Decker now in charge of hitting through the system

Comments

Is this better or worse for Decker? As in a lower position of importance in the organization?

by Mrbasepaul on Jan 27, 2012 8:37 AM PST reply actions

Schulman wrote a blog on it this week and insisted it wasn’t a demotion. And that he’s still considered a future big league manager within the org.

by Roger on Jan 27, 2012 8:48 AM PST up reply actions

Baggs also wrote that there was also a notion of him not havng to be constantly on the road so much with the new position. I look at this as a decision by Sabes to give Decker a new challenge to fix a problem that is system-wide in the org – poor hitting. He already knows what Decker can do as a manager.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2012 12:22 PM PST up reply actions

interesting though, it did mention he was going to have to visit all of the minor league affiliates, and seems like he’ll still be on the road quite a bit.

by Mrbasepaul on Jan 28, 2012 10:50 AM PST up reply actions

Cool, that’s good to hear, from what I’ve read and the fact that he’s a former catcher, he could be a good big league manager.

by Mrbasepaul on Jan 28, 2012 10:51 AM PST up reply actions

I can’t remember where I saw it, but there were whispers that Decker was not solicitous enough of big league players that were playing down due to demotion or rehab. Perhaps he treated all the guys the same, and some dudes were too big for their britches and didn’t appreciate it.

I DON'T BELIEVE YOU (AGAIN) [now with theme song]

I tweet (and occasionally blarg) | Your San Francisco Giants: "Together We're Broken!"

by can of corn on Jan 27, 2012 10:58 AM PST up reply actions

I can’t imagine the Giants FO really caring that much about that, given that the GM has given quite a few verbal tongue-lashing to players being sent to Fresno over the years.

Really, I’ve never heard anything that suggests the team doesn’t have a very favorable view of Decker, as generally, do outsiders.

by Roger on Jan 27, 2012 11:05 AM PST up reply actions

I think the team still has a favorable view. I think they also are trying to give him a broader overview of the organization. It’s probably a good thing.

I did find it interesting that some players may have been out of sorts for not getting favorable treatment. Good for him for managing a team, and not kissing ass to the players.

I DON'T BELIEVE YOU (AGAIN) [now with theme song]

I tweet (and occasionally blarg) | Your San Francisco Giants: "Together We're Broken!"

by can of corn on Jan 27, 2012 11:08 AM PST up reply actions

I agree, unless you’ve got a roiding bonds on your hands, most players should be treated the same. Expecting a high level of professional dedication from your players is a positive thing.

by Mrbasepaul on Jan 28, 2012 10:53 AM PST up reply actions

I think that Decker scored huge points with the Sabes & Co. over the work he did with Buster in early 2010. Without that crash course in the art of catching, Posey wouldn’t have been ready to take over the staff from Bengie and the Giants likely don’t make the 2010 playoffs. Not to mention that Decker can be said to have a big hand in helping to develop MadBum (at Connecticut and Fresno), Panda, Pill, and many of the pitchers on the major league staff.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2012 12:15 PM PST up reply actions

WHAT???? POSEY HAD NOTHING TO LEARN!!!!!

2010 World Series Champions!
Adopted 'nephew' to the ever avuncular and always awesome Jon Miller

by Johnny Disaster on Jan 27, 2012 3:00 PM PST up reply actions

That goes against comments he made at the time.

Go Giants

by Gianni on Jan 28, 2012 10:28 AM PST up reply actions

In charge of hitting?

I’m trying to think of anything in his body of work that would lead an independent observer to believe that Steve Decker can teach hitting to baseball players above the level of, say, Little League.

Now, if it were catching, I could support that.

Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this son of Cabrera.

by Lyle on Jan 27, 2012 9:40 AM PST reply actions

Those who can’t do, teach. After all Ted Williams was a terrible hitting coach.

by Roger on Jan 27, 2012 10:02 AM PST up reply actions

+1

Look at the best hitting coaches of the past 40 years and you’ll see that very few were great, or even good, hitters themselves. Gifted athletes usually don’t make good coaches, because things came to them naturally. You can’t pass that on to students.

"There ain’t much to being a ballplayer, if you’re a ballplayer." - Honus Wagner

by Fla-Giant on Jan 27, 2012 12:18 PM PST up reply actions

Truth

J. Luster is now coaching and teaching in San Diego and he told me that teaching has shown him how poor his approach to hitting was.

Adopted father of Brian Bocock, Brad Boyer, Sharlon Schoop, Shane Jordan, Jeremiah Luster,Trey Webb,David Quinowski, Jeff Arnold,Brandon Allen, Chris Gloor and Brian Maloney.

"GM Jack Zduriencik is one of the sharper tools in the shed. Elsewhere in that shed, Brian Sabean continues to pound screws into bricks with a garden rake."

by RichH on Jan 27, 2012 12:41 PM PST up reply actions

Time for a promotion for our man Dunston

Instead of just being an ambassador, our man Shawon can coach hitting and plate discipline!

by Nivra on Jan 27, 2012 1:22 PM PST up reply actions

SWING AT THE FIRST PITCH!!!….Giants no-hit in 27 pitches…game to 37 minutes.

Still the father of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden

by SFGuy on Jan 27, 2012 5:30 PM PST up reply actions

to=time

Still the father of two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum.
"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be." - John Wooden

by SFGuy on Jan 27, 2012 5:30 PM PST up reply actions

Natural talent sometimes prevents being a good teacher. Consider Will Clark as a hitting coach saying “when the ball looks good hit the shit out of it”..
Decker has had to work hard to analyze hitting. I can see that his opinion is respected. Giants hitting coaches have been frustrated at the ML level for the last few years. I don’t believe either Lansford or Muelins told hitters to always swing at the first pitch or told Rowland that the slider away was his pitch. I hope that this is a step to fix a good hitting approach throughout the organization for many years. Decker has done good work with AAA hitters with Pill, Bowker and a few others thriving in AAA and not being able to succeed at the next level yet. I hope that it works.

Go Giants

by Gianni on Jan 28, 2012 10:35 AM PST up reply actions

yah i gotta agree that this doesn’t matter. dave duncan isn’t cy young, yet he’s one of the best pitching coaches in baseball and has been for a really long time. honestly if things come naturally to you it’s even harder to pass on that knowledge to other people. struggling with it and figuring it out somewhat, and being able to break down each individual struggle and part of whatever difficult task you’re trying to accomplish, you can then pass on that knowledge to other people. it also takes being not selfish.

by Mrbasepaul on Jan 28, 2012 10:55 AM PST up reply actions