Steve Stone article/interview

[Electron Blue]

SI.com

 

A pretty good read, I thought. I'm surprised no one posted this yet - I'm sorry if someone did and I missed it.

 

I thought Stone's version of the Dusty/Broadcaster feud of last year was interesting:

 

Stone: That was a terrible, horrible game and put things over the top for me with No. 12 [baker's number]. He left Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn and I said before the fact, "I don't think you can leave Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn. Not only is Dunn 5-for-6 lifetime against Remlinger, Remlinger is about 100 points worse against right-handers. Well, Dusty leaves him in and boom there is a base hit.

 

Now, he brings in Farnsworth. So I say, "Well someone is going to have to go out there and tell Farnsworth that though Adam Dunn has five stolen bases all year, this is when he steals bases." Nobody goes out and talks to Farnsworth. He threw ball one, didn't use a side step and Dunn steals second. I say "now the bright side to this stolen base is you can take Javier Valentin who is a switch hitter, hitting only .119 from the right side and you can put him on first and face Sanderson Machado who hasn't hit the ball out of the infield all day." So the Cubs elect to pitch to Javier Valentin, he doubles off the wall and the Reds win the game. I laid out the inning exactly as it was going to happen before the fact.

 

After the game I questioned Dusty about the ninth inning and he was quite upset with it. Had I not made my observations during the game I would never have second-guessed him, but I feel if I have already made the statements it is absolutely within bounds. I admit that I don't know the ins and outs of what is going on like a manager does but ...

[Derwood]

In a way, I understand Baker being upset about it (since Stone has a different perspective during the game), but really, Stone was right (and usually was right about analyzing those in-game situations)

[erik316wttn]

In a way, I understand Baker being upset about it (since Stone has a different perspective during the game), but really, Stone was right (and usually was right about analyzing those in-game situations)

 

I'll say forever that Stone was one of the smartest baseball men I've ever heard. I miss him in the booth.

 

At least when he left for 2 years, there was a chance of him coming back. Now, I very highly doubt I'll hear him in the booth for the Cubs ever again.

[RynoRules]

Nevermind in the booth - how about chewing on a toothpick, wearing wristbands and managing in blue pinstripes.

[Electron Blue]

Nevermind in the booth - how about chewing on a toothpick, wearing wristbands and managing in blue pinstripes.

 

I don't know why, but I just have a feeling that Stone really would make a great manager.

[Flames24Rulz]

In a way, I understand Baker being upset about it (since Stone has a different perspective during the game), but really, Stone was right (and usually was right about analyzing those in-game situations)

 

I'll say forever that Stone was one of the smartest baseball men I've ever heard. I miss him in the booth.

 

At least when he left for 2 years, there was a chance of him coming back. Now, I very highly doubt I'll hear him in the booth for the Cubs ever again.

 

i think he'll come back...once Baker and Hendry are both gone from the organization.

[Electron Blue]

In a way, I understand Baker being upset about it (since Stone has a different perspective during the game), but really, Stone was right (and usually was right about analyzing those in-game situations)

 

I'll say forever that Stone was one of the smartest baseball men I've ever heard. I miss him in the booth.

 

At least when he left for 2 years, there was a chance of him coming back. Now, I very highly doubt I'll hear him in the booth for the Cubs ever again.

 

i think he'll come back...once Baker and Hendry are both gone from the organization.

 

My understannding was that the feud was mostly Baker and Stone, with Hendry just trying to play Peacemaker (albeit poorly). Perhaps Baker and the Cubs part after this year, Brenly gets sent to the dugout, and Stone returns . . .

[transplanted_suburbanite]

Even worrying about what the announcers said over anything else relating to your job is a pretty dumb/egotistical thing to do. Sadly, I don't think it ends at Baker... the train of thought pretty much runs through the entire organization.

[cjbucks]

SI.com

 

A pretty good read, I thought. I'm surprised no one posted this yet - I'm sorry if someone did and I missed it.

 

I thought Stone's version of the Dusty/Broadcaster feud of last year was interesting:

 

Stone: That was a terrible, horrible game and put things over the top for me with No. 12 [baker's number]. He left Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn and I said before the fact, "I don't think you can leave Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn. Not only is Dunn 5-for-6 lifetime against Remlinger, Remlinger is about 100 points worse against right-handers. Well, Dusty leaves him in and boom there is a base hit.

 

Now, he brings in Farnsworth. So I say, "Well someone is going to have to go out there and tell Farnsworth that though Adam Dunn has five stolen bases all year, this is when he steals bases." Nobody goes out and talks to Farnsworth. He threw ball one, didn't use a side step and Dunn steals second. I say "now the bright side to this stolen base is you can take Javier Valentin who is a switch hitter, hitting only .119 from the right side and you can put him on first and face Sanderson Machado who hasn't hit the ball out of the infield all day." So the Cubs elect to pitch to Javier Valentin, he doubles off the wall and the Reds win the game. I laid out the inning exactly as it was going to happen before the fact.

 

After the game I questioned Dusty about the ninth inning and he was quite upset with it. Had I not made my observations during the game I would never have second-guessed him, but I feel if I have already made the statements it is absolutely within bounds. I admit that I don't know the ins and outs of what is going on like a manager does but ...

 

Is Remlinger really worse against right handers and what does that have to do with Adam Dunn??

[Tracer Bullet]

SI.com

 

A pretty good read, I thought. I'm surprised no one posted this yet - I'm sorry if someone did and I missed it.

 

I thought Stone's version of the Dusty/Broadcaster feud of last year was interesting:

 

Stone: That was a terrible, horrible game and put things over the top for me with No. 12 [baker's number]. He left Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn and I said before the fact, "I don't think you can leave Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn. Not only is Dunn 5-for-6 lifetime against Remlinger, Remlinger is about 100 points worse against right-handers. Well, Dusty leaves him in and boom there is a base hit.

 

Now, he brings in Farnsworth. So I say, "Well someone is going to have to go out there and tell Farnsworth that though Adam Dunn has five stolen bases all year, this is when he steals bases." Nobody goes out and talks to Farnsworth. He threw ball one, didn't use a side step and Dunn steals second. I say "now the bright side to this stolen base is you can take Javier Valentin who is a switch hitter, hitting only .119 from the right side and you can put him on first and face Sanderson Machado who hasn't hit the ball out of the infield all day." So the Cubs elect to pitch to Javier Valentin, he doubles off the wall and the Reds win the game. I laid out the inning exactly as it was going to happen before the fact.

 

After the game I questioned Dusty about the ninth inning and he was quite upset with it. Had I not made my observations during the game I would never have second-guessed him, but I feel if I have already made the statements it is absolutely within bounds. I admit that I don't know the ins and outs of what is going on like a manager does but ...

 

Is Remlinger really worse against right handers and what does that have to do with Adam Dunn??

 

I think that was clearly a mistake (either by Stone or the interviewer). Stone meant to say that Remy is worse against lefties, otherwise it would be A - false, and B - irrelevant w/ Dunn at the plate.

[cjbucks]

SI.com

 

A pretty good read, I thought. I'm surprised no one posted this yet - I'm sorry if someone did and I missed it.

 

I thought Stone's version of the Dusty/Broadcaster feud of last year was interesting:

 

Stone: That was a terrible, horrible game and put things over the top for me with No. 12 [baker's number]. He left Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn and I said before the fact, "I don't think you can leave Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn. Not only is Dunn 5-for-6 lifetime against Remlinger, Remlinger is about 100 points worse against right-handers. Well, Dusty leaves him in and boom there is a base hit.

 

Now, he brings in Farnsworth. So I say, "Well someone is going to have to go out there and tell Farnsworth that though Adam Dunn has five stolen bases all year, this is when he steals bases." Nobody goes out and talks to Farnsworth. He threw ball one, didn't use a side step and Dunn steals second. I say "now the bright side to this stolen base is you can take Javier Valentin who is a switch hitter, hitting only .119 from the right side and you can put him on first and face Sanderson Machado who hasn't hit the ball out of the infield all day." So the Cubs elect to pitch to Javier Valentin, he doubles off the wall and the Reds win the game. I laid out the inning exactly as it was going to happen before the fact.

 

After the game I questioned Dusty about the ninth inning and he was quite upset with it. Had I not made my observations during the game I would never have second-guessed him, but I feel if I have already made the statements it is absolutely within bounds. I admit that I don't know the ins and outs of what is going on like a manager does but ...

 

Is Remlinger really worse against right handers and what does that have to do with Adam Dunn??

 

I think that was clearly a mistake (either by Stone or the interviewer). Stone meant to say that Remy is worse against lefties, otherwise it would be A - false, and B - irrelevant w/ Dunn at the plate.

 

Kinda what I thought. Love the Santoism in your sig - I missed that one!

[BigbadB]

Everyone on both sides of the Mississippi knows Remlinger is horrible against lefties. Everyone except Dusty Baker anyway.

[soapy]

Everyone on both sides of the Mississippi knows Remlinger is horrible against lefties. Everyone except Dusty Baker anyway.

 

Actually, he does know it. He's mentioned that Remmy's better against righties. He just continued to use him against lefties. That's what made it even more frustrating (to me).

[TheDude]

Early in the season, Stone, as an ESPN guy, made the same observation of Remlinger. Dusty again decided to stick with (or bring in, can't recall exactly) Remlinger. Stone, Phillips, and the main play-byplay guy all commented that Dusty's move was counter-intuitive baseball just by looking at Remlinger's splits.

 

The hitter crushed a homerun. Stone sounded a little disgusted (wasn't hiding his disapproval of Dusty's management well).

[ToupeeOnFire]

I can kind of understand Dusty's side to this. I have to admit, if I were a manager, I probably wouldn't be too happy with an announcer coming down after a game to question one of my moves. Of course, that's assuming Stone's questioning could have been construed as second guessing. We all know how thin-skinned Baker can be.

