Comments on: Another beat writer expresses his frustration

By: preach

preach — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:09:49 +0000

Kurt, I watched the Indians/Angels game last night. The Angels run a lot of first to third, slap balls through the infield, and play good defense in addition to the OBP. They are an exciting team to watch. They take what the defense gives them and, wait for it, don’t do stupid things on the base paths. But they are full of base cloggers and front runners.

I said before Willie started playing that he is not a good defender and he takes strange routes to the ball. If I could tell that from a couple of seasons on the sofa, how obvious should it be to the professionals?

By: RiverCity Redleg

RiverCity Redleg — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:22:42 +0000

I do believe that at least he thought he was hurt. But, c’mon, he rarely gives you a good AB and plays substandard defense. I honestly believe Dusty defends him and continues to play him so much is b/c he feels sorry for him and doesn’t like the way he is criticized by the fans. Unfortunately, it has blinded him to how bad it has affected the team.

By: RC

RC — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:13:12 +0000

To be fair to Willy T (not an easy thing to do, of course), I don’t recall seeing him dog it to first like that before, which is why I assumed he was hurt last night. And I’m pretty sure all those times he appeared to be loafing a bit on balls hit to CF, he was running slowly because he had no freakin’ idea where the ball was or where it was going to be.

There, I think that was fair.

By: Kurