JUGGERNAUT
07-05-2003, 01:28 PM
http://www.dailysouthtown.com/southtown/dssports/pro/051sd6.htm
After Koch's latest fall, Jerry Manuel sounded like a manager who's seen enough.
While pitching coach Don Cooper goes back to the drawing board with Koch (5-5), Manuel likely will turn to Damaso Marte and Tom Gordon in save situations.
"Marte and Flash (Gordon) have done a good job and have saved some ballgames before," Manuel said. "Until it looks like Billy kind of gets his stuff back, we've got to do what we've got to do."
The problem is Koch's much-hyped 100-mph fastball hasn't been seen all season, which leads Manuel to believe there's a problem beyond what can be detected on the surface.
"I can't recollect a velocity being that big a difference without something going on," Manuel said. "The guy (Koch) we saw in Oakland and Toronto would just throw the ball right by you."
Once again, blame KW.
He led Beane cajole him into this trade.
All Kenny had to do was tie the trade to a physical including a velocity check.
But he wasn't thorough enough again.
So far Kenny's track record is HORRIBLE when it comes to assessing the health status of players he's traded for.
He's not a bad guy or really a bad GM.
Marte gives the SOX reason to hope despite a broken Koch. Without KW there is no Marte.
But he really needs to do a MUCH better job at being thorough with the details when he trades.
Likewise, he needs to do a better job overall at assessing health. He brought Rowand back to soon, Parque had no business being on last yr's team, Wells bad back, Ritchies weak arm, & now Koch's loss of velocity.
Loss of velocity is the clearest sign that something is wrong. Even Manuel knows that!
After Koch's latest fall, Jerry Manuel sounded like a manager who's seen enough.
While pitching coach Don Cooper goes back to the drawing board with Koch (5-5), Manuel likely will turn to Damaso Marte and Tom Gordon in save situations.
"Marte and Flash (Gordon) have done a good job and have saved some ballgames before," Manuel said. "Until it looks like Billy kind of gets his stuff back, we've got to do what we've got to do."
The problem is Koch's much-hyped 100-mph fastball hasn't been seen all season, which leads Manuel to believe there's a problem beyond what can be detected on the surface.
"I can't recollect a velocity being that big a difference without something going on," Manuel said. "The guy (Koch) we saw in Oakland and Toronto would just throw the ball right by you."
Once again, blame KW.
He led Beane cajole him into this trade.
All Kenny had to do was tie the trade to a physical including a velocity check.
But he wasn't thorough enough again.
So far Kenny's track record is HORRIBLE when it comes to assessing the health status of players he's traded for.
He's not a bad guy or really a bad GM.
Marte gives the SOX reason to hope despite a broken Koch. Without KW there is no Marte.
But he really needs to do a MUCH better job at being thorough with the details when he trades.
Likewise, he needs to do a better job overall at assessing health. He brought Rowand back to soon, Parque had no business being on last yr's team, Wells bad back, Ritchies weak arm, & now Koch's loss of velocity.
Loss of velocity is the clearest sign that something is wrong. Even Manuel knows that!