Random Baseball Musings

[Clem Fandango]

Interesting piece written by Adrian Cardenas for the New Yorker on why he retired.

 

That was, indeed, an interesting read. But...

 

I didn’t even know that the Dodgers had originally played in Brooklyn

 

How can you grow up with a love of the game, surrounded by nothing but people who live the sport, and not know this?

 

I think it makes a lot of sense that somebody would love playing a sport but not know where one team played during the Eisenhower Administration. He wasn't "surrounded by nothing but people who live the sport", considering he said his parents knew nothing about baseball.

 

I was talking about the whole, you know, playing baseball in high school and then playing in the minor leagues with a bunch of other guys who have been playing the sport for nearly their whole lives thing.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

[SouthSideRyan]

Interesting piece written by Adrian Cardenas for the New Yorker on why he retired.

 

That was, indeed, an interesting read. But...

 

I didn’t even know that the Dodgers had originally played in Brooklyn

 

How can you grow up with a love of the game, surrounded by nothing but people who live the sport, and not know this?

 

I think it makes a lot of sense that somebody would love playing a sport but not know where one team played during the Eisenhower Administration. He wasn't "surrounded by nothing but people who live the sport", considering he said his parents knew nothing about baseball.

 

He knew who Wally Pipp was though?

 

Just about every meatball coach I ever had lectured about Wally Pipp. None of them lectured about the O Malley family

[Gmoney08]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

 

My high school team was 90% absolute baseball nerds. Some might be more of historian trivia nerds than others but all of them pretty much were huge MLB fans and lived the game.

 

I went to a huge school though and most the team were only baseball players (highly specific athletes at the school compared to smaller schools).

 

I guess I could see going to a small school where its the same kids on the baseball, basketball, and football team, and some of them dont necessarily live baseball though.

[OleMissCub]

Got on a rabbit trail and realized that Fukudome is pretty much a full time AAA guy now.

 

4.0 career WAR and made $48,000,000

[SouthSideRyan]

Got on a rabbit trail and realized that Fukudome is pretty much a full time AAA guy now.

 

4.0 career WAR and made $48,000,000

 

He went back to Japan this season...and suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked

[OleMissCub]

Got on a rabbit trail and realized that Fukudome is pretty much a full time AAA guy now.

 

4.0 career WAR and made $48,000,000

 

He went back to Japan this season...and suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked

 

.198/.295/.335 in 241 PA's. bloody hell

[jersey cubs fan]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

 

My high school team was 90% absolute baseball nerds. Some might be more of historian trivia nerds than others but all of them pretty much were huge MLB fans and lived the game.

 

I went to a huge school though and most the team were only baseball players (highly specific athletes at the school compared to smaller schools).

 

I guess I could see going to a small school where its the same kids on the baseball, basketball, and football team, and some of them dont necessarily live baseball though.

 

My school was relatively small for the conference, but 1600 kids led to plenty of supply. This was the early 90's and baseball was well into its ebb away from being the sport that kids followed. This was also the suburbs of Chicago.

Cardenas went to school in Florida and time has shown us that nobody in Florida cares about professional baseball.

[Gmoney08]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

 

My high school team was 90% absolute baseball nerds. Some might be more of historian trivia nerds than others but all of them pretty much were huge MLB fans and lived the game.

 

I went to a huge school though and most the team were only baseball players (highly specific athletes at the school compared to smaller schools).

 

I guess I could see going to a small school where its the same kids on the baseball, basketball, and football team, and some of them dont necessarily live baseball though.

 

My school was relatively small for the conference, but 1600 kids led to plenty of supply. This was the early 90's and baseball was well into its ebb away from being the sport that kids followed. This was also the suburbs of Chicago.

Cardenas went to school in Florida and time has shown us that nobody in Florida cares about professional baseball.

 

The first problem in everything is always Florida.

[Sammy Sofa]

Got on a rabbit trail and realized that Fukudome is pretty much a full time AAA guy now.

 

4.0 career WAR and made $48,000,000

 

He went back to Japan this season...and suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked

 

.198/.295/.335 in 241 PA's. bloody hell

 

Man, that is not cool. I remember being so excited about that signing...and that awesome opening day. BAH.

[Guest]

Got on a rabbit trail and realized that Fukudome is pretty much a full time AAA guy now.

 

4.0 career WAR and made $48,000,000

 

He went back to Japan this season...and suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucked

 

.198/.295/.335 in 241 PA's. bloody hell

 

Man, that is not cool. I remember being so excited about that signing...and that awesome opening day. BAH.

 

 

Last time I watched this, I noticed WGN got a great shot of my extremely inebriated buddy at about 48 seconds. And he had on a glorious Cubs blazer of some kind which he apparently no longer has.

[Clem Fandango]

Chills, man. Chills. Shame he didn't pan out.

[Sammy Sofa]

I was at that game, too. It was a miserable, miserable day; felt like one of the coldest home openers I had been to in a while, plus it was just gross and damp and gray. A crappy loss, but Fukudome rocking Gagne to tie it was worth it.

[Sammy Sofa]

Chills, man. Chills. Shame he didn't pan out.

 

I totally bought into the hype. Ate up the clips of him on YouTube, totally fell for the goofy talk that had him as a middle ground between Ichiro and Matsui...DAMMIT.

