David Schoenfield (ESPN) and Joe Lemire (Sports Illustrated) both wrote columns yesterday in which they argued Jim Riggleman will never manage in MLB again. For those who missed it, Riggleman, now the former manager of the Washington Nationals, told management yesterday that they needed to pick up his contract option for next season or he would resign. They didn't, and he did. Right in the middle of the season, right afrer an exciting walk-off win, right as the Nationals finally gained some momentum in the standings, having won 11 of 12 games.
Schoenfield and Lemire both note that Riggleman's poor timing combined with his new reputation as a quitter and his underwhelming career managerial record (well below .500) mean no team will ever give him a sniff of a coaching opening. That got me to thinking about my sophomore year in college (stay with me).
I was furious with the residential life office for denying my request to live off campus for my junior year. I pounded out what I thought was a wicked and persuasive email, where I called the college, among other things, "money-grubbers." I threatened that if they did not reconsider my situation, I would have to transfer. My dear friend Mark looked over my shoulder and calmly said, essentially, "Yea...you can't actually send that." In that moment, I learned the valuable problem solving technique taught by so many people. If you're mad, write that really angry letter or email, put it aside, and then look at it again once you've cooled off. You know how this ends. You realize how you overreacted, and you're glad to have handled things like a grown up instead of making your tantrum part of the discussion. (Thanks Mark)
If I had sent that email, I would have been miserable with the decision within a week. And I have a feeling that when Jim Riggleman has some time to process his "principled stand" and the fact that he really will never manage again, he will slap himself on the forehead and wish he had just written a really mean note and left it in his office drawer.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/12766/jim-riggleman-will-never-manage-again
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/joe_lemire/06/23/riggleman.leaving.nationals/index.html?sct=mlb_t11_a1
Friday, June 24, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Thursday tidbits 6/23/11
A Quote
Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Hammel explains his costly balk from last night's 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians:
"I picked up the runner at third and looked home and started my motion and...I can honestly tell you I forgot what I was throwing...It was between a fastball and a slider and I just forgot. I've never had that happen before. Just a brain (slip), and it stinks that that's the one that cost us."
Yes Jason, it stinks indeed. I know it is easier said than done to ask a pitcher to improvise once they start their wind-up, but there had to be a better option. An easy one hop pitch? A pitch-out? Thankfully the Rockies had already won the series heading into a tough situation in New York against the Yankees this weekend.
A Note from the MLB Standings
Entering play today, four teams have 37-37 records: The Colorado Rockies, the Washington Nationals, the Seattle Mariners, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Take that as you will.
The Rockies currently have a 19-19 home record and an 18-18 road record. The good news? Their recipe for success has to be a .500 record on the road and then crush teams at home. So far they're handling the road half of that equation. Now they need to pile up the home wins.
A Video
With the second overall selection, the Minnesota Timberwolves are the action team in tonight's 2011 NBA draft. Per Bill Simmons and his running joke about David Kahn, here is a fun video about the adventure that is the Timberwolves' front office:
Comparing Darko Milicic to Vlade Divac? There are layers of comedy in this interview, besides the funny work of the creator of this video. And how great is Chris Webber throughout the clip? You can hear him rolling his eyes when he says "good luck."
Here is why NBA fans should all tune in to see the action tonight. You never know when David Kahn's ...ahem... creativity might impact your team. An example? The year that he inexplicably drafted three point guards the Nuggets acquired Ty Lawson. AND in the time leading up to this year's draft, the elusive Ricky Rubio finally agreed to play for the Timberwolves and there are reports that head coach Kurt Rambis will be fired immediately after the draft. Action!
P.S. - If Darko starts chain smoking and flopping every time an opponent breathes on him, then we will know that Kahn was onto something with that Divac comparison.
A Photo
Here is Rory McIlroy as part of Golf.com's gallery of runaway winners at major tournaments, which could also be called "Tiger Woods and three other guys."
A Tweet
@JayBilas: Kyrie Irving will be the first pick. All the talk otherwise is smoke. Derrick Williams will score big in the NBA, but he needs to guard.
About Thursday Tidbits
This format was inspired by Sports Illustrated's 'Morning Jolt.' Check it out here.
Something You Better Read...
...If you haven't already, this blog written by my good friend Ryan Presley for Father's Day.
I hope...
...that the Nuggets draft Kenneth Faried. Even if they have to trade up a couple slots to do it.
Links
Grantland's NBA Draft preview http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6685360/grantland-nba-draft-lottery-preview
Joe Sheehan wonders if Prince Fielder will be the top slugger available this offseason http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/joe_sheehan/06/23/pujols.fielder/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a1
Rick Reilly on the new era of golf http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/rickreilly/news/story?id=6690774
Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Hammel explains his costly balk from last night's 4-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians:
"I picked up the runner at third and looked home and started my motion and...I can honestly tell you I forgot what I was throwing...It was between a fastball and a slider and I just forgot. I've never had that happen before. Just a brain (slip), and it stinks that that's the one that cost us."
Yes Jason, it stinks indeed. I know it is easier said than done to ask a pitcher to improvise once they start their wind-up, but there had to be a better option. An easy one hop pitch? A pitch-out? Thankfully the Rockies had already won the series heading into a tough situation in New York against the Yankees this weekend.
A Note from the MLB Standings
Entering play today, four teams have 37-37 records: The Colorado Rockies, the Washington Nationals, the Seattle Mariners, and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Take that as you will.
The Rockies currently have a 19-19 home record and an 18-18 road record. The good news? Their recipe for success has to be a .500 record on the road and then crush teams at home. So far they're handling the road half of that equation. Now they need to pile up the home wins.
A Video
With the second overall selection, the Minnesota Timberwolves are the action team in tonight's 2011 NBA draft. Per Bill Simmons and his running joke about David Kahn, here is a fun video about the adventure that is the Timberwolves' front office:
Comparing Darko Milicic to Vlade Divac? There are layers of comedy in this interview, besides the funny work of the creator of this video. And how great is Chris Webber throughout the clip? You can hear him rolling his eyes when he says "good luck."
Here is why NBA fans should all tune in to see the action tonight. You never know when David Kahn's ...ahem... creativity might impact your team. An example? The year that he inexplicably drafted three point guards the Nuggets acquired Ty Lawson. AND in the time leading up to this year's draft, the elusive Ricky Rubio finally agreed to play for the Timberwolves and there are reports that head coach Kurt Rambis will be fired immediately after the draft. Action!
P.S. - If Darko starts chain smoking and flopping every time an opponent breathes on him, then we will know that Kahn was onto something with that Divac comparison.
A Photo
Here is Rory McIlroy as part of Golf.com's gallery of runaway winners at major tournaments, which could also be called "Tiger Woods and three other guys."
A Tweet
@JayBilas: Kyrie Irving will be the first pick. All the talk otherwise is smoke. Derrick Williams will score big in the NBA, but he needs to guard.
About Thursday Tidbits
This format was inspired by Sports Illustrated's 'Morning Jolt.' Check it out here.
Something You Better Read...
...If you haven't already, this blog written by my good friend Ryan Presley for Father's Day.
I hope...
...that the Nuggets draft Kenneth Faried. Even if they have to trade up a couple slots to do it.
Links
Grantland's NBA Draft preview http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6685360/grantland-nba-draft-lottery-preview
Joe Sheehan wonders if Prince Fielder will be the top slugger available this offseason http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/joe_sheehan/06/23/pujols.fielder/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a1
Rick Reilly on the new era of golf http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/rickreilly/news/story?id=6690774
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Gracious champions
ESPN Radio runs an ad for Colin Cowherd's show where he hangs up on and then belittles a listener for saying something he deems idiotic. It is an appropriate clip, because that is Cowherd's style. So what did the listener say that so upset Cowherd? After the 2011 Master's, he said he would rather have his son admire Rory McIlroy than Tiger Woods, because sportsmanship is a more important lesson than cutthroat competitiveness.
Cowherd responded along these lines: "You can take class and sportsmanship, and I'll take the guy who spits and curses and wins championships."
Greatness comes at a cost.
We accept this claim too readily. We excused Michael Jordan for his efforts to absolute humiliate people who he thought had wronged him. We look the other way as Tiger Woods takes the same condescending tone with fans and reporters alike. We choose to forget Kobe Bryant's (alledged) off the court actions.
Why? Because we just do not understand what it takes to be great. We do not have that "killer's mentality," where all you care about is winning. To achieve that next level of greatness, it takes an extra edge that need not concern itself with sportsmanship or class.
Imagine if you reacted in your work place the way Tiger Woods reacts in his. Imagine if you spiked your computer, told your coworker to "f**cking quiet down," and spit on the ground in disgust every five minutes. It might be fun, but it would not last long. But it's different for Tiger, because all he cares about is winning.
When did that become so admirable?
Dirk Nowitzki and Rory McIlroy are also quite competitive, obsessed with winning even. The difference is their edge does not come at the cost of sportsmanship. Are they as great as the aforementioned athletes? Certainly not. But they are champions right now, and they showed that it is possible to care about winning and still care about other things, like treating others like a decent human being or carrying yourself with dignity and class.
