Angels News: Journeyman Catcher Quickly Proves Manager Phil Nevin Was Way Wrong

Chad Wallach pulled off the impossible for Phil Nevin.

On July 31st, Phil Nevin said, “He ain’t getting a triple,” when journeyman catcher Chad Wallach flirted with a cycle.

Just twelve days later, Wallach hit a triple.

Not only looking like a fool, Nevin should believe in Wallach. True, no journeyman catcher has the speed to hit many triples. But, in baseball, nothing is impossible.

Phil Nevin on July 31, following a night when Chad Wallach was a triple shy of the cycle: "He ain't getting a triple."

Chad Wallach, 12 days later, just recorded a triple. The second of his career.

— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) August 12, 2023

A main responsibility of a major league manager is to encourage his players to do their best. Nevin could have thought it, but telling the media that one of his players wouldn’t get a triple is uncalled for.

If Nevin can’t be a knowledgeable cheerleader, the Angels may need to consider replacing their manager. After firing Joe Maddon, the Angels’ performance hasn’t improved.

Yes, the Angels have had many injuries that have affected their performance. They are waiting for both Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon to return.

Their pitching is the 21st-best in the major leagues. 

Shohei Ohtani is exhausted and needs a day off. Nevin had argued Ohtani didn't want a day off, but a major league manager should have the authority to force Ohtani to sit. Or, in this case, skip a star

Wallach has played 55 games and has a .200 batting average with 7 home runs and 13 RBI. Wallach needs encouragement as the Angels’ backup catcher. It is good for him to hit a triple to prove his manager wrong.

Nevin should learn from this experience and not say anything is impossible for his players. On the surface, what happened is funny, but it can be the underlying problem for the Angels.