Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Jon's other site:
Screen Jam
TV and more ...
1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
The last two Dodger games I have attended, a loss and now today's victory, have been the two most pleasant I've been to all season. Both came after the team's sub-.500 status was assured, a condition that seems to have weeded out the high expecters (expectants? expectationers?) who would only be satisfied by a victory. The best that people hope for now is that a baseball game be played. That's all. Throw the first pitch and we've already won. The Dodgers of September 2005 offer no other guarantees, and so we find ourselves at the major league equivalent of Little League, where it's a celebration when someone doesn't fall on his head and it's considered poor form to rain criticism or curb hope. Call it the Losers Dividend. It's a very relaxing, freeing payoff (abetted by the ease of ingress and egress to Dodger Stadium that the smaller crowds provide), enough to make one up and move to Kansas City or Tampa Bay so this can be reinvested and experienced permanently.
There were a couple of people who violated the spirit of the day. They both seem like nice enough people on the outside and seem to not lack for friends, but still they thumbed their portfolios at the Losers Dividend. One was the chap sitting two seats away from me, who couldn't find any redeeming aspect in what lay before him and almost from the opening pitch was trying to hurry the game along so he could get home to barbecue. For those who have criticized Jim Tracy for benching Hee Seop Choi and for those who have criticized Choi's acquisition, you might find it interesting that this fan had no kind words for either. Choi does "nothing" as a player, and Tracy is the worst manager in baseball, according to this fan. Again, his delivery was easygoing and he struck me as the first guy who would help you change a tire if you were stuck on the side of the road, but for today's game, he packed a full kit of contempt. And you just wanted him to let go a little bit like the rest of us, and take the opportunity to let baseball be baseball.
The other spurner was Tracy. With two on and two out in the sixth inning today in a 2-2 tie, Choi stood in the on-deck circle with Willy Aybar at the plate. As Aybar inched closer to a walk, it occured to myself and others that Choi could have the game's make-or-break at-bat. It also occured to us that with a lefthander on the mound, Tracy might pinch-hit for Choi, even though it would be the perfect opportunity in this meaningless game, during a part of the season that Tracy himself has said he's putting people like Brian Myrow in situations to gain information for 2006, to give Choi a key at-bat against a southpaw. A perfect Little League moment.
Aybar walked to load the bases, and Choi took a couple steps toward home plate. Sitting (thanks - seriously, thanks - to some generous seats from an anonymous Dodger Thoughts reader) in the lower part of the Field Level, I could see and hear Tracy yell at Choi to come back. Either Choi had not gotten an earlier message, or Tracy did not counsel Choi that he wouldn't bat against a lefty with the bases loaded. It added insult to insult. Either way, as Tracy sent Jason Phillips up to pinch-hit, it caused me to have my one bad moment of the game and yell at Tracy like I was the protective father of the 10-year-old Choi. This was not what the game was supposed to be about.
My reaction sprung from the assumption that this was a time for the kids, a time to get a glimpse of the future in the present. Upon reflection, I realized that maybe Tracy was Little Leaguing it after all, that he was trying to get as many guys in the game as possible and this was his best spot for Phillips, who in fact hasn't played much lately. No one thinks Phillips has much more of a future in Los Angeles, but of course, perhaps Choi doesn't either. So I'm going to grudgingly, very grudgingly, let Tracy off the hook on this one. And it has nothing to do with Phillips getting a single that keyed the Dodgers' six-run inning. I think it was objectively the wrong move for the organization and personally disappointing, but Phillips is a human being too. I'm not going to stay mad. That would be my waste of the Dividend.
So while it's easy to blame Tracy for taking an at bat from a player whose ability ceiling is still undecided and instead giving it to Phillips, it's somewhat difficult for me to blame a manager for playing to win, even when winning isn't goal #1.
I guess that makes Tracy hard-headed while also making me wonder even more if he and Depo are on the same page. If a season is over yet a manager makes in-game moves that take away from the developing players (even if it's only 1 at bat), it shows discord between what should be happening and what is.
But ultimately, it was just one moment, and not enough, I've decided, to get hung up on.