Maybe this is just a rare coincidence. Maybe we are not far from the return of the "cutthroat" champions, where we will say adoringly: "Man, look at him. He's a coldblooded killer! All he cares about is winning! Incredible!" Until then, I plan to enjoy being happy for gracious champions like Rory and Dirk.
Footnote
Anybody who follows the blog knows that I am slightly obsessed with the Miami Heat Welcome Celebration video. This might surpass it as my favorite:
Cowherd responded along these lines: "You can take class and sportsmanship, and I'll take the guy who spits and curses and wins championships."
Greatness comes at a cost.
We accept this claim too readily. We excused Michael Jordan for his efforts to absolute humiliate people who he thought had wronged him. We look the other way as Tiger Woods takes the same condescending tone with fans and reporters alike. We choose to forget Kobe Bryant's (alledged) off the court actions.
Why? Because we just do not understand what it takes to be great. We do not have that "killer's mentality," where all you care about is winning. To achieve that next level of greatness, it takes an extra edge that need not concern itself with sportsmanship or class.
Imagine if you reacted in your work place the way Tiger Woods reacts in his. Imagine if you spiked your computer, told your coworker to "f**cking quiet down," and spit on the ground in disgust every five minutes. It might be fun, but it would not last long. But it's different for Tiger, because all he cares about is winning.
When did that become so admirable?
Dirk Nowitzki and Rory McIlroy are also quite competitive, obsessed with winning even. The difference is their edge does not come at the cost of sportsmanship. Are they as great as the aforementioned athletes? Certainly not. But they are champions right now, and they showed that it is possible to care about winning and still care about other things, like treating others like a decent human being or carrying yourself with dignity and class.
Maybe this is just a rare coincidence. Maybe we are not far from the return of the "cutthroat" champions, where we will say adoringly: "Man, look at him. He's a coldblooded killer! All he cares about is winning! Incredible!" Until then, I plan to enjoy being happy for gracious champions like Rory and Dirk.
Footnote
Anybody who follows the blog knows that I am slightly obsessed with the Miami Heat Welcome Celebration video. This might surpass it as my favorite:
Saturday, June 18, 2011
RDP: Fortunate Son
In typical fashion, I haven't been keeping up with this blogging thing (those of you (hayden, nikki, marign) who read my pain train blog know how I tend to do this). I am a huge fan of this blog. Most of the content comes from my very best friend, HWKane, who is an extremely talented writer. I truly love to read his work and should really try and add some posts from time to time so he doesnt have to carry the load.
I've been meaning to write something but haven't been able to come up with a good topic. My now legendary post about Jeff Conine and his many faces was a good jumping off point but I've never come up with a good theme for my writing on this blog. This post will surely display that as I delve into some heavier content that the devout followers of WTP aren't accustomed to.
Today is Father's day.
Now, I realize that not everyone is as lucky as we are. All the contributors of this blog have great dads (Tom and Karl I know and love, D-Shaff I'm just going to give your pops the benefit of the doubt since I've never met him but I'm sure he is a stand up guy). As men (men-ish), whether we like it or not, our dads are our biggest influences. Much like women ALWAYS end up looking like their Moms (rule to live by when picking a lady fellas), men end up turning into their fathers with few exceptions. We (generally) share the same views, morals and devastating good looks. Fight it as much as you want boys but one day, you'll be that guy falling asleep on the couch with a beer watching the ball game.
Let me tell you a little bit (actually a lot) about my dad. Robert Wayne Presley M.D. was a great man. Far from the perfect father and husband, but the perfect dad and husband for us if that makes sense. A man who literally made his life's work taking away pain from people as an anesthesiologist and a man who cared deeply about his wife and children as well as those he considered to be family. He wasn't the most social person so he married a social butterfly. He was more of a "gifted IQ, lacking social skills" kind of guy. His friends were the people he met in medical school and others that he met along the way that he respected (Hayden's dad for one). He was your every day, average, genius doctor.
This was a man with a very unique skill. Well, he had a lot of skills (bow staff skills, computer hacking skills, etc) but lets focus on one.
This man's very presence at a sporting event in which I was playing sent me in to a frenzy. I could run faster, hit better, throw harder. I turned into a much sexier Babe Ruth the moment I caught a glimpse of him in the stands. The guy was very committed to his practice so he didnt always have the time to make every game. I used to have trouble understanding but I guess in some ways when he did make it, it was that much more special.
I remember when we first moved to Colorado, he came to a game early in the season in which I was the starting pitcher. I knew he was going to try and make it but was unsure if he could get away from his appointments in time. He showed up right before the game started as I was warming up.
I threw a no hitter with 11 strike outs that game.
I grew up in Northern California where they dont mess around in little league. If you made a key error in a game, your name was going in the paper the following week. It was no joke. In CA, Dad had to work extra hard because of the high cost of living and could rarely make a game. My 12 year old year this was especially true. He really couldnt make many. The end of the year tournament came around and he was able to make all 4 games. I have never hit so well in my life. I couldnt get out if I tried. In one game in particular, I hit a home run early in the game and had a walk off triple. I will never forget looking up in the stands to see my Dad crying his eyes out and cheering for me at the top of his lungs.
He loved to watch me play and damnit I loved to play for him.
Dad and I spent four of the best days of my life in Seattle when I was 18, just the two of us. I desperately wanted to play baseball for the University of Washington so I got the chance to take a trip up there and visit the school and team. We went to a couple of practices and I will never ever forget sitting in the dugout and having him look at me and say "Oh Ry, you can play with these kids. You really can play with these kids". That meant so much to me. Later in the day, as we were watching batting practice, he made another comment about how I could "light this pitcher up". That pitcher was Tim Lincecum. I love you Dad but you were slightly off point on that one.
My father passed away suddenly on July 25th, 2004.
I miss him every day.
I am left with wounds that will never heal and a hole I cannot fill. However, I am also left with these memories to carry with me and in some cases just plain carry me. My whole point that I would hope you take away from this is that I am astoundingly lucky to have had a father the caliber of Robert W. Presley M.D. I will always remember playing catch in the street and running around the park with my dad who could barely walk at times but did it anyway. We used to sit up for hours and hours talking about College and girls. I loved doing that with my dad. I sign my name Ry Presley because thats what he called me. I still wear his old shirts around the house.
So on this father's day, I would hope that you all take some time to tell your dad exactly what he means to you. My aim here was to do exactly that for my dad.
I love you very much Dad. You're my hero.
Happy Father's day.
-RDP
I've been meaning to write something but haven't been able to come up with a good topic. My now legendary post about Jeff Conine and his many faces was a good jumping off point but I've never come up with a good theme for my writing on this blog. This post will surely display that as I delve into some heavier content that the devout followers of WTP aren't accustomed to.
Today is Father's day.
Now, I realize that not everyone is as lucky as we are. All the contributors of this blog have great dads (Tom and Karl I know and love, D-Shaff I'm just going to give your pops the benefit of the doubt since I've never met him but I'm sure he is a stand up guy). As men (men-ish), whether we like it or not, our dads are our biggest influences. Much like women ALWAYS end up looking like their Moms (rule to live by when picking a lady fellas), men end up turning into their fathers with few exceptions. We (generally) share the same views, morals and devastating good looks. Fight it as much as you want boys but one day, you'll be that guy falling asleep on the couch with a beer watching the ball game.
Let me tell you a little bit (actually a lot) about my dad. Robert Wayne Presley M.D. was a great man. Far from the perfect father and husband, but the perfect dad and husband for us if that makes sense. A man who literally made his life's work taking away pain from people as an anesthesiologist and a man who cared deeply about his wife and children as well as those he considered to be family. He wasn't the most social person so he married a social butterfly. He was more of a "gifted IQ, lacking social skills" kind of guy. His friends were the people he met in medical school and others that he met along the way that he respected (Hayden's dad for one). He was your every day, average, genius doctor.
This was a man with a very unique skill. Well, he had a lot of skills (bow staff skills, computer hacking skills, etc) but lets focus on one.
This man's very presence at a sporting event in which I was playing sent me in to a frenzy. I could run faster, hit better, throw harder. I turned into a much sexier Babe Ruth the moment I caught a glimpse of him in the stands. The guy was very committed to his practice so he didnt always have the time to make every game. I used to have trouble understanding but I guess in some ways when he did make it, it was that much more special.
I remember when we first moved to Colorado, he came to a game early in the season in which I was the starting pitcher. I knew he was going to try and make it but was unsure if he could get away from his appointments in time. He showed up right before the game started as I was warming up.
I threw a no hitter with 11 strike outs that game.
I grew up in Northern California where they dont mess around in little league. If you made a key error in a game, your name was going in the paper the following week. It was no joke. In CA, Dad had to work extra hard because of the high cost of living and could rarely make a game. My 12 year old year this was especially true. He really couldnt make many. The end of the year tournament came around and he was able to make all 4 games. I have never hit so well in my life. I couldnt get out if I tried. In one game in particular, I hit a home run early in the game and had a walk off triple. I will never forget looking up in the stands to see my Dad crying his eyes out and cheering for me at the top of his lungs.
