MADDON AGAIN MIS-MANAGES PEN

We can keep saying it, but it's obvious at this point, no matter what is said, no matter how many wrong decisions Joe Maddon makes, he will continue to make the same stubborn choices again and again, and that winning isn't as high on his priority list as is being stubborn. Maddon has mis-managed his bullpen the past month, and has clearly knocked the Rays out of the playoff race, and possibly made them an under .500 team. I know the pitchers in the bullpen continue to implode, and aren't getting the job done, but why do you keep going to the same pitchers time and time again when they simply don't get it done.

Tonight, Jeff Niemann had gone 7 innings, was leading 2-0, yet Joe decided to leave him out there and let him give up a single, then pulled Niemann. Why can't Maddon either pull Niemann and let a reliever have a fresh start of an inning, or let Niemann finish the game, since the bullpen is imploding on a nightly basis. Then after Cormier and Shouse started the new rally loss, sure enough Grant Balfour comes in the game to seal the loss once again, and made Niemann a non-winner in a game he left with the lead, for the 4th time in the past month. Not only did the Rays lose again, but Balfour blew the lead as he has done so many times this year, by giving up a 3 run home run to a pinch hitter.

How many times can Maddon keep doing the same thing over and over and not be held accountable. Everyone understands that it is the players not performing, but let's be honest here. The manager knows they aren't performing, and continues to run them out there night after night, and let's a great job by a starting pitcher go to waste. 4 wins stolen from Niemann in just the last month. That's not the most important fact however. The fact that the Rays have now lost 8 games in a row, and are on the verge of possibly finishing under .500 this year, just shows how poorly Joe Maddon has done at managing this team. It's time for Rays management to wake up and make some changes and stop having your lead man continue to act non chalant, and as if it's ok to lose game after game, and then state it's just one game. It's every game lately Joe, and was the same situation in April and May, but then your excuse was it's early. It isn't early anymore, and the Rays have played just like Maddon manages. No sense of urgency to win in April/May, and once again in August/September. So much for trying to force the fanbase to cater to the Rays demands for a new stadium. The Rays fans see how Maddon doesn't care about winning, so the Rays fans won't care about attending games. It's becoming more and more evident each game. Joe Maddon needs a wake up call from the Rays management and front office, an he needs it ASAP, before he loses control of the locker room.

Updated list of Maddon's 2009 Blunders and mis-managed games

RAYS FANS SPEAKING OUT ABOUT MADDON

The SP Times heater Rays blog has been getting alot of comments from Rays fans tired of Joe Maddon's blunders...interesting, the Joe Maddon apologists are starting to dwindle. Fans booed Maddon at Friday's game, so let the fun begin.

http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2009/09/tigers-5-rays-3.html#comments

http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2009/09/for-starters-rays-vs-tigers-davis-debuts-and-jackson-returns.html#comments

http://blogs.tampabay.com/rays/2009/09/pena-hit-on-hand-stays-in.html#comments

MADDON BLOWS IT AGAIN, RAYS OUT OF IT

Joe Maddon has done it again. Baffling all of the fans with his constant mismanagement has just caused the Rays to go in a funk off he charts. He did this in April & May, and returned true to form in August & September. This time the season id doomed, and the Rays fans have Joe Maddon to thank for it. No amount of optimism, and no amount of spin can cover Maddon this time.

The Rays bullpen imploded on back to back games against Detroit, at home. Maddon insists on using the same bullpen members that are struggling game after game. We all know that the pen is struggling, but to keep running the same 3-4 guys out there game after game, and watch them struggle, while Wheeler, who has been effective most of the year, sits game after game is amazingly ignorant or just plain stupid. No amount of math and stats can compensate for the emotional, and confidence part of the pitchers that are struggling. All Rays fans love JP Howell, but realistically this bullpen collapse started when Balfour and Howell blew the leads in a Seattle game on the road August 7th. Since then, Balfour, Howell, Springer have struggled and yet Maddon has continued to call on them game after game, an watched them fail. No one is suggesting to give up on JP Howell or Balfour. Letting them pitch in a less stressful situation and try to regain some confidence would be helpful, instead of putting them into critical game situations where they continue to fail, and continue to lose confidence.

Sunday September 6th, the Rays were winning 3-1 in the ninth inning, 1 out, nobody on base. Lance Cormier had gotten 4 outs and seemed to be cruising along. Maddon decided that he would use his math, since Cabrera was 6-14 against Cormier lifetime, and Huff 4-7 lifetime. This might sound good, but when your bullpen is struggling, and you use the same guys again, then this choice becomes easy. Math doesn't take into account the confidence lost, and the recent struggles of the 3 pitchers Maddon used. If math dictated this move, then at least Maddon could have used Wheeler who has been effective most of the year, and hasn't pitched often as of late. If he wanted to use math, Cabrera is 1-8 lifetime against Wheeler, and Huff is 1-4. If Maddon had used this as his reasoning for replacing Cormier and had used Wheeler, then it is understandable. However bringing in 3 struggling pitchers is not acceptable, regardless of the numbers.

