Random baseball thoughts

by obc on May 4, 2007 11:39 AM EDT

*I'm still on the Hamilton bandwagon. He's definitely a major league calibar ballplayer, and he provides value on defense/basepaths when he is struggling at the dish. It's a long season, I'm interested to see where his numbers are at the AS break.

*Thanks to Lance McAlister for a LaWhiff update: 4 for 41 with 19 K's. Suddenly I like David Ross a whole lot better.

*This year does feel a lot like last year, without the fast start to fall back on. As an added bonus we will see Bray/Majewski v2.0 shortly.

*Ryan Freel has 5 SB's with 4 CS. Ick. Pretty shocking that the Donkey has more stolen bases (6)than Farney.

*This has slipped under the radar, but Manos is having a horrific year at the plate. It's early, but how long can the ballclub carry a .115 avg .154 OBP and .179 SLG? We blasted Hammond and Cormier, Manos is almost due for some focused pressure from RR.

*three starting pitchers with an ERA under 3.50 and one of them isnt named Harang? Wow.

*i'm not threatening here, but the Florence Freedom are only a couple weeks away from starting their season. I'm already committed to a full season of Thirsty Thursday's ($1 beers), and the kids vastly prefer the experience at Champion Window Field.

*My kids favorite ballplayers: Bronson Arroyo and Josh Hamilton.

Feel free to add your random opines below. Work just took off and this has to be cut short.

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Manos

He's a baseball guy. Gotta keep him around. Baseball guys are few and far between.

I lost playing time in college to a guy who was (coach's exact words) "just a baseball guy". WTF. He had some Guatemalan blood and dark skin; I'm convinced it was a racial thing.

by greg456 on May 4, 2007 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

interesting

"Three starting pitchers with an ERA under 3.50 and one of them isn't named Harang? Wow."

That IS amazing. Two of them ARE named Harang? That was a real under-the-radar move by Krivsky...

by greg456 on May 4, 2007 12:04 PM EDT reply actions

We snarked a little

about Manos last night. He is a great fielder, but in an NL offense with players like Ross, Gonzalez, an aging Hatte, an aging Conine, and an aging Griffey, I just don't think the reds are well-served with a right hander off the bench who just can't hit. It's not like Norris Hopper's a great option, though I don't mind him so much as a stopgap.

I just don't see how he justifies his place on the team that already sacrificed offense for infield D with Gonzalez (who isn't as consistent a defender as is advertised, but that's another topic).

When Castro went to the Twins I didn't think we 'd see him in the NL again simply because I thought he had more value for an AL team with a a great DH.

It was said alot last year but it's still true, Wayne cannot trust Narron to bury mediocre to terrible players or only use them in positions where they're most likely to succeed. How many times did Rheal come into a situation at the end of last year in which he had better than likely chance of failing?

If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.

by Man Mountain on May 4, 2007 12:06 PM EDT reply actions

As usual

I disagree.

Wayne cannot trust Narron to bury mediocre to terrible players or only use them in positions where they're most likely to succeed.

If I give my pet monkey a gun every day before I go to work, it's not his fault that he plugs a couple of kids every few days.

just....wow.

by sidnancy on May 4, 2007 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions

TigerBeat Philosophy

Now that I've been outed by Alan as a Tigrmetrics guy (a sabrtoothed tigrmetrics guy?), I willing to roll with it. Bring back Jason Romano! He had a 50,000 watt smile and he brought the ladies to the ballpark.

And where there are ladies there are ladies.

If what you say is true, the Shaolin and the Wu-Tang could be dangerous.

by Man Mountain on May 4, 2007 12:19 PM EDT reply actions

All-time TigerBeat Reds

I wonder who'd fill out a starting 9 of our all-time "Tigers." Bench is easy at C. I think we can pencil in Hobbs at CF and O'Neil in RF. Maybe Klu, Larkin, and the Boones in the IF? Drawing a blank for LF.

Sabrtoothed - love it.

by ken on May 4, 2007 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget Pete!

Or perhaps his was less Tiger Beat and more of a PG-13 "tiger on the prowl" appeal.

by Alan @ Red Reporter on May 4, 2007 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Just when I thought

that couldn't be topped, I ran across the one where he sings the song here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eAs7DM6u_Q&mode=related&search=

"Hey, that's hillWILLIAM to you!"

by jch24 on May 8, 2007 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Totally unrelated/inseason SIS

Sometime this winter we talked about Cincy bands, IIRC. I thought I'd mention that Cincinnati-raised The National are opening for Aracade Fire's tour which starts tonight in DC. I saw the National play a couple of years ago and came away impressed, and 2005's Alligator was a solid album that for whatever reason didn't get much attention. Later I found out they're from Cincinnati originally but got started musicially in Brooklyn (shocking, I know). I wish I could say that their allegiance to the Reds remains undying, but I can't. The Afghan Whigs they are not.

by ken on May 4, 2007 1:17 PM EDT reply actions

I think Daedalus is going to that show

Color me jealous.

by Brendanukkah on May 4, 2007 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions

YES YES YES!!!!

I'm pumped. I've listened to both albums a gazillion times today. and the national's alligator once.

I've always wondered why a band who comes from someplace is not considered they are from that place if they formed somewhere else. i guess it's because they developed their following in the other place? in my mind, the national is from cincy. and they sound like the divine comedy.

i hope i haven't set my hopes too high. i'm expecting church this evening!

keep the car running.

Blessed be Baseball

by Daedalus on May 4, 2007 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Me psyched too

Going to see the show on Saturday in Philly. Awesomeness awaits.

I'd guess that it's easier to market yourself as NYC based, though if you read the interview I linked it sounds like they didn't benefit from the Strokes NYC-indie wave in 2001. They should also add an "s" to the end of their name for tonight, just to placate the locals.

by ken on May 4, 2007 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Great show

I saw the National a couple years ago with Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in Chicago. Fabulous show. Most of the people came out to see CYHSY, but the National put on a much better show. Quite an impressive bill with them and Arcade Fire.

by teb7 on May 4, 2007 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions