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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
2,530 comments Add your comment
Wayne in Utah
October 21st, 2009
3:36 am
5 in a row means go back to bed, dumazz!
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
4:52 am
Wayne,
You’ve never heard of Rush???
Eric In Albany N.Y.
October 21st, 2009
6:20 am
Mets… The place where Free Agents go to ruin their career!
Larry
October 21st, 2009
8:59 am
Anyone worried that Jason Heyward gets hurt far too often? He is always hurt. He is the future of the franchise, but the last thing this team needs is a player who can’t stay on the field, like Chipper. He reminds me a lot of JD Drew.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
9:07 am
Queens has been infected with a bizarre virus. The Mets’ fans have all turned into cannabalistic zombies, forced to lurk around Braves’ blogs in hope of what they really need-Brains. Who knew George Romero was a Mets’ fan?
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
9:08 am
So it looks more and more like the LOS BANDITOS YANKEES (BUTCH CASSIDY and the SUNDANCE KID) and the PHILLIES in the WS. Do the denizans feel we could consistantly beat the PHILLIES and be there instead? I for one am amazed that other teams continue pitching to RYAN HOWARD. I would test his mettle with the bases empty when he can only hurt you with one run. Pitch around the guy and make everybody else beat you.
DAP
October 21st, 2009
9:08 am
larry, i have a hunch heyward could play through some of the injuries hes had. the organization is probably just being careful with him. i wouldnt worry, he had a heel bruise i think? and missed a week and a half, and now strained his butt. its not serious, i dont think.
RHR
October 21st, 2009
9:18 am
We mentioned last week how Rudy Jaramillo would be the perfect fit as hitting coach of the Cubs. Now comes word from Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com that the Cubs will officially name him to the job today.
The 59-year old Texas native coached both Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley during their time with the Rangers. Bradley had his best major league season in 2008 under Jaramillo’s tutelage when he lead the AL in OPS.
The Cubs had trouble scoring runs this season, and Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune wrote recently that bringing in Jaramillo to Wrigley Field would help solve the problem.
Well there you go. Cubs 2010 World Champs.
Bill in VA
October 21st, 2009
9:19 am
Braveheart: Good post on Buddy Carlyle last night at 9:09 pm!! I think he deserves whatever good comes to him. As for Paul, get a life and stop bashing!! Think positive, for God’s sake!
Lew
October 21st, 2009
9:24 am
RHR-Jaramillo or not, the Cubs are still the Cubs and will find a way to lose even if they had the most talent of any team in baseball.
Mexican Maddux
October 21st, 2009
9:34 am
WHY THE F$%$ would they drop me? What wrong did I do? I will always have a Braves heart. Good luck fans!
bravesgrl4life
October 21st, 2009
9:48 am
Morning, all. McFann, I am well except work stinks right now. Of course, I am grateful just to have a job in this economic puddle we are in.
So ready for 2010 to start. Planning a trip home to Central Florida for the Spring. Told my niece I’d have to make a ST game while there. She’s a Bravos fan, too.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
9:49 am
richbrave…agreed on Howard totally, in fact I wouldn’t even pitch around him, just intentionally walk him every time up in a short series. I would even walk him with the bases loaded. Odds are he will get a hit and knock in two. Joe Torre made a huge managerial gaff when he pitched to Howard with a guy on base and two outs. Don’t really know what he was thinking there but obviously he wasn’t.
Lot of the talk pundits are bringing up the instant replay for baseball in 2010. Far and away this has been the very worst post-season for the umps and it is bordering on disgusting. Just horrific. It is bad enough that we are watching baseball on Halloween as it is. Absolutely no reason baseball can’t be over by the 1st week of October at the latest. Add a few doubleheaders, take away some off-days, shorten the all-star break (hell, eliminate the boring thing for all I care). It can be done. In fact 154 games again is fine with me.
Once we get baseball right again then we can tackle that farse of a system we have in college football called the BCS. Yep, can’t wait for that big game. Both teams are off for 5 weeks practicing and all while several players grades come in and they are declared academically ineligible for the bowl game. Book it-gonna happen.
tiger297
October 21st, 2009
9:54 am
To the folks discussing carlyle’s release (as well as campillo’s) isn’t this just rule 5 draft protection and once its over the kids will go back down?
