More Chemistry Problems In Mariner Clubhouse
Geoff Baker, Saturday: “Morrow to Bullpen?” – his pregame blog documents him asking Wakamatsu about Morrow’s role for the season, and implies that the team has not ruled out returning Morrow to the bullpen. Actually, he doesn’t just imply it. He says this:
The fact is, the team is considering going into the season with Morrow as a reliever.
Larry LaRue, today: “Chicken Little: Morrow to the bullpen! Um, relax.” LaRue clarifies Wakamatsu’s comments from a day earlier, getting a new quote from the manager saying:
“I must have misunderstood the question, because Brandon is going to start the season in the rotation – either ours or somewhere in the minors until we can build up his pitch count,” Wakamatsu said. “I was talking about him starting or coming out of the bullpen that last week of spring, not once the season began.”There’s absolutely no consideration of Brandon starting the season in our bullpen. If that was the impression I gave, it was my mistake.”
So, any potential confusion about Wakamatsu’s quote should be eliminated. But, LaRue doesn’t stop there. Here are some other quotes from his blog entry:
A misunderstood question and an answer from Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu has led to some rather wild speculation and even a little unjustified criticism about the handling of Brandon Morrow…
That, of course, is one of the dangers in trying to blog first and think later. When in doubt down here, it’s easy enough to simply ask the manager for clarification.
Some folks would rather blog first and get the facts later.
You don’t have to be a mind reader to see that he’s talking about Baker there. And, honestly, that last line is a pretty scathing remark for one beat writer to make towards another. Maybe Larry Stone and Ryan Divish can play peacemakers over another six pound hamburger?
Seriously, though, given the Wakamatsu quote in LaRue’s blog, it’d probably be wise of Baker to publish some kind of “never mind” story, since it does appear that he misinterpreted/read too much into Wakamatsu’s comments on Saturday it appears he’s already done so, including posting the full audio of the conversation, which is nice. Whether Mike Sweeney can heal the divide between the two beat writers remains to be seen.
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“Whether Mike Sweeney can heal the divide between the two beat writers remains to be seen.”
Nice Dave…
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Baker already clarified that point the other day after the other article. Before blasting the guy for the work he does you might consider reading all of what he writes.
Post has been edited to reflect the fact that Baker addressed Wakamatsu’s new quote already.
I’d argue, though, that this post isn’t blasting the guy at all, and that reading all of what Baker writes would take free time that no man possesses. Dude writes a lot of words.
Thank you, and…
Very funny…double nice Dave…
That was a pretty cheap shot by Larue. What was the point Larry? Why the personal criticism?
I want to like Baker, but he does ramble on an awful lot.
Maybe because Baker took a quote out of context and reported it without bothering to think about what he was reporting before he wrote it?
In a small way, if Baker — who kind of gets lead billing at the Times — writes something that reflects poorly on the Times beat writers, in some people’s mind it takes away from all of their profession’s legitimacy.
That’s why he was irked by it.
At least he has a lot of coverage – I’d take too much over too little any day of the week. This way I can read what I want and skip what I don’t care about. I think if we all laid off of him a little bit he wouldn’t feel the need to defend himself all the time – which leads to the rambling.
mwalter:
Fair enough.
Actually if you go to his blog you can listen to the interview. And I’d say it’s pretty clear that Wakamatsu misunderstood the question. The question was straightforward and Wakamatsu’s answer was straight forward. If you can’t report a straight forward answer to a straight forward question What can you report?
To me, Larue comes off looking pretty low in this exchange.
Bloggers blogging about bloggers blogging about other bloggers. Sorry, y’all can keep the echoes going (I guess the ever-enlarging hole created by the collapse of the mainstream media has to be filled with something) but this is where I tune out and move on.
The season can’t start soon enough.
I think the the actual audio file made it clear it was an even bigger mistake by Baker.
If Baker Really thought WAK was saying Morrow was going to be in the Bullpen….
How Come Baker’s favorite thing to talk about didnt cross his mind “Wak, Is Morrow now going to challenge Batista for the Closer spot?”
(It makes me want to scream each time Batista gives up more than runs in an inning…then Bakers next blog post is “Miggy struggle today, but I still think he is by far the premium closer of the century….”
Listen to the Audio of Baker…then insert the word “Felix” every time Baker says Morrow…..and then reference Felix coming out of the Pen at the WBC because starters arnt going 6 or 7 innings……..and How much of a stretch it would be to believe Wak was talking putting him in the Pen…..Morrow has been the same way in every interview with Wak….”He’s a starter, and thats how we are looking at it”…….Even if I twisted Waks words…I still couldnt have gotten Morrow to the pen.
Morrow is essentially in Week 2 of spring training and arm strength…..He’s only going to go 1 or 2 innings…..I think baker forgot he was out with the stiff arm.
It seemed as though he was just trying to get WAK to say “bullpen” and “Morrow” in the same sentence……and once he did….he pranced off to Blog
Now who’s gonna have to wring who’s neck?
I laughed. I like it. Let the Mike Sweeney for Mayor campaign officially begin!
At 7:53 pm on March 22nd, egreenlaw9 wrote:
Maybe because Baker took a quote out of context and reported it without bothering to think about what he was reporting before he wrote it?
This is nonsense. There were at least three follow-up questions, all about Morrow starting the season in the BP. It was in basic, simple, direct English, unlike most law writing.
At 8:39 pm on March 22nd, Mothy wrote:
Actually if you go to his blog you can listen to the interview. And I’d say it’s pretty clear that Wakamatsu misunderstood the question. The question was straightforward and Wakamatsu’s answer was straight forward. If you can’t report a straight forward answer to a straight forward question What can you report?
To me, Larue comes off looking pretty low in this exchange.
Thank you for the voice of reason.
At 10:02 pm on March 22nd, E_Martinez wrote:
A lot of ridiculous tripe not worth responding to. However:
Seems from your comments as though you may have a personal bias affecting your interpretation of Geoff’s writing.
Dave, that was a pretty funny post, but I’m not sure how, after listening to the audio, you could come to the conclusion that it was Baker who misinterpreted/read too much into Wak’s comments. After all, the “post of the full audio” was really the second time Geoff had posted the link, not the first time.
The important point….no the hugely important, actually the only point really worth investing our energies in is that contrary to initial reporting, Morrow will be developed as a starter.
An ancillary point…reporting on “official” news blogs can’t really be considered absolutely trustworthy. Initial reporting on such blogs can be grossly wrong-who cares the reason?
The rest of it isn’t baseball and I could care less to discuss it.
BTW, from the audio with Wakamatsu, I think it’s pretty clear that concerning roles, Wakamatsu was indicating that the goal for Morrow is to develop him as a starter.
I’m not sure where this notion that Morrow would have a defined role as a bullpen arm this season sprung from that interview.
Clearly there must be a Japanese writer who is to blame for all of this.
That’s still on Baker, though. Why didn’t he follow up on what seemed to be a change in long range plans, which would be news? Didn’t he put it into context. which is the job of a journalist?
Here, here!
If Obama taps Sweeney for special envoy to the middle east… he has to do it right? I mean, it’s world peace we are talking aobut here!