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Valentine vs Castro

Banedon

By Banedon,
in Chicago Cubs Talk

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CUBZ99 ACL Cubs

CUBZ99

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I don't know how many times he has turned his back to the batter, but I think that is beside the point. I'm sure this isn't the first time he wasn't paying attention to the game of wasn't or in position and prepared for the ball. How hard is it for a major league player to be in position and paying attention to the game before the pitcher releases the ball?
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davearm2 First Round Pick

davearm2

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Actually saw the whole thing last night and am 50/50 on how it played out.

 

Tim's got it right in that Bobby V pointing out Castro "isn't always 100% focused" is the real issue here. Not taking his glove off or chewing seeds. They were certainly over the top in pointing out all those little things but I'm chalking that up to ESPN being what they are.

 

I think the best thing they talked about during that segment was the possibility of a veteran SS being around to work with Starlin on what it means to play 162 games of winning baseball year in and year out. Right now, I just don't think he knows; and how should he? The fact is that this will be his, along with 1-2 other players', team going forward and he will be counted on to be a leader.

 

Just for example, I guarantee you that if someone like Derek Jeter, Omar Vizquel, Barry Larkin, Ozzie Smith, etc. were to sit down with Starlin and watch video of him playing the field they would tell him many of the same things that Bobby V was talking about as far as his pitch-to-pitch, inning-to-inning focus is concerned. Just being into every pitch, anticipating where the ball will be hit, communicating with the infield. He even said that right now Starlin just enjoys hitting much more than he does fielding and someone needs to point out how much of an impact he could actually make there as well. I had no problem with Bobby V pointing out this part of his play, but the other stuff was just fodder.

You don't need a veteran SS to teach Castro those things. A coach at any/all of his minor league stops should have been all over it, which was another of Valentine's points -- having a young SS with his head not in the game at the bigleague level is an indictment of the Cubs' player development process. Teaching those little things you just listed is what playing in the minors is all about.

MembersOnlyJacket First Round Pick

MembersOnlyJacket

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Part of why Valentine is raising this issue is that he just saw Pedroia play 2nd base. That guy, is the most focused infielder in baseball and Valentine was gushing all over it.

 

As for Castro, there is merit to this. Everyone does their job better when they are focused and into what they are doing (to state the obvious).

Tracer Bullet Knoxville Smokies

Tracer Bullet

Old-Timey Member
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Thats all a bunch of bunk. Taking your glove off between pitches? I don't think I ever didn't do that while playing. Tons of players chew and spit seeds in the field. Sometimes they get stuck on your lip. Sometimes you dig in your pocket for more. Even moving your eyes from the batter while the pitcher is in the wind-up isn't unusual. I'm guessing middle infielders do that all the time with guys on base. These are not the activities that should warrant tearing down a player. It's bs crap.
mookie Draft Eligible

mookie

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Hmm. That was pretty bad. I guess he just felt the sudden urge to stroll. I am sure he is being spoken to about last night, and I am sure it is just another feather in his learning development cap.
flyseye College Ball

flyseye

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Castro comments aside,I thought Valentine came across as a pompous ass last night. I couldnt stand to listen to him pontificate any longer, so I turned the sound down in the 5th. He made Steve Stone seem humble.
UMFan83 GOAT

UMFan83

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Definitely a bad move by Starlin, but he also looked like he knew it. I'd guess it won't happen again.

 

I didn't see the game last night but in that video Valentine was talking about a bad throw he made earlier in the inning. That could have been the reason why he looked like that. He probably figured/hoped that no one noticed his back to the batter play. Or that could have been why. But it certainly looked like he was down and in deep thought about something he did earlier in the inning/game. He didn't even realize that a pitch had been made until after the catcher already caught it.

Irrelevant Dude Knoxville Smokies

Irrelevant Dude

Old-Timey Member
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I have never seen a player turn his back to a pitch like that and, after watching the video again, I'm not sure Castro even realized that he missed a pitch. Valentine definitely had a legitimate point to begin with and then Castro kept unknowingly fueling the fire. I don't really care if someone is taking his glove off or eating sunflower seeds, but those things just contributed to a demeanor that appeared to be similar to a little league outfielder picking dandelions. I also got the impression that this rant was as much a criticism of Quade as it was of Castro.
MSG T Draft Eligible

MSG T

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It's too bad Castro had that lazy hack Alan Trammell as a coach during his rookie season. That guy probably poisoned his mind with evil.

 

 

Maybe I'm remembering incorrectly, but didn't he have Sandberg as a coach for part of a season, also?

CUBZ99 ACL Cubs

CUBZ99

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Deadspin article with video of the whole 7 minute rant- http://deadspin.com/5833165/

 

It's pretty hilarious that they are praising Barney towards the end while he has his glove off and reaching for seeds-the same thing they criticized Castro about for the previous six minutes.

 

I think the main difference between the two, is that Barney is good at fielding his position.

Banedon GOAT

Banedon

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If only their were a creature who could hit like Castro but field like Barney. A Starlin Castro-Barney, so to speak.

 

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/algore_manbearpig.jpg

OleMissCub Cooperstown

OleMissCub

Old-Timey Member
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Deadspin article with video of the whole 7 minute rant- http://deadspin.com/5833165/

 

It's pretty hilarious that they are praising Barney towards the end while he has his glove off and reaching for seeds-the same thing they criticized Castro about for the previous six minutes.

 

I do have to say that he is setting up extremely late in the clip. The pitcher is in the windup before he shifts his weight. He did seem a bit aloof in that video. Probably didn't deserve to berated like that though.

CubmanPi South Bend Cubs

CubmanPi

Old-Timey Member
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It's a matter of time until Castro is cast as another lazy, unclutch Latino player by the media.

The game was on national TV. I'm pretty sure this has just happened. Stay tuned for the local buffoonery to pile on.

Guest

Guest

Guests
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A 21 year old playing for a team that is playing out the stream during the dog days of the season. Does anybody think that his lack of focus last night is connected to the fact that Starlin has played in 40 straight games?

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