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
10:02 am
Oh yeah, and while I am ranting forgot about college basketball. That system needs changing too. It is a great game but basketball needs to adopt the baseball guidelines. Stay three years or don’t go to college just hit the pros like LaBron did. Really tired of seeing these guys bolt after a year. Throws a program into disarray because it takes two recruiting seasons to replace the player generally. Derrick Favors will most likely do that with my Jackets. If Favors is ready for the pros he is ready now and it ain’t likely he will be that much more ready after one year in college. Just sayin……..
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
10:06 am
ROCK on… My man, ‘zup in the Midlo this a.m.?
McFann Ô –[brr!]
October 21st, 2009
10:14 am
bravesgrl4life–
Glad to read all is well.
Of course, I am grateful just to have a job in this economic puddle we are in.
For sure. What kind of work are you in?
I can’t wait for ‘10, either…although I am ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas first. October takes so freakin’ LONG. The first month without real baseball…sheesh…
CB
October 21st, 2009
10:47 am
It looks like the Mets will tender Francoeur- I think they need to offer him a 10 year high salary contract. He deserves it,right guys?
RHR
October 21st, 2009
10:47 am
But but but but Lew…..Rudy is the greatest hitting coach of all time. He fixed Frenchy and Andruw and and and TP sucks I know because if he didn’t he could have fixed Frenchy and Andruw and KJ too!
Daslied
October 21st, 2009
10:49 am
If by “fixed…Andruw” you mean “turned him into Richie Sexson”, then I agree.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
10:49 am
RHR-I know, I know, but the Cubs ARE the Cubs. I’d rather have Chris Chambliss, anyway.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
10:52 am
Daslied-Sexson and King Kong Kingman had POWER. Just because they struck out three out of every four at bats-don’t you understand what is truly important? Chicks dig the long ball-remember?
Daslied
October 21st, 2009
10:58 am
No, I think that, now, chicks dig the park-adjusted OPS.
DAP
October 21st, 2009
11:03 am
wow, im laughing as i type this, because its getting ridiculous, MLBTR has a blurb up about free agents that “crush lefties” (though they rank them by OBP) mike cameron is 2nd with a .420 OBP. (his OPS vs lefties is .954)
DAP
October 21st, 2009
11:05 am
by the way, cameron’s OBP vs. lefties is higher than holliday’s and bay’s.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
11:05 am
Didn’t see the game live last night, but after watching the replays I can’t believe how many calls the umps screwed up. Seriously, to get multiple calls wrong in an LCS game is inexcusable, and I don’t see how they can continue to resist going to use of replay in postseason games — for all plays where there’s a clear dispute, not just home-run calls.
The games are too important to allow them to turn on embarrassing missed calls, when the technology is there to use it quickly. And particularly when they’ve allowed typical postseason games to stretch to three or four hours anyway. What’s the difference in a few more minutes? Most fans and players would surely rather see the calls made correctly than worry about a few more minutes added to games already too long because of TV commercials, hitters taking forever to get in the batter’s box, etc.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
11:09 am
richbrave….trying to sell homes, traveling to Atlanta, watching the Hokies, watching the Ramblin Wreck, eating BBQ (Pierce’s and Q lately), trying to fix all the problems in sports with anyone that will listen to my crap, playing golf, drinking beer, working out at ACAC, yard work, reading this blog (probably way too much), watching my son play fall baseball club at VT, other than that not much going on in Midlothian.
Somebody please tell me we didn’t just name our AA team the Richmond Flying Squirrels. I know it is all about marketing but are we really going to be watching Rocky and Bullwinkle dance on top of the dugout. Tell me no. I submitted RiverCats as the name. Why didn’t that win? Doesn’t anyone besides Wren listen to me? No?….oh OK.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
11:12 am
Has anyone lavishing praise on Jaramillo actually looked closely at Texas’ numbers this season? The strikeouts/walks, situational hitting, etc? I mean, do you not think Nolan Ryan knows baseball and might have some sort of reason he didn’t make it a priority to try to keep Jaramillo?
