Comments on: This Made Me Laugh

By: Milendriel

Milendriel — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 22:04:33 +0000

I’m just happy to come across words like “bailiwick” when reading about baseball. I feel dumb.

By: djw

djw — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:00:21 +0000

Two (additional) things Seth should have thought about before writing this column:

1) The concept of sample size.
2) When your starting catcher gets a day off after a half dozen or more consecutive games in modern baseball, it’s possible it may not be a “benching” at all. It may be using a backup catcher in the most ordinary way imaginable.

By: Mere Tantalisers

Mere Tantalisers — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:18:22 +0000

BrianV (#10)
1)Didn’t know about Clete Boyer.
2)You may have noticed, since you were the one to point him out, that Clere’s full name is Cletis. This may tip you off that the Simpsons character’s name is also Cletis (not Cletus) or Clete for short.

By: Taylor H

Taylor H — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:06:29 +0000

Woot! Garfield! Our jazz band is filthy!

By: OppositeField

OppositeField — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:12:52 +0000

27 – that explains everything! Roosevelt alum right here.

By: waldo rojas

waldo rojas — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:51:28 +0000

Give him a break. The guy went to Garfield.

By: smb

smb — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:47:31 +0000

This was the Clete Boyer of rebuttal posts.

By: byronebyronian

byronebyronian — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:41:39 +0000

Dave,

How can you not like Burke as a backup catcher? He’s a good backup compared to a lot of what is considered a reserve catcher in this league.

Am I wrong to think this? The guy has a good eye and hits. While he’s never been a power guy, he’s reliable and that makes him a valuable backup in my mind.

I agree with you about the rest of the bench (even though I don’t think Morse is a bad reserve either).

By: JMHawkins

JMHawkins — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:40:44 +0000

Seth, thanks for showing up, that’s very cool – like Dave said, take a Mulligan (and do better next time). Maybe a column on what b_rider pointed out:

There is much more room to criticize McLaren on his use of the bullpen and on the fact that he refuses to pinch-run or use defensive replacements, despite the fact that this was what the bench was built to do

That’s the amazing thing, and fits a pattern the M’s have had for a couple of years now – making roster moves and then not using the players acquired. It’s almost like two different organizations are running the club and not talking to one another. The M’s are running the “Jose and Pepe Vidro” commercial. Do you think maybe John McClaren had a twin brother? Maybe his name is Clete. So Clete McClaren tells Bavasi he needs defense and pinch runners on the bench, and then John McClaren wonders why the best pinch hitter on his bench is the backup catcher?

By: JI

JI — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:22:52 +0000

I thought Jones and Thames were platooning.