Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

In the Saturday Star, Richard Griffin suggests the Jays need a bench coach:

Because he spent 17 years in the minor leagues, where the manager is all things to all people, Tosca may have believed he could do it on his own at this level. He may believe that because he doesn't actually have much offensive managing to do anyway, who needs another voice. But he's wrong.

It's highly unusual for a manager not to have a bench coach. Gil Patterson is usually at the skipper's side, but a pitching coach's duties are challenging enough. It's not a bad idea to have one more experienced baseball mind in the dugout, from a strategic standpoint and for the sake of appearances. If the status quo continues into 2004, the current complaints about Tosca will soon become calls for his head.

Posted by Coach on Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 09:20 AM EDT.

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Pistol - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 10:28 AM EDT (#94448) #

The big complaint in the article is number of pitching changes. I don't see how a bench coach would be anymore of a benefit than the pitching coach.

Will he listen to his bench coach if he says 'maybe we should leave this pitcher in to face more than one batter' but not listen to Patterson if he says the same thing?

It just seems like a 'the Jays are doing something different than most other teams, it must be wrong' articles from Griffin.

The pace concerns the managers, especially with regard to Trever Miller and Aquilino Lopez.

"I worry about that, but I mean, I have no other choices," Tosca said. "I do worry, but so far, knock on wood, nobody has really come up sore."

This is what worries me. The Company line is that the Jays are playing for 2005 and beyond. If that's the case there are other choices. Don't overwork your young pitchers. If you lose a few more games because of it who cares? It's not like this will be the difference between making and not making the playoffs.

And why are they overworked? Because the pitching changes are so frequent.

Besides that, my biggest complaint with Tosca are his lineups. There is absolutely no way you should be giving your DH ABs, in August when you are out of contention, to a 37 year old catcher when you have a young power hitter that needs to develop. And Kielty better not become a part time player or we'll have 2 players to try and 'free'.

I don't think what I see as Tosca's weaknesses will be solved at all by a bench coach.

Dave Till - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 11:35 AM EDT (#94449) #

I'm of two minds on playing young players. On the one hand, youngsters need at-bats in order to improve. On the other hand, a manager is honour-bound to try to put the best lineup out there, especially if the opponents are in a playoff hunt.

I don't really care whether Tosca overworks his bullpen - it's not like any of those guys are exactly valuable. The important thing is to not overwork the starting pitchers, and Tosca's been pretty good at that.

_Matthew Elmslie - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 12:04 PM EDT (#94450) #

I share Griffin's objections to Tosca's managing style, but I think it's kind of insulting for him to say that Tosca needs a ML-experienced coach around to help him count the outs. Say what you want about Tosca but I haven't noticed that he has a problem making decisions. If anything he makes too many of them.

_Jabonoso - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 05:43 PM EDT (#94451) #

David, Aquilino and Miller are valuable (check BP comparison of Aq to relievers traded ), very likely will be in the picture in 2004 and 2005 and should not be overworked. " Knock on wood " sounds really stupid to me. If you are responsible for someone career, you better care and do not leave matters to chance or good luck, Carlos should be adding to his homework statistics about bullpen overwork...
Phelps and Kielty's development is much more important to the org. than having a good field effort against long gone front runners IMHO...

_Homer Jay - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 05:46 PM EDT (#94452) #

Tosca's should make a good bench coach.

_Sulsal - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 08:07 PM EDT (#94453) #

I agree with Ken why the hell are we not using Phelps or Kielty. These guys are meant to be part of the future and Carlos is still thinking that this years Jays are goin to the playoffs. Someone please tell him that we are not and we should instead be thinking of next year. So please start using our young guys. So instead of having Dave Berg playing first base lets Phelps play there. And if I have to put up with any more Hendrickson starts....... I swear the only reason he is still pitching is because we have no other lefties in our system. By the way a player we should seriously consider for the rotation now is Vinnie Chulk. He pithced last nite and his line was 7IP 7H 1ER and 5K's. I would pick him over Towers or Thurman any day.

_Dr B - Saturday, August 16 2003 @ 09:59 PM EDT (#94454) #

The knock against Vinnie is that his K rates haven't been anything special. That does not bode well for his future success. I'm sure he'll get a chance eventually, for his sake I hope it is soon, before the real talents in the system blow past him.

I didn't actually think Tower's starts have been too bad. He hasn't melted down and really could have gone in for at least another inning last time up. He wasn't melting down, he had a low pitch count, and he had a four run lead. (Mr Tosca, why waste Kershner with a four run lead?) If (and this is a big if) Towers could just keep the ball in the park...:-)

...and I agree entirely with you, Jabonoso and Homer Jay. Couldn't have said it better myself, in either case.

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