I think Wak has committed some mistakes in how he's managed the team coming out of ST that have contributed to a lot of the M's woes so far.
An 11 man pitching staff was a mistake, because of how Wak likes to use his pen and his bench. Drayer says the team wants to go back to an 11 man pitching staff; IBIWISI. From his comments and roster moves, it seems clear to me that he is uncomfortable being short in the pen and long in the bench.
I think Wak waited too long to get Sweeney in to a game. I understand his thinking; Sweeney's a vet and doesn't need the PT to stay sharp. I just don't think it's wise to have your hottest hitter ride the pine for the first three games of the year.
I also think he didn't do a good job of mentally preparing the team for the season. There was no crescendo in focus, no smooth transition to the real games. ST ended kind of sloppy, then they had some wierd games in Albuquerque where the weather played havoc and a number of AA guys got a fair amount of playing time.
All that being said, he of course has the ability to overcome all that. And I think he'll learn a lot from the start of this year about things to do to try to ensure a better start.
Add new comment
1