# MLB Off Season/Hot Stove **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [March 11, 2020, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799 "2020-03-11T04:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/362 "2020-05-27T00:23:53Z")
Astros are interviewing Buck Showalter and other candidates for the managing position. On the one hand, from a pure “let’s keep winning” perspective, sticking to bench coach Joe Espada would make the most sense, but they might feel that they need to signal that they’re seriously changing course instead of just paying the fine and pushing forward. (Much as paying the fine and pushing forward is the American way.) ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/363 "2020-05-27T01:45:30Z")
If the Astros promote a coach they would likely give him the title of interim manager and see how he does this year. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/364 "2020-05-27T02:11:36Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > If you look at the FB hall of fame there is that guy who killed his wife and her friend and also went to prison for robbery and kidnapping. To be fair, the individual to which you refer was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985; at that time, he was extremely well-known and popular (having parlayed his football fame into a career as an actor and television host). If there were dark things about his personality or life _at that time_, I don’t think that they were widely known. The murders occurred nine years after his induction into the PFHOF, and the robbery/kidnapping incident occurred another 13 years after that. I don’t know if the PFHOF has any rules by which they might boot an inductee from the Hall due to ill behavior (during his career, or afterwards) that comes to light after induction; if they did, I suspect that it would have happened by now, in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/365 "2020-05-27T03:38:40Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Your last sentence is rather dubious. What’s your basis for that claim? MLB leader in hits (4,256), singles, games played, at bats and plate appearances. 160 home runs 17 time All-Star Lifetime batting average of .300+ Career war of 80+ 12 straight years of war 4+ Isn’t that better than average for a hall of famer? > [@](#): > > As for your general point, I don’t see what that has to do with anything. Pete Rose isn’t banned from baseball, or from the Hall of Fame, for being a bad person. I don’t know if he’s a bad person, and I don’t care, and don’t see how it matters. You’re right. I just hope he gets inducted before he dies. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/366 "2020-05-27T03:45:19Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > You’re right. I just hope he gets inducted before he dies. And a bunch of us hope he dies 50 years before they ever seriously reconsider him for the HOF. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/367 "2020-05-27T03:47:23Z")
Beltran out as Mets manager ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/368 "2020-05-27T03:56:36Z")
“Mutually part ways” my ass. They dumped him fast before the Astros/Red Sox shitsplatter headed their way. Good for the Mets. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/369 "2020-05-27T04:01:57Z")
That was a short lived managerial stint. Go Mets! ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/370 "2020-05-27T04:25:46Z")
How big is the club of managers who have been fired before their first game? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/371 "2020-05-27T06:04:44Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > MLB leader in hits (4,256), singles, games played, at bats and plate appearances. > 160 home runs > 17 time All-Star > Lifetime batting average of .300+ > > Career war of 80+ > 12 straight years of war 4+ > > Isn’t that better than average for a hall of famer? I thought you meant better PERSON, sorry. Among HOFers, I guess it depends how you measure. By WAR he’s better than more than half; by wins above average, he’s not. Rose’s career analytical stats are dragged down by the last six or seven years of his career, during which he was one of the worst players in baseball. Had he retired after the 1981 season he would in a lot of respects be a greater player, even though he wouldn’t have the career hits record. His insistence on writing himself into the lineup just so he could set the record, rather than playing better players, was honestly kind of gross, but the press wouldn’t take him to task for it. > [@silenus](#): > > Mutually part ways" my ass. They dumped him fast before the Astros/Red Sox shitsplatter headed their way. > > Good for the Mets. They had to fire the manager before he started managing. It’s the most Mets thing ever. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/372 "2020-05-27T06:16:11Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I thought you meant better PERSON, sorry. > > Among HOFers, I guess it depends how you measure. By WAR he’s better than more than half; by wins above average, he’s not. > > Rose’s career analytical stats are dragged down by the last six or seven years of his career, during which he was one of the worst players in baseball. Had he retired after the 1981 season he would in a lot of respects be a greater player, even though he wouldn’t have the career hits record. His insistence on writing himself into the lineup just so he could set the record, rather than playing better players, was honestly kind of gross, but the press wouldn’t take him to task for it. > They had to fire the manager before he started managing. It’s the most Mets thing ever. Sure, he had maybe 2 or 3 good years left in him after he left the Reds and he was spent by the time he came back but his career was good enough by the time he left the reds to justify his spot based purely on play. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/373 "2020-05-27T07:18:58Z")
