Poll Time: Do you approve of the job John Schneider doing?

John Schneider has been the manager for long enough for us to come up with some opinions on him. But, doing this when the team is playing well is loading the question.

Just random thoughts:

• I hate when managers come in saying the team is going to be more aggressive on the basepaths. I’d guess that 90% of new managers say that, but I don’t think it is a great thing to put in their players’ heads. I want the guys who are good baserunners to be aggressive. I want the other guys to be careful. By the team guys make it to the majors, they have played many baseball games. They have figured out when they should go for an extra base and when they shouldn’t. Putting it in their heads that they should ignore their instincts doesn’t seem like a great idea.
• And, in what other sport do you announce your strategy to the other teams?
• The team has done pretty well on the basepaths. Fangraphs has them 1.9 runs above average, ninth best in the league. Last year they were a -10.5, 25th in the league. I’d think that comes mostly from the personnel changes.
• I’d love John to leave a reliever in long on occasion. I’d like him to use Richards (or someone) as a real long man. Sometimes a pitcher comes out early. Using seven guys for one inning, each makes for a long game. And a fair bit of scrambling if the goes in the extras.
• Lineups? Fans always seem to want managers to chase hot streaks. I like that John picks the lineup he thinks is right and runs with them for a reasonable length of time. You shouldn't be a manager if you can’t stick to your convictions for more than 10 at-bats (50 or 75 at-bats). And, if you are a manager, you ought to know that moving a guy a couple of spots in the batting order won’t make a huge change in runs scored.
• On the field strategies seem like 10% of a manager’s job. John seems good at the other 90%. The players seem to like him. He projects an image of leadership (whatever that means). He has a history with a lot of the guys. That can’t hurt. He should be able to speak to them in ways they understand.
• I thought, last year, that sometimes he let his emotions run away with him. I’d rather a manager not do that. Cito used to say he didn’t want to get thrown out of a game because he thought he was of more use to the team on the bench than in the clubhouse. And Cito projected an image of calm, which, I kind of thought, helped the team keep their heads. Coaches....ok, get thrown out if you feel you gotta. I don’t think it helps anything but sure. Managers, make sure your players are in the game, not thinking they are battling umpires or something else other than the game.
• He seems fine with the press. I’m unsure how important that is, but he seems good at it.