It’s difficult to be a manger for a MLB club. It’s even more difficult when the front office asks the manager to work miracles, just as the Pittsburgh Pirates did with Clint Hurdle during the 2016 season.
In 2007, the Colorado Rockies were 55-52 at the 107 game mark. They would go on to win 34 of their final 55 games to finish 89-73. Their blistering .618 winning percentage the last two months of the season was good enough to put them in position for a game 163 against the San Diego Padres. They won that game 9-8. The Rockies went on to sweep the division and championship series on the way to capturing the National League pennant. Their journey would end their as the Red Sox turned the table on them with a four game sweep to win their second title that decade.
After a disappointing 2008 season and a rough start to 2009, Clint Hurdle was dismissed as the Rockies’ manager. In 2011, Neal Huntington took a risk on the beloved, unorthodox manager. Since then, Hurdle has become one of the people most responsible for the Pirates’ dramatic turnaround, but it hasn’t been all sunshine and walk-offs. Hurdle has been responsible for some rather perplexing decisions.
[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]He has managed to find a way to keep the team in the wild card race despite being handcuffed by the front office from the first day of spring training.[/perfectpullquote]His reputation of seemingly refusing to alter the lineup, pulling a pitcher too early, or, sometimes even worse, leaving a pitcher in too long have led part of the fan base to use the term “Hurdled” to describe moments where the bubble-gum addict might have put his club at a disadvantage.
Just last week, it seemed like the focus was placed equally on Hurdle for benching Andrew McCutchen for the Braves series, as it was on the fact that McCutchen, just three years removed from being National League MVP, was forced to sit out.
It’s not the move people have come to expect from the Pirates’ manager, but the reaction by some in the fan base that Hurdle should be more or less aggressive at times in his decision making is unfounded. People are fallible. Even the best coaches make mistakes. Hurdle is no exception, and he has managed to find a way to keep the team in the wild card race despite being handcuffed by the front office from the first day of spring training.
Jon Niese is back with the Mets, along with Neil Walker. Juan Nicasio is in the bullpen. Ryan Vogelsong was impressive in his return from a terrible injury, but he showed earlier this season just how inconsistent he can be. Francisco Liriano was dealt in the deadline’s most lopsided deal. John Jaso is locked in for another year, while Josh Bell’s electrifying bat continues to entertain the fans in Indianapolis. Curtis Partch, A.J. Schugel, and Jorge Rondon are all less than desirable options used out of the bullpen this season.
[perfectpullquote align=”left” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]A coach cannot be expected to coach talent.[/perfectpullquote]The manager can’t be the scapegoat for the blame when the front office doesn’t bother to take the season seriously. In some regards Neal Huntington relied too much on the development of prospects like Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, Steven Brault, and Tyler Glasnow to ride in to the rescue. He, wrongfully, trusted the reputation of Ray Searage to reclaim half of a pitching staff from the brink of obscurity. Huntington failed to rely on the development of prospects like Josh Bell by blocking him with Mike Morse (yeah, we tried to forget about him too), John Jaso, and the bargain bin steal David Freese.
No, the manager can’t be blamed when the general manager mishandles almost every transaction up to this point. A coach cannot be expected to coach talent. The Pirates are likely to survive the tempest the rest of the season and sail into next season in a position to compete with a young, extremely talented club, but as McCutchen has illustrated, no player is above a down year, least of all an unproven prospect.
If the Pirates once again fall on their faces in 2017, it is likely that heads will roll in the aftermath. It would be difficult to defend Clint Hurdle keeping his job, but the face of the failure Neal Huntington should be the first to go.
[irp posts=”8407″ name=”COLUMN: Half Measures Are No Longer Acceptable for the Pittsburgh Pirates”]
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