 

Regardless, Stone was every bit in the right to point out Baker's blunder. The problem is, it shouldn't be left to the announcer to point out the obvious. Hendry should have done it a long time ago.

[SeldomSeen]

Early in the season, Stone, as an ESPN guy, made the same observation of Remlinger. Dusty again decided to stick with (or bring in, can't recall exactly) Remlinger. Stone, Phillips, and the main play-byplay guy all commented that Dusty's move was counter-intuitive baseball just by looking at Remlinger's splits.

 

The hitter crushed a homerun. Stone sounded a little disgusted (wasn't hiding his disapproval of Dusty's management well).

 

Larry Walker??? I think this may have been Stone's first Cubs game as an ESPN guy, and man, was he on the money.

[Exile on Waveland]

Early in the season, Stone, as an ESPN guy, made the same observation of Remlinger. Dusty again decided to stick with (or bring in, can't recall exactly) Remlinger. Stone, Phillips, and the main play-byplay guy all commented that Dusty's move was counter-intuitive baseball just by looking at Remlinger's splits.

 

The hitter crushed a homerun. Stone sounded a little disgusted (wasn't hiding his disapproval of Dusty's management well).

 

Larry Walker??? I think this may have been Stone's first Cubs game as an ESPN guy, and man, was he on the money.

 

It was Walker. It was also, I believe, the second Cub-Cardinal game of the season, Thurs. April 21 at Busch.

[Ram1380]

And Baker CONTINUES to let Javier Valentine kill this team from the leftside, on fastballs, late in games.

[scs_paradise]

I can kind of understand Dusty's side to this. I have to admit, if I were a manager, I probably wouldn't be too happy with an announcer coming down after a game to question one of my moves. Of course, that's assuming Stone's questioning could have been construed as second guessing. We all know how thin-skinned Baker can be.

 

Regardless, Stone was every bit in the right to point out Baker's blunder. The problem is, it shouldn't be left to the announcer to point out the obvious. Hendry should have done it a long time ago.

 

It wouldn't bother me as a manager unless I didn't have a real reason why I did it the way I did. I wouldn't mind discussing my decision if I had reasons to back it up...the point we should draw from this is that Dusty doesn't have a clue, that is why he makes bad moves in the first place and why he gets mad when its pointed out.

[PackLandVA]

I loved Stone as the Cubs color guy in the booth. He's incredibly knowledgeable. But I have to say, I'm really tired of the whole Cubs/Stone/Baker saga. Give it a rest Stoney. Your smarter at baseball than Dusty. Must you keep reminding everyone? Let's talk about something else rarely broght up in the national media. How about Bartman? :roll:

[DesMoinesCub]

Is it not the job of the color guy to "second guess" the manager? The job of the play by play guy is to add to the broadcast...add to the stuff the common public doesn't understand. In this case Stoney was questioning the decision of Baker. All of us and Stoney knew Remlinger was not the guy to put in there. If managers, can't take critizism, they are in the wrong job. Hell, even as a High School football coach, I hear things (mostly from my wife who sits in the stands) wondering what I was doing. The thing is, if anyone questions me, I tell them my reason for doing what I did. Most of the time, it makes sense. In Baker's case, he just got upset. Maybe this is why the Chicago media dislikes him.

[nilodnayr]

SI.com

 

A pretty good read, I thought. I'm surprised no one posted this yet - I'm sorry if someone did and I missed it.

 

I thought Stone's version of the Dusty/Broadcaster feud of last year was interesting:

 

Stone: That was a terrible, horrible game and put things over the top for me with No. 12 [baker's number]. He left Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn and I said before the fact, "I don't think you can leave Remlinger in to face Adam Dunn. Not only is Dunn 5-for-6 lifetime against Remlinger, Remlinger is about 100 points worse against right-handers. Well, Dusty leaves him in and boom there is a base hit.

 

Now, he brings in Farnsworth. So I say, "Well someone is going to have to go out there and tell Farnsworth that though Adam Dunn has five stolen bases all year, this is when he steals bases." Nobody goes out and talks to Farnsworth. He threw ball one, didn't use a side step and Dunn steals second. I say "now the bright side to this stolen base is you can take Javier Valentin who is a switch hitter, hitting only .119 from the right side and you can put him on first and face Sanderson Machado who hasn't hit the ball out of the infield all day." So the Cubs elect to pitch to Javier Valentin, he doubles off the wall and the Reds win the game. I laid out the inning exactly as it was going to happen before the fact.

 

After the game I questioned Dusty about the ninth inning and he was quite upset with it. Had I not made my observations during the game I would never have second-guessed him, but I feel if I have already made the statements it is absolutely within bounds. I admit that I don't know the ins and outs of what is going on like a manager does but ...

 

Is Remlinger really worse against right handers and what does that have to do with Adam Dunn??

 

I think that was clearly a mistake (either by Stone or the interviewer). Stone meant to say that Remy is worse against lefties, otherwise it would be A - false, and B - irrelevant w/ Dunn at the plate.

 

And ive never heard of this Sanderson Machado guy...wonder if hes related to Anderson Machado. Thats some quality reporting.