Was Casey Stengel a good manager?

[tedzan]

Hi James

Continuing this conversation......

Casey Stengel played with the NY Giants (1921 - 1925). John McGraw took a liking to Stengel, and was a mentor to Stengel. In the 1940's, Stengel was the Manager for
the Oakland Oaks (PCL), and he mentored Billy Martin. Subsequently, Billy Martin became the Manager for Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, Yankees, Oakland, and Yankees. All
three of them, more or less, had the same style of playing the game and Managing.

I've always found this legacy (McGraw > Stengel > Martin) very interesting.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[egri]

Something I didn't know about Stengel until I did some more reading prompted by this thread was Yankee management had been looking to replace him as early as 1957, in favor of Ralph Houk. The opportunity didn't arise for a few years; his contract didn't end until 1958, and coming off a World Series win they had to give him another two years.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Hi James

Continuing this conversation......

Casey Stengel played with the NY Giants (1921 - 1925). John McGraw took a liking to Stengel, and was a mentor to Stengel. In the 1940's, Stengel was the Manager for
the Oakland Oaks (PCL), and he mentored Billy Martin. Subsequently, Billy Martin became the Manager for Minnesota, Detroit, Texas, Yankees, Oakland, and Yankees. All
three of them, more or less, had the same style of playing the game and Managing.

I've always found this legacy (McGraw > Stengel > Martin) very interesting.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Ted,

McGraw, Stengal and Martin all had larger than life personalities. It's a shame about Billy. Was still fairly young when he tragically passed. I remember reading there were talks that George was going to bring him back for another time to manage the Yankees again.

On the subject of him dying, makes me think about Whitey Ford a bit. Martin passing in 89, then Mickey a few years later, his buddies all passing before him must have hit him hard.

- James

[Peter_Spaeth]

Who but Billy Martin would have pulled Reggie from right field in the middle of an inning on national TV?

[insidethewrapper]

If a manager has great players he is a great manager. If he has poor players he is a poor manager. Just check any high school, college or professional team. Has talent = wins, manager is great. Next year, talent leaves = last place. Stengel first place with the Yankees and last place with the Mets.

There are stories that Stengel asked the pitching coach to put a player in for relief and that player was not even on the team.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Who but Billy Martin would have pulled Reggie from right field in the middle of an inning on national TV?

Gil Hodges did the same to Cleon Jones when he was managing the Mets.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by egri

Gil Hodges did the same to Cleon Jones when he was managing the Mets.

Cleon was not quite the magnitude of Reggie but cool. My best friend and I were actually watching the Reggie game, it was an incredible moment, a good one for us because at that point we loved Thurman and hated Reggie.

[D. Bergin]

I don't think Joe Maddon or Bobby Cox or Earl Weaver or whoever you consider a great manager, would have been able to squeeze much more out of some of those horrible teams Casey was saddled with.

[tedzan]

Stengel was not only a "genius" in his ability to handle ball players, he also possessed an extraordinary gift to make the "perfect" decisions at the right occasion.
World Series 1956, Stengel starts Don Larsen in the 2nd game vs. the Dodgers. It's not Larsen's day, the Dodgers score 4 Runs in the 2nd inning. Stengel yanks
Larsen in that inning.
With the Series tied at 2 games apiece, who does Stengel start for the 5th game.....Don Larsen. The rest is history. Was that just sheer luck, or was it the result
of a shrewd mind ?





1948 PCL







TED Z

T206 Reference
.