The Rays updated list of blown games by Maddon is attached, just click here

MADDON'S MISTAKES FINALLY BEING RECOGNIZED BY RAYS FANS

Well, Joe Maddon has finally done it. He has actually made this blog's haters and folks that didn't agree with us, start to agree with our opinions. We have stated it for 2 years that Joe Maddon is simply not a great manager, and that he consistently makes too many managerial mistakes, and that the Rays winning record of 2008 was in spite of Joe Maddon, not because of him. Yes he may bring some chemistry to the clubhouse, but realistically if you watch long enough, most of these players are simply stating the company line. It's amazing to listen to Rich Herrera after games, as he tries to defend Maddon and everything about the Rays that isn't right. The guy is clearly following the company script, or else he is just a completely brainwashed individual.

As much as we wanted this season to be Joe Maddon's prove us wrong season, he simply has gotten more stubborn, and more defiant with his managerial ideas. People think that Joe Maddon Sucks.com doesn't believe in the math ideas behind Joe Maddon's philosophy. Quite the contrary however, as we do actually adhere to some of his ideas, and especially with Bill James' original sabermetrics ideas. The difference is, we also believe in common sense, and that not all game situations can be figured out by math and science. As D-Rays Bay would say, SSS, too small a sample size. This happens all too many times with Joe Maddon's math. He checks statistics, and uses them to fit his beliefs, regardless of the sample size, and regardless of common sense in a particular situation.

Sabermetrics generally is effective, but making changes just to make changes, or when a particular player is struggling, yet you continue to bring him in to relieve, when you can already predict the outcome, then who cares what the math over 2-3 years shows. If in the past few weeks a guy is struggling, why keep using him until he implodes over and over again, and finally you destroy his confidence to where he can't get it done at all. There isn't a math stat that can actually portray this accurately, as you have to have a feel for the game, and common sense to realize that certain guys aren't getting it done, so use other players that have a chance to help you. Last year, it was Dan Wheeler, and Troy Percival. They continued to destroy the Rays games, yet Maddon continued to run them out there over and over and almost ruined the Rays playoff hopes last year. This year, Wheeler has done pretty well overall, and actually carried the Rays bullpen, yet he isn't being allowed to pitch down the stretch when the Ray have needed him most. Maddon has used Balfour, Nelson, Shouse, and as of late Springer & Howell excessively, even though they have not performed well, and have continued to blow leads and games. Don't take this as a swipe at the players, as they are obviously trying to do their best. It is on the manager to not use the same pitchers who aren't getting it done, yet game in and game out, we see the same bullpen pitchers, and they continue to destroy the Rays leads. This doesn't mean we advocate not using these pitchers at all. In the case of Howell, he is an integral part of the Rays team and bullpen, but as much as he has struggled lately, Maddon has continued to us him in critical situations that he simply can't seem to get his confidence back. Why not use him when the game is already decided, or when it is 8-0 either way, so Howell doesn't have a chance to lose the game or blow a lead. Let him build his confidence back before continuing to ruin his chances of coming back from this disastrous stretch he has gone through. In the case of Balfour, it seems to be a similar situation, but he only has one really good pitch, and that seems to be the main culprit for his ineffectiveness.

Jim Hickey has been here as the pitching coach for awhile now, and watching him continue to go out to the mound, and then to see a pitcher implode shortly after, has been a frustrating scene to watch over and over. It seems that he has literally changed some of the Rays pitchers method of pitching, forcing them to pitch to contact, instead of letting them use their strengths. Garza is a strikeout pitcher, Price is a strikeout pitcher, yet they have struggled in trying to be pitch to contact pitchers. Ed Jackson was a strikeout pitcher, Kazmir was a strikeout pitcher yet they struggled until they left the Rays. To be fair, Kaz has only pitched one game since leaving, so we will have to give that some more time to see how he adjusts. The bullpen has imploded under Hickey as well. Jeff Niemann is a pitch to contact style pitcher, so this style seems to suit him well, and he has been successful. Shields is similar in that he can do both, but he has clearly struggled with the home runs this year, and is giving back leads in games that the Rays actually do score runs for him. Hopefully since the Rays are not going to get rid of Maddon and his methods, they can bring in a pitching coach that will help the Rays pitchers utilize their strengths, instead of trying to convert them into a different style of pitching. What will happen to Wade Davis under Hickey's tutelage?

Final notes on Joe Maddon. The Rays were winning 3-1 on Sunday, with 2 outs to go, nobody on base. Wade Davis pitched a gem, and left after 7 innings with a 3-1 lead. Lance Cormier came in and had retired 4 of 5 batters, and was doing fine with 1 out in the 9th, and nobody on base. Then Maddon decided to change pitchers. Remember Cormier is a long relief pitcher, and the Rays have a double header Monday, so they need to save the bullpen, yet Maddon changed pitchers anyways. His reasoning was because the batter was 6 for 14 in his career off of Cormier. This is a perfect example of using SSS, too small a sample, and abusing the sabermetric reasoning. Maybe this works with a 1 run lead, 2 men on, but with a 2 run lead, nobody on base, even a hit wouldn't have hurt the Rays as Maddon suggested. This is where common sense trumps math. Leave Cormier in, the chances of the Rays winning are extremely high. Instead we got to see the 3 main bullpen members that are struggling. Balfour came in and walked the batter, was replaced by Howell who walked a batter, was replaced by Springer, who gave up a single and GRAND SLAM to lose the game. Zero common sense, and another mis-managed game by Maddon. Maddon preaches one game at a time, but he doesn't truly follow this philosophy. Pulling Cormier because of SSS and worrying about saving him for the double header on Monday, shows that Maddon was again thinking about the future games, and not the game at hand. We all understand trying to rationalize in order to think ahead for other games, but you have to win the game you have in hand. Not according to Joe Maddon, he just continues to spread the kool-aid, and so many fans kept drinking it, until the past couple of weeks. Finally the fans are realizing just what Maddon does, and how consistently he does it. This is your 2009 Rays.

