For those who just joined us, Chone Figgins outdid himself in Wednesday's afternoon game:
For those of you who want verification: as Ichiro caught the ball and positioned himself to throw, Mike Blowers broke in with a startled voice, "Nobody covering second!", whereupon the TV camera then showed Ortiz and Beltre gamboling up leisurely into position for runs 3 and 4.
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Here's the question.
What, precisely, is Daren Brown going to do about Chone Figgins' with-these-teammates-whats-the-point quitting routine?
Not say about it. Do about it?
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If "nothing," what, precisely, is the argument for keeping Daren Brown in the manager's office? That's his skillset, right, getting 25 men on the same page?
No complaint against Brown here. I do not believe there is anything that he can do about Chone Figgins, or about anybody else. But me?, I'd say that this ballclub is one that needs a 600-lb. gorilla.
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Supposing the Mariners had to pay $1M per year more than anybody else, to get Bobby Valentine, or somebody like him. What's that compared to annually wasting $90M worth of payroll?
What's it worth to graduate out of the laughingstock category?
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=== Positive Finish Dept. ===
Felix' response to this season has been, well, the kind of stuff that would make a Cliff Lee proud. As the season becomes ever-more grim, Felix becomes more and more impossible. This kid is truly coalescing into his generation's Tom Seaver.
Ichiro, among very few other players, has played with pride and passion despite the stuff going on around him. The Times' questioning of Ichiro's payroll % is reasonable, but bear in mind that this is the one player who, season in and season out, gives the Mariners a dollar's play for a dollar's pay.
Russell Branyan, to the extent that his back holds up, is another fine competitor.
Pick your own warriors for 2011. Jason Vargas, for example. A ballplayer who refuses to quit, when it ain't fun, is a ballplayer who can play for me any time.
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Chone Figgins has proven, that in a fun context, that he can help a team win. The danger is that, if a ballclub is teetering on the brink in any given May, that he can sure be a part of its throwing in the towel, too.
Not sure how much you want to risk that for May 2001. That's the dilemma with a player like him. Given a context of the club turning itself around, he'd help.
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BABVA,
Dr D
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*my opinion. Correct.
I think you're right. Figgins could be both a problem as well as an important piece. And likely you're again right stating that a strong personality is necessary as manager for 2011. Frankly I'd never expected Figgins to repeat that kind of behaviour.
Figgins quit in one game and then went ballistic when his manager called it a lazy play. In essence, the manager went bye bye, largely because of the Figgins' snit.
Now Figgins lays down again, "quits" on a play, and it cost 24 other players.
He's an $8-$9M player, essentially league average as the likely upside., and he's dogged it twice in recent days.
His value was as the guy who put the M's in position to challenge this year, along with Lee. It didn't happen. Now there is no need for a $9M 32 year old league average player.
If you can find a buyer (caveat emptor, however) Jack Z., then ship him out. Pronto.
A guy can hope can't he?
moe
I find it hard to believe a guy making that much money can't be self-motivated to at least carry out a basic play. Trade Figgins for Haynesworth? Honestly, I can't imagine making that kind of money in a lifetime. Very hard for me to figure who he thinks he is. Shame players can't police things like the good old days. Good writing Jeff!
I just got back from tonight's game in Boston (the 2nd game of the double header). Felix was tremendous. As much as I like Wakefield, his splitter just doesn't play well on a wet evening.
It was a study of contrasts: Felix and Wakefield, Kotchman and Hall, but especially the uninspired play of Figgins and just about everyone else in the game.
The funniest point in the game was the 7th inning deliberate walk of Kotchman to get to Moore. Can anyone tell me whether Kotchman has otherwise been deliberately walked this season? I really couldn't believe my eyes, and just about fell out of my seat laughing.
I was shocked to discover that Bill Hall is slugging 0.470 with 17 home runs. If he had stayed and run this line with the Mariners, he would be the second most serious threat in their line up, right after Branyan.
I was pleased to finally learn how to pronounce the name "Tuiasosopo." He had many put outs in left field tonight, but he sure didn't make any of them look easy.
I've been to three Mariners games this season, two in Seattle, and now one in Boston. The Mariners have won all three. My wife attributes these wins to luck, not arising from my presence, or (solely) her presence, but to her wearing a lucky pair of pants at all three events. The pants are especially ugly, but have this one redeeming feature - the are sure to finish the season with more win shares than Chone Figgins.
Forgive me for stating the obvious: (i) the Mariners should be looking to trade anyone on the team having less value than an ugly, but lucky, pair of pants; and (ii) the key to 2011 may be dressing for success.
It's always a pleasure to read this site. Keep it up.
Regards,
Jeff
Six. That's how many intentional passes Kotchman has gotten in 2010, (including the Boston free ride).
That's 2nd on the team. He's one in front of Gutierrez' 5 - (though Gutz has 200 extra PAs). Then again, in another week, Kotchman may have a better season line than Gutz.
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The Doc hits a HR with this thread!
Given the year-long circumstance, what *I* believe the proper move would be for Brown to ...
A) Meet *PRIVATELY* with Figgins and explain his lack of focus/hustle shown on the play in question will NOT be tolerated in the future - and IN THE FUTURE, any punishment for such plays will be immediate and VERY public. BUT ... for this one time, he'll get the night off on Friday - but with a PUBLIC explanation of just a normal rest day and a chance to get somebody else a little PT.
B) Figgins sits on Friday ... but the public explanation will be that it is NOT punitive -- just a rest day to give Figgins a "2-day weekend" after playing both halves of the double-header. The press and fans can say what they will - but the intent is to NOT "show up" Figgins publically.
The tricky part about managing a team is the GOAL is to get the most out of the individual players. The *HOW* may vary from player to player. Figgins has shown quite clearly that he is hyper-sensitive about being "shown up" in PUBLIC. So, you let him (and everyone else in the clubhouse) know that you've got his back - BUT - as a player, he is expected to live up to your standards.
While, there may be cases where a "public humiliation" might be exactly the right tool needed - given THIS circumstance, (and the horrible results in wake of the previous such incident), I don't think that is the case here.
Of course, the above is unlikely to happen. BUT -- the behind the scenes tongue lashing might well take place, and the fans/press might never hear a peep. The difficulty in being a sideline analyst is the knowledge that things happen that you cannot see.
In general, I'm inclined to side with Doc, here. I think he may have Figgins pegged. But, even if you cannot do anything to improve Figgins' performance/focus for the rest of the season - a manager has to consider the ramifications of his actions (or inaction) on the other 24 guys. He's gotta DO something - (even if only in the clubhouse) - else he risks having the whole team learn that quitting on a 2-0 game is acceptable.
Great piece Dr. D. The Figgins affair is continuing to sink to lower depths.
What to do with Chone? Well I believe the fates of Figgins and Z are linked together. Z has doubled down on Figgins – not requiring Chone to apologize publicly after the dugout incident. Z has burned up so much of his political capital this year: horrible losing record, firing his hand picked manager, several of his off season signings/decisions bombing this year,…
Therefore he has handcuffed himself to Figgins. I find it difficult to believe that Jack will be allowed to eat enough of Chone’s salary in order to trade him. And if he did request such action it would be tantamount announcing he made a $36Mil mistake less than a year into a 4yr deal – I’m sure this would render him completely impotent in the eyes of the ownership and a search for a new GM would begin shortly thereafter.
I will give Chone some credit though he has at least shown a little more life with the bat over the last couple of weeks – he has become a little more aggressive at the plate with his hits increasing and walks decreasing some. This new approach has played out with an increased batting average for the month (he does remain powerless). It remains to be seen if his new approach has legs and will carry thru to the end of the season and even if it does we are still looking at a sub 700 OPS player for $9M/yr – I don’t see the value.
"...a sub 700 OPS player for $9M/yr – I don’t see the value."
Correct. He might be allowed only for someone hitting over .300 with a .380 OBP but unfortunately that's not his case.