A bunch of SABR nerds wouldn't let go of an innocuous statement RAJ made some time ago about not caring about walks and wanting production. No doubt walks equal production but it certainly isn't the only way to have production.
Anyway it occurred to me as I watch Ryne and this group of players finishing out the season that the Phillies were definitely walking more and more disciplined at the plate so I looked it up. In the month of September the Phils are 5th in the league in OBP and 11th in BB.
In the month of August they were dead last in OBP and 26th in BB. So maybe just maybe the problem wasn't RAJ. Maybe it was the philosophy of the manager. In my opinion a good GM would never publicly embarrass his manager or a player. RAJ's statement that day was obviously counter intuitive and he knew it. I'm sure it is something he and Charlie battled over behind close doors on more than one occasion.
Pitching in my opinion will always be the path to the post season. The take away is this don't listen as much to what a GM says but rather what he does.