Also, by what measure did he “fix” Andruw? The fact that he actually hit over .200 this year, or hit some homers in the first half?
N8
October 21st, 2009
11:16 am
DOB
Your 11:05 and 11:12 posts pretty much sum it up. If I were Eddie Haskell, I’d tell you that your sweater is very nice as well.
flange 1
October 21st, 2009
11:17 am
Morning ALL,
DOB, agree with you on the umpiring. It was terrible last night and could be easily fixed
Does anyone know if Manny’s contract is a players option or a team option for next year?
Looks like Manny is back to being Manny again!
I stole this story from Buster Olney’s blog:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-plaschke21-2009oct21,0,6331604.column
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
11:18 am
DAVID O’BRIEN:
You da’ man. Roll on JARAMILLO. Do you see JONES in the majors next season? I don’t. Oh wait, maybe he’ll become a BRAVE again and solve our corner OF problem.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
11:21 am
DOB….unless I have missed it this is the first time you have chimed in on the replay subject.
Obviously we (and many many others) are of the same thought. It still amazes me that many think the good ole boy ump network will correct the wrongs by make-up calls(re: the tag up from third last night). Thus righting the wrong among themselves. It appears that is what is still going on in an unwritten rule kind of way. That may have worked back in teh 50’s without the technology but with the tech-savvy fans of today and the numerous views of everything from hot chics in the stands to five views of every play it begs of replay to right the wrongs. The umps get so much right that I am not ready to hang them out to dry for a bad call but the system has to be in place to back them up.
CB
October 21st, 2009
11:22 am
Rock On,I listen to you- especially BBQ and Hokies. How is your son doing in baseball and is he a future Braves prospect?
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
11:24 am
ROCK ON…….
The “FLYING SQUIRRELS.” Wow, I can’t wait for all the insanity. Maybe we should scout the AA GIANTS pitching for a LOWE replacement. They might go for a trade…..after LOWE regains his equilibrium in 2010. You know, I thought he wore down after mid-season. He still was pretty effective early on. A six-man with he and KAWAKAMI would make some sense. Not that the BRAVES would consider such.
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
11:29 am
DAVE:
Don’t forget to roll up to FLAGSTAFF when you’re in ARIZONA and take in MARY’s.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
11:31 am
richbrave I would have no problem with a 6-man rotation. It is just assumed that the Braves budget won’t allow for it and that we need a trade partner by dangling a starter for a bat. Guess we will see. Flying Squirrels indeed.
richbrave
October 21st, 2009
11:32 am
CB:
So do you come to RICHMOND? If so, try BROCK’s for BBQ.
CB
October 21st, 2009
11:34 am
richbrave,will put it in my file.
Bobby's Belly
October 21st, 2009
11:34 am
Re: Replay – Long overdue. Limit catcher visits to the mound to 1 per inning or 6 per game and put them on a stop watch, say 20 seconds or so and you more than makeup for replay time. That’s been driving me even more nuts than the blown calls. Replay in baseball is just so much easier/quicker in baseball (300 lb men are not piled up in baseball) it should be here already (not just homerun calls). Anybody think MLB talking to networks about repeatedly showing replays of blown calls? I was envisioning Bud sweating, stuttering and muttering.
David O'Brie
October 21st, 2009
11:37 am
flange 1: Oh, no, not a team option for ol’ free-spirited Manny. That’s why so many of us were amazed (though we shouldn’t be anymore) that the Dodgers gave him that ridiculous contract last winter when there were no comparable offers coming from other teams. That deal gave all the power (again) to Manny. He could dog it, stink it up, be suspended or all of the above, for this season, then have a strong 2010 season (if he’s capable anymore) before becoming a free agent and having Boras find another sucker of a team to give him another fat contract, or make the Dodgers feel compelled to keep the ticket-buying minions of Mannywood coming back for more dreadlock wigs.
f
October 21st, 2009
11:39 am
Just horrific. It is bad enough that we are watching baseball on Halloween as it is. Absolutely no reason baseball can’t be over by the 1st week of October at the latest. Add a few doubleheaders, take away some off-days, are shorten the all-star break (hell, eliminate the boring thing for all I care). It can be done. In fact 154 games again is fine with me. Rock on
You just don’t seem to get the big picture. You say cut back on games, off days, ruin one of the grandest traditions in MLB (All Star Game).
