Goodbye Bien.....
this from the San Jose Mercury News by blog writer Andrew Baggarly who writes a blog called "Extra Baggs" :
"Just completed all the research and interviews for the Baseball America Top-30 prospects list. If only the writing did itself!
Spoke with a few coaches who clammed up when I asked if they’d return to the same assignments next year. Changes are coming, I’ve been told, but they weren’t at liberty to discuss them.
The Giants are expected to make announcements soon. Don’t be surprised if Steve Decker rises to manage Double-A Connecticut and Low-A Augusta manager Andy Skeels is promoted to take Decker’s place in San Jose.
Skeels’ GreenJackets were 88-50, the best record among all full-season minor league teams, and went on to the South Atlantic League championship. All the more impressive, Skeels guided a team that was young for the Sally League. Madison Bumgarner, Nick Noonan and Angel Villalona were in their first full pro seasons.
Decker’s Little Giants were almost as good before losing in the Cal League playoffs; the former big league catcher has built a strong reputation for developing winning players.
The Double-A club will be a huge responsibility next season, when the Defenders are expected to get the Giants’ top two pitching prospects, Bumgarner and Tim Alderson, and possibly Noonan as well. With Decker at Connecticut, it’s reasonable to assume that top pick Buster Posey will be assigned there, too.
Posey might be a Gold Glove catcher in the making, but he’s only been playing the position a couple years and still has a lot to learn. He apparently had trouble with passed balls in Hawaii earlier this month. Decker should help him straighten out."
I saw the above posted on Tom Clifton's blog as well.
Not really surprised Bien might not be back given his feelings about Dodd which turned 180 degress from the beginning of the season.
And Witter makes out in this deal as well if Decker comes on board.
posted by greg8370 at 9:36 PM
4 Comments:
This sounds too good to be true. Looking forward to another season of "low profile" with Witter back. I'm glad Bien , if it comes to fruition, is out of here. He never really seemed comfortable in Norwich for whatever reason.
If Decker does become the manager, I hope the team has the sense (and acumen) to promote the Hell out of it. With the potential for players that might be here, this could be a shot in the arm, attendance wise. And make it difficult to move the franchise.
Then , of course, all these hot prospects could turn out to be out classed in AA ala EME, TI, and a host of others.
This is as positive news as we could have hoped for, let's hope it happens.
2:10 AM
While I think Decker will be good here, lets try to remember that for the last two years all we have heard is how good the guys coming up from A ball are and when they get here they cant hit due to no plate discipline. Fence swingers dont make it here. The guys who make it here spend time and learn discipline. ie eme, ti, bc etc.
Same problem for the pitchers. Guys with one pitch and weak second pitch find out that everybody hits 90 miles an hour fastballs and will sit on it.
I do admit that I am looking forward to the next season but I am cautiously optimistic after all they did start 10-0 last year.
7:48 AM
And is there baseball on top of the hill after 2009? Sounds like the folks in Richmond have a lot on their plate and with the economy being the economy....
10:33 AM
decker is being fast tracked to the bigs
i thought he would spend at least one more season at sj....but i guess not
we should see decker managing somewhere within the next 5 years...dude has skills
he took a blue collar team in salk, and turned it into an unbeatable power
and he did a very good job in sj
6:28 PM
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