OT: Introducing the New Manager of Your Detroit Tigers:
As expected, it's AJ Hinch.
https://twitter.com/tigers/status/1322222022903107587?s=09
Good move ahead of the curve by an organization that now has a solid base of good young talent in their farm system.
October 30th, 2020 at 3:15 PM ^
He was suspended for a season, then fired. He served his punishment, now it's perfectly fine to get a new job. In a way, having to suffer through at least one more season of bad Tigers is extra punishment. Without the pandemic suppressing the manager market this year (only the Soxes fired their managers, and Gardenhire retired) he likely would have gotten a better job where he could have stepped right into a team vying for the division.
October 30th, 2020 at 3:28 PM ^
I’m actually kinda excited. Good manager.
October 30th, 2020 at 3:36 PM ^
I think it is a good hire.
I will say this though--and I would like to hear other people's opinions: in actuality, how important is the manager to a team's success? I don't think that there are that many games that come down to "X's and O's" like in football or basketball. I think it is the GM putting together a good group of players and then the players executing. Sure, there are some judgment calls that need to be made by the manager (changing pitchers, stealing bases, etc.), but I have always thought that these strategy moves are usually overrated and don't have as large an affect on the outcome as people would like to believe. Also (and maybe I am even contradicting myself here), but lot of baseball strategy moves comes down to analytics, so no matter who the manager is, the same "call" is likely to be made.
Am I wrong?
October 30th, 2020 at 4:41 PM ^
Gonna share a couple paragraphs, including a quote, that I just read in an article on the ESPN website:
Longtime Tigers ace Justin Verlander reached out to him after the hire, Hinch said.
"He sent me a message this morning raving about what Detroit is like when the team is winning" Hinch said. " There's no place like it."
Let's hope Hinch soon finds out how true Verlander's words are!
October 30th, 2020 at 4:41 PM ^
Did I read recently that the Tigers have the worst odds of making the World Series in 2021?
I hope Hinch is a good manager, and that the predicted / anticipated / hoped-for turnaround starts soon.
October 30th, 2020 at 5:15 PM ^
Terrible hire. The guy is a cheater. IMO one of the worse scandals in MLB. He knew about it - end of story.
October 31st, 2020 at 9:25 AM ^
Ha, that's just you looking for a reason to be mad. That "scandal" doesn't even make baseball's top 100. In 5 years, you'll have to be reminded about it.
October 30th, 2020 at 5:22 PM ^
I don't really follow the MLB that closely, but I saw the White Sox hired 76 y/o Tony La Russa. Not sure that was the best move for them.