I'm a Choi agnostic now. I would've liked to see him bat, and use that great eye of his to draw a walk if he couldn't get the hit. But Phillips did the job for a change, so I was happy for him too. Today's game made me think good thoughts about the current Dodger team, especially the guys who had no reason to think they'd be part of it. They weren't very good, but they never gave up, and on those rare occasions when things went well, it was almost more satisfying. If Gary Sheffield hits a home run against the Red Sox, well, that's what he's paid for. But when it's Oscar Robles, hitting a home run for the Dodger that ties a game against the Giants, that's a moment. We were one hit like that short in a lot of our games this year. That one hit was the difference between the men and the boys, I guess. But it's to their credit that this crew got that close so frequently.
Choi Pre break:
.776 OPS (243 pa's)
Choi Post break:
.836 OPS (102 pa's)
Garret Anderson would love to have those numbers.
Guys who never made it, guys who weren't famous yet. It's all fun.
The last four home games are unlikely to have any bearing whatsoever on the pennant race. The DBacks are still mathematically alive (who would have thought that at the beginning of the year?), but they likely won't be hanging on for long.
Despite the fact that I could have been watching a first place team on TV (the Angels), I just couldn't bring myself to pay much attention to the game. And it's likely that come a week from Tuesday or Wednesday (whenever the Angels start their series), I will be rooting hard for them, I still cared whether or not Willie Aybar could reach base in a 2-2 game.
My buddy, myself, and the guys in front of us were ragging on Mike Edwards (between us, not "out loud") throughout the whole game and of course, he had to come up with the game on the line. I was happy for Edwards that he was able to have a moment like that.
Friday nights game was fun too, but for different reasons. The fireworks were great and the atmosphere was pretty laid back. On top of that (TMI warning), I took a great girl to the game.
Going to games that don't matter can be kind of fun. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for either of the playoff games that I attended last year. Just going and enjoying the game, no matter the outcome is kind of fun.
As long as it's not expectorants.
Lovely bit of writing, Jon.
If you like games like this, you guys ought to try college baseball. Sitting at Les Murakami Stadium watching a game with Diamond Head over the left-centerfield fence is a joy.
As long as I'm in here, lemme share my most recent Internet fixation:
http://www.librarything.com
Bob ought to like it; catalog your collection using LC data you don't have to type yourself.
As a baseball fan I can say the older you get the better it gets. I can look down at the field and see players today and remember the guys I saw as a kid. In one of my posts I mentioned that Aybar kind of reminded me of Jim Gilliam. Aybar is a little taller but he is a switch hitter, a good fielder and he has a line drive stroke, all the things I remember about Gilliam. I have yet to see anyone who reminds me of Sandy, but maybe Logan White is looking around as I am typing this. I wish him luck. And even though he was a Giant and I am not a Giant fan, if Logan White uncovers a Willie Mays, I won't object to seeing him with the Dodgers.
Stan from Tacoma
While I know there was a collective, "I can't believe he is doing this" from almost every DT reader, the pinch hitting of Choi, by Tracy with Mr. Phillips illustrates a problem that many on DT, myself included have never fully accepted. Tracy was never called out by DePo becasue McCourt doesn't have the money and didn't have it to make a serious move when key players were injured. In my mind this is why Tracy will not be fired next year even if DePodesta wants Tracy to play CHoi more.
Were there expensive, good players for sale in June and July? I don't recall that there were.
The treasury DePo didn't want to tap wasn't McCourt's money vault, it was Logan White's talent bank.
those two numbers aren't particularly far apart for one, and choi's sample size is a hefty 27 at-bats. plus, it's kind of not the point. we already know more than we need to know about phillips. the game's outcome itself is meaningless now; let's let choi bat against lefties.
and we continued to think about tracy not being in sync with the kind of players depo is bringing in...tracy manages games well, but cant or doesnt want to understand the GM's philosophy. so if your manager doesnt get the direction of the gm, who has to budge?
im thinking that tracy will head to pgh or cin and depo will push to bring ron washington in to take over. just a thought.
