How important is proper organization mentality?

[dabynsky]

Joel Sherman for the NY Post wrote this article about the importance of organizations and chemistry and its importance in comparison to offseason moves. Here are some quotes.

let me float one I have been thinking about a lot recently because of how well the Yankees, Rangers, Cardinals and Braves have played despite a spate of key injuries: When teams try to speed up the contention process by injecting stars, they fail to recognize that there is no way to accelerate what too simplistically has been called chemistry over the years. I think it is more about culture; about having a steady core, philosophy, self-assurance and leadership that flows from the top down — from the front office to the clubhouse — and stays intact year after year.

“I know the sabremetric community scoffs at the idea or notion that people ‘know how to win,’ ” an AL executive said. “I get their snickering and sometimes it is overused, but that doesn’t mean it does not exist, it just means it is overused. I think there is something to having players, leadership and a philosophy that is set up not to panic. I am not sure how it is created, my best guess is through continuity — the more people are around each other, work together, play together, etc., the more trust is built

I don't know as if I agree with this article, but it is interesting that many of the teams that were the big "winners" of free agency are struggling right now. I would fall into the category of people who scoff at chemistry, but there is a reason that the Cards are able to field a winner consistently with a payroll typically below the Cubs. So maybe there is something to that.

 

[CSF77]

I believe in a culture of winning. I also believe in a culture of losing. Some times it can over come a lack of talent. Called TWTW. The Will To Win.

 

[KBisBack!]

Well I would say there is a difference between a culture of winning and team chemistry.

Sadly many people think that players need to get along in order to play well. Dumb.

Winning creates good team chemistry. Team chemistry does not create winning.

 

[dabynsky]

Well I would say there is a difference between a culture of winning and team chemistry.

Sadly many people think that players need to get along in order to play well. Dumb.

Winning creates good team chemistry. Team chemistry does not create winning.

I think the point of the article is more about a culture of winning than people getting along.

 

[brett05]

[video=youtube;WN-aCYVVtyo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN-aCYVVtyo&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

 

[mountsalami]

With the current team full of mostly one and two year contracts along with the idea that they could very well be traded also.

Team chemistry seems to be at the bottom of the bucket list so far for this regime.

We are currently in the second year of the road to nowhere.

 

[nwfisch]

With the current team full of mostly one and two year contracts along with the idea that they could very well be traded also.

Team chemistry seems to be at the bottom of the bucket list so far for this regime.

We are currently in the second year of the road to nowhere.

[video=youtube;vWgd5UPmjqs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWgd5UPmjqs[/video]

 

[DewsSox79]

What are you responding to?

I think organization mentality is important in baseball, because the season is so long and even the best teams are bound to go through a rough patch. How an organization responds to adversity is a big thing...weak organizations typically panic and start taking drastic measures instead of staying the course. If things go bad initially, an organization with poor leadership or with players who have no confidence in their manager will continue to lose. I don't know if that happened with the White Sox at the end of last year, but they definitely hit a tailspin that the "manager of the year" couldn't solve. Perhaps it was just the law of averages. I think accountability is also a big part of organization mentality. The Cubs have had no accountability in the past. Lou Pinella was basically retired with the Cubs, then the next Cubs manager was promoted from the weakest part of the organization (minor leagues).

It was a combo of both Robin and law of averages imo that just put them to bed.