The Stupid Comments of the Offseason Thread: GM Edition

[Jon]

Especially considering the absurd contracts being given out this offseason, GMs are going to say some really stupid things this winter in order to justify the money spent/wasted. Please post any comments that you deem worthy and towards the end of the offseason, we can vote on which was indeed the stupidest comment.

 

I'll start with the nominations. This has already been posted elsewhere and has to be an early favorite, but this offseason does look promising:

 

"Pierre gets on base an awful lot, he had 200 hits, steals bases, he's a great guy to have on the club, a great quality human being." - Dodgers GM Ned Colletti.

[Soriano12]

I really don't think anything can top Colletti's comments, IMO.

[Drew Doughty]

Does it have to be a GM? FJM pointed out a wonderful quote from Stephen A. Smith...

 

As it turns out, baseball's home run is actually something entirely different than a home run.

 

"Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run."

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Does it have to be a GM? FJM pointed out a wonderful quote from Stephen A. Smith...

 

As it turns out, baseball's home run is actually something entirely different than a home run.

 

"Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run."

 

You forgot FJM's response:

 

Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run.

 

Huh. I always thought that baseball’s version of a home run is the motherf#@$ing home run itself.

[Drew Doughty]

Does it have to be a GM? FJM pointed out a wonderful quote from Stephen A. Smith...

 

As it turns out, baseball's home run is actually something entirely different than a home run.

 

"Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run."

 

You forgot FJM's response:

 

Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run.

 

Huh. I always thought that baseball’s version of a home run is the motherf#@$ing home run itself.

 

I thought I had it in there...oh well, as long as it gets posted.

[VanceJergins]

Does it have to be a GM? FJM pointed out a wonderful quote from Stephen A. Smith...

 

As it turns out, baseball's home run is actually something entirely different than a home run.

 

"Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run."

 

You forgot FJM's response:

 

Awarding a difference maker on the field - and in the community at large - has always been baseball's version of a home run.

 

Huh. I always thought that baseball’s version of a home run is the motherf#@$ing home run itself.

 

Haha, that makes me happy.

[rocket]

"He's a guy we're really happy to have," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said during a conference call. "One of our objectives during this offseason was to improve ourselves in center field."

 

Angels center-fielders last year: .281/.345/.388

 

Gary Matthews Jr. career: .263/.336/.419

 

awesome. 50 million bucks for a .22 point improvement in ops.

[NorthsideAvenger]

"He's a guy we're really happy to have," Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said during a conference call. "One of our objectives during this offseason was to improve ourselves in center field."

 

Angels center-fielders last year: .281/.345/.388

 

Gary Matthews Jr. career: .263/.336/.419

 

awesome. 50 million bucks for a .22 point improvement in ops.

 

Who needs Soriano at $17 mill per, when the Cubs could have had Pierre/GMJ for a combine $19 mill per and upgraded absolutely NOTHING. Say what you will about Soriano's contract, but I believe he will be a safer bet to live up to his contract in the next 4 yrs, then Pierre/GMJ will.

[NCCubFan]

Who needs Soriano at $17 mill per, when the Cubs could have had Pierre/GMJ for a combine $19 mill per and upgraded absolutely NOTHING. Say what you will about Soriano's contract, but I believe he will be a safer bet to live up to his contract in the next 4 yrs, then Pierre/GMJ will.

That's exactly what impresses me more about Hendry so far this off-season. He's using the money to sign one impact player when in the past he would have signed two or three role players instead.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

There's something about those LA area GMs.

[Soriano12]

I still can't get over the GMJ contract. That is about as bad as it gets.

[Jon]

Another strong one that nilodnayr posted in another forum:

 

"Well we'd like to get guys who can get on base, but our trouble was knocking guys in. We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting so we did manage to get guys on base. You can get all the guys on base that you want, but you have to knock them in." - Jim Hendry

[Vinestal]

We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting

 

We did?

[Roast]

We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting

 

We did?

 

He was reading the list upside-down.

[NoDak]

"Well we'd like to get guys who can get on base, but our trouble was knocking guys in. We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting so we did manage to get guys on base. You can get all the guys on base that you want, but you have to knock them in." - Jim Hendry

 

No, we didn't. We finished last in the national league in OBP. Given that I don't care that we were #4 in batting average!

