So, I guess Buck's honeymoon is over?

[CA-ORIOLE]

I agree. Other than playing Vladdy almost everyday (at cleanup no less) and not giving Blake Davis more reps at 2nd at AAA before callup, I really haven't seen anything in the way of input as to why he's a worse manager this year than last. I agree with the Davis thing but it seams somehwat minor. I'm not sure why people are complaining about Gregg closing at this point. He's not good, but he's getting it done and Koji/Johnson seam to be pitching in higher leverage situations anyways. "Closer" is overrated.

The BP management might seam better if the starters were better, but under the circumstances, I think he's done well with what he's been dealt.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Now is the time you start talking about reducing his playing time, not May 1st. And yea, there's no harm in seeing if Reimold can get his head on straight and produce a little bit.

Yep, I agree.

[Sports Guy]

What do you think would have motivated such a reputedly headstrong individual to change his managing style (which, I agree, has changed)?

I don't know..I think that's an excellent question. I don't think it is a roster issue. Maybe he felt he had to do things differently when he first came in? Set some kind of a tone?

[NewMarketSean]

Jon, do you really think Vlad is just having a cold month? I understood why Vlad was signed and agreed with it at the time, but clearly he has very little power left due to his deteriorated bat speed and some point you have to try something else, regardless of the sunk cost. Reimold may never be more than a platoon-type outfielder/DH, but at some point he has to be run out there every day and and be given one last chance to show what he can do. I'm sure we all agree that Vlad has no future here but Reimold might. If fine with giving Vlad until the All-star break to find the fountain of youth, but in the second half, most of his at bats should go to Reimold if nothing changes.

It's pretty sad we as fans are back to the argument we were using in 2007, 2008 and 2009 all over again -- the one where we'd rather lose with young guys instead of overpriced, underperforming veterans.

Vladimir Guerrero was one of my favorite players when he was on the Expos and it still breaks my heart that we didn't land him in 2004. It's painful to watch him here in Baltimore. I wanted the O's to sign him but he's just another veteran who has come to Baltimore to play out his last days.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm not sure why people are complaining about Gregg closing at this point. He's not good, but he's getting it done and Koji/Johnson seam to be pitching in higher leverage situations anyways. "Closer" is overrated.

Average Leverage Index:

Gregg: 1.9

Johnson: 1.5

Koji: 1.2

Gregg easily has seen the highest pressure situations of the three.

[O'sFanThruJune]

Frobby's repeated requests for examples of how Buck is different than last year continue to go unanswered. So far, the only substantive thing I've heard is that last year he denied a closer a save by going for the "win rule", while this year he's given Gregg every opportunity. Is that really it? There seems to be this feeling that 2010 Buck just didn't tolerate the kind of crap that's going on this year, but there's a paucity of actual examples. Are we talking about that one time when he made Andino straighten out his hat? I'm not aware of any situations last year where he benched a struggling veteran, as people are saying he should have done with Vlad.

As Frobby has mentioned several times, the big difference is the starting pitching. If anything, the Orioles have been LESS tolerant of failure in that department than one might expect. They sent down Tillman and Bergesen so that Chris Jakubauskas, of all people, could start. And in the bullpen, Accardo committed a cardinal sin by walking a pitcher trying to bunt, and was summarily DFA'd.

What do you want Buck to do with three good bullpen pitchers, and two (or so) good starters? How is that extra fire in the belly going to fix the fact that right now we just aren't pitching well?

[NewMarketSean]

Average Leverage Index:

Gregg: 1.9

Johnson: 1.5

Koji: 1.2

Gregg easily has seen the highest pressure situations of the three.

Are the leverage scores determined before the inning starts or as the inning progresses? because Gregg creates a lot of high-leverage situations himself.

[jabba72]

Buck is completely handtied by horrible depth in AAA that was exposed by injuries, and the collection of weak 3rd, 4th, 5th starters the team has made available to him. Buck is also stuck with some very bad relievers. Not much of this is Buck's fault. He doesnt have enough tools.

[NewMarketSean]

Remember that organizational depth chart that Buck hung in his office? The one that told players "you can always be replaced?"

Well Reimold is the guy under Vlad right now. It's time we saw what Reimold can do.

I'm not blaming Buck -- and I am still glad to have him here. And using Occam's Razor, I believe that MacPhail and/or Angelos could be handcuffing Buck by forcing him to play Vlad.

But something is a bit off.

[Frobby]

Yea..I am surprised Frobby doesn't see much of a difference between 2010 Buck and 2011 Buck.

The main difference that I see is that we aren't winning as much, and therefore people aren't treating Buck like he is some kind of God and characterizing every thing he says as some amazing pearl of wisdom.

[DrungoHazewood]

Are the leverage scores determined before the inning starts or as the inning progresses? because Gregg creates a lot of high-leverage situations himself.

Truthfully, I'm not 100% sure. But Fangraph's gmLI is at the start of the pitcher's appearance, and Gregg is still easily higher than JJ or Koji.

[NewMarketSean]

The main difference that I see is that we aren't winning as much, and therefore people aren't treating Buck like he is some kind of God and characterizing every thing he says as some amazing pearl of wisdom.

I see your point, Frobby. But last year Buck had the attitude that "this BS needs to end". Even if we were losing back then, you had the feeling he was going to do something about it.

But this year, it's like Dave Trembley is in a Buck Showalter uniform.

[Tony-OH]

No, and I've said as much in other places. He looks pretty well toasted. But there are folks suggesting that Buck isn't doing is job because he didn't bench Vlad a long time ago. Now is the time you start talking about reducing his playing time, not May 1st.

And yea, there's no harm in seeing if Reimold can get his head on straight and produce a little bit.

Oh, ok. Gotcha. Well then we agree 100%.

[Frobby]

Frobby's repeated requests for examples of how Buck is different than last year continue to go unanswered. So far' date=' the only substantive thing I've heard is that last year he denied a closer a save by going for the "win rule", while this year he's given Gregg every opportunity. Is that really it? [/quote']

By the way, let's put Buck's famous "win rule" comment into it's proper context. Michael Gonzalez (who was not our closer at the time) was pitching in a 6-3 game, and he pitched a scoreless 8th and then got the first two hitters in the 9th. Then Buck brought in Alfredo Simon (who was our closer at the time) to pitch to the final batter. Showalter was asked if he had thought about leaving Gonzalez in for the last batter so that he could earn the save. That prompted Buck's comment, "Yeah, I know all about the save rule. I prefer the win rule."

For the most part, Buck's use of his bullpen last year was pretty conventional. He replaced Simon with Koji after about 18 days, but of course, Simon hadn't been chosen by Buck in the first place, he was merely the incumbent by default at the time Buck took over. Once Koji was in, Buck pretty much used him in the conventional way, coming in at the top of the 9th regardless of what had happened in the 8th.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Average Leverage Index:

Gregg: 1.9

Johnson: 1.5

Koji: 1.2

Gregg easily has seen the highest pressure situations of the three.

Well, ok. Fair enough. Still, the don't seam that dispirate. Correct me if I'm wrong here: In some cases Koji/Johnson are going to be brought in lower leverage situations (regular work/SP faultering) and the "average" leverage index is going to be run down.