Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
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4) arguing for the sake of arguing
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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
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12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
Jeff Kent, quoted by T.J. Simers in the Times today:
"Last year I might offer a one-line comment at the batting cage about hitting the curveball, and I'd get scoffed at, and a 'What the hell do you know?' in return. ...
"I don't get paid to take rookies out to dinner. I'm not a baby-sitter. I don't coach."
Why even try to make sense of it all?
The fact is, the clubhouse breakdown was overblown last year. I still think that the accusations have been one-sided - it's not that the kids shouldn't have respect for their teammates or be held accountable for their actions, it's that should be held to the same standard, publicly and privately.
It still bothers me when that doesn't happen. There are good eggs and bad eggs in every age group.
But in the end, what's important really is what happens on the field. And based on the premise that the presence of Joe Torre and the passage of time will limit how much clubhouse friction undermines on-the-field performance, we should probably just move on.
Not that it won't be a topic of conversation in the media all spring long ...
Tough to know what to make of that. Maybe Kemp and the rest of them really are a bunch of entitled brats who act like jerks to the veteran players. Maybe Kent really is like my grandmother, who would accuse us of wishing she was dead just because we didn't use her recipe for brisket.
I'm officially sick of the discussion. Nomar and Gonzo say it was overblown, and that's good enough for me.
"Today's pitcher always throws three-quarters when he throws the curve"
or it could've been:
"You need to start hitting the curve better"
The reaction that he took as what the hell do you know could've been:
"Mind your own business"
or it could've just been:
"hmm-hmm"
I also can't imagine getting much more than a B-/C+ prospect for Jeff Kent's age 40 season.
I am hoping other players will allow Torre to hit Kent 6th in the lineup, maybe 7th and when that is the case, Abreu's speed and defense might contribute more than Kent's bat.
http://tinyurl.com/3758by
What would Kent have said if he and his son were in Home Depot and his son said, hey Dad, let's have some fun and move the trash cans around.
Lower the threshold to 300 PA, and we're all the way up to 30 geezers with an .800 OPS! :)
There have also only been 26 men 39 or older with 500 PA & and .800 OPS, and Kent is in the upper half of that group (11th) with his .875 OPS last year.
And none of them were middle infielders. On the other hand only Jeff Kent has posted an OPS higher then 850 at the age of 39 as a middle infielder. One of these will have to change. I'm still betting on father time.
http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/Mbvz
First of all, it's awesome that Matt Stairs has the 5th highest 39-year-old OPS.
Of the 25 men listed above, three were last year (Stairs, Kent, Thomas) and one was out of baseball before his age 40 season (Chili Davis).
Here are the average numbers of the remaining 21 (and I know averaging the OPS is a terrible way to do this, but it's quick and dirty):
Age 39 Season
.911 OPS
548 PA
Age 40 Season
.798 OPS (a 12.4% drop)
380 PA (a 30.6% drop)
Only 9 of the 21 players even reached 400 PA during their age 40 seasons, and only 6 reached 500 PA.
The cliff is fast approaching!
Right about what, that young kids don't want to take advice from old cranky guys? What a revelation that is. Stop the presses we have a news flash. The youth of today is ignoring the advice of their elders and even "gasp" feel contempt for it.
That's not the point.
The point is that there are people of all ages on this team that can be disrespectful jerks who make mistakes and have a lot to learn.
I don't see Kent as the villain in this story. The villain is most of the media reports.
Did we set a minimum number of PA for our bet? And what was the number again? Did I say Kent would have an .800 OPS or a 100 OPS+?
The most sobering fact I found during my research was the comp of Steve Finley. His 39 year old season was as good as it gets. He was healthy at the end of his 39 year old season and all the pundits projected pretty much the same year for him as a 40 year old. We know how that turned out.
OPS+ of at least 110 and I think he had to have over 400 at bats but I'm not sure on the at bats. My gut feeling is that he will get hurt often which will bring down his production since he seems to lose his timing when coming off the DL.
Another way to put this is that Kent has no business being a middle infielder.
Aaron's age 39 season produced a 1.045 OPS, good for a 177 OPS+. That marked the 19th consecutive season with at least a 142 OPS+.
He of course fell off a cliff at age 40 and only produced a meager 128 OPS+ (.832 OPS). :)
This is the kind of thing that, if true, the kikds should be critiqued for, not silly stuff like moving trash cans.
http://www.truebluela.com/story/2007/11/12/1762/4000
I may be eating those words come August.
I'm liking your chances at a free DT Day ticket in 2009!
Certainly not when Lowe is pitching.
If Torre is smart and uses Kent as an everyday 2nd baseman who gets lots of time off, he could still be an asset. I expect alot of double switches in 2008 much like Little did with Gonzo.
Remind me again, when do pitchers and catchers report?
Also, Gonzo just missed the age 39 cut, with an OPS of .792 in 526 PA last year.
He was taken out of the game in a whopping 61 of his 127 starts.
I would say .280, 8 HR, 30+ Doubles
61 Neither did I.
In 10 he said "Consider the defensive difference though. I'm not up for trading Kent, Abreu would have to be by far the best defender in baseball if Kent even has a decent season to make up the difference, but Abreu does make up a ton of value there"
He'd take Kent in 2008, but is just saying defense should be considered here. That's all.
Then i check in here today and see the post and I remembered what Accorsi said and how appropriate it is for this conversation.
What is more likely, a talented youngster to go into the tank or the experienced veteran to fall off of the cliff?
Andruw takes Kent's '07 role
Abreu takes what should have been Pierre's '07 role (#8 hitter)
Pierre takes...a seat.
I would actually prefer Abreu or possibly even Hu over Kent for our team next year.
Would defense matter less if your pitching wasn't good?
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