He loved to watch me play and damnit I loved to play for him.
Dad and I spent four of the best days of my life in Seattle when I was 18, just the two of us. I desperately wanted to play baseball for the University of Washington so I got the chance to take a trip up there and visit the school and team. We went to a couple of practices and I will never ever forget sitting in the dugout and having him look at me and say "Oh Ry, you can play with these kids. You really can play with these kids". That meant so much to me. Later in the day, as we were watching batting practice, he made another comment about how I could "light this pitcher up". That pitcher was Tim Lincecum. I love you Dad but you were slightly off point on that one.
My father passed away suddenly on July 25th, 2004.
I miss him every day.
I am left with wounds that will never heal and a hole I cannot fill. However, I am also left with these memories to carry with me and in some cases just plain carry me. My whole point that I would hope you take away from this is that I am astoundingly lucky to have had a father the caliber of Robert W. Presley M.D. I will always remember playing catch in the street and running around the park with my dad who could barely walk at times but did it anyway. We used to sit up for hours and hours talking about College and girls. I loved doing that with my dad. I sign my name Ry Presley because thats what he called me. I still wear his old shirts around the house.
So on this father's day, I would hope that you all take some time to tell your dad exactly what he means to you. My aim here was to do exactly that for my dad.
I love you very much Dad. You're my hero.
Happy Father's day.
-RDP
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thursday tidbits 6/16/11
A Quote
Vancouver Canucks fans were so upset that their team lost game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins, they chose to riot. Here is what one rioter said:
"This is releasing tension, man. What else are you going to do when you lose the Stanley Cup? You riot."
Dear crazy rioter guy:
First of all, you didn't lose the Stanley Cup, the Canucks (hockey team) did. By this comment, I assume that you are one of those fans who says "we" when he talks about the team he follows. As in, "We would have had a chance to win game 7 if we had scored more than 0 goals." Not we. You don't play for them. And since you are quick to assume a collective position, let me also take a moment to instruct you not to use "we" when you speak about sports fans. Because I want as much distance as possible from "fans" like you.
Click here for more photos of the awful scene in Vancouver.
A Video
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban talks about game 7 of the NBA Finals and the fans at the game:
Vancouver Canucks fans were so upset that their team lost game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins, they chose to riot. Here is what one rioter said:
"This is releasing tension, man. What else are you going to do when you lose the Stanley Cup? You riot."
Dear crazy rioter guy:
First of all, you didn't lose the Stanley Cup, the Canucks (hockey team) did. By this comment, I assume that you are one of those fans who says "we" when he talks about the team he follows. As in, "We would have had a chance to win game 7 if we had scored more than 0 goals." Not we. You don't play for them. And since you are quick to assume a collective position, let me also take a moment to instruct you not to use "we" when you speak about sports fans. Because I want as much distance as possible from "fans" like you.
Click here for more photos of the awful scene in Vancouver.
A Video
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban talks about game 7 of the NBA Finals and the fans at the game:
This is great for a number of reasons. Surely ESPN's producers squirmed when they let a curse get through on air. It is cool for an owner to acknowledge his team's fans like that. It is satisfying to hear one more dig at the lackluster fans in Miami. Most importantly, this is now my favorite misuse of literally. Our fans punked the sh*t out of their fans...Literally.
Ew...
A Photo
From the Sports Illustrated gallery of College World Series heroes, here is Huston Street pitching for the 2002 Texas Longhorns. Street is a polarizing figure among Rockies fans. Even those who have less patience with him must admit that he is a bright spot of the first half of the season and is not part of the problem for an underachieving team.
A Tweet
@mcuban (Mark Cuban): Heard a rumor that Obama was planning on coming to Miami for Gm 7..Will ask him when we visit :) ...#MavsSavingTaxDollars
One more thing about Mark Cuban. Periodically people mention his name as a potential owner of a Major League Baseball team. Fans love the idea, owners and other management figures hate it. Take former commissioner Fay Vincent, who said that Cuban is bad for the NBA and he would be bad for MLB. It is these types of empty and flimsy claims that reflect so poorly on baseball owners. It gives fans the impression that the owners like the status quo, where unless their name is Steinbrenner, they are nowhere to be found or heard from while they line their pockets with money. Fair or not, it makes fans question whether or not they even know who is on their team or care how their team is doing. Cuban would uproot that system and apparently that makes them pretty cranky.
A U.S. Open Pick
Actually, I am picking two golfers. Lee Westwood because I will pick him until he wins a major. Bubba Watson because of his outstanding military appreciation outfit and because of his role in this video (for those who do not know, he is the big lefty in the overalls):
One More Thing
I've been watching the first round of the U.S. Open and the Tigers v. Indians game side by side for most of the afternoon. I observed some interesting parallels between the two.
- I first noticed this because Austin Jackson and Rory McIlroy were on screen at the same time. While McIlroy is more well known than Jackson, they are both young guns who have enjoyed moderate success and now struggle under heavy expectations. That had me intrigued, so I looked for other parallels between the two unrelated sporting events. And then this happened...
- ...Phil Mickelson and Miguel Cabrera were on screen at the same time. That got me thinking...They both are immensely talented, they both have significant accomplishments and accolades in their respective careers, they both have a way about them that makes me concerned that something is really wrong with them on any given day, and they both are a little big and cannot seem to find clothing that fits. Cabrera seems to overcompensate by wearing an XXXXXL uniform, while Phil disturbs fans young and old with his smedium shirts year after year. Fascinating.
Links
Bill Simmons celebrates the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6669763/a-black-gold-day-boston-finally
Jeff Passan on the troublesome owners of the Florida Marlins http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ah0RR1g6p3V99LBo.dpbT_05nYcB?slug=jp-passan_morrison_marlins_petty_ownership_061611
Mark Kiszla thinks that Dexter Fowler's time with the Rockies is done http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_18268185
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Three thoughts: the Dallas Mavericks
by Hayden Kane and Michael Mason
1. The Mavs are no longer soft....at all (MRM). As a fan of the Denver Nuggets I will be the first to admit I thought we had the best chance to advance in these playoffs playing Dallas in the first round, and I could not have been more wrong. These old Mavericks are not the Mavericks of old. Whether it was the addition of Tyson Chandler or the coming out party for Dirk, this team was far from soft. I can't look at one player on that team, especially during the playoffs, that could be labeled as such. Jason Terry had a few lapses towards the end of games and sometimes the big guys get lost underneath the basket, but that was really the only knock against Dallas defensively during the playoffs. And when they had to have it they did. Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion played unbelievably, and Jason Kidd point blank locked up LBJ. While this may be a one season run, the Mavs proved everybody wrong and made myself and the majority of the pundits eat their words.
2. It feels weird to be this happy for Mark Cuban (HK). For so long, he was an insufferable loud mouth. Unfortunately this overshadowed the great things he brought to the league and to the role of owner more generally. Cuban will always speak his mind, but he faded into the background and enjoyed his team's playoff run, which made it easy for fans to be happy for him. How cool was the visual of him on the podium in a t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes? How cool was the footage of him leading the Mavericks off the plane with the trophy in one hand and a huge cigar in his mouth? The reason fans can be happy for Cuban, free of guilt, is because his first priority has always been the team itself, because he loves it as much as anybody. Also, check out this link he posted to his twitter account.
3. Dazzling Dirk (MRM). Dirk finally got his ring and there aren't too many guys in the league that deserve it more except one guy on his team now in J Kidd, and one guy he used to play with in Steve Nash. Anyone would be hard pressed to convince me that Dirk wasn't far and away the best player, and more importantly the best leader, in these playoffs. While I have been a long time fan of Dirk I think more people really got to see him in the spotlight during these playoffs. Obviously he was in this position before in 2006, and he was amazing then. That wasn't good enough for him. He worked hard enough between then and now to go from league superstar to absolutely unguardable. Everything he does with his footwork is a fundamental nightmare, but it is what works for him. He is so tall and so unorthodox that he may be the most unique player in NBA history, and he never tried to stray from that, he embraced it and then he perfected it. While we can argue the top players of all time for years to come, Dirk if nothing else has to now be in the conversation. Congrats to him and the Mavs for the win and the class in which they handled it.
Links to interesting day-after pieces about the Mavericks
John Hollinger breaks down the great coaching moves made by Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle http://espn.go.com/blog/TrueHoop/post/_/id/30227/carlisle-pushed-all-of-the-right-buttons
Adrian Wojnarowski with a great recap of the Finals and what the Mavs accomplished http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AgNEkR6_yEKl1TJOWWVKTZw5nYcB?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nowitzki_mavericks_win_nba_finals_061311
Chris Mannix writes about the best team in 2011 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/chris_mannix/06/13/heat.finals/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a10
Bill Barnwell writes about J.J. Barea's playoff run http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-Triangle/post/_/id/135/
1. The Mavs are no longer soft....at all (MRM). As a fan of the Denver Nuggets I will be the first to admit I thought we had the best chance to advance in these playoffs playing Dallas in the first round, and I could not have been more wrong. These old Mavericks are not the Mavericks of old. Whether it was the addition of Tyson Chandler or the coming out party for Dirk, this team was far from soft. I can't look at one player on that team, especially during the playoffs, that could be labeled as such. Jason Terry had a few lapses towards the end of games and sometimes the big guys get lost underneath the basket, but that was really the only knock against Dallas defensively during the playoffs. And when they had to have it they did. Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion played unbelievably, and Jason Kidd point blank locked up LBJ. While this may be a one season run, the Mavs proved everybody wrong and made myself and the majority of the pundits eat their words.
