No manager has more impact on games than Cardinals skipper
APTony La Russa might not be the most liked manager in baseball, but he's probably the most respected.
MLB EXPERT MAILBAG
By Tony DeMarco
NBCSports.com contributor
updated 7:18 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2011
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Q: Who do you think is the best manager of those remaining in the playoffs?
? Tim Sanders, Boise, Idaho
A: Although their styles run the gamut from Kirk Gibson's football mentality to Charlie Manuel's good-ole-boy, sly-like-a-fox, all eight are elite big-league managers. Their resumes are dotted with postseason appearances ? some of them in more than one managerial spot. Rankings always are at least a bit subjective, but here goes:
You can't argue against the track record of the Cardinals' Tony La Russa; he's a certain Hall of Famer, and believe me, it's no coincidence his teams always are in the postseason.
He's not often liked by those in the other dugout (or his beat writers), but he's definitely respected for what he's accomplished. Between his umpire baiting, strategy and grit, he can have the biggest impact on games. His teams also never quit.
But my personal favorite is Rays manager Joe Maddon, who consistently has done more with less than anybody I've seen in 25 years around the major leagues. The Rays coming out of the AL East and reaching the playoffs in three of the last four years is a truly remarkable accomplishment.
If I'm the Cubs ? or any other team looking for a manager/general manager combination ? my plan A is to do everything I can to buy out the contracts of Maddon and Andrew Friedman, and snag them from the Rays.
Q: I know voting is done before the postseason, but I think Ryan Braun's play so far in the playoffs really shows why he should be the NL MVP. What do you think? And do you think the Brewers were wise to give Braun the extension a couple years ago, even though that meant they likely would lose Prince Fielder?
? Kevin Anderson, Madison, Wis.
A: You're right on the first count ? the ballots were cast before the postseason began. And, Braun certainly has put together an MVP-like season. But the question is, will he win the award over Matt Kemp, who made a run at the Triple Crown?
Their numbers are so close, that you can make a case for either to win, and I'm certain they'll be the top two finishers (rank in NL in parentheses):
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If I had a vote, I'd give the nod to Kemp; the offensive numbers are virtually the same, and he's the better defender at a more-crucial position (CF) than Braun is at a less-important position (LF). Braun also has another top-five MVP finisher hitting behind him in Prince Fielder, while Kemp was relatively unprotected in the Dodgers' lineup.
That said, if voters lean to the team-in-the-postseason argument, Braun will win.
As for Braun's extension ? that deal (five years, $105 million) doesn't kick in until 2016, when he'll be 33, and runs until 2021, when he'll be 38. Including his current contract (eight years, $45 million, signed in 2008), the Brewers are on the hook for $150 million over 13 years, with either a $15-million option in 2021 or $4-million buyout.
I don't think Fielder would have stayed in Milwaukee regardless of Braun's contract status. Fielder is a Scott Boras client and will cash in in a big way elsewhere this winter, much as CC Sabathia did when he left Milwaukee for the Yankees. So given that, tying up Braun for the long haul made sense.
Q: Do you think the umpiring has been bad in the post-season, or is everyone overreacting on Twitter and Facebook?
? Don McAndrews, Las Vegas
A: Everything is magnified in the postseason, but there has been more questioning of balls and strikes than usual ? and I'm talking about the people actually on the field. I'll leave the social media crowd out of this, other than to say it's prone to overreaction by nature.
Tony La Russa has been fined for his criticism of Jerry Meals during Game 2 of the Cardinals-Phillies series, and Joe Girardi whined about Gerry Davis' strike zone in Game 3 of the Yankees-Tigers game.In the latter case, say what you want about CC Sabathia maybe getting squeezed a bit more than Justin Verlander. But Davis' ball call on Jose Valverde's perfectly executed forkball that extended Derek Jeter's game-ending at-bat was one of the worst I can remember since the ball call on Mark Langston that extended Tino Martinez's at-bat in Game 1 of the 1998 World Series.
At least there was no damage done by Jeter, who struck out on the next pitch ? unlike Martinez's go-ahead grand slam off Langston that keyed a Yankees' sweep of the Padres.
And that's part of my point ? we haven't had any major controversies so far in this postseason ? no Don Denkinger blown call at home plate, or Jeffrey Maier fan interference problems, etc. So, no, I don't think the umpiring has been particularly bad.
Tony DeMarco is a contributor to NBCSports.com and a freelance writer based in Denver.
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