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Managerial expertise Baker, Cox, Torre, Williams push all the right buttons
Posted: Wednesday June 14, 2000 04:03 AM
Some people judge managers on how they control the game by pinch-hitting or changing pitchers, but a good manager knows players aren't robots. You can put players in position to win, but THEY play the game. Dusty Baker has been called the best manager in the game. He thinks that's because of his policy of no rules for players except "show up on time, play hard and be honest with your manager". Baker told me that playing for Frank Robinson taught him the importance of teaching players to use mental recall to learn pitching patterns. Baker says he's looking forward to re-signing with the Giants, but he'll follow his own advice to players who might become free-agents by not thinking about it until after the season. Joe Torre has a habit of taking home World Series rings because he does a great job of defining roles for his players. Derek Jeter told me he loves playing for Torre because he never gets too high or too low. It's no coincidence that the Yankees never seem to panic either. Torre told me he'll always go with his gut feeling over statistics when it comes to making moves. Last year's AL Manager of the year Jimy Williams agrees with Torre when it comes to statistics. He says players play the game, not numbers. Williams makes a point that may explain why he gets so much out of what many consider to be an overachieving Red Sox team. He says that since talented players spend so little time in the minors these days, he makes sure to spend a tremendous amount of time on instruction. Bobby Cox usually has plenty of talent to work with, but last year's trip to the World Series shows he can get it done even without a full deck. Braves GM John Schuerholz says Cox's strength is anticipating the affects decisions within a single game will have the next day, the next week and the rest of a season. Whitey Herzog was the master of looking ahead. He would make moves in the third inning just to set up something in the ninth. That's why he was the best manager I ever played for.
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