I'm thinking sitting anywhere you can see Diamond Head in the background is pretty good, so if you add some baseball it becomes heaven. Most of the live games I see are AAA, and they have a similar feel to them. If the home team wins, great, but it's more about watching players develop, trying to figure out which ones will go on. I will say, though, that given a choice I pick Honolulu over Pawtucket any day.
Bob ought to like it; catalog your collection using LC data you don't have to type yourself.
Sounds like a busman's holiday for me. I just put my books on shelves until they don't fit. Then I throw away old ones.
The emergence of rookie Ryan Zimmerman makes Nationals third baseman Vinny Castilla a candidate to be traded. Castilla, 38, could be a fit for the Dodgers or Padres, but he ranks eighth in on-base/slugging percentage among the 10 National League third basemen who qualify for the batting title. Chances are, he won't be worth the $3.2 million he is guaranteed in 2006. ...
Really? You don't think?
If Vinny Castilla's playing for the Dodgers, that means Pat Gillick has taken over as GM.
And by the way that "rumor" is just the horsiest of horse apples. There's no owner and no one has a clue. But the articles always seem to mention Cashman, Josh Towers, and/or Pat Gillick based on nothing it seems more than availability and some or other tie to the region.
His first move: Trade for Sammy Sosa.
Stan from Tacoma
http://tinyurl.com/938dl
"The team's questionable chemistry will lead to a roster turnover and probably a change in manager..."
hmmmm...which team could Rosenthal be talking about? The Pirates? The Devil Rays? The Reds? The only team he could not ever certainly be talking about is the Florida Marlins, to whom the Dodgers traded not only all their chemistry, but several National League East division championships.
So don't get shut out....
Does the New York Times have Boston envy?
Making a bobblehead out of one of the least favorite Dodgers in team history is brilliant. I'm surprised they didn't realize a 20th Anniversary Niedenfuer edition this year.
Meanwhile, forecasted rain threatens to reschedule my rain game tonight. I will be annoyed in the extreme if, after sitting at the stadium for 3 hours through one soaking and eventually fatal rain delay, and after juggling life to get free to get up to Balt for the rescheduled game tonight, it then gets moved to an afternoon this week and I can't go at all.
I'm including his pre-Dodger popularity (or lack thereof).
I grew up in Stamford in the populous Fairfield County, and we considered ourselves a suburb of New York, rooting for NY teams.
I don't even think the Dodgers have had a game delayed by rain once the game started this year and had one game in Denver have its start delayed for a few minutes.
I also don't think the Dodgers played any doubleheaders, did they? I kinda miss the days when "playing two" was written into the schedule.
The analogy with Niedenfuer doesn't track at all.
"The enemy of my enemy is my..."
The Dodgers split.
The Dodgers last doubleheader at Dodger Stadium was on 7/22/1999 against Colorado, but that was a day-night doubleheader, which in the record books, doesn't count as a doubleheader. (The Rockies won both games.)
The last "2 for the price of 1" doubleheader at Dodger Stadium was on July 8, 1992 against Montreal. The Dodgers split that day. That was not caused by rain.
The last scheduled doubleheader was on September 17, 1987 against Cincinnati. Another split. That was necessitated by Peter O'Malley wanting to clear the stadium for use by Pope John Paul II for a Mass.
Josh Towers is a good pitcher and has a helluva mouth on him, but I'm not sure what his other qualifications for a GM position are...
"Bad arm angles today"
"Put them in a position to succeed"
"Robles in the 3-spot sounds good"
"Give the bunt sign to JD"
"I think Weaver still has something left"
"Give Izturis the green light"
If these are the proving grounds for the major leagues, don't you want your young LH hitters to get as MANY at bats against LHP as possible, for learning purposes? etc etc. Why do minor league managers manage like major league managers, when doing exactly the opposite would better suit the organization's goals?
Meanwhile, an "action statue" doesn't sound too fun to me.
Wait, I didn't mean it to sound like that... Eh, you know what I mean.
I thought you meant Kevin Towers, who is not Epstein's assistant but whom Epstein used to be an assistant to.
The Boston asst's name is Josh Byrnes.
Sorry guy, but I don't like either Bonds or Kent. Call me crazy.
