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
In the bottom of the sixth inning tonight, Dodger third base coach Larry Bowa threw a tantrum that would have been national news had Milton Bradley done it.
It happened after umpire Ed Montague ordered Bowa to get back inside the coach's box. Bowa took exception, and Montague ejected him quickly. It then fell upon Joe Torre to restrain Bowa, and quite honestly, Torre was barely strong enough for the task. Trying to get at Montague, Bowa pushed Torre into Montague - though no serious damage was done.
"That vein in Bowa's neck could have held a screen up in the Coliseum," Vin Scully pricelessly commented. "Easy, Larry - you get into a thing like that, you wind up getting suspended."
Tonight's game was scoreless at that point, by the way, but the Dodgers loaded the bases on a single by Andre Ethier and walks to Andruw Jones and James Loney. Giants pitcher Matt Cain had thrown 113 pitches - perhaps it will be a mark of the 2008 Dodgers that they work pitchers - so even with Juan Pierre due up, the Giants went to the bullpen and brought in left-hander Jack Taschner.
Forcing the Dodgers to pinch-hit Matt Kemp for Pierre would seem to be a dream, but as Vin pointed out, Taschner has been better against righties in his career. I'd still take Kemp over Pierre against any pitcher in that situation, but as if Vin were predicting it (basically saying that Torre was playing into the Giants hands) the Giants won the battle. Kemp struck out, and the game went into the seventh inning still 0-0.
The first three Giants batters in the seventh got singles, the third hard off Derek Lowe's leg, knocking him out of the game. And Lowe flung his glove against the dugout wall.
We never thought it was going to be a smooth ride, did we ...
* * *
Two runs (charged to Lowe) came in off Joe Beimel, who sandwiched a strikeout by allowing a bases-loaded walk and single, but Ramon Troncoso, making his major-league debut, induced a double play to end the frame.
Blake DeWitt had another proficient at-bat, leading off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Mark Sweeney pinch-hit for Troncoso and singled.
Then, with Rafael Furcal up, Torre sent DeWitt and pinch-runner Chin-Lung Hu on a heartstopping double-steal, with DeWitt barely beating Bengie Molina's throw and barely hanging onto the bag. This could have been the first big baserunning boner of the young season. Instead, it set up Rafael Furcal's game-tying two-run single, followed by Furcal being caught overrunning first to make the first baserunning boner of the young season. (Hu looked certain to score the tying run even if the throw from the outfield had gone through.)
We never gave up, did we ...
* * *
It went all the way to the bottom of the ninth, deuces wild: two on, two out, two balls, two strikes to Delwyn Young. Except he's not Delwyn Young, as Vin tells us. Per a conversation Vin had with Young's grandfather, no one in the family calls him Delwyn - instead, they call him Pee-Wee.
Young grounded one to the right of 36-year-old second baseman Ray Durham. Durham smothered the ball but did not come up with it cleanly. He threw late to first, and first baseman Rich Aurilia threw late to home plate - Furcal sliding home with the second great baserunning moment of the young season.
Vin: "Pee-Wee is bigger than a Giant." Ah, yes. Dodgers win, 3-2.
Heck, I'll take the traditional 6-4-3 double play.
No one advanced beyond the base from the single, so no error.
Welcome to the bigs, Troncoso!
Why would Jones get an error? You don't get an error for just missing a diving catch. "Ordinary effort" is the guiding phrase.
---
And thank you, Troncoso! Nice start.
Selection bias among camera operators.
Come on Raffy.
It did right there.
And that pitcher was ....?
And is already on the bench.
I was going to say Brazoban, but I believe he came in 04.
Here is the list since 1957:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/shareit/66uJ
Jackson made note of Ethier getting no hits last night.
He was probably being cheeky.
We tried a double steal while Furcal was up with no outs. In a game in which we were down 2 runs.
He was taken back in the days of the "secondary phase." The #1 pick overall in the first round in of the 1984 draft was Shawn Abner. The #2 pick, Bill Swift, did have a productive career.
The #10 pick in 1984 was Mark McGwire.
No, they're not always hot. Often they just look sweet and sporty. And that's good enough.
I see Dodgers #14 and still think "Scioscia", 55 is still Hershiser (though less so these days).
I wonder if Bowa is liable to throw his helmet at an ump?
