End of an Era in Managing Shows Value in Loyalty

September is one of the more exciting months of the baseball season. It’s right before October which means September is the last full month of the regular season. It’s the month that crushes dreams and witnesses miracles in pennant races and sets the stage for the postseason.

It’s exciting stuff.

This year is no different. Aroldis Chapman is throwing 103 mph heaters consistently out of the Reds bullpen. His teammate Joey Votto and Cards star Albert Pujols are locked in a race for the Triple Crown and MVP award. Manny’s being Manny again. And too many pitchers to count are baffling hitters across baseball.

But as this year comes to a close, it’s hard not to focus on the future of the game and in doing so, the past too.

The game is changing. An era is ending with each passing day. And it’s hard to believe.

Lou Piniella retired from baseball after 23 years as a manager and 18 as a player. Sweet Lou’s volcanic blow-ups and winning ways were a signature part of baseball during that time. And now, he’s gone.

Joe Torre is losing steam too. After 18 years as a player and 29 on the bench, Torre looks exhausted. He took the Yankees to four World Series titles with his calm and emotionless style. And sooner than later, he’ll be gone too.

Tony La Russa is feeling the heat in St. Louis. La Russa only signed a one-year deal going into the year. He was uncertain of his place in St. Louis and baseball long-term. He’s been managing ballclubs for 32 years. He’s been called a genius. And he’s been called other things. But he’s been a winner and that’s the bottom line in managing and professional sports. La Russa won a World Series with a loaded Oakland team in 1989 and later got a second ring with an underdog Cardinals group in 2006. The Redbirds aren’t finishing strong in 2010 and that could make a difference in La Russa’s future with the club. Either way, time is running out on him just as it is on the other greats.

Bobby Cox is going to retire after the season. In 29 years of managing, Cox has been ejected more than any other manager in history. He has also been a model of consistency in overseeing the Atlanta Braves since 1990. His teams dominated the NL East and won five National League pennants, but only won one World Series. Still, he may be the best of this generation. But after this year, Cox won’t be putting on a uniform during summertime. Right now, he’s probably having too much fun with a winning team for one last time. But it will hit him eventually.

It will also hit baseball fans at some point this winter.

Four of the most recognizable faces in baseball will be replaced in the near future with new ones. In today’s climate, those faces likely won’t last long enough to fill their shoes – in their organization or in history. The culture today is about winning and winning fast. After two years of losing, owners look for a fresh face. Newer is always better.

But remember, John Wooden didn’t win his first national championship until his 16^th season at UCLA. Today, he likely wouldn’t have had the chance to build his program and thus, his legacy.

All good things must come to an end sometime but the mentality doesn’t have to change too.

Baseball is still baseball and there’s not a secret formula to winning.

Piniella, Torre, La Russa, and Cox all had different styles. But they all got plenty of time to do their thing. It’s probably time for them to move on soon though.

While they won’t be around, teams should notice what made them successful. Yes, they’re all great baseball minds and motivators, but so are a lot of guys that fail too.

The ones that fail never get the chance to sit down and call a team their own. Winning fast is a hard thing to do.

It’s why Ted Turner fired Bobby Cox in his first stint with the Braves. He didn’t win. It’s also why Joe Torre got the Yankees job. Buck Showalter didn’t get a ring quick enough for the Boss so Torre was brought in to finish the job. Piniella ran out of gas in Chicago because of the pressures of winning. And La Russa can feel it in September with the Cardinals now.

While pressure to win all affected these legends, they also all got plenty of time to carve out their place in the game.

Bobby Cox got a second chance with the Braves and became a Hall of Fame manager because his team was better and he was given time.

Torre spent 12 seasons in the Bronx which is impressive considering George Steinbrenner’s quick trigger when it comes to the guy filling out the lineup card.

Piniella had a long career and always found a job after winning it all in Cincinnati and leading some great teams in Seattle.

And La Russa has been in St. Louis for 15 years, spent a decade in Oakland, and eight years in Chicago. That’s a long time at each stop.

Their resumes highlight the value of loyalty and trust in professional sports at a time when those values have disappeared.

No, this group of managers hasn’t been loved or respected everywhere they’ve been. They’ve made mistakes on and off the field. They’re not perfect. But they have had outstanding careers in baseball and loyalty has played a large part in it.

So when their teams look for replacements, they shouldn’t lose sight of what was successful over the last few decades.

Patience and trust are keys. Managers should be given at least five years to make progress and turn their team into a winner. It’s proven that managers and coaches that are given time can win.

The battle is having the patience to wait and see if the new guy can get it done.

If the front office can win that battle, the next Bobby Cox is out there. The only problem is that battle hasn’t been won very much lately.

The standings today always seem to get in the way.