Does Ryne Sandberg personality fit coaching the Phillies?

As a Manager

Sandberg may be the biggest introvert the game has ever had. However, it is a myth that he is quiet or even stark. Reporters that are with the team everyday see a different side of him. Sandberg is extremely vocal. He is not afraid to be in your face if he needs to. While he prepares for practice, he pays attention to every detail. During practice he is hands on with his players. Ryne expects his players to give it their all for the team.

The Kind of Guy Philadelphia Needs

Ryne Sandberg may be a new MLB manager, but he automatically garners respect because he is a Hall of Famer. Veteran players will listen to him. There were already two situations. Jimmy Rollins was being too lackadaisical for his liking so he got benched. Jonathan Papelbon was reprimanded for not wanting to pitch a third day in a row. He is very opinionated. Just listen to his Hall of Fame speech here. During his speech he mentions that power hitters are not team players.

 Sandberg does not want any glory and expects the same with his players. He expects each player to put the team before themselves. His style of baseball is old school and the way baseball was meant to be played. Ryne is not afraid to be aggressive. He does not hesitate to call a sacrifice bunt or a hit-and-run in order to get runners in scoring position. Before this year, the Phillies were trying to hit for power. Now they are transitioning into playing small ball. They still having of executing it properly as a cohesive unit.

Dealing with the Phillies

An individual’s character is shown when they are struggling. When there is a new guy in charge, there are adjustments that are made. When adjustments are made the team takes on a new culture. Ryne is not afraid to call a team meeting in order to have his concerns heard. Sandberg wants to see more of an urgency to execute the opportunities that are given throughout each game.

The Bottom Line

The Phillies stink and are in turmoil. It takes balls to take over a baseball team that sucks as much as the Phillies do. Ryne Sandberg did not care that coming into Philadelphia might tarnish his illustrious career. Ryne inherited a team that lacks talent and is full of old depleted players. There is not a coach that could do a better job with this team. No other manager could do a better job. Not Charlie Manuel, not Joe Torre, and not even if Don Zimmerman came back from the dead. It would be foolish to give up on Sandberg, but feel free to throw in the towel on this team. 

What Happened to Domonic Brown?

When hearing the name Domonic Brown, the first thing that comes to mind is the 4 week span that he had last season. During this span there was no outfielder in the MLB better then Brown, he performed better than anyone could ever expect. Those four weeks were Brown’s coming out party. He proved that he deserved to be in the Majors. He also finally lived up to his potential. However, this success would not last for long. After these successful weeks, Brown’s performance seemed to drastically decline. Domonic Brown has not seen much more success this season either. The former All-Star looks to have already hit his peak.

Brown has been in the Majors since he was 21 years old, playing in about 30 games.  Brown has been seen as the Phillies top prospect for many years, he even declined a scholarship to play football at the University of Miami to join the Phillies minor league system. Since then Brown has had his ups and has had his downs.  Last season Brown hit 27 homeruns, hit .272, and 83 RBIs this season he isn’t even a shell of what he was then. This season he has only 4 homeruns, 27 RBIs, and an average of .206. There are many theories on why he is having a lack of success.

 With all of this talk one thing is clear, since Brown has lost Wally Joyner as his hitting coach his production has gone down. Brown was living on cloud 9 for those few weeks last season. Nothing could harm him and he was even considered as one of the best outfielders in the Majors. But, this success was all from Wally Joyner. Wally stepped in last season and completely reinvented his swing. Brown has always had a long swing and even during his success last season it was long. However, Joyner was able to tweak and change different aspects in the swing to make it become more compact and more fluent. By doing this Joyner was able to successfully fix Brown’s swing. What I think happened towards the end of last season, was that Brown stopped listening to his hitting coach because he thought he knew better. He is still a young kid, and in my opinion he became cocky and arrogant and did not need help. Therefore, Joyner’s influence seemed to leave Brown. Wally Joyner this season would not rejoin the Phillies coaching staff and due to this factor Brown’s swing has gotten even worse.