add a few doublehitters
Yeah, the owners would gladly double up some games to cut revenues in. Attendance, concessions, parking, tv revenue would be cut in half.
take away some off days
The MLB players union would gladly give back the off days. Travel from LA to Atlanta and play two games in two days – nothing to it.
shorten the all-star break
I can see it now. Play in San Francisco on Wed., play in the All Star game on Thur. in St. Louis and start a three game set in Miami on Friday. Players would be tanking it to avoid being named to the All Star team.
shorten the all-star break (hell, eliminate the boring thing for all I care)
Oh yeah, eliminate one of the most prized awards and longest running traditions in baseball. Those billion or so votes the fans put in don’t mean a thing.
As usual, bad ideas coupled with poor thinking from rock on
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
11:45 am
CB, thanks. A fan club of one. Anyway I won’t steer you wrong on BBQ. I have eaten and make it a priority to eat good Q. As DOB has on numerous times mentioned the KC BBQ joints. Gates, Smokestack, Sonny Bryans are very very good. Salih’s in North Dallas and Bryans are exceptional. The Commissary in Germantown, TN is wonderful. I could go on and on. In my neck of the woods you have of course Pierce’s and Buzz and Neds near The Diamond in Richmond. Throw in Parkers in Greenville and Lexington #1 and there are plenty of good stops along my path.
We love the Hokies and of course I had many mixed emotions at Grant Field Saturday night. Grant Field to me is very very special as is Atlanta in general.
Not sure about my son but he plays baseball for the right reasons. He has experienced the absolute best the sport can offer any player through high school and he understands the lows too. NOt sure what the odds are of a player making it to the pros but I assume it is about the same as me winning the lottery.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
11:47 am
richbrave…agreed on Brock’s at Forest Hill.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
11:49 am
Rock on: It’s Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City. Not trying to be Mr. Gotcha, but just wanted to give correct spelling in case someone’s looking up the great BBQ joint when there.
I plan to be eating at the original downtown location on Friday, after stopping off at the Sprint Center with my brother for my first look at the college basketball hall of fame that was completed last year.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
11:52 am
Rock On: And glad you mentioned Parker’s on your list of the best BBQ. Couldn’t agree more. I’ll definitely be eating there once or twice next month when visiting the parents in Wilson, N.C., for Thanksgiving.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
12:05 pm
So “F”or is it f.wren, I guess you like the 2.5 hour homerun derby? The fact that a world series home field is determined by the winner of an all-star game instead of a 162 game season? The all-star game has diminished tremendously IMO. If it hasn’t for you that is cool.
As for your other points if you are accusing me of bad thinking then you are guilty of underthinking the possibility that a change could make the sport better. Can’t wait for the Twins to get in their new stadium and play that world series in late October. Think dude the sport could be better which is why we throw out ideas. Hell man, I know denizens don’t agree with me but that is cool just don’t go thinking what you say is gospel and come down on me or others as being wrong.
Roman Gal
October 21st, 2009
12:12 pm
Unless they all went to his ears. jeffrey d
And here I thought we were becoming friends…
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
12:13 pm
Arthur Bryant’s …yes, was actually thinking ahead to Dallas and just typed Bryans. I worked for a company headquartered in KC so ate a lot of Q there. I liked Smokestack a lot which as I recall was pretty much on the state line or was that Gates. Spent some of my younger years in Memphis so sampled that Q. I too will be eating at Parkers sometime over the next two months and if you ever get up toward Williamsburg catch Pierce’s dude. Similar to the Parkers BBQ I think.
Roman Gal
October 21st, 2009
12:13 pm
Yeah! In fact, it was so fake that they actually went and did surgery on it! Steve from OH
He’s a sneaky one, that Schafer kid.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
12:17 pm
Well-Every couple of years, it might shorten things a bit if they got rigd of that %%$#@#^*())*&&!##%^&*()())__+_+++&%%* WBC.
Jeff R
October 21st, 2009
12:18 pm
I’m with Rock On. Playing major league baseball this late is absurd, except for one thing: the revenues. As much as the season should be pared back to 154 games, among other actions, it won’t be. Owners, et al, ain’t gonna leave the dinero on the table.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
12:20 pm
Roman Gal-Yeah, I find it interesting that a Mets’ fan (yes, we know they’re not known for intelligence or logic) thinks it was wrong to wait until late in the season to operate on Schafer, yet thought it was just fine to wait until AFTER the season to do Jose Reye’s leg surgery. Go figure.
Lew
October 21st, 2009
12:22 pm
JeffR-You’re likely right and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see them expand the Division Championship series to seven games, either, OR to add another Wild Card team-all in the name of revenues. Now, if it would boost our payroll by another $15 million, I might feel differently.
Preacher Roe
October 21st, 2009
12:25 pm
I like Buddy Carlyle. In 2008 he ditched his curveball and stuck with fastball/cutter, resulting in a 3.59 ERA. About as good of a low-leverage reliever as you’ll ever see. (PB&Jort)
This analysis was fascinating when expressed as the original thoughts of Bill James in his Goldmine, quoted last winter by Mr. O’Brien in one of his blogs. The “about as good of a low leverage reliever” thought was interesting when fangraphs presented that as their original thoughts last winter in their Mop Up Man Of The Year award. Credit your sources, PB&Jort. Don’t fake the thoughts of others as your own original analytical thought. Blatant plagiarism subjects one to shame and scorn.
CB
October 21st, 2009
12:28 pm
Amen to getting rid of WBC. If they would start the season a week earlier and play in the warm weather cities and domed stadiums would help.
Roman Gal
October 21st, 2009
12:29 pm
(yes, we know they’re not known for intelligence or logic) Lew
Well, he can type…we shouldn’t expect much more from him.
cabravesfan
October 21st, 2009
12:29 pm
Soph-
Just saw your comment about He Who Shall Not Be Named- let’s just say it will take quite a bit to warm up to him…He’ll have to earn my support
Homer
October 21st, 2009
12:31 pm
Fire DOB
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
12:41 pm
Homer….are you related to f.wren?
Jeff R
October 21st, 2009
12:47 pm
Lew… you’re on target. I think the Powers that Be are more than likely to expand the playoffs in some way. How does baseball sound with your turkey!
F. Wren
October 21st, 2009
12:52 pm
F. Wren has never criticized anyone except for one complete idiot. EVER>
And that IDIOT is you Rock on.
cabravesfan
October 21st, 2009
12:52 pm
For someone who claims he hates DOB, Homer sure spends a lot of time on his blog…
Greg in TN
October 21st, 2009
12:57 pm
Afternoon denizens…
Bad night for arbiters last night to be sure. Nick Swisher was picked off second base in last night’s fourth inning with Dale Scott right on top of the play, calling him safe. Swisher would advance to third, but would be ruled out for leaving the base too soon on Damon’s fly to center, which again, was questionable at best.
The craziest play of the night was the poor baserunning by the Yankees in the visitor’s half of the fifth, when Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada both attempted to reach third base, both inexplicably stood off third and allowed themselves to be tagged by Angels catcher Mike Napoli and even more inexplicably only one was called out by third base umpire Tim McClelland.
To his credit, McClelland faced the music after the game and admitted that his calls were incorrect, so I certainly have respect for one of the better (and more level headed) members of the World Umpires Association. However had something like this had happened during a regular season game, I don’t know that we would have heard anything about it from the umpiring crew. I would have liked to have seen McClelland check with Jerry Layne or Laz Diaz at that time in an effort to see if they saw something different than he did and perhaps the call(s) might have been different.
Mistakes happen, and this has been a part of baseball since the 1800s. However amplify the mistakes with the poor attitude displayed by some members of the current crop of MLB umpires and I see a PR headache on the way for MLB from their fans, who see umpires covering up obvious mistakes by removing complaining managers and players from the game and showing very little acknowledgement that they were in error (right Bill Hohn?).
I guarantee you that if we see more situations with umpires coming out and saying “Hey, I screwed the play up.” rather than a feeble attempt at saving face by ejecting those bringing up legitimate grievances, most level-headed fans would certainly be more understanding.
It’s a tough job denizens, and I would imagine in many cases, an umpire will circle back to managers and players and admit their mistakes once cooler heads have prevailed. Who knows, Bill Hohn might have already done that with the Braves this year. If so, he’s won back a little more respect from this denizen.
McFann Ô
October 21st, 2009
1:02 pm
Greg both inexplicably stood off third and allowed themselves to be tagged by Angels catcher Mike Napoli and even more inexplicably only one was called out by third base umpire Tim McClelland.
Blech! I despised that call!
Looked like something that would happen to this one certain other catcher…
brian
October 21st, 2009
1:05 pm
DOB – all these blatantly missed calls – like the “foul” ball in yankee stadium versus the Twins. It at least makes me wonder if the “fix” is in.
Basketball at least could argue the players and the game have become too fast too quickly but baseball cannot make that argument
Greg in TN
October 21st, 2009
1:26 pm
McFann, howdy! Yankees were definitely let off the hook by some very poor baserunning in last night’s game. Some of the folks I play ball with on Tuesdays and I were watching the inning unfold and the baserunning and calls were obvious to all.
On another note, good to hear B-Mac is on the road back after another Lasik procedure on his eyes. I know we’ve talked about his performance a time or two over the summer, however it really didn’t dawn on me just how uncomfortable he was until I read Bowman’s article about it. It isn’t anything that he’s going to admit to during the season and he won’t use it as an excuse, however I expect a big rebound from Everybody’s Favorite Catcher next year if his vision returns even close to what it was before because his confidence will be back as well.
Thrillhouse44
October 21st, 2009
1:39 pm
however I expect a big rebound from Everybody’s Favorite Catcher next year
You mean Joe Mauer had an off year? I kid, McFann.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
Brian, just the fact that you and surely plenty of others would even mention the possibility of “the fix being in” on games, should be enough impetus for MLB to use instant replay for postseason games, now that the technology has progressed to the point where replays are so clear, with so many angles, that most of the correct calls are clearly and beyond dispute, and an umpire’s initial call could be reversed quickly if necessary.
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
1:46 pm
To his credit, McClelland faced the music after the game and admitted that his calls were incorrect, so I certainly have respect for one of the better (and more level headed) members of the World Umpires Association. However had something like this had happened during a regular season game, I don’t know that we would have heard anything about it from the umpiring crew. — Greg in TN
Very true. And trust me, you probably wouldn’t have heard anything if it had happened during season, and certainly wouldn’t have gotten an answer on camera. On those few occasions during a season when we (reporters) really would like to ask an ump about a call, we’re lucky if the crew chief will even allow the ump to speak to us directly. And if he does, then the crew chief will often prevent any difficult line of questioning, as though he’s the attorney speaking on beahlf of the other umps in the crew. Silly stuff.
BA
October 21st, 2009
1:55 pm
DOB’s the man.
Rock On......
October 21st, 2009
1:58 pm
f.wren…do you feel better now? I’m glad.
Chris
October 21st, 2009
2:23 pm
what is with jon heyman and others stating that the braves will go after matt holliday this offseason? most people know that financially, the braves cannot land holliday. so why bother speculating that the braves will go after holliday with no source? 3 or 4 years ago, most offseason rumor articles were based on “real” sources, but last offseason was horrible with tons of specualtion. maybe alot of free agents werent signed after christmas.
Super Mac
October 21st, 2009
2:24 pm
DOB
How did McCann’s surgery go? I havn’t seen any reports so i don’t know if there aren’t any or if I have just been missing them.
McFann Ô
October 21st, 2009
2:38 pm
Howdy back, Greg!
No kidding about the Yankees.
it really didn’t dawn on me just how uncomfortable he was until I read Bowman’s article about it.
Really? I could definitely tell he was uncomfortable at the plate (he doesn’t K 83 times for no reason), but of course that’s just me.
Oh yeah, he totally wouldn’t use it as an excuse during the season, but it was definitely an issue, there’s no doubt about that. I expect a good rebound, too. Get those doubles back up to the 40’s and the K’s back down to the 60’s! (Really needs to hit 43 or 48 doubles…
)
Oh, and just a PS–This article about BMac was in the Gwinnett Daily Post on October 6th. He talks about his season in there.
Thrillhouse You mean Joe Mauer had an off year? I kid, McFann.
You better believe you kid! Joe Mauer isn’t everyone’s favorite catcher…
L8r!
RHR
October 21st, 2009
2:46 pm
I find it hilarious that between the contracts the Dodgers gave Manny and Andruw they could have nearly paid our entire team. I wish overpaying would blow up in more teams faces.
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
2:57 pm
Does anyone else love the idea of Lowe for Magglio Ordonez and $3M…?
AndyC
October 21st, 2009
3:00 pm
Anybody seen this stuff about Steve Phillips and his mistress. Oh my. Take a look at the pictures of this mistress. I’m not trying to be mean or anything but, he threw his marriage away for that?
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/gal_saw_affair_with_espn_steve_phillips_tevaoeTPhWS3WDDEW3xkaJ
Daybed Wagmoe
October 21st, 2009
3:01 pm
DOB — Well said at 11:05am regarding instant replay. Dave O’Brien for commissioner!
Thrillhouse44
October 21st, 2009
3:01 pm
I wish overpaying would blow up in more teams faces.
Sounds like you have a few posters of Mike Hampton in your house.
Greg in TN
October 21st, 2009
3:04 pm
DOB, Berman always likes to say nobody circles the wagons like the Buffalo Bills, but they have nothing on the typical MLB umpiring crew.
Completely agree. I think most folks ask for someone’s best effort and understand that mistakes can and will happen. To follow up on a mistake by stonewalling or denying they made said mistake just sets a group up for bad things down the road (whether it be a hit on performance evaluation or a hit in the court of public opinion).
I give umpires/referees a lot of respect and kudos at the amateur/high school/college levels because it’s not their primary source of income and many are out there for their love of the game (certainly not for the money, although college officials make much better money for all levels outside of the pros). At a professional level (which I am viewing as MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, etc), game officials make enough money to be open for some criticism, especially at a playoff/championship level.
I’ve seen more than a few umpires in the past 10-15 years or so at the MLB level confronting players and aggravating situations they had no business doing and that’s disturbing to me as a fan of the game.
Bobby's Cox
October 21st, 2009
3:05 pm
Basketball at least could argue the players and the game have become too fast too quickly but baseball cannot make that argument
Brian,
No way. I don’t buy it. In basketball, a foul here or there can give points to teams. Fouls can also take key players out of the game for significant amount of time. You see it all the time. Ticky-tac stuff that happens off the ball where no speed & no player is too fast for a ref to “see.” Out of bounds calls going the wrong way, etc…
In baseball, runs can’t be given to a team. Example, in last nights game on the blown double play call at 3rd, then next batter got out, end of inning. You can’t guarantee a run by making a bad call. In baseball, they’re just that….bad calls. In basketball, the calls have much worse impact.
I look at last seasons Lakers vs. Nuggets series and I see 2 games the Nuggets absolutely dominate and lose, with the addition of favorable calls for the Lakers & I ask myself how this is not fixed. This has been happening every year in the sport, and it was the worst in 2002 when the Lakers played the Kings. I try not to be a conspiratorist, but it’s hard when watching a basketball game.
O.J.
October 21st, 2009
3:10 pm
I know the issue with having replays on any disputable call is because of the time factor, but what if they did this, what if they had another umpire, or just an unbiased person altogether at the replay monitor at all times, then, if there is a questionable call, the manager can ask to have it reviewed, but only so many times, like in football, then, heres where the good part comes in….instead of the umpires leaving the field to go check the replay, just have the unbiased person or umpire, whichever, inform the crew chief over bluetooth headset or something of that nature, that way they dont have to move from their position and it saves ample time.
Thoughts?
RC
October 21st, 2009
3:10 pm
“In baseball, runs can’t be given to a team. Example, in last nights game on the blown double play call at 3rd, then next batter got out, end of inning. You can’t guarantee a run by making a bad call. In baseball, they’re just that….bad calls. In basketball, the calls have much worse impact.”
