Does Baker overwork his pitchers?

[Stripes]

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/02/23/dustys-trail-a-ticket-to-operating-table/

This has long been the biggest criticism directed at Dusty Baker, and frankly I am completely on board with it. He's a terrible manager and I can't wait to be rid of him, but this specific issue is doubly important when the Reds are relying on so many young arms to be the future (Volquez, Cueto, Bailey, and Chapman).

Over the last couple of seasons I've become a convert from common baseball statistics to sabermetrics, and Baseball Prospectus all but confirms the suspicions.

[ArmyBengal]

I use to think it was just one of those things that "by luck" just happened to happen to Baker's pitchers. I still for the most part think it's more chance then anything, but there has been a definite trend with him. When I started to believe it had to do more with Baker and his management was last year when they named Owings the #5 pitcher in the rotation. He went out for his first start of the season and pitched solidly through the first 4 innings. He wasn't as fresh in the 5th, but made it through and at that point, the game was tied. I was thinking Baker would have (and should have) went to a mid reliever and Owings would have had a nice outing with a no decision. But NOOOOOOO, he sends Owings back out in the 6th and he ends up taking the loss

What sense did it make to send Owings back out there ?? I mean he's the #5 in the rotation and there were doubts surronding him at the time. It would have been far greater to simply take the no decision as opposed to letting his youngster take the loss. It showed a lack of faith in his bullpen and poor judgement in dealing with the last guy in the rotation that didn't need his confidence shaken in his very first start with the team.

Just an example...

[redsbengalsbucks]

I use to think it was just one of those things that "by luck" just happened to happen to Baker's pitchers. I still for the most part think it's more chance then anything, but there has been a definite trend with him. When I started to believe it had to do more with Baker and his management was last year when they named Owings the #5 pitcher in the rotation. He went out for his first start of the season and pitched solidly through the first 4 innings. He wasn't as fresh in the 5th, but made it through and at that point, the game was tied. I was thinking Baker would have (and should have) went to a mid reliever and Owings would have had a nice outing with a no decision. But NOOOOOOO, he sends Owings back out in the 6th and he ends up taking the loss

What sense did it make to send Owings back out there ?? I mean he's the #5 in the rotation and there were doubts surronding him at the time. It would have been far greater to simply take the no decision as opposed to letting his youngster take the loss. It showed a lack of faith in his bullpen and poor judgement in dealing with the last guy in the rotation that didn't need his confidence shaken in his very first start with the team.

Just an example...

I think that just highlights Baker's lack of game management skills. He seems to pull pitchers to early at times, then he will leave a struggling pitcher in longer than he should. Some managers just have that sixth sense as to when to make a change, Baker seems to lack this ability.

I am just glad that Weathers is finally gone, so Baker cant rely on him so much. Weathers was always walking the line every outing and I hated it when he would come into a game that was still undecided.

[ArmyBengal]

I F*CKING HATED WEATHERS !!!

Some people didn't mind what he brought to the team, but I just didn't see it. I went to a game the year before he left and when he came into the game, the Reds were up. I remember saying out loud, "Weathers is going to blow the lead here" and then he did. I was yelling from a distance and the people around me were just laughing. It's hard to bring the football mentality to a Reds game and expect others to join in. I got some looks.

Oh well, glad he's gone and I hope Baker has a good year this season. Maybe a winning one for a change !!!

[Stripes]

Essentially unrelated, but no statistic in professional American sports is as ridiculous as win/loss for pitchers. It's absolutely useless.

The save is nearly as stupid though. Baseball is loaded with that crap. Even batting average is questionable as a standard for offensive production. RBIs are circumstantial and essentially loaded.

Why do these stats dominate baseball discussion?

[Whur CHad At?]

Yes, he does.