The once potential superstar is no longer in Domonic Brown anymore. He does not have the ability to lead a team or be the star of a team. Brown has not lived up to his potential, and this season so far has proven that the Phillies should have done what many said last year and trade Brown. He is now seen as a worthless player on the Phillies squad. He is not even suitable for the Phillies needs anymore as he should be benched. One cannot help but wonder that his few weeks of success were actually just a hot streak and not him breaking out into the league. Domonic Brown is another example of how the Phillies need to develop their talent better. If Brown was on a winning baseball team, they would look to upgrade. The only thing good that Brown does is lower the Phillies average age on the roster.

 Darin Ruf of the Phillies has been treated like the red headed step child. They have not respected his ability, even though he has proven himself each and every time he has been called up. Though last season in only 73 games he hit 15 homeruns and batted .247, he has not been given any respect. Darin Ruf is deserving of the starting role over the left-handed bat Domonic Brown. The Brown era should be officially over, Wally Joyner saved Brown’s swing, but arrogance and cockiness ruined his Major League career.

               

Phillies Lineup Changes

The Phillies have a “real” manager in Ryne Sandberg. A “real” manager is something that the Phillies have not had in close to a decade. Sandberg knows how to manage a game. Managing a baseball game starts before the first pitch is thrown with creating the starting lineup. The lineup is something that varies day to day. One of Sandberg’s best attributes is being able to make adjustments game by game that correspond with his player’s strengths.

Ben Revere leading off:

Revere is fast. Revere is really really really, ridiculously fast. If only he was able to throw. If Revere did not have his speed than he would be nothing. His terrible arm in the outfield causes Ryne to be hesitant to keep him in the lineup on a daily basis in order to limit errors. Sandberg’s logic is to get your fastest player on the base paths early in order to get early runs. Let’s hope he can bring his average up above .300 and learn to work the pitch count more effectively. Also Mayberry will take his place in the over Revere because he crushes left handers. But then Gwynn Jr. is the better fielder.

Wil Nieves hitting in the 2 hole:

Nieves is a hitter that can hit to all sides of the ball park. He is the typical contact hitter, but at least he can take pitches and be smart with what he actually does swing at.

Chase Utley hitting 3^rd:

The 3^rd spot is where any team’s best hitter is in the lineup. This year Utley is the Phillies best hitter so he goes in the 3^rd spot. It was just a matter of time before he was slotted there. Since the beginning of the year he was crushing the baseball.

Dropping Ryan Howard to 5^th:

Howard has little power. He did hit a walk-off homerun. We need to see that more often.

Rollins and Ruiz in the top two spots:

The first and second hitters are your on-base guys. Jimmy Rollins might have his days with the Phillies coming to an end, but he belongs in the leadoff spot. That was his spot when he was thePhillies’ MVP. Ruiz is one of the beter hitting catchers in the National League.

Cody Asche hitting 6^th:

Before Asche got injured, he was on a tear. He originally started the year in the eight spot. Sandberg eased him into the lineup during the beginning of the year by having bat only against lefties. Fingers crossed for Asche to pick up where he left off after recovering from his injury.

Marlon Byrd hitting behind Howard

Marlon Byrd has proven to the Philadelphia fans that he can once again be productive at the Major League level. Byrd has shown that he can be an RBI machine and hit above .300, making up for Ryan Howard’s mistakes. Byrd’s power has been shown at some points during the season however he is still lacking somewhat in the homerun category. Byrd has been one of the few good assets picked up by Amaro this season

Dominic Brown in the lineup over Ruf?

Dominic Brown has made no adjustments to his swing since coming up from the Minor Leagues a few years ago. Last season he had only a few good weeks until he went back to being the typical Brown striking out and missing pitches. His fielding is below average, not knowing how to read a ball. With Darin Ruf on the bench hitting over 40 homeruns in the minors, he should be given the opportunity to start over Brown. If the Phillies kept or had capable outfielders, Brown and Revere would not be in there any long. Phillies fans would love to have Bobby Abreu back in their lineups who is now hitting over .300. It’s time to give Ruf his chance.