Click here for a list of Maddon Blunders this season

MADDON FINISHES RAYS PLAYOFF CHANCES

Once again, Joe Maddon mismanages a game that the Rays had in hand, and would have won today. How many times this year have Rays fans watched Joe Maddon make a mistake with the pitchers this year? Jeff Niemann pitched a gem today, no walks, 5 hits in 7 innings.

The problem started with Niemann getting to start the 8th inning when he was tired. Even this was possibly an OK move, but after a leadoff double to start the 8th, Maddon decided to go to Balfour. The same Balfour that has blown several opportunities this year, and cost the Rays a lead 8 times this year previously. The same Balfour who pitched in relief of Niemann, and blew a 5-2 lead in a critical game against the Mariners on August 7th, that the Rays lost. The same Balfour who pitched in relief of Niemann, and blew a 4-2 lead in a critical game against the Angels on August 12th. So chalk up 3 blown wins for Niemann by Balfour this month alone.

We all complain about Shields lack of run support, but how about Niemann's lack of bullpen support. They both have been hard luck pitchers this year, and both have pitched fairly well but to no avail. I'm not even sure if I can blame Balfour on this one. He clearly is trying, but shouldn't have been in the game at the point of giving up a home run to lose it. He actually had 2 outs with a man on 3rd, and a left handed hitter coming up. The hitter(Granderson) is hitting .182 against lefties this season. The Rays carry 3 LHP in the bullpen for what reason? To get a lefty out of course. But Maddon chose to use Balfour, who walked Granderson, then gave up the home run to lose the game.

We have gone over this all year long. Joe Maddon makes numerous mistakes, and in 2008 the Rays came back to win games and hide his mistakes. This year in 2009, the Rays simply haven't been able to cover up for Maddon's mistakes, and this is why they are not going to the playoffs.

All those games earlier this year, when Maddon made mistakes and cost the Rays a win, he continued to say it was early. What is his excuse now? Bottom line is Maddon has blown several games the past 2 seasons, and the Rays continue to fall short because of his mistakes. Clint Hurdle made the W.SERIES in 2007, then had a non playoff year in 2008, and was fired in 2009, only to see the Rockies return to the playoffs in 2009 with their new manager in Jim Tracy. Could this be what happens to the Rays in 2010. I doubt it, even if they have a poor start in 2010, the Rays front office seems too loyal to Maddon, but I guess time will tell. Maddon just continues to make a playoff team, not make the playoffs.

Click here for a link to blown games by Maddon, as well as Kaz, Sonny stats

FOX SPORTS BLAMES MADDON FOR RAYS SKID

Looks like the national media's love affair with Joe Maddon is finally starting to cool down. Lots of baseball scouts, and sportswriters have disagreed with Maddon's methods this season, but finally this article actually calls it right out, stating:

The Rays also play better when Maddon is less loyal and more pragmatic. The defending AL Manager of the Year has hurt the club with his devotion to unshakable faith in veterans.
Maddon stayed a long time — too long, in the view of some scouts — with B.J. Upton as leadoff hitter and Pat Burrell as the DH this season. Both failed to produce, but Maddon has responded with only one mild move.

Interesting, our sentiments exactly. I know alot of the Rays fans feel the same way and have stated as such on blogs such as the Heater, and other Rays blogs, as well as Twitter. Love him or hate him, Maddon is the reason behind the Rays downfall, just as much as the players that aren't producing, because he sticks with them, and refuses to make changes until it's too late.

