Saturday, April 24, 2010

Time to Show Good 'Ol JR The Door

John Russell has to go.  That's the nicest way I can say it.  Now it's easy to blame the manager and I often don't take this route, but I have had it with this guy.  Not only am I tired of looking at his lazy ass, with his arms crossed in the dugout -looking like he is about to fall asleep; but I'm tired of his actions (or lack there of) during the games.

Let's just look at the last three games.  Wednesday night against Milwaukee.  The Brewers are getting call after call off the plate, leading to13 Bucco strikeouts.  Hitting coach Don Long began to chirp at the umpires while JR was dosing off in the corner.  Why doesn't Russell raise his voice?  I'm not asking for temper tantrums like Earl Weaver or Lou Pinella, I'm asking him to stick up for his players.  God forbid he ever raise his voice, maybe teams won't get calls a foot off the plate.  Why would he do that though?  He's only the damn manager.

Then Thursday the Bucs get pasted 20-0.  Did one Brewer get knocked down? No, of course not. Why send a message? We only play them 15 more times. You can bet Llyod McClendon wouldn't have let his team get run over without sending a message.  What does that say to the ballclub?  That their manager is a gutless, quitter.

Even better, Mr. Mumbles as I like to call him could have sent a message in his press conference, but did he raise his voice or call out his team?  Of course not.  Instead he let everyone know that 20-0 games happen sometimes.  Really, JR?  The last time I checked, they've only happened like five times in the last 115 years.

You can check out Mr. Mumbles feeble attempt at explaining a 20-0 loss by clicking HERE.

Then tonight, not as bad , but how does he not walk Carlos Lee with first base open?  They guy has only killed the Pirates for the last three seasons.  Granted he's struggling right now, but I about jumped out of my seat when they pitched to him.  That likely ended up costing this team a win.

Pirates fans deserve better than this guy.  Granted nobody wants the job with an owner that won't spend money, but the guy is a lousy manager.  How many times in three years have his in-game decisions helped the team win a game?  Likely, you can count them on one hand. 

I have always believed a team takes on the personality of it's manager.  There are some teams who's players will run through a wall for their manager.  This team has taken on a lazy personna and it starts with Russell.  You can bet they would  be playing alot harder for a guy like McClendon.  He wasn't a bad manager, he just had crap for players.  Give him this group and I guarentee they would be much better.

I'm not saying fire Russell and hire McClendon back though.  I have a guy in mind that would be a good fit here and that's Phil Garner.  They need a guy to come in and say "This isn't the way we play here." They need a guy to light a fire under this team and challenge them until they succeed,  Scrap Iron is that guy for me.  He's gotten teams to the playoffs and took the Astros to the World Series.  Even as a part time fix, a guy like Garner would have this team in much better shape than a guy like JR.

Neil Huntington, make a move and make it soon.  I don't think I can take this guy any longer.

13 comments:

  1. Amen. I hate him so bad

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  2. yes that guy is absolutely worthless. Bring back llyod

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  3. How do we get Neil Huntington to read this post?

    Better yet, is it not time for Pirate fans to start calling (in droves) the offices of MLB and asking them about why Pirate fans have to tolerate this cheap owner and his non-commitment to spend enough money to field at least a "decent" team?

    Why are all Midwestern teams ignored by MLB?

    Why is it that all MLB seems to be concerned with is Northeastern teams?

    I think I'm going to vomit again when I hear the lead story on ESPN's Baseball Tonight "What's Going On With The Redsox---Is It Time To Be Concerned?"

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  4. that's a real good point about the mlb & northeastren teams.

    Bud selig is a complete douschebag also.

    He could care less about teams like the Pirates and Royals

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  5. the fact that his job isnt in danger is complete bullshit

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  6. Matt

    Very fine post. i couldn't agree more about russell. This guy is worthless and you don't want young players learing to be laid back and lazy like jr.

    boot him out the door

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  7. did u see toniht? What in the blue hell did he take lopez out for? he threw like 1 pitch and got a dp ball.

    Your starter went only 4 batters and you need innings out of your bullpen and you yank a lefty after 1 pitch and replace him with another lefty.

    I don't get it. i'm with you guys fire this bum

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  8. agreed/ what about pinch hitting doumit for jaramillio after jj homered in his last at bat

    I know doumit singled, but lindstrom made him look stupid yesterday and he is like 5 for his last 37. Does russell even look at the numbers or scouting reports?

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  9. this a-hole likely doesnt even have scouting reports. is there anyone that doesn't feel like he should be gone?

    I'd volunteer to drive his ass out of town to save the cheap pirates on a plane ticket

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  10. someone should send this to the pirates. doubt they would ever read it though

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  11. They do have to change the culture. They have to stop laying down for teams. Even if they don't win, they should be a team that other teams don't want to play. That starts with the manager

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  12. that idiot actually came out of the dugout today for the first time all season. He came out to "argue" the cutch caught stealing (which he was safe).

    He was only out there for 5 seaconds. had to get back to nap time

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  13. yeah he's gotta go just for the fact that things arent going to get any better with JR at the helm

    Bring in someone to light a fire under these guys

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