From a Baseball Prospectus Chat today: "Dave (NJ): Jerry Manuel... Was he this bad in Chicago? Christina Kahrl: He was, and he will be. That the Mets were impressed with him was proof they didn't remember that this was what happened last time around: Manuel aced his interview, says all the right things in a conference room, and then handicapped his ballclub with his fascination with ways of insinuating himself into the ballgame. I know it means something to Mets fans if I label the man "Torborgian," but that's what you're working with, with a dash of braggadocio to spice things up a bit." Unnecessary usage of "braggadocio" aside, Kahrl is spot on. It seems like Jerry is more concerned with projecting his personality onto the events of a game rather than giving his team the best chance to win. His on-the-field job is to create the best possible lineup and make smart substitutions, and he's failing horribly at both. I'm fine with the post-game joking and "gangsta" talk, as long as that stuff doesn't make its way into game management. Link via jasondg.