Creating a Culture Is Hard Work

Crawford and Zobrist's baserunning disaster on Thursday was freaky enough that you can't really read anything into it. Maddon had a quote in Marc Topkin's story this morning, though, from which we can learn about the state of the team.

From Topkin: "The best lesson I've seen from this whole thing is how Carl stood up to it and was accountable for what he did," Maddon said. "I hope as a group we all take a lesson on that from him, especially the young players. He could have made up a whole bunch of excuses, but he did not. I really appreciate that, and I know the rest of the guys did, too. I think that, as much as anything, is a growth moment for us as a group compared to maybe what happened here in the past."

Maddon is remarkably consistant in his language around building a group psychology that is particular to the Rays. The last sentence of his quote digs deeper into that. For those who think Maddon is too soft on his players, make no mistake: he clearly holds them to high and clear expectations. The way he chooses to communicate his standards, however, is unique. This quote shows him being unflinchingly critical of the clubhouse he inherited, but willing to search for the positive in an otherwise heartbreaking loss. The compliment to Crawford is not superficial, but insightful. Compare it, by the way, to yesterday's impulsive, shortsighted behavior of the previous manager.

Creating a culture of accountability and self-awareness is essential in fostering long-term change in Tampa. Last summer, Maddon told me, "I’ve always thought that you have to get the group in the clubhouse, the individuals and personalities, to come together and be accountable before what you’re trying to do is going to show up on the field.

"I think everybody looks at it and thinks its going to be a different player, a new player addition, or you teach a guy a new pitch or different batting stance, and right away you think you’re going to get better. That is not true. When things get better is when we interact better. And then all the philosophies and concepts that you want to put out there have a much better chance."

So, when he speaks of " a growth moment for us as a group," he is refering to the progress of the team's move toward a winning culture. A winning culture does not involve fake positivity or illogical cheeriness--some critics, seeing only what is on the surface, accuse Maddon of these things-- but genuine cohesiveness and awareness. As anyone who has ever tried to lead a group knows, creating these conditions is hard work, and the rewards can be great.

Frustration Takes Hold

Fan frustration is becoming more palpable following the Rays' fourth consecutive loss last night. Some harsh things were posted on blogs about Maddon and the bullpen yesterday and today.

This is a tough situation. Patience has always been a major tenant of Maddon's philosophy. Last July, he told me, "The moment I am inconsistent with my message, I'll run into problems." It is important for him to retain a sense of the big picture, but it is also important to win games. Matt Sammons, on D-Rays Bay, raises a question about allowing Jae Seo to remain in the game last night.

It is not my role to make excuses for management; my project is to analyze what the organization is doing to foster long-term improvement. I do not think that the bullpen issues are surprising, and Maddon is doing what he can to develop the pitchers he has been given. This takes time.

Here's where you worry, though: Carl Crawford was quoted by Marc Topkin this morning as saying,"It's just a rerun; you know what I'm saying?". Not an encouraging sign about team culture. I ask again: is it time to dip into Durham and see what some of those guys have to offer?

Maddon seems to be working against two diverging clocks right now: he's facing the onrush of sinking morale and faith in his leadership, but he is also trying to be patient and allow the team to develop. A culture is not created quickly; I hope that players and fans allow the time for his ideas and methods to take hold.

Here's Mark Lancaster on some of the Rays' internal strategizing about the bullpen problem.

Be Fast, But Be Smart

Joe Maddon's thoughtfulness was evidenced last night during a pregame interview with the YES Network's Kimberly Jones. Jones, discussing the team's athleticism, asked the manager if everyone had a green light to steal at all times. Maddon was careful to point out that if a team is going to base their game on speed, they had better do it intelligently.

In the recent book Baseball Between the Numbers, Baseball Prospectus' James Click analyzed the value of base stealers. He pointed toward John Thorn and Pete Palmer's finding that in order for a base stealer to avoid costing his team runs, he must be successful at least sixty-three percent of the time. Any more bungled attempts than that negate the value of speed.

A less careful manager could be romanced by the incredible speed on this year's Devil Rays, and run himself out of rallies every night. Maddon, displaying typical fidelity to data and rational thought, actually holds his team to a higher standard than Palmer and Gillette would: he told Jones that he wanted the Rays to be successful stealing seventy to seventy-five percent of the time.

Now, the reality of speed and youth: in the second inning last night, the Rays had the bases loaded againt Andy Pettitte, threatening to explode early in a close game. Jorge Posada, having trouble holding onto pitches all night, lost his grip on one, which skipped a few feet behind him.

B.J. Upton, on third, got all excited and dashed home. He was, of course, out, and the rally was dead.

Maddon's long-term project is to merge the team's youth with his intelligence. If he was frustrated by Upton's over-eager sprint, the emotion did not show on his face. Patience, or course, will be as important for him as intelligence.