Click here for the Fox News article

MADDON AGAIN MISMANAGING GAMES

Well, I tried. Really tried to lay off Joe Maddon. The guy was actually starting to grow on me, as he actually started to manage and stop making ignorant pitching decisions with his starters and pitch counts, and bringing in relievers that can't get it done. Then suddenly, Maddon started to slowly revert into stupidity again. Rays fans watch the games, we see what is happening. Maddon tries to be loyal to his guys, but again he goes beyond being loyal, and enters the stupid zone. Grant Balfour, no matter how you spin it, absolutely is awful this year. He has one pitch 90% of the time, and it' a fastball, and usually down the middle. He can't get out of jams this year, yet Maddon continues to go to him when it matters most. Friday night against Seattle, Jeff Niemann is doing fine, winning 5-2, and gives up a bloop hit. Niemann has composure, and gets out of these jams all season, but Maddon removes him for Balfour, and bingo, game is tied, an they lose again. This loss not only took them away from being within 1/2 a game of the wild card, but started the losing trend all over again. The Rays of course have gone on to lose 5 out of 6 on the road trip, and guess who blew the last game on Wednesday? Grant Balfour of course. Niemann had a 4-2 lead, in comes Balfour, and bingo 3 run Home run, and the Rays lose again. To keep going on a pitch count instead of how an actual pitcher is pitching is insane. To take a guy out at 101 pitches when he could have finished the inning, or at worst you can bring in an effective reliever, isn't a numbers game. It is just plain stupid. Regardless of stats, numbers, etc, common sense has to come into play. Dan Wheeler has been good in this spot most of the year. Last year was the complete opposite, Wheeler was awful in this spot. Last year is just that, and for some reason Maddon lives in the past on what a guy has done, and now on what they are doing currently. This has been proven time and time again. The only thing is last year the Rays offense bailed Maddon out alot, and covered up his managing mistakes with come back wins. This year they have not. The Rays defense is shoddy, fundamental plays are not being made, guys can't call each other off on a popup, the shortstop makes routine plays errors, and the same guys keep blowing games in the bullpen, and the starting pitching has gone south, and the offense can't score. This is partly because the players aren't doing well, but really let's be honest here. This is poor coaching on the Rays staff. Too many fundamental things are not being done properly, too many mental mistakes, and too many routine plays turned into runs for the other team. Maddon has done a good job in alot of areas, but his continued stubbornness, and lack of common sense in bullpen situation continues to haunt the Rays. This team deserves to finish out of the playoff race because they simply don't play like a playoff team when it matters. They went from being on the verge of 1/2 a game out of the wild card, and now will be 4.5 games back if Boston wins tonight. All that work for nothing. Picking up waiver wire pitchers from losing teams, and trying to sell them as legitimate bullpen help is another farce, but that is another story for another time. The Mariners and Angels are good, but the Rays gave away 3 wins on this road trip due to Joe Maddon's mistakes and lack of common sense, and tried darn hard to give away the one game they did win. All of this means no playoffs, and this can be pinned on Joe Maddon. 17 blown games this season due to manager mistakes and counting...

Click here for list of Maddon BLUNDERS this year

CHANGING THE ROTATION FOR SHIELDS BACKFIRED

As we stated in our last blog entry, Maddon had been doing a good job lately, but needed to manage with a sense of urgency, and changing around his rotation to get James Shields extra starts was going to backfire. So let's take a look

July 1st-Shields lost 5-0 against BLUE JAYS-Shields lost
July 7th-Winning 1-0, couldn't finish, gave up tying run in 8th, No decision
July 12th-Rays score 3 runs in the 6th winning 3-0, Shields gives up 3 in the 7th, Rays lose, Shields no decision
July 17th-Rays score twice, take 2-1 lead in the 3rd, Shields gives back 5 runs in 3rd, makes it 6-2

Now in the meantime, David Price had his best game of the year, winning 3-2, and Niemann threw his second complete game shutout of the year. But Niemann only pitched once, while Price got 2 starts, and Shields had 4 starts.

Joe Maddon has a good pulse on this team, but why tinker with things that are working. The Rays had won 7 in a row, and them lost 4 in a row, won 4 in a row, and then blew 2 leads and games they should have won. Would they have won more if the rotation hadn't been changed? We really have no way of knowing, but when your pitcher who is winning the most games this year continues to get pulled and you give those starts to a pitcher who isn't winning, it just doesn't make sense.

Shields ERA this season is better than Niemann, and he has pitched well overall, but the point is the Rays continue to lose when Shields pitches, while they win when Niemann pitches. Why change and take 2 starts from Niemann and give them to Shields, when the odds are against you winning.

As far as Shields not getting run support this season, that is true. However when he does have a lead, he has failed to put teams away this season, and gives back leads. Being a #1 starter, means you need to be able to put teams away, and help your team when they aren't giving you run support. Shields just hasn't been the go to guy this season that stops the losses.

Joe Maddon has done a good job with this team lately, but all the mistakes early in the season that cost the Rays so many wins, especially with Kaz and Sonny, are now making even the slightest mistake stand out, as the Rays simply have no room for mistakes at this point if they want to get into the playoffs. This team needs a sense of urgency, and they need it now. Giving away so many games to last place teams isn't what a playoff contender does. 72 games left after tonight, there simply isn't enough time to keep making mistakes.

RAYS & MADDON NEED A SENSE OF URGENCY

Well, just as Maddon started to manage well, and the Rays started winning, the Rays players decided to take time off from hitting, pitching, and playing defense. The Rays lead the league in Runs scored, but that is deceiving, as they scored alot of those runs in blowouts, and aren't scoring runs when they need to in order to win games.

Maddon decided to tinker with his pitching staff again, right when they start hitting stride, he changed the pitching order and dropped Niemann from his normal start for the 3rd time this year. That may have not had any bearing on the 4 game losing streak they are on, but why change it when it was working, and Niemann had actually been your most reliable starter for wins this year?

Pat Burrell still isn't hitting, it's over half a season, and yet he still starts every game. The Rays starters were rested early in the season when they were hot and didn't need rest, and they cooled off. Now that they need rest, they aren't being rested. Pena, Burrell, Longoria, are all struggling, and Aybar was hot and can play any of those 3 positions and give a rest to the struggling hitters and provide some needed offense. Navarro is just flat out hopeless at this point, but the Rays don't have much of an every day alternative.

