Postseason managers had college background in common
Nine of the 10 managers who guided teams into this year’s postseason played college baseball. I think that’s more than just an interesting coincidence. The last four teams standing were led by Alex Cora (Vanderbilt), Dave Roberts (UCLA), Craig Counsell (Notre Dame) and A.J. Hinch (Stanford). These aren’t just colleges. According to a study by U.S. News and World Report, every one of them ranks among the 20 best academic schools in America. That, too, I think, is more than just an interesting coincidence.
Remember, unlike some sports, college baseball players are expected to attend classes and earn passing grades. The academic credentials of these managers shows us something about the kind of individual who is likely to succeed in that role in today’s game.
Every team has invested in sophisticated computers for their analytics department and hired experts to operate them. The data they generate is dizzying and valuable to any manager. The best managers are the ones who can absorb that data but are not enslaved by it. They understand that the game is played by people — not computers. I thought all four of them managed brilliantly and watching them maneuver was, for me, one of the great joys of this year’s postseason.
The maneuvering usually started before the game began, as each manager filled in his lineup card and chose his starting pitcher. Then it continued as the continued as the game unfolded and each manager reacted to each situation.
I will always remember, for example, how Brewers manager Counsell announced that he would pitch lefty Wade Miley on three days’ rest in Game Five of the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers set their lineup accordingly, only to watch Miley leave after pitching to only one batter. He was replaced by right-hander Brandon Woodruff. Then Miley started the next game (two days later) on proper rest.
I will always remember how, in Game Three of the World Series, Red Sox manager Cora began moving his outfielders like chess pieces. Sometimes his corner outfielders exchanged places in order to get the better fielder into the batter’s power field. Other times the center fielder moved to the batter’s power field and the faster corner outfielder took over center field.
These were only some of the more obvious moves.
Throughout the postseason managers shuttled relief pitchers into the games at record rates. They were constantly looking to insert each reliever against whatever part of the opposing lineup they thought would be vulnerable to each particular pitcher. Knowing that would probably happen, each manager endeavored to create batting order that made such insertion difficult. Either that or leave himself a pinch hitting option that foil such a move.
Dodgers manager Roberts, in particular, went a step farther. He usually held one or two quality hitters out of his starting lineup deliberately with the intent of inserting them into the game at the time of his choosing. The rival manager might think he’s bringing in the ideal relief pitcher, but Roberts had a countermove available — one he wasn’t afraid to exercise. He was willing to pinch hit for all but two of his regulars and frequently did exactly that.
That’s how intense postseason games are managed in the modern era. The ones who did it this year are among the best.
A negative fallout from the postseason was the status of Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado, who will be shopping for a very lucrative free agent contract during the offseason. Machado’s perceived value took a hit, and not just because he batted .182 in the World Series and .213 overall in the postseason.
During the Game Four of the National League Championship series Machado appeared to go out of his way to step on the foot of Brewers first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a ground ball.
It was an action that got him fined by Major League Baseball and possibly led to him being hit by a pitch in the following game.
Then, during Game Three of the World Series Machado stroked what he thought was a home run ball off Red Sox pitcher Joe Kelly and stood at home plate admiring his work. He was still admiring it when the ball hit the top of the wall and remained in play. Machado had to settle for a single in what should have been a double.
In the ninth inning of Game Four he was robbed of a hit when Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers made an excellent play on a ground ball. As he reached first base — an instant after the throw arrived — he again appeared to be making an attempt to step on the foot of the first baseman.
Machado, at his best, can be the face of a franchise and a few general managers were surely thinking about offering him a staggering salary in hopes of luring him into their fold for the next 10 years or so. After watching the postseason debacle, many of them must be having second thoughts. Machado might have cost himself millions in a just a few short days.
Hall of Fame voter Jay Dunn has written baseball for The Trentonian for 50 years. Contact him at jaydunn8@aol.com