‘Be careful what you wish for’: D-backs could regret moving on from Lovullo
The Diamondbacks are at a crossroads when it comes to manager Torey Lovullo. Would firing him actually solve the team's issues?
Watch: Bickley Blast: The risk of firing Torey Lovullo | 9 mins
Barring a miracle finish, a momentous decision is looming. Do the Arizona Diamondbacks say goodbye to their longtime manager Torey Lovullo just because it’s time for a change, time for a fresh voice, time for something new?
Or would that be a stupid reason to ditch a manager who is a few victories removed from MLB Manager of the Year consideration?
These are very heavy questions because the Diamondbacks have made the playoffs twice in Lovullo’s 10 years. That’s not acceptable. But is it his fault?
Lovullo’s contract is up at the end of the season. He seems resigned to being gone if the team fails to make the postseason. But if you go back and check preseason predictions, most people didn’t expect much from this team. And that was before all the Ketel Marte drama.
There’s a belief that either Marte or Lovullo must go, that the status quo and preferential treatment cannot continue. But it would be wild to reward the player in that scenario, and there’s no guarantee a hard-ass manager gets more from our mercurial second baseman.
There was a time when the Diamondbacks thought they needed a new voice. They fired Bob Melvin, replaced him with A.J. Hinch and regretted it for the next half-decade.
So: Are we watching the real-time end of one of the longest-running shows in Arizona sports? It’s definitely possible, maybe even probable. But to the pitchfork crowd, a final warning:
Be careful what you wish for.
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Comments
5 Comments
I would not be mad at 1 more year of Torey IF and only if they ditch Marte for whatever pennies on the dollar they can get for him. He torpedo'd this team with his antics again, and they have struggled to recover from it. Moving him for nothing would be additon by subtraction.
Here comes the paid off water carrying for the team that won't do what is necessary.
There are three big spenders in our division and then there's the garbage pail Rockies. For what Hazen and Lovey are doing, I can take it. It's a team that competes. For a transplant state full of out of town sports fans, I think we do okay. Tampa might have it better, but not by much. Hovering at .500 for 10+ years isn't bad for a mid market team. The Cardinals could certainly learn a thing or two from the D-Backs system.
I also think that if Hazen and Lovey go somewhere else they may be given more to work with and we are going to be coulda woulda shoulda. We did make a WS with their ideas and leadership. It can be done. They aren't stupid people and the players want to play for them.
I'm in the keep them camp.