Comments on: Game 99, Blue Jays at Mariners

By: darrylzero

darrylzero — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 18:06:13 +0000

#11, I know this is late and basically irrelevant, but I didn’t have internet access last night, and I just wanted to clear this up. For the record, it is very normal to name a kid after yourself in Latin America. In fact, it appears to me that it would almost be abnormal not to. I don’t know if anyone will read this, and I know you were probably mostly joking, but I figure it’s worth mentioning that it is the cultural norm, for whatever that’s worth.

By: shaunmc

shaunmc — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:44:33 +0000

In ESPN’s effort to never give any decent coverage to the Mariners, they’ve fired off everyone with any connection to the team. Poor Harold. At least we still get Steve Phillips and his impeccable, snow-white goatee!

By: pablothegreat

pablothegreat — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:22:52 +0000

ESPN has apparently fired Harold Reynolds. This can only mean one thing: More intelligent discourse between John Kruk and Steve Phillips. BBTN, which was a great way to catch up on scores if you're not near a computer, has become unwatchable.

By: DKJ

DKJ — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:12:04 +0000

Rejoining the group this am.

Jacoby/Jacobi. I worry about spelling about as much as Guilliermus Shaxpeer did.

However, I know the sensibilities of our esteemed hosts, and will try to do better in the future.

Post Scripto: As a card-carrying Thespian, you have to be affirmatively bad to screw up Earnest. We consider it “actor proof.”

By: msb

msb — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:03:29 +0000

#375-376– there was also some worry about how healed his shoulder was, IIRC– and then he signed with Arizona for the huge contract just as the Winter meetings began…

By: gwangung

gwangung — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:18:02 +0000

After Betancourt grounded out on the first (or second?) pitch in the 7th, the camera gave a shot of Hargrove talking to him in the dugout, or rather using Eduardo Perez to do so. Fairly commented on this, and mentioned that Betancrout had seen 9 pitches all night, speculating as I was that the discussion was to get YB to see more pitches. But thatâ€™s not the point: We slag Grover for poor in-game management, and thereâ€™s a lot not to like there, but the strength of his we rarely see, and I think itâ€™s real, is man-management. Grover was going to have to use an interpreter for the conversation, but he didnâ€™t use a coach; instead, he called on Perez whoâ€™s only been with the team a few weeks and scarcely knows YB. Why? â€˜Cause Perez is a â€˜professional hitter,â€™ who works the count, walks a bunch (from the side he can hit), and mashes his pitch when he gets it. And it canâ€™t be underestimated the importance here of Eduardo being the son of Tony Perez, however much the Ms announcer over hype this. Tony Perez has massive, massive credibility with virtually all Latin hitters. He was THE GUY, the first great one after Orlando Cepeda to make big money and get famous, and much better thought of as a leader and community exemplar. We can bet that the Ms coaching staff has been trying to get YuBet to take more pitches for, well, A YEAR. Now, having to reiterate it, Grover gets into the loop the _player_ on the team who could have the most impact on Betancourt, and just possibly mentor him a bit when the coaches arenâ€™t around. This is a big part of what managers have to do to bring teamâ€™s together and enhance development of guys who arenâ€™t finished players. I do think that Hargrove knows how to manage _players_, even if heâ€™s too rote and unimaginative to manufacture any advantages from the bench.

Good catch; it’s something that a lot of fans aren’t sensitive to in the first place, and it’s something that’s hard to catch or see, but it’s REALLY important. Just because it can’t be quantified doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or isn’t important. And while this may or may not stick with Betancourt, the fact that he used Perez in this way indicates that he’s using all of his tools intelligently to get his point across.

That said, everyone here is right about his lineup construction and in-game tactics–they still SUCK.

By: BelaXadux

BelaXadux — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 08:04:53 +0000

One read on Glaus at the time was that really he should be ticket for 1B, but that he insisted on signing with a team that would play him at 3B. And furthermore, that his moving to 1B lowered his value relatively. I still think he’ll end up at 1B, though, so his declining knees don’t scare me off. As long as he hits, a place will be found for him. Safeco would hurt him like other RHs though. I’m in favor of doing a tummy-tuck on the LCF alley wall at the Safe in the offseason.

By: Mat

Mat — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 07:38:38 +0000

I remember when it was Beltre-or-Glaus? I was a Glaus man. Three-true-outcome guy with enhanced totals in all regards, and a fine 3Bman himself. Looks OK now, but they both have several years to go on their deals.

In person, Glaus’ knees looked terrible, based on his speed going back for some foul pops that didn’t reach the seats. I’m guessing Toronto’s turf isn’t helping matters.

I mention this because it is the only thing I feel that I could add to this game thread. I’d rate this as one of the nicest game threads to read in a while. Most of the beaten-to-death topics were avoided, or at least only touched upon quickly. Good work.

By: BelaXadux

BelaXadux — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 07:22:05 +0000

Jim Thom in#209: My God, Tallet _does_ look like the actor who said that. Didn’t end up with an arrow through his back in this instance, though.

By: Mr. Egaas

Mr. Egaas — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 07:17:29 +0000

I’m a Glaus fan too. He’s a .250 hitter, but he can slay. Difficult to say how Safeco may have effected him.

He’s good Sexson playing third with solid defense, but an injury risk, no doubt.

It’s gonna be tough to bring in any righty sluggers while at the Safe.