So would you have tossed back the 1956 NL pennant because Sal Maglie was on the Dodgers?
Or the 1963 World Series because Leo Durocher was a coach?
What's wrong with Leo Durocher? He was a longtime Dodger shortstop and pennant-winning manager before he ever stained his uniform orange. If anyone, it's the Giants fans who should hate him, not us.
My dislike of Kent preceded his stint with the Gnats. I don't subscribe to the belief that one is required to like all players on one's favorite team.
Nothing like having a weapon of mass destruction at the hot corner.
Icaros: Boo, Ghandi.
Perhaps he is not among the least popular Dodgers in history, but you have to admit (don't you?) that it's a sad day for Dodgerdom when Jeff Kent is the best bobblehead candidate on the roster. I never thought I'd see that day.
H S C!
H S C!
H S C!
As Jerry Seinfeld has said, "We're just cheering for laundry!"
I don't need a Jeff Kent bobblehead to tell me this hasn't been a good year.
76 - No, RJR.
That depends, if his head were filled with real coke, it could be the Most Wonderful Day at the Ballpark Ever, until the inevitable comedown.
I think he's more your favorite than anyone else's. You two have something special.
The rest of us really love our little 10-year-old Hee Seop.
I meant no offense, Jon. It just seems to me (and evidently I'm alone in this) that choosing Kent for a bobblehead indicates being somewhat out of touch with the fans. But maybe I'm wrong.
Plus, R.J. is a uniter, not a divider.
Reminds me of my Halloween 04 plan of buying a Strawberry throwback Mets jersey and throw baby powder all over myself. After finding out that the jersey would cost a few hundred dollars, I reconsidered.
Steak Knives day!
Lawn Dart day!
Rosin bag day!
Pine tar day!
"The SQUEEZE! And the Dodgers win it!!!!"
Those promotions were discarded. Just like I offered to send Jon some of my extra dry cleaning bags as a present for his three-year old daughter. He turned those down.
I mean my late little brother really enjoyed playing with those....
(Before you get too mad, I NEVER had a little brother.)
Sure, that's what you tell yourself now.
On that note, on the sad day someone has to take Vin's place, part of me is hoping they don't repeat that move in finding the replacement. Though there are many, many announcers worse than Jon Miller, something about him rubs me the wrong way. Strangely, in trying to think of an announcer today who exudes the enthusiasm, professionalism and class of Scully, I couldn't think of a single MLB announcer who does, but Paul Sunderland immediately sprang to mind. Anyone else think he'd be much better calling Dodger games?
Or Viagra Palmeiro?
As for the contentious Mister Choi, assertions that all he needs are a manager who trusts him and sufficient at-bats against whomever are beginning to get a little old (though I agree that this was the year to opt for him, and really test him once and for all).
Noticed Bobby Bowden getting trashed again, here and there. More evidence of a lack of understanding re: humble pie rules. The Nats
were in it with about twenty games to go, in a much tougher division, and a GM position with much less wiggle room than Paulie had, and parallel crippling injuries.
This round goes to the Man-Who Doesn't-Get-It
over the patron saint of New Dogma. One of the many beauties of real-world ball....
(think of the Iraq of Paul Wolfowitz and others at Defense vs. real-world Iraq).
They were a very lucky team all year. Their luck ran out. But Bowden assumed his luck was skill. Then when the luck ran out, he started to blame the players for not playing well.
Yeah, seems like a great guy.
The second biggest lead overcome with 7 game left is 4. That was by the 1962 Giants.
The third biggest lead overcome with 7 games left is 3 games by the 1934 Cardinals.
(Thanks to Frank Vaccaro on SABR-L)
I'm not sure how many people are making the argument that "a manager who trusts him and sufficient at-bats against whomever" are sufficient conditions to guarantee Choi's success, but it seems reasonable to argue that those conditions appear to be necessary.
I would put more money on the Giants' ability to sweep San Diego than the A's to sweep the Angels. The Giants do have their main offensive weapon back.