2. It feels weird to be this happy for Mark Cuban (HK). For so long, he was an insufferable loud mouth. Unfortunately this overshadowed the great things he brought to the league and to the role of owner more generally. Cuban will always speak his mind, but he faded into the background and enjoyed his team's playoff run, which made it easy for fans to be happy for him. How cool was the visual of him on the podium in a t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes? How cool was the footage of him leading the Mavericks off the plane with the trophy in one hand and a huge cigar in his mouth? The reason fans can be happy for Cuban, free of guilt, is because his first priority has always been the team itself, because he loves it as much as anybody. Also, check out this link he posted to his twitter account.
3. Dazzling Dirk (MRM). Dirk finally got his ring and there aren't too many guys in the league that deserve it more except one guy on his team now in J Kidd, and one guy he used to play with in Steve Nash. Anyone would be hard pressed to convince me that Dirk wasn't far and away the best player, and more importantly the best leader, in these playoffs. While I have been a long time fan of Dirk I think more people really got to see him in the spotlight during these playoffs. Obviously he was in this position before in 2006, and he was amazing then. That wasn't good enough for him. He worked hard enough between then and now to go from league superstar to absolutely unguardable. Everything he does with his footwork is a fundamental nightmare, but it is what works for him. He is so tall and so unorthodox that he may be the most unique player in NBA history, and he never tried to stray from that, he embraced it and then he perfected it. While we can argue the top players of all time for years to come, Dirk if nothing else has to now be in the conversation. Congrats to him and the Mavs for the win and the class in which they handled it.
Links to interesting day-after pieces about the Mavericks
John Hollinger breaks down the great coaching moves made by Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle http://espn.go.com/blog/TrueHoop/post/_/id/30227/carlisle-pushed-all-of-the-right-buttons
Adrian Wojnarowski with a great recap of the Finals and what the Mavs accomplished http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AgNEkR6_yEKl1TJOWWVKTZw5nYcB?slug=aw-wojnarowski_nowitzki_mavericks_win_nba_finals_061311
Chris Mannix writes about the best team in 2011 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/chris_mannix/06/13/heat.finals/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_t11_a10
Bill Barnwell writes about J.J. Barea's playoff run http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-Triangle/post/_/id/135/
Three thoughts: the Miami Heat
by Hayden Kane and Michael Mason
1. LeBron James's attitude problem (HK). In case you have not heard, here is the shot LBJ took at all of us haters:
"All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before...They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want with me and my family and be happy with that...They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy that not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal...But they’ll have to get back to the real world at some point.”
I saw LBJ up close with fellow blogger David Schaffner when the Heat visited the Timberwolves. I expected him to strut. I expected him to bob his head up and down, skip a little bit (only NBA players can skip and look cool), and I expected him to be cocky and insufferable. In short, I expected this LeBron (any excuse to include this video):
Instead, LeBron kept his head down and jogged to the floor like he was the third guy off the bench. He disappeared to the locker room when his name was announced in introductions. He jogged by us two more times. Both times the same routine: eyes down, no swagger, kept to himself.
Sidenote: there was plenty of swagger once the game started. He and Dwayne Wade ran the Timberwolves out of the building. Their plays in transition were some of the most incredible athletic feats I've ever seen in person. And remember - I really, really do not like the Heat.
For me, seeing LBJ before that game confirmed that he did not want to be a villain. It confirmed that he liked his status on the Cavaliers, where his identity was part team leader, part class clown, and part good guy for whom it was easy to root. I thought he experienced some type of identity crisis when he made himself the bad guy in Miami, because he was not quite ready to embrace his role as a villain and not quite ready to let go of being the good guy.
Apparently playing poorly pushed LeBron over the hump. Is his defense mechanism a transformation into a full villain that belittles fans? It will be interesting to see how he handles himself next season, because perhaps fans can mark this as the moment when he dug in as the bad guy.
1.B. LeBron James's preposition problem (HK). When I cease celebrating the demise of the Heat and return to my crappy life, I am an English major. So I cannot help but notice LBJ's confusing reliance on the word "on." All the people that was rooting on me to fail. Not to be confused with rooting me on to fail. I can't decide if rooting on him sounds like something that's more assertive or slightly dirty (or both?). Then LBJ said I can get a few months "on" being happy the Heat failed. Huh?
Petty? Yes. Do I feel better now? Much, thank you for asking.
2. Why people should back off Chris Bosh...for now (HK). He played steady throughout the playoffs, minus the one game against the Boston Celtics where he said that he was nervous. He was also the only player on the Heat to consistently give gracious and classy responses in his press conferences. There are still numerous reasons to pile on Bosh, especially some of his baffling comments during the regular season and his insistent woofing and shouting on the court, but when it mattered most he showed up just fine. He deserves credit for that.
P.S. - the one reason it's a shame that Chris Bosh left the Raptors? Because he looks like a raptor. He was headed for a prominent place in the "looks like the mascot" club. In case you're wondering, the president of that club is Coach K.
3. Why Dwyane Wade followed LBJ to the less likable club (MRM). Not sure what the password is to get into this elite club, but I bet it involves a fake cough and insulting the livelihood of fans of the NBA. It seems strange to me that two of the more likable superstars in the league get together and this idea of the "villain" becomes so much more apparent. While I understand some of the dislike for LeBron with "The Decision", especially with people in Cleveland, I think his self-appointed villain title really brought his teammate and one of his closest friends D Wade down with him. D Wade used to be a fun guy and LeBron used to be a fun guy. D Wade had great commercials and the "Band-Wade" and "Miami-Wade County". LeBron has the chalk toss which has been entirely overblown, but also had all those choreographed dances and crazy pregame shots with a Cleveland team that appeared to one of the closest knit groups in the association. They get together and what happens? They become demonstrative on the court. They become one of the whiniest teams in the league(An NBA legend confirmed this), and D Wade(or now D Whistle) started running up games and dunking balls at the end of blowouts. Just because you should be the best team in the league doesn't mean you have to change the way you act. Both of you were plenty cool before this deal went down, and even though people don't want you to win they still enjoy watching you, so go back to your roots and start having real fun again.
Links to interesting day-after pieces about the Heat
A must read by Jay Caspian Kang http://www.grantland.com/
A really balanced take from HEAT INDEX! writer Brian Windhorst http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoopmiamiheat/post/_/id/8869/another-season-without-acquittal-for-lebron
A completely unbalanced, but nevertheless interesting column from Jason Whitlock http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/
1. LeBron James's attitude problem (HK). In case you have not heard, here is the shot LBJ took at all of us haters:
"All the people that was rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life they had before...They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want with me and my family and be happy with that...They can get a few days or a few months or whatever the case may be on being happy that not only myself, but the Miami Heat not accomplishing their goal...But they’ll have to get back to the real world at some point.”
I saw LBJ up close with fellow blogger David Schaffner when the Heat visited the Timberwolves. I expected him to strut. I expected him to bob his head up and down, skip a little bit (only NBA players can skip and look cool), and I expected him to be cocky and insufferable. In short, I expected this LeBron (any excuse to include this video):
Instead, LeBron kept his head down and jogged to the floor like he was the third guy off the bench. He disappeared to the locker room when his name was announced in introductions. He jogged by us two more times. Both times the same routine: eyes down, no swagger, kept to himself.
Sidenote: there was plenty of swagger once the game started. He and Dwayne Wade ran the Timberwolves out of the building. Their plays in transition were some of the most incredible athletic feats I've ever seen in person. And remember - I really, really do not like the Heat.
For me, seeing LBJ before that game confirmed that he did not want to be a villain. It confirmed that he liked his status on the Cavaliers, where his identity was part team leader, part class clown, and part good guy for whom it was easy to root. I thought he experienced some type of identity crisis when he made himself the bad guy in Miami, because he was not quite ready to embrace his role as a villain and not quite ready to let go of being the good guy.
Apparently playing poorly pushed LeBron over the hump. Is his defense mechanism a transformation into a full villain that belittles fans? It will be interesting to see how he handles himself next season, because perhaps fans can mark this as the moment when he dug in as the bad guy.
1.B. LeBron James's preposition problem (HK). When I cease celebrating the demise of the Heat and return to my crappy life, I am an English major. So I cannot help but notice LBJ's confusing reliance on the word "on." All the people that was rooting on me to fail. Not to be confused with rooting me on to fail. I can't decide if rooting on him sounds like something that's more assertive or slightly dirty (or both?). Then LBJ said I can get a few months "on" being happy the Heat failed. Huh?
Petty? Yes. Do I feel better now? Much, thank you for asking.
