1. I know I’ve mentioned this to you before, but the ‘stability for stability’s sake’ is so incredibly cart-before-the-horse. Job stability comes from doing good work, having success. Not vice versa. Not saying there hasn’t been good work and success here, but clearly not enough of it. Which brings me to:
2. Three out of 5 years in the playoffs! In the absolute sweet spot of the contention window you’ve built! In an era when it’s literally easier than ever to get into the playoffs!! That’s what we’re trumpeting as our justification for stability??!? 10th in MLB in wins during that time, 54% winning percentage. It’s DiPoto Disease and we’ve got a bad case of it.
3. ‘We thought we could win the AL East.’ Fuck off. Imagine trying to avoid admitting you did a bad job by saying that you thought a 74-win team would actually be a 94-win team. I know it’s not quite that simple, but yikes. Like you said Stoets, this isn’t the first time expectations fell well short of reality. Interesting how the opposite’s never happened for us.
I see one reason for keeping Ross in his role, and that’s the super awkward way he took over the job from AA. Taking over a team in the middle of someone else’s contention window was super clunky, and I’m guessing Shapiro is very cognizant of potentially handcuffing the next GM by hiring him when Ross’s team potentially puts it together. I’m sympathetic to this outlook. If he still believes there’s a reasonable path to re-igniting this core, fair enough. I just don’t see it, especially with Ross pulling the levers.
> Mayza and Swanson simply fell apart, and there wasn't nearly enough talent behind [everyone] to make it work.
The only thing I'll add to this is that, while Swanson wasn't _physically_ injured for most of the season, he should have immediately been put on the 60 IL due to "holy shit my kid almost died." 1000% willing to give Swanson a mulligan on 2024.
> SHAPIRO: “It's what I would expect from you, Rosie.”
Oh that is fucking gold. I wheeze-laughed right out loud. Extend Shapiro, give him another twenty years, I'm sold. Thank-you for transcribing that full exchange, absolutely classic shit.
This is good, Stoets. A few comments.
1. I know I’ve mentioned this to you before, but the ‘stability for stability’s sake’ is so incredibly cart-before-the-horse. Job stability comes from doing good work, having success. Not vice versa. Not saying there hasn’t been good work and success here, but clearly not enough of it. Which brings me to:
2. Three out of 5 years in the playoffs! In the absolute sweet spot of the contention window you’ve built! In an era when it’s literally easier than ever to get into the playoffs!! That’s what we’re trumpeting as our justification for stability??!? 10th in MLB in wins during that time, 54% winning percentage. It’s DiPoto Disease and we’ve got a bad case of it.
3. ‘We thought we could win the AL East.’ Fuck off. Imagine trying to avoid admitting you did a bad job by saying that you thought a 74-win team would actually be a 94-win team. I know it’s not quite that simple, but yikes. Like you said Stoets, this isn’t the first time expectations fell well short of reality. Interesting how the opposite’s never happened for us.
I see one reason for keeping Ross in his role, and that’s the super awkward way he took over the job from AA. Taking over a team in the middle of someone else’s contention window was super clunky, and I’m guessing Shapiro is very cognizant of potentially handcuffing the next GM by hiring him when Ross’s team potentially puts it together. I’m sympathetic to this outlook. If he still believes there’s a reasonable path to re-igniting this core, fair enough. I just don’t see it, especially with Ross pulling the levers.
> Mayza and Swanson simply fell apart, and there wasn't nearly enough talent behind [everyone] to make it work.
The only thing I'll add to this is that, while Swanson wasn't _physically_ injured for most of the season, he should have immediately been put on the 60 IL due to "holy shit my kid almost died." 1000% willing to give Swanson a mulligan on 2024.
Things can only get better!
> SHAPIRO: “It's what I would expect from you, Rosie.”
Oh that is fucking gold. I wheeze-laughed right out loud. Extend Shapiro, give him another twenty years, I'm sold. Thank-you for transcribing that full exchange, absolutely classic shit.
Nice one, Stoeten.
Thanks so much dude!