Lineup changes are not a direct result from a win or a loss. Sandberg will most likely never commit to a standard lineup. Ryne Sandberg creates a lineup every day that he believes will create the most scoring opportunities. There is a reason for each change. Each player has to execute their role in the lineup for it to work and for the Phillies to win.

About the Players the Eagles Drafted

1(26)-Marcus Smith, OLB, Louisville

The best part of this pick is that he is not a project. During Andy Reid’s draft he would pick players that he had a crush. They would be expected to play a position that they did not play in college or their body does not fit. Marcus is 6-4 and 258. Smith has NFL size, athleticism, and skill. He can play OLB in the NFL because he can rush the passer, set the edge, and play in space. Smith is not a pure pass rusher. Marcus Smith does not have to start right away. This is good because he will have a lot of learn. Cole and Barwin will start the season dominating the snap count. Smith will come in situationally. Hopefully Smith is a soon to be Connor Barwin. 

2 (42) - Jordan Matthews, WR, Vanderbilt

Matthews will be the one player of the Eagles 2014 draft that will be able to contribute effectively right away. This receiver out of Vanderbilt has good size due to his long arms and big hands. Jordan Matthews is a muscular receiver that has the drive and focus to fight for the ball in the air at its catchable highest point. This took Riley Cooper a while to learn. That is a difference between a fifth round pick and a second.  Matthews has no injury history and has started every game in college. Like Kelly’s offense Vanderbilt’s is also a spread offense. So Jordan Matthews is another good fit for the offensive scheme. Matthews will be replacing Avant. Maclin and Cooper will be predominately outside. 

3 (86) - Josh Huff, WR, Oregon

Chip Kelly knows what he is getting with Josh Huff because Huff is from Oregon. Oregon players were both tough and fast. Huff is a player that will do what some players would not so others will appear to be faster. Kelly knows Huff will play special teams, block, sot WR, and outside. He is an option at kick return. He is a role player that will be most effective in the middle of the field. Being 260, he can take hits and be physical in the middle of the field. He could be the Eagle’s future Darren Sproles. 

4 (101) - Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida

Watkins is 5-11 and 194. During his college career for the Florida Gators he played S, CB and nickel corner. At the combine he ran a 40 in 4.41. But he is also agile. The Eagles will most likely see where he fits at early on in training camp. When it gets towards the end they will have him learn and stick with one position. He is best in man coverage. He has the skillset of being a Charles Woodson type of player. 

5 (141) - Taylor Hart, DE, Oregon

Big guys beat up little guys. This is an adage from Chip Kelly that is almost a cliché within the Eagles blogosphere. Hart is 6-6 281. Hart is not only big he is athletic, which allows him to be versatile; something else that Chip treasures. On passing downs or nickel or dime Taylor can be on the inside of the defensive line, DT. And for the base defense he play on the outside as a 3-4 DE. He can be a pass rusher and play 2-gap defense. Hart will be competition for backup DE spot. This depth will help the Eagles rotate their defensive lineman. Oh and he fits what Chip Kelly wants so much because he was from Oregon.

 
5 (162) - Ed Reynolds, S, Stanford

This guy is smart. Chip Kelly had a theme of picking graduates and not juniors. He wanted players that committed to their academics. Safety is a position that is often called the QB of the defense. They have the most to read and interpret before the snap. A safety has to know whether to backpedal or to move up into the box. The Eagles were impressed with not only his school brain coming from Stanford, but his football brain as well. During Kelly’s press conference after the pick, Chip mentioned that he was impressed by how well he can breakdown film. It is comforting to know that the coaching staff feels comfortable with Reynolds running the defense. He is not a captivating player, but Kelly wants a secondary that will tackle and keep the play in front of them by sticking with their assignment. He is a basic safety that can play through contact. 

