Diamondbacks’ Torey Lovullo apologizes to Cubs after sign-relaying spat: ‘I stand corrected’
Holy cow, those were some amazing comments from Lovullo. Not even in the sense of “the bar for politeness and reasonability is so low today”, but just generally awesome comments.
There was something else from a year or two ago that I learned about Lovullo, or something else he did that was really impressive. I don’t remember what it was now. Favorite opposing manager out there for sure.
“Yes they were relaying information, and good for them.” I just like imagining him saying that through gritted teeth lmao
He doesn’t have the wins or anything to back it up, but I love him as a manager and would not be too pleased if he was let go in the near future.
Doesn’t have the wins? We’re 7 games above .500, he went to the WS 3 seasons ago and is the all time winningest Diamondback manager. He had one horrific season that keeps his cumulative stats low, but overall he’s been one of the best managers in franchise history. And longest tenured which is notable as well.
What I mean is he doesn’t have any World Series wins or 100 win seasons or anything like that. Believe me, it was not a knock on him. Dudes done the best he can with what he’s got.
That’s a GM issue, not a Torey issue. Give him the Jays and I’d bet he’d be up there with the Brewers and Dodgers.
Yeah I know. I love Torey. It’s no surprise that his win totals go up when ownership finally started spending.
Without Torey, we are more Rockies-like than magically becoming the Padres.
Without Torey and Kendrick opening the purse a bit, we’re just the A’s with a roof.
My wife is a DBacks fan, so I watch the team quite a bit. Whatever issues the team may have, ain’t none of em on Torey.
Our fanbase has such a strange feeling of entitlement that we “deserved” to make the playoffs and are underachieving every year we don’t make a run.
Our roster is completely unserious, we have 3 healthy starting pitchers and none of them were the guys we expected to step up this season. Hazen’s answer for the gap at 1B was Carlos fucking Santana. The big bullpen signing in the offseason was bringing back Paul Sewald, who no other team wanted. Not even to mention our all-star 2B deciding to no-show without communicating it.
And yet we’re staying right in the thick of the playoff race, maintaining a healthy lead over teams that were neck-and-neck with us a month ago. The revitalization of guys like Vargas, Ginkel, Arenado and Erod is a testament to a strong coaching staff, and they have a good internal culture. No matter what useless acquisition Hazen makes, they are good at making the most of it. Yet fans will want to throw the baby out with the bath water and just fire everybody because we haven’t had a truly terrible season in too long
I was pissed we let Torey go in favor of keeping Farrell after 2015. I felt like Torey was something special. Hope he can win the big one eventually!
I hate when the team is on a bad streak and everyone suddenly wants him fired. Even if they don’t make the postseason this year I really don’t want to see him gone.
he really seems to be one of the best guys in the sport.
Should’ve been the Sox Manager years ago.
His father Sam was the producer of the corn pone (in a good way) Hee Haw back in the 70s.
Glad this got defused. The cubs/snakes series always produces some interesting games!
Crackhead baseball every time
It happens every year, basically
Last night’s game was definitely one for the season. Hopefully today’s game (happening right now) is tame.
Aaaaand the balk thing lol
I love Arizona. Their fans are really nice and the games are always a blast.
I’ve never had a chance to be there in-season, but my family took many spring break trips there when I was growing up to catch some spring training games and enjoy the beautiful scenery. My west side apartment is currently adorned with framed national park / monument posters I collected from those trips. Tuzigoot in particular is one of the most stunning places I’ve ever been to, along with the Grand Canyon of course. Awesome state
Middle of August is the best time to come. It’s also reasonably inexpensive comparatively. Ignore the fact it’s going to be 115 today.
Likewise, I’ve never had a bad experience at a Cubs-Dbacks game, even if we lose while our guy hits 4 home runs.
Half of the east Valley here is Chicago transplants. You’ve got a ton of people who grew up Cubs fans first and Dbacks fans second. (Also we now have Lou Malnati’s Giordanos & Portillos to make it feel like home!)