[Guest]

I was at that game, too. It was a miserable, miserable day; felt like one of the coldest home openers I had been to in a while, plus it was just gross and damp and gray. A crappy loss, but Fukudome rocking Gagne to tie it was worth it.

 

It actually was pretty warm...but gross and damp for sure. I think it was in the 60's or 70's even.

 

I've been to every opener since 2007... 2007 was horribly cold, 2009 was horribly wet and cold, 2010 was amazing...2011 was crappy and really cold. this year was not bad.

 

But yeah..2010..that was awesome.

[Clem Fandango]

Well to be fair he wasn't awful for us. His WAR left much to be desired, but he did have a .370 OBP with the team. Just sucks his power didn't translate well. He had a .742 OPS when he was traded, which isn't great, but he completely fell off a cliff after that.

[Sammy Sofa]

I was at that game, too. It was a miserable, miserable day; felt like one of the coldest home openers I had been to in a while, plus it was just gross and damp and gray. A crappy loss, but Fukudome rocking Gagne to tie it was worth it.

 

It actually was pretty warm...but gross and damp for sure. I think it was in the 60's or 70's even.

 

I've been to every opener since 2007... 2007 was horribly cold, 2009 was horribly wet and cold, 2010 was amazing...2011 was crappy and really cold. this year was not bad.

 

But yeah..2010..that was awesome.

 

Man, I am convinced I remember it as being cold. Probably mixing it up with one of the other years, bu we were on the 3B/LF side, which typically gets pounded by wind. Probably mixing it up with 2007; whichever year it was we were filling out those credit card forms like crazy to get the free blankets.

[Guest]

I was at that game, too. It was a miserable, miserable day; felt like one of the coldest home openers I had been to in a while, plus it was just gross and damp and gray. A crappy loss, but Fukudome rocking Gagne to tie it was worth it.

 

It actually was pretty warm...but gross and damp for sure. I think it was in the 60's or 70's even.

 

I've been to every opener since 2007... 2007 was horribly cold, 2009 was horribly wet and cold, 2010 was amazing...2011 was crappy and really cold. this year was not bad.

 

But yeah..2010..that was awesome.

 

Man, I am convinced I remember it as being cold. Probably mixing it up with one of the other years, bu we were on the 3B/LF side, which typically gets pounded by wind. Probably mixing it up with 2007; whichever year it was we were filling out those credit card forms like crazy to get the free blankets.

 

I'm really convinced that it was decently warm that day but I can't find anything to support that. I remember it being really cold and rainy all morning and the weather warmed up as the day went on and was in the 60's or so by game time. Farmer's almanac lists a 45 degree high for that day. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

 

 

EDIT - Nevermind, I was looking at the 30th instead of the 31st.

 

http://www.almanac.com/weather/history/IL/Chicago/2008-03-31

[Careless]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

I'd expect any student at NYU who also played baseball to know that. He's not an idiot, and it's not obscure history.

[jersey cubs fan]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

I'd expect any student at NYU who also played baseball to know that. He's not an idiot, and it's not obscure history.

 

He's a student there now. He knows that now. He's also studying creative writing.

[jersey cubs fan]

The point I'm making here is that fans are more obsessive about this stuff than the players. Fans and the media are obsessed with baseball's past, but the guys who get paid to play the game do so because they are good at it, not because they are obsessed with baseball trivia. It shouldn't surprise anybody that any player is unaware of certain facts about baseball's past.

[SouthSideRyan]

Donovan McNabb didn't know ties existed and that was something that affected him as an active player.

[Guest]

The point I'm making here is that fans are more obsessive about this stuff than the players. Fans and the media are obsessed with baseball's past, but the guys who get paid to play the game do so because they are good at it, not because they are obsessed with baseball trivia. It shouldn't surprise anybody that any player is unaware of certain facts about baseball's past.

There's a great anecdote in Moneyball about Lenny Dykstra and Billy Beane is the minors, IRC, that there was some stud pitcher they were facing and Beane said something to Dykstra and he had no idea who the pitcher was then said, "[expletive] it, I can hit him".

[Careless]

Why do you think a high school player lives nothing but baseball? We had one guy on our team who I would describe as "living the sport", the rest were normal high school kids who happened to play baseball.

 

There are media members who have written dozens, if not hundreds, of articles and columns about "today's player not appreciating or knowing the history of the game." They lament what a shame it is that some guys don't know who Jackie Robinson is. Plus, half his minor league teammates probably were not native born Americans, what do they care about 1950s baseball? Then you add in the fact that he's from Florida and I don't see what is so surprising about his lack of knowledge.

I'd expect any student at NYU who also played baseball to know that. He's not an idiot, and it's not obscure history.

 

He's a student there now. He knows that now. He's also studying creative writing.

I quit after trying to balance my life as a professional baseball player with my life as a student during the last three years of my career. In the spring and summer, I played ball. In the fall, I studied creative writing and philosophy at New York University. But with every semester that passed, I loved school more than I loved baseball, and eventually I knew I had to choose one over the other.

So he had been a student at NYU for 2+ years at that point.

[Clem Fandango]

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3171/2671659253_9c99da1237.jpg

 

In the meantime, apparently Ryan Dempster celebrated the WS victory by tossing BP to anyone still in the stadium until 3AM.

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/E98OmDw.jpg