Comments on: Breaking news: Meacham fired

By: BG

BG — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 00:04:05 +0000

I agree with CB and whoever else said that this was likely to shake up the dynamics of the coaching staff and possibly to improve the infield coaching rather than improve the 3B coaching. Baseball Prospectus ran a story yesterday which showed that NYY had 17 men thrown out at the plate this year. 9 AL teams had more men thrown out at home including Boston and Tampa Bay. You look at that and the fact that the Yankees scored so much less than in 2007 and hit so poorly (.260 or 10th in the AL) with runners in scoring position and it really doesn’t look like he was that aggressive in sending guys.

He’s clearly not as good as Bowa but all the complaints about Meacham are misplaced. He didn’t make that much of a difference either way. Cano’s poor play is on Cano not Meacham. I’m not criticizing the decision. The coaching staff might well have needed a shakeup (how would any of us know) but I don’t think Meacham did the awful job that everyone seems to think here. It will be interesting to see who they replace him with. I don’t think it will be Tino or Mazzilli, they need someone who can replace him as IF coach not just 3b coach.

By: Brian

Brian — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:58:54 +0000

Yes, I was kidding above. Some need to turn up the sarcas-ometer.

By: Zero

Zero — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 23:12:28 +0000

I was shocked when I heard Bobby Meacham was joining the MLB team as a coach. Any longtime Yankee fan can surely remember Meachams time on the field in pinstripes. I clearly remember him from my childhood as being above and beyond the worst player in the majors. How he ever made the roster, I dont know. There HAD to be a better option! After watching him send everybody home this year, no matter where the ball was or who had it, its clear that hes not quite the baseball man that Joe Girardi is making him out to be. He really has no business near the MLB team, atleast not pertaining to whats going on on the field.

By: paulie

paulie — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:13:43 +0000

What about moving Tony Pena to coach Third Base, and getting Lee Mazilli back at first base? Maz would give Cano a kick in the pants…when he needed it.

By: bru

bru — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:55:07 +0000

Drive 4-5
October 14th, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Glad to see a little shakeup in the coaching staff. Letâ€™s hope itâ€™s enough.

Maybe CB is right and Meacham didnt get fired for getting runners thrown out, But Meacham certainly was indecisive and 3rd base coach isnt a place for indecisiveness.

Better yet if itâ€™s a shot across the bow at Joe Girardi. For whatever reason, the players didnt respond to him and at times looked like they were going through the motions. Shame on the players, but it was a bad reflection on the manager as well.

yeah,firing meachum should put us over the hump.

By: Fredo Corleone

Fredo Corleone — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:53:52 +0000

“And, as we know, theyâ€™ve been in bigger holes and squirmed out. But the odds of that lightning bolt striking twice are very slim.”

Agreed. Down 3-0 in the ’04 ALCS and 1-3 in the ’07 ALCS. Don’t see it happening a 3rd time, especially with Beckett not at 100%. 7-0 in their last 7 ALCS elimination games, but it’s no way to live.

By: bru

bru — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:51:05 +0000

Brian
October 14th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Just like the Yankees to show up the Red Sox several hours before an important Game 4 of the ALCS and announce Meachamâ€™s firing. Last year with A-Rod, now with B-Me.

I bet the seismic shift we will feel during the World Series will be that Rob Thomson is named third base coach, leaving a new bench coach vacancy. This business of doing important business, dropping Bronx bombs of this magnitude at such an important time of year, is really, really, sickeningly inconsiderate.

heh. and go Rays.

please tell me you are not serious.

By: Braintrust

Braintrust — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:48:38 +0000

I like Don Baylor for the bench coach. Girardi played for him in Colorado & Chicago, and there’s probably a level of trust there. Plus Baylor’s an old baseball guy, and that’s what this team needs.

By: ANSKY

ANSKY — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:38:36 +0000

Good point Fredo … I didn’t catch that tomorrow’s an off day. Still, 2-2 and 1-3 is a pretty big difference.

And, as we know, they’ve been in bigger holes and squirmed out. But the odds of that lightning bolt striking twice are very slim.

By: rodg12

rodg12 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:36:44 +0000

“Tino might have been an upgrade at 1B if heâ€™d played this year.”

ANSKY, come on man. People seriously undervalue the offensive value Giambi contributed to the team this year. His bat added WAAAAAAAAAAY more runs then his glove gave up.