Any manager would have a tough time when your best players are struggling and not producing, but changes have to be made when players struggle, even if it's just a game off. They are simply not playing up to their capabilities, but it is already over half a season, and the Rays need to show a sense of urgency in trying to get their hottest players in the lineup, as they simply can't afford to keep losing games against teams they should beat. Losing to 3 rookie pitchers in a row, and not only losing, but getting a total of 6 runs in 3 games, is simply not good enough if the Rays want to make the playoffs. This team has to show the urgency and put in the effort and hustle to win. Running ground balls out and hustling is not an option, it is a must. It not only creates runs, it becomes infectious, and the whole team could sure use a spark. Winning 7 games in a row was nice, but playoff teams don't turn around and lose 4 in a row, and give up games in the standings. It's time for the Rays to show the urgency and start playing consistent. They have the talent, now it's time for it to show up on the field.

MADDON NOW MANAGING LIKE A WINNER

This blog has been quiet as of late, Maddon has done a real good job of managing the past few weeks. Unfortunately Dion Navarro continues to play, but at this point what options do you have since Hernandez is not starting quality for every day. Agree with Maddon, Burrell is due to break out soon.

The Bullpen has pitched great, starting pitching has been great, and they finally sent Sonnanstine down, so what more can we say at this point. Our previous blogs were about the following:

-Sonnanstine needing to be demoted(He has been)

-Howell needing a defined role(He is closing several games now)

-Maddon sticking with relievers too long(He's been changing them rapidly before they can bury the team with a mistake)

-Resting players that didn't need resting(He has been resting guys that needed it lately)

-Sending Kaz down for help or rehab(He did that and Kaz is back)

-Upton needing to hit down in the lineup(He is now proving Maddon right, and starting to show his value in leadoff, although it would be nice if he hustled out ground balls, and extra base hits, and stopped getting picked off)

-Pitch Counts being too short(Maddon is clearly letting his starters have room to pitch out of their own jams, letting them pitch more pitches, but in the late innings, he pulls them before they can blow the game, perfect!)

-Dan Wheeler being used in crucial situations and blowing games(Maddon has been using Wheeler still, but has been pulling him much quicker instead of letting him continue to make mistakes, and Wheeler has clearly been more effective)

-Matt Joyce needed to be on the MLB team(While Joyce looks almost ready, Maddon has proven that his patience with Gross and Kapler has paid off, both have had critical hits this year and been a big part of success)

-Dion Navarro just flat out doesn't hustle, and makes too many defensive errors, and can't produce RBI's, but the Rays really have no permanent alternative. We all like Michel Hernandez, but he isn't starter material. He is terrific defensively, and is a better option than Navarro most of the time, but he isn't the permanent answer. Navarro's defense has been horrendous this year, granted they call wild pitches on the pitchers, but quality catchers would catch or block most of the wild pitches the Rays pitchers have been charged with this season, as Hernandez has proven that when he has played. As little as Navarro has provided offensively, it would be nice to see Hernandez get more starts this season. We know Maddon keeps hoping Navarro gets it going, but this is one guy that seems destined to play poorly, mostly because of his attitude. Remember this is the guy who when he lost his arbitration case this year, his agent said the Rays would pay for this..enough said

We still stand by the fact the Rays lost 13 games this season that should have been won, and even if they were Maddon gaffe's, the point is Maddon has fixed most of these situations and has moved forward. The Rays can't fix the past, all they can do is take care of the future, and they are doing a good job of that now. Unfortunately all the games count, and many of the lost games that should have been won, may come back and haunt the Rays come October. The hope is this team can play well enough to get to the playoffs, and then anything is possible. Hopefully in 2010, Maddon starts earlier on his winning methods, so the Rays don't have as big a hole to dog out of. 2009 team at this point is only 4 games behind their record of 2008, and they didn't play well the first 2 months of the season, so the best looks like it is yet to come.

To all those who thought this blog's stories and comments the past 2 seasons have been wrong, and was just about bashing Joe Maddon, think again. If the writers here were so wrong, why did the majority of the things we have complained about, get changed by Maddon over the past few weeks? We know it has nothing to do with our blog, or any other stories for that matter, but at least we were accurate in most of our comments and stories. Accurate enough that most of the changes we stated the Rays needed have actually been changed by the Rays. We're not here to bash MADDON, but to root for the Rays and hope that Maddon becomes the premier manager in the league and converts the Rays into perennial winners. GO RAYS!!

NOLAN RYAN, BILL JAMES AGREE TODAY'S PITCH COUNTS ARE RIDICULOUS

Interesting that the day after this blog wrote about the pitch count alienating pitchers, that none other than the original stats guru, Bill James, and Kansas City Star writer Joe Posnanski have an article published on SI today, discrediting these pitch counts, and showing that Nolan Ryan is spearheading the drive behind it. So now where are all those naysayers that claimed we wrote a reckless blog on pitch counts. Obviously they are the ones who agree with babying today's pitchers, and participating in shortening their careers and actually ruining the game of baseball.

We have attached the article here for all to read. Not our words, but those of Bill James, an original stats guru, as well as currently a Boston Red Sox senior advisor. To all those pitch count apologists, try actually reading the article from those inside the game, an stop your tree hugging mannerisms to keep baseball churning in its current mediocre stage. It needs to go back to the days when pitchers throw 7-9 innings, not this 100 pitches and then get pulled.

Watching a pitcher stare at the scoreboard where the pitch count is posted during the game, how can you honestly say that the pitcher can't see his count and in turn may attempt to overthrow pitches in order not to get pulled, or in order to get to that 5 inning marker so he gets a win, and in turn possibly injure himself? You can't guarantee that, but you falsely guarantee that a 100 pitch count will make sure they don't get injured.

