality for the players and the fans and no one seems to give him credit for it. Does he have his flaws...yes but at the end of the day this team is battling for him and anyone that knows coaching knows thats half the battle. I know that the bashers are going to come hot and heavy to this post but I dont care because if we make it to the playoffs you guys are gonna eat crow. I know this, Dusty Baker is the manager of the Chicago Cubs and is a proven winner, for those facts only I will support him.

Most will tell you that in '03 and '04 we were just about the best team out there, and the failures of those two years (playoffs or not) are on Dusty's shoulders.

Also, just because we're a .500 team doesn't mean we're doing the best with the players we have. It's Dusty's mindset that many posters have an issue with. My complaints are with his hesitence to play rookies, and his ignorance of stats, such as OBP (which SERIOUSLY hurt us when CP and Neifi were 1-2).

Many will say that Dusty is not the Strategic manager, but that he's a Players' manager. They say it's just his style. But if he's a good clubhouse guy, how did he allow the team to implode on itself in '04?

I mean come on guys, on every post you show up with some little bashing comment toward our manager. I for one believe that the man should be given a little more respect. If you would have told me at the beggining of the year that "hey your gonna lose Prior and Wood twice this year, Nomar wont be back til August, there will be a bunch of rookies and second year guys in your pen, Borowski and Hawkins are going to bomb, Ramirez will hit .250 the first 2 months of the year, and your are going to have 2 bad losing streeks, but hey come August you are going to 3 games out of the Wild Card and right in the thick of getting into the playoffs." I would have told you that you were nuts. But Dusty and the kids have kept it together and just keep fighting their butts off. I am surrounded by Reds fans and trust me the situation could be much worse. Be happy that this man has made us contenders and no more lovable losers. He has changed the mentality for the players and the fans and no one seems to give him credit for it. Does he have his flaws...yes but at the end of the day this team is battling for him and anyone that knows coaching knows thats half the battle. I know that the bashers are going to come hot and heavy to this post but I dont care because if we make it to the playoffs you guys are gonna eat crow. I know this, Dusty Baker is the manager of the Chicago Cubs and is a proven winner, for those facts only I will support him.

Most will tell you that in '03 and '04 we were just about the best team out there, and the failures of those two years (playoffs or not) are on Dusty's shoulders.

Also, just because we're a .500 team doesn't mean we're doing the best with the players we have. It's Dusty's mindset that many posters have an issue with. My complaints are with his hesitence to play rookies, and his ignorance of stats, such as OBP (which SERIOUSLY hurt us when CP and Neifi were 1-2).

Many will say that Dusty is not the Strategic manager, but that he's a Players' manager. They say it's just his style. But if he's a good clubhouse guy, how did he allow the team to implode on itself in '04?

Corey went and asked to bat leadoff - what was Dusty supposed to do? Say no you can't do this thing we've wanted you to do for years? Dusty had no choice, especially with his player's manager philosophy. Dusty didn't suck batting leadoff, CP did.

 

There's a guy I don't miss watching play everday: Corey Patterson.

 

Actually, Dusty is the manager, not Corey. He could've said no if he wanted to. He should've known not to let a guy who was struggling hit in one of the most crucial on base spots in the line up. I understand his player's manager philosophy, but this is the same thing that happened with Sammy's refusal to move down last year. At some point, Dusty has to put on his manager's hat, and make a decision that's going to benefit the team, not just keep one player happy.

Exactly right. If Aramis asked to bat leadoff, what then? What if Barrett wanted to coach third base? Neifi work concessions? Really though, BleedCubbieBlue said it right: it's not a Players' Manager's job to give everyone what they want, it's to keep everybody happy and productive. If Corey wanted to bat leadoff, Dusty should've pulled him aside and given him a "best for the team" talk.

Corey went and asked to bat leadoff - what was Dusty supposed to do? Say no you can't do this thing we've wanted you to do for years? Dusty had no choice, especially with his player's manager philosophy. Dusty didn't suck batting leadoff, CP did.

 

There's a guy I don't miss watching play everday: Corey Patterson.

 

Actually, Dusty is the manager, not Corey. He could've said no if he wanted to. He should've known not to let a guy who was struggling hit in one of the most crucial on base spots in the line up. I understand his player's manager philosophy, but this is the same thing that happened with Sammy's refusal to move down last year. At some point, Dusty has to put on his manager's hat, and make a decision that's going to benefit the team, not just keep one player happy.

 

Exactly right. If Aramis asked to bat leadoff, what then? What if Barrett wanted to coach third base? Neifi work concessions? Really though, BleedCubbieBlue said it right: it's not a Players' Manager's job to give everyone what they want, it's to keep everybody happy and productive. If Corey wanted to bat leadoff, Dusty should've pulled him aside and given him a "best for the team" talk.

 

Totally exaggerated points.

 

I have no doubt Dusty, and Corey, and the Cubs, and Cub fans, were hoping a move to leadoff would stimulate Corey positively. Maybe we all knew it wasn't, but no one has been asking Barrett for years to tailor his skills to a third base coach's set. They tried it and it failed - Dusty saying no after all the prodding they had given Patterson in this direction is really quite unthinkable.

You're right, I was exaggerating :wink:. But seriously, the rest of my point remains. Corey simply isn't a leadoff hitter. Even if he performs like he's capable, he's not the right type. But just like he did for Sosa, he let the players' decide where they bat. Also, how do you defend Neifi batting second as long as he did?

(OT: My 100th Post!!)

What I don't like about Dusty is that he makes mistakes and decisions that can be second guessed.

 

Unlike say every other manager, whose moves always turn out for the best.

 

And unlike every hitter, who bats 1.000 and succeeds every time if he is only used 'properly.'

 

And unlike every pitcher, who never gives up a run, again only if they are used 'properly.'

 

And unlike every GM, who gets maximum value from every contract and trade.

 

And unlike every peanut vendor, whose tosses hit the hand of every customer.

That was a pretty good use of exaggeration, ZZ:wink:. But ultimately, it's just saying that no one's perfect and no one's pure evil. Fact is, many Cub fans do second guess Dusty's move and often see some problems, whether he's perfect or not should have no bearing on critiquing him.