Melvin extended for two more years

by Jim McLennan on Jul 10, 2006 4:21 AM EDT

This has been mentioned in the comments on the Gameday thread, but figured it deserved its own diary:

The Diamondbacks have reached an agreement with manager Bob Melvin on a two-year contract extension with an option for the 2009 season, multiple baseball sources told MLB.com. Negotiations began in early June, a source said, and the two sides reached the agreement not long thereafter, but the club did not feel the timing was right to announce it with the D-Backs in the midst of a 3-20 slump. An announcement is expected to come next week, following Tuesday's All-Star Game.

Byrnes and Melvin, though, seemed to hit it off from the time Byrnes was hired in late October and built a solid relationship. "Josh is always prepared," Melvin said earlier this season. "He always thinks things through." Byrnes has commented in the past how impressed he was with the Spring Training camp Melvin ran and the way the manager goes about putting together his lineup on a daily basis. When asked recently if Melvin's job status was secure, Byrnes answered with an emphatic, "Absolutely."

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Things to think about...

Specifically in relation to this topic:

The duties of a manager, as opposed to a GM
Specific examples of Melvin's success or failure
What qualities we should look for in a manager?
Alternative candidates
How much difference does the manager really make?

These are just the thoughts that swung through my brain as I drove home from work. Just points to chew over and discussion starters.

by Jim McLennan on Jul 10, 2006 5:45 AM EDT 0 recs

Considering the way

Melvin has handled Conor Jackson, I'm dreading to see Stephen Drew/Craig Counsell, Carlos Quentin/Shawn Green, Chris Young/Eric Byrnes platoons next season....

by William K on Jul 10, 2006 9:58 AM EDT 0 recs

Worst. GM. EvAR.

[The duties of a manager, as opposed to a GM]
Put a team on the field that plays with hustle and desire to win. Enforce coaching that will lead to no mental errors. Set a lineup and work with your GM to get the pieces for that lineup. Understand who is able to play and who is not.

[Specific examples of Melvin's success or failure]
Every game that Craig Counsell was the leadoff hitter... Every game that Tony Clark starts at 1st... Gonzo still being an every-day starter... Damion Easley... Valverde's failing as a closer... guys being left in for 120 pitches in a close game... the lack of being willing to make adjustments out of spring training. Yeah, these aren't specific, but I'm at work and don't have time to research.

[What qualities we should look for in a manager?]
Someone with the ability to handle a young team. Someone who can recognize superb ability in coaches. A person who will extract effort from his players and not just hand jobs to the veterans.

[Alternative candidates]
Could we have hired Eric Wedge away from Cleveland?

[How much difference does the manager really make?]
None, until he makes stupid moves (ie: pitch running for a player and then sac-bunting) or displays a superb ability to not understand what his players are doing on the field.

Man... Josh Byrnes... let me count the ways I hate this guy.

by nihil67 on Jul 10, 2006 10:12 AM EDT 0 recs

Candidates

Ron Roenicke, Angels bench coach
Davey Lopes, Nationals 1B coach, former Brewers manager
Eddie Rodriguez, Nationals bench coach (yes, the formar DBack's coach)
Brad Mills, Red Sox bench coach
Ernie Whitt, Team Canada's manager
Jose Oquendo, Cardinals 3B coach, Team Puerto Rico manager
Mark Grace, broadcast analyst, former firstbaseman

I'll grant that I don't know if all of these people would be willing or available, but they're all people who have served for teams/managers that seem to generally understand how baseball works. Ernie Whitt, especially, is a guy who I think would be excellent based solely on what he got out of that Canadian team in the WBC.

by nihil67 on Jul 10, 2006 3:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

How much difference can a manager really make?

Exhibit A. Chicago White Sox, 2004: 83-79. 2005: 99-63. Difference: +16.

Exhibit B: Detroit Tigers, 2005: 71-91. 2006: 59-29 (so far). Difference: +50 (and counting)!

Of course, Ozzie and Leyland don't deserve all the credit for those dramatic improvements. Some of it comes from better players, for which the GM deserves most of the credit. And some of it comes from improved play by players they already had, which is only partly attributable to the manager. Still, don't discount the impact the right manager can have.

by fjm235 on Jul 10, 2006 12:37 PM EDT 0 recs

Melvin

I am very surprised by the decision to sign Melvin to an extension. I think the coaching staff as a whole is not doing a good job. I don't like the way we handle our pitchers (When to take them out and leave them in, who to keep on the team and who to send to AAA or designate). Our pitchers do not overcome their pitching issues and grow as pitchers unless they have the last name of Webb. Also, the D-backs never have a set lineup. The players do not have a set place to hit in the order. How can they put together a well oiled machine?

by DiamondbacksWIn on Jul 10, 2006 1:24 PM EDT 0 recs

Pitching order

I have no problem with changing pitching order. I know everyone will talk about the "role" of a certain place in the batting order. I call bullsh*t. Hitting is hitting. These hitters all have their approaches to it, and they're not going to change all that much according to where they are in the line-up. As long as you're putting guys in positions that are suited to their styles, that's fine. You don't put a power guy lead-off, for example. Other than that, if what you're doing isn't working, then change it!

I'm not a big fan of this extension. However, I don't have a real problem with not running a rookie 1st baseman out there everyday. Conor plays 90% of the time, at least. I mean, really, how often do we see Clark at 1st? Maybe once every 2 weeks or so. Resting guys is not a bad thing, at all. Bringing a guy who's never played 162 games to the majors and running him out there every day is a recipe for wearing him out. I don't want to see Jackson handled that way.

by azshadowwalker on Jul 14, 2006 12:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ooops

I meant batting order, not pitching order. I need to preview my posts!

by azshadowwalker on Jul 14, 2006 12:28 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not thrilled with the extension ...

I think it is a little weird that the D-Backs started strong last year, chocked in June, and then played average ball until a streak at the end of the season .... and that the EXACT SAME THING is happening now.

We have different personell, a different style of play ... but the SAME MANAGER. Honestly Jim, a fun fangraphic would be to make a line graph of the D-Backs win percentage over time by game for this year and last ... the curve would be almost IDENTICAL.

by Mister T in AZ on Jul 10, 2006 3:23 PM EDT 0 recs

Absolutley

that is what i have been saying and totally agree

by flyingdutchman on Jul 10, 2006 4:44 PM EDT up 0 recs

Ask, and ye shall receive...

Win percentage for Diamondbacks, by game

The blue line is 2005, the red one 2006 [They match exactly for the first five games, which is why there appears to be only one line there, and a couple of other times so far.] It looks as if we were worse early on, kicked it up around the start of May, but once we caught up, the parallels are almost spooky...

by Jim McLennan on Jul 10, 2006 9:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

Please don't go Rizzo!

This article was posted at azcentral.com:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0716dbnotes0716.html
This would be an unbelievable loss for the D-Backs. I'd give Rizzo whatever position and salary he wants. We can't lose this guy. Please no!

by johngordonma on Jul 16, 2006 6:44 AM EDT 0 recs

That is disappointing...

But probably inevitable. Byrnes' arrival here - and if I recall, didn't he also bring his own assistant GM on board? - puts a glass ceiling on Rizzo's prospects in Arizona, especially as I don't think Byrnes is going anywhere in the near future. Hopefully, if he does go, whoever replaces Rizzo will be similarly-inclined, and as good a handler of minor-league talent.

by Jim McLennan on Jul 16, 2006 4:39 PM EDT up 0 recs