Bakers daily cryptic quote on 2B

[Derwood]

From the Herald:

 

“Everybody’s part of it as long as they’re still part of it,” said Baker, sounding a little like Yogi Berra. “You know what I mean? I know there’s a lot of speculation and all that. But you have to handle it as if everybody who’s here is going to be here. You don’t know what’s going to happen exactly.”

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sportsstory.asp?id=168872

 

It's as if he wants us to believe that on Opening Day he'll wake up and someone's name will be written in on the lineup card for him. How can he claim to have zero idea who will play 2B? Isn't this him indicting himself for complete lack of decision making ability? ](*,)

[Shawon12]

No, it means there's two weeks left in S.T. and there's still a battle going on. He wants all Jerry and Todd to keep fighting.

[Blueheart05]

From the Herald:

 

“Everybody’s part of it as long as they’re still part of it,” said Baker, sounding a little like Yogi Berra. “You know what I mean? I know there’s a lot of speculation and all that. But you have to handle it as if everybody who’s here is going to be here. You don’t know what’s going to happen exactly.”

 

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/sportsstory.asp?id=168872

 

It's as if he wants us to believe that on Opening Day he'll wake up and someone's name will be written in on the lineup card for him. How can he claim to have zero idea who will play 2B? Isn't this him indicting himself for complete lack of decision making ability? ](*,)

 

No, I don't think that is the case. According to the Suntimes, Baker says he does have an idea but doesn't want to disclose it right now. BTW, so does that Daily Herald piece.

 

Cubs manager Dusty Baker acknowledged Sunday that he has a plan for what he wants to do at second base, where the competition continues among Todd Walker, Jerry Hairston and Neifi Perez.

 

Baker, however, refused to give a hint of how he is leaning.

 

''Yeah, I have a pretty good idea,'' Baker said. "I'm just not going to say right now. We still have time to see. It depends how the rest of the club shapes up and what we need offensively, defensively and speed-wise.''

 

Most speculation has Hairston leading the three-horse race because the Cubs have emphasized upgrading their defense from last year, when Walker was the starter at second. The Cubs can't appear to find a serious partner in trade talks for Walker.

 

If I were to venture a guess, Baker is hedging because he isn't sure if Walker will be with the team on Opening Day which explains the quote you used.

Edited March 20, 2006 by Blueheart05

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I still have a feeling that Walker starts vs most righties and Hairston starts against lefties.

[Backtobanks]

I still have a feeling that Walker starts vs most righties and Hairston starts against lefties.

 

There you go being logical again.

[Derwood]

can the season just start so we can stop having 4 newspaper articles a day written about this?

[Bergy92]

can the season just start so we can stop having 4 newspaper articles a day written about this?

 

what? you think that it is going to stop once the season starts? It will be second-guessing time...

[rawaction]

If Walker is still with the team, I fully expect the competition for 2B to continue into the season. I think Dusty will go back and forth and go with the hot hand until they can find a taker for Walker.

[srbin84]

I'm all for Walker as the second baseman, but I bet a Cedeno/Perez double play combo (defensively, haha) would be pretty good. Two good defensive shortstops up the midde would help some of our pitchers a lot. Hopefully Walker wins the job, but if he does, I would not mind at all seeing him replaced for defence late in almost every game.

[goonys evil twin]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

[David]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

 

 

:?: :?: :?: :?:

[ltb]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

 

this is what i was thinking.

[David]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

 

this is what i was thinking.

 

Unrealistic. Dusty wouldn't recognize it as a stupid idea.

[goonys evil twin]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

 

this is what i was thinking.

 

Unrealistic. Dusty wouldn't recognize it as a stupid idea.

 

He might not recognize it as stupid, but he would recognize that he'd get ripped to shreds by people who think it's stupid.

[David]

"I want to get Neifi as much playing time as possible, but I'm not going to say that out loud because people will rip me to shreds because it's a stupid idea."

 

this is what i was thinking.

 

Unrealistic. Dusty wouldn't recognize it as a stupid idea.

