Bill James Guide to Baseball Managers, The (43 page)

TERRY BEVINGTON

Middle-of-the-road manager, not at the top or bottom of any list. Uses a good number of pinch runners; calls a fairly large number of pitchouts.

BRUCE BOCHY

Pinch-hits more than average.

JOHN BOLES

Too early to draw any solid conclusions. Experimented with the lineup more than Lachemann had with the same team, went to the bullpen more freely, bunted less.

BOB BOONE

Wide-open, aggressive manager who is near the top of almost every chart. Changes his lineup every day, many of the changes driven by platooning. Pinch-hits and pinch-runs frequently, puts runners in motion more than any other American League manager. Bunts more than any other AL manager. Relatively cautious in using his bullpen.

TERRY COLLINS

Uses his bench freely. Likes to use the running game. Looks for “matchups” in his lineup; didn’t have enough left-handed batters in Houston to platoon much, particularly after they traded Luis Gonzalez.

BOBBY COX

Platoons as much as any National League manager, but doesn’t
experiment
with the lineup. Uses many pinch runners and defensive substitutes. Middle-of-the-road in using one-run strategies. Relatively low totals of relievers used.

JIM FREGOSI

Platooned very aggressively until 1996. Had a strong plan for his bench in 1993; no apparent plan in 1996. One of the older managers of 1996, had been pushed near the bottom of the list in relievers used.

PHIL GARNER

Liked to send his baserunners in his earlier years; hasn’t done so as much since the home run explosion began in 1994. Rarely pinch-hits; uses his bench for pinch runners and defensive substitutes. Doesn’t platoon much; limited use of the intentional walk.

CITO GASTON

Most conservative, virtually inert manager in baseball. Doesn’t pinch-hit, pinch-run, or use defensive substitutes. Uses settled lineup; slow to go to the pen. Rarely orders intentional walk. Doesn’t platoon; platoon percentage was high last year (.701) due to switch-hitters in his lineup.

DALLAS GREEN

Stayed with his starters longer than any other NL manager. Bunts freely. Platooned quite a bit in 1993–1994.

MIKE HARGROVE

Was aggressive in using his bench until his team developed; hasn’t been the last two years. Lets his baserunners go. Settled lineup; platoon percentages driven up by switch-hitters.

ART HOWE