The Mysteries and Magic of Baseball Managers

The Enigmatic Role of Coaching in the World of Sports

The Enigmatic Sports Coaching Gig

Christian Petersen//Getty Images

It’s a wild and wacky world of managerial wonders in the baseball realm right now. Two particular stories have captured my attention. First, the debate over whether the legendary Bruce Bochy is the greatest manager of all time. Second, the shocking move of Craig Counsell, the ultimate Milwaukee guy, who traded the Brewers for a whopping $40 million deal with the Chicago Cubs, making him the highest-paid manager ever.

Now, you might wonder why these two stories connected in my mind. Well, it’s because I believe that being a baseball manager is the most mysterious coaching job in all of sports. Unlike other American sports, you don’t design intricate plays or dictate the game’s flow with timeouts. Nope, baseball managers are at the mercy of their starting pitchers, the performance of their lineup, the reliability of their bullpen, and even the whims of fate itself.

Just think about it—Andy Reid, Gregg Popovich, Jurgen Klopp—they can shape their teams game by game, adjusting strategies and styles as needed. But Bochy and Counsell? They have far less room to maneuver. They must navigate the treacherous waters of pitching inconsistencies, the fickle batting order, and the unpredictable nature of key hitters stepping up at critical moments. It’s like rolling the dice and hoping for magic.

Meanwhile, you can easily identify a Marty Schottenheimer football team or an Erik Spoelstra basketball team. But when it comes to baseball, can you watch a game and pinpoint the manager’s style? I highly doubt it.

• Emily in Paris: Season Four Awaits with Fashionable Anticipation
• Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds: The Masters of Coordinated Style
• Reunited and it Feels So Good: Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis T...

Elsa//Getty Images

Sure, sometimes you see a hit-and-run or a lineup shift that seems genius, but those are rare occurrences overshadowed by the shared principles among managers. Every team steals bases, tries to bunt, or intentionally walks batters to some extent. The differences are minimal, like a pinch of extra spice on a well-cooked dish.

But let’s dig into Bochy and Counsell for a moment. What makes them worthy or unworthy of their lofty statuses? Speaking from the heart, I’ve never watched the Brewers play and thought, “Now, THAT is a Craig Counsell move!” However, I trust that he excels at handling the clubhouse, resolving internal issues, and injecting confidence into his players.

Yes, there have been playoff failures, but what manager hasn’t faced those? It’s challenging to judge a manager’s worth solely based on postseason outcomes. Just look at Buck Showalter, who went from being hailed as a hero to jobless and beerless in New York. It’s a mysterious world indeed.

John Fisher//Getty Images

Now, let’s delve into Counsell’s postseason woes. Swept, blown leads, disappointment—they’re all part of his playoff narrative. But can we truly make sense of it? The teams he faced went on to win the World Series, highlighting their strength. And then, there was that unexpected Diamondbacks upset. Magic happens.

But what about Bochy? He might not have the flashy regular-season record or a distinct coaching philosophy, but his October performance is nothing short of miraculous. In San Diego, he went to the World Series, and in San Francisco, he won three World Series titles. Even in Texas, he soared to the franchise’s first championship. So, while Bochy might not fit into a neat box of managerial style, something magical happens when he takes the field.

This is the essence of what teams desire in a manager—a steady hand guiding them through the regular season and a crafty tactician who can conjure victories in October. It’s not easy to put a finger on these intangibles, and that’s what makes baseball such a wonderfully mysterious sport.

So, as we witness Counsell break managerial salary records and Bochy etching his name in the annals of greatness, let’s revel in the enigmatic beauty of baseball. It’s a game where even the most experienced experts can’t fully comprehend the secrets hidden within every dugout decision.

Would you bet on Counsell or Bochy? What do you think makes a great baseball manager? Share your thoughts and join the colorful conversation below!

Joe Posnanski has been called “contemporary sports writing’s biggest star.” For more stories from Joe, subscribe to his Joe Blogs Substack newsletter at joeposnanski.com, where he writes about sports, pop culture, life, and all manner of nonsense.