Stoney on The Score

[CubfaninCA]

LOL. You guys are relentless. I'm sure all you guys were better hitters than Baker. The kid came up from Double A, not Triple A. Maybe Baker can get him in there against Carpenter, Morris, Clemens and Oswalt in the next week and get him an 0-16 and set the guy back a year or two.

 

Being a great hitter doesn't mean you will be a great hitting instructor. Dusty's prowess as a MLB player and his ability to assess and instruct can be mutually exclusive things. Dusty was a good hitter so he automatically knows what's best for Murton? BS.

 

It's like that in all facets of life. For example, I have met awesome golfers who couldn't teach you a thing about how to swing a club effectively. I knew awesome mathematicians who couldn't help me at all with my math. I am a pretty damn good writer, but I have a hard time imparting writing knowledge on to students I tutor.

 

The notion that if two people are analysts/managers and the one who has had success as a player automatically has more insight is a total and utter crock.

 

The Cubs are one of the best slugging teams in the NL, and Baker's the same guy who managed Bonds. I don't like Baker, mostly due to his incredible stubbornness and constantly changing lineups. However, he's not as bad as some on this board say. He probably knows a lot more about hitting than many of the armchair coaches on this board, who probably never got past high school ball.

 

Bonds was great before Baker got anywhere near him. Slugging is great, but what about the other facets of hitting? We have a poor and inconsistent offense.

 

And Dusty's faux concern over R/L matchups is very transparent. It is funny how his view of it changes depending on the experience of the player. Remember how eager he was to pull Dubois when a RHP came in, but ver did the same to Holla when a LHP came in? Or today when Mercker came in to fave Burnitz while Murton watched. There is zero reason to think his keeping Murton away from RHP is anything other than an excuse to play his pet vets. Matt hit RHP and LHP with equal effectiveness in AA, so there's not reason to expect him to be suddenly traumatized by them now. There is no better time to see what Matt can do than the present.

 

As I pointed out in another thread, the Braves brought Francouer up from AA at the same time as Murton was brought up, and he has had more AB's against RHP than LHP. And Bobby Cox sure knows a heck of alot more about winning and successfully managing a team than Dusty ever will.

 

But since Dusty was a good hitter, he must know more about it than Bobby, huh?

 

Is the Francoeur/Murton comparison a fair one??

 

I'll say this about the Cub minor league system. The well has ran kinda dry. There hasn't been much since Z and Prior. Who's the primary scout now?? My guess is that Atlanta's scouting system is light years ahead of the Cubs.

[CubfaninCA]

So lets see one.

 

Have you read this thread??

[imb]

Yeah. I have.

 

I notice you still haven't pointed one out. Should I stop waiting?

[CubfaninCA]

Yeah. I have.

 

I notice you still haven't pointed one out. Should I stop waiting?

 

Reading comprehension is a skill my friend. :)

 

There probably are some on this board that do know more than Baker about hitting. However, some of the criticism of Baker just gets out of hand and tiresome at times.

[imb]

Yeah. I have.

 

I notice you still haven't pointed one out. Should I stop waiting?

 

Reading comprehension is a skill my friend. :)

 

There probably are some on this board that do know more than Baker about hitting. However, some of the criticism of Baker just gets out of hand and tiresome at times.

 

Don't talk to me about reading comprehension. Actually, dont talk to me until you can point out a post like you described. Or until you admit that you pulled that out of no where.

[CubbieRich]

Let's be honest...this team is not going anywhere and there is plenty of blame to go around. Dusty is a very confusing manager, he doesn't appear to be a very creative or good bench manager. His moves are predictable and by the book. Here are a few words for thought:

 

What good is having a leadoff man with speed, if you are not going to let him steal with Lee and Rameriz coming up?(If not, put Walker there.)

 

If a RH batter can not hit RH pitching, he does not belong in the majors. (Let Murton play against all pitching and see what he can do.)

 

What kind of relationship does Larry Rothschild have with Dusty and does he make pitching change decisions? (I feel that he was thrust upon Dusty like Buddy Ryan was thrust on Ditka.)

 

I'm waiting for the farm system to pay off next year. I hope we have a manager who will play the kids.

 

While the discussion about other analysts and ballplayers turned announcers and coaches is nice..it doesn't change the fact that Stoney knows what he is talking about. Dusty was a good hitter, Charlie Lau was not.

[gus_dog]

You guys are too hard on Baker, IMO.

 

I get frustrated with him too, but..., nobody can make chicken salad out of chicken feces (well, there's another word for that saying, but it is vulgar). Suffice to say that this team is simply not good enough, and it wouldn't matter if Baker was Harry Potter. JMHO. I felt that way at the beginning of the year, and nothing has happened to change my opinion. I figured that they would have to have everything go right for them to make the post season, and everything did not go right.

 

I would, however, like to see the kids play, since the Cubbies are out of it.

 

So, we can only hope that Hendry shares our thoughts and give Baker the word to do so.

[biittner77]

Baker has the perfect excuse to start playing Murton with the losing streak. He could say "I'm making a change to shake things up" and would look like a genius if it worked and suffer little criticism if it didn't.

 

Unfortunately, teams don't think the way we do. Baker doesn't believe they're out of it or more accurately he can't publicly admit that they're out of it. Baker knows that he will be judged first and foremost by the number of games he wins. There's no asterisk for "yeah, they lost the game but at least they gave the young guys a chance".

 

After the Sept. callups arrive we might see some of the younger players get the occasional start but don't look for it anytime soon. This is not even a criticism of Baker necessarily. Just about every manager on a team that was expected to win would do the same thing.

[Satch80]

I listened to the Stone interview and frankly, I felt he was dead on target. I also didn't feel he was grinding an ax or retaliative. I felt he was simply telling it as is.

 

I know some resent Stone for various reasons and how they interpret his comments are colored by this. And I can understand somewhat. Stone can be extremely arrogant which at times is grating. But I have always been able to block out the personality and absorb his wisdom. And he does have a lot.

 

About Dusty

When questioned about Dusty's toothpick, laid back demeanor his response was on target. I will paraphrase.

Demeanor is about style, not substance. It has nothing to do with a team's performance.

But when players consistently fail to execute the most fundamental plays in baseball, it is about substance and is a reflection of the manager.

He mentioned Cox pulling Andruw Jones for loafing on a play and Ozzie doing the same with Uribe.

No..Dusty doesn't make the mistakes in the field but someone has to hold the players accountable for lack of focus and that person is the manager.

We haven't seen it. And if it's been behind closed doors, it hasn't worked.

 

About Aramis

Stone did not bring up Aramis, the interviewer did, asking him about Aramis dogging it.

Stone clearly stated that he would give Aramis a pass because to him he looked injured.

Brenley is the one who has ragged on Aramis, not Stone.

 

About Murton

Realistically, even though I love the guy, I think Stone is right. Murton does not show the tools of a corner outfielder as yet. He has not shown power, great defense, great arm or speed....yet. He concluded with "I hope I'm wrong". I hope we're both wrong because I don't see it either....yet.

 

About Z

When asked about Z bailing out in the third, back problem, his comment was pretty much what many of us wondered. Why would he have attempted a drag bunt, a very physical exercise, with a bad back. Why not save your energies for pitching?

But in the end, Stone, myself and probably most others are willing to accept his word. If he says his back hurts, it hurts.

 

I for one am glad that someone with credibility like Stone is calling out this pathetic excuse for players performance and manager and that he has an ESPN forum from which to operate. Maybe it will embarrass the front office, manager, players or someone enough to change this horror show called the Cubs that has been playing daily. I know I'm ready for it.