caulfield12

Is there ANY connection to be made between the announcing teams for the Rays (including Dave Wills, former Sox pre/post-game guy or Maddon/Martinez/Scioscia tree of managing), Angels, Brewers (Roenicke, Scioscia tree), Padres (Bud Black, Scioscia tree), A's (Beane), Astros (Luhnow), Giants, Cubs (Epstein) Red Sox (Bill James), Rangers (Daniels), etc., and their team or front office philosophies? I think it's pretty crazy to leap to the conclusion that somehow it would affect the fans or turn off fans or draw more young/quantitative minds to the Sox if Hawk did a 180 and spent the entire broadcast throwing out SABR stats. For example, would it really help to sell the new Astros' philosophy if they hired a NASA rocket scientist to go along with their MIT/CAL Tech-trained play by play guy and let's say JP Ricciardi or DePodesta as their analyst? Although I do agree that SABR analysis is easier to fit into a t.v. broadcast, with all the time in-between pitches and batters, with on screen graphics and the power of modern technology behind you, HDTV, etc.....you just don't have as much time on radio to throw all those numbers into game without overwhelming the listener (although Farmer and DJ drive me crazy not even mentioning the score for 20-30 minutes at a time). If nothing else, looking at "hot zones" for pitchers and "cold zones" for hitters ads something to the broadcast....to the strategy of how to attack a hitter, and that's also much harder to get across via radio. Unfortunately, Harrelson's more likely to use pitch-trax to argue about balls and strikes than he is to look at the analytical side of getting hitters out like Stone Pony does.

Howie Long's son, btw. Former Oakland Raider, t.v./movie star and NFL announcer for NBC. BTW, what the heck happened with Rizzo?

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 07:55 PM) No, he's been awful this year and brings nothing to the table that Tekotte and Wise can't. Potential. And it would be terribly embarassing if Mitchell, Walker and Hawkins never made it to the majors...our three highest picks over different years.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 07:51 PM) Brandon Short makes more sense on the roster than Tekotte does. Mitchell even makes more sense, because he could PR and actually has the ability to go yard accidentally...or at least pick up an XB hit.

The irony (once again with this season) is that Mark Kotsay, with how he's playing now...would actually be more valuable than all 3 of those guys combined.

QUOTE (fathom @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 07:43 PM) Tekotte, no contest Wise is hitting .118 though. Make that .111 now. He's got to be getting close to the end of the line, but MOST managers like Guillen and probably Ventura would prefer to keep the veteran around, unless there's a compelling reason to keep the younger player on the roster.

Who gets DFA'ed first? Wise, Danks or Tekotte? It's tough to decide. Yay! Only 85. He should be able to give them 6, at least. That extra inning will help a lot.

Gillaspie didn't have enough of the "will to score." Or McEwing enough of the "will to stop him."

73 pitches. Just hope he can get at least a few outs in the 6th, or have a very short 5th.

Guess the Bulls and the Draft sucked everyone away...or the offenses skidding to a halt for both teams. Oooops...well, Sale's being consistent. Came into the game with a 4.50 ERA, and his in-game ERA matches it, 2 ER/4 IP.

Sacks Packed with Semien starting out well again tonight, 2/2. Anyone think Taylor Thompson has a little Keith Foulke "stealth closer" candidate in him? I realize Foulke was originally a starter with the Giants' organization, but they thought enough of TT to send him to the AFL and he's put up some pretty impressive numbers, although not possessing the gaudy radar gun readings.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 07:06 PM) Sale needs to Verlander this game and go 130 pitches... They actually pulled Verlander pretty early from the game today, I think he was under 100 pitches. Seem to be some lingering concerns about his "missing" fastball, most of his were in the low 90's and he hasn't been able to reach back in the late innings for the 97-100 MPH heater all season long. That's 60 pitches through 3. Yikes. Against the Rays.

What happened to Sales' control? Hmmm... After pushing the bullpen for 4 innings last night, this doesn't bode so well. Hopefully he'll pull out of it. And thankfully they don't have big threats up and down their line-up.

"The will to win is worthless, without the will to prepare." Robin Ventura

Things are working out so far in this particular game, but tonight's line-up shows how desperately we need Viciedo on the active roster to add some punch from the RH side. Otherwise, you're left with only Konerko, Rios and maybe Flowers as your power threats.

High Sierra (Berman Nickname) is now Low/Middle Sierra

QUOTE (Jake @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 04:59 PM) He's being blocked by Shelley Duncan That has to be a joke. That's like being blocked by Andy Gonzalez.

The Will to Win. The Will to Attend. (joking, the fans should have their own tagline, too) The Will to Cheer, and Drink Your Beer.

QUOTE (DirtySox @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 05:59 PM) Sigh. At least our Sally League Champions (Augusta GreenJackets) made up a better t-shirt logo back in 1995. "First Place is For Winners Who Refuse To Accept Defeat" Double sigh.

Are we sure that the marketing department didn't "plant" this catch-phrase or at least suggest it to Harrelson? It's fine if we have a good enough team. It's incredibly dangerous if we finish 72-90. Because right away, there will be numerous jokes about Adam Dunn "not having the will to win." Every time he K's, in fact.

Homer or K?

QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 04:13 PM) How long until our first TWTW commercial? What is our tagline this year, by the way? Do we have one?

QUOTE (The Ginger Kid @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 03:36 PM) A wrist break is not an easy injury to come back from in terms of being baseball ready. He'll lose some strength that has to be built back up, then spend some time in Charlotte getting back to normal...what's a realistic return? Mid-July would be my guess. A broken wrist is different than a broken/chipped off hamate bone. Late June would be a better guess.

QUOTE (Brian @ Apr 25, 2013 -> 03:30 PM) I'm far from a saber guy and even I think Hawk sounded clueless. Wins maybe the most worthless stat for a pitcher. James Baldwin and Danny Wright say hi. Or Jesse Crain, wasn't he like 10-0 his rookie season pitching in relief? Something like that...when a lot of the results were blown holds or blown leads that resulted in wins. Nathan Jones, last year, etc.

Rondon was throwing 98 or 99 MPH, but the only pitch he could get over the plate was the FB. Moustakas even managed to turn around a straight fastball for a double down into the RF corner, and he's struggling about as badly as anyone in baseball right now.