Comments on: Dog bites man, Vidro is terrible and shouldn’t be hitting #4

By: joser

joser — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:42:58 +0000

That Posnanski article is priceless, though it's nothing we haven't seen right on this blog all year. I wonder what it would take to get the Time or PI to hire him? Because even if was wrong (and in this case he was very, very right) judging from this he's a funnier writer than everybody writing for the Seattle newspapers put together. And at this point, reading funny things about baseball is about the only enjoyment I get from baseball. Certainly watching the local version of a pro team actually play doesn't qualify as "enjoyment" even if you try to imagine we're in a Slapshot/Major League movie where the team is trying to fail.

By: joser

joser — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:20:11 +0000

As a switch hitter, Vidro would make an OK bench player…. if he was making the league minimum. Paying him millions of dollars to do that, when better hitters sit at home unemployed, or can be found by kicking over a rock in any minor league park, is just incomprehensible. Starting him is crazier. And batting him fourth is just batshit insane.

By: MorePineTar

MorePineTar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 21:58:43 +0000

Joe Posnanski also wonders why Jose/Pepe is batting fourth. Arguing that Vidro should be batting cleanup is so nonsensical it is like 'arguing whether an apple would taste better than the verb “placate.”' Priceless.

By: G-Man

G-Man — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:38:38 +0000

Grasping at straws, I’ll guess that maybe Rigg doesn’t want to put anybody else in a spot he shouldn’t hit in. Ergo, we have a pathetic #4 hitter but everyone else is in a slot Rigg thinks he can handle and will be comfortable in. It is reminiscent of how Mac or Grover would stick WFB in the #1 or #2 spot when he was subbing for the guy who usually held that spot.

Or maybe Jose is keeping the spot warm while the M’s sign Barry Bonds.

By: don52656

don52656 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:37:50 +0000

Isn’t Vidro batting 4th the AL equivalent of batting the pitcher 4th? I don’t care who is hitting what while batting cleanup, there is simply no excuse or rational reason to have Vidro in the lineup, much less batting 4th. Riggleman looks like a fool for doing it, and then trying to defend it.

I’m guessing the “protection” that Vidro provides is that he is a switch-hitter, and maybe Riggleman thinks that the opponent won’t pitch around Ibanez to get a platoon advantage. That’s nuts, because opponents wouldn’t pitch around Ibanez to get a platoon advantage, they’ll pitch around Ibanez because Vidro is up next, no matter which side he’s hitting from.

By: scott19

scott19 — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:59:22 +0000

Right now, Lopez would be a far better cleanup hitter.

Either him or Yuni, for that matter…and it actually might help pump up their respective SLG/OPS’s a little by doing so. Gee, what a novel idea!

By: Breadbaker

Breadbaker — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:22:33 +0000

Beltre – 8

Note that two of these came Thursday vs the A’s, in close-and-late situations with a runner on second and who else but Vidro hitting behind him.

Two others came last Sunday against the Tigers with Sexson hitting behind him. Right now, Lopez would be a far better cleanup hitter.

By: Evan R.

Evan R. — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:20:40 +0000

Except that it is “Forrest Gump.”

I totally noticed that, but totally forgot to mention it.

By: Graham

Graham — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 20:01:00 +0000

Except that it is “Forrest Gump.”

I don’t pay enough attention to ancient movies to know if their titles are being misspelled.

By: edgar for mayor

edgar for mayor — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:58:20 +0000

“Would you rather be punched in the nuts or kicked in the teeth?”

Considering I experienced both…I will take kicked in the teeth. Oh yeah and I’ll take Cairo at 1B if Vidro is DFA’d.