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I always knew he was the reason we sucked so much this year.

Getting a new hitting coach should really help the boys out. Hopefully this change will make the difference between us finishing 3rd, and beating out the Yankees next year.

Maybe with the new hitting coach, the Jays will actually bat good. Unlike this year.

I heard a quote from Brantley that he's angry and sees himself as a 'goat.' Well, a scapegoat he may be, but the team's hitting was horrible all year with the exception of a few players so someone has to be accountable. Even players that were not injured had me scratching my head at their swing for the fences mentality. Aaron Hill (who despite having a .285 average) has had a poor OBP all year and when we needed him most, had an average around .260. Adam Lind, when he was getting time in left field, simply could not handle the outside pitch. And during his stay with the Jays, no adjustments came in which he would hit the ball to opposite field.

Of course, I do agree that many players were injured and that it definately played a part in the hitting woes. Also, the loss of good contact hitters like Cattalanato and Hillenbrand put more pressure on certain individuals. Thus, Brantley has a point in that he can't be exclusively blamed. And why these injured players were being played everyday like Vernon is just mind-boggling. I don't care if he's making 126 million. If he has a .250 batting average all year, he's hurting the team more than helping.

That being said, I think that if the management was smart, Riccardi and Gibbons would also be let go. Gibbons for his constant managerial gaffes and his overplaying of players who need to be managed carefully (i.e. AJ Burnett). Riccardi for his: terrible signings, inability to get any trades done that can help the team and for his calling out of players with legitimate injuries (i.e. Burnett).

In fact, the only winner in this organization is Brad Arnsberg who seemingly has done well with the pitching staff. Of course, with any sport, it is difficult to tell who is responsible for what for if the pitching staff stinks next year, I'll probably be the first to advocate that Arnsberg needs to go.

Let me start by saying I agree with firing Brantley. I never understood what his credentials were anyways.

But he is a goat. Just another in a long string. JP hired Brantley. JP believed this was the guy. The guy failed. I think it's safe to say JP screwed up. He should go. Otherwise, he's just going to keep trying. Maybe Gibbons goes after next year.

^^ I don't expect Gibbons to go anytime soon, JP is really high on him.

But I would like to see him go...

They also mentioned that Ernie Whitt won't be back either

evilRyu wrote:They also mentioned that Ernie Whitt won't be back either

No, they said he is expected back, but in a different role, possibly 1st or 3rd base coach. They said there will be internal shifting of roles.

Brantley both deserved to get fired, and was the scapegoat.

whosthebosh? wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
No, they said he is expected back, but in a different role, possibly 1st or 3rd base coach. They said there will be internal shifting of roles.

Oh, my grammar might be a bit off.. I thought this quote:

Third base coach Brian Butterfield, for instance, is likely to take over from Ernie Whitt as the new bench coach.

I thought the above implies that Butterfield will be the new bench coach, replacing Whitt..

I've always thought that Whitt is slowly being groomed to be the next manager.

I always thought that as well...

whosthebosh? wrote:I always thought that as well...

I think its gonna require JP being canned first. Whitt isn't a big moneyball guy from the interviews I've seen.

Scaaaaaapegoat. If anything, fire the training staff.