2. Why people should back off Chris Bosh...for now (HK). He played steady throughout the playoffs, minus the one game against the Boston Celtics where he said that he was nervous. He was also the only player on the Heat to consistently give gracious and classy responses in his press conferences. There are still numerous reasons to pile on Bosh, especially some of his baffling comments during the regular season and his insistent woofing and shouting on the court, but when it mattered most he showed up just fine. He deserves credit for that.
P.S. - the one reason it's a shame that Chris Bosh left the Raptors? Because he looks like a raptor. He was headed for a prominent place in the "looks like the mascot" club. In case you're wondering, the president of that club is Coach K.
3. Why Dwyane Wade followed LBJ to the less likable club (MRM). Not sure what the password is to get into this elite club, but I bet it involves a fake cough and insulting the livelihood of fans of the NBA. It seems strange to me that two of the more likable superstars in the league get together and this idea of the "villain" becomes so much more apparent. While I understand some of the dislike for LeBron with "The Decision", especially with people in Cleveland, I think his self-appointed villain title really brought his teammate and one of his closest friends D Wade down with him. D Wade used to be a fun guy and LeBron used to be a fun guy. D Wade had great commercials and the "Band-Wade" and "Miami-Wade County". LeBron has the chalk toss which has been entirely overblown, but also had all those choreographed dances and crazy pregame shots with a Cleveland team that appeared to one of the closest knit groups in the association. They get together and what happens? They become demonstrative on the court. They become one of the whiniest teams in the league(An NBA legend confirmed this), and D Wade(or now D Whistle) started running up games and dunking balls at the end of blowouts. Just because you should be the best team in the league doesn't mean you have to change the way you act. Both of you were plenty cool before this deal went down, and even though people don't want you to win they still enjoy watching you, so go back to your roots and start having real fun again.
Links to interesting day-after pieces about the Heat
A must read by Jay Caspian Kang http://www.grantland.com/
A really balanced take from HEAT INDEX! writer Brian Windhorst http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoopmiamiheat/post/_/id/8869/another-season-without-acquittal-for-lebron
A completely unbalanced, but nevertheless interesting column from Jason Whitlock http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The Disappearance of a King
Serious question. Has anyone seen LeBron James since the Eastern Conference Finals? Where is the guy that took over games? Where is the guy that said look, "I'm 6'8", 240 and I am going to do what I want, when I want."?? This guy was unstoppable in that series and made all the right decisions at all the right times and made the Bulls and their MVP look silly. During the ECF the Miami Heat was LeBron James' team, and no one could have argued that. So what changed? One thing, he got too close to getting his ring. We have seen a team with LeBron on it get this close before. The result? They got swept and King James quit on his team, much like game 4 of this Finals.
If I hear one more Michael Jordan or Kobe Bean Bryant comparison out of anyone I'm just going to snap. Those guys have 11 rings to their names, and they have one thing LeBron hasn't shown me yet, they close games, especially in the Finals. They refuse to let their team lose often times because they're scoring at the end of games, but more importantly because they have too much will power to let their team fail. So here is my advice to LeBron, stop yucking it up with Dwyane Wade before the game and making fun of Dirk for being sick and focus on what you have to do as a player, an MVP caliber player at that. When Wade goes down with an injury your team needs you to score 35, not facilitate. I understand that a triple double looks great on the box score, but the Heat didn't need you to rebound and pass the ball, especially in crunch time. Let Bosh and Anthony rebound. GET TO THE RIM LEBRON. The primary guy defending LeBron this series has been Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd in his prime couldn't guard LeBron James, and has no business doing it now. The major difference? This is J Kidd's last shot at a ring and he wants it more than anyone except maybe Dirk, and he deserves it more than anybody too. While I have been on the Dirk bandwagon for a while now, I think these playoffs have really shown why he is one of the top competitors in the NBA and in my eyes a top 10 player in the history of the game. And on top of that he's cool. LeBron's coolness is creeping away as fast as his own hairline(notice how his headband gets wider and higher every year). Not even LBJ supporters can explain or defend him for the way he is playing in these finals when the game gets to the 4th quarter. While I will admit to disliking the Heat pretty severely, I won't write them off yet, but Dirk has never been one win away from a ring and he has the game and the leadership to will his team to a victory on the road. Sunday can't come soon enough
If I hear one more Michael Jordan or Kobe Bean Bryant comparison out of anyone I'm just going to snap. Those guys have 11 rings to their names, and they have one thing LeBron hasn't shown me yet, they close games, especially in the Finals. They refuse to let their team lose often times because they're scoring at the end of games, but more importantly because they have too much will power to let their team fail. So here is my advice to LeBron, stop yucking it up with Dwyane Wade before the game and making fun of Dirk for being sick and focus on what you have to do as a player, an MVP caliber player at that. When Wade goes down with an injury your team needs you to score 35, not facilitate. I understand that a triple double looks great on the box score, but the Heat didn't need you to rebound and pass the ball, especially in crunch time. Let Bosh and Anthony rebound. GET TO THE RIM LEBRON. The primary guy defending LeBron this series has been Jason Kidd. Jason Kidd in his prime couldn't guard LeBron James, and has no business doing it now. The major difference? This is J Kidd's last shot at a ring and he wants it more than anyone except maybe Dirk, and he deserves it more than anybody too. While I have been on the Dirk bandwagon for a while now, I think these playoffs have really shown why he is one of the top competitors in the NBA and in my eyes a top 10 player in the history of the game. And on top of that he's cool. LeBron's coolness is creeping away as fast as his own hairline(notice how his headband gets wider and higher every year). Not even LBJ supporters can explain or defend him for the way he is playing in these finals when the game gets to the 4th quarter. While I will admit to disliking the Heat pretty severely, I won't write them off yet, but Dirk has never been one win away from a ring and he has the game and the leadership to will his team to a victory on the road. Sunday can't come soon enough
Bright Spots Amid Dodger's Turmoil
While I am fully aware that I have not committed myself fully to writing for this blog I am taking a personal vow to contribute on a more regular basis so I do apologize to our few but loyal readers. That being said, I will apologize up front to the readers for this post as well because it is strictly about the Los Angeles Dodgers, and knowing that this is a Rockies friendly page the Dodgers may or may not have a high priority on every one's list but my family is from Southern California and I was brainwashed at a young age so deal with it.
While most baseball fans are aware of the Dodger's troubles this season both financially and from a fan base standpoint, it is safe to say these negatives are overshadowing three huge bright spots not only for the Dodger organization, but for baseball in general. Among the backlash that the opening day assault of Giant's fan Brian Stow and the financial troubles due to Frank McCourt's divorce, there has been three players that have been able to not only put the drama behind them, but to become young superstars of the game. Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp have become top tier players in what seems to be over night, and whether it is because they play on the west coast or because of the negative publicity surrounding the franchise it seems they may not be getting the credit they deserve.
Andre Ethier is probably one of the quietest superstars in the league today. The only negative noise we have heard from him came this year when he got frustrated enough by a photographer prior to a game that he gave him a certain hand gesture we are all familiar with, but in my book that seems pretty forgivable considering he immediately apologized. I can't name too many players within the last few years that I would want at the plate with the game on the line more than Ethier. This guy does not have bad at bats. While his fielding struggles some and at times he is slow getting to balls in the gap he has a little leeway because of the way he performs at the plate, and with the consistent numbers he puts up(over the last three seasons his average is close to .300 and he is averaging 25 HR's and close to 90 RBI's) Dodger fans can rest easy knowing that on a daily basis Andre Ethier is going to show up, and that if more people on the team would play at a higher level his numbers are only going to get better. At 29 I think its a given we are looking at a perennial all star and the possibility of a batting title or two.
Moving the focus to one glimmer of hope in the pitching staff, Clayton Kershaw at 23 has the potential and work ethic to be the best pitcher in the game by 25. Tim Kurkjian wrote this piece on ESPN before the beginning of this series between the Dodgers and Rockies,(http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=kurkjian_tim&id=6640274) and if you watched the game I think we all saw where this kid is already and how much potential is still to be uncovered. Kershaw is humble and coachable, and at 23 has already added two pitches to his arsenal. He throws 95-96 mph on a consistent basis and has one of the meanest hooks in all of baseball, but it wasn't enough. This offseason Kershaw focused on perfecting his change up while also adding a slider that runs between 88-90 mph on the gun. The two things that worry me most are his size and stamina. Countless pitchers in the league of his size and stature end up with some sort of health problem, usually their arm, strictly because it is very hard to keep your mechanics when there is that much body in motion. He seems to have had good luck so far and hopefully that continues in the future. Stamina is another factor and we saw a prime example of this Thursday against the Rockies. He went through five innings where he was absolutely unhittable, then in the 6th the Rockies hitters started getting to him. If he wants to be considered a top guy he needs to be able to consistently get to the 7th inning and not allow teams to time his fastball up, but this is another guy that Dodger fans can hang their hat on for the future.
