Hawk Harrelson. Anti Sabermetrics

[jersey cubs fan]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Yes, the typical White Sox broadcast contains only good guys, and the other team may as well not even exist. The White Sox either win easily against a bunch of nobodies, or beat themselves.

Don't forget the umpires, too.

[Guest]

Yes, the typical White Sox broadcast contains only good guys, and the other team may as well not even exist. The White Sox either win easily against a bunch of nobodies, or beat themselves.

Don't forget the umpires, too.

 

I listened to the start of the pregame yesterday and Hawk said "we" or "us" at least 10 times in about two minutes.

[Guest]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

Wedge's slash lines in his miserable 4 seasons in the bigs .233.340 .430 .770

9 seasons in the minors .249.347.443.790

 

He's a manager. Baseball is a strange business.

[Cubswin11]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

Wedge's slash lines in his miserable 4 seasons in the bigs .233.340 .430 .770

9 seasons in the minors .249.347.443.790

 

He's a manager. Baseball is a strange business.

What's your point? A good amount of coaches/managers are guys who were average-to down right awful at the top level of their sport before getting into coaching.

[jersey cubs fan]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

Wedge's slash lines in his miserable 4 seasons in the bigs .233.340 .430 .770

9 seasons in the minors .249.347.443.790

 

He's a manager. Baseball is a strange business.

What's your point? A good amount of coaches/managers are guys who were average-to down right awful at the top level of their sport before getting into coaching.

 

My assumption is he meant the guy's numbers were quite dependent on a solid walk rate that kept his OBP quite respectable despite an awful AVG. But then he goes out and downplays the value of patience, which is similar to a lot of other anti-sabr people.

[Rex Buckingham]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

Wedge's slash lines in his miserable 4 seasons in the bigs .233.340 .430 .770

9 seasons in the minors .249.347.443.790

 

He's a manager. Baseball is a strange business.

What's your point? A good amount of coaches/managers are guys who were average-to down right awful at the top level of their sport before getting into coaching.

 

My assumption is he meant the guy's numbers were quite dependent on a solid walk rate that kept his OBP quite respectable despite an awful AVG. But then he goes out and downplays the value of patience, which is similar to a lot of other anti-sabr people.

 

Kinda like Joe Morgan, whose great walk rate provided value that people such as Joe Morgan the analyst don't value

[Guest]

http://deadspin.com/mariners-manager-says-sabermetrics-made-dustin-ackley-s-510150363

 

Eric Wedge blames sabermetrics for ruining Dustin Ackley, by making him too selective, or something.

Wedge's slash lines in his miserable 4 seasons in the bigs .233.340 .430 .770

9 seasons in the minors .249.347.443.790

 

He's a manager. Baseball is a strange business.

What's your point? A good amount of coaches/managers are guys who were average-to down right awful at the top level of their sport before getting into coaching.

 

My assumption is he meant the guy's numbers were quite dependent on a solid walk rate that kept his OBP quite respectable despite an awful AVG. But then he goes out and downplays the value of patience, which is similar to a lot of other anti-sabr people.

Didn't think it needed to be spelled out, thanks.

[Cubswin11]

Gotcha, and I agree that it's weird how there seems to be a number of those who are completely anti-saber that actually did things in their playing days that saber really likes/points to them being good players.

[Guest]

Gotcha, and I agree that it's weird how there seems to be a number of those who are completely anti-saber that actually did things in their playing days that saber really likes/points to them being good players.

Also Wedge has had 2 winning seasons in 10 years as a manager. He managed some really good young talent in Cleveland that never developed into much. In short, he's a guy who made it in baseball by "playing the game the right way", but espouses nonsense about "playing the game the right way" that results in losing baseball. It's cognitive dissonance at its worst.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yes, the typical White Sox broadcast contains only good guys, and the other team may as well not even exist. The White Sox either win easily against a bunch of nobodies, or beat themselves.

Don't forget the umpires, too.

 

I listened to the start of the pregame yesterday and Hawk said "we" or "us" at least 10 times in about two minutes.

 

It's bad enough when fans do that, but announcers doing it are even worse. I really appreciate how I can't even think of a time Len has done that.

[PackLandVA]

For these past three games, I use the "double play" feature on DirecTV to record/watch both broadcasts at the same time. It's comical to see how Len & JD call a game or even just have conversation in between plays as opposed to Douche and Douchier. I watch something happen on one broadcast (like a close pitch) and then flip over and watch the same play on the other. Talk about a difference in professionalism.

[PackLandVA]

Despite both teams not being very good, I look forward to watching both telecasts of the game tonight (flipping back and forth on DVR mode) just to see the difference in play-by-play/color between douche and douchier versus Len & JD. Hopefully the Cubs can win and there's something controversial so douchier can go into full meltdown mode.

[BeerHere]

Despite both teams not being very good, I look forward to watching both telecasts of the game tonight (flipping back and forth on DVR mode) just to see the difference in play-by-play/color between douche and douchier versus Len & JD. Hopefully the Cubs can win and there's something controversial so douchier can go into full meltdown mode.

I listened to the Sox broadcast for a few innings before I realized that Len and JD were on a different channel with Dish Network. Hawk and Steve are brutal. It drove me crazy when every run that was scored by the Cubs was due to a miscue from the Sox rather than a quality AB, good baserunning, or whatever. Garza wasn't pitching well, the Sox hitters weren't being patient, or were expanding the zone or the home plate ump made a bad call etc. They give zero credit to the opponent. I can't remember the exact topic and it is important to make my point so sorry, but.... they were discussing something about front offices or traveling or something like that and Stoney asked Hawk his opinion about something and Hawk made a point to take a jab at Sabermetrics - "Well you have so many people in the front office these days that are Sabermatricians". The thing that made me laugh is that the topic had nothing to do with Sabermetrics, yet he dragged that in to make his point. Do sox fans realize how much of a homer this guy really is? Seriously, he is just horrible. The constant "Hawkisms" defy explanation. What the hell does "Hang Wiff Um" even mean?

[Sammy Sofa]

The least of Hawk's problems is that he's a homer.

[XZero771679666304]

The least of Hawk's problems is that he's a homer.

 

The fact that he's a brain dead troglodyte is more an issue, I think.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yuuuuuuuup. In theory I love that he's so vocal and unrepentant in his hatred for bad umps and shitty calls in the middle of all of his blind homerism...it's just that he sounds like such a [expletive] moron doing it.

[TruffleShuffle]

Yuuuuuuuup. In theory I love that he's so vocal and unrepentant in his hatred for bad umps and [expletive] calls in the middle of all of his blind homerism...it's just that he sounds like such a [expletive] moron doing it.

 

also that he goes completely overboard bashing an umpire for a bad call that goes against the white sox, but is practically effusive with praise when the bad call favors them.

[Outshined_One]

Yuuuuuuuup. In theory I love that he's so vocal and unrepentant in his hatred for bad umps and [expletive] calls in the middle of all of his blind homerism...it's just that he sounds like such a [expletive] moron doing it.

 

also that he goes completely overboard bashing an umpire for a bad call that goes against the white sox, but is practically effusive with praise when the bad call favors them.

 

YOU'RE DAGGUM RIGHT WE'RE PLAYING THIS GAME UNDER PROTEST!

[rocket]

Yuuuuuuuup. In theory I love that he's so vocal and unrepentant in his hatred for bad umps and [expletive] calls in the middle of all of his blind homerism...it's just that he sounds like such a [expletive] moron doing it.

 

also that he goes completely overboard bashing an umpire for a bad call that goes against the white sox, but is practically effusive with praise when the bad call favors them.

 

YOU'RE DAGGUM RIGHT WE'RE PLAYING THIS GAME UNDER PROTEST!

 

HA. mlb network had the white sox broadcast of their game vs. the tigers this afternoon, and after the tigers pitcher got ejected for throwing behind alexei, hawk calmly stated "yeah he probably shouldn't have ejected him, but the umpire has every right to eject someone for throwing intentionally at a batter." it was a pretty stark contrast to whenever a sox pitcher gets ejected for throwing at a batter.

[PackLandVA]

Just a few minutes ago, Hawk and Steve were discussing Peavy. Hawk said, and I quote, "The only thing that counts, it's not ERA. It's Ws." Steve countered with, "Personal and Team Ws".

 

Go figure. Not a peep about TWTW, though.

[SpongeWorthy]

Who was hoping for a New York Times article on Hawk and TWTW?

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/30/sports/baseball/for-baseball-broadcaster-numbers-arent-the-story.html?hp&_r=0

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

Harrelson, in his 38th year of broadcasting and 28th with the White Sox, is many things, perhaps none more than an obnoxious ignoramus.

 

Well said.

[Sammy Sofa]

“Look down there at a guy like Gordon Beckham,” he said, peering down at the White Sox’ second baseman. “If you got someone who gets a chance to take him out on a double play — like me — I’m not going to take him out, I’m going to take him out into left field.

 

“So if the shortstop bobbles the ball, and I have a chance to get him, he knows that. Gordon will get busted and he’ll take the hit. There’s no number to define that in a player.”

 

Whut.

 

Plus it took me three passes to even figure out what the [expletive] he was saying. You'd think someone who has a job where they broadcast things to people wouldn't be this horrible at talking.

[TruffleShuffle]

Ken Harrelson was sitting in the television booth at U.S. Cellular Field last week before the Chicago White Sox hosted the Kansas City Royals when he broke into the story of how he would like to die. Harrelson, who goes by the nickname the Hawk, said he would be calling a White Sox game against the Yankees and Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko would step to the plate against C. C. Sabathia.

Bats

 

“Here’s the pitch,” Harrelson, 71, said, his voice rising. “That ball hit deep, way back. Curtis Granderson looks up, you can put it on the board — ”

 

Before he finished his signature call, Harrelson slumped in his chair and dropped his head, feigning his perfect ending.

 

“I want to die in the booth,” he said. “Just like that.”

 

interestingly enough, many viewers also fantasize about hawk dying during a broadcast.