Comments on: Read: Q&A with Davey Johnson http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/ Latest Mets News, Links, Rumors and Opinion Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:22:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: istillhatemdonaldgrant http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148239 istillhatemdonaldgrant Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:34:27 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148239 At the time Mel defended it, and it was sold as his idea, to lenghten Gooden's career. Supposedly he would get more ground ball outs and throw fewer pitches. And the shorter motion would also help counter the Cardinals base stealers. All around a really stupid idea. I recall a Mets announcer (I think it was McCarver -- he was very good then) saying that hitters aren't stupid and that if he doesn't make the same pitches he won't get the same results. I recall talking about this with Bill Mazer and he mentioned that Channel 5 had this great new equipment for doing super slow motion, which the Mets didn't have at the time. He said that at some baseball function he had told Davy about the equipment and that it could be used to see what was wrong with Gooden's mechancs (this was after Gooden was clearly not himselfl). Davy was enthusiastic, and said to Mazer why don't you mention it to Mel. So Bill did, and Mel cursed him out and walked away. I've joked since then that Mel was working undercover for the Yankees, and his assignment was to mess up the Mets. Maybe Willie is too. At the time Mel defended it, and it was sold as his idea, to lenghten Gooden’s career. Supposedly he would get more ground ball outs and throw fewer pitches. And the shorter motion would also help counter the Cardinals base stealers.

All around a really stupid idea.

I recall a Mets announcer (I think it was McCarver — he was very good then) saying that hitters aren’t stupid and that if he doesn’t make the same pitches he won’t get the same results.

I recall talking about this with Bill Mazer and he mentioned that Channel 5 had this great new equipment for doing super slow motion, which the Mets didn’t have at the time. He said that at some baseball function he had told Davy about the equipment and that it could be used to see what was wrong with Gooden’s mechancs (this was after Gooden was clearly not himselfl).

Davy was enthusiastic, and said to Mazer why don’t you mention it to Mel. So Bill did, and Mel cursed him out and walked away.

I’ve joked since then that Mel was working undercover for the Yankees, and his assignment was to mess up the Mets.

Maybe Willie is too.

]]> By: ToastyJoe http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148191 ToastyJoe Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:03:13 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148191 I always thought Mel acknowledged it was his idea. Maybe I'm wrong. I always thought Mel acknowledged it was his idea. Maybe I’m wrong.

]]> By: ToastyJoe http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148178 ToastyJoe Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:59:02 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148178 I think the only year you can say they should've won the World Series but didn't is 1988. They were clearly vastly superior to L.A., but just couldn't get it done. In '84 and '85 they weren't quite there as a team yet, in '87 they were decimated by injuries, and in '89 and '90 they were pretty much over the hill and done in by some really bad trades by Cashen. So, 1988 is the only year you can really point to. I think the only year you can say they should’ve won the World Series but didn’t is 1988. They were clearly vastly superior to L.A., but just couldn’t get it done. In ’84 and ’85 they weren’t quite there as a team yet, in ’87 they were decimated by injuries, and in ’89 and ’90 they were pretty much over the hill and done in by some really bad trades by Cashen. So, 1988 is the only year you can really point to.

]]> By: MudvilleNine http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148117 MudvilleNine Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:19:50 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148117 Well, reading the interview, it wasn't Mel. The orders came from somewhere else. But then again, he wouldn't name who it came from. Well, reading the interview, it wasn’t Mel. The orders came from somewhere else. But then again, he wouldn’t name who it came from.

]]> By: choochoo808 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148076 choochoo808 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:18:04 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148076 YAWN. The character failures of man-children aren't the responsibility of a baseball manager. If anything, it's Cashen who should be looked at in that regard. YAWN. The character failures of man-children aren’t the responsibility of a baseball manager. If anything, it’s Cashen who should be looked at in that regard.

]]> By: giuseppe franco_procede http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148073 giuseppe franco_procede Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:05:46 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148073 Good point ToastyJoe. He handled the clubhouse like a stern taskmaster. He recieved respect. Those ego's were checked at the door. They loved him and he loved them back. He even went out of his way to pay for the damages the players made on the plane trip back to NY following the NLCS title win. It would be great to have a manager like him back on the Mets. *SIGH* Good point ToastyJoe. He handled the clubhouse like a stern taskmaster. He recieved respect. Those ego’s were checked at the door. They loved him and he loved them back. He even went out of his way to pay for the damages the players made on the plane trip back to NY following the NLCS title win. It would be great to have a manager like him back on the Mets. *SIGH*

]]> By: ToastyJoe http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148072 ToastyJoe Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:50:09 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148072 There could not have been a more perfect manager for that team. Handled egos perfectly, nurtured young pitchers, emphasized fundamentals, and really molded the whole team in his image. Only real black mark is when he let Mel Stottlemyre mess with Gooden's mechanics. There could not have been a more perfect manager for that team. Handled egos perfectly, nurtured young pitchers, emphasized fundamentals, and really molded the whole team in his image. Only real black mark is when he let Mel Stottlemyre mess with Gooden’s mechanics.

]]> By: khmustache http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148067 khmustache Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:28:41 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148067 is it just me, or does davey look drunk here? is it just me, or does davey look drunk here?

]]> By: choochoo808 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148057 choochoo808 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:46:59 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148057 Would Davey consider returning to MLB or has that ship already sailed? *cough-cough* ;) Would Davey consider returning to MLB or has that ship already sailed?

*cough-cough* ;)

]]> By: dykstraw http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148056 dykstraw Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:40:44 +0000 http://www.metsblog.com/2008/04/27/read-qa-with-davey-johnson/#comment-148056 yeah i'm not noble enough to make that trade yeah i’m not noble enough to make that trade

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