Jody! Jody! Jody!

by ryno HOF 2005 on Sep 2, 2006 6:30 PM CDT

From the Peoria Journal Star:

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/083106/CHI_BAQT3UUF.077.shtml

Former catchers seem to make good managers. Jody was a fan favorite and a favorite of Harry Caray back in the 80's. Might be worth a shot to replace Dusty. It would be kinda cool to have Jody as manager, Ryno or Gracie as hitting coach, Mad Dog as pitching coach.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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I love me some Jody.

That's a great trifecta to hope for.

she

by Sarah Hope on Sep 2, 2006 6:53 PM CDT reply actions

Oh, please.

What is this, a popularity contest? Sure, Davis is paying his dues. One year as manager in Low-A ball does not qualify you to be a major league manager.

Further, neither Sandberg nor Grace has shown either the desire nor the ability to be a coach.

And, sadly, Maddux is gone. If he stays in baseball, it'll be as a Dodger.

Move on. Be realistic.

by Al Yellon on Sep 2, 2006 6:59 PM CDT reply actions

Gotta agree with you

Pay the dues. Davis never burned any bridges since he retired. Methinks the marketing arm is running this club nowadays. Let's see if Jody appears at any of the corporate clinics we're now famous for.

But, hey, I really do like Jody.

Players win awards but teams win championships.

by tharr on Sep 2, 2006 7:23 PM CDT up reply actions

And another thing...

... the diary poster seems to claim that because Davis was a "Harry Caray favorite", that qualifies him to be manager of the Cubs.

This is absurd. A guy was liked by a broadcaster? And that makes him the best possible replacement for Dusty Baker?

THINK, people. THINK. Get a GOOD manager in there, not someone who might win a popularity contest among broadcasters and fans.

by Al Yellon on Sep 2, 2006 7:27 PM CDT up reply actions

Wouldn't that qualify

Stone for Dusty's job?

Players win awards but teams win championships.

by tharr on Sep 2, 2006 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions

LOL

Exactly my point.

by Al Yellon on Sep 2, 2006 7:47 PM CDT up reply actions

How about that NOSWAD guy?

He hit all those homers before his knees got bad? Second thought - maybe he should be the bench coach and the current manager he serves under SHOULD BE OUR NEXT MANAGER.

by Santos Sorrow @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Sep 2, 2006 9:24 PM CDT up reply actions

Define, please

Al -

Please define what is a "good" manager. Whose to say that Jody Davis isn't ready? I have no idea whether he is or not, but it seems clear you don't think he is. So, what do you consider a "good" manager?

I just remember that a lot of us, myself included, considered Baker to be a "good" manager after the Don Baylor disaster.

Ask Don Young what he thinks of Ron Santo.

by Ross on Sep 3, 2006 1:00 AM CDT up reply actions

whose should be who's

Ask Don Young what he thinks of Ron Santo.

by Ross on Sep 3, 2006 1:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Experience.

And I don't necessarily mean MAJOR LEAGUE managing experience -- since I'm pushing for Fredi Gonzalez, who has none.

But Gonzalez has been in baseball management roles for sixteen years -- as a minor league manager and major league coach. He's learned all the various roles a manager and coach should have. He has done this at several levels of baseball. He has learned under one of the great managers of our time.

Jody Davis was out of baseball for more than a decade. He managed briefly in a league (I can't remember the name -- it was mostly Canadian teams) that folded before the season was over, and now one year in Low-A ball. He is my age -- he'll be 50 in November. He's getting experience, but he's probably five years away from being a major league manager. The article linked in the original post says he wants to get to the majors as ANYTHING -- a coach, whatever. I could see, perhaps, him being named a bullpen coach for the next Cub manager.

But a major league manager? Now? No way.

by Al Yellon on Sep 3, 2006 4:21 AM CDT up reply actions

4:21 AM??

Goodness man..get a life! :)

by wicubfan on Sep 3, 2006 9:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Um...

... if you have been following this site long enough, you'd know that I am at work at that hour.

by Al Yellon on Sep 4, 2006 3:53 AM CDT up reply actions

oh

sorry..obviously I haven't been.

by wicubfan on Sep 4, 2006 9:04 PM CDT up reply actions

He's got the statue..

