Seems the better managers are those who
- Tend to know the right decisions to make at the right times (oftentimes having only seconds to make them);
- Are anticipatory and proactive rather than reactive;
- Effectively strategize all the pieces on the chessboard (pitchers, hitters, line-ups, ballparks, umps, travel, rest, call-ups, pinch/utility players, and 50 other things);
- Has the authority, charisma, and relatability to be able to get the most from his players; and
- Knows when to push and when to be patient.
All four, especially items 1, 2, and 3, generally improve with experience, especially for managers who genuinely learn from their past actions (and inactions), are intense, and cerebrally push themselves. Which I hope describes Dan, because if it does, he could be a pretty damn good manager in the not-too-distant future.
Some may say YABBUT THAT APPLIES TO ANY MANAGER: Yeah, I suppose, but I'm just being an M's fan, here, instilling some hope for Mr. W who is still young in his managerial experience. A challenging place to be without any college/minors coaching experience, which I don't think Dan has.
