Silver Lining OR Why has this not been posted sooner.

[smaher78]

http://www.mercurynews.com/giants/ci_6331103

Sarah

[PeteFitz]

Good call Sarah.

I was at the game yesterday and they announced it immediately after Javy mowed down the last dude. He came out and did a curtain call, and everybody cheered. The day I sign my 56 mildo contract I want to come out of a dugout and get cheered too. Seems like a good way to celebrate.

A couple of things:

1) I was much happier then I thought I would be when they re-signed him. In the current day and age, I realize that most players you like now you will have to root against in a few years (Miggy Olivo, C Lee, Foulkey). But i really like that guy. I'm glad he's back. It seems to be a pattern that the Sox let guys go. I'm glad they broke their mold.

2) Buehrles must really like Chicago. I mean he got raked in that contract. I wonder what he likes so much about it. Gibsons? I like Chicago a lot, but 30 million alot? No. It's almost confusing. Granted, I (and I assume Buehrle) wouldn't care what I was getting paid after the seventh zero, but he left a ton at the table. A little odd.

3) Buehrle has the one of the bigger heads I've ever seen. Every time this story came up in the visual media, they would give you a headshot over the anchors shoulder, and damn, that is a huge melon. What's the line, something something orange on a toothpick, that's Buehrles. It's freakish.

As for the bittersweetness of this season, it is bad. The division is too tough, and they have serious top of the lineup problems. Fields isn't Crede, and Rob Mackowiak should never start a game. Dye bites, and cost himself millions in the process. The list goes on. Contreras is old. Buchvitz or whatever his name is, is lighter fliud. It seems like only Konk and Buehrles bring it every day.

I thinkk it would be a miracle if this team finishes over 500.

Ahhh 05, I'll always have you.

[Hendo]

I'm pretty happy with this news, I have to say. I'll always remember Buehrle on the top of that fire truck going down LaSalle for the victory parade. I don't think I've ever seen a happier human being.

[JRC]

I love this thread.
I only understood the words "Chicago", "steak", and "huge melon."

Hoorah for organized athletics!

[smaher78]

JRC, if you are going to take anything away from this thread, let it be '05' and 'victory parade.'

Baseball!!! [one silent tear drops from left eye]

Sarah

[Hendo]

Speaking of '05 and the victory parade, I noticed I'm much more copacetic with Ozzie and Kenny this year than I probably ought to be; much more than I would have been a few years back. The Sox look like SHIT right now, but it doesn't rile me like it would have. And I'm pretty sure it's because the Sox have won the World Series in my lifetime.

[macarthur31]

Finally, some good news for the southsiders. I'm also surprised that he signed, since I'm sure the Cards would be hunting for some arms in the offseason. From little I knew of Buehrle, I recall he was a huge Cards fan growing up.

They are stuck in a tough division. And it also re-affirms of how difficult it is to be a GM. Two years ago, KWilliams looks like a genius. Now, he's being ripped for his roster moves.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town -- Hendry has been (deservedly) ripped for his GM'ing of the Cub. However this year, he's starting to look Williams-like: Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have shown that they've been worthy signings. DeRosa has been invaluable as a super-sub for the injury prone Aramis Ramirez (hitting around .290 and 14 HR). Plus, the kids could play -- Theriot, Fontenot (the guy that was a "throw-in" in the Sosa trade), Pie, Marmol, Marshall and Hill have all contributed. And Soriano was the player of the month, and looks to get hotter as the weather heats up.

While Hendry's had a better year so far (and luckier since the Cubs play in the comedy central), I still think Williams is the better GM. Imagine what he would do with the 300 million that the Cubs spent this past summer.

[Hendo]

Plus, Hendry looks like a genius for dumping Neifi Perez. The first 25 gamer. Wow.

Speaking of which... if he got 25 games, then Neifi got caught before. You only get 25 games on your second bad test. Which means the first one probably came during his Cubs tenure... and was probably the reason they got rid of him.

[PeteFitz]

I think the Cubs win that division. I like the cut of their jib this year. Prince is playing out of his ass and so is the Crews bullpen. They'll fade. Plus Ben Sheets scheduled DL trip is yet to come.

The Allstar game is approaching so this is as good a reason to list shit I like about baseball. I know no one cares, but whatever. I'm hungover and work is grinding to an absolute standstill. I guess at least we have AC.

Likes:

Dong Contest
Both Chris Youngs
Papi (sorry Sarah, I'm powering through your blog today, and realized that you don't like him)
Manny
Closer Music
anything grilled
the word filthy
Verlander
Holds
Stolen Bases
NL West
The beloved sox of White
Rain Delay Tarp Sliding
Catches over the wall.
Vladdy Daddy
Shane Victorino
Zach Greinke's bullpen turnaround
Retro Jerseys
The hill in Houston
The train in Houston
The pitcher batting
The package
Sweatty Freddy Garcia. DL and all.
The Mariners, specifically that Putz guy. Ichiro is cool too.
Ken Griffey Jr.
the NESN announcers
minor leagues
fireworks
Albert Belle
Tim Lincecum's teeth

Dislikes:

Hawk
the DH
The all-star game
Chris Berman
Cotton Candy
The fact that Fox blacks out the package on Saturday days.
Incessant Yank/Sox updates
AL East in general
Ron Santo
Guy who wears a indians jersey to a Sox/Twins game
The Sox giving up 32 runs in the course of one day.
Buchvitz or whatever his name is
Every team has to represented at the as game. It's stupid.
Zambrano
Bathroom lines
Gavin Floyd
Ed Farmer as a play by play guy.
alex rodriguez
Barry not playing in the dong contest
foulkey having to retire
The fact that the indians and tigers are going to be good for years
Zumaya on the DL
giambi
college baseball
free agency


This is a list in flux. I would normally put Barry on my likes list but he's been insufferable lately. And boring if that is possible. So there you go.

Fitz

[smaher78]

I think it's funny that people apologize to me or get mad at me when I say I don't like Ortiz. I understand why people like him, he's just not my flavor of ice cream.

At least we can both agree that A-Rod is a douche.

Sarah

[meister]

Ortiz is a better Cecil Fielder.

I am sad because I really wanted to see Buehrle is the STL, but he made it pretty public even before the signing that he was staying here or at least not going to the Cards.

My poor, lamentable Cardinals. Want to see how owners can shit-can a honorable ballclub? See Bill DeWitt.

A-Rod is a jerk, but he will be the best-hitting jerk of all time. I would take him.

[Monahan]

I think a big reason why people don't like A-Rod is because he's a smart guy. People don't like to think of their athletes as being intelligent, they want them to be the happy jock who understands only the game he plays, is just happy to be there and wants to work hard. I think of that quintessential picture of Jordan after he hit, what, like 5 threes in the first half of a playoff game, where he gives the smiling "I've got no answers for how this is happening" shrug to the camera-- that's what people want from their athletes. Even too much breaking down of how things work in their particular game can turn a fan off.

People love "Manny being Manny" or Ray Lewis being a hair's breadth from psychotic, because it's simple. Meanwhile, guys like A-Rod & Tiki Barber get skewered because they make it clear that they understand business and want to conduct themselves in that image. That's not what we want from them... we want them to hide their true desires and intelligence behind the traditional jock persona the way guys like Jeter and Tom Brady do.

[PeteFitz]

Smart or not, Tiki is smug. A-Rod is a fake. I am an equal opportunity hater. I don't hate them because they are smart. The problem with these guys is they want it both ways. They want to be golden boy athletes all prim and proper, and when they get bagged on they bitch and moan.

No one wants to hear ARod moan. He's got a pretty sweet gig, People can't relate to bizzillionaires whining. Regardless if he's smart.
Or Manny.

I think I like Papi beause of his Brian Austin Green Beard.

[Monahan]

I think both Tiki & A-Rod get raw deals. And, no I don't cry for them, cause they got plenty of cash with which to wipe the sniffles away, but that doesn't mean they are treated well, particularly by the sports media.

Tiki saying he's ready to move on and having an idea of exactly where and how to move on = smug.

A-Rod's dug himself some on the "fake" end, cause he tried to just be himself, then tried to play the dumb jock game (probably on advice from Jeter) but you can't do both. Regardless, because the guy knows his worth in the marketplace and is willing to answer questions honestly, he's called out as shallow and in it for the money. All professional athletes are in it for the money. This isn't the 1950's when an athlete has to have a second job in the off-season and is excited when he hits the "Gene Stevens' Menswear" sign cause he knows it means a new suit.

We all know that athletes, just like all humans, are propelled by self-interest. Yet the ones we celebrate as not being fake are the ones are the most fake, because they give us the soundbytes we want ("team first", "family first", "I would do this for free I love it so much") despite what their actions show.

[rdolan]

I think it's funny that people apologize to me or get mad at me when I say I don't like Ortiz. I understand why people like him, he's just not my flavor of ice cream.

At least we can both agree that A-Rod is a douche.

Sarah

Sarah, I'm sorry you're a douche for not liking Big Papi.

[BlackDog]

Maher its cuz youre a racist.

Fitz, I like your list. I will add to likes:

-MLB Commish Selig telling ESPN that he will not attend the game that Bonds breaks the home run (dong) record.
He refused to explain why.

and

-Anytime players wear vintage jerseys. Man! Those gold and brown Padres jerseys are it! The Royals powder blue! They give me a partial boner.

[PeteFitz]

I could come around on the Tiki stuff, but I was put off by his assumption that he was going to be god's gift to broadcasting. Broadcasters work hard (ones not named Berman) and I therefore jumped into the "he's smug" camp.

I don't know Tiki much, so frankly, if you say he's not smug, maybe you're right. His head is really large and his smile scares me. He kinda has that I'm better then you feel to him that off puts the Fitz.

That said, AROd does not get a raw deal. He doesn't know when to shut up. It's not like reporters are making this shit up. He loves to tell us things. I don't mind that he makes that much money, and yes I realize players are in it for the cake. He just wants so much to be liked it's scary. He tries to please everyone, and it comes off as fake. You have kinda agreed with that part.

Plus he signed an insane deal and then said I don't want to play for you guys. I fucking hate that. Iverson, Kobe, etc. Sign a one year deal if you think Texas is going to suck donkey balls next year. Is he a smart business man, sure. Do I think he's a whiny prick, yes.

He's a purple lipped clutchless dbag.

I so want the Yanks to sneak into the playoffs, so ARod can lick ass.

Frank Thomas kinda did the same shit. Spoke the truth, was in it for personal stats, etc. etc. And I thought he was a dbag too. I just don't want to hear about it.

Then again, Frank probably doesn't give a shit about my opinion. But ARod does, and it feels fake.

I like Bonds, because feels like the real deal to me. Insufferable. He's got a Darth Vader thing with me. I love Vader even though he was a bad dude. I like Bonds in the same way.

I would like it much better if ARod was just a rich asshole. Like Smails.

[Hicks]

Ah An I hate A-Rod thread. Good times. Here are some reasons that people don't like A-Rod.
1. He comes across Way to calculated. As if everything he says is perfectly planned out. Now that's not to say a guy like Jeter isn't the same way but A-Rod is just not good at it.

2. His immense talent rings hollow. He has never been particularly good when it counts. Not in the playoffs. He won his MVP playing for a last place team and now that he's having an awesome season it's for a third place team during a contract year. This actually goes back to High School for him where he led his team to the state championship and then had a key error and did nothing in the game at bat.

3. He's kind of cheap. 3 examples of this. A. The yelling at the rookie 3B to distract him from the ball B. The Slap of the ball from Arroyo during the 2004 ALCS and C. The fight with VTek where he was going to go after a rookie pitcher for a plunk on a breaking ball and instead got his ass handed to him by the Captain.

It just seems to be one misstep after another. He was resented for taking a HUGE contract for a bad team. He hasn't won anything. He's hugely talented but not when it counts. All of these things plus throw in most of baseball's distain for the MFYs and he is in a perfect storm of resentment. And the reality is that he brought most of it upon himself.


But onto happier notes. The things I love and hate about the game right now. We'll start with love

Fenway
Independent League ball
Papi
The Jimmy Fund
Verlander's 100+ gas
Vlad's "strike zone"
5'8" or less 2nd basemen
The fountains in KC
Take me out to the ballgame
Sweet Caroline
Buck O'Neil during "Baseball"
Cooperstown
Baserunners getting Hosed going 1st to 3rd
Organ music
Beer guys and Hot Dog guys
passing money down aisles
acrobatic DPs
Orlando Cabrera
Vin Scully
Bob Uecker
one man booths
funky shaped Outfields
kids in the OF during Home Run Derby
Closer music
Trains by the ballpark
Grady Siezemore
Classic teams like the Tigers doing well
The DH
girls in baseball jerseys
game on the radio
crowds outside the stadium before the game
kids getting autographs at BP
neighborhood parks
Spring Training
Lollypop curves
Manny Being Manny
Give it to the Kid!
Rod Beck
$1 dog night
overly dramatic managerial arguements
Negro League stories

Things I loathe or at least a general distaste for

Tropicana Field
Yankees fans who were Mets fans in the 80's
God Bless America in the 7th inning
Beer garden baseball fans
Overly loud announcements
Tim McCarver
overuse of the pen
Planes over the ballpark
Astroturf
Oakland's "stadium"
Bunting during a no-no
limited stadium access during a game
adults with gloves at the game who are not there with very young kids
Fox baseball
Pink Hats
expensive bleacher seats
luxury boxes
sports talk radio
stadiums in the middle of nothing
Dan Shaunessey
George Stienbrenner
indoor baseball sans retractable roof


And finally for my midsummer lineup of the best of baseball so far. (completely biased edition)

C- Ivan Rodriguez
1B- Kevin Youkilis
2B- Chase Utley
3B- David Wright
SS- JJ Hardy
OF- Matt Holiday
OF- Grady Siezemore
OF- Vlad Guerreo
DH- David Ortiz

SP- Beckett
SP- Peavy
SP- Sabathia
SP- Penny
SP- Verlander
SP- Haren

RP- Okajima
RP- Hoffman
RP- SD Bullpen
CP- Papelbon

[Monahan]

Ah, Hicks. It's all spin.

1. He comes across Way to calculated. As if everything he says is perfectly planned out. Now that's not to say a guy like Jeter isn't the same way but A-Rod is just not good at it.

I agree. But it goes back to my original point. No one wants to think of their athletes like they're CEOs of big companies, but they are-- their companies just happened to be comprised entirely of themselves. We'd rather they just be dumb or so good at hiding their calculations that they've got a well cultivated "public" persona. And if the media likes you enough, they do what they can to preserve that persona for you even though they see everything (i.e. Jordan, Jeter, Ortiz, etc.).

2. His immense talent rings hollow. He has never been particularly good when it counts. Not in the playoffs. He won his MVP playing for a last place team and now that he's having an awesome season it's for a third place team during a contract year. This actually goes back to High School for him where he led his team to the state championship and then had a key error and did nothing in the game at bat.

Buh-what?! Everything counts. I mean, Ted Williams doesn't lose his status as one of the top 3 hitters of all-time just cause he sucked in the '46 World Series. A-Rod's got 2 MVP awards and twice finished runner-up for the award. Last year was an off-year and he hit .290 with 35 HRs and 121 RBIs. He may have underperformed the last 2 years in the playoffs, but overall he's far from terrible (he's been certainly no worse than Manny) AND he's performed better in ALCS games than in ALDS games. The idea that his accomplishments are "hollow" is a fabricated media spin in an attempt to create drama. Give any person 500 postseason at bats, and I guarantee you'll see them absurdly close to their regular season averages.

3. He's kind of cheap. 3 examples of this. A. The yelling at the rookie 3B to distract him from the ball B. The Slap of the ball from Arroyo during the 2004 ALCS and C. The fight with VTek where he was going to go after a rookie pitcher for a plunk on a breaking ball and instead got his ass handed to him by the Captain.

Please, for just about any other guy these would all be examples of "scrappiness" and an "overwhelming desire to win." It's "hard nosed play"... unless you're A-Rod. There have been far worse offenses by far shittier players, but because those guys didn't have the biggest contract in history, they didn't amount to more than a tiny blip.

He was resented...
And he still is. That's what it all comes down to... resentment over taking the big pay day. Everything else is spin based on that resentment.

[smaher78]

So we all agree that A-Rod is a douche, right?

[high fives PeteFitz]

Sarah

[PeteFitz]

Shoo thing! ARodCo. is a d-bag!

[low fives Sarah]

[Hicks]

Ah the debate gets rolling here.




I agree. But it goes back to my original point. No one wants to think of their athletes like they're CEOs of big companies, but they are-- their companies just happened to be comprised entirely of themselves. We'd rather they just be dumb or so good at hiding their calculations that they've got a well cultivated "public" persona. And if the media likes you enough, they do what they can to preserve that persona for you even though they see everything (i.e. Jordan, Jeter, Ortiz, etc.).

Absolutely. But there is also something to be said when you are rated the 4th least friendly guy in baseball by FELLOW Major Leaguers after Barry Bonds, AJ Pierzynski, and Jeff Kent who most people will agree are dicks. And it would be remiss to not consider that some of it is winner fucking by the media. The three guys you mention have all won the big one and of all of those the only one who really comes across as really nice is Papi and even he is starting to show signs of wearing down to the demands.



Buh-what?! Everything counts. I mean, Ted Williams doesn't lose his status as one of the top 3 hitters of all-time just cause he sucked in the '46 World Series. A-Rod's got 2 MVP awards and twice finished runner-up for the award. Last year was an off-year and he hit .290 with 35 HRs and 121 RBIs. He may have underperformed the last 2 years in the playoffs, but overall he's far from terrible (he's been certainly no worse than Manny) AND he's performed better in ALCS games than in ALDS games. The idea that his accomplishments are "hollow" is a fabricated media spin in an attempt to create drama. Give any person 500 postseason at bats, and I guarantee you'll see them absurdly close to their regular season averages.

Ahh but Ted will always be remembered for a. not winning and b. doing very poorly in that WS and the simple fact that he doesn't have nearly the playoff record that A-Rod has in terms of volume. If A-Rod plays as long as Williams he might start getting some of those accolades and also don't forget The Kid was HATED during his career by the press and lots of fans. But that's not the point I'm making here. I'm going to throw out some statistical analysis to back up my A-Rod statement.

A-Rod is great during the regular season. One of the best but where was he during the ALDS last year? Oh hitting .071 with 0 HR and 0 RBI. Year before against the Angels? .133 with 0 HR and 0 RBI and 6 walks and 5 K's. Not exactly MVP numbers. And how about 2004? Against the Twins he has solid .421 with 1 HR and 3 RBI and then against Boston batted .258 with 2 HR and 5 RBI, which is merely OK but the telling stat in the last 4 games (remember those?) against Boston A-Rod went 2 for 17 with 2 RBI and 1 HR and to highlight EVEN more in the last 3 games he went 1 for 12 with 0 RBI. Point being is that when his team had a chance to go to the World Series he blew it.

And to compare him for just the playoffs to the 2 guys he most is statistically similar to at this point in his career...

Ken Griffey Jr. : 15 playoff games .305 6 HR
Mel Ott 16 playoff games .295 4 HR (in 1936 mind you)
A-Rod 35 playoff games .280 6 HR

So there's why he isn't clutch and I know there are sabrematricians out there who can statistically prove "clutch" ratings and show this to be true.


Please, for just about any other guy these would all be examples of "scrappiness" and an "overwhelming desire to win." It's "hard nosed play"... unless you're A-Rod. There have been far worse offenses by far shittier players, but because those guys didn't have the biggest contract in history, they didn't amount to more than a tiny blip.


Let's refocus here on what we are talking about.
Cheap means that you do something and people think it's weak to pull. Bunting during a no-hitter. Stealing 2nd when you are up by 10 runs in the 8th. Those are things that guys who are much shittier than A-Rod pull. Granted. But a guy like A-Rod shouldn't HAVE to pull them to succeed.
The best guy shouldn't have to cheat to win. He should just be good enough. And you don't see guys who make nearly as much pull moves like that. Do you think Jeter goes after a rookie pitcher on a breaking ball early in a game in June? No. Soriano SLAP THE BALL away? doubtful. Griffey shout at a ROOKIE. No. And here's what's wrong with each incident

The Brawl: Timing, A-Rod was hitting .250 at the time and Bronson Arroyo weighs about 170 with the cornrows in and a Rookie. You don't go after a kid who threw a breaking ball that hit your shoulder. You wait and hit a homer and let your talent make the statement

The Slap: Again a bad choice. He could have barreled over Bronson (hmm popping up again) and THAT would have been hardnosed. Slapping the ball is weak. In that situation you would have gotten Jeter over and then maybe the offense would have woken up. Instead he killed it.

The Yell: Again picking on Rookies. The kid was up for all of 1-2 days. He didn't know what his SS sounded like. And I'm sure that if A-Rod pulled that with a Mike Lowell, David Wright or anyother seasoned guy A-Rod KNOWS that he would have gotten smacked either on the field or gotten a Spaulding in his wheelhouse next at bat.

So what does that amount to? A-Rod being Billy Zabka in Just One of the Guys. The rich kid who has all the talent and good looks picking on those who are weaker than him. And that's why people don't like A-Rod. An immense talent who fails when called upon and then takes it out on those who can't stand up as well. Sorry. That's not the media. That's just A-Rod.