7 (224) - Beau Allen, NT, Wisconsin

The Eagles defense was on the field for the most amount of time last out of the entire NFL. Allen will allow depth. Jerry Azzinaro, Eagles defensive line coach, will be rotating his defensive line players more this coming year than last year. Allen is not a nose pick. He is a nose tackle that will contribute right away by allowing the starters to rest. When the eagles picked him, other teams were looking forward to signing him as an undrafted free agent. The Philadelphia made sure to get him. This pick was a good value and fit. He fits a need that the Eagles needed at backup NT. He will compete against Damian Square for the backup NT spot on the roster. Being 6-2 322 he has the size to be effective against the run. He is a big weird guy.
-Glen

Racism and Hate in Sports Today

Recently there has been much talk about racist behaviors and attitudes in sports. This is all stemming from the recent antics of Donald Sterling, current and soon to be former owner of the L.A. Clippers. The way in which Sterling described his players, though it was in his on private room; is a disgrace. His attitude brings about thoughts not only in basketball, but in other sports as well. Does racism still exist in sports today? We may all dream that there will someday be a world of peace and love, in which no one hates on each other. However, that is not the case; especially when dealing with fans, players, and ownership attitudes. It is one thing to not like the attitude of a player or to heckle them for doing something wrong, but it is horrible to judge them based off of color, religion, or sexual orientation. We hope to one day move past this and dive towards the future and change.

Donald Sterling the current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers has recently made racist and hateful comments about his players past and present. Sterling, is a self made man; an individual who worked very hard both in the Real Estate field and the field of law. He is now worth over 1 billion dollars. Donald Sterling built his empire through the process of slowly but surely making money in the field of the sports industry and through determination. He was able to build the Clippers into the powerhouse they are today, despite years of horrible performances. Though, this self made billion seemed to be good on the surface, when you dig deep you find his true color, his hate. Sterling has recently been caught in a scandal regarding making racist remarks about his players on his teams, especially his African American players. Basically Sterling has compared his players to dogs, making them appear worthless citizens. Donald Sterling also would go as far as stating to his current girlfriend that she should not show the world that she is surrounding herself with African Americans, such as Magic Johnson and Matt Kemp. Sterling is now going to receive a life ban, and his days of owning the Clippers seem to be numbered. Players in furry have stemmed protests throughout the NBA playoffs, whether that be black ribbons around their arms or wearing black in honor of fighting racism. The players were ready to go as far as boycotting the playoffs, unless Sterling was removed from power. It is horrible to see that racism still exists and is apparent in the NBA today.

With this news of racism in the NBA through the actions of Donald Sterling, it brings up thoughts if there is still racism in other sports as well. One area in which this is still apparent is in the NHL today. Hockey has always been seen as a predominately Caucasian sport, that very few African Americans play. The question is that are there so little African American hockey players due to the fact that they just aren't as talented or is there actually a racist precedent. When African Americans participate in hockey they are given looks by coaches, players, and fans. They also hear
 remarks, such as "you shouldn't be playing this sport" and so forth. A clear incident of this was when current Flyer Wayne Simmonds was participating in a game, he had a banana throw in his direction. Basically making the racist statement that he was a "monkey". This is hurtful and harmful to see this occur to a human being. Simmonds, being a smart and strong willed person, skating off as though nothing happened. The NHL needs to have more African Americans in their league or these racist ideas and attitudes will continue on.

Another recent event of extreme racism that has occurred happened during a Barcelona soccer game. Dani Alves, was taking a corner kick during the game, when a banana just like Wayne Simmonds was thrown in his vicinity. Seeing this racist statement Alves did not get angry nor frustrated.Dani simply picked up the banana and proceeded to eat it. Many are now saying that Dani Alves was "taking a bite out of racism." Especially in a sport like soccer, which is so culturally diverse it is sad to see the racism that still exists. Alves made a great statement by just standing up for himself. Dani Alves should be seen as a strong willed individual for not getting angry or fighting about the incident. In a sport like soccer people need to become more accepting of others.

With all these recent incidents, and incidents of the past it comes up with the realization that there is still racism today in sports. Even though we have made amazing strides since the days when Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby both walked onto a baseball field and broke the color barrier. We still have hate. You can go to any sporting event and hear fans making racist comments, see players or coaches making faces at individuals who are different. If we as people don't make a stand, things will not get better as a whole in society.