Purpura and Wade

[Arky Vaughan]

One thing that appears obvious from this offseason's moves is that Wade has formulated and is executing a systematic plan to build the team. A criticism often leveled at Purpura was that he wasn't "doing anything" and didn't have a plan, leaving the team's needs ignored. A common response to this was that Purpura was trying to build the team as best he could, but many times the parts he needed simply weren't there (or weren't there at the right price). In retrospect, in comparison to Wade, does it now appear that Purpura was too conservative to pull the trigger on the deals necessary to carry out whatever plan he had and, relatedly, that he was too complacent in waiting for the existing assets in the organization to fill holes? Of course time will tell whether Wade's plan yields fruit, but from the perspective of activity so far (not just transactions for the sake of transactions, but coherent, step-by-step roster moves), is Wade already ahead of Purpura?

[jasonact]

I think it's more obivous in the systematic execution of a plan. I always thought Purpura's problem was that he had too much confidence in the players the Astros already had. He held onto them too long, thinking they would eventually produce the way he hoped. I think at the end of the day, Purpura thought that the available players he could get were not a large enough upgrade over the pieces he already had, and he was often wrong about that. I'm not ready to say yet that Wade is ahead of Purpura yet (the outcome during the season will decide that 100%), but I like seeing what appears to be a systematic purpose in making moves.

[Mr. Happy]

I think it's more obivous in the systematic execution of a plan. I always thought Purpura's problem was that he had too much confidence in the players the Astros already had. He held onto them too long, thinking they would eventually produce the way he hoped. I think at the end of the day, Purpura thought that the available players he could get were not a large enough upgrade over the pieces he already had, and he was often wrong about that. I'm not ready to say yet that Wade is ahead of Purpura yet (the outcome during the season will decide that 100%), but I like seeing what appears to be a systematic purpose in making moves.

I like the moves thusfar. He's trying to move the team forward. Put me in his camp.

[Andyzipp]

In retrospect, in comparison to Wade, does it now appear that Purpura was too conservative to pull the trigger on the deals necessary to carry out whatever plan he had and, relatedly, that he was too complacent in waiting for the existing assets in the organization to fill holes? Of course time will tell whether Wade's plan yields fruit, but from the perspective of activity so far (not just transactions for the sake of transactions, but coherent, step-by-step roster moves), is Wade already ahead of Purpura?

Wade is ahead of Purpura, but not necessarily because Purpura had no plan. Purpura was hamstrung by his belief in Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Chris Burke amongst others.  Their lack of performance, and his inability to play nice with the media, cost Tim his job. 

In other words, Tim also had a systematic plan, it just didn't work.

[Mr. Happy]

Wade is ahead of Purpura, but not necessarily because Purpura had no plan. Purpura was hamstrung by his belief in Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Chris Burke amongst others.  Their lack of performance, and his inability to play nice with the media, cost Tim his job. 

In other words, Tim also had a systematic plan, it just didn't work.

Zippster, you nailed it.

[jbm]

Wade is ahead of Purpura, but not necessarily because Purpura had no plan. Purpura was hamstrung by his belief in Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Chris Burke amongst others.  Their lack of performance, and his inability to play nice with the media, cost Tim his job. 

In other words, Tim also had a systematic plan, it just didn't work.

Agreed that TP had a plan and that plan seemed to be to essentially hope for improvement, but the contrast in their approaches is pretty stark.  As y'all noted, TP, up until the Wigginton trade imo, was characterized by a hopeful outlook:  pretty soon Ensberg and Lane will rebound, Lidge will regain his consistency, Burke will be a good centerfielder or a good hitter, a few of these young pitchers are bound to blossom, etc.  Wade doesn't appear to be the hopeful sort, it doesn't appear like he is willing to rely on a hopeful forecast for Lidge, Burke, Scott, or a number of the young pitchers.  Even if some of his moves don't work, I hope the message resonates to some of the players that the organization is valueing performance over potential.

Besides their outlooks, Wade has the speed, defense, pitching philosophy, which he is aggresively instituting.  I never had a clear sense of Purpura's values, in terms of overall philosophy.  For example, if given the choice, would Purpura go with Bourn/Pence in CF/RF or Pence/Scott?  I never got the sense that TP could emphatically answer that question one way or another.  Wade can, and that is a big difference between the two.

[Jacksonian]

Wade is ahead of Purpura, but not necessarily because Purpura had no plan. Purpura was hamstrung by his belief in Jason Lane, Morgan Ensberg and Chris Burke amongst others.  Their lack of performance, and his inability to play nice with the media, cost Tim his job. 

In other words, Tim also had a systematic plan, it just didn't work.

I think you're underestimating the Smith-effect.

[Mr. Happy]

I like Wade-Smith thusfar. We're strengthening up the middle.

[Limey]

...strengthening up the middle.

Is that why they call you Mr. Happy?

[MusicMan]

Is that why they call you Mr. Happy?

I thought it was because he was Matsui's massage therapist.

[Mr. Happy]

Is that why they call you Mr. Happy?

Double entendres aside, i'm a viagra man now. The reference was strictly baseball.

[Noe]

I think you're underestimating the Smith-effect.

I think the "playing nice with the media" is also underestimated at least in terms of what the perception was/is of Tim Purpura.  Much like Jimah Williams was painted out to be a manager lacking the knowledge to run a select team of 10 year olds by fans (perpetuated by the media and by Jimah himself), The Count suffered from his lack of media skills clearly evident by Ed Wade, a former PR man.

I heard far too often from the media about how the Astros "just don't have a plan in place to make this team better!" whilest talking about the Purpura reign as GM.  Left to their own imagination, the media came up with wonderfully outlandish ideas such as "Trade Lance Berkman for five prospects and re-build".  Of course it ignored who the owner of the team was, but when you don't understand the systematic plan of a GM, don't understand baseball (some media guys covering the Astros sadly do not, they suffer from the "How the Yankees put together a team" to "Well, in basketball they do this..." sort of understanding of baseball), then you're going to come up with all sorts of stuff that paints a picture of the GM and his shortcoming.

Ed Wade stated his plan (formulated of course earlier by Tal Smith with input by Cecil Cooper), then has gone out to execute it.  And the most telling thing about this plan: Wade has publicized it, kept it in the media's front door, to the inclusion of some very interesting open door accounts of who they were talking to and why.

The media has the information and is now in the mode of being well-informed.  So now you'll get the opinions interwoven in the reports of course (it's conveniently called blogging nowadays instead of writing a column).  The days of guys like Jimah Williams telling the media "managers decision" in response to questions and the closed door type of situation that GM Purpura had going seem to be detrimental to the health of a job to do in these positions.

Ironically, Ed Wade had major run-ins with the media in Philly and that eventually led to his downfall there.  Wade blasted the media for their distortions of what he felt were clearly outlined plans and execution of such.  So it can work against you too if the media is inclined to be less than honorable I guess.  This was during successful years building towards a winner in Philly too.