Runs can absolutely be given to a team. If a long foul ball is called a HR instead of foul, that can give up to 4 runs to a team. They can also be taken away. Just last night the umpire saying that Nick Swisher left “early” took a run away from the Yankees. It all matters.
Greg in TN
October 21st, 2009
3:12 pm
McFann: I need to clarify that statement better. I knew he was uncomfortable, but not to the degree he obviously was this season. His K-rate rose rather sharply this year, and I’m not surprised you caught on to that discomfort quicker than I
O.J.
October 21st, 2009
3:13 pm
Why dont the umpires just wear bluetooth headsets and there can be an unbiased guy who watches the replay monitor at all times, then he can just phone it to the umpire when asked.
O.J.
October 21st, 2009
3:14 pm
Saves a ton of time.
tiger297
October 21st, 2009
3:16 pm
bobby…very difficult to really say the decisions don’t have an impact. It may not directly create an impact since the next batter got out but it gives the other team an extra at bat which could make a huge difference. Granted last night I don’t think they would have made much of a difference but my point is just because a run doesn’t score in that specific inning doesn’t mean the bad call didn’t assist a run scoring situation later in the game
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
3:17 pm
O.J.
Thats what I thought they were going to do last year… but they didn’t
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
3:19 pm
Here’s a better idea:
Why don’t we replace them with machines, and give them a job that further advances society…
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
3:21 pm
“Yankees fans remember: the 4th win in the ALCS is the hardest.”
- Seth Meyers
Bobby's Cox
October 21st, 2009
3:21 pm
RC,
That’s my point. If an ump is trying to give the Yankees a run, then why did they take one away from Swisher? Swisher was actually picked off of 2nd earlier than inning but called safe. If the umps are trying to sway this thing in the way of the Yanks, then no way do they blow Swisher’s tag from 3rd. Again, they’re just bad calls.
Btw, HR calls are reviewable now. Not sure if you got the memo.
Bobby's Cox
October 21st, 2009
3:26 pm
tiger297,
You coincide with my point. I said you can’t “guarantee” a run with a bad call in baseball. Does it help, certainly, but a team always can work around it. It’s not as cut and dry as in basketball, where points can pretty much be given to a certain team via free throws, and/or key players benched for foul trouble.
N8
October 21st, 2009
3:29 pm
If you read the posts on the Steve Phillips story from foxsports.com, somebody describes the woman Phillips had the affair with, as looking like Eric Mangini in drag.
Too funny. Hopefully he doesn’t have any pet bunnies.
keylargo
October 21st, 2009
3:31 pm
Does anyone else love the idea of Lowe for Magglio Ordonez and $3M…?Jurrjens
You thought Lowe was bad at 15 wins for $15 million, wait to you get Ordonez and 9 HR’s for $18 million.
Vinings Jim
October 21st, 2009
3:34 pm
If you’re near TV (ESPN2) or ESPN radio, Matt Diaz is playing analyst with Scott Van Pelt
Nova Scotia Steve
October 21st, 2009
3:36 pm
Wow…there sure is a hell of a lot going on here…I’m late to the party…but an excellent blog.
tiger297
October 21st, 2009
3:37 pm
just to continue this friendly debate b/c I agree with bobby in principle
in baseketball unless the player is in the act of shooting (and those normally aren’t ticky tac fouls) doesn’t the team get a number of fouls with no real penalty (except change of possesion)when the team can work around it and take the ball back and as far as benching the players get a number of fouls before foul trouble is an issus so they should be able to work around that
officials in b-ball would have to swing 20 points out of a normal 100 point game to have the same impact as an umpire swinging 1 run in a baseball game that averages 5 runs
David O'Brien
October 21st, 2009
3:37 pm
Just spoke with Frank Wren, who said he talked to McCann yesterday and that the Lasik “went very well.”
Jurrjens4NLCY
October 21st, 2009
3:38 pm
Keylargo,
Maggs will bounce back at hit 20 HRs, besides, if he hits .300, he’ll be worth it.
Chris
October 21st, 2009
3:47 pm
anything else did frank wren share with you? where they might go in regards to trading lowe or vazquez, or resigning hudson?