MONDAY MUSINGS

by Holly Horning

Today, it’s about quick hits – thoughts that come to me as the week goes on as well as connecting the dots re ongoing stories.  Even the quirky.

There will be something here for everyone.

So let’s get to it!  Here are the most interesting topics that hit my radar over the past week………..

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On the heels of learning that the San Francisco Giants interviewed one of their female coaches for their managerial opening, we learn that baseball continues to set a much higher bar for women.

Case in point is the Marlins GM, Kim Ng, who walked away from her contract’s option year.  What the Marlins did to her was something they never would have done to a man.

Ng was MLB’s Sr. VP of Baseball Operations for 10 years after stints with both the Dodgers and Yankees as their Assistant GM.  Obviously, she had the chops.

In less than 3 years, she took the Marlins to the playoffs for the first time in over 2 decades.  But that wasn’t good enough for owner Bruce Sherman who picked up her option year but refused to give her the standard 3-year extension that all GMs receive when they reach the playoffs.

If she had accepted the option year, she would have become a lame duck GM.

But if that wasn’t bad enough, Sherman told her that he wanted to “reshape the baseball operations department” and hire a President of Baseball Operations. In other words, he felt that Ng should now drop down to the #2 slot in the chain of command when she was already #1.

Now we hear that the entrenched men in the Marlins organization felt she had too many opinions and were upset when they were held accountable for the quality of their work.

Imagine that! Being a leader, wanting your team to excel and holding people accountable.  It’s considered standard in the work world if it’s a man in charge. But if it’s a woman…. then all bets are off.

In the words of the late Governor, Anne Richards “Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backward and in high heels.” Ng was being held to much higher standard than any man who worked the Marlins.

On the heels of driving Jerek Jeter out of the organization, Sherman has now made his franchise appear dysfunctional by allowing his 2 top Front Office execs to flee.  Good luck trying to get anyone with real skills and accomplishments to come work for you now.

Just desserts.

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Speaking of owners who get in their own way, I find it hilarious that the American League Championship Series is being called “The Cohen Classic.”  A nod to Mets owner Steven Cohen who held a fire sale and traded Justin Verlander (Astros) and Max Scherzer (Rangers). He is financing both teams to the tune of $70 mill.

Cohen committed over $215 mill to both pitchers, making them MLB’s most expensive signings.  JV is 40 and Max is 39.  Both got injured.  Both underperformed.

Is anyone other than Cohen shocked that he and his team were being set up for failure?

The Mets essentially gave their pitchers to the Astros and Rangers as gifts, paying much of their salaries – not just for this year but for next year and potentially 2025 as well.

Just another example that paying vast sums of money for talent often doesn’t work.  Especially when an owner has more cash than brains.

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Twitter this week was filled to the brim posting remembrances of years past when the Tigers were in the playoffs and World Series.  Some of the posts going back a decade, 4 decades and even over half a century.

All of these tweets from established Tiger fans reminiscing about Kirk Gibson’s home run, Mickey Lolich jumping into Bill Freehan’s arms and Magglio Ordonez’s infamous home run.

Pardon me if these posts don’t make me happy.

It’s the broken record syndrome.  The same stuff being printed over and over and never fulfilling anyone in the present.

An emphasis on living in the past and trying to use these memories to soothe emotions in response to 2 failed World Series runs. And as therapy for the dark years following 2016.

It really is a sad focus on the past. Instead, fans should be putting their energy and attention on what is going on now. And being vocal about their expectations to the franchise.

Living in the past is never a good idea nor will it will make fans truly happy. Only unfulfilled.

I honestly don’t see other teams’ fans as dependent upon living in the past. Can you imagine Yankee fans doing this?

What is a much better option is holding the organization’s feet to the fire and demanding action and speed in righting the ship.  Often, asking the right questions and pointing out reality will get you what you want much sooner.

Which one of these stories resonated the most with you?

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