John Schneider was hired as ‘interim’ manager of the Jays three years ago today, so I figured it was a good moment to put up a poll asking how he is doing.
The team is in first place, and I don’t think many of us expected that this year, after finishing last last year. Obviously, he has improved at managing. It can’t be that the players are doing better.
I think that about 5% of what a manager does is set the batting order, and about 10% is running the bullpen. Much of what they do is behind the scenes.
Lineups? he does drive me crazy by picking someone who isn’t hitting into a prime spot in the order. And yet, sometimes it works (at least in the short term). Cito Gaston was big on ‘showing faith’ in particular players, or at least that’s how he’d sell a move when it was questioned. So, putting Andres Gimenez in the cleanup spot, maybe he’s trying to manifest the player he wants Gimenez to be. And, for a game or four, it worked.
Wagner batting fifth, he gets on base five times. These things are hard to figure out.
Sometimes I think he lets hot streaks influence him more than they should. By the time he moves a guy up in the order, the hot streak is over. I have often thought that what I’d like in a manager is the ability to see a hot streak coming.
The bullpen? Sometimes I’d be happier if he used long men as long men, but, for the most part, he seems to do a good job of keeping all the balls in the air. Some guys are overworked, but it is hard not to overwork a reliever who does a good job for you.
He’s using ‘small ball’ a lot more recently. I’m not a fan. Yesterday, having Nathan Lukes bunt when he seems like one of the guys who is swinging the bat well. Sometimes I think taking the bat out of a player’s hand at a moment like that is a message to the player that you don’t believe they can hit in the big moment.
He seems very good with the press. Unfailingly positive. Doesn’t throw anyone under the bus. And he has that feel of someone you’d like to sit and talk about baseball with, over a beer.
I appreciate that he rose through the minor league system. I’m not a fan of picking someone out of the broadcast booth and putting him in charge, or picking a retired player and thinking he’ll figure it out on the job.
Anyway, the poll: