The analytics age has marginalized managers, and baseball is worse off for it, Hall of Famer Frank Thomas says.
"It's all about analytics," the two-time American League MVP told WFAN's "Boomer and Gio" show on Tuesday. "They're making lineups. They're doing everything possible. And that's why you're seeing so many unqualified managers, in my eyes, getting the job because they're puppets.
"Baseball's a lot of feel," added Thomas, who was promoting the MVP Collections big and tall fashion line, on which he has partnered with Mo Vaughn. "This is an on-job education. You get 19 years in a clubhouse, you see things and you know things other people don't. And nowadays, they got their puppets. A lot of guys are puppets. I hate to say it -- they're puppets. They send their lineup to them, and they say, 'Hey, OK, use some of your baseball expertise.'"
The Big Hurt said he thinks it's a joke that Joe Girardi and Ozzie Guillen don't currently have managerial jobs.
"These guys got championships," Thomas noted.
He said the absence of big personalities in the dugout is hurting baseball at the turnstiles.
"Honestly, things are down," he said. "The fans are not rushing the gates. Because you lose those personalities in managers. I mean, sometimes fans get in there to watch your manager explode, manage the game, use their personality, say things to the press. It's exciting. It keeps the game exciting."
To listen to the interview, click on the audio player above.