12/11/2003
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Andy Pettite is leaving the Yankees for the Astros. The most fascinating part of this article deals with the interpersonal dynamic between management and the pitcher. From the Times, "while the Yankees found time to negotiate a deal with David Wells, who bolted after one inning in the fifth game of the World Series and who had back surgery last week, Pettitte, who has pitched through elbow pain for years, waited for a call reminding him how valuable he was. It never really came."
Pettite's story, combined with Curt Schilling's decision to come to the Red Sox based on webchats with fans, makes me believe that 1) baseball managers could all benefit from some serious interpersonal skills training and that 2) elusive dynamics--fans, the atmosphere of the clubhouse, the kindness of the bosses--are much more important than baseball cynics believe. For someone who used to think that baseball players were overpaid oafs who didn't care about their home teams, these are surprising realizations.
Pettite's story, combined with Curt Schilling's decision to come to the Red Sox based on webchats with fans, makes me believe that 1) baseball managers could all benefit from some serious interpersonal skills training and that 2) elusive dynamics--fans, the atmosphere of the clubhouse, the kindness of the bosses--are much more important than baseball cynics believe. For someone who used to think that baseball players were overpaid oafs who didn't care about their home teams, these are surprising realizations.
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