WTF Maddon

[Sammy Sofa]

Doughboys.

[mul21]

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.

 

Cardinals fans

[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.

Irrationality doesn't fit within his programming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're still doing those jokes, right?

[Banedon]

I'm disappointed in Maddon's stance on this foul ball issue. Saying that people need to pay more attention. It's just not realistic, and puts the blame on the victim.

[apete6]

I'm disappointed in Maddon's stance on this foul ball issue. Saying that people need to pay more attention. It's just not realistic, and puts the blame on the victim.

 

Completely agree. For an otherwise intelligent-sounding and courteous guy, he comes off like a real meathead on this. Just say "screens would help, but until MLB makes them a mandate, people need to make sure they're paying attention" instead of the victim blaming he's doing right now. It's strange.

[badger1679666666]

What's he supposed to say? "Schwarbs shouldn't hit mansize rockets into the crowd"? People need to pay attention AND screens should be added. But until they are, the onus for not getting hurt is on us. HE can't change MLB's policy on that.

[ARCubsFan]

You definitely have to pay attention when you're sitting that close but there's no way to prevent a screaming line drive from hurting you even if you are.

[Banedon]

What's he supposed to say? "Schwarbs shouldn't hit mansize rockets into the crowd"? People need to pay attention AND screens should be added. But until they are, the onus for not getting hurt is on us. HE can't change MLB's policy on that.

 

No, he's supposed to say that we need to do whatever is necessary to protect the fans that are there to watch the game. There's easy soundbytes to not sound like he's being callous about some lady that got brained by a screaming line drive.

 

Screens/netting is the easy solution here.

[Sammy Sofa]

People should pay attention, but each team is actively trying to draw your attention elsewhere all throughout the game.

[Cubswin11]

What's he supposed to say? "Schwarbs shouldn't hit mansize rockets into the crowd"? People need to pay attention AND screens should be added. But until they are, the onus for not getting hurt is on us. HE can't change MLB's policy on that.

Yes, if only kids and people who have no ability to react/catch/get out of the way of a ball paid more attention they would avoid injury all together from balls coming at them at 100+ MPH. Jesus christ. He should be saying it needs to be changed/fixed now and we can't expect fans to have the ability to avoid injury even if they are paying 100% attention at all times.

 

MLB players often times have a hard time fielding a screaming line drive at them when they are completely ready and have the play in front of them. It's ridiculous to think fans, even if they are paying attention, all have the ability to catch or get out of the way of a hard hit ball at them when they are often times as close if not closer than the players and have a worse angle to see the whole thing.

Edited August 25, 2015 by Cubswin11

[Banedon]

People should pay attention, but each team is actively trying to draw your attention elsewhere all throughout the game.

 

Yeah...and I mean, Joe has no real influence on a solution here. I just think a lot of him and expected a more bit more nuanced thought on the topic. That's all.

[badger1679666666]

I'm not saying it's the fans fault, I said screens need to be added. But I also can see why Maddon would encourage that because it's literally the only thing that fans have power over doing in the short term. There aren't any screens coming up in the next two months. Im not even saying that paying more close attention would save every fan. But it is the only thing we actually have immediate power/agency over. It almost seemed like advice based in resignation the way he said it. It def didn't have a victim-blaming feel.

 

Obv. the screens need to be added. And I thought he was basically advising on what to do until that happens, but maybe I'm mis-remembering that quote.

Edited August 25, 2015 by badger

[Sammy Sofa]

People should pay attention, but each team is actively trying to draw your attention elsewhere all throughout the game.

 

Yeah...and I mean, Joe has no real influence on a solution here. I just think a lot of him and expected a more bit more nuanced thought on the topic. That's all.

 

Right; he didn't say anything especially terrible, but it was just kind of thoughtless when the person knocked out could easily have had zero chance to not get hit even if they were paying attention when something is hit that hard and that fast.

 

As the foul ball areas keep shrinking, teams are inevitably going to have to put up screens.

[Banedon]

I'm not saying it's the fans fault, I said screens need to be added. But I also can see why Maddon would encourage that because it's literally the only thing that fans have power over doing in the short term. There aren't any screens coming up in the next two months. Im not even saying that paying more close attention would save every fan. But it is the only thing we actually have immediate power/agency over. It almost seemed like advice based in resignation the way he said it. It def didn't have a victim-blaming feel.

 

Obv. the screens need to be added. And I thought he was basically advising on what to do until that happens, but maybe I'm mis-remembering that quote.

 

Apparently he doubled down on it again today on the radio, although I admit, I didn't hear it myself.

[Guest]

I'm disappointed in Maddon's stance on this foul ball issue. Saying that people need to pay more attention. It's just not realistic, and puts the blame on the victim.

 

Completely agree. For an otherwise intelligent-sounding and courteous guy, he comes off like a real meathead on this. Just say "screens would help, but until MLB makes them a mandate, people need to make sure they're paying attention" instead of the victim blaming he's doing right now. It's strange.

At least philosophically, Maddon is a real meathead when it comes to personal responsibility.

[Wilson A2000]

Dan Bernstein pointed out that Schwarber has the second highest velocity on his hits in MLB this year. The fan who got hit has 0.7 seconds to respond - even if you are paying attention you have little chance to get out of the way. Maddon is way off.