RickJay: > [@](#): > > They had to fire the manager before he started managing. It’s the most Mets thing ever. It is, isn’t it? It was done by the Diamondbacks a number of years back, but the subject was a former Met. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/374 "2020-05-27T07:39:58Z")
Alabama fired a FB coach before he coached a game, Mike Price. ND had a coach quit before coaching a game due to lying on his resume, George O’Leary A few coaches accepted a job and then backed out. One of those was Bobby Cremins who left Georgia Tech for his alma mater South Carolina , he changed his mind and stayed at GT. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/375 "2020-05-27T07:48:14Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > A few coaches accepted a job and then backed out. One of those was Bobby Cremins who left Georgia Tech for his alma mater South Carolina , he changed his mind and stayed at GT. By this point, most people who aren’t Jets fans have probably forgotten that Bill Belichick was head coach of the New York Jets for about 24 hours. The day after the Jets announced Belichick would be replacing the retiring Bill Parcells, at his introductory press conference, Belichick announed that he was stepping down, and he was hired by the Patriots shortly after. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2020, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/376 "2020-05-27T07:50:33Z")
I did not recall Belichick quitting the Jets job. I worked at a place where a guy quit his job at 10 AM on his first day. He got a better offer. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/377 "2020-05-28T07:06:59Z")
Former player says HOF manager was using video to steal signs in the 80s. If true does the HOF remove La Russa? > **[McDowell: La Russa put in sign-stealing system](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28503160/jack-mcdowell-says-tony-la-russa-had-sign-stealing-system-white-sox-80s)** > > Former White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell, who never played for Tony La Russa, said a camera-aided sign-stealing system was set up by the Hall of Fame manager prior to his being fired, and that was used after McDowell made his debut in 1987. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/378 "2020-05-28T07:11:33Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Former player says HOF manager was using video to steal signs in the 80s. If true does the HOF remove La Russa? > > [Jack McDowell says Tony La Russa had sign-stealing system with White Sox in '80s - ESPN](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28503160/jack-mcdowell-says-tony-la-russa-had-sign-stealing-system-white-sox-80s) No. It seems like you keep trying to make all violations equal. Thus far this rules violation has never meant you’re not qualified for the Hall. To do so retroactively would be strange at best. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/379 "2020-05-28T07:23:13Z")
Cheating is not a big rules violation? Ask the Astros, Alex Cora, Beltran, etc. I don’t think the HOF kicks La Russa out if guilty but it would not shock me if they did. HOF can do whatever they want. MLB does not control what they do. Even before Bill Cosby was convicted of his crimes some schools revoked his honorary degrees. For some reason a few did not revoke his degree. All together about 90% of the schools revoked his degree. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/380 "2020-05-28T09:43:02Z")
I forgot to add , it’s a bit ironic if true because La Russa graduated from FSU law school after his playing days were over. He never really practiced law , he decided to stay in baseball instead. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2020, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799/381 "2020-05-28T10:29:28Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > I did not recall Belichick quitting the Jets job. > > I worked at a place where a guy quit his job at 10 AM on his first day. He got a better offer. I worked at a place where a guy took his lunch break on his first day and just never came back. We did tech support for a software suite for medical clinics (billing, scheduling, records, etc.). He seemed shell-shocked when he found out we actually did troubleshooting and didn’t read from a script. Our manager clearly didn’t interview him very well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-off-season-hot-stove/842799.md?page=20)