"I don't give a damn if guys in here have confidence in me," Benitez said. "I know what I can do. You don't respect me, it's a big mistake -- a big mistake. Because I've been in the playoffs more than anybody here. I've (played for) better teams than this.

What an asshole. You've also melted down in the playoffs more than anyone else.

I knew there was a reason I hated the guy.

This is an excellent example of why Benitez has a reputation for not being mentally tough.  He's a very sensitive guy playing a position where you have to be the Rock of Gilbratar.  This is why he melts down at the worst times.

The best way to shut everyone up, Armando, would be to take the mound and shut everyone down for a while.

"You go warm up four times in the bullpen, sit down, come back, warm up again in the rain and the cold and go in the game, and try to do your best."

Well. No. Shit.  

Aside from the obvious--Mando was, and is overrated, and now frustrated--his comments confirm once again what we all know. Alou is unsurpassed in pitching staff manglement.  

A manager's job is not to flash bunt and run and run and hit and micromanage game tactics.  That's what instructional leagues are for.  Teaching.

This is the big leagues.  A MLB manager has to know how to manage personalities. And he has to lead.  It matters not if he is traditional, contrarian, or radical.  What matters most is that the players he is supposed to lead and manage buy into his way of doing things and that they are successful doing them.  

Benitez' statement above seems to speak for the entire pitching staff.  "Up-down-up-down. Warm up. Sit down. Warm-up--hurry-hurry!  Before even one pitch is thrown.  

No pitcher, not even one from the planet Krypton, can survive Alou's style. One only has to look at the last three and 1/3 seasons.

Clearly the results speak for themselves.  Burnt out pitchers by the dozen over the last 3 years. Each an underperformer while here, and useless afterword--arm and confidence gone for the most part.

A good manager must above all else put each individual player in a position to succeed by featuring their strengths and minimizing their weaknesses whenever possible.  If a manager can do this better than most, he will be very successful.

Some say that Alou is too old. That is not the problem.  Jim Leyland is old.  Trader Jack McKeon was ancient.  Joe Torre is old.  But all three in their championship runs were able to feature player strengths, cover their weaknesses, and communicate and have their players believe in what they were doing.  Success bred success. The more success, the more belief in the manager. The more belief in the manager, the more success.

Alou may know more about baseball than most.  But he does not manage personalities worth a shit.  His communication skills are primitive at best.  If you cannot communicate, you cannot lead. If you cannot lead, you cannot be successful over the course of a season.

Show Mando and Alou the door. Please.

should send Benitez an autographed copy of his opus.  That truly incredible piece of art makes everyone feel better.

Tell you what, Mando. My heater's got a lot of tail, though I can only bring it in the low 80s. My curve is a killer out pitch that comes in 65-70mph. My Vulcan change (yes, I grip it between the middle and ring fingers) needs a little work, though. However, despite all that, I'd be absolutely overjoyed for the opportunity to take you up on your challenge to pull on a Giants uniform and pitch. 1)I'm completely HGH and steroid free. 2)I'm only 23, so I've got tons of upside, especially since once I get the pro contract, I'd have the time to get in better shape. 3)I'd be paid the MLB minimum.

What's that? You were just trying to bully people into not criticizing your performance by essentially saying "This job is hard. I could kick your ass"? We're not comparing YOU to ME. We're comparing you to OTHER MLB PITCHERS. Stfu, talk to Sabes or talk to Cream of Wheat about this. Reporters, no matter how nice they seem, are not your friends, dude.

So Flippy got Accardo up on the 7th against the Pirates rather than saving him for the 9th, where he belongs. But Benitez is a Latin player (and a savvy veteran), so Flippy bends over backwards for him. I guess Accardo should be happy just to be on the team given his youth and whiteness. How weak is Flippy anyway? It looks like the inmates are running the asylum.

Benitez has had better stuff recently - he is throwing in the mid-90's and the splitter looks like it may be coming back. His control still blows, however. Thus, he should, at best, be pitching the 8th inning, and Accardo should be the closer. DFA WorrHell and bring the Beach Boy back up to be on the 7th inning setup committee.

"I want to put this in the paper: all the guys who boo me, I want you to go do my job," Benitez said. "You go warm up four times in the bullpen, sit down, come back, warm up again in the rain and the cold and go in the game, and try to do your best."

Awfully "brave" words for someone setting out on a road trip.   How about making these remarks and then facing the music the next day at the home park, Superman?  

I hope he realizes that fans have long memories.

Benitez can say whatever he wants.  He can bitch about Jon Miller, or obnoxious fans or whatever.

Just throw strikes Mandos.

Would Mando care to explain how he actually heard Miller's remarks from six weeks ago, or why they've stuck in his craw for that long? Why is he paying attention to what the play-by-play guys say about him? Trust me, fatass, the fans are saying far, far worse things. And is this really the first time anyone's ever called a bullpen "terrible"?

I'd like to believe the party line that this year's clubhouse has a far better vibe than last year's, and I think it's true w/r/t the hitters, but I'm sensing that Morris, Worrell and Benitez are prima donnas on the pitching side.