 |
| "Which way to get the hell out of here? Left?" |
Being a truly interim manager must be kind of tough. You're doing a job that apparently no one has faith in you to do, and you're only doing it because some guy you were just working with a couple days ago got axed from his job in front of God and everybody.
Poor Dave Trembley. Not only is he the interim manager, but he started his sure-to-be-short major league managerial career with a crushing loss, 12-6 to the Padres in San Diego. It was the team's ninth straight loss, and proof that even if the offense decided they might show up, the pitchers have no problem blowing the game, this time from the get-go. San Diego got out to a 5-0 lead before Trembley could even so much as get his feet wet. Trachsel gave up the first five, then Scott Williamson and John Parrish gave up three each, and new addition Paul Shuey tacked one on for kicks.
This team is so bad that it's comical. They're in a complete spiral, akin to the team's 2005 collapse or that fun 4-32 stretch to end the 2002 campaign.
Trembley looked like he was ready to just throw his hands up in the air and shout, "Well, what the hell am I supposed to do with this bunch?!" Who can blame him? I believe he may have been re-thinking that public desire to stay on as manager.
And that's all well and good, since all reports are that Joe Girardi will be taking over within the week if he wants the job. Interviews were "productive," probably because Girardi said, "I would like to win games with this team, and I think that I can," rather than, "Listen, your team sucks, and I don't want anything to do with you clowns."
This is probably the only chance Dave Trembley will ever get at managing a major league team, so I just kind of hope he has fun for a few days. But if the rest of his games heading up the Orioles go like his first one did, he probably won't be able to get back to the bullpen quickly enough.
The impending Girardi hire appears that it can only be delayed by MLB contacting the Orioles and suggesting they consider minority candidates, which will probably get Jerry Manuel a pointless interview. I think it's a shame that they didn't give Davey Johnson a fair shot at stating his case, since he has a real desire to return to Baltimore. But, honestly, lots of great managers and coaches have come back one too many times and just weren't able to get it done anymore, and it's not like I think Davey Johnson can win with this group. It just boils down to the fact that I don't like Girardi and don't think he's the guy for the job. But who else do you hire I suppose? Or does it even matter? My favoritism toward Johnson is probably simply that I like the guy.
The players have to be better or nothing will change. Guys in suits and the dude in the dugout who gets the number no one wants aren't going to change the fortune of the Baltimore Orioles.
Just another day, really. Play, lose. Different manager today, that's all.
Oh, also, if I have to hear one more goddamn thing about John Parrish's "stuff" I'm going to get gas. He's awful, has no major league track record, and we've spent enough time dicking around with him. Get rid of the guy, there are a million pitchers in the minor leagues that can do the same job, and chances are you can pretty easily find somebody that can outperform him. He had two good weeks, let it go.