"An added comment to Rule 4.05 requires that a coach, until being passed by a batted ball, must position himself no closer to home plate than the front edge of the coach's box and no closer to fair territory than the edge of the coach's box closest to the field."
And Russell Martin is up 3rd.
Because we all know opponents love pirouettes.
He still needs to get into season shape. He had a very short spring.
I haven't heard too many people openly complaining about Saito's emotion - and I certainly know we love it. So I just say, "Whatever."
One rabbit on!
I bet Giants players have complained to him about it. They have gotten to see it a lot : )
I think he's ready for the season.
Which I believe is the last time Japanese pitchers were the winner and loser in the same game.
Can't say I'm a big fan of guys who go Buddy Rich just because they want to rage against the machine.
134
... People still READ Plaschke? For the love of God, why?
I do like Bowa though. I don't mind a hard nosed stubborn guy like that. Think of where Pierre would spend most of his time if Bowa was calling the shots.
... You forgot the word "Worst" in your sentence.
He's the Sports Columnist.
Of the Year.
Former Dodger infielder Nate Oliver was nicknamed Pee Wee as well.
wow!
Nice story book ending for D young.
2-0. let's keep it going
Two and oh.
Wow.
I especially don't mind him when the Dodgers win!
So, can they force Bowa into a sabbatical so he can do anger management coursework for awhile? Then put Bill Mueller at third. We're still paying him aren't we? He used to play third. He's calmer. He doesn't look psychotic in a helmet.
Most of my sartorial choices in life have been dictated by freakishly long torso.
"I was looking at LOLcats, and I missed it. What happened?"
Ejections: NY YANKEES' Bowa by Montague (6th).
The correct body type for a sweater vest is not mine.
Actually, I'm not sorry.
Derek Lowe left the game with a left calf contusion in the seventh inning and is day to day.
Though the image of Encyclopedia Brown comes to mind.
It's been my lifelong dream to solve complicated crimes based on flimsy evidence that would never stand up in court.
That was a fun game, Dodgers on pace to win 162, Giants on pace to lose 162; can't ask for much more than that.
Sigh
The FSN crew has all but anointed Joe Torre manager of the century.
I answered no and looked for something else to watch.
In the Bay Area we got to hear about traffic coming in in the first inning. The beach ball delay. Jon Miller was on his game.
And then between innings in the ninth, the camera, at Jon's prompt, panned to the parking lot.
I could not see any headlights as the camera panned the parking lot, and Jon, silent as we watched, did not get to do his patented Dodger fans leaving before the last out spiel. And when Raffy stole home, well . . .
Two games do not a season make, but here in the almost frozen north, it's mighty sweet.
The Jacksonville group: When Pee Wee ran off the field, he jumped into Matt Kemp's waiting embrace.
The Atlanta connection: The first guy Furcal sees after sliding into home, his Braves buddy Andruw Jones.
So far, almost everyone in the lineup plus most of the bench has done at least one great thing that contributed to at least one of the two wins. Martin's the only guy you could say is slumping, but you know that won't last.
One is obligated to say chemistry is overrated. But this seems like a team whose players like to win with their friends.
That was a great win, great to get past the Giants' ace.
Creepy.
I lived in DC when Miller was broadcasting for the O's and now living in SF, Miller who is still very good tries in my mind to do too much on many occasions, especially with hispanic names...For those of you in Norcal who have direct TV, during this week they are doing the MLB preview and also offering the Game Day Mix, so if you put on the Mix you can hear Vin-in my house I had the sound down on the Giants broadcast and listened to Vin-it was great!
Man it feels good to be undefeated.
What I sense is a commitment to excellence that wasn't there last season under clueless Grady Little.
Also from the AP story on tonight's game:
>>Major League Baseball announced in late February that starting this year, first- and third-base coaches must not cross the lines toward home plate or the field until batted balls pass them. Only then can they take up other spots to guide runners.
"We got a memo and an edict, and they're adamant about the box and stuff," Montague said. "Don't go up in front of the box toward home plate, and don't get any closer to the foul lines. I told Bo in the bottom of the fifth, because he got up close. And that's what caught my eye. And I just told him, 'Bo, you got the memo, we got the memo, and you've got to stay back.' I went over and told Joe in-between innings what I told Bo. And Bo just said, 'I'm going to do it the way I've always been doing it.'
