A.J. Hinch, the Diamondbacks’ Director of Player Development is expected to be introduced as the new skipper of the team this afternoon at Chase Field.
Hinch, 34, has been very successful in finding and developing young talent in his current position, but carries no managerial experience on his resume.
Bob Melvin was fired due to the team’s perceived lack of fire, passion, and of course their inability to hit a beach ball. While Hinch may be more adept at working with the young players, it is common belief that the team was babied too much under Melvin. His easy-going attitude and soft-spoken tone failed to create a sense of urgency amongst his players. There was always tomorrow, so why worry about today.
Hinch’s experience developing youngsters requires patience, something that this team has frankly been receiving too much of lately. The D-Backs’ brass and the fans are tired of waiting for their over-hyped, once-budding young stars to get off the snide and swing the bats the way they’re capable of doing.
What this team really needs is an experienced, hard-nosed, no BS manager who is willing to hold players accountable for their performances. Think Larry Bowa, Lou Pinella (yes, I know he’s still employed with the Cubs) or Dusty Baker (still with the Reds).
Having said that, the D-Backs don’t have any of those guys, so they’ll have to make due with that they do have – A.J. Hinch.
Hinch could bring more of a focused mindset and comprehensive game plan to the team. Expect to see a focus on defense in the field, running on the bases, and patience at the plate. Discipline will likely return to a clubhouse that has seemed to have lost its focus.
Whatever the result of the season, it was clear that this team was no longer responding to Bob Melvin, whatever the reason. I don’t doubt Bob is a great guy, who worked tirelessly. However, his hard work simply stopped paying off, the results simply weren’t there, perhaps to no fault of his own. A change was needed; I’m just not so sure A.J. was the right choice.
The Arizona Diamondbacks’ brass have apparently seen enough, firing Manager Bob Melvin just 29 games into the season, and less than two seasons removed from him winning NL Manager of the Year.
Melvin was relieved of his duties after his team crawled to a 12-17 start, falling nine games behind the division leading Dodgers.
It appeared Thursday morning that Melvin’s job may have been temporarily saved, after Manny Ramirez was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs and opening a window of opportunity for the Snakes to make a run.
However, after another disappointing loss in which the D-Backs could only muster four runs, Melvin’s tenure as the winningest manager in Diamondbacks history came to an abrupt end.
The move came as no surprise to many D-Backs fans who have speculated for weeks as to the security of Melvin’s job.
Without a doubt, it is the team’s lack of hitting that cost Bo-Mel his job.
The Snakes’ woes began near the end of the first half of last season. After getting off to a hot start, the D-Backs couldn’t hit the broad side of the barn in the second half.
The troubles continued this season, with the Diamondbacks ranking last in baseball with a team batting average of .222, 16 points behind the Florida Marlins, the second worst hitting team.
Conor Jackson (.191), Chris Young (.177), Chad Tracy (.221), Eric Brynes (.139), Chris Synder (.204), and Stephen Drew(.205) are all of to horrific offensive starts.
Melvin certainly cannot swing the bats for the boys, however many have pointed to Melvin’s laid back attitude as the reason the D-Backs have been playing such uninspired ball. The now former skipper was unable or unwilling to light a fire under his team, and seemed to rely too often on the home ran, rather than trying to steal bases and manufacture runs.
Melvin has also been criticized for playing with his lineup card too often, making it nearly impossible for players to develop a rhythm at the plate.
Make no mistake, hitting coach Rick Schu bears just at much, if not more responsibly for having squandered the talents of the once blossoming young stars on the team. It will be a shock to everyone if Schu hasn’t coached his last game for Arizona.
While Melvin cannot be blamed entirely (hint, hint, Rick Schu), he is the skipper, and the skipper always goes down with the ship.
A replacement has yet to be named. However, there is speculation that the once fiery Kirk Gibson could become Arizona’s next manager.
In the famous words of Jim Carrey, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance!”
While the D-Backs’ chance of winning the NL West was slightly better than one in 1,000,000, digging yourself out of an 8 1/2 game deficit does require some sort of small miracle, especially the way the D-Backs have been playing.
However, Arizona has received an unexpected stroke of good luck in the last 12 hours, which began by winning a game in which they should’ve lost.
The Snakes committed four errors and went 0-7 with runners in scoring position against the Jake Peavy and the Padres, but Jon Garland pitched out of his mind, despite the horrific defensive played behind him. Justin Upton extended his hitting streak to 13 games with two monster home runs, and Chad Qualls pulled a Houdini to save the game after loading the bases with nobody out in the ninth.
Simply put, they won a game they didn’t deserve to win, but with the hole this team is in, they must beg, borrow, and steal every win they can.
With the victory, the Snakes stayed on life support, avoiding falling 9 1/2 games behind the Dodgers.
This morning the news got better for the D-Backs. They were upgraded to serious but stable condition when word broke that Manny Ramirez tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. The positive test result carries an immediate and non-negotiable 50 game suspension which will keep Ramirez out of the Dodgers lineup until July 3.
Ramirez attempted to explain the situation in statement he released, saying, “Recently I saw a physician for a personal health issue. He gave me a medication, not a steroid, which he thought was OK to give me. Unfortunately, the medication was banned under our drug policy. Under the policy that mistake is now my responsibility. I have been advised not to say anything more for now. I do want to say one other thing; I’ve taken and passed about 15 drug tests over the past five seasons.
“I want to apologize to Mr. McCourt, Mrs. McCourt, Mr. Torre, my teammates, the Dodger organization, and to the Dodger fans. LA is a special place to me and I know everybody is disappointed. So am I. I’m sorry about this whole situation.”
Please, please, no apologies are necessary Manny. Whatever the reason, we don’t care! We believe you! The details and circumstances aren’t important to us D-Backs fans. We’re not on a steroid witch-hunt. We are simply looking to recapture our rightful crown, as NL West Champions. The title we’ve held more than any other team in the division since the conception of our franchise.
Quite honestly, we owe you a big “thank you!” for giving us a glimmer of hope and a golden opportunity to save our season.
Make no mistake, it won’t be easy. I think we’ll find that the 50 games will pass very quickly. Next time we look up, Manny will be back in the lineup, which makes this 50 game stretch even more important.
The Snakes and Dodgers meet only once for a three game set in ‘wood (I don’t think we can call it Mannywood anymore) during the span, but it’s fair to say already, those three games will be must-wins for Arizona.