With the clock threatening to strike midnight on the Yokohama BayStars' inspired run to the Japan Series, Alex Ramirez backed off.
Ramirez didn't have any special meetings, give any particularly impassioned speeches or use different motivational tactics. With his team down 3-0 in the Japan Series against the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, the second-year manager hearkened back to his own playing days, thinking about how he'd felt in similar situations. With that in mind, he figured his players already knew what they needed to do, and any extra words from their manager would be more annoying than motivating.
Two wins later, it looks like Ramirez spoke volumes by saying nothing.