"I said, 'Bo, if you go up, I'm going to have to run you.' And he said, 'Do what you've got to do, and it is what it is.' When he got up in front of it again, I said, 'Bo, I told you once, now get back in the box.' He argued it, and finally I said, 'You're gone.' So I gave him every chance in the book and he defied it.
"It's probably one of the dumbest ejections I've had."
Bowa unleashed a profanity-laced tirade regarding the rule as he left the Dodger Stadium.
"I did it all spring, nobody said a word," he said, still irate a half-hour after the game ended. "I did it yesterday, nobody said a word. It's impossible to coach third and stay in the box with a runner at second."
Schaefer also criticized the rule, but added: "Unfortunately, the umpires are doing what they're told to do."
<<
Dodgers 3B Andy LaRoche, who tore a ligament in his right thumb March 7, had the cast and three pins removed Tuesday. "They said it's a lot better than they expected," said LaRoche, who's expected to be sidelined until sometime next month.
A few things:
- Smaller crowd than what I expected for the second game of the season; the scoreboard put it at around 45,000.
- From my seat it was hard to tell why Bowa was ejected; interesting to see what the actual context was.
- Awesome ending after a pretty dull first five innings, glad to see we could pull off another win against such a week opponent.
- While Kemp's pinch-hitting appearance didn't work out, I was really proud of Torre for putting him in after the idiotic move of starting Pierre in the first place.
Hopefully Pierre's start today was just a way of placating him a little bit after the embarrassment of having to sit on opening day. From now on I would hope Pierre will only get 1-2 starts per week in the outfield to spell the other guys, not some sort of weird platoon.
That's why the call him the Bison.
Various nicknames to be used now for Bowa:
Plessy
Brown
Gideon
Miranda
Schenck
Yeah, I was there as well. Got lucky, a buddy used to work grounds and had awesome comped seats down on the field level. Never been there, it's a great way to watch the game. Much incentive for me to work hard and get a better job, I suppose. :) I was lucky enough to have a stellar vantage point for Bowa's tirade (we were just about even with the 3rd base coach box), and I rather had flashes to Milton Bradley's tantrum that cost him his season last year. I was just waiting for Torre to attempt to take down Bowa and roll over his leg by accident.
Anyway, I agree, there were far fewer people in the stands than I expected given it's a night game against the Giants, and the second game of the year. Nevertheless, the crowd was pretty good once they got into the game in the latter half. Not an overpowering amount of noise like you might get with a sold out playoff game, for example, but a great vibe nonetheless, especially given the number of empty seats.
Glad to see the Blue come away with the win, especially on a day in which the team as a whole seemed to be hitting very poorly.
Maybe there's a new minor league team in the works? =P
Tonight's game, more that yesterday's, is what this whole season is going to be like. The talent among the top four teams seems pretty even. The winner will be the team that never gives in. That could be the Dodgers.
Her? Is she funny or something?
I like what I saw, but it is the Giants.
Blake Dewitt--3bbs in the first two games. He's had a really good approach. Hopefully he keeps it up.
Troncoso---came in with the bases loaded. Threw strikes, got a ground ball.
The Bad from last night:
Larry Bowa's absolute clown act. I've never seen a more attention seeking whore in my life, especially in sports. Didnt like what Duncan did last year to Peavy, but last nite's stunt was much much worse.
The Ugly from last night:
Pierre starting in place of Kemp. Its the 2nd day of the season. Please, do not let this happen again. Kemp isnt tired. Why is it that teams willingly try to shoot themselves in the foot? Is it because they feel sorry for the Giants? Granted the Giants are bad and a lineup full of Juan Pierres could probably beat them, but still just a bad decision.
Even this one...?
http://tinyurl.com/34h8gf
Though with the way DeWitt's played thus far, I don't feel quite the same level of anxiousness for LaRoche's imminent return that I felt last week.
So far, my first impressions of Torre are incredible. Pretty much everything he's done I would have done so far as game situation pitching/lineup/etc. The Pierre thing I understand but don't totally agree with. It IS nice to have a quality 4th OF but only play him when folks need a rest, eh?
I don't suppose statues come with a preview button.
Generally, spelling and punctuation aren't a huge deal on message boards, emails, and the like.
But a statue? You have to get that right. Will I be chastised for starting a sentence with "but?"
72 more wins to go.
I don't like to be a wonk and bring race into a place where it does not belong, but this Bowa thing kinda rubs me the wrong way.
He is as much of a tantrum throwing, angry, and attention stealing hothead as Bradley, but he is always described as "fiery" while Bradley is described as "troubled" in the media.
I'm not sure there is a conscious media bias, but I would like to see someone in a paper or other mass media outlet call out Bowa for what he is rather than trying to mask this particular character flaw (crotchety, old dude stubbornness) by saying that he is somehow consciously drawing attention to himself to relieve the media pressure on the players.
http://tinyurl.com/2jrxql
I'm a Portland TrailBlazer fan, so I have some experience with crazed players. While Rasheed Wallace was a great player for the Blazers, he often let them down when they really needed him. He let his emotions get the best of him and the team paid the price.
BTW, It didn't look like Frank was too impressed with Bowa's act. I imagine Frank will be talking with Torre about this.
The answer to that would be:
Blake DeWitt
As for Brian Bocock, well, the Giants are stuck with him. Unless they want to offer us Lincecum for, say, Abreu.
If they were to bring in anyone outside the organization to fill in at third right now without giving up much of anything, Helms is the only one I'd be sort of okay with. But if LaRoche is indeed healing faster than expected, they may just stand pat with DeWitt for now.
That's why they call him "The Solution™"
It's only fair; plus LaRoche is really good at getting on base.
We're two games into the season and he's already picked two pointless fights that ultimately boiled down to this: He doesn't want to play by the rules.
Next on Bowa's list: Coaching in street clothes (including a bicycle helmet) because he doesn't like the shade of blue used on the team's road uniforms.
Meet Larry Bowa, self-proclaimed Center of the Universe.
i've never hinted that dewitt should ever start at 3rd when both are healthy, when both are healthy there is no room for him, no matter how well he plays.
1) Remember how Shea Stadium used to be known as a revolving door for third basemen? Now it's Chavez Ravine. Over the past five seasons, Adrian Beltre, Bill Mueller, Jose Valentin, Wilson Betemit and DeWitt have started on Opening Day for the Dodgers.
DeWitt ranked well down manager Joe Torre's depth chart upon arrival at spring training. But when Andy LaRoche, Nomar Garciaparra and Tony Abreu landed on the disabled list, opportunity knocked. In his Dodgers debut Monday, DeWitt singled off Zito in his first career at-bat, walked twice and scored two runs in a 5-0 victory over San Francisco.
In the 2004 draft, the Dodgers picked DeWitt and fellow Missouri native Scott Elbert in the first round. Former big league outfielder Mitch Webster, now a Dodgers scout, signed both players. According to Orange County Register columnist Mark Whicker, Webster refers to them as the "Missouri Mules."
While DeWitt hits from the left side, one scout said his full-fledged devotion to baseball is similar to David Wright's.
"I loved him when I saw him in high school," the scout said. "He wanted to hit all day, and he'd do anything the scouts wanted him to do. He's sort of a baseball rat."
DeWitt has his teeth in an opportunity now, and he has a chance to make a big impression if he's ready to seize the moment. <<
After having just seen the highlights on Larry Bowa's ejection, my only real comment is the following: It's about time!
I don't know if that was really about the coaching box or if it was staged to get players attention, but if anything, it should tell us that somebody around that won't take things lying down.
It was great to see somebody blow up for no particular reason. At least there is some passion around this year's club. I can't say I thought that has always been the case with the Dodgers.
Todays secret word: Giants
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Maybe they could play the song when he comes up to bat.
Pee-Wee! Pee-Wee!Pee-Wee!Pee-Wee!Pee-Wee!Pee-Wee!
whatcha gonna do whatcha gonna do when bills comes for you.
320 Hah hah. I doubt he wants to be associated with Mr. Reubens, but personally I would find it hilarious. Maybe that's what happened with Bowa? "That's right. For the rest of the day, whenever anybody says the secret word, scream real loud. Ready? Let's try it." Then the ump said the secret word, "box," and Bowa screamed real loud. He was just confused that no one else was playing.
Say what you will about Lloyd McClendon's skills as a manager, but that man made the mindless blow-up into an art.
Then there's this:
http://www.espn.go.com/page2/s/list/wildcoaches.html
vr, Xei
There is just something about a player who gives it all every night, that plays with intensity and passion that I really enjoy watching.