Those who advocate the 100 pitch count, always name Wood, Prior, the Bird, but they never like to name the hundreds of pitchers who threw shutouts, pitched complete games for years, and never got injured. Baseball had a few injuries along the way for sure, but in today's babying of the players, they have clearly had far more injuries than they ever had when pitchers threw complete games and pitched deep into games. Their arms simply didn't fall off as the Joe Maddon's of the world would have you believe.

This blog has placed several stat sheets showing the blown games due to ineffective managing, as well as showing the pattern of losses by taking out pitchers early, and this just covers the Rays and Joe Maddon. All you have to do is imply look around the league and compare notes. Winning teams don't use this constant pitch count scam, they embrace good quality starting pitching, not yanking a guy who isn't tired because of a pitch count, and letting bullpens blow the wins.

Click here for the article regarding Nolan Ryan and Bill James in regards to pitch count

MADDON'S PITCH COUNT ALIENATING MANY IN BASEBALL

Joe Maddon has long theorized about pitching counts, and not hurting pitcher's arms, and has his beliefs that pitchers need to be under a pitch count. That being said, when asked, the main two names that come to mind for damaged young arms are Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior both formerly Cubs. The list of hundreds of young pitchers the past 20 years, that have come and gone in baseball, doesn't seem to include to many of them leaving for arm injuries. Wood and Prior are always who get referred to, but who else really has been injured severely, and was it really because of a pitch count?

The Rays use the theory that after 105 pitches the "possibility" of a pitcher injuring his arm becomes greater. Well, sure it does, and after stealing 40 bases, a runners legs could get injured, or after 30 home runs, Longoria could pull a hamstring, or injure his shoulder. These "numbers" are created by mathematicians, not by true baseball men. Ask Jim Leyland, a World Series winner as a manager, ask Hall of Fame Pitchers Bob Gibson, Bob Feller, Nolan Ryan, future HOF's Randy Johnson, and Tom Glavine.

Nolan Ryan currently is the President of the Texas Rangers, and he steadfastly disagrees with Maddon's philosophies. You'd think that World Series winning managers, and Hall of fame pitchers that disagree with these theories would probably have better insight than a 30 year career minor league player and baseball coach, recently turned manager. Under Ryan, the Rangers pitchers are not being babied any longer, and in his first year, they are actually in first place at this point. Instead of babying these players, they are taught how to be durable and pitch effectively, not be pulled out after a certain pitch count that is extremely low. Don't you think these pitchers can look at the scoreboard and see how many pitches they have thrown, and know they are getting close to coming out, so they actually overthrow a pitch or tow, or a few, so they try to not get removed? That alone brings the real possibility of being injured, more so than a few extra pitches under normal game situations.

Joe Maddon is slowly becoming the laughing stock manager of baseball. Ask fans from any team, and they will tell you how annoying these theories sound to them, and how they all laugh at the Maddon way. Ask baseball men, and the majority of them will disagree with Maddon's philosophies. The ones that do agree, are the handful of teams that believe in low pitch counts, and babying their players too, but can you name one team that does this and is successful?

The Rays are successful despite Maddon's tinkering and loyalty to the wrong players. These pitchers clearly don't agree with the Maddon pitch count, but are forced to walk the company line in fear of being demoted to the minors, or in looking like the outcast. The past week we have seen Irsinghausen call out Maddon for his use of the bullpen, other relievers including JP Howell showing their frustration over not having a set role in the bullpen, we have seen Price give up 3 runs total in 3 outings, yet get yanked because of a phantom pitch count, so that he has not gotten a win in 2 of those starts. The past 2 games Matt Garza has pitched, he has been pulled while struggling, but had still battled his way through the games to have a lead in 1, and only trail 3-2 in tonight's game. Yet the almighty pitch count prevails instead of letting him get the last out of an inning.

The worst comments of all were from yesterday's game, when Maddon is quoted as saying "I didn't see it as getting any better,'' said Maddon, who was booed when he came out to pull Price. "I'm more concerned about the future of the Tampa Bay Rays and also David Price. I'm even concerned about his future wife and his kids. So I want to make sure we take care of him properly." Are you kidding? He is so worried about Price's wife and kids, he pulled him for a pitch count. Maddon altered his rotation this past 2 weeks, to give them"rest", and instead of it helping, it caused a loss in the Shields game, it has messed up Garza for 2 starts in a row, and it forced Niemann to get out of sync on 6 days rest, when he had just thrown a complete game 2 hitter the previous game.

Proof is in the results, Maddon's ways are hurting this team more than helping them, and what pitcher wants to pitch on a team that continues to yank him. When these guys have contract years, it'll be disaster for the Rays, as you will see them leave for teams that have managers that actually allow pitchers to pitch, and try to win games, instead of trying not to injure a pitcher by babying him and overall stunting their growth and development.

We write it, but it isn't just our opinion, ask the Hall of Famers, the baseball executives around the league, and then ask the fans. Especially the older fans that understand baseball and the way it really is supposed to be played. Maddon will continue to preach that the game has changed. No it hasn't, it only changes when people like Maddon try to alter it to caress their ego, rather than go with what is established and already works. Change is good when it's for the better, but not good when it makes the game go backwards. Click here for an updated JUN 15TH article regarding Nolan Ryan and Stats guru and current Red Sox senior advisor Bill James's opinion and insight on the "pitch count".

