WTF Maddon

[BigSlick]

All I ask out of a manager is to break from manager orthodoxies and to be as flexible as possible. Maddon has done that with flying colors, though sometimes in a delayed manner. He's not been perfect with the bullpen (no manager is) and its a tightrope between staying loyal and hoping for players to pitch out of funks and being too kneejerk and pulling and switching too soon (both in game, and as to what roles the pitcher fills). He's probably been a little too loyal (Motte, Soriano) but has never let that crash the team for too long.

 

Aside from that, lineups are fine (and batting the pitcher 8th is apparently marginally better over the long by a very slim margin) he's kept bunts to a minimum, they're one of the best baserunning teams in the league, and he's been creative getting deserving talented players into the lineup with Schwarber and Coghlan.

 

On the whole that's extremely difficult to quantify (and its laughable anyone would want to equate that to 20 wins) but he's been more than satisfactory.

[Guest]

I love Maddon, and I'm extremely happy to have him, but I'm really annoyed at the moment at just how much credit he's getting.

 

It's like...idiots who didn't think this team would be good in 2015 need to excuse away their wrongness, so now Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins.

 

Some dude just wrote into the score saying he used to think manager impact was overrated but this year he is convinced they have won 20 games they shouldn't have because of Maddon.

 

EDIT - And then a caller calls in to say that's crazy, and Holmes is like "well, 20 is a LITTLE high"

 

You're annoyed because talk radio meatballs are being too irrational about their happiness about what this team (and manager) has done this year? That's weird. You almost have to be looking for something to be annoyed about if that's annoying you.

 

yes i was annoyed at the conversation i was listening to at that very moment. how is that weird?

 

if bernstein was on, he would've ripped the [expletive] out of that guy. and he loves maddon too.

[imb]

I love Maddon, and I'm extremely happy to have him, but I'm really annoyed at the moment at just how much credit he's getting.

 

It's like...idiots who didn't think this team would be good in 2015 need to excuse away their wrongness, so now Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins.

 

Some dude just wrote into the score saying he used to think manager impact was overrated but this year he is convinced they have won 20 games they shouldn't have because of Maddon.

 

EDIT - And then a caller calls in to say that's crazy, and Holmes is like "well, 20 is a LITTLE high"

 

You're annoyed because talk radio meatballs are being too irrational about their happiness about what this team (and manager) has done this year? That's weird. You almost have to be looking for something to be annoyed about if that's annoying you.

 

yeah if a guy who roots for the same team as you gives a little too much credit to a coach you like, just like shrug it off. i can't imagine even being the slightest bit annoyed by that

[Banedon]

I love Maddon, and I'm extremely happy to have him, but I'm really annoyed at the moment at just how much credit he's getting.

 

It's like...idiots who didn't think this team would be good in 2015 need to excuse away their wrongness, so now Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins.

 

Some dude just wrote into the score saying he used to think manager impact was overrated but this year he is convinced they have won 20 games they shouldn't have because of Maddon.

 

EDIT - And then a caller calls in to say that's crazy, and Holmes is like "well, 20 is a LITTLE high"

 

You're annoyed because talk radio meatballs are being too irrational about their happiness about what this team (and manager) has done this year? That's weird. You almost have to be looking for something to be annoyed about if that's annoying you.

 

yes i was annoyed at the conversation i was listening to at that very moment. how is that weird?

 

if bernstein was on, he would've ripped the [expletive] out of that guy. and he loves maddon too.

 

Well that's Bernstein's schtick. Of course he would.

 

It just seems weird to get all "He overestimated the number of wins a manager contributes!" about some talk radio caller that's happy about Maddon. Let the guy be happy.

 

Irrational ranting/negativity I can see being annoying. Over the top happiness? Meh.

[Sammy Sofa]

Better than giving the credit to someone like Darwin Barney or Ryan Theriot or whatever other gritty little [expletive] stain monster they inexplicably thought ruled the team in years past.

[Guest]

I love Maddon, and I'm extremely happy to have him, but I'm really annoyed at the moment at just how much credit he's getting.

 

It's like...idiots who didn't think this team would be good in 2015 need to excuse away their wrongness, so now Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins.

 

Some dude just wrote into the score saying he used to think manager impact was overrated but this year he is convinced they have won 20 games they shouldn't have because of Maddon.

