Rangers - Why I'm Glad Oates is Gone

Date:     Mon, 7 May 2001 12:56:07 -0500
Reply-To: Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
Sender:   Texas Rangers MLB Discussion <RANGERS@TAMU.EDU>
From:     Beau Sharbrough <beau@SHARBROUGH.NET>
Subject:  Re: Why I'm Glad Oates is Gone

Doug Melvin looks to me like a really good guy in his first GM job. He's getting to try things that he always wanted to try - like stressing pitching and defense and building up a minor league program.

He also looks like he's doing what many executives do - choosing what he wants to worry about. It appears that he's happy dealing with player personnel and player development issues, and that he's not interested in breaking in managers. It's clear that he held onto Johnny Oates after Oates ceased to be an asset and crossed over into the realm of liabilities. It appears that Hicks understood that and intervened this time.

Often, after you deal with the thing you've avoided, you learn not to fear it and you don't have the problem anymore. I think that manager was an intentional blind spot for Melvin, but now that he's been through it I think he'll be a better GM for it.

Don't get me wrong - I don't think that Doug's perfect. I still think that he gave away Canseco and Deano - but I think that he learned from those experiences (it appeared to me that Oates has stopped learning from his experiences). I'm very interested in seeing what kind of a GM that Doug Melvin will become as he grows in this job. I feel like the Rangers will win the World Series if they stick with him long enough.

I think that he knows pitching - I think that Johnny has been asking for all of this finesse instead of power, and that it's at least possible that Melvin appreciates a power pitcher. He did pursue Big Unit and Rocket, after all.

I guess I'm saying that I feel like we're not even to the middle of the Doug Melvin Book, and I'm wanting to stay in and read the whole thing.

Just my two cents.

-----Original Message-----
From: Texas Rangers MLB Discussion [mailto:RANGERS@TAMU.EDU]On Behalf Of
Kling, Curtis
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 11:06 AM
To: RANGERS@TAMU.EDU
Subject: Re: Why I'm Glad Oates is Gone

Beau Sharbrough grounded out:

> ... Grounds to Fire Johnny #1: not knowing what was going on.
>
> ... Instead, he chose to publicly say that no coach would leave unless he left first. This bad judgment would be Grounds to Fire Johnny #2.
>
> ... IMHO, this rendered him completely untrustworthy forever more, and would be Grounds to Fire Johnny #3.
>
> ... What relationship had grown between these two that Pudge would think that JO was questioning his toughness? This would be Grounds to Fire Johnny #4.
>
> ... Playing it safe doesn't sell in this heat, and would be Grounds to Fire Johnny #5.
>
> ... That would be Grounds to Fire Johnny #6: he's one of the few managers who can misuse his starters and his bullpen so badly.

You made a lot of excellent points, Beau. And all those grounds to fire Johnny are Grounds to Fire Doug #1. Doug Melvin ignored these facts and put his friendship with Oates ahead of the team. Oates wanted to quit at the end of last season, but Melvin persuaded him to stay. On what grounds, I wonder? Grounds to Fire Doug #2!

> There's a lot of talk about pitchers down here, but I don't think that JO works with kids well - he prefers the mid 30's former Orioles. We've sent about a half a dozen pitchers who floundered here to other teams and seen them blossom - Rick Helling (Florida Marlins), Robb Nen (Marlins and Giants), Esteban Loiaza (Cleveland), and so on. We offered Aaron Sele $28 million for 4 years and he walked. We couldn't get Todd Stottlemyre to stay. We couldn't get Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, or Mike Hampton to take us seriously.

Or especially Roger Clemens. This could be Grounds to Fire Doug #3. Pitchers fail here but blossom elsewhere and Doug apparently has no idea why. Free agent pitchers don't want to come here, even if money talks. Melvin apparently has no idea why.

> I should admit that I stopped supporting Bobby Valentine about a year before he left, too. I mean, in the interest of full disclosure, I give up on people and stay gave up on them forever, unless it's my second ex-wife.