I love Joe Girardi. I think Joe Girardi would be a great choice for the Cubs. I think he would be the best fit for the Cubs if Jim Hendry wasn’t operating at the speed of a tortoise. But alas, Jim Hendry is operating at “his own pace” and that makes Joe Girardi my second choice as a result. Instead, i’m going to throw my support toward a man whose name I constantly misspelled for the better part of last season. Thanks go out to Tommy for the corrections. I’m going to go with Brenly for three reasons. There isn’t much to them that hasn’t already been said, but I figured people should know where we all stand.
1. He’s been with the team for two years
A manager has to be in direct contact with the GM about what type of players to bring in. Brenly already has the knowledge of not only what type of players he likes, but also the type of players this team needs. Being around for the past two years, Brenly has had a great chance to evaluate what type of talent is on this team and where the holes are. That knowledge would take any other manage significantly longer to be able to decipher. That, to me, gives Brenly a big notch up.
2. He’s a former catcher
Obviously, this one also applies to Girardi. I feel that Catchers make the best managers and best pitching coaches. They have the experience of being the field general and the knowledge to work with fragile psyches of pitchers. Because of that, Brenly should be able to be the type of leader in the clubhouse the team sorely lacked over the past four years. We need someone in there to kick some tail, not to be everyone’s uncle. Brenly can do that, as evidenced by his critical remarks throughout the season.
3. He’s won a world series
In my mind, the biggest thing on Brenly’s resume is the bling on his finger. He’s been to the big dance and beat one of the most storied franchises in the game. That takes skill. We need that experience. Brenly brings that and Girardi doesn’t. Case closed.
Balderdash, I say!
I think catchers SHOULD make the best managers, but the numbers don’t bear it out. They’re last overall in winning percentage and tops in opportunities given. One of the worst managers in modern times, Bob Boone, was a catcher. 1 and 3 are valid, but I go number 2 on #2!
Okay, it’s now 2-1 for Brenly amoungst the staff. Where do Tommy and Chris weigh in? How about the rest of the readership?
Who’s this guy Balderdash that Dave is voting for? Joe, when Dave came out for Girardi I posted my vote for Brenly for all the same reasons you now mention. It would be a real no-brainer to pass on Brenly with all he has to offer. If Hendry waits much longer half his prospects will be gone.
Anyone thinking about Joe Torre, after he gets fired by the Yankees? If the Cubs are considering Lou Pinella, why not Torre? He has tons of experience with big market teams, and its not all his fault that his teams falter in the playoffs. I dont understand how the guy can be a great manager in the regular season, and then when the playoffs come around, he gets stupid? Blame the players. He would be my choice when he becomes available.
Brenly was handed his WS team. After that team he took a nose dive. Brenly would be a decent coach but we need a great coach. Enough with the average!
At least, given all the horses, Brenly won. Many times, even with all the horses, some teams have lost. (Source: See NY Yankees, 2006). I don’t like Torre because 1. he"s American League and 2. he’s got the worst case of 5 o’clock shadow I’ve ever seen and 3. that scowl would scare the Wrigley fans. I think signing Brenly would go a long way towaeds signing Pierre and Ramirez which are musts. New manager must sit down with Hendry and get straight where we are going and what we have to do. Lots of work ahead and times awasteing.
I think Brenly would be the velvet hammer that the Cubs need. Where as Girardi is a twenty pound sledge.
I don’t dislike Girardi but if the Cubs want guys like Pierre and Aramis to not test free agency he is not the guy to bring on board.
Brenly WAS handed his World Series Team. However, that was his first season as a Manager of any Major League Ball Club. And, take a look at the team he had:
http://www.baseballlibrary….
And tell me where that team was better than the 2003 or 2004 Cubs. Specifically, look at that rotation. It shows other pitchers in Grey below the relievers, and I would consider Miguel Batista their #3 starter, but he was only 11-8, and look at the rest of the rotation and bullpen (which includes Steve Finley). Kim was the closer with just 19 saves, and remember how many Blown Saves he had in the World Series.
That was not some offensive juggernaut that Brenly was given. He was basically given 2 starters and a couple offensive tools. And the Cubs have more offensive tools on the 2006 roster than Brenly had in 2001. And that doesn’t even include D. Lee.
Brenly’s World Series was "everyone wins at home" But don’t think that came easy, they won the first 2, lost the next 3, even when they had the lead when turing the ball over to the closer. Then came home to win the next 2.
Schilling and Johnson went 4-0 to win the World Series MVP. But let’s take a quick review for the first 6 games, and then game 7 to see how Brenly handled the pitching staff.
Game 1 in AZ, Schilling pitched a masterpiece for the win, 9-1.
Game 2 in AZ, Johnson pitched a masterpiece and complete game for a 4-0 win.
Game 3 in NY, Anderson pitched well through 5, but yielded a run in the 6th, which was the game winner, losing 2-1.
Game 4 in NY, Schilling back on 3 days rest, D’Backs take a 3-1 lead in the Top of the 8th, and Kim (the closer) enters in the bottom of the 8th, then gives up 2 runs to tie the game in the 9th, and then gives up 1 run in the 10th to lose the game. D’Backs lose 4-3 in 10.
Game 5 in NY, Batista takes the ball, and pitches 7 innings of shutout baseball, with a 2 run lead, Swindell comes in for a shutout 8th, before Kim gives up 2 runs again in the 9th to tie it up for the second straight day. Morgan immediately enters after the 2nd run is given up, and pitches through the 11th, and then in the 12th, Lopez comes in and gives up a game winner.
Yankees Lead the Series 3-2, D’Backs have their backs agaisnt the wall.
Game 6 in AZ, Johnson gets an early lead, due to Pettitte’s ineffectiveness, some more runs are scored off the bullpen, giving the D’Backs a 15 run lead after 4. Johnson gives up just 2 runs in the 6th, and pitches through the 7th, before Witt and Brohawn come in for the 8th and 9th.
Game 7 in AZ, Schilling back on 3 days rest again, gets one run in support in the 6th, before giving up 1 in the 7th, and then 1 run in the top of the 8th with 1 out, Schilling leaves the game, Batista (A starting pitcher) enters for 1 out, then Johnson (A starting pitcher) is brought in for the last 4 outs of the game and no-hits the Yankees the rest of the way. Johnson gets the final out in the 8th, then in the bottom of the 8th the D’Backs don’t score, and still trail 2-1. After a scoreless top of the 9th by Johnson…DIAMONDBACKS 9TH: Grace singled to center; DELLUCCI RAN FOR
GRACE; On a bunt Miller reached on an error by Rivera [Dellucci
to second]; BELL BATTED FOR JOHNSON; On a bunt Bell forced Dellucci (pitcher to third) [Miller to second]; CUMMINGS RAN FOR
MILLER; Womack doubled to right [Cummings scored (unearned),
Bell to third]; Counsell was hit by a pitch; Gonzalez singled to
center [Bell scored, Womack to third, Counsell to second].
Brenly, unlike Dusty, gave Kim the ball in game 4, as he was the closer. When he lost the game, he was given just ONE more chance, and was on a short chain. After giving up the lead for the 2nd time, we didn’t see Kim again in 2001. Instead, Brenly used starting pitchers to finish out a game, even when they were still trailing.
Look at the rotation that the D’Backs went up against. Mussina, Clemens, Pettitte, "El Duque" Hernandez.
Brenly actually had to manage the 2001 team to a championship. And he did a good job of it too.
R U DUN already, it’s almost tomorrow.
GO BRENLY