|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 17:59:56 GMT -5
I disagree. Dempster is as good and friendly a guy as they come, and I can't imagine reacting to that question any better or more detailed than he did. It wasn't an insult or anything, but it almost felt that way, you know? I'm not trying to vilify journalism at all, but, frankly, that question was stupid. If a journalist wants to write about that pitch, he can do it. He should do it. But if he can't do it without a quote from his pointlessly basic question, then he shouldn't be in there interviewing the player in the first place. It's not impossible for him to say anything more than "I threw a pitch and he hit it." It just so happens that that's all he chose to say. I do understand that it wasn't an insult, I'm just saying it's not unheard of for a pitcher to actually comment on the game. If you're okay with him writing about it why is it stupid for him to ask about it? Why is it stupid? This is what I don't get. Is he wasting anyone's time? Worst case scenario he says what Dempster says. Best case scenario he reveals some insight into the game of baseball. Another is to provide some insight into the play. Pitch selection, mental mistake, good adjustment, whatever. Just because many players handle the question one way does not mean that there is only two ways to handle the question. I won't hijack this thread any more than I already have, but I think this "holier than thou" baseball elitist vibe of this topic is unbecoming of this community. A reporter asked a question about a baseball play and we vilify them and their entire profession? We're better than this, as a whole. /endofrant
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 17:08:39 GMT -5
It needs to be asked? Why? If anyone actually cares, they can look up every possible dimension of that pitch before the game even ends. And while you've imagined a potentially interesting response to that question, but how often do you get that from players? It's incredibly rare. These guys are trained to not give interesting answers, and they're certainly told not to reveal internal scouting reports. And I get that being a beat reports is a tough job. It's REALLY tough. But so what? Being a buggy whip maker might have been a tough job, too. I mean, you can assert the importance of the job all you want, but ultimately if you can't get enough people to read it, it's not a viable enterprise. Again, you're assuming that every baseball fan is as dedicated and educated as your average SoxProspects.com forum member is, which just isn't the case. You forget that the media is there to inform the members of the public that aren't as educated or dedicated as we are. You're right, it is pretty rare that a player gives an insight into the game (not really, but we'll go with it) but if you never ask then you are 100% assured that you will never get it. In which case you may as well sign up for dental school, because you're out of a job. And your assertion that players are told not to reveal scouting reports may well be the case but if Dempster said something he thought about the hitter he would not be the first person to do so. What you're saying in your last paragraph is just silly. What you're basically saying is that there is no need for anyone to ask athletes about a game they just played in. All that was said above was that "a reporter" asked Dempster about a pitch. We don't know who this person writes for or if we can make the ridiculous assumption that their writing appears only in physical newspapers. Again, you're assuming that the only people who follow baseball are us "hardcore" fans who don't need to be told anything about a game and can derive everything we'd need to know from PitchFX (which is downright stupid. I don't mean to be offensive but if you really think everyone and their mother understands PitchFX you need to climb down off your high horse) which is just plainly and simply not the case.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 16:47:53 GMT -5
I acknowledge that it's tough. But it was a terrible hanging fast ball right over the plate. Literally a meatball. The way that reporter asked the question, he might as well have been saying "So you threw a garbage meatball right over the plate that any MLB hitter could crush. Why'd you do that?" It's obviously a huge mistake pitch. I know many of us on here know more than the average audience to popular media outlets, but this particular question and and the issue with the pitch just seem so elementary. Obviously if they aren't going to ask any of these seemingly simple questions, I get that you aren't going to get the "quote" you want. But you can't deny that some of these reporters could step it up a notch or re-evaluate what they're looking for when questioning reporters. There's always going to be reporters to ask the simple things that players probably get annoyed answer. I'd just like to see more reporters change up a bit. If you watched the game are you reading the game story? I'd say that the game recaps are primarily read by those who couldn't/didn't watch the game. So getting a pitchers opinion on what ended up being a fairly important home run is something that needs to be done. We as "hardcore" fans don't need these questions answered, sure. But a casual fan who may or may not have watched today's game might be curious about that pitch. You say "There's always going to be reporters to ask the simple things that players probably get annoyed answer," then act incredulous that someone asked the question. This is a basic, surface level question to ask but I don't see any harm in asking it. It just so happens that Ryan Dempster either isn't the kind of guy to give you anything more than that or didn't feel like giving any more than that. I just don't think that newspapers as a whole should be villified because some guy asked a question that honestly should be asked.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 16:25:10 GMT -5
It's totally the internet's fault that newspapers are dying. If you don't ask the question you definitely won't get the answer. If he hadn't asked that question how else could it have been framed? "Can you talk a little about Escobar's home run in the first?" "What pitch did you throw to Escobar on that home run?" The point is as a reporter questions need to be asked and sometimes there's no good way to ask it. It just so happens that Dempster didn't feel like talking about it. Sometimes you ask that question and the pitcher will tell you "Well the scouting report said he struggled with (insert pitch description here) so I tried to sneak one past him and he just made a good adjustment. I already told Webster the deal though, if he gets beat there too he's buying me dinner." And there you've got your quote. Don't mean to go off on you, but I studied journalism for a planned career in sports journalism and know how tough these guys have it.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 14:27:26 GMT -5
Jeff Francoeur should just sign 1 year deals with a new team every year.