The last of the trio of young superstars is Matt Kemp. If you haven't seen him play, especially this season, you are missing out on one of the best all around players the league has to offer. This guy is going to make some serious noise in the MVP race, especially if the Dodgers as a team start winning. There are few center fielders in the game right now that have his ability to cover ground, make plays in the gaps and towards the wall, throw runners out and hit for average and power. The five tool player is not often seen in today's game but Matt Kemp is a coach's dream. In the last three years he has played 155, 159 and 162 games and averaged 30 stolen bases. He's big at 6' 3", 215 lbs, and has a rare combination of power and speed. He has taken this team on his back this season in the middle of all the turmoil. While I'm not petitioning that these players don't make enough money, there has been points during this season that Dodgers players didn't know if their next pay check was coming or not, and that can be stressful no matter how much you make. In the midst of all that Kemp has put up this line, (.332 avg., 19HR's, 54RBI's, 30 Walks, 14 SB's) and that's in 64 games. Not only is this kid the Dodgers MVP and currently keeping the team afloat, he needs to be seriously considered for NL MVP if he stays at this pace, and it will be a true shame if he isn't starting in center field for the All Star Game. He hit a ball last night against the Rockies that prompted fellow contributor Hayden to text me today, "Dude Kemp's home run last night was dumb. I haven't seen one that long in Coors since the Blake Street Bomber days." His combination of power and speed along with fielding ability doesn't come around too often, and he plays nearly every day so if you're late getting on the Matt Kemp bandwagon you are going to catch him in his prime this year and I have a feeling if he keeps his head on straight and stays healthy we could see some monster numbers for years to come.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Piggybacking: "The Cult of the Status Quo"
This post inspired by Bill Simmons's article on Grantland.com (more on that site later), where he embraces his own role as a bandwagon hockey fan. In it, he refers to hockey fans who were there all along who do not want new fans:
"Look, I totally get the Cult of the Status Quo, which afflicts MMA fans, hockey fans and American soccer fans in particular — they all have a chip on their shoulder because they're still in that "we're all rooting for a local music band and we don't want it to go mainstream" stage, so they unabashedly drive away anyone late to the party."
He then points out to those hockey fans that the arrival of people like him helps the sport. And to me this is always the point with "bandwagon" fans. When the Rockies made their famed 2007 Rocktober run, many were upset, almost offended, at the number of people who packed Coors Field who were nowhere to be seen in the skinny years prior. But wasn't it great to see the stadium full to the point of standing room only, and wasn't it great to hear the eruption when Matt Holliday hit that inexplicable triple? It's nothing but good for the Rockies, even if some of those fans bought a shiny new hat that day.
There are such better areas to expend one's "fan energy" than worrying about who was there first. And you do not enjoy your team's success any less than you would anyway. So let it go. Like Simmons, the way I see it, the more fans the better.
At this point I am going to insert a rare inside joke and see if any of my certain readers notice. "Bro, I don't even like Weezer anymore. I pretty much discovered them, but now that everybody likes them it's kind of like 'whatever.'"
***
About Grantland: at one time I wanted nothing more than to be a sportswriter. I later decided that the grind of journalism was not for me; I just don't have the personality for it. However, I always said there is still a certain type of writing about sports that I am drawn to. I never totally knew how to describe it, and I always tried to avoid describing it as "more literary" because that sounds uppity and obnoxious. So what kind of writing would I want to do? The kind on Grantland.com. It's exactly the sports writing that I love. It's me.
Recently, my good friend Lindsey Costley (you know her as The Clean Freak) posted about her discovery of the site Autostraddle, and how badly she wants to write for them. Which I think she will, by the way. (And I'm trying to help...you laugh...). Just days later, I feel the same way about Grantland.
To be clear, that is a lofty goal, seeing as Simmons surrounded himself with some New York Times bestselling authors (Dave Eggers - heard of him?). Nevertheless, I absolutely love what they are doing on Grantland and would love to be a part of something like it. As if they need my help, I absolutely recommend that everybody go check it out.
"Look, I totally get the Cult of the Status Quo, which afflicts MMA fans, hockey fans and American soccer fans in particular — they all have a chip on their shoulder because they're still in that "we're all rooting for a local music band and we don't want it to go mainstream" stage, so they unabashedly drive away anyone late to the party."
He then points out to those hockey fans that the arrival of people like him helps the sport. And to me this is always the point with "bandwagon" fans. When the Rockies made their famed 2007 Rocktober run, many were upset, almost offended, at the number of people who packed Coors Field who were nowhere to be seen in the skinny years prior. But wasn't it great to see the stadium full to the point of standing room only, and wasn't it great to hear the eruption when Matt Holliday hit that inexplicable triple? It's nothing but good for the Rockies, even if some of those fans bought a shiny new hat that day.
There are such better areas to expend one's "fan energy" than worrying about who was there first. And you do not enjoy your team's success any less than you would anyway. So let it go. Like Simmons, the way I see it, the more fans the better.
At this point I am going to insert a rare inside joke and see if any of my certain readers notice. "Bro, I don't even like Weezer anymore. I pretty much discovered them, but now that everybody likes them it's kind of like 'whatever.'"
***
About Grantland: at one time I wanted nothing more than to be a sportswriter. I later decided that the grind of journalism was not for me; I just don't have the personality for it. However, I always said there is still a certain type of writing about sports that I am drawn to. I never totally knew how to describe it, and I always tried to avoid describing it as "more literary" because that sounds uppity and obnoxious. So what kind of writing would I want to do? The kind on Grantland.com. It's exactly the sports writing that I love. It's me.
Recently, my good friend Lindsey Costley (you know her as The Clean Freak) posted about her discovery of the site Autostraddle, and how badly she wants to write for them. Which I think she will, by the way. (And I'm trying to help...you laugh...). Just days later, I feel the same way about Grantland.
To be clear, that is a lofty goal, seeing as Simmons surrounded himself with some New York Times bestselling authors (Dave Eggers - heard of him?). Nevertheless, I absolutely love what they are doing on Grantland and would love to be a part of something like it. As if they need my help, I absolutely recommend that everybody go check it out.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Follow up: what the Rockies need to do
It's things like this that make Jim Tracy appear too heavy handed. Carlos Gonzalez batted lead-off last night, with Tracy saying that he hoped it would help CarGo hone his strike zone. It didn't, and that logic is difficult to follow. CarGo has earned the right to work through slumps in the same spot in the order, and if he does break out for a huge game, you want him doing it from the 3 hole.
After the game, Tracy said: "I guarantee you this: this is a very good ballclub. And the best of it has not even come close to showing up. If I have to keep doing different things to get that out, I will."
That's what I'm afraid of, Jim.
Footnote: As Troy Renck points out, Charlie Blackmon has played right field almost exclusively for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox this year. Therefore, it makes sense to let him settle into the same spot with the big club with CarGo shifting his gold glove to center field.
After the game, Tracy said: "I guarantee you this: this is a very good ballclub. And the best of it has not even come close to showing up. If I have to keep doing different things to get that out, I will."
That's what I'm afraid of, Jim.
Footnote: As Troy Renck points out, Charlie Blackmon has played right field almost exclusively for the Colorado Springs Sky Sox this year. Therefore, it makes sense to let him settle into the same spot with the big club with CarGo shifting his gold glove to center field.
Monday, June 6, 2011
What the Rockies need to do in the coming weeks
Hit better.
What you've come to expect. Groudbreaking analysis! Thank you, thank you. Applause, applause!
The Rockies still have enough games left to emerge as an elite team and call the current swoon an aberration. As Troy Renck points out in the Denver Post, the pitching is good enough. More than good enough, in fact: they surrendered only six runs over the entire Giants series this weekend (which they lost).
Fans overreact. That's what we do. People call for the firing of the hitting coach, the firing of the manager, and the demotion or release of any and all underachieving players. For good reasons, Rockies management does not listen to fans.
The Rockies organization has made its name with patience. When it works they are praised for building the franchise the "right way," and when it doesn't they are criticized for not making the big splash move they needed.
Management does not overreact or make hasty moves; Jim Tracy needs to do the same with his lineup. When he keyed the team's turnaround in 2009, he cited the need for players to know what their role was every day. He said once players did not question where they stood, they could settle in and just play ball.
Of course a manager will tinker when his team hits as poorly as the Rockies have this year. But I would like to see Jim Tracy pick a lineup, stick with it for a significant stretch of time, and make changes a bit more gradually than he has so far in 2011. Here is what he should do:
Do not mistake my intentions here. I do not blame Jim Tracy for the team's struggles. I blame the players for ineffective approaches at the plate. If Tracy does move to a more stable lineup, the onus is still on the players to strike out less, take good situational at-bats and make pitchers pay for mistakes.
Why some writers should avoid baseball
Mark Kiszla tries too hard to be controversial, and tends to really miss the boat with his Rockies opinions. One is left with the feeling that he just does not watch that many games. He wrote today that Dan O'Dowd is a mediocre general manager. Nobody will claim that O'Dowd is always great, but when you hear any actual baseball experts (such as MLB Network's Jon Hart) talk about the Rockies, they say that the organization is following something like the Minnesota Twins model and building the right way in a middle sized market. Once again, the pay-off in baseball is gradual, something that does not suit a writer as desperate for controversy as Kiszla.
