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I think this was Wedge's MO with Cleveland as well. When the players had kind of settled and sorted themselves into regular roles, he relaxed and kept them motivated. It was when the roles were unsettled due to ragged performance that he got that drill sergeant jaw muscle and stare going.
Maybe we misunderstood the guy. Most of us thought "sure, you can manage when you've got certified HOFers (Manny, Thome) and All Stars (Vizquel, Martinez) all over the place but then who can't"? If he can win without the studly lineup, maybe it's just the guys settling into regular roles so that he doesn't stress out over all the nightly tinkering and can focus on the mental side of keeping the club in the proper state of mind.