You’re quick to reject how a relaxed approach can be conducive to performance and how an intense, uptight manager might not help create a relaxed atmosphere.

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Is there any evidence that a “relaxed” or any other atmosphere has an impact on the performance of a team?

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His teams reflected his personality: understated intensity.

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This team has the understated down.

No way the Yanks are in 4th place under Torre.
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Sure, why wouldn’t they? With the regression of Cano, Melky & Jeter, as well as missing Matsui & Posada (the latter meaning giving more AB’s than necessary to Molina), it’s not surprising that the Yanks are doing as poorly as they have.

They may not have been a 4th place team, but that could reasonably be argued as TB & maybe TOR doing better than anticipated.

No way the Yanks are in 4th place under Torre. The team never looked this bad, for this long, under his leadership. His teams reflected his personality: understated intensity. Yes, it’s mostly about the players, but how many of the players really enjoy playing under Girardi? How many have defended him? Hearing any great things about the Yankee clubhouse?
But hey, look on the bright side: there won’t be any embarrassing 1st round exit this year.

I have doubts. At the end of the day, the players have to perform, no matter who’s the manager. They haven’t for whatever reason, and that’s why they’re in the position they are in now.
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I agree that they would be at the some place with Torre as they are now, but only becase Girardi has managed like Torre would have and that’s not why he was brought in as manager. I really see no difference between the last few years of Torre and Girardi this season. I think that is the most disappointing thing about Giradi.

I’m convinced he’s the best “big-market” manager around.
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Winning can convince you of anything. In a few years if Boston isn’t winning anymore, you’ll be just as convinced that Tito’s time is passed.

That’s why I don’t buy the whole Torre/Girardi personality contrast stuff.

Raf, I agree with the soft start syndrome, it finally got to them now. Although, I felt that their pitching was very weak relative to Toronto and Boston.
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That’s because it is, and has been since Pedro was in Boston.

The Yanks weren’t built around pitching, they were built around their offense. Their pitching has performed about the same last year, the offense hasn’t.

I’d agree that the effects are at the margins but I have no doubt that the team would have had a better chance of overcoming their problems if Torre were still manager.
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I have doubts. At the end of the day, the players have to perform, no matter who’s the manager. They haven’t for whatever reason, and that’s why they’re in the position they are in now.

I’d agree that Girardi’s press relations leave a lot to be desired. A “Playoffs?” rant might have helped, who knows, but his secretiveness reached absurd extremes. He shouldn’t announce that Marte has some soreness and will probably not pitch for a week or so, but after the fact, why not just admit it? Why not say, “Damaso didn’t feel right but we didn’t feel he needed to miss 15 days and now he feels better and as you saw, he’s throwing the ball well again” instead of acting as though he was never hurt?

I wasn’t always pleased with the in-game decisions Francona has made but watching the way he treats his players and deals with the press, I’m convinced he’s the best “big-market” manager around. He’s great at dealing with the distractions, and now that Manny is gone, I think the clubhouse is more united than ever because there’s no longer a situation of different rules for different players.

>> but I have no doubt that the team would have had a better chance of overcoming their problems if Torre were still manager. >>

And get trounced in the ALDS *again*. Perhaps Torre is a better guy for the long haul of a regular season…?

I also think Girardi needs to throw out a “we stink” every once in a while to the press. The whole “Captain Positivity” routine must wear thin with certain guys sometimes…