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Are you telling me that by expecting my players to hustle that most would be on the DL at some point during the season? Talk about an idiotic thought process. I can't believe I have to explain on why there's a physical difference between wear and tear on a pitcher's arm and a player hustling. As I mentioned in the next post, someone like Bonds is giving it his best and even someone going thru the pain that he is. I do believe that Bonds is the exception rather than the rule BECAUSE HE IS INJURED. No, the physical breakdown of the arm, shoulder and upper and lower back during an extended pitching outing is not the same as a player hustling on the field. Don't pull that double switch w/me, that crap don't work. That was in regards to Rowand and the potential of injury from increased effort not some injured player people think is loafing out there. Yes, if a player is healthy, I expect him to hustle when he is out there, I expect him to run out every ground ball to the point or pace where he can reach 1B. I expect him to chase fly balls and use his judgement as to whether or not he can make a play of the fly, play it in the corner, or on the ground. Same goes for infielders. There are plenty more examples.

I agree that Bonds is the exception rather than the rule, but there's a diff. between lack of effort and injury risk, even for someone like Bonds and not like Ramirez. I think Bonds gives his all, of course, with the injuries his all doesn't appear as much as others.

No player can typically play for 162 games, it's rare to begin with. I would not expect Ramirez or any player to do that. I would probably rest my position players more often than most currently do when given that luxury. There's a clear separation between how the Cubs' staff was used in '03 and "hustle". That's as obvious as the difference between night and day, when the did the players make the decision of when they take themselves out of the game? When did hustling become a similar tearing down process as pitching? So... Let's see, you'd punish Jones for lack of hustle but not Bonds? That sounds like a certain manager with a veteran preference and what tone does that set for the rest of the club? Nothing short-sighted about wanting to see players hustle and being upset when you don't see it.

http://citypages.com/databank/27/1346/article14727.asp One of my fav. GMs in the game, had the pleasure of meeting him about a month ago as he was there watching the Twins Low-A affiliate. http://citypages.com/databank/27/1346/article14739.asp Interview w/their scouting director.

He was there at Fenway about a month ago as well during the Yankees/Red Sox series aka Boston massacre.

I watch a hell of alot more HS/college games than major league or even minor league games, after this year, it has all blended together.

Despite their recent struggles, I have enjoyed watching the Sox this year. Unfort., they've been playing tight for quite some time.

I was speaking of emotional attachment to the game, not hustle, whatever makes you passionate about the game, run with it or whatever you want to do with it. BS to you, sure. Not to me, there's something there with watching little league and high school kids who won't get drafted or play beyond HS, but love playing the game. As he should, of course I said it was one of the ways as is production which leads to winning. That doesn't diminish or subtract my views of the game.

To me, if I complain about a player with constant leg injuries, the 1st thing I look at his conditioning program. Oddly enough, one of things Ramirez worked on this past off-season was better conditioning to prevent leg injuries and not various opportunities when to loaf it. Emotional attachment is probably the best way to describe it, I think it helps separate those who have a passion for the game and those who don't. I believe in a purity of the game and respect for the game as well as those who are watching, one of the ways to give back is by giving effort. Hustle is always good, even with health considerations. No one has answered my question about Andruw Jones....

That's an extremely alert baserunner, napping C/MI, or both.

How is that illogical? Baseball for me, goes beyond the Cubs and their problems. I'm not a Cubs fan 1st and then working from that premise. I am a fan of baseball 1st and then working from that premise. Yes, Ramirez should be running out grounders in a game already decided. Rowand's injury was a fluke injury, I see nothing wrong with what he did. If I was a Phils' fan, I'm hoping he keeps that same intensity and approach to the game.

Why have pitchers or any other player do sprints before each start? It increases the possibility of them getting injured. If a pitcher pulls a muscle running down the line, it's either a fluke injury or he isn't in proper shape or stretched out enough. The situation isn't dependent on whether or not he is a pitcher. A pitcher is more likely to get injured fielding a bunt than running down the line. Should we have them not hustle to field a bunt either? I'll ask it again, since I do want an answer. In '96 when A. Jones was a rookie with the Braves and he loafed to the ball against the Cubs and was benched the next inning by Cox, did he handle the situation correctly? Or was he in the wrong, given the obvious talents of a 19yo. starting and playing CF on a defending WS champion team?

Yeah, I want him hustling down the line and if he gets winded from that to where it throws off his pitching performance (even if he was the 3rd out), then the problem is his conditioning.

When did I say lack of hustle was the biggest problem around? The reason why it angers me more than anything else is b/c it is something that is the easiest to fix and should not even be an issue for a player. I don't blame the struggles of the '06 Cubs on lack of hustle, never have and never will. To assume otherwise as I either stated or automatically assumed those who know my views on baseball would've been able to comprehend. The thing that is stupid about mentioning Dunn vs. Pierre is I've never mentioned it as why does it have to be about 2 players? The issue isn't about how does hustle equate to more production or who has more production but isn't know for their hustle and how I can use as argumentative trump card, which is bogus. It's not player A vs. player B, it's about player A (notice only one player) hustling.

Baseball is an individual game played in a team concept and that's what separates itself from the other team sports.

What is with this dumb concept of trying to compare Jones and Burnitz with Manny, Dunn, and Ramirez? Do you think those who prefer having players hustle are blind to the fact that of that thing called talent? Who has said they would rather have Jones and Burnitz? It's stupid to even try and assume that is what the gist of it is. In '96 when A. Jones was a rookie with the Braves and he loafed to the ball against the Cubs and was benched the next inning by Cox, did he handle the situation correctly? Or was he in the wrong, given the obvious talents of a 19yo. starting and playing CF on a defending WS champion team?

What does a player lose by hustling on every play?

Players that don't hustle to 1B, usually don't hustle to 2B and it carries over beyond running out grounders. Do you get on a guy if stares at a long single that would be a 2B, but not on him running out a ground ball? What about Sean Casey when he was thrown out at 1B after he stopped after he assumed the SS caught the liner that ended up in LF? Have to be consistent as a manager. If you don't demand him to run it out 99.9% of the time; how can you be upset the .001% of the time, him not running it out costs your team? Talent doesn't dictate the amount of hustle expected from a player. Of course, the 25th guy doesn't have the talent to overlook that and his hustle or lack thereof sometimes determines whether or not they should send him to AAA or keep him as the utility guy.

There's no maybe there, if you can't run out a ball down the line without getting injured, either it's a fluke injury or he needs a personal trainer. If he has a previous injury, that's another story that leads to a diff. debate of whether or not he should be in there. You're not sacrificing anything by wanting your players to hustle everytime regardless if they're in tee-ball or the majors. There's no loss of focus expecting players to hustle.

I think it is fair to assume over the course of a season that a runner hustling from to 1B to 3B or stretching a single into a double or someone backing up a play that isn't part of his defensive responsibilites that can impact the game in a positive manner that would not have occured had he not done it. There's nothing negative that can come from hustling on a play. Except if you expect it from a guy that isn't one of those type of players (Aramis, Manny, Dunn, etc.). Odds are at this point it's going to get them hurt and make them miss more playing time than they would if they didn't "hustle" or "stretch it out" all the time. Players get set in their ways as they get older, especially the ones with very obvious talents. If their talents extend away from having to be a "gamer," often they'll drift away from being that type of payer because they can with minimum negative impact to the rest of the team. Pushing guys like this to suddenly "step it up" when they really don't need to is going to push them out of their set fitness/playing routines and likely make them more at risk to get seriously hurt. So would you rather have Aramis leg out those grounders every now and then or diving left and right and going on the DL more often or have him keep playing like he is and be able to offer his offensive skills to the team? Too many people get on contributing and valuable players for hot "hustling" when the "hustling" isn't what makes them who they are nor would it significantly improve their game or the team around them. It's a superficial expectation better applied to teeball players than to MLB all stars. Especially when you're likely going to push them onto the DL and then we get nothing, hustle or otherwise. When they get older, (to remain healthy) they are expected to adjust their routine to stay in shape as well as prevention of muscle injuries. Think Nolan Ryan had the same workout program at 40 as well as 24? He didn't, his diet and especially his workout programs changed. Players regardless of effort level, have to change it as they get older. Everyone here keeps mentioning Ramirez, doesn't he already have a past history w/leg injuries (muscle)? That tells me something already. If a player gets hurt from hustling more, either it's a fluke injury (Nomar and his groin injury in '05 vs. STL) or there are other aspects he isn't doing right (improving his conditioning, stretching, diet, etc.).

I think it is fair to assume over the course of a season that a runner hustling from to 1B to 3B or stretching a single into a double or someone backing up a play that isn't part of his defensive responsibilites that can impact the game in a positive manner that would not have occured had he not done it. There's nothing negative that can come from hustling on a play.

I think it has an overall negative effect on a team, while a team still can be good with someone like that, it probably isn't as good as it would be had the player shown a proper work ethic. More often than not, a player who doesn't hustle on the field usally doesn't work hard off the field (cages, lifting, dieting, stretching, etc). If even one player isn't doing as much as he should (not even mentioning doing more than he should), it'll impact the team, even an all-star. If you take a dominant player who doesn't wort at being good, he would still be better had he put more effort, it's impossible to judge how much better, but everyone would be better off (except everyone else in the League).

The fact he is throwing out the stretch in that photo helps lead me to conclude that his mechanics are pretty good in that photo. I'd like to see him more foreward as he probably land short on his stride of where it should be, but his hand placement is fine on his throwing arm as he isn't short-arming the ball. All his momentum has been linear in that photo as there has been no hip rotation. It's pretty good overall.

So the vague times someone like, oh, I don't know, Aramis "doesn't hustle," THAT gets you mad more than anything or anyone else involved with the 2006 Cubs? Wow. My hat's off to that. Yeah, a flaw in a thought process would not anger me as much as a flaw in effort.

How so? Guys who put the ball in play as their primary strength often lacks patience and the ability to drive the ball. "Clogging the bases" is incorrect by itself. There's something negative that can come the type of contact at any cost hitter and everyone knows the benefit of getting slow runners via a BB, but what is negative about running a ground ball out? If I was a HS coach and a kid did not touch 1B on every ball hit that was in play, he'd be comfortable on the bench. Nothing angers me more than players not hustling.