Click here for the full article on Joe Maddon's comments about David Price's wife and kids from the SP Times
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Added June 15th-Bill James, Nolan Ryan disagree with the pitch count"

MADDON STATES BALFOUR'S BAD SEASON IS THE NORM??

Once again Joe Maddon confuses us with his genius comments. In an article today in the SP TIMES, these are Maddon's comments:

Maddon tried to put Balfour's performance this season (6.15 ERA) into perspective in comparison to last year's breakout. "You look at (Balfour's) overall numbers, they're not that bad," Maddon said. "It's just he just kind of spoiled us last year. A lot of what he did and what J.P. (Howell) did last year was like, come on, like almost impossible to do those things. Maybe he's pitching like he's supposed to be pitching this year. And we just have to put it into perspective."

Perspective? 6.15 ERA does need to be put into perspective, it stinks, and is killing the bullpen this year, but once again Maddon only uses stats when they work for his master plan, and ignores the ones that matter.

Click here for the complete article

RAYS PLAYERS FRUSTRATED BY MADDON'S WAYS

It is becoming more and more obvious that Joe Maddon's quirks are his methods, and his alone, yet he will continue to stay stubborn and refuses to adapt to current situations even if it means losing games, and messing up careers of his players.

The relievers have started to make it clear they want defined roles and don't like being bounced around instead of being used on a consistent basis so they can actually have a role on the Rays. We have attached a couple of recent articles by the SP TIMES, that shows the relievers frustrations. They are trying to stick it out, but why is Joe Maddon insistent on a bullpen by committee, rather than define roles and stick to them.

Maddon was blasted again today by Steve Duemig on 620 WDAE, an rightly so. Jason Irsinghausen finally had to confront Maddon about his role. Not that Izzy has been that good, but he really only had one bad outing this season, and can't be worse than Balfour and Wheeler at this point. Read the articles, it sums it up pretty well. This is simply getting out of hand, Duemig hit it on the head, Maddon is either an ego maniac, or simply is in over his head. There is a reason he coached 30 years and never got hired except by a perennial last place team. 2008 was wonderful, but it would have happened regardless of who managed as the team was simply on the verge of challenging for a playoff spot.

The Rays had so many blown leads last year with Maddon's bullpen by committee, but the difference is the Rays came back to win and hide some of those mistakes, and this year they aren't coming back, so Maddon is clearly exposed. It is plain to see, yet Maddon apologists continue to blame injuries, bullpen, etc for the Rays losses. The problem with this is that the Rays have still had 13 games they have lost due to Maddon's mismanagement, even with the injuries. They still would have won with a manager that knew how to actually use the hot hand, instead of "resting" players that don't need it. The comments he made about Sonnanstine pitching well yesterday, after he gave up 4 Home runs, just shows you Joe's stubborn mentality, and his inability to see the real picture. The articles are attached below

Maddon praises Sonnanstine after he gives up 4 HR, 5 Earned runs in 7 innings.

Irsinghausen frustrated with Maddon's usage of him and the bullpen

Relievers being forced to change roles daily, leading to their instability

Most of the players say the right things, and publicly tell you they support Maddon, but why is it that the players who leave here seem to have great success when they get away from Maddon's system? This question can no longer be ignored, if Joe is such a genius, then why can't he see the obvious and use common sense to adapt to the situation?

SONNANSTINE GETS LIT UP ONCE AGAIN, WILL MADDON EVER WAKE UP?

We have preached it here for 2 years, and have brought it up several times this season about how poorly Andy Sonnanstine has pitched, yet Joe Maddon will have you believe that he is just a step away. You simply can't keep getting shelled start after start and let a guy continue to pitch at the Major League level as a starter. Joe Maddon was the same stubborn way with Kazmir, and finally the GM forced Maddon to bench Kazmir, now the same needs to be done with Sonny. He clearly is trying, but he just doesn't have the goods to pitch as a starter at this level on a consistent basis. If he gets it fixed in the future that's great, but how can the Rays keep giving away games as automatic losses because of a pitcher that can't get it done. There is nothing more that can be said, it is obvious to everyone, and clearly it's obvious to Joe Maddon, but he chooses to stick to his stubborn methods that cost the Rays victories.

We've attached the different posts about Sonnanstine this year so it can be seen, that this has been an ongoing issue that has been ignored by Joe Maddon. For those Maddon apologists who still can't see it, this isn't a rant about a loss, this isn't second guessing, this is simply plain factual information we have posted for the past couple of years and it is reported before and after Maddon mistakes. It's truly time to wake up and stop pretending Maddon is this genius that got the Rays to the World Series. The team got there because they played well in spite of managerial mistakes, and this year they aren't coming back as frequently to win these games that Maddon is giving away. Sonnanstine's ERA is now 7.00 this season, and 5.30 for his career, that is an average of 7 earned runs per 9 innings. Not starting pitcher major league quality.

The links below are in reverse order starting with the most recent blogs in regards to Sonnanstine.

