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I Am Beginning to See why Kendall dislikes Macha

First a limitation on the iron man's playing time and now this...Macha's like an overbearing spouse, cramping Kendall's style. Not to say if I agree or disagree with Macha (I certainly agree with limiting the playing time, but Kendall did extremely well cutting down would-be thieves last year), but I think it's becoming clear that Kendall may not be excited about the return of his ex.

From http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/

Macha plans to control opponents' running game from the bench this season. Last year, then-bench coach Ted Simmons allowed catchers Jason Kendall and Mike Rivera to do it themselves, meaning the players didn't have to look into the dugout for signs calling for pickoffs and the like. He thinks coaches have a better perspective of what opponents are trying to do from the bench.

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I'm not sure how big a deal this is...

but if ain’t broke don’t fix it

I untuck my shirt!

by Michael M on Feb 19, 2009 4:09 PM CST reply actions  

Not that big a deal

I really don’t think this is that big of a deal. It’s not like Macha is going to come out of the dugout and throw it down to second for Kendall. I’m guessing pitchers still have the option to throw over whenever they want in addition to when Macha makes his calls. If not, then I’d have a problem with it. If anything this affects the pitchers more than Kendall.

by ajoconnor on Feb 20, 2009 9:46 AM CST up reply actions  

Macha's arm?

Although it might be entertaining to see Macha gun one down to second base.

by ajoconnor on Feb 20, 2009 9:47 AM CST up reply actions  

Eh

Until proven otherwise, in Macha (or in anyone not named Nedly) we trust.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Feb 19, 2009 4:27 PM CST reply actions  

On the bright side

Kendall only has to put up with it for one year.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Feb 19, 2009 4:39 PM CST reply actions  

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, Jason.

by HRF on Feb 19, 2009 4:52 PM CST reply actions  

Maybe Kendall will bitch enough to force a trade

If there is a God, this will happen.

I just sit back and root for the taser

by Hyatt on Feb 19, 2009 5:51 PM CST reply actions  

Thinking of Kendall, not myself

I meant to share Kendall’s possible origin or ire, not mine…I hope Macha proves to be a great choice for the Crew.

by One-Flap Down on Feb 20, 2009 8:12 AM CST reply actions  

Gritty Vet

I think it’s good for the Team to have a manager take a strong veteran like Kendall, who obviously worked over Ned, and put him in his place. Kendall is a great defensive catcher, calls a great game, but it seemed like he really needed more rest through out the year. Machas just putting him in his place to exert his authority.

I don’t think he’s taking Kendalls autonomy completely away, but looks to make sure it aligns with Machas game strategy.

Hopefully this does’t turn into a dumb Yosting, but so far I like what Macha has said/done.

by SgtClueLs on Feb 20, 2009 12:49 PM CST reply actions  

Of course, the important thing is...

Is this true?

He thinks coaches have a better perspective of what opponents are trying to do from the bench.

I suspect it is. From what I’ve read about sign stealing and the like, it isn’t so much that managers & bench coaches “steal” the signs (that is, they decipher the code and figure out exactly what’s going to happen), but they notice abberant activity—more signs than usual, baserunners looking more alert, a million other things. Not to say Kendall couldn’t notice some of those things, but the simple fact that he’s sitting behind home plate facing the pitcher’s mound means he doesn’t have as good of an angle, and obviously he’s distracted by, you know, calling pitches and catching them and stuff.

Along the same lines, remember that both Randolph and Macha have spent an awful lot of time as bench coaches. Traditionally, the bench coach is the top sign stealer on the coaching staff (though not always), and guys who keep bench coaching jobs forever (Joe Nossek, retired a few years ago from the White Sox, was among these) tend to be the best sign-stealers.

I don’t know how to put this, but…I wouldn’t be surprised if Ned wasn’t the best manager even when it came to stealing signs and putting that knowledge to use.

I’ll bet Macha and Randolph are a lot better at that sort of thing, and they may well need to have more control over the running game to take advantage of that. I wouldn’t be surprised if somebody like Kendall, who has caught for a bunch of different managers now, fully understands.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 20, 2009 1:36 PM CST reply actions  

I agree

I am watching Tom Seaver’s 300th win on MLB Network right now and Carlton Fisk (fuure Hall-of-Famer) is constantly looking into the dugout for help with runners on base. I guess if Fisk does it, we can make Kendall do it, too.

by oconnobe on Feb 21, 2009 11:38 AM CST up reply actions  

Good Points...

I couldn’t agree more with your rather gentle, uh, appraisal of the Yost. I certainly have no insight on the mind of Kendall; I suppose if I imagined him as a sort of borderline ADHD, baseball-obsessed control freak, he might be rankled by Macha’s recent catcherly claims. If Kendall is more of the consummate pro, then I suppose it becomes just one or two less things to concern himself with as he catches another low-to-mid-speed “fastball” from the likes of Suppan and Looper.

by One-Flap Down on Feb 20, 2009 2:47 PM CST reply actions  

All of these points about defense are good

but I hope that Macha pinch hits for Kendall late in games more than Nedly did.

September 15: Not a bad little Monday

by molitorfan on Feb 21, 2009 10:27 AM CST reply actions  

Once won’t be enough.

by HRF on Feb 22, 2009 4:40 AM CST up reply actions  

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