Managers Who Never Played In The Majors (1 Viewer)

[Encyclopedia Brown]

Last week when Hanley Ramirez was chastised by his manager for not hustling, Ramirez' immediate response was "he never played the game."

At "Baseball Prospectus" they linked to a Missouri baseball writer who wrote at length about Trey Hillman of KC not getting a shred of respect from his players because he'd "never stepped between the white lines".

Jim Leyland has spoken about having to work extra hard to gain acceptance from players; Jim Riggelman, too.

I've read that Buck Showalter was not any more of a doosh than most managers but because of his lack of ML playing experience he grated on the veteran players--which was why he was fired twice just as his team was right on the cusp of winning big.

And it doesn't seem to be a matter of whether you were a decent player or not (it would be a compliment to call LaRussa, Jerry Manuel or Bobby Cox journeymen), it seems only to matter that you got "the call", if only for one game.

Moonlight Graham would have credibility.

Contrast this with the NFL and NBA.

Belichick was a third string OL/long snapper at a small Ohio college. Mike Tomlin was an average WR at William & Mary; Mike Martz never played in the league, nor Andy Reid or Rex Ryan, and going back to Parcells and Jimmy Johnson and Bill Walsh.

Everyone of those guys has unquestioned, rock solid credibility.

The NBA does have a significant number of ex-players as coaches, but there is also Popovich, Gentry, the Van Gundy brothers, and Lawrence Frank. The assistant coach whose name I have heard the most as a potential head coach is Tom Thibodeau, from Boston.

Coach K and Calipari could write their own ticket as an NBA coach.

It is odd how much playing or not playing has so much significance in MLB.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

A lot of great players were crappy coaches, this is something they should understand.

 

[Sweet Love]

Last week when Hanley Ramirez was chastised by his manager for not hustling, Ramirez' immediate response was "he never played the game."

At "Baseball Prospectus" they linked to a Missouri baseball writer who wrote at length about Trey Hillman of KC not getting a shred of respect from his players because he'd "never stepped between the white lines".

Jim Leyland has spoken about having to work extra hard to gain acceptance from players; Jim Riggelman, too.

I've read that Buck Showalter was not any more of a doosh than most managers but because of his lack of ML playing experience he grated on the veteran players--which was why he was fired twice just as his team was right on the cusp of winning big.

And it doesn't seem to be a matter of whether you were a decent player or not (it would be a compliment to call LaRussa, Jerry Manuel or Bobby Cox journeymen), it seems only to matter that you got "the call", if only for one game.

Moonlight Graham would have credibility.

Contrast this with the NFL and NBA.

Belichick was a third string OL/long snapper at a small Ohio college. Mike Tomlin was an average WR at William & Mary; Mike Martz never played in the league, nor Andy Reid or Rex Ryan, and going back to Parcells and Jimmy Johnson and Bill Walsh.

Everyone of those guys has unquestioned, rock solid credibility.

The NBA does have a significant number of ex-players as coaches, but there is also Popovich, Gentry, the Van Gundy brothers, and Lawrence Frank. The assistant coach whose name I have heard the most as a potential head coach is Tom Thibodeau, from Boston.

Coach K and Calipari could write their own ticket as an NBA coach.

It is odd how much playing or not playing has so much significance in MLB.

Actually it was Wesleyan University in CT (I went there) and Mangini also played there (he was more accomplished, but it is crummy DIII football nonetheless). I am surprised by the knock as you are because most of these guys played in the minor leagues. In hockey, there are coaches like Paul Maurice of Carolina who never played in the NHL, but the players look at the minor leagues as not a knock on knowledge, but a lack of elite physical talent. Ironically, the NBA and NFL don't really have minors (NBDL is a joke) and yet guys like Jeff Van Gundy (who do not even look the part) are treated for their knowledge of the game. I think it is kind of dumb to judge a coach based on what they accomplished on the field. They know the game; they know how to game plan and put the right people in the right place to be successful (if they are good).The funny thing is in MLB, the game does not really change all that much from HS to the pros compared to other sports. In hockey in HS (even elite level) there are few set plays (more concepts), in football it is night and day and even in basketball it is more about athleticism than it is running intricate set plays. Out of the four, baseball probably is the most simple; sure guys throw harder and throw different stuff, but at the end of the day, you hit the ball.

 

[Please See Mine]

The funny thing is in MLB, the game does not really change all that much from HS to the pros compared to other sports. In hockey in HS (even elite level) there are few set plays (more concepts), in football it is night and day and even in basketball it is more about athleticism than it is running intricate set plays. Out of the four, baseball probably is the most simple; sure guys throw harder and throw different stuff, but at the end of the day, you hit the ball.

Just speculating, but maybe this is why they have a harder time gaining credibility. The other sports offer many more opportunities for coaches to flex their mental abilities and control the players, leading to a greater chance of getting respect.In baseball, the manager doesn't have nearly as many opportunities. The players mostly just play (getting minor tweaks on the game). A pitcher might get some major coaching, but moreso from the pitching coach than the manager.