There’s a difference between babied and feeling respected by your coach and that he’s putting you in positions to have the most success.
See the playoffs. If that crap continues, it’s on Babcock.
Mathews is the key to future success. Babcock is playing with fire.
I think that what "putting [him] in positions to have the most success" means is subjective, and Babcock has his opinions and methods, based on his many years of experience and the information available to him, for how best to develop these players. I can respect that you disagree with those opinions or methods, but if Matthews is the kind of player that needs his "ego massaged" as you described in your previous post, then that is an example of an immature kid who needs to earn his respect from the coach, not the other way around. Fortunately, I don't believe Matthews is the kind of person you seem to think he is, and worrying so much about Babcock's handling of him seems like a major overreaction to me.
Listen to any member of our management team or coaching staff talk about the future, and they'll always mention patience, and a process - Everyone in charge understands how long it can take to turn a young, raw team into a group of Champions, and they're not going to quickly toss out one of the best coaches in the League within the first few years just because that young team is undergoing expected growing pains. (Especially when they're absolutely crushing pre-season expectations in the process, and the kids are putting up production comparable to the best players in the League at similar ages.)
While I certainly agree that Matthews is
a key to our success, he's one of many, and doesn't need to take on any pressure of being the savior - He gets to just focus on his game at 21-years-old and keep learning how to be the player he knows he can be. Same goes for not getting a letter yet.
I would have to imagine that Babcock's position is one of the most secure in the entire League right now.