I have, in recent years, felt uninspired by the Dodgers in that department. I guess Bowa's blowup gives me hope that we will see a passionate, hard nosed type of player again. Maybe someone will be a little more fired up because of Bowa's presence.
That, and I think Bowa's blowup was just funny. From the sounds of it, most of the crowd did too.
But here goes--
According to an AP study, Alex Rodriguez 2008 salary===$28 million.
Total salary, 33 player Florida Marlin 2008 opening-day roster and DL===$21.8 million. (A-Rod's hometown team, even)
Insanity of baseball salary structure===priceless.
Thats it! I have figured it out. Growing up in Ohio as a rabid Ohio State football fan watching Woody Hayes blow up and Pete Rose run around like he is on pills (it turns out he was) has made me the fan I am today!
Who could forget Ohio State educated Bob Knight's tirades, Lou Pinella's tirades with the Reds (which you can call as an announcer at the Reds Hall of Fame - its a blast), I guess I am a product of my upbringing. I wouldn't be surprise of Bowa wasn't originally from Ohio!
I actually sympathize a little with Bowa. People who are sticklers for annoying, pointless rules annoy the bejesus out of me, too.
I have noticed more than once how careful Kent is to not show up an umpire. He almost never looks back when he disagrees with a call, but talks to the ump while going through his pre-pitch routine. The only way you can tell is if there is a close up on his face that shows him talking.
When he actually looks back like he did last night after his second strikeout, it is usually a very marginal call or one of many that he has already endured.
Outstanding! I was chanting that at my computer about half-way into the tirade. It was completely pointless. Jerry Springer is the former Mayor of Cincinnatti, OH. I have no future as a fan.
As madmac said 328 the first time is cute. But next time it will be an embarrassment to everyone involved.
Kirk Gibson had passion, Larry Bowa has a problem. I hate having Larry Bowa on my team.
I hope Jeff Kent breaks him in 1/2 before the season is over.
You must love the NFL rules committee then. And the NCAA.
You must love the NFL Rules Committee. And the NCAA.
As a teacher, you have to target the top third of your class. By doing this you challenge the middle third to work harder to get the A, the bottom third must make a choice, quit or work hard.
Usually, you get 3 to 5 droppers with the rest of the class working harder to survive. In this way, the whole class is better. This only works if you are willing to fail those who don't work.
I am hoping Bowa's blowup raises the passion level on this team. If the team turns into a bunch of mindless Milton Bradley's then yes we have a problem. But its early . . .
http://tinyurl.com/3d77cl
With two outs in the bottom of the 8th and the score tied 1-1, Bowa got thrown out at home attempting to score from first on a double by Leon "Bull" Durham. If I remember correctly, Bowa flew into an apoplectic rage but somehow avoided getting tossed. It was the first time I'd seen just how ballistic Bowa is capable of going. Does anyone else remember this?
The Dodgers ended up winning, 2-1. You can find the box score for the game here: http://tinyurl.com/2d4plu.
Kind of amazing that there 33 hits in the game, yet only 3 runs scored.
Quixotic emotional tirades do nothing for a team. He's not supporting his team by arguing about the coaching box, he's just drawing attention to himself like a circus sideshow performer - in his pajamas no less.
GMs should just cut losses on these guys
>> OF Juan Pierre, Dodgers, four years, $36.5 million remaining: <<
## 3B Nomar Garciaparra, Dodgers, one year, $8.5 million remaining: ##
%% RHP Esteban Loaiza, Dodgers, one year, $7.375 million remaining: %%
http://tinyurl.com/yt86kv
If watching a coach go ballistic increases their passion over a 162 game season I'm going to find another sport to follow.
The goal is to win baseball games and some players like Joe Dimaggio JD Drew, Jeff Kent, and Garret Anderson get it done in a passionless methodical way, while others like Gibson, Sax, and Rose need to have a fire burning for all to see.
I would like you to offer some kind of objective analysis that players who play with passion are any more effective then those who just do their jobs.
I like to see baseball players enjoy the game when they play, what I don't need to see are adults acting like two year olds.
Nepotism? What does that have to do with Bowa? Nick Johnson is a good player who would be in the majors no matter who he was related to.
Exactly
>> The big question about Eric Gagne coming into this season was whether he was the dominator we saw in Texas for the first half of 2007 or the terminal disease we saw in Boston after the non-waiver trade deadline. <<
## As anticipated, Juan Pierre wasn't in the Opening Day lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In fact, he wasn't even called on to pinch hit in the late innings, and that put a stop to his streak of 434 consecutive games played. ##
http://tinyurl.com/3brh4y
The Giants announcers said K/Guo was warming up.
