From MLB.com today:
Collins said the differences between American and Japanese baseball, on and off the field, were too much for him.
“I went to the owner, told him that he brought me over to change things, but they just wouldn’t change,” said Collins. “I had grandiose ideas I could make a big difference. But it’s their game. I’m fine with the decision.”
Collins said he was overwhelmed and dismayed with the Japanese intensity for practice, but impressed with the quality of talented players.
Not really surprising to read something like this — rather than the “lost my passion” idea he was floating prior to leaving Japan. I suppose the two can go hand in hand.
What really struck me in reading this article was the true bad hand Collins got prior to him moving to Japan. He was the likely choice replace Jim Tracy as the Dodgers manager when GN Paul DePodesta was suddenly dismissed. The Dodgers hired Ned Colletti, who in turn hired Grady Little, was then let go in favor of Joe Torre. Talk about bad decisions that begot bad decisions that begot bad decisions.
For the record Collins also added to the litany of Yu Darvish compliments, saying the 21-year-old is “The real deal. And when a runner gets on second base, his stuff gets better.”
1 response so far ↓
1 John Brooks // Jun 16, 2008 at 2:49 am
I went to the owner, told him that he brought me over to change things, but they just wouldn’t change
This doesn’t shock me and is what I expected instead of the “lost my passion” reasoning Collins gave when he resigned. Orix’s front office continues to amazes me at how they continue to march on blindly to oblivion towards the bottom. It really goes hand in hand, Collins lost his passion because Katsuhiro Nakamura and his other front office cronies don’t have a clue.
It begins and ends with Nakamura who just doesn’t have a clue, with the Powell fiasco this offseason, the signing of Kiyohara, and so on.
I must say I was puzzled why Collins would leave a possible chance to manage the Dodgers to run what might be the worst run team I’ve ever seen in the Orix Buffaloes. Collins was really naive to expect Orix would do anything to change their culture of losing.
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