Why Oli hasn't proven good at BP managing
Posted: 12 Sep 2025 22:27 pm
I am not saying he is bad either. I am just saying the last two years does not prove he is adapt at BP managing, and here's why:
The team the last two years has had rotten starting pitching and an offense that can't hit HR's or steal bases. Certainly not Oli's fault. And this next part isn't his fault either, but there's an inherent advantage in managing the BP on a mediocre-at-best to worse than average ballclub like these Cardinals.
The team is uncompetitive every few games. That allows the opportunity to get innings out of the Kings, Graceffos, Fernandezes, the Munozes - the 5.00+ ERA crew gets plenty of opportunities to waste non-important innings. That saves the the critical competitive innings to the better arms, who are naturally more rested.
Again, all of this isn't Oli's fault. Nothing he can do about that. And he isn't doing worse than expected, which is a positive sign. But all this talk from the media about the proof of his BP wizardry could very well be a mirage of the circumstances that benefit a BP, which is plenty of meaningless innings.
TLR, Torre, Matheny, Shildt all had competitive games night after night after night. With SPs going less innings in the sport every year. The pressure to use your best arms all the time was always there, night after night. And of course, that was obviously impossible to use them every night. Lots of critical innings on winning teams have to go to substandard BP arms, due the nature of being in so many competitive games.
Obviously, tonight is a perfect example. This was as easy a managing job as possible. Got our (bleep) beat to death again, out comes the gasoline gang to pour more gas on the fire during meaningless innings. Tomorrow and maybe Sunday, multiple critical guys are available in case of a competitive game or 2.
The team the last two years has had rotten starting pitching and an offense that can't hit HR's or steal bases. Certainly not Oli's fault. And this next part isn't his fault either, but there's an inherent advantage in managing the BP on a mediocre-at-best to worse than average ballclub like these Cardinals.
The team is uncompetitive every few games. That allows the opportunity to get innings out of the Kings, Graceffos, Fernandezes, the Munozes - the 5.00+ ERA crew gets plenty of opportunities to waste non-important innings. That saves the the critical competitive innings to the better arms, who are naturally more rested.
Again, all of this isn't Oli's fault. Nothing he can do about that. And he isn't doing worse than expected, which is a positive sign. But all this talk from the media about the proof of his BP wizardry could very well be a mirage of the circumstances that benefit a BP, which is plenty of meaningless innings.
TLR, Torre, Matheny, Shildt all had competitive games night after night after night. With SPs going less innings in the sport every year. The pressure to use your best arms all the time was always there, night after night. And of course, that was obviously impossible to use them every night. Lots of critical innings on winning teams have to go to substandard BP arms, due the nature of being in so many competitive games.
Obviously, tonight is a perfect example. This was as easy a managing job as possible. Got our (bleep) beat to death again, out comes the gasoline gang to pour more gas on the fire during meaningless innings. Tomorrow and maybe Sunday, multiple critical guys are available in case of a competitive game or 2.
