“I’ll give you injuries.”

Okay – so you admit that injuries are not the manager’s fault. That alone invalidates your position that Cox is solely responsible for the Braves’ recent disappointing performances, and should be held “accountable”.

But let’s continue.

”The rest is under his watch. Period. You can’t argue it.”

“Under his watch”? Well, yeah – I don’t think anybody has taken the position that Cox has not been manager since ’91 – so what? “Under his watch” – meaningless buzzwords that distract from a real discussion.

” If the same guys make the same mistakes night after night, after night, after night, after night, and the SAME manager continues to put him in the lineup. Who’s to blame? Seriously? With Francoeur last year, who was to blame? . . . Jeff is responsible for what he does between the lines. But there are two people responsible for him being between those lines for 155 games last year. Wren and Cox. Period. End of discussion. You lose.”

In order to knock him down, you over inflate Cox’ authority and even his input into player personnel decisions. You simply cannot say that Cox is wholly responsible for not sending Francoeur down to AA far earlier and for far longer, because you just do not know that. Sure, Cox has input into those moves/nonmoves, but it’s simply not his decision and he cannot be held accountable for someone else’s (Wren’s) decisions, EVEN IF HE AGREED WITH THEM.

” THEN, when you add in the fact that Bobby publicly states that there is “nothing wrong” with Jeff’s approach, and they want him to remain “aggressive”, that just solidifies that theory. Not only is not holding Jeff responsible for bad play, he’s facilitating him doing so, by saying it’s OK.”

Has Francoeur’s approach changed this year, or his stance and swing? Isn’t he every bit as aggressive this year as last? Seems to me that Cox was right – Francoeur did not change his “approach” (mental), he changed his technique (physical).

Evidence that he has remained as or is even more aggressive this year than last? (1) He’s on pace to walk at a rate about only 25% of the rate he walked last year (1 BB/61 PA vice 39 BB/653 PA). (B) He’s seeing even fewer pitches per plate appearance this year than last year (3.34 vice 3.49). (Yes, yes – small sample size.)

And yet he HAS improved. In addition to the obvious triple slash stats improvement, his isolated power (.150) is back at 2007 levels (.151) after slipping to .120 last year. (Yes, yes – small sample size.)

I ask you– couldn’t Cox have been correct in his encouragement to Francoeur last year (“facilitating”, in your words. I’m surprised you didn’t say “enabling”)? Looks that way to me.

”{‘Players’ physical errors are not the manager’s responsibility.’}

“Again. I disagree. Take KJ for instance. Stevie Wonder posted on a blog last year that KJ has a tough time with balls hit to his right, up the middle. So why is he in the lineup everyday at 2B? Who’s decision is that? So, again, you’re wrong. If KJ plays shoddy defense (which for the most part, he does), I blame the person that continues to put him there.”

Number one – who is “Stevie Wonder”, and what are his credentials?

More important, I’ll remind you again that player personnel decisions are Wren’s responsibility, with or without Cox’ input. Cox plays the cards he’s dealt. KJ’s in the lineup for his bat, not his defense. Should KJ be played in LF rather than at 2B? Maybe, maybe not – that’s a whole ‘nother discussion. Should KJ sit and Prado play 2B (or platoon)? Maybe, maybe not – that’s a whole ‘nother discussion.

”{‘Player personnel release/retention is often totally outside the manager’s control. A specific example — do you think Cox would have let Smoltz go?’}
“I’m gonna call BS on this one. If you think that Bobby has zero input on A) who his initial 25 man roster is, you’re naive. and B) that he doesn’t suggest to Wren, who needs to go (or somebody he can no longer use – like Boyer), again, naive.

“If Bobby is as highly regarded by fans for being so intelligent, do you really think that a guy like Wren wouldn’t at least ask his opinion.”

Call BS if you want – the call has been reviewed and reversed. Nobody sais Cox didn’t have input – this is another of your straw men. The fact is he does not have CONTROL. Wren does. Period. The end.

Address the specific example of Smoltz, why don’t you? We KNOW that Cox disagreed with Wren’s decision there. Who won?

” Do you really think that if Bobby wasn’t here, Wren would have inquired about maybe making a run at Manny? Too often the phrase “he’s not a Bobby Cox type of player” is thrown out there.”

Thrown out there by whom? Not by Cox. Or Wren. Anyway, I’ll say it again — regardless of his input, it’s the GM’s decision. Was Sheffield considered to be “a Bobby Cox type of player”? Was JD Drew? Were Kenny Lofton, Bobby Bonilla, Reggie Sanders? Do you think Cox himself chose Brian Jordan and Raul Mondesi in 2005? Yeah, right.

”I can respect that. A manager SHOULDN’T be held accountable without his choice of guys. Some are. But I think (and it’s just a guess – based on his tenure) that Bobby has plenty of “input” on roster moves. Unless an “option” comes into play, or 40 man roster type of stuff.”

Again, you’re exaggerating Cox’ authority (hence “accountability”) by failing to distinguish “input” from “control”.

Anyhow, don’t take this as an attack. I’m not posting any of this with anger or malace. Just typing. Like always.”

Nah, it’s all good.

You just need to finally, once and for all recognize that your position on Cox’ accountability is “faith-based, not “reality”-based.

How sweet it is to sweep…………it feels like a decade since our last sweep and we could have had 2 of them already………go figure.

Frankie K, I hate the red jerseys. Wish they would go back to the old gray uniforms. I do like the dark blue.

Yeah, Dunn is so good he turned a routine fly out by McCann into a double Friday night, so good he turned a flyout by McCann to left field into a 37 year old man tagging up from first on Friday night.

NEW BLOG IS UP

-_-