The point made yesterday can't be repeated enough: When it comes to evaluating potential managers, the only things I know about most of the names that come up are the names that come up. It's a tough spot for someone who needs to research a subject before he forms an opinion. Thank goodness I'm not one of those dorks.
Will have a kneejerk positive reaction toward:
Dave Righetti
Ron Wotus
Lenn Sakata
Joe Girardi
Bud Black
Robby Thompson
Stan Javier
Will have a strong kneejerk negative reaction toward:
Lou Pinella
Bob Brenly
Any other retread
He'll shorten my lifespan by at least a year, but will probably give me the chance to write some pretty snappy columns:
Dusty Baker
The Ugly:
Randy Johnso...actually, all of them. Not a looker in the bunch.
On the KNBR interview, Brian Sabean all but dismissed Baker as a possibility. He also said one of the difficulties in starting the search right now was that he couldn't talk to any of the individuals still involved in the playoffs. Hrm.
Joe Pettini. Your 2007 Giants manager.
It was an unexpected comment, as there aren't many names that leap out from these so-called "playoffs". Dave Duncan? Ron Washington? All of these names are sprinkled with the excitement of the unknown, so throw them on top of the kneejerk positive pile. The positive pile has the numbers which means either:
- I'm desperately grasping at any and every kind of positive straw floating at the top of this particular wastewater lagoon.
- Change appeals to me until it stops being a good idea.