If Wash is still the manager next year. I think JD is going to be given one more year to see what he can put together but i honestly think the collaspe over the past month and a half is going to send Wash packing. I would not be the least upset if that happens. I agree with AJM completely in his assessment of RWs ability to manage during the game and how to handle the pitchers on the mound and in the pen. So many times this year he has pulled someone who is throwing well and in comes someone else only to see them give up a lead or blow a close game. (Last night was the perfect example!!!)

I think rangerchick is primed for a summer month on the LSB calender.

Almost enough women to complete it.

and he’s a guy who can pitch for a while. If you’re bullpen is tired and Loe is throwing well leave him in there.

I keep thinking about the end of Millwood’s last complete game and Wash being talked out of pulling Milly by, I think, Hawkins. Maybe Wash should basically turn bullpen management over to someone else.

move letting Loe pitch to one batter. Ron’s gut must of been upset.

There really aren’t many, here is what I can think of, with Washington’s grades:

1 – Putting the right guys in lineups, organizing the rotation. Getting guys playing time — C+, Wash gets guys into games, has handled the Salty/Laird platoon well, but the outfield platoons never quite made sense to me. The rotation has been a disaster, but doesn’t really seem to be his fault.

2 – Don’t screw up in-game decisions. This includes substitutions and pitching changes. — C- He relies on the wrong guys in the bullpen (i.e., Wright), and he doesn’t do a great job of using some guys (i.e., Madrigal). But his bullpen results are definitely graded on a curve, since it has been a chaotic group out there.

3 – Player management – Related to #1, he’s handled the Laird/Salty situation well, lots of rookies have played well this year for him, and a certain potential trouble makers have been well behaved (Bradley) . But there have also been some problems (Ponson, CJ) which may have been better addressed before they blew up. B

4 – Fielding (Washington Specific) – Wash was hired to help this team field better. I still cringe whenever a ball is hit on the ground. D

5 – Absorb media ire – I guess he’s good enough, but this is an easy job that really only affects how easy it is for beat writers to file their stories. B+, mostly because it seems irrelevant to the team’s ultimate winning.

Anyway, overall Wash probably gets a C or C+, neither of which is stellar, but he’s not ruining the team either. If a great manager like LaRussa or Cox is worth 2 or 3 games in the standings at the end of the year, and an awful one (Hargrove) costs 2 or 3, then I see Wash being, well, a wash. If a great candidate is around who wants to come to Texas, I can see letting Wash go, but otherwise, his work with rookies has been promising enough to keep him around.

But he is very much lacking as a team Manager, until he learns to manage the bull pen why not let Andy Hawkins run the pitching end of things, make the changes, decide who comes in, and no more automatic put ins or removals (if it’s not broken, don’t fix) if a guy is pitching well leave him in until he is not, don’t just bring a guy in the 7th or 8th just because thats where you think he should come in. until he learns that this bull pen will continue to loose games.