He points to specific players to argue O'Dowd's ineffectiveness. Most baseball fans and analysts understand how shortsighted this is; you do not argue that O'Dowd is absolutely awful because of Ian Stewart any more than you argue he is executive of the decade because of Ubaldo Jimenez or Troy Tulowitzki. He points out O'Dowd's overall win-loss record is not overly successful. Unfortunately this chooses to overlook O'Dowd's philosophical change in the 2000's and the fact that the team is trending the right direction in the big picture, even with its recent disappointments.
With the exception of the huge markets out on the east coast, championship baseball teams are built over years, not weeks or months. Therefore, any decision on whether or not a general manager is successful is deferred again and again. It might be frustrating, but it's the nature of the game.
This week
Hopefully lineup stability is part of a long term answer. In the short term, just win a series. Two of three from the Padres and three of four from the Dodgers. It sounds so simple, but a week like that against teams in the division goes a long way for a team as dreadful as this one has been.
Win how? Beat the mediocre pitchers, such as Clayton Richard and Tim Stauffer of the Padres, by making them pay for mistakes and not helping them out with wild swings. That takes the pressure off of a bad match-up such as Clayton Kershaw on Thursday night.
To me the Padres series is especially important. Why? If the Rockies lose it, they will have sole possession of last place. It would still be too early to panic, but to have them in last place would just be icky.
Other Rockies links
Troy Renck comments on the Giants and their whining problem (a great read) http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_18208679?source=commented-rockies
Thomas Harding and Nick Kosmider check in with Charlie Blackmon http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110605&content_id=20082796¬ebook_id=20082798&vkey=notebook_col&c_id=col
What you've come to expect. Groudbreaking analysis! Thank you, thank you. Applause, applause!
The Rockies still have enough games left to emerge as an elite team and call the current swoon an aberration. As Troy Renck points out in the Denver Post, the pitching is good enough. More than good enough, in fact: they surrendered only six runs over the entire Giants series this weekend (which they lost).
Fans overreact. That's what we do. People call for the firing of the hitting coach, the firing of the manager, and the demotion or release of any and all underachieving players. For good reasons, Rockies management does not listen to fans.
The Rockies organization has made its name with patience. When it works they are praised for building the franchise the "right way," and when it doesn't they are criticized for not making the big splash move they needed.
Management does not overreact or make hasty moves; Jim Tracy needs to do the same with his lineup. When he keyed the team's turnaround in 2009, he cited the need for players to know what their role was every day. He said once players did not question where they stood, they could settle in and just play ball.
Of course a manager will tinker when his team hits as poorly as the Rockies have this year. But I would like to see Jim Tracy pick a lineup, stick with it for a significant stretch of time, and make changes a bit more gradually than he has so far in 2011. Here is what he should do:
- Stop platooning Seth Smith. Make Ryan Spilborghs a pinch hitter, and stop playing him by default against any left handed pitcher.
- Pick a 3rd baseman and play him every day. I would like to see Chris Nelson, with Ty Wigginton making spot starts at each corner to spell Nelson and Todd Helton. People like Wigginton's bat, but he was not signed to play every day.
- Call up Charlie Blackmon and insert him in the lineup. Some think that this move would force Carlos Gonzalez back to center field. Blackmon came up through the system playing CF; why not start him there and use Dexter Fowler as a defensive replacement in late innings?
- Pick a 2nd baseman between Jonathan Herrera and Eric Young, Jr. Use the other as your utility player and spot starter. If you start Young, insert Herrera for late inning defense.
Do not mistake my intentions here. I do not blame Jim Tracy for the team's struggles. I blame the players for ineffective approaches at the plate. If Tracy does move to a more stable lineup, the onus is still on the players to strike out less, take good situational at-bats and make pitchers pay for mistakes.
Why some writers should avoid baseball
Mark Kiszla tries too hard to be controversial, and tends to really miss the boat with his Rockies opinions. One is left with the feeling that he just does not watch that many games. He wrote today that Dan O'Dowd is a mediocre general manager. Nobody will claim that O'Dowd is always great, but when you hear any actual baseball experts (such as MLB Network's Jon Hart) talk about the Rockies, they say that the organization is following something like the Minnesota Twins model and building the right way in a middle sized market. Once again, the pay-off in baseball is gradual, something that does not suit a writer as desperate for controversy as Kiszla.
He points to specific players to argue O'Dowd's ineffectiveness. Most baseball fans and analysts understand how shortsighted this is; you do not argue that O'Dowd is absolutely awful because of Ian Stewart any more than you argue he is executive of the decade because of Ubaldo Jimenez or Troy Tulowitzki. He points out O'Dowd's overall win-loss record is not overly successful. Unfortunately this chooses to overlook O'Dowd's philosophical change in the 2000's and the fact that the team is trending the right direction in the big picture, even with its recent disappointments.
With the exception of the huge markets out on the east coast, championship baseball teams are built over years, not weeks or months. Therefore, any decision on whether or not a general manager is successful is deferred again and again. It might be frustrating, but it's the nature of the game.
This week
Hopefully lineup stability is part of a long term answer. In the short term, just win a series. Two of three from the Padres and three of four from the Dodgers. It sounds so simple, but a week like that against teams in the division goes a long way for a team as dreadful as this one has been.
Win how? Beat the mediocre pitchers, such as Clayton Richard and Tim Stauffer of the Padres, by making them pay for mistakes and not helping them out with wild swings. That takes the pressure off of a bad match-up such as Clayton Kershaw on Thursday night.
To me the Padres series is especially important. Why? If the Rockies lose it, they will have sole possession of last place. It would still be too early to panic, but to have them in last place would just be icky.
Other Rockies links
Troy Renck comments on the Giants and their whining problem (a great read) http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_18208679?source=commented-rockies
Thomas Harding and Nick Kosmider check in with Charlie Blackmon http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110605&content_id=20082796¬ebook_id=20082798&vkey=notebook_col&c_id=col
Friday, June 3, 2011
Follow up 2.0: catchers blocking the plate
Brian Sabean contributed a collection of absolutely idiotic comments to an already tense situation.
The San Francisco Giants GM called Scott Cousins's play "malicous" and said: "If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy." He continued on that: "He chose to be a hero, in my mind, and if that's his flash of fame, that's as good as it's going to get, pal."
This is the same man who accused the Rockies of cheating last year with their use of the humidor. No need to go into detail here, but it would have been pretty impressive for the Rockies to cheat, seeing as the umpire would have been complicit. Nevertheless, it is inexcusable for a management figure to have this utter lack of a filter. It's good for the Giants that he is so good at his job, otherwise these types of nasty, uncalled for and unfounded comments would not stand.
The first thing Scott Cousins did after that play was check on Buster Posey. He called Posey to apologize and was in tears. Common sense, which is clearly something Sabean sorely lacks, tells us that if he indeed acted with malicous intentions, he would be celebrating the results of the collision instead of trying to apologize.
Cousins is already getting death threats from overreacting fans. Sabean's role as an executive was to bring this situation into perspective and alleviate that type of violence. Instead he has thrown fuel on the fire.
Shame on him.
The San Francisco Giants GM called Scott Cousins's play "malicous" and said: "If I never hear from Cousins again or he never plays another game in the big leagues, I think we'll all be happy." He continued on that: "He chose to be a hero, in my mind, and if that's his flash of fame, that's as good as it's going to get, pal."
This is the same man who accused the Rockies of cheating last year with their use of the humidor. No need to go into detail here, but it would have been pretty impressive for the Rockies to cheat, seeing as the umpire would have been complicit. Nevertheless, it is inexcusable for a management figure to have this utter lack of a filter. It's good for the Giants that he is so good at his job, otherwise these types of nasty, uncalled for and unfounded comments would not stand.
The first thing Scott Cousins did after that play was check on Buster Posey. He called Posey to apologize and was in tears. Common sense, which is clearly something Sabean sorely lacks, tells us that if he indeed acted with malicous intentions, he would be celebrating the results of the collision instead of trying to apologize.
Cousins is already getting death threats from overreacting fans. Sabean's role as an executive was to bring this situation into perspective and alleviate that type of violence. Instead he has thrown fuel on the fire.
Shame on him.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Follow up: catchers blocking the plate
The columnists for MLB.com were very active in discussing these issues.