 

He might not recognize it as stupid, but he would recognize that he'd get ripped to shreds by people who think it's stupid.

 

Probably. Then again, Dusty thinks everyone is out to get him. :wink:

[halplm]

Oh, I don't know... Baker probably does recognize it as stupid... the thing is... he doesn't care... He likes Neifi and wants to play him. How good he is doesn't really matter to Baker...

[CubinNY]

I dont really think the qoute is all that cryptic. IMO he is saying, "if Walker is here he will be my 2nd man. However, I don't think Walker will be here so I am hedging my bets by saying what I am saying"

[goonys evil twin]

I dont really think the qoute is all that cryptic. IMO he is saying, "if Walker is here he will be my 2nd man. However, I don't think Walker will be here so I am hedging my bets by saying what I am saying"

 

2nd man as in 2nd baseman?

 

Sounds to me like he is clearly giving the job to somebody other than Walker, most likely Hairston with a healthy dose of Neifi, but leaving a slight opening for more Walker playing time if he's around. I highly doubt the Cubs are going to start a guy they are obviously so desperate to dump.

[CubinNY]

I dont really think the qoute is all that cryptic. IMO he is saying, "if Walker is here he will be my 2nd man. However, I don't think Walker will be here so I am hedging my bets by saying what I am saying"

 

2nd man as in 2nd baseman?

 

Sounds to me like he is clearly giving the job to somebody other than Walker, most likely Hairston with a healthy dose of Neifi, but leaving a slight opening for more Walker playing time if he's around. I highly doubt the Cubs are going to start a guy they are obviously so desperate to dump.

 

You could be right, but if Walker is on the team (and I don't he will be) I cannot see how the Cubs could keep Walker on the bench.

 

To me it just seems so ludicrous. Neither Hairston nor Neifi are as good an everyday player as Walker.

 

I just don't get it???

[srbin84]

As much as it seems the Cubs want to get rid of Walker, Hendry will keep him on the team before he just gives him away. I thought he got pretty good value for Sosa and Patterson considering their situations at the time.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

As much as it seems the Cubs want to get rid of Walker, Hendry will keep him on the team before he just gives him away. I thought he got pretty good value for Sosa and Patterson considering their situations at the time.

 

I wouldn't say we got pretty good value for either, regardless of situation.

[srbin84]

As much as it seems the Cubs want to get rid of Walker, Hendry will keep him on the team before he just gives him away. I thought he got pretty good value for Sosa and Patterson considering their situations at the time.

 

I wouldn't say we got pretty good value for either, regardless of situation.

 

I guess it depends on your perception. Also, I'd include Hawkins in this, we got spectacular value him, I would have taken just Aardsma or Williams at the time. I valued Patterson and Sosa as worthless to us when we traded them, and I like Hairston and Spears.

[goonys evil twin]

You could be right, but if Walker is on the team (and I don't he will be) I cannot see how the Cubs could keep Walker on the bench.

 

To me it just seems so ludicrous. Neither Hairston nor Neifi are as good an everyday player as Walker.

 

I just don't get it???

 

I'm guessing it would work out as some sort of platoon with Hairston if Walker stays (which might lead to even less playing time for Cedeno). But I can't imagine they will give him the full-time gig after all that's happened here.

[David]

As much as it seems the Cubs want to get rid of Walker, Hendry will keep him on the team before he just gives him away. I thought he got pretty good value for Sosa and Patterson considering their situations at the time.

 

I wouldn't say we got pretty good value for either, regardless of situation.

 

Let's not forget Juan Cruz...

[srbin84]

As much as it seems the Cubs want to get rid of Walker, Hendry will keep him on the team before he just gives him away. I thought he got pretty good value for Sosa and Patterson considering their situations at the time.

 

I wouldn't say we got pretty good value for either, regardless of situation.

 

Let's not forget Juan Cruz...

 

Cruz...if Baylor hadn't removed him from the starting rotation because of his freaking W-L record in 2002, I wouldn't be surprised if he was still in the rotation today.