Sorry for the rant, but just saying they were in it until they weren't doesn't really help us figure out if they were in because of Bowden, or if they tanked because of Bowden, or more likely neither.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=4390
Joe Sheehan writes:
For Bowden to call out the players for their "failure" is a bad joke. The Nationals can't score because, lo and behold, Vinny Castilla and Cristian Guzman suck. Who, other than Bowden, didn't see that one coming? His stamp on this team is lot of money given to bad baseball players. Publicly calling out those players is a shameful attempt to deflect blame from how poorly he did his job over the winter.
You know what else I realized in reviewing the research by Caleb? Omar Minaya is having one hell of a year. Not only is his new team, the Mets, in contention for a playoff spot, but this Nationals team is largely his. Johnson, John Patterson, Livan Hernandez, Chad Cordero, Luis Ayala, Ryan Church, Gary Majewski…all of these guys are having very good years for the Nats, and all of them were Minaya pickups. Omar Minaya is a hell of a lot more responsible for the success the Nationals are having than Bowden is.
On Sunday, Bowden said, "There's a lot of guys who can score no runs in a game." If there's anyone who knows how to find them, it's Jim Bowden.
1) Really streaky hitter--too variable for comfort
2) Bad fielder
3) Low "Baseball IQ"
4) No evidence of heart or soul
5) A pawn in the DePo vs JT power play
Some weighted combination of these and/or other factors must be in play. Because the stats alone suggest HSC should be starting most every game.
*Choi's bad start as a Dodger after arriving in The Trade.
*Tracy's perception that Choi doesn't hit. "like a first baseman." Choi tried to adjust to Tracy's expectations this spring, swinging away more and trying to hit more home runs. This resulted in a big drop in Choi's batting average, and now people say "Choi can't hit."
*Choi still has the perception he can't hit lefties worth a lick, though this year his OPS vs. LHP is very close to his OPS vs. RHP. Tracy still decided to use Choi only 27 times vs. LHP this year.
*Against CWS, Choi bungled a play at first base in a critical situation. Though it was later revealed to be a bad call by the umpire, Tracy apparently grumbled about Choi's defense. If Choi can't flash the leather to Tracy's satisfaction, The Mind of Jim Tracy perceives little use for him except as a backup 1B.
Count me in, too. I'd rather see the A's win it, but if they don't, I hope they get eliminated quickly.
http://www.yard-work.org/?cat=31
Second, Sunderland on the Lakers broadcasts certainly could have been a lot worse, but he suffered from two common maladies among latter-day play-by-play guys (think Joe Buck): The first is that he talked way too much, using words and phrases just to impress, and usually incorrectly. Sundy's Achilles heel was "if you will." What a meaningless, garbage phrase in the best of times, but he'd pull it out about 40 times per game, and inappropriately. The other, much more annoying trait is the PBP guy who wants to be the analyst too, either to show the analysts that he's smart, or just to monopolize the air time. Rather than dividing labor, these guys want to do it all, and frankly, aren't qualified, either by playing experience, coaching experience, or just a long history at their current jobs, to be analysts.
So this isn't just an anti-Sunderland rant. This is a general rant about what's happened to the announcing world, and what we should try to avoid if it proves, against all hope, that Vin Scully is not immortal.
When I suggested the Dodgers should sign somebody I've never heard of as Scully's heir, some two-bit basketball announcer wasn't exactly what I had in mind...
At some point as Vin's retirement nears, I'm expecting Plaschke to write the "Ross Porter: Lion in Winter" column. Who wants to bet against me?
If you're lucky for a Scully replacement, Tom Hoffarth of the Daily News, apparently seriously, recommends Matt Vasgersian
Sunderland may have just been in the wrong medium. When Dave Niehaus went down, the Mariners brought in Kevin Calabro, who is a dynamite basketball announcer, hailed as a demigod in Seattle, and yet was roundly panned as a baseball announcer. Marv Albert announcing baseball, for example, chills the imagination.
i believe vasgersian committed career suicide when he agreed to announce xfl games with my former governor, jim janos.
No, I'm saying, literally, who is Paul Sunderland? I've never heard of him until today and know nothing about him.
I've also never heard of Ralph Lawler, FWIW.
I thought we were talking about baseball announcers... those guys, I know.
It's very good you've never heard of Ralph Lawler. I would be very worried about you....
"At some point as Vin's retirement nears, I'm expecting Plaschke to write the "Ross Porter: Lion in Winter" column. Who wants to bet against me?"
I already like it. :)
Favorite announcers:
Don Drysdale
Vince Scully
Dick Enberg
Worse:
Ron Fairly
Don Adams
"Worse:
Ron Fairly" [amen]
Worst:
Rex Hudler
IMHO. I'm convinced Hudler is Fairly's long-lost son.
129 - Second that RIP Don Adams.
i enjoy the dick bremer/bert blyleven tandem. homers, but not unbearably so.
Ahh dude, all the Dodgers need here is a knock by Robley. He can do it. Just a lousy single.
I was talking with T-Bone before the game and he said that Robley is really gettin better at getting jumps when he steals.
Will I lose all credibility (assuming I have any) if I say my favorite announcing crew is Kruk(ow) and Kuip?
Thanks Adam. wors"t" I guess Hurdler is worser... :)
LOL
Senator: Mr. Smart, how many arrests did Control make last year?
Maxwell Smart: I don't know.
Senator: Who's the number one man in your organization?
Maxwell Smart: I don't know.
Senator: How many cases were assigned to Control last year?
Maxwell Smart: I don't know.
Senator: What would you do if you were fired, Mr. Smart?
Maxwell Smart: They can't fire me. I know too much.
I think that they are pretty good. Although they have gotten a little overbearing lately with Bonds coming back.
It involved some plot where the villain was an Asian woman. She was supposed to be Miss Japan. But she turned out to be working for KAOS or Communist China. At the end, the Chief explained that the CONTROL computer couldn't differentiate between Miss Japan and Miss China, just like no one else could.
I thought to myself, "That wouldn't play too well on the West Coast."
Regarding announcers ... aren't we at this point discussing who will be the new B team after Vin leaves us? Seems like they've set up Steiner and Monday to be the lead pair.
147 - Steiner and Monday, or Steiner and Lyons?
She always was standing funny during "Get Smart" episodes and appeared to be bobbing up and down. Turned out that she was a bit taller than Don Adams so she often turned her ankles and stood on the side of her feet so she would appear shorter.
Edward Platt passed away in 1974.
Robert Karvelas (Larrabee) died in 1991.
David Ketchum, Agent 13, is still alive. He's 77. And Bernie Kopell (Siegfried) is still alive at 72. He's still working.
It was my father's name!
Aww, man, look at that sweet stroke from Werthy. He is THE MAN!
Oh, wow, big time fastball from Gagne-y.
"follow me... to freedom!"
classic. and the tie around his forehead.
better than the one with clemens (in blue jays uniform) xeroxing "k"s.
I think Krukow and Kuiper are the best TV team out there, without a close second, really.
(Recognizing the fact that Vin Scully is not a team...)
"Hymie, kill the light" Blam!
The second baseman picked up the b-a-l-l and...
I guess that's the ultimate complement. How many ex-players are lead PBP guys?
did anyone else catch harrelson's breakdown when aaron rowand misplayed a line drive in the 9th the other night to allow the tying run to score? it was kind of the same "noooooooooo" scream that luke skywalker let out when he found out who his father was.
i think kuiper had one homerun in his career. plus he got to wear those all red unis, cleveland circa 1976.
The Yankees sometime in their "wheel of announcers" come up with Bobby Murcer and Ken Singleton, who aren't bad together for a pair of former players. For a period in the 1960s, the Yankees used Joe Garagiola, Phil Rizzuto and Jerry Coleman.
The White Sox, of course, have Ken Harrelson as the lead PBP guy.
The Brewers have Bob Uecker as their lead radio PBP guy.
i stand corrected. time for me to grab some bench.
When Steiner was ESPN's boxing guy they used him on Sports Center to analyze the infamous Oski the Bear vs. Stanford Tree melee at Maples Pavilion. "Oski to the body. Oski to the body, again!"
Sorry if this is late to the party but I got to wondering how other Dodgers with similar AB totals compared to Hee Seop. So here is a highly selective list of Choi's teammmates and their stats (from MLB.com) to date.
