Posts Tagged ‘baseball’

Manny being Manny

Posted: August 30, 2010 by datechguy in baseball, Sports
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Knowing the Red Sox have been having issue with offense and with so many players hurt I had a thought that they should consider trying to claim Manny Ramirez off of wavers, figuring hey how much damage in the clubhouse can he do in a month?

Ramirez, who lost his starting left-field job to Scott Podsednik, was out of the lineup for the fourth consecutive day when he came to the plate as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning with the bases loaded. The first pitch was called a strike by home-plate umpire Gary Cederstrom. Ramirez argued that it was outside, and was ejected. Torre was furious. He got even more mad when Reed Johnson finished the at-bat by grounding into a double play.

Just so you understand the bases were loaded and the Dodgers were down 8-2, there was one out, a Manny Shot would have cut that lead to 8-6, even a walk would have put the tying run on deck, you’ve been on the bench for four days. You would think that this is the perfect stage to show everybody who belongs at the plate. Guess not.

David Pinto’s accurate stats not withstanding this is Manny being Manny, it has always been Manny being Manny and always will be Manny being Manny.

Of course it is a moot point since the White Sox had first crack at him. He will likely be a very valuable person down the stretch, might even be enough to make a difference during that month. Maybe even Ozzie Guillen can control him.

Manny is a great player when he is happy, if he is not happy then he becomes a great but selfish player.

There is no question that Manny is one of the best hitters there have ever been, his swing is sweet and has a great eye for the plate (he was right about the call btw) Watching him bat was always a pleasure. As a Red Sox fan I will never forget him in 2004 and on the parade and will always remember him fondly for it. There is no question he is a HOF player and deserves it. We owe him here, but after this weekend reminded me of the other side of the coin, I’m glad his Sox will be White rather than red in September.

Nellie King, born too early

Posted: August 11, 2010 by datechguy in baseball, oddities
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Baseball Musings announced the death of Pirates Announcer Nellie King. I wasn’t familiar with the man but something in the post on his death struck me.

He pitched two outstanding seasons in 1955 and 1956, and then was out of baseball after the 1957 season.

I looked at his stars from baseball reference.com and his stats looked ok.

What struck me was the 4 seasons and out. If he came up today he might have made enough to live pretty comfortably and with current sports medicine the injury (of which I have no details about) might have only shelved him for a season or less.

Then again the pirates would have been deprived of a fine announcer.

Pretty soon we will run out of players who played under the old reserve clause and there will be nobody with actual baseball experience to remind young ballplayers just how lucky they are to have been born after 1970.

Poll: What Yankee do RedSox Fans fear most?

Posted: July 20, 2010 by datechguy in baseball, fun
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I’ll be out for a few hours to meet a friend for lunch so while I’m gone lets have a fun poll. The subject of A-Rod came up in conversation recently. Even though his numbers are incredible as a Red Sox Fan he he never worried me when he came to the plate.

Jeter ALWAYS worried me. Matsui ALWAYS worried me but never A-Rod.

So lets have a fun Poll for Red Sox fans. Who did you most fear at the plate from the other side?

I’d have to say Jeter. What do you say?

We’ll have the opposite poll up later this week.

Can MLB count?

Posted: July 14, 2010 by datechguy in baseball, opinion/news
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Fox news reports the following:

The campaign to move the 2011 All-Star Game out of Phoenix to protest Arizona’s immigration law heated up this week, with some of baseball’s superstars threatening to sit it out and demonstrators trying to deliver thousands of petitions to Commissioner Bud Selig.

The increased pressure coincided with this year’s All-Star Game, which was to be played Tuesday night in Anaheim.

Increased pressure you say. Let see just how much pressure there is as we look at the latest poll from that hotbed of conservatism CBS:

Public support for Arizona’s controversial new immigration law has increased slightly, a new CBS News poll shows, with 57 percent of Americans characterizing the law as “about right” in the way it addresses the issue of illegal immigration.

And the pie graph shows that a further 17% doesn’t think the law goes far enough. Only 23% oppose the law as going too far.

So tell me Baseball owner who wants to draw fans, do you want to draw from the 74% or the 23%. Tell me player who makes millions, how will alienating 74% of the people who pay your salary affect your ability to get a big contract?

Think long and hard before you do something stupid MLB

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