RAIN IS JUST NOW STARTING TO HIT THE CENTRAL COAST...OFF BY ABOUT A COUPLE OF HOURS OF WHAT WE WERE EXPECTING. AS A RESULT...NOT
EXPECTING RAIN TO BEGIN HITTING LA COUNTY UNTIL LATE THIS AFTERNOON AROUND THE PEAK COMMUTE HOURS. THE CORE OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL ALLOW FOR ABOUT 4 TO 6 HOURS OF FAIRLY STEADY RAIN...WITH SHOWERS TO FOLLOW THE MAIN PRECIP BAND. RAINFALL SHOULD BE MODERATE AT TIMES
With the possible exception of the Inge contract, no other deal on that list looks as bad as the Pierre signing.
:) vr, Xei
Who'd play Sharon Stone's character. Ned?
Reading all these comments about how Bowa is a disgrace, and how he shouldn't be coaching anywhere, and how he should just implode is downright ridiculous in my opinion. If you don't like him - fine. You are entitled to your opinion but until his "temper" or "antics" start costing the Dodgers games, I couldn't care less and I say let him do what he needs to do in order to help the Dodgers win. I want to attend a World Series game at Chavez Ravine this year, it's been toooooo long. If Bowa furthers that cause, let him be himself.
vr, Xei
I'm sure the answer to that question is, no. :-) Torre always has EDSP (Every Day Scott Proctor) available.
I added the slash in his name out of respect for you =).
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
So, is Ringolsby saying the Dodgers should release Loaiza now, and put, say, Chan Ho Park into his spot in the rotation?
vr, car
I see your point, but we're only talking about one isolated event so far. If this becomes common place, action should be taken. I'm sure the Dodgers ownership and the marketing department don't care too much about what ESPN has to say, frankly, I don't anyone that does.
I look forward to reading it tonight.
Xei, do you think that will cause any kind of rain delay? I noticed on weather.com that the projections aren't as severe as they were yesterday, i.e. no more Thunder.
I ask merely because I'm scheduled to be at the game tonight.
Burrell's a pretty big guy. Must have taken the whole umpiring crew to confiscate him.
http://tinyurl.com/7ljxt
vr, Xei
Thanks for the update, by the way, Xei.
The upside to this scenario is: quick lines at the Dodger Dog stand!
We went to a 14 inning game against the Reds back in 2002, and good ol Mike Carlucci announced we'd have the very "untraditional" 14th inning stretch.
It was gold! Right after that, the Dodgers won.
NBC confirmed it will bring back Friday Night Lights in the winter - when a spinoff of The Office will also premiere.
Admittedly, I have no way to confirm any of this.
Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. I am not a believer in the binary opposition between passion vs. statistic performance. Passion in and of itself does not make one a better ballplayer. On the other hand, neither does emotionless performance make one more consistent.
My argument does not come as a baseball analyst. I am speaking as a fan. I have also made the point, rather jokingly, in other posts that growing up in Ohio has made me fond of players like Rose and tirades like the ones Bowa just put on.
I think we both agree that we enjoy watching games in which the players seem to enjoy themselves playing. But as a personal preference, I enjoy watching players like Rose who, at least seem, to hustle and give all out effort. I loved watching Kirk Gibson. My passion as a fan draws me to those players. I am not making an argument that this passion makes them better players or that they contribute more to the team. I am saying that I personally find them more enjoyable to watch.
After all, baseball is a business. Does it really hurt to give a certain sector of fans what they want every once in a while?
If you want to debate the merit of measuring performance that is fine. But please understand that my position is not based on the claim that passion equals better baseball. I just think passionate players are more fun to watch.
Team that scores 1000 runs 0
6th inning
vr, Xei
But Brian Bannister is pitching. And he knows what pfX means!
Team that scores 1000 runs: 0
Go Bob!
vr, Xei
With Lincecum pitching, i wouldn't be surprised if Torre sits Kemp again and starts Pierre. I sure hope not, though.
Looks like a pitcher's duel. Hope Bills is on, I have a feeling Lincecum is going to be.
Comment status: comments have been closed. Baseball Toaster is now out of business.