It's always fun to see how two different people interpret the same quote based on what kind of generosity they're willing to expend.
Case in point: Rick Hahn's quotes about Don Cooper during the general managers meetings.
Despite a lack of progress from the pitching staff and the trend of coaching overhauls around baseball, Cooper has remained with the White Sox, and he'll likely do so unless he wants to step down.
Rick Hahn was asked about this dissonance, and Hahn stressed the value of continuity up and down the chain.
“First we think Coop is really good, obviously he has had a great impact over a decade-plus in the organization, and continues to be a strong instructor to get the most out of the guys we give him,” Hahn said. “Second, it’s not just Coop, it’s also Curt Hasler, who is an extraordinarily strong pitching coach in his own right; a guy who plays a huge role in that clubhouse, a huge role in our instruction, a guy Coop trusts and the front office trusts implicitly with every element in coaching our arms.”
[...]
“There is a benefit to having the continuity of instruction, the fact our drafted players are hearing the same message in the minor leagues that they’ll hear all the way up the chain in Chicago,” Hahn said. “That’s in part because of the long-term continuity of Coop and the other pitching coaches in the organization. Another layer, our scouts have a really good sense of what type of arm action and deliveries we feel as a staff we’re really good at getting better, and what hangups we avoid because historically we haven’t seen good results from. There is a great benefit from that continuity from a development and scouting standpoint.”
Paul Sullivan heard the same words, then pretended to stop listening soon afterward.
“First, we think Coop is really good,” Hahn said. “He’s had a great impact over decades-plus in the organization and continues to be a strong instructor and to get the most out of the guys we give them. Second, it’s not just Coop.”
Actually, it’s always “just Coop,” so the rest of Hahn’s answer, which included the need for “continuity” throughout the system, was irrelevant.
As we discussed when the White Sox promoted Nick Hostetler to assistant general manager and promoted Mike Shirley from within to replace him, the White Sox are not in the overhauling business. They also haven't been in the results business. These things might be related.
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Spare Parts
At the bottom of Emma Baccelieri's overview of MLB's new rules, the league is adjusting the injured list to treat position players and pitchers differently. The former will still adhere to the 10-day minimum stay, but pitchers will revert to a 15-day minimum in an attempt to thwart manipulation. If there's one benefit to the White Sox avoiding the opener despite all the rotation issues last year, it's that they won't find themselves compromised by these measures. As we discussed last year, the White Sox aren't ones to violate the spirit of the injured list.
Along similar lines, Eno Sarris says more baseball players will be getting programmed days off in order to stave off fatigue and repetitive stress injuries. It sounds simple, but it might be hard to sell it to all players, especially ones skeptical of teams using their personal physical information against them in negotiations.
Craig Brown picks up on my post about Hahn's history in free agency and does the same for Dayton Moore. One similarity? The middling deals drag everything down. One difference? Moore had more overlap with his successes, which helped them in their brief-but-glorious window.
Following up on their blockbuster report on the Astros' practice of using live cameras to rely signs to hitters via dugout trash cans, Ken Rosenthal and Evan Drellich are following this scandal up the chain. A.J. Hinch, Alex Cora and Carlos Beltran, all current MLB managers, all figure to be prominent subjects. Beltran is especially fascinating, because he's refusing the entertain the notion that he's guilty of anything.
Anyway, this behavior makes me feel better about my general aversion to the McKinsey-centric route the Astros took in redesigning their approach to winning games.
