I really like Dave Miley. Overall, I think he’s a fine manager, and he’s the only Reds manager that I’ve liked since Davey Johnson.
That said, I have one big problem with him: he seems to have no clue about lineup construction. Example number 33,563: today, Miley has Joe Randa hitting cleanup. On a team with Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Wily Mo Pena, Dave Miley decides to let Joe “Average” Randa hit fourth.
I know the arguments that lineup construction is overrated, in the context of winning. But still…can anyone think of a good argument for this?
It’s just to split up the LH Hitters. He spends his energy on that possible scenario in the late innings and then he ends up stacking 4 HIGH K rate players.
I find it baffling that the possible LOOGY matchup takes precedent over the flow of the game… especially considering the trouble the Reds have scoring the past 2 nights.
Of course I also hate the attempted steal so early in the game after a 4 pitch walk, but I’ll wait to see if that was a bench call or Freels attempt.
If the goal is simply to split up the LH hitters, why not bat Wily Mo Pena fourth?
Because Dave is a vet guy I guess.. he’s so very 1982 in his approach to the game.
1982, ouch! Bad days, them.
I think Miley was riding the hot hand. Randa has been raking the ball, as he himself predicted presason. I don’t think we’ll see Randa hit cleanup too often this season.
Didnt we once have to suffer with Rolando Roomes batting cleanup? I’ll take Miley-ball anytime and twice on Sundays.
look, dunn and kearns sure aren’t hitting like “Average” Joe, and you can not bring Pena off the bench and then bench griffey, kearns, or dunn because they can field decently, but pena not so. Besides, with the reds pitching as it is you need good outfielders to keep the ball in play and not make mistakes, which pena is prone.