This regime put a statue of a broadcaster outside the stadium. I don't put anything past them..

by wicubfan on Sep 3, 2006 9:11 PM CDT up reply actions

Jody Davis

might make a good manager one day, but as you say, he doesn't have enough experience at this point. Maybe in four or five seasons.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 2, 2006 9:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Catchers

Besides Scioscia and Girardi, are there any other former catchers as managers anyway? Okay, Torre played a little catcher in his career, but that experience didn't exactly help him when he managed the Mets (.405 winning %) or Cardinals (.498).

by gauchodirk on Sep 2, 2006 8:49 PM CDT reply actions

Whaaa?

Former Catchers who are currently managing

Bob Melvin
Jerry Narron
Eric Wedge
Jim Leyland (never made majors)
Joe Girardi
Mike Scioscia
Grady Little (see Leyland)
Ned Yost
Joe Torre (who played more catcher than any other position)
Bruce Bochy
Joe Maddon (See Leyland and Little)
John Gibbons

There are more ex-catchers managing major league teams than any other position. As you can see, there are many, many ex-catchers managing in the majors.

by Josh Timmers on Sep 2, 2006 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions

I just needed to know

Thank you for looking it up. However, only nine on that list caught in the majors, and the OP was making the argument that being a MLB catcher was automatic qualification for being a good manager.

Your assertion that there are more ex-managers catching is also incorrect. The following are former infielders:

Willie Randolph
Bobby Cox
Tony LaRussa
Phil Garner
Ozzie Guillen
Ron Gardenhire
Ken Macha
Mike Hargrove
Terry Francona (split time there and OF)

All of the above played IF at the major league level. The following were former outfielders:

Dusty Baker
Charlie Manuel
Frank Robinson
Felipe Alou
Jim Tracy

So it looks like former catchers don't have the market cornerned on being managers.

by gauchodirk on Sep 3, 2006 1:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Hmm...

I don't know if it is exactly fair to combine 4 positions and 3 positions versus one position.

Extreme hopes are born from extreme misery. -Bertrand Russell

by thekansasian on Sep 3, 2006 7:58 PM CDT up reply actions

Yeah, thats just terrible

come on now

by Santos Sorrow @ Bleed Cubbie Blue on Sep 2, 2006 9:40 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks

I'm sorry I don't have the entire list of current managers, and their former positions when they played, memorized.

by gauchodirk on Sep 3, 2006 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Jody Davis?????

Look, I really liked Jody Davis the catcher during the 80's. He played hard, he played hurt and was a fan favorite. But Jody Davis as a big league manager?!?! And for the Cubs?!?! The guy has the communicative skills of a labrador retreiver. During his entire Cub career he said like 14 words to the public. Heck, he made Rick Reuschel seem like Winston Churchill.

We need an intelligent manager with real fire in his belly. Sorry, but I don't see that in JO-DEE, JO-DEE.

by BlueBooHoo on Sep 2, 2006 9:42 PM CDT reply actions

Cubs luck though......

We'll interview four for the managers job. We'll get out hustled, out bid, out recruited and end up with our 5th choice. Probably Jody.

by mrcubsfan on Sep 3, 2006 7:53 AM CDT reply actions

Sadly

that sounds like the most likely scenario. That is, if they don't hem and haw around in severing the ties with Dudty Baker. After all, for now, Baker is still the manager, and is as likely to return as anyone on the team, unfortunately.

The excuse machine that is the Tribune have certainly paved the way for this if they choose to.

"I lof to hit de home ron."

by Tekboy on Sep 3, 2006 11:56 AM CDT up reply actions

I think

Jody Davis would be a great manager for the Cubs next year. Just give him a rotation of Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Trout and Dennis Eckersley (in their prime), along with an infield of Cey, Bowa, Sandberg and Durham. Wouldn't hurt to have Matthews, Dernier and Moreland in the outfield and Lee Smith as closer. I think Davis might be able to finish first with a team like that!

by danimal15 on Sep 3, 2006 10:38 PM CDT reply actions