Last night was no exception, unfortunately
Once the DBacks cut the lead to one and held the top of the ninth, I knew
To be clear, what we were doing wasn’t sign stealing, it was picking up on pitch tips. That’s why Kevin Gausman used a comically large glove to prevent teams from being able to see any of his tips lol
It annoys me so much when people get mad that a team is reading their grip. It’s always been part of the game. As a former catcher I remember practicing just giving the pitcher signs. My coaches would try their best to “steal” them to make sure that only the pitcher could see them. Same with setting up too early on like a high fastball or something. If you show the target too early the opponents teammates are already warning him.
Did he start using a bigger glove recently? Or was it always big and I just never noticed?
Looks like he’s been doing it since 2022! I think the Cubs broadcasts have made a bigger deal of it than the Jays ever did though because I don’t remember it being talked about during last year’s playoffs at all. (I could just be forgetting to be fair)
Oh that’s interesting! Maybe it was talked about more back then but I haven’t really heard it talked about lately. I do think at some point I read somewhere or maybe it was mentioned on a broadcast that he has a big glove, but I never got the impression that it was enormous like Cubs fans have been saying lol, but maybe back in 2022 it was a big talking point for Jays fans and then we all got used to it or something lol
It was funny before yesterday’s game Marquee showed all parties involved laughing together and having a good time. Was super weird but pleasant to see.
https://preview.redd.it/1ms0apbwtqlh1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4eba574353024a7bbd86b1d1f41bac121a8f6bad
Genuinely classy move. I tip my cap to Lovullo for taking that step, clearly a standup guy and good leader. Cheers, sir.
Another reason why the Dbacks are my backup NL team
#KeepTorey
I agree with people saying this is a good respon se from Lovullo.
But I am surprised the Diamondbacks didn’t know this was allowed. In a game of fine margins this feels like the kind of thing all teams know and use.
I’m 1000% ok with base runners relaying signs, catcher positioning, tipped pitches, or what have you. I feel like coaches doing it may be crossing a line. I get they’re on the field of play, but for runners there was always the adage of, do better and don’t allow a baserunner to reach 2B. Or even balking to move them to 3B. But coaches, while on the field of play, aren’t playing the game, obviously. They’re going to be there no matter what. I don’t think it’s breaking any rules, but it does seem a little bush to me.
But if a coach notices something on the field (ie tipping pitches), are they suppose to keep that a secret from the team they are assisting with strategy? While attempting to win the game? I don’t see it as any different as a 3rd base coach watching the outfielder and waving or stopping a runner around 3rd. The player still has to run and the player still has to hit the ball.
It’s not about noticing it and passing on that information, it’s about passing it on in real time.
So you’re saying a 1st base coach can’t pick up on tendencies from the pitcher and catcher? They can’t help a base runner figure out a lefty pickoff move?
That’s literally what they are there for, to Help the players
Pickoff move is a fair point. I don’t know…I’m obviously in the minority here, but there’s just something that irks me about a coach relaying pitches in real time. I feel like that’s something that should be between the players.
The problem with coaches doing it is that blatant stealing used to be grounds for a plunking, and you can’t really plunk a coach.
I’ll grant you that, but the flipside is that any player at that point becomes a potential proxy for the Coach
Yeah, [Star Player] has been a substitute for the coach plenty often
Technically I think you could! “Oops the ball slipped”. Would be funny and epic for it to happen once
You just need Nuke Laloosh on the mound.
The whole “do better” thing still applies. Stop tipping your pitches. Do better!
As long as they are within their coaches box, coaches shouldn’t matter if they are relaying signs. That’s why MLB started cracking down on coaches being in their boxes last year. If Berry was outside of the box, I would understand being upset, but that wasn’t happening.
I’m not talking specifically about this situation, and I know it’s within the rules. I just feel like coaches relaying pitches is kind of bush. Leave it to the players. I’m obviously in the minority here.
No, you’re just being downvoted by cubs fans. I agree with everything you said. Bush League