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Caryatid

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Everything posted by Caryatid

  1. Caryatid
    There doesn't need to be a big strategic effort to not go to games because it will have some sort of great economic affect on the team. Its much simpler than that: People go to baseball games to have fun. When the team loses 9-0 and shows no life whatsoever, that's not fun. Therefore, I'm not going to waste my entertainment time on something that's not fun. Simple as that.
  2. Caryatid
    To quote an episode of Seinfeld: "George: Who do you think you are? Jerry: I'm just like you....only successful."
  3. Caryatid
    Those crazy people...negative after losing 14 of 16 games.... Outrageous I know. We should start over...oop oh we can't. I guess forefit the rest of the season because (fill in excuse). Here's the problem with too much optimism: instead of having an honest opinion of the level of talent on the team/in the management, that unbridled optimism makes you think this team is going to turn this around. Then, if they don't, its all too easy to blame intangible things (luck, injuries, etc.), and not look at the root of the problems on the team. Thus, you damn yourself into this perpetual state of denial where every year "things just didn't go our way," and thus no real philosophical change has to be made. Criticizing the team just to criticize is stupid. But I don't think most of the people here criticize for that reason. I think they want to see real institutional change because unless that happens, we're all screwed for a very long time.
  4. Caryatid
    I think the key for Hendry is that the facade of the Ramirez and Lee deals has worn off. It seems to me that this GM needs to make one great deal a year to get enough of a group of people to support his regime. That might be the saddest thing of all-the "masses" don't demand a coherent strategy or long-term approach to building an organization as long as you can point to one or two deals where you fleeced a dumb or hogtied GM
  5. Caryatid
    To quote someone else on these boards, two wrongs don't make a right.
  6. Caryatid
    It seems like every beat reporter (including that Baker suck up Zach Zaidman-couldn't stand listening to him today) seems to believe its a foregone conclusion that Baker will be extended, and that they're just waiting for the right time. Does anyone believe that there can possibly be the right time this year? I can't imagine him getting extended unless they somehow are in contention for the division at some point, which I don't see happening. What's the disconnect between the fan and the sportswriter at this point?
  7. Caryatid
    Why wouldn't they love Baker? Its like having a substitute teacher every day-a guy who isn't going to ask you to do anything, isn't going to hold you to any standards, a guy you can just walk all over whenever you want. Baker is a great protector of his players, but that doesn't mean he's a leader.
  8. Caryatid
    The Cubs went down in the ninth inning on three pitches. Three. Pitches. If that doesn't say they've given up, I don't know what does.
  9. Caryatid
    Having one guy on the roster who might not be great, but can play multiple positions is good because it frees up roster spots for more talented players, as he can fill in in an emergency situation virtually anywhere. Having four guys on the team who do this is pointless, stupid, and defeats the whole purpose of flexibility.
  10. Caryatid
    With fawning columns like this piece of garbage, its fairly obvious why Baker seems to have so much trouble with the slightest bit of prodding. Could this be any more of a "poor Dusty" column? Life must be so hard for him-he's only getting 14 million to guide the team to 5th place. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/10/SPGQDIOVLC1.DTL
  11. Caryatid
    How do you explain the 80's, and early 90's? I don't see the point in using such absolutes. It's not remotely true. i also see the late 90's when no one could beat them And that had a whole lot more to do with their talent evaluation (see homegrown talent such as Rivera, Pettitte, Jeter, et.al.) than it did with their checkbook.
  12. Caryatid
    How 'bout this one: Mark Prior for Lastings Milledge and another Met top 20 prospect.
  13. Caryatid
    But I think firing Baker would probably be bad. I can't stand the guy-I hate most of his decisions. But here's the thing: its not like firing him will change the organizational philosophy. My guess is that Hendry will simply go out and get another crusty, veteran-loving/OBP hating dinosaur who may or may not be liked as much as Baker is by the players. There's nothing to say that Hendry would sign a manager who actually does value OBP, and if he somehow defies the odds and actually hires a person like that, that this manager will have any sway over which players come in. And if the choice is between a manager who players want to come play for (not all that obvious)/sign for less money to stay with (Lee), and a guy who might alienate good players, I guess I have to say "the devil you know." I hate this, because it actually makes the situation that much more hopeless, but I can't see a change in manager really doing much to change the fortunes of this team long-term. I don't know. I hate having this position, so I'm more than willing to hear counterarguments. But, as a fan of this team, I don't know if there's an alternative.