Log of Sonnanstine game by game Click here

June 08th http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/06/sonnanstine-gets-lit-up-once-again-will.html

June 01st http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/06/sonnanstine-at-minimum-should-miss.html

May 27th http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/05/joe-maddon-continues-to-blow-games-with.html

May 21st http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/05/sonnanstine-to-minors-if-next-start-is.html

May 13th http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/05/sonnanstine-blows-game-fans-sound-off.html

May 12th http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/05/sonnanstine-claims-mechanics-fixed.html

April 26th http://www.joemaddonsucks.com/2009/04/andy-sonnanstine-career-era-514.html

Read these blogs, and you tell us if this is second guessing, or if we have stated it all along about Sonnanstine and his inability to be a consistent winner.

MADDON AND HIS ROSE TINTED GLASSES

Looking at articles from Rays Index, we came across this from 2 years ago, and it is amazing to see what they were saying about Joe Maddon back then, and it still applies today. To all those Joe Maddon loyalists who continue to believe this guy is a good manager, read this article. It was from June 2007, before any of the follies that MADDON has pulled the past 2 seasons. It sure sounds familiar as if it were today, but with different relievers. The story doesn't change, different season, same excuses and lame attitude from Maddon. Click here to read this story from Rays Index

MADDON SQUANDERS ANOTHER GAME WITH LOYALTY TO SPECIFIC RELIEVERS

Once again Joe Maddon has squandered the game away today, for the 13th time this year. His loyalty to certain relievers that continue to fail miserably has again cost the Rays a crucial win. 13 losses maddon has cost the Rays this year, plus 7 more games of Maddon's mistakes that the Rays came back to win despite his managerial goofs. This manager of the year award he won in 2008 is a joke. The 2007 manager of the year in the NL, was already fired this year, the 2007 W.SERIES loser was also already fired this year, and the Red Sox manager Francona has never won a manager of the year award, but has won 2 WORLD SERIES. Make any sense to anyone? Maddon had a 3-1 lead, and chose to use Joe Nelson, who normally gets lit up, but today he got 6 big outs and did great. Why on earth would Joe Maddon then go to Grant Balfour who has done nothing but blow games and leads since blowing a playoff game against Boston last season? You got lucky once today, now put the team away and bring in someone who actually has a chance to get it done. Irsinghausen had a hand in the blown 10-0 game earlier this year, but that is his only poor outing. Cormier has been good as of late, Thayer was demoted, but he actually got outs. Nelson, Balfour, Wheeler are the three amigos that continue to sink this team, yet Joe Maddon is fiercely loyal to them. They did the right thing earlier in the year by ridding themselves of Percival, but need to do more by eliminating Wheeler and Balfour. Wheeler is easy, his contract expires at the end of the season, Balfour has talent, but needs to learn more than one pitch(fastball down the middle) as his breaking ball is awful, and he throws nothing but fastballs down the pipe when in trouble. Batters literally wait for a strike down the middle, or take a walk from him, it's that obvious. Nelson is on a one year deal too, so who knows where they will go with that, but it' time to use some minor league talent or make a trade for a reliever that can actually get outs. Howell is the best the Rays have, and it's not his fault they wait to use him until the bases are loaded. Bring him in at the start of an inning, he does his job well. Stop waiting to bring him in, where the job doesn't get done. Maddon is either a real idiot, or simply can't break his loyalty to these non pitching relievers that he sticks with. No manager in baseball would continue to light a fire in every game and blow leads like this, except Joe Maddon. It would be different if he didn't have options, but at least try to use other options that you have, and if they fail, then there is nothing he could have done different. This "rest" thing is out of control. "Resting" Pena against the Red Sox on national TV, when he was hot, totally knocked him out of a groove. "Resting" Bartlett by putting him on the DL for a minor sprain, and "Resting" Longoria for a hamstring pull when both players claim they are able to play, has cost the Rays several games with defensive errors from Brignac and Aybar, who are filling in. It's fine to rest once in awhile, but resting guys that don't need it when they are hot, and then watching backups make errors that cost games, when they wouldn't have been in there defensively, has just shown that this "resting" is a farce. Joe Maddon has quirks and theories, and tries to tell us the game has changed, but it only changes in his mind. Start playing the starters regularly, and start letting pitchers get deep into games, and they don't lose their sharpness, and they pitch better. Limiting pitch counts is fine for a rookie, but to continue to do it for years, is ridiculous. Old time champions pitched complete games, that is why they won, not having to rely on BS bullpens. The game only changed if you change it and decide to go against what works. Enough with the theories and quirks Joe, start managing with your brain and common sense, it worked for over 100 years in baseball, it still works. Trying to be cute and use theories, then blaming financial salaries as the reason you have to "protect" assets, simply causes a team to be made up of under achieving and lazy players, that have no incentive to perform. Ed Jackson threw a complete game yesterday by the way Joe, and it's amazing how he hit 98 miles an hour last night and won again 2-1, with an ERA of 2.16 since he got away from the Maddon/Hickey regime and their controlling pitch counts, instead of letting him pitch. Jim Leyland is a manager that has won a World Series, and believes in letting pitchers pitch. Nolan Ryan is another, and since he became President of the Rangers, they are in first place and his staff is actually learning how to pitch. Wake up Maddon before this season is given away, the Yankees are clearly over-rated, they win games because teams like the Rays give them away, not because they earn it. Try managing to win, instead of managing not to lose. Go Rays Click here for a list of blown games by Maddon this season. Highlighted are the games Wheeler, Balfour, Nelson have blown.