The Official MERB 2010 Baseball Thread.

[Jman47]

I dunno. From an unbiased observer's POV, Ortiz reminds me of Pudge Rodriguez. Physically-speaking, he's a shell of his ol' self. I may be wrong, but i don't think so. Unless my eyes are failing me.....

Hi Doc,

I don't see the physical change you elude too. I do agree with the change in the numbers. Those changes also coincide with the changes in the lineup, Manny not being in behind him and a significant change in team chemistry. All I believe factor into the psyche of David Ortiz who is known to be a very emotionally driven and principled individual.

He is also getting older and as we all know with age comes decline.

Have fun,
Jman

PS I know the Yankee pundits will have a field day with this but my opinions are mostly unbiased. If it helps I did not pick Ortiz in FBB this year...

 

[Merlot]

PAPI Says...

"You guys wait till [expletive] happens, then you can talk [expletive]. Two [expletive] games, and already you [expletives] are going crazy. What's up with that, man? [Expletive]. [Expletive] 160 games left. That's a [expletive]. One of you [expletives] got to go ahead and hit for me." -- David Ortiz, miles from being Big Papi

My personal opinion - Tito needs to step up and be a leader. Talk to David, give Lowell some AB's and take some pressure off Ortiz. He started last year the same way. And then post All Star was on fire. All this talk about 'roids is bullshit. Baseball is 90% mental...Ortiz has something in his head.

And before you Yankees fans jump in - is anyone asking Giraridi to bench Texiera? Look at the numbers.

Have fun,

Jman

Hello Jman,

Well, Ortiz is not playing tonight. In fact there has been a lineup shakeup according the what I heard while driving in. Four games in, all close, three losses largely attributable to bullpen failure and lack of timely hitting in the clutch. Now another close one with the lead so far after 7 innings tonight.

Ortiz' behavior was terrible in this matter. There's no excuse. So he's having a very tough time for whatever reason. His reaction here was disgusting. It smells of self-disappointment, frustration, misplaced anger, and desperation. He needs to be sat if for no other reason than to rethink and organize how to deal with his production issues, and you are right, Francona needs to step up and see that he gets his head back into dealing with it all positively.

Issues,

Merlot

 

[EagerBeaver]

Part of the frustration was that the Yankees scouting regiment were all over Papi and he kept hitting balls exactly where they were playing him. In baseball you can't have your top RBI guy getting taken out like that. You have to counteract it.

 

[Jman47]

Hello Jman,

Well, Ortiz is not playing tonight. In fact there has been a lineup shakeup according the what I heard while driving in. Four games in, all close, three losses largely attributable to bullpen failure and lack of timely hitting in the clutch. Now another close one with the lead so far after 7 innings tonight.

Ortiz' behavior was terrible in this matter. There's no excuse. So he's having a very tough time for whatever reason. His reaction here was disgusting. It smells of self-disappointment, frustration, misplaced anger, and desperation. He needs to be sat if for no other reason than to rethink and organize how to deal with his production issues, and you are right, Francona needs to step up and see that he gets his head back into dealing with it all positively.

Issues,

Merlot

Hello Merlot,

I agree with your analysis and your right he's sitting.
Hermidia, Varitek and Lowell are all in tonight and have all contributed positively.

But on the other hand, the press is beating this Ortiz thing to death way to early (my point with Texiera)...but that's life in Beantown during BB season.


Rumples,

You are right - but good hitters adjust and David did not. When he's on his game he can use the whole field and he was not using the right side.

Have fun,

Jman

 

[Merlot]

Hello Merlot,

I agree with your analysis and your right he's sitting.
Hermidia, Varitek and Lowell are all in tonight and have all contributed positively.

But on the other hand, the press is beating this Ortiz thing to death way to early (my point with Texiera)...but that's life in Beantown during BB season.


Rumples,

You are right - but good hitters adjust and David did not. When he's on his game he can use the whole field and he was not using the right side.

Have fun,

Jman

Hello Jman,

Yes, the press is now being hard on Ortiz. I don't know the whole situation, but when analysts who love Ortiz are talking about how poorly and aggressively he handled his press conferences one can understand why the press has become more aggressive with him.

Damn, I hadn't heard about how Teixeira was doing. He was 0-16 before tonight and even after going 3-4 his overall 3-20 still amounts to .150. But lets not wait for Joe.t to call him a "disaster"...lol.

BTW...decent effort by Beckett tonight. And geeeez, a homer by Hermida and 2 by Varitek. Think these guys want to play...lol.

Cheers,

Merlot

 

[Jman47]

Hey Hlook Hermida Homered...

Congrats to Jeremy Hermida who in his second start in a Sox uniform went yard off of last years Cy Young award winner Zack Greinke. In case you missed it:

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7369795&c_id=bos

Jeremy Hermida made the most of his first start in a Red Sox uniform, cranking a home run en route to an 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. "It was great," Hermida said of the home run.
Rather than dwell on the home run, Hermida was more eager to extol the virtues of the bench as Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek both made their mark on the game as well. Lowell had a single plus deft defensive plays while Varitek cranked two home runs.

Look for more of the same from Hermida as JD Drew is just getting his hyperbolic chamber warmed up for the season...

Have fun,

Jman


PS Hello M - Yup, when Beckett has the deuce working he is virtually unhittable...
And it's awesome having the Remdog back in the booth!

 

[Joe.t]

Meanwhile the Red Sox pen looks shaky as hell.

Have fun,

Joe.t

 

[Jman47]

Meanwhile the Red Sox pen looks shaky as hell.

Have fun,

Joe.t

Hello Joe.t,

With your vast background and experience as a Yankee fan in seeing and rating shitty bullpens, I sir must defer to your superior knowledge on said subject. You are absolutely correct, the Sox pen sucks right now.

However, since we are exactly 6 games into a 162 game schedule the first alarm of the fire has not even been called in yet as all we have is a smoldering cigarette butt in the trash can.

Collectively through today according to baseball reference.com the Red Sox staff has a 4.40 era. The Yankees staff has a 4.30 era - so they both suck through six games. I suspect as the season wears on the men will get separated from the boys and each team will do what it feels right to correct the course of the ship.

Good to see you having fun.

Have fun,

Jman

PS Last I check the Red Sox had allot of home grown talent down on the farm to call up. <insert big winking smiley here>

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins, their fans, and lovers of outdoor baseball everywhere. I'm really looking forward to watching the Twins-Sox game today. Target Field looks like a total gem.

 

[Joe.t]

So am I, I'm expecting a big game from Joe and Justin.

 

[Jman47]

So am I, I'm expecting a big game from Joe and Justin.

Joe and Justin will need to have spectacular days - Pavano is pitching for the Twins...

Joe.t - the straw that stirs the drink...lol
And then there was the original...

The relationship between Jackson and his new teammates was strained due to an interview with SPORT magazine writer Robert Ward. During spring training at the Yankees' camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jackson and Ward were having drinks at a nearby bar. Jackson's version of the story is that he noted that the Yankees had won the pennant the year before, but lost the World Series to the Reds, and suggested that they needed one thing more to win it all, and pointed out the various ingredients in his drink. Ward suggested that Jackson might be "the straw that stirs the drink." But when the story appeared in the May 1977 issue of SPORT, Ward quoted Jackson as saying, "This team, it all flows from me. I'm the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad."

Have fun,

Jman

 

[EagerBeaver]

The relationship between Jackson and his new teammates was strained due to an interview with SPORT magazine writer Robert Ward. During spring training at the Yankees' camp in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jackson and Ward were having drinks at a nearby bar. Jackson's version of the story is that he noted that the Yankees had won the pennant the year before, but lost the World Series to the Reds, and suggested that they needed one thing more to win it all, and pointed out the various ingredients in his drink. Ward suggested that Jackson might be "the straw that stirs the drink." But when the story appeared in the May 1977 issue of SPORT, Ward quoted Jackson as saying, "This team, it all flows from me. I'm the straw that stirs the drink. Maybe I should say me and Munson, but he can only stir it bad."

Have fun,

Jman

That is an essentially accurate description of what occurred. Both men were interviewed about the incident as part of the "Bronx Is Burning" miniseries. They had both had a number of drinks when that converation happened. Reggie Jackson, who is now employed by the Yankees as a recruiter/consultant (his role in the signing of CC Sabathia cannot be understated here) deeply regretted the incident, which seriously damaged his relationship with Munson, although by 1978 it was somewhat repaired. Lou Piniella got along with Reggie and was very close to Munson and he is the main reason that the relationship got repaired before Munson tragically died in 1979.

The truth of the matter is that Reggie WAS the straw that stirred the drink. In the last 49 games of the 1977 season after being reinserted as cleanup hitter by Billy Martin (at the insistence of both Piniella and Munson, BTW, and the private discussion between the 3 is described in Piniella's book), Reggie had 50 RBIs and numerous game winning home runs including a critical one against the Red Sox who had a great team that year and who were being chased by the Yankees. In the World Series Reggie hit 4 consecutive homers, 3 on successive pitches off of 3 different pitchers. If all of the above is not stirring the fucking drink, then what is?

 

[Jman47]

That is an essentially accurate description of what occurred. Both men were interviewed about the incident as part of the "Bronx Is Burning" miniseries. They had both had a number of drinks when that converation happened. Reggie Jackson, who is now employed by the Yankees as a recruiter/consultant (his role in the signing of CC Sabathia cannot be understated here) deeply regretted the incident, which seriously damaged his relationship with Munson, although by 1978 it was somewhat repaired. Lou Piniella got along with Reggie and was very close to Munson and he is the main reason that the relationship got repaired before Munson tragically died in 1979.

The truth of the matter is that Reggie WAS the straw that stirred the drink. In the last 49 games of the 1977 season after being reinserted as cleanup hitter by Billy Martin (at the insistence of both Piniella and Munson, BTW, and the private discussion between the 3 is described in Piniella's book), Reggie had 50 RBIs and numerous game winning home runs including a critical one against the Red Sox who had a great team that year and who were being chased by the Yankees. In the World Series Reggie hit 4 consecutive homers, 3 on successive pitches off of 3 different pitchers. If all of the above is not stirring the fucking drink, then what is?

Hey Beav,

I was paying tribute to the drink stirrer...never denied he was one. No one can dispute the numbers.
Of course he was/is also a world class asshole, but indeed he was a stirrer...

Have fun,

Jman

PS Yeah, I know Reggie was misunderstood...

 

[Special K]

Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins, their fans, and lovers of outdoor baseball everywhere. I'm really looking forward to watching the Twins-Sox game today. Target Field looks like a total gem.

I think this might be a disaster for early April games in Minnesota. I would have thought they would have at least added a retractable roof being that it's where it is.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Of course he was/is also a world class asshole, but indeed he was a stirrer...

I read all the books written in that era, by Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella, etc. and the picture that emerges of Reggie from his teammates is that of a thoughtful guy who liked to hear himself talk and who thoroughly enjoyed the attention of the media and the general spotlight of being in NYC. There is no doubt he was not well liked by most of his teammates, with the notable exceptions of Fran Healy, Lou Piniella and Dennis Werth, the stepfather of the Phillies' Jason Werth. Their main problem with Reggie was that he sought attention. This is much discussed in Piniella's book "Sweet Lou", which adopts a sympathetic tone towards Reggie and in fact does contend that Reggie was largely misunderstood.

Reggie is ripped a new asshole in Sparky Lyle's book "The Bronx Zoo." I saw an interview of Lyle done by Fran Healy a few years ago on one of the NYC sports networks (SNY), and in that interview, Lyle softened his position on Reggie considerably and said that he believed he had misunderstood Reggie at the time he wrote his book.

 

[Doc Holliday]

I read all the books written in that era, by Sparky Lyle, Lou Piniella, etc. and the picture that emerges of Reggie from his teammates is that of a thoughtful guy who liked to hear himself talk and who thoroughly enjoyed the attention of the media and the general spotlight of being in NYC. There is no doubt he was not well liked by most of his teammates, with the notable exceptions of Fran Healy, Lou Piniella and Dennis Werth, the stepfather of the Phillies' Jason Werth.

Another good book i once read about the Yankees was Craig Nettles' book called "Balls". I've read all of them that you mentionned, Sparky Lyle's book, Billy Martin's book, etc. I was always left with the impression that Reggie Jackson was an asshole. A primadona, the anti-team player. As for Jayson Werth, his uncle is former major league infielder Dick Schofield, who's father also played in the majors. Jayson's biological father, Jeff Gowan, was a football & baseball standout in college & played in the St-Louis Cardinals' farm system. Jay's mother was also a track star in college in almost made it to the '76 Olympics.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Park: I sucked the 1st outing against Red Sox Due to Diarrhea

It seems like Chan Ho must have been eating some undercooked chicken before his first outing against the Red Sox. Check out this interview and tell me whether this guy is being serious or not. The fact that a reporter laughed his ass off in Chan Ho's face tells me that Chan Ho is a Tony-like chain jerker, although I have no idea what his reputation was on his prior teams:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GIEHPGj9sI

Someone please cook Chan Ho's chicken! Notice Mariano Rivera laughing in the background.

 

[Joe.t]

Doesn't look too good for Boston, of all pitchers to lose to(Pavano).

 

[EagerBeaver]

Doesn't look too good for Boston, of all pitchers to lose to(Pavano).

The Twins have a very good team. Rauch has 5 saves already and looks ready to step up in that Closer role. Their lineup is excellent with as good a 3-4 combo in Mauer and Morneau as there is anywhere outside of New York City. Their starting pitching is good and if Rauch can close, and it looks like the big freak can, they are the likely AL Central Champions.

I am not crazy about Pavano either but he is 2-0 now. The rest of their rotation are a bunch of guys who keep you in games. They are a really good team. Battle tested and well managed.

 

[Special K]

Lester looked like shit today, again. Notoriously slow starting I don't expect that to continue so enjoy it while you can Joe.t, you know what's coming.