First year in Atlanta: .844 OPS. Left Atlanta sporting a .634 OPS. Traded to the Mets: .836 OPS. Left NY with a blistering .662 OPS. From New York to Texas for only 15 games: .848 OPS. Signed with KC, .805 OPS first year. Since then he hasn't cracked .700, and after an 0-3 3k day today it's only looking worse.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 21, 2013 13:27:23 GMT -5
Whole lotta browsin' going on in Pawtucket. 14 total walks in 6 innings.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 20, 2013 15:22:03 GMT -5
Daniel Nava, grown ass man.
What an impressive start for this guy.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 20, 2013 12:13:05 GMT -5
MILB.com has Charlie Haeger going for Pawtucket.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 21:59:24 GMT -5
Yeah, it's been a terrible 4 years for them. 1 World Championship, 3 Div. Titles and a wild card. Meanwhile, we have one wild-card with no playoff wins and completely missed the playoffs the other 3. CC, Teixeira and Burnett contracts haven't hurt them. On top of what others have said you completely missed the point. Regardless of how they will work out, in today's free agent market the Red Sox really just didn't spend that much money. They got five regulars for less than what the Angels paid for one and for a fraction of what the Yankees paid for three. (No need to lecture me on the decreasing returns of investment in free agency, I already understand. My point was that the Sox didn't spend a lot of money, which they didn't.)
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 21:24:37 GMT -5
This teams defense really is impressive.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 19:55:38 GMT -5
So in reality, they didn't spend a lot of money. They got five players, four of which will be off the books in two years. In reality in today's free agent market, the Yankees spent a lot of money in 2009. They committed half a billion dollars to three players. The Red Sox didn't even spend as much as the Angels this year, who really only signed one guy.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 19:33:13 GMT -5
I've followed Doubront since the very beginning of his career in this system, and the knock had always been that he didn't have the stuff to strike out MLB hitters. Yet this year and last that's been just about the one thing he has done reliably.
I suppose the easy answer is that his stuff has improved, but it doesn't seem like his velocity has been the thing to improve, can anyone who saw him in the minors point me to a pitch in particular that has improved?
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 19:14:21 GMT -5
Jonny Gomez isn't built like a baseball player.
He's built like Patrick Willis.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 19:10:34 GMT -5
Nice to see Britton isn't the unmitigated disaster he had been. He seems to have recovered some of what made him such an exciting prospect after his Greenville season.
There really is a staggering amount of exciting pitching in this system.
Also, Xander with a pair of singles. Baby steps.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 17:43:15 GMT -5
Fewer people on base?...But I know what you are saying and I think that it is true. I was thinking the same thing. He's had 21 base runners in 22 innings, so that may be the case. I recall him throwing to first three times in before throwing a pitch once and worried he was falling back in to that, but that's when I really started trying to pay attention to it and it didn't seem bad.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 16, 2013 16:52:47 GMT -5
I was never upset at the idea of trading Aviles for Farrell but I also never believed he'd magically fix out pitching staff either. Except for Bard he's turning me into a believer. Let's give Juan Nieves some credit here too. Personally I'm also loving the quicker tempo Lester and Buchholz seem to have adopted. And it seemed like Buchholz was throwing to first less as well.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 15, 2013 19:39:28 GMT -5
I'm not sure what the Eastern League is tryring to do to Travis Shaw, but it ain't workin'.
Fun prospect to follow.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 14, 2013 13:53:01 GMT -5
You'd rather he try to run through the catcher?
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 14, 2013 13:36:54 GMT -5
Not a great outing for Barnes. Third inning has gone single-single-sac-hbp-walk-single-walk-walk-yanked.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 11, 2013 21:04:54 GMT -5
You're not getting a "mega stud" with the 7th pack. Those go at the top of the draft. You'll get a college pitcher who may or may not make it. Or, a high schooler who will probably wash out before he makes it. Ahh, the excitement of the MLB First Year Player Draft!
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 8, 2013 17:21:50 GMT -5
I've always been a fan of having a two-headed closer for playoff teams. If this team is legitimately in the hunt on July 31, then I don't trade either of those guys unless it's some kind of slamdunk move that helps the team now and in the future. I absolutely loved when the Sox could trot out Oki and Papelbon one day, then Bard and Wagner the next. Games really were over in the 7th.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 6, 2013 19:25:57 GMT -5
Now there's a damned good idea! An early season 'barnstorming' type tour with proceeds/concessions etc. divvied up. Otherwise and unless the first several weeks are perennially on the road, I am concerned that some of the northern teams, like the Portland Sea Dogs and NH Rock Cats will be abandoned and move south. Year after year Portland has 5 or so games cancelled due to cold April weather. Being Maine born and bred and a life-long Sox fan, losing the Portland location would be a blow to me and a zillion other fanatic Mainiacs. Pray for global warming on an accelerated scale. Something tells me that after 20 years the folks in Portland kinda understand what they're getting from April in Maine.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 6, 2013 13:18:58 GMT -5
Sean Coyle with a leadoff homer. Always liked him. Good tools, little dude.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 6, 2013 13:16:32 GMT -5
Happ is throwing 90-94 and hitting the outside corner on every fastball. Unreal command today. Mixing in a change-up which is keeping our righties totally off balance. That outside edge to right handers has been generous for Happ, haven't noticed if Lackey has gotten it as well. Good on Happ for seeing that he's getting it and attacking it.
|
|
|
Post by threeifbaerga on Apr 5, 2013 21:49:17 GMT -5
Wow. Absolute laser beam there by Middlebrooks. 6-4. He had really stung a few balls the past few nights, just had bad luck with nothing dropping. Tonight he dumped that one against the wall on a hop to center and rifled one over the fence. Excited to see him take on a full season. Also, what I really took away from this game is that Uehara's glove is massive. Like, way too big. What gives?
|
|