  14. Caryatid
    So they can use that protected draft pick to grab some "toolsy" high school OF who swings at anything within a three foot radius of home plate?
  15. Caryatid
    Seeing as how the team had scored one run in the previous three games before last night with the two in the lineup, I have a hard time believing that the decision to take Murton and Cedeno out of the lineup was the single reason why the Cubs lost last night. It wasn't a good decision, but I can't really put the entire loss on that one decision.
  16. Caryatid
    Then why aren't I in the major leagues? Dang...should have thought about that when I was in school. I think it takes unbelievable talent to be a good hitter, and that's why there are so few. If not "slapping a grounder to second" takes so little talent, then why does anyone ever do it? If a guy isn't good, I doubt he can simply will himself to be a good hitter. Conversely, if a guy has proven to be a good hitter and isn't doing the job, then I'm MORE likely to criticize him because he has the ability to do the job, and is simply not making the necessary adjustments to do well.
  17. Caryatid
    Isn't that simply a product of him not having the talent to alter his approach and be effective? The fact that we see him do the same thing over and over tells me that he probably sees it, too, but can't do anything to change it. By claiming that the problem can be "fixed," you seem to be implying that, with the right mental changes, he can somehow become a good player when in fact, if he's not talented enough, all the attempts to change may not do any good whatsoever. And thus, it falls back on the manager/GM.
  18. Caryatid
    If a guy who has consistently produced has a bad month and therefore shouldn't be blamed, can any player, then, truly be blamed for anything? For example, Perez has been bad this month. But in his career he has always been bad. He is playing to expectations, and therefore cannot be blamed. Ramirez, on the other hand, has played much better than this for the bulk of his career, and, as this is just a bad month, he cannot be blamed either. So is the end result of this that the only people that can ever be included in the blame for a bad season are the GM and manager?
  19. Caryatid
    1. If the excuse is that "Ramirez isn't doing this on purpose," then doesn't that apply to everyone, including Baker, Hendry, and all the standard whipping boys? Trying hard shouldn't be an excuse for anyone. 2. Of course Ramirez shouldn't be blamed for the team's struggles. But he also shouldn't get a pass now because he's done well in previous seasons. This team needs him now, and he's not getting the job done.
  20. Caryatid
    Ramirez's production, relative to what is expected from him, is easily the most disappointing thing. Say what you will about the whipping boys (Perez, Jones, Pierre), but Ramirez is producing as far, if not SIGNIFICANTLY farther, below his career numbers than are any of these other players. Hendry should be blamed for signing the mediocre three mentioned parenthetically above. RAMIREZ, and only Ramirez, should be blamed for his inability to do much of anything right now.
  21. Caryatid
    His getting replaced by Rathburn ought to put all the Chip backers into shame-induced hibernation. Rathburn is total garbage, and Torborg makes Joe Carter look good by comparison. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not say things we can't take back...
  22. Caryatid
    The hatred of Barry Bonds has now expanded to inanimate objects. It was inevitable.
  23. Caryatid
    Has anyone ever read this analysis of Baker and his actions regarding walks? I don't really know what to think about it, but its interesting. Basically, the premise is that Baker said "walks clog bases," but, in fact, players under Baker actually walk more than they do under other managers (even factoring out Barry Bonds). Interesting read, at the least... http://www.all-baseball.com/cubreporter/archives/018087.html
  24. Caryatid
    This is one I'd put on Hendry a lot more than Baker. I get the feeling that Baker likes him, but Hendry doesn't. It seems that, in virtually every quote seen about the guy, that Hendry tends to subtly reject Walker's abilities and focuses on other players (Hairston, Perez), while at the same time, word tends to come from "unnamed sources" that say that Walker's on the block. That reeks of the front office not liking him. I could be wrong, but it just seems to me that Hendry has a real problem with Walker and would prefer if he were gone.
  25. Caryatid
    Hollandsworth over Murton last year.
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