Player POS G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI TB BB SO SB CS OBP SLG AVG
J Phillips C 119 397 38 94 20 0 10 55 144 25 50 0 1 .286 .363 .237
J Cruz OF 104 338 42 87 21 2 17 49 163 60 90 0 2 .368 .482 .257
J Werth OF 96 323 45 78 21 2 7 42 124 47 108 11 2 .344 .384 .241
O Saenz 1B 105 309 39 84 24 0 15 63 153 27 59 0 1 .334 .495 .272
H Choi 1B 128 308 40 78 14 2 15 41 141 32 74 1 3 .335 .458 .253
My guess is that if Choi had as many AB's as Philips he'd have over 20 HR's by now.
"Dan, I have absolutely no idea."
166 - man, if the White Sox ever acquire a player named "Khan," I will listen to every broadcast.
Didn't think there was any way to make the White Sox announcers worse, but if they need one of our guys to do it, I'm glad to let him go. Hawk + Lyons = Yeegagh
172 - Keep in mind also that Choi's numbers were dragged down by him being used as a PH about 47 times. He is nowhere near as effective as a PH as when he's starting. Of course, you could say the same thing for Phillips' hitting as a 1B...but where does that get you?
"Hee-Seop Choi leads active Dodgers with a .231 lifetime average against Wells. Choi is 3-for-13 with two doubles and a homer against the right-hander."
Uecker is indeed superb on the Brewers broadcasts, and this comes from someone who hates his network TV shtick.
although it has been "de-bunked", i choose to believe the rickey/olerud story: when rickey arrived in seattle in 2000, he saw that olerud was wearing a helmet in the field. rickey commented to olerud that he used to play with a guy on the mets who did the same thing. olerud reminded rickey that they played together on the mets (and the blue jays). this has to have happened! it's too "rickey".
I think this is my favorite part from the Pay Rickey series:
"Anyway, Rickey's host family is always conspirin' against him and sh-t. "Do the dishes, Rickey!" "Eat your carrots, Rickey!" Rickey Henderson is the major league leader in runs scored! Rickey told them that one night, and they were all, "Rickey, you better run this trash out to the curb before the garbage truck gets here!"
"And there's a flyball to right field!...and it's...caught (in medium right field)
Transcript from Steiner calling Navarro's walkoff HR:
...And here's the 3-2...flyball right center field and deep...it's way back there...and it issssss...GONE! A Home Run! Dioner Navarro with his first major league home run, it is a walkoff HR, and the Dodgers win it 7-6, the Dodgers are storming out of the 3rd base dugout, they'll waive(?) him at home plate, and now they're gonna BEAT him to death!
Steiner over described the play, rarely pausing, and giving too much information. He gets far too excited and is unable to control his emotions. It's a shame that Ross Porter was fired AND that he was replaced with an inferior announcer. One of my favorite announcers is Dan Shulman (who works for ESPN).
Stan from Tacoma
And would people please dump the stereotype of the McCourts being penniless? This is the fault of the media in propagating it. Why was their top draft pick offered $3 million to sign? Penniless teams don't do that.
Why did they not offer Robles back to his Mexican team when they had the chance? Couldn't they have used that $250,000 desperately? And why did the McCourts buy a $25 (that's TWENTY-FIVE) million mansion? I wish I were that poor.
Monday was a great Dodger, God bless him, but neither he nor Steiner calls a good game. Part of their giggling might come from the fact that Steiner drinks in the booth, as I've spotted him with large cups of beer before and during games. Monday has also been known to imbibe. Sometimes they sound like a couple of kids and completely miss the action.
Steiner needs to be told that you don't need to yell or repeat the same thing five times in order to call a game. Also, he repeatedly refers to one Alex Gonzalez as if he were the other one, obviously not realizing that there are two SS with the same name. You'd think someone who's been around that long would know that.
I miss Ross Porter for his thorough knowledge of the game, his dedication to doing his homework, and his class. He might've been drier, but I would take his wisdom and knowledge and graciousness over a giggling yeller any day.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.