It was interesting to hear Gary Apple and Bobby Ojeda discuss one of the things I wrote about over the weekend, which was how this six-outfielder configuration was doomed to failure.
Apple leads it off asking Ojeda, “We have to talk about Chris Young who suddenly got hot and had that two home run game and then followed it up with another home run game and then Terry Collins had him ride the bench for a couple of days. Since that time he is 1-for-15.”
Ojeda responded, “Terry has said continually, I’m gonna go with the hot hand. Well that hot hand was Chris Young who then found himself on the bench. Now that rediscovered home run swing has evaporated. The same thing happened to Bobby Abreu just before Young.”
“I think Terry’s management of the outfield and his hot-hand mentality is sending so many mixed messages to his athletes. It makes it hard for any of them to sustain their swings while playing under these conditions. And instead of alleviating the pressure it puts even more on them. They tell themselves I have to go 3-for-3 or I’m not gonna get anymore at-bats.”
You nailed it Bobby-O.
Here is what I wrote this past weekend regarding this:
Collins is intent on giving all six playing time because in his words, “they all deserve to play.” He believes all six are everyday players and his remedy is to just rotate them in and out of games like he’s playing a game of Strat-O-Matic.
What hurts the organization in the long run is that this does nothing to instill confidence in developing players like Juan Lagares who needs to play everyday to stay sharp and consistent and on his learning curve.
Additionally, most players want to know they have a defined set of roles and regular assignments. They do not want to drive to the ballpark everyday wondering if and when they will play on a game in and game out basis.
This situation is untenable and will have no winners.