 

EDIT - And then a caller calls in to say that's crazy, and Holmes is like "well, 20 is a LITTLE high"

 

You're annoyed because talk radio meatballs are being too irrational about their happiness about what this team (and manager) has done this year? That's weird. You almost have to be looking for something to be annoyed about if that's annoying you.

 

yeah if a guy who roots for the same team as you gives a little too much credit to a coach you like, just like shrug it off. i can't imagine even being the slightest bit annoyed by that

 

a little too much?

 

20 wins is insanity.

 

i'm annoyed by it because people who knew anything about anything knew this would be a competitive cubs team and now everyone who said they wouldn't be is acting all shocked like "it's a year early" or "it's a bonus year" which drives me nuts. now that they are irrefutably good, maddon is the most valuable manager in the history of the game. that's silly as [expletive].

[Guest]

I love Maddon, and I'm extremely happy to have him, but I'm really annoyed at the moment at just how much credit he's getting.

 

It's like...idiots who didn't think this team would be good in 2015 need to excuse away their wrongness, so now Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins.

 

Some dude just wrote into the score saying he used to think manager impact was overrated but this year he is convinced they have won 20 games they shouldn't have because of Maddon.

 

EDIT - And then a caller calls in to say that's crazy, and Holmes is like "well, 20 is a LITTLE high"

 

You're annoyed because talk radio meatballs are being too irrational about their happiness about what this team (and manager) has done this year? That's weird. You almost have to be looking for something to be annoyed about if that's annoying you.

 

yes i was annoyed at the conversation i was listening to at that very moment. how is that weird?

 

if bernstein was on, he would've ripped the [expletive] out of that guy. and he loves maddon too.

 

Well that's Bernstein's schtick. Of course he would.

 

It just seems weird to get all "He overestimated the number of wins a manager contributes!" about some talk radio caller that's happy about Maddon. Let the guy be happy.

 

Irrational ranting/negativity I can see being annoying. Over the top happiness? Meh.

 

meatballery is gonna annoy me either way. like mojo alluded to, all the theriot love in 07-08 is a great example.

[Banedon]

meatballery is gonna annoy me either way. like mojo alluded to, all the theriot love in 07-08 is a great example.

 

Uh, what? I don't think Mojo was at all equating Maddon and Theriot's praise. He was specifically pointing out how this was different.

[Sammy Sofa]

meatballery is gonna annoy me either way. like mojo alluded to, all the theriot love in 07-08 is a great example.

 

Uh, what? I don't think Mojo was at all equating Maddon and Theriot's praise. He was specifically pointing out how this was different.

 

Yeah; it's still bonkers, but it's at least a step up.

[Banedon]

It's cool. though. Be annoyed with happy radio guy. We all have our things. I just won't join you on this one.

[Guest]

i was just alluding to the fact that mojo brought up theriot

 

the meatballs loving him was annoying even though the team and everything was good

Edited August 21, 2015 by David

[imb]

lmao

[Guest]

i didn't realize being annoyed by meatballs only made sense when they were meatballs against good players or whatever

 

what is so odd or funny about what i'm saying? stupid sports takes annoy me whether they are positive or negative. i thought that was a pretty common affliction here.

 

it's not like it's ruining my day or something. a dumb conversation annoyed me at the moment it happened and i posted about it.

[ConstableRabbit]

I don't know how you guys can even listen to sports talk radio. 99% of it is meatbally drivel and personality pontification. Why not just turn on a Pandora station or something?

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't know how you guys can even listen to sports talk radio. 99% of it is meatbally drivel and personality pontification. Why not just turn on a Pandora station or something?

 

Worrrrrrrrrrrrrd.

[davell]

I wish there was a way to actually know. I didn't think there was anything actually WRONG with Renteria. But do I think we'd be where we currently are with him instead of Joe? Nah, I honestly don't. 20 games is insanity, but if we hadn't gotten off to a solid start, it's possible we wouldn't have burned a year on Schwarber, for instance. In-game he's solid. Probably as good as anyone I remember managing us. I think I like the lineup construction as much or probably more than anyone else. The unquantifiable stuff counts for SOMETHING, but I have no idea how to do it. Nor if it'd have taken effect so early in the season that it helped shape some of what's happened post ASB.

