2052.07 Monarch McMusings 3: Coaching Considerations

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2052.07 Monarch McMusings 3: Coaching Considerations

Post by Trebro » Sat Oct 29, 2022 9:28 pm

Notes from GM's Desk:

Well, this team is not very good and while the outside scouts say our minor league talent is better than anyone else in the GBC, I'm skeptical. And because money can't solve everything in a salary cap league, one of the best things I can do is work on the coaches.

The trouble is, how do you evaluate the coaches when the organization is in such disarray? The move from Beirut to London seems to have thrown the whole front office off after the first year. When I look at a team like the Monarchs, who have historically won at least 70 games the past few years and are on pace to set the all-time loss record, the first reaction is to "fire everyone." But is that the right call? I've decided it isn't. But that doesn't mean everyone is coming back.

Wuchang Bream (Rookie)
This team went 34-34 the past two years. I'm pleased by Ubaida Sayyar's work as hitting coach. .275 for the team is solid, even if some of the players were older. He's good with younger players and signed through next year. Let's see what he does with the newer players I'm bringing on. Scott Dunhalty isn't great with kids but the results were fair enough. I'll reserve judgment for now, but if there's a better coach for under 22 players out there in the off-season, I'm giving him the boot. Manager Myron Montgomery has been solid at keeping the pipeline moving, so I've told him he gets another 2 years.
Bottom Line: Monitor progress but no moves without a good reason.


Ulaanbaatar Battalion (A)
The season still going, but it's basically a slightly sub-par team that I altered rather radically upon taking over, moving people around, either up or out. Jose Angel was more down to earth than I'd like. While he's good with younger players (and the number of non-youngsters may have hurt his abilities), the team average is a pedestrian .242. On the other hand, this team has almost no talent. Only one player has a middling potential. It's a black hole. So I'm giving him another year to spread his wings. On the other hand, Andrew Lindsay, for being new to coaching, did a great job, with the team at a 3.85 ERA. Given the crap we're throwing out there, that's impressive. He's also not great with younger players despite getting rave reviews from players on teaching mechanics, so a move up the team ladder may be in order once we review off-season options. That leaves manager Alfredo Duran. He's also new to managing, and so far, not so good. But not so bad, either. Finding A-level managers can be hit and miss. I'll give him another year to make an impression-unless I can find something better in the offseason.
Bottom Line: Lindsay is solid, but the others are replaceable, if opportunity knocks.

Lima Reyes (AA)
Another team not doing well, but it was short on key positions until I got in there and made some changes. So again, I'm giving people the benefit of the doubt. Gabriel Molina provides a balanced approach to hitting, but it's not getting the job done. I'd like to upgrade here, but just in case, I'm giving Molina one more year. Probably not my smartest play, but mediocre is better than bad and I don't know how much competition I'll have for replacements. John Thompson's role here was just to keep the team going out there every day and he succeeded, with a 4.60 ERA. But like Molina, he's solidly bland. Not the guy I want. But he'll stay until I get a replacement. On the other hand, once the season is over, I'm moving on from Vicente Diaz for sure. He's overpaid for sucking, and I'm sure I can do better. Looking at his intangibles, he's not able to help support the rest of the coaching staff and that's enough to let him go.
Bottom Line: Cleaning house at season's end. Might move Lindsay here as Pitching Coach.

Victoria Purple Knights
Tyson Crabtree is a weird one. He's doing well in the bottom line stats, with a .271 batting average and he had several players ready to show me this coming month that they can be pieces next year. But the word on the street in Victoria is that he's not actually very good and it's all the players doing the heavy lifting. So we'll have to wait and see. I'll keep an eye out on this one. Might just be first-year growing pains. Meanwhile Fakhir Anwar couldn't teach a dog how to retrieve a bone and will not be staying once the off-season begins. So from what I understand, the only reason the Purple Knights aren't as putrid as the major league team is because of manager Bart Farleigh. He's apparently been doing the pitching coaching-when he had a full staff, that is-and even the hitting, too. He's been a one-man army and even if he may turn out not to be the best, I rewarded that hard work with an extension.
Bottom Line: Keep the manager, change his help.

London Monarchs
Oh this one is so hard. It circles back to my theme again: When the people in charge don't provide the support, how can you judge the management team? Well, it's my job to try. The first one is easy: Team Trainer Nail Abdul-Nasir has been amazing. I extended him without a second thought. Same for 1B coach Bob Townsend, who is amazing at his job and the intangibles of teaching the field. I like the way hitting coach Doug Glover is keeping over 30 players like Guillen strong and helping Cannell turn into a future star we probably won't be able to afford to keep. They both stay. And William Frost, who at 66 is apparently still interested in showing up to work every day, has some great value and experience. I extended him, but the question is whether he'll just decide this team is too crappy to stay. But our pitching coach Marcos Guitierrez, is an abomination. If I had a good pick to replace him, I'd do it now. He goes. I'm keeping my assistance GM Jorge Diaz to mine his knowledge of the team culture. 3B coach Wilson Suarez, however, is likely going to be replaced.

The elephant in the room is manager Leon Sandcastle. He's not the best manager, clearly, but the team loves him. I've talked to him, however, and he wants a huge raise. I can afford it. But is he worth it? I'm going to wait and see. Worst case, we move on and take the player reputation hit. Or maybe he has an amazing 30 days. Either way he knows he's on the hot seat. I noticed he's talking to that stupid media puppet Standish. He best best careful what he says…
Bottom Line: Keep what's working and spend big to get better, especially at pitching coach.

On the To-Do List:

• Argue with immigration.
• Find new pub, as last one kept cutting me off.
Rob McMonigal
Yellow Springs Nine Sep 2052 - ????

London Monarchs Aug 2052 - Sep 2052

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Re: 2052.07 Monarch McMusings 3: Coaching Considerations

Post by Jwalk100 » Sat Oct 29, 2022 10:05 pm

That list keeps getting shorter!
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Re: 2052.07 Monarch McMusings 3: Coaching Considerations

Post by Trebro » Sun Oct 30, 2022 12:57 am

pretty sure it's just going to become "drink heavily" soon...
Rob McMonigal
Yellow Springs Nine Sep 2052 - ????

London Monarchs Aug 2052 - Sep 2052

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