8/27 Cubs (Turner) @ Reds (Latos) 6:10 pm CT CSN

[dcvalpo]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

No, he's had a couple of genuinely bad mistakes that have been blown to be "recurring issues" when 9 times out of 10 it's him doing something every other player will do. He [expletive] up bad tonight (watching the hit, but also stupidly charging that Hamilton grounder), but he gets a ton of [expletive] for things that should be complete non-stories and are non-stories with players like Rizzo.

 

Len has seen a lot of Cubs' baseball and he seemed to be pretty exasperated with the recurring issues with Castro. I'm not listening that closely, but Len seems like a pretty smart, fair guy who has seen every at-bat of Starlin's career.

[Agony and Ivy]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

[Guest]

You'll never convince me Frazier and Heisey are not the same person.

[Brian]

so if the gun is so hot, is Chapman going to be hitting 105?

[Sammy Sofa]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

 

How many games has it cost them again?

 

And why don't Rizzo's defensive and baserunning lapses count as much? (And yes, I know you pointed out that he wouldn't get the same crap)

 

It's sadly a narrative that will dog Castro for the rest of his career. Even if he never did something like staring at his hit tonight again he'd still get too much [expletive] thrown at him for minor mistakes every player makes. That's where the imbalance comes in.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Sammy Sofa

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

 

I have a feeling your definition of "cost the team a ballgame" is going to be arbitrary, weird, and a moving target.

[Agony and Ivy]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

Fine.

 

Think of it this way. Every gaffe-prone hispanic player in Chicago is going to get the rep, but a guy like Rizzo (who is a tootblan machine) or Coghlan (who is brutal defensively and has been caught admiring this year too) goes under the radar. That's why the rep is both deserved and created by racism.

 

Ugh, this one cost them a tie game.

 

This is exactly what I was trying to say only more succinct.

[Careless]

Phillips just tagged himself out. That's odd.

[Guest]

Rizzo is a TOOTBLAN machine?

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

 

And yet Rizzo doesn't have his head in the game at all times and you never hear about it, let alone hear about it over and over again. I mean, we have heard for how long that Rizzo has Gold Glove potential, and yet he doesn't play defense particularly well... because he is lazy or nonchalant or whatever.

[dcvalpo]

Apples and oranges I guess, but doesn't Cutler have an equally ridiculous reputation with most of the idiots in this town? Not sure I buy the narrative that this is somehow racist.

[Guest]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

 

And yet Rizzo doesn't have his head in the game at all times and you never hear about it, let alone hear about it over and over again. I mean, we have heard for how long that Rizzo has Gold Glove potential, and yet he doesn't play defense particularly well... because he is lazy or nonchalant or whatever.

 

What in God's name??!

[Castros trade value]

@thekapman This game should be tied! Sit Castro down and send a message Rick Renteria!!

#Whatkindofbaseballdoyouplay

 

So there's that.

[Sammy Sofa]

This fight they're showing is a perfect example; I highly doubt the narrative would be nearly as praising if Castro had been the instigator as opposed to Rizzo.

[davell]

Brett mentioned it and I agree, but after what he's fine through the last week, it's hard to get too mad about it.

[Brian]

latinos and diabetics are equally despised in this town

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Apples and oranges I guess, but doesn't Cutler have an equally ridiculous reputation with most of the idiots in this town? Not sure I buy the narrative that this is somehow racist.

 

Different narrative.

 

Castro falls under "brown people are lazy and rely on natural ability"

 

Cutler falls under "A QB's play is irrelevant, what matters is that he's a winny winner who wills his team to win with his inherent winningness."

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Castro has earned the rep man. Earned it. That's why it's a story. And I love the guy.

 

That doesn't make it not racist.

 

The narrative can be racist on some level locally because I believe if it had been Rizzo you wouldn't read about it tomorrow but JD would've still gotten on him. However, Castro has had too many instances where his mental lapses have cost his team and lost games. And guess what? That's not because he is brown, that's because he doesn't keep his head in the game at all times. Other players have issues with that too, but it doesn't seem to show up in situations that directly cost teams ballgames. He has earned the reputation and it's easy to keep it when it happens on a regular basis. I still think he's a stud and I love his game, but those little plays right there need to go away and that has nothing to do with skin color.

 

And yet Rizzo doesn't have his head in the game at all times and you never hear about it, let alone hear about it over and over again. I mean, we have heard for how long that Rizzo has Gold Glove potential, and yet he doesn't play defense particularly well... because he is lazy or nonchalant or whatever.

 

What in God's name??!

 

I mean, he's pretty good. But far from awesome. And I think a lot has to do with plays where he spaces out.

[Sammy Sofa]

Al Contra getting it started.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Rizzo is a TOOTBLAN machine?

I have no idea what this is, but I like it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

 

What in God's name??!

 

I'll bet you seven NSBBucks that he looked at his defensive WAR on Fangraphs.

[dcvalpo]

I mean, he's pretty good. But far from awesome. And I think a lot has to do with plays where he spaces out.

 

*crickets*

[Guest]

"yay the tying run is coming up"

 

"oh, it's Valaika/Szczur/Coghlan against Chapman"

[Guest]

 

I mean, he's pretty good. But far from awesome. And I think a lot has to do with plays where he spaces out.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=1b&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2014&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=20,d

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Rizzo is a TOOTBLAN machine?

 

Tied for the team lead in OOB this year, ran away with the team lead last year, one short of the team lead in 2012 despite playing half the year.