 

At any rate, certainly happy as hell we've got him.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I can see why David is upset about this. It is one of the instances that upsets me the most about meatballery. Meatballs have to have everything wrapped up in this weird false narrative. For instance: "This isn't our year. This year is about getting the young players experience. And we will finish .500. And then next year we can compete for the playoffs, and hopefully get some playoff experience. And once we get playoff experience, then we can win a World Series the following year."

 

With that narrative out of the window, now the rationalization for us being good is because Joe Maddon is worth 20 wins? No, you big, sweaty meatball, it's because we are [expletive] good. You don't have to go through some metaphysical transformation from bad team to champion. We are good now because #wearegood. And we were bad because we were bad.

[Guest]

I can see why David is upset about this. It is one of the instances that upsets me the most about meatballery. Meatballs have to have everything wrapped up in this weird false narrative. For instance: "This isn't our year. This year is about getting the young players experience. And we will finish .500. And then next year we can compete for the playoffs, and hopefully get some playoff experience. And once we get playoff experience, then we can win a World Series the following year."

 

yes that's exactly it

 

even when things never ever fit those silly ass narratives, people are always looking for them

[Guest]

i mean FFS i've gotten annoyed at much pettier things than this. this [expletive] is small potatoes.

 

don't even get me started on my coworker who refuses to install adblock and we have to sit through a commercial every time i send him a youtube link to watch.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I can see why David is upset about this. It is one of the instances that upsets me the most about meatballery. Meatballs have to have everything wrapped up in this weird false narrative. For instance: "This isn't our year. This year is about getting the young players experience. And we will finish .500. And then next year we can compete for the playoffs, and hopefully get some playoff experience. And once we get playoff experience, then we can win a World Series the following year."

 

yes that's exactly it

 

even when things never ever fit those silly ass narratives, people are always looking for them

 

Yeah, the whole narrative thing is what pisses me off the most about meatballery. I can sit there and listen to meatballs talk about thing like TWTW and grittiness and whatnot, and it doesn't really bother me anymore. But, when they start feeding me some narrative [expletive], like they know why things happen they way that they happen, I have a hard time not raging. Lots of teeth grinding when I hear stuff about how certain teams "just aren't ready" and how it's more difficult to beat teams that have "been there before." No, you [expletive] moron, the teams that have been there before are tougher to beat because they are usually loaded with very good players. That's why they've been there before. Not everything happens for a reason. There doesn't have to be a Jordan-over-the-Pistons moment to suddenly transform a team into a championship caliber squad.

[Guest]

I can see why David is upset about this. It is one of the instances that upsets me the most about meatballery. Meatballs have to have everything wrapped up in this weird false narrative. For instance: "This isn't our year. This year is about getting the young players experience. And we will finish .500. And then next year we can compete for the playoffs, and hopefully get some playoff experience. And once we get playoff experience, then we can win a World Series the following year."

 

yes that's exactly it

 

even when things never ever fit those silly ass narratives, people are always looking for them

 

Yeah, the whole narrative thing is what pisses me off the most about meatballery. I can sit there and listen to meatballs talk about thing like TWTW and grittiness and whatnot, and it doesn't really bother me anymore. But, when they start feeding me some narrative [expletive], like they know why things happen they way that they happen, I have a hard time not raging. Lots of teeth grinding when I hear stuff about how certain teams "just aren't ready" and how it's more difficult to beat teams that have "been there before." No, you [expletive] moron, the teams that have been there before are tougher to beat because they are usually loaded with very good players. That's why they've been there before. Not everything happens for a reason. There doesn't have to be a Jordan-over-the-Pistons moment to suddenly transform a team into a championship caliber squad.

and that type of nonsense is constantly being proven wrong by reality and they are just oblivious

[SouthSideRyan]

I'm consistently in awe of how much sports radio some of you listen to.

[Sammy Sofa]

I want more super positive meatballs. Find me a guy who just knew that Soriano was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, or that he can't be convinced that Aramis Ramirez wasn't the swiftest, most defensively gifted player he ever saw. I want to party with that guy.

[seanimal]

I'm consistently in awe of how much sports radio some of you listen to.

 

seriously, it's [expletive] unlistenable

[Proven Veteran]

I want more super positive meatballs. Find me a guy who just knew that Soriano was the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, or that he can't be convinced that Aramis Ramirez wasn't the swiftest, most defensively gifted player he ever saw. I want to party with that guy.

 

I don't know if those count as meatballs, I feel that needs its own term.