Terrence Moore urges baseball not to overreact. At one point he claims that runners are left with no other choice when the catcher blocks the plate, sarcastically asking if runners are supposed to try and slide around him. Let me emphasize this point again: plays at the plate are never that tidy. If the catcher is actually perfectly in position, you're out anyway. But he almost never is, so react to where the play has taken him and slide accordingly. He also cites Bobby Valentine and addresses the "macho" mentality of catchers. I certainly don't think any of my friends, family, or teammates would ever use that word to describe me. Ever.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110601&content_id=19867218&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Alden Gonzalez notes the continued specialization of catchers, ultimately wondering about the extinction of a true "two way" catcher. Unless there's a rule change about collisions, of course.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110602&content_id=19918098&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Mike Bauman points out how impossible it would be to enforce a rule that bans running over the catcher. His article emphasizes the fact that if these collisions are going to disappear, the change will come from the baserunners and not the league or the umpires.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110601&content_id=19882160&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Terrence Moore urges baseball not to overreact. At one point he claims that runners are left with no other choice when the catcher blocks the plate, sarcastically asking if runners are supposed to try and slide around him. Let me emphasize this point again: plays at the plate are never that tidy. If the catcher is actually perfectly in position, you're out anyway. But he almost never is, so react to where the play has taken him and slide accordingly. He also cites Bobby Valentine and addresses the "macho" mentality of catchers. I certainly don't think any of my friends, family, or teammates would ever use that word to describe me. Ever.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110601&content_id=19867218&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Alden Gonzalez notes the continued specialization of catchers, ultimately wondering about the extinction of a true "two way" catcher. Unless there's a rule change about collisions, of course.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110602&content_id=19918098&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Mike Bauman points out how impossible it would be to enforce a rule that bans running over the catcher. His article emphasizes the fact that if these collisions are going to disappear, the change will come from the baserunners and not the league or the umpires.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110601&content_id=19882160&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Why baserunners should not run over the catcher
I was a freshman in high school. I received the peg from my teammate and positioned myself in front of home plate, slightly up the third baseline. Once it became clear that the runner had no intention of sliding, I braced for contact. I held the tag for the third out of the inning. As the rowdy crowd of 12 fans expressed their jubilation, I performed the following sequence: retrieved my catcher's mask, made eye contact with the runner, winked, and flipped the ball to the mound. For that moment, I was one bad dude.
In the days following Buster Posey's season ending injury, writers and fans alike considered the issue of collisions at home plate. Some defended the play, adament that it is just "part of the game." Others feel that it should be removed to protect teams from losing star players such as Posey. I do not want baseball to introduce a rule that bans running over the catcher. I want runners to stop doing it for a different reason.
It does not work.
What about plays where the catcher does drop the ball? Watch those plays again. In the majority of them, the catcher never caught the ball anyway. The runner was safe regardless, and he would have gotten there faster with a slide. If you beat the throw, why choose to collide with a guy wearing gear? Check the Buster Posey play again. Scott Cousins was safe no matter what; that does not constitute a "successful" collision play at the plate.
When a catcher does have the ball in enough time that running him over is a good play, does he ever drop it? Think of your prototypical catcher: a big block of a guy. Runners should save themselves the sore muscles because they will not jar that ball loose.
What should runners do instead? Slide feet first every time. Slide by almost every time. Read where the throw is, slide to the other side of the plate, and slap it with your hand on your way by. In all the bang-bang plays where colliding with the catcher "works," a slide works just as effectively. Think of a catcher, in gear, with a catcher's glove, receiving a throw and reaching to the opposite side of the plate to make a tag. It does not happen very often; it's a clumsy play to make, and in their haste to make a quick tag a catcher often drops the ball or just misses the runner completely.
Runners who slide feet first will also stay the course to the plate. The most nonsensical plays at the plate involve runners who are so busy blasting the catcher they have to go back and touch the plate (if they are not already out).
People argue: "If he's in the way, then he deserves to get run over." How often are plays at the plate that tidy? How often does the catcher have the ball, in perfect position to block the plate, and the runner has no choice but to run him over? Not very often, unless we are talking about the climactic scene (3:10 of video) of A League of Their Own.
If the catcher has the time to catch the ball, get up the third baseline, and dig in for a collision, what should the runner do instead of colliding with him? Juke him. That is not a joke. Fake right, dive left. Juke left, slide right. Remember your image of a typical catcher. Is he more likely to drop the ball or whiff on a juking runner? Some may find this idea silly, but it is probably just as likely to be successful as running over a catcher who has already secured the throw. Spin move? You bet. If the throw beats you by that much, either of these options is a concession that you are most likely going to be out.
Here is one example for Rockies fans: Matt Holliday's run to win the play-in game against the Padres. Drew Goodman, the current play-by-play announcer on Root Sports, argued that Holliday should have run Michael Barrett over. Yes, he would have been safe if he had done that because Michael Barrett never had the ball (which we should always point out to bitter Padres fans). Like so many times where it "works," the catcher was never going to have the throw in time to make a tag anyway. In his haste, Barrett rushed and never caught the ball; he was going to either tag with an empty glove or whiff completely. If Holliday veers off to the right, slides by Barrett, and slaps the plate with his left hand, he can pop up and celebrate with his boys instead of lying on the ground with a headache trying to remember what day of the week it was. We also would have avoided the whole "he never touched the plate" controversy.
If ineffectiveness is the first reason to avoid colliding with the catcher, ego preservation is the second. When a catcher does hold on, he gets a rare "in your face!" moment as he stares you down and flips the ball out to the mound (assuming it's the 3rd out). All the while, you're pretending it did not hurt to run over one of the beefiest guys on the field while he was wearing hard plastic shin guards. I had one "badass" moment in my whole career, and it was when I held onto the third out after a collision. Still relishing that one.
I was run over exactly four times as a catcher; I held onto the tag all four times. I cannot remember a single time I recorded an out at the plate when the runner slid to avoid me. I struggled way too much to find runners behind me or reach quickly enough to tag them. Why invite a tag by running into the catcher when he is more likely to miss you than drop the ball?
As a coach, I would tell my runners that they are absolutely not allowed to run over the catcher. Partially for the safety of the players, but the much larger reason would be because I believe it gave my team the best chance to score more runs.
In the days following Buster Posey's season ending injury, writers and fans alike considered the issue of collisions at home plate. Some defended the play, adament that it is just "part of the game." Others feel that it should be removed to protect teams from losing star players such as Posey. I do not want baseball to introduce a rule that bans running over the catcher. I want runners to stop doing it for a different reason.
It does not work.
What about plays where the catcher does drop the ball? Watch those plays again. In the majority of them, the catcher never caught the ball anyway. The runner was safe regardless, and he would have gotten there faster with a slide. If you beat the throw, why choose to collide with a guy wearing gear? Check the Buster Posey play again. Scott Cousins was safe no matter what; that does not constitute a "successful" collision play at the plate.
When a catcher does have the ball in enough time that running him over is a good play, does he ever drop it? Think of your prototypical catcher: a big block of a guy. Runners should save themselves the sore muscles because they will not jar that ball loose.
What should runners do instead? Slide feet first every time. Slide by almost every time. Read where the throw is, slide to the other side of the plate, and slap it with your hand on your way by. In all the bang-bang plays where colliding with the catcher "works," a slide works just as effectively. Think of a catcher, in gear, with a catcher's glove, receiving a throw and reaching to the opposite side of the plate to make a tag. It does not happen very often; it's a clumsy play to make, and in their haste to make a quick tag a catcher often drops the ball or just misses the runner completely.
Runners who slide feet first will also stay the course to the plate. The most nonsensical plays at the plate involve runners who are so busy blasting the catcher they have to go back and touch the plate (if they are not already out).
People argue: "If he's in the way, then he deserves to get run over." How often are plays at the plate that tidy? How often does the catcher have the ball, in perfect position to block the plate, and the runner has no choice but to run him over? Not very often, unless we are talking about the climactic scene (3:10 of video) of A League of Their Own.
If the catcher has the time to catch the ball, get up the third baseline, and dig in for a collision, what should the runner do instead of colliding with him? Juke him. That is not a joke. Fake right, dive left. Juke left, slide right. Remember your image of a typical catcher. Is he more likely to drop the ball or whiff on a juking runner? Some may find this idea silly, but it is probably just as likely to be successful as running over a catcher who has already secured the throw. Spin move? You bet. If the throw beats you by that much, either of these options is a concession that you are most likely going to be out.
Here is one example for Rockies fans: Matt Holliday's run to win the play-in game against the Padres. Drew Goodman, the current play-by-play announcer on Root Sports, argued that Holliday should have run Michael Barrett over. Yes, he would have been safe if he had done that because Michael Barrett never had the ball (which we should always point out to bitter Padres fans). Like so many times where it "works," the catcher was never going to have the throw in time to make a tag anyway. In his haste, Barrett rushed and never caught the ball; he was going to either tag with an empty glove or whiff completely. If Holliday veers off to the right, slides by Barrett, and slaps the plate with his left hand, he can pop up and celebrate with his boys instead of lying on the ground with a headache trying to remember what day of the week it was. We also would have avoided the whole "he never touched the plate" controversy.
If ineffectiveness is the first reason to avoid colliding with the catcher, ego preservation is the second. When a catcher does hold on, he gets a rare "in your face!" moment as he stares you down and flips the ball out to the mound (assuming it's the 3rd out). All the while, you're pretending it did not hurt to run over one of the beefiest guys on the field while he was wearing hard plastic shin guards. I had one "badass" moment in my whole career, and it was when I held onto the third out after a collision. Still relishing that one.
I was run over exactly four times as a catcher; I held onto the tag all four times. I cannot remember a single time I recorded an out at the plate when the runner slid to avoid me. I struggled way too much to find runners behind me or reach quickly enough to tag them. Why invite a tag by running into the catcher when he is more likely to miss you than drop the ball?
As a coach, I would tell my runners that they are absolutely not allowed to run over the catcher. Partially for the safety of the players, but the much larger reason would be because I believe it gave my team the best chance to score more runs.
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