[A New Era]

Another strong one that nilodnayr posted in another forum:

 

"Well we'd like to get guys who can get on base, but our trouble was knocking guys in. We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting so we did manage to get guys on base. You can get all the guys on base that you want, but you have to knock them in." - Jim Hendry

 

I've always defended hendry up until now on OBP. Pointing to Derrek Lee, Barret, Ramirez, Murton, all having above average OBP. Thinking Dusty's nagging about speed rubbed off on Jim too much. But I don't think there's anything Jim can say to back off of that last statement. He has no clue that OBP is not directly connected to AVG and that a high OBP is much more important than a high AVG.

[cheapseats]

Estrada has been a very good offensive catcher during his career," Milwaukee general manager Doug Melvin said. "His ability to switch hit, and his high contact-low strikeout approach is something that the Brewers offense has been missing.

 

A very good offensive catcher during his career? He's been a very good offensive catcher for one year: 2004.

 

His ability to switch hit isn't particularly helpful if he's not a good hitter from either side. See: Perez, Neifi.

 

His high-contact low strikeout approach is something the Brewers offense has been missing? Yeah, that worked so well for the Cubs last year. Enjoy the double plays.

[cheapseats]

Good pitching still stifles good hitting. They've definitely added power to their lineup and the ability to score runs. We just need to shore up our defense and be a better base-running and bunting club, play situational baseball a little better, and capitalize on our scoring opportunities.

 

Yeah, Doug. The problem with the Brewers is that they didn't bunt well enough last year.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Wow, a couple days ago I thought Melvin was one of the up and coming GMs in the league.

 

Still, i think he did that trade because Davis wanted 3 years 21 million when they thought he didn't deserve it.

 

That quote is still dumb.

[cheapseats]

Wow, a couple days ago I thought Melvin was one of the up and coming GMs in the league.

 

Still, i think he did that trade because Davis wanted 3 years 21 million when they thought he didn't deserve it.

 

That quote is still dumb.

 

Yeah, I thought he was one of the good ones, but he looks like a Hendry type.

[FadeToBolivia]

Yeah, but what do you expect these guys to say?

 

Youre not going to hear "Yeah, the night I sent Matthews the offer I had just finished a fifth of vodka and had to have my secretary dial the numbers on the fax machine for me. Looking back, it wasnt the best signing in the world but we all make mistakes."

 

Of course theyre going to say something stupid to cover for themselves.

[10man]

Another strong one that nilodnayr posted in another forum:

 

"Well we'd like to get guys who can get on base, but our trouble was knocking guys in. We finished 4th or 5th in the league in hitting so we did manage to get guys on base. You can get all the guys on base that you want, but you have to knock them in." - Jim Hendry

I've always defended hendry up until now on OBP. Pointing to Derrek Lee, Barret, Ramirez, Murton, all having above average OBP. Thinking Dusty's nagging about speed rubbed off on Jim too much. But I don't think there's anything Jim can say to back off of that last statement. He has no clue that OBP is not directly connected to AVG and that a high OBP is much more important than a high AVG.

Actually OBP is directly connected to AVG cos the players batting average makes up around 80% of his times on base.

[Electron Blue]

Yeah, but what do you expect these guys to say?

 

Youre not going to hear "Yeah, the night I sent Matthews the offer I had just finished a fifth of vodka and had to have my secretary dial the numbers on the fax machine for me. Looking back, it wasnt the best signing in the world but we all make mistakes."

 

Of course theyre going to say something stupid to cover for themselves.

 

People aren't pickin' on these guys for their media-fashioned rationalizations; they're pickin' on them for making the terrible moves in the first place, and to top it off, having the ridiculous explanations afterwards.

[CubinNY]

AVG cos the players batting average makes up around 80% of his times on base.

 

Only when a player has terribel IsoD, but I get what you are saying. Nevertheless, that fact doesn't not make Hendry's assertion any less ridicilous.

 

The problem with the Cubs IS NOT BA w/RISP. It never has been.