The Washington Nationals misplaced, once more, on Saturday, 4-3 to the Miami Marlins. They have been truly on the cusp of competition heading into this month sitting 28-30, however they’ve gone 2-10 to this point in June, together with a present seven-game dropping streak. They’ve solely scored 30 runs (2.5 per recreation) and 9 of these got here in a loss on Friday.
On Saturday, supervisor Dave Martinez was requested concerning the offensive struggles and the way a lot any of it may very well be blamed on the teaching. In his thoughts? None of it.
“By no means on teaching,” he told reporters. “Coaches work their asses off each single day. We’re not going to finger level right here and say it is on coaches. It is by no means on the coaches. They work onerous. The message is obvious. All of the work is finished prior. Generally, they gotta go on the market and so they gotta play the sport. It is at all times been concerning the gamers. All the time. I performed this recreation a very long time. By no means as soon as have I blamed the coach for something. We labored our asses off to get higher. They gave us data and we used it. These guys perceive what the sport is, man. I’ve by no means had such a gaggle of coaches that works as onerous as they do. They’re right here due diligently. They go over the whole lot. They sit with gamers day by day. These coaches, they work their assess off. I do know each teaching employees is like that. And the gamers know, typically you gotta put the onus on the gamers. They gotta go on the market and so they gotta play the sport, and play the sport the fitting approach. We won’t hit for them. We won’t catch the ball for them. We won’t pitch for them. We won’t throw strikes for them. They gotta do this.”
It is an attention-grabbing dialogue level. On one hand, he is completely right that the coaches cannot play for the gamers and the gamers want to provide on their very own. And it is lengthy been fairly humorous to me when a fan base sees a crew wrestle to hit for a number of weeks and thinks firing a hitting coach goes to vary issues. The firing is sort of at all times simply eye wash that is extra a PR transfer than an precise baseball resolution.
Generally a brand new voice can assist, although it is troublesome to know if the change in teaching is what made the distinction or if issues simply type of evened out in the course of the marathon of a baseball season.
The Rangers fired their offensive coordinator on Could 4. Earlier than the firing, they have been 17-18 and averaging 3.22 runs per recreation. For the reason that firing, they’ve gone 18-18 with 4.17 runs per recreation. Did the change actually set off issues or did among the hitters off to horrible begins simply start to look extra like their outdated selves?
The Orioles fired supervisor Brandon Hyde once they have been 15-28. They’ve gone 14-12 since and are threatening to climb again into the wild-card race. Is it really as a result of Hyde wanted to go or did the Orioles simply begin enjoying extra like final season. In any case, take into account that they misplaced six of seven after the firing and are actually on a run the place they’ve received 13 of 19. The flip did not occur straight away, however those that assume the firing was the fitting transfer might say a brand new message within the clubhouse takes time.
And anyway, is not a coach’s job to place his gamers in the most effective place to succeed? He could not throw the pitches or take the at-bat, however he is nonetheless a part of the method.
On Sunday, Martinez was requested about how his feedback sat with the gamers (via the Washington Post).
“They have been nice,” he mentioned. “I talked to them already. Hey, it wasn’t on them, proper? My feedback was nothing about them. They know that. They learn by means of it. Like I mentioned, I talked to them about it, and so they’re all good… The clubhouse is pretty much as good because it’s ever been. I imply, these guys have caught collectively.”
He was requested to make clear because it sounded prefer it must be the fault of the gamers if it is not on the coaches (bear in mind, he went so far as to say the “onus” is on the gamers).
“I by no means talked about something concerning the gamers, proper? I admire these gamers. I performed. I perceive how onerous this recreation is. They know that. So it is a troublesome recreation. These guys are on the market attempting onerous. We received to do the little issues. As I speak about, we begin doing little issues, we’ll begin successful a few of these video games.”
“They requested me concerning the coaches. ‘Do you place blame on the coaches?’ No, I do not.”
Martinez has been round loads of successful. He spent components of 16 years within the majors, making the 2001 NLCS with the Braves. He was the bench coach for the Rays for 4 playoff runs, together with once they received the 2008 pennant. He was the Cubs‘ bench coach for 3 seasons, all of which noticed the crew attain the NLCS and, after all, contains the 2016 World Sequence title. As supervisor of the Nationals, he received the 2019 World Sequence.
That is to say that Martinez, particularly as a coach and supervisor, is aware of what it takes to win. I take his phrase that the teaching employees should not be shouldering an enormous portion of the blame when the offense simply stops hitting. Then once more, typically heads roll and that is a part of the enterprise as effectively. Be mindful, the Nationals have not had a successful season since that World Sequence title.