Who is really in charge???

Bottom line---there is more $$$$ invested in the stud players than the coaches---need we go further

Infielddad,
It appears to me that the coaches were let go because of the losing record 64/78, the worst in 10 years in the franchises AAA history.

Maybe they weren't in charge, players out of control, a poor record.

While I certainly DO NOT agree with the behavior of the young players, seems to me with coaches not getting the job done, they were headed out the door anyway.

JMO.

quote:

It appears to me that the coaches were let go because of the losing record 64/78, the worst in 10 years in the franchises AAA history.

TPM, you may be right. If, however, that is indeed the worst record in 10 years, maybe they should be managing the DRays in Tampa since that would be one of the best records in Tampa in the last 10 years????
On the other hand, minor league coaches generally are told who to play and the issue isn't winning/losing, it is developing players and getting them so they are capable to move to the next level.
I would guess the DRays decided to start over with a "clean slate". It seems so unfortunate though that the players who caused the disruption get "rewarded" and the coaches get released. While my sympathies are for the minor league players, this type of issue certainly tested that view, assuming the coaches put in the time/effort/dedication as it seems so many minor league coaches do.

I thought about this one before responding. Some thoughts but have no idea if these are applicable

Seems the organization is blaming the coaching staff for the problems that have occurred with 3 of their top prospects. Maybe they felt the patients were running the asylum. Another theory is maybe they felt the coaches were not aggressive enough. Maybe they felt when Delmon Young got into it with that umpire for example, that a coach should have come out and stood between the player and the umpire thus possibly avoided the bat-throwing incident. Maybe they felt they had one too many incidents this year and were going to hold someone accountable. Whatever it is, they have now sent a message to the rest of the organization. These reasons I have provided are not my own but possible guesses as to their motives. BTW, I followed the Pirates and Richie Hebner as a kid. He was a decent player but not a great player.

The coaches are demonstrating wisdom by not blasting the organization and burning bridges. Hopefully they can hook on somewhere else.

In my opinion (like it’s worth much) the release of the staff is probably related more to the antics of the players while at Durham than the minor league's W-L record. Like infielddad I have a son in the minors (same team) and it becomes obvious the rosters are “altered” by the upper management. Playing time seems influenced more by dollars invested by the parent club than the on-field performance of the player(s). If the team starts to “gel” and win ball games this is just a signal that the main contributors will soon be moved to the next level. I understand this is the way it has to happen in order for the parent club to maximize the contribution from their minor league teams. The W-L record of a minor league team means different things to different people. The fans love it and I’m sure the minor league coaches love it but other than that it is somewhat insignificant. Player development is the main focus of the minor system. So the next time you see a highly touted minor league pitcher on the mound struggling to throw strikes or a first rounder outfielder go 0 for 4 with 4K’s, and you wonder ---- “What in the world is the coach doing when he has “better” players on the bench that can win this ball game?” --- the answer is “his job”.
Fungo

Fungo, your opinion is worth a lot!

After reading the article from Baseballamerica where they mentioned the losing record, one would assume that may have been a reason. I think that there must have been issues.

I aprreciate what you have both said about the importance, non importance of winning in minor league.

You can ask infielddad, I have certainly learned a lot in the past few days!

I too believe that the release of the coaching staff has more to do with the antics of the player prospects than the win/loss record of the club. As has been pointed out several times, the minor league managers and coaches are there to develope the club's players ... and if the team wins along the way, it makes the owners of the minor league team happy, it makes the fans happy, and is probably a feather in the cap for the manager and coaches, but it is not necessarily their primary goal.

We witnessed a couple of situations with our son's club where certain players were always in the line up, always in the same spot, no matter the results. The 'orders' come from above, and if the organization feels that some players are more likely to succeed at the major level, lots of things are done to ensure that those players are given every opportunity, even in situations where a manager might bench other players.

This past summer, we learned that one of the player prospects went so far as to confront the manager to tell him that he would not be treated like a little leaguer, that he didn't need to be told when he could and couldn't swing at a pitch, and that if the manager ever did it again, the player would ask for his release. (Apparently this player was upset because the manager, who was getting tired of batters swinging at the first pitch all the time, warned the team before a particular game that if they didn't take the first pitch in their first at bat, they would be pulled from the game. 3 of the players challenged the manager, swung at the first pitch, and the manager did just what he promised ... he pulled them from the line up.) Personally, I was appalled that a young man would take such a strong stance against such a well respected former player as Brett Butler. But that player, except for a couple of times when he was injured, played every inning of every game in the same spot in the line up, no matter what he did.

What that tells me ... as TR has said ... there is more $$ in these prospects than in the managers and coaches, and the MLB club's 'heart' is where their money is. Personally I think it sends the worst kind of message to young people, that basically the ends justifies the means and inappropriate behavior on and off the field will be tolerated because MLB is a business, bottom line. Hopefully the parents of the majority of the pro players have done their jobs and instilled strong values in their sons which will be carried with them in their pro life, too.

Agree with TR, at least 100%.

They (the clubs) are not going to release someone to whom they've paid millions of dollars.

Management has no "cojones".

Since the coaches and managers are likely making less than $100,000 per year, they are fodder and "gone", while the millionaires act like 2 year olds with a tantrum.

Futurebackmom,

I was told that the player you are referring to was overheard telling his agent that he wasn't rushing back to play after an injury for a club that was going nowhere. This was while the team was trying to win a playoff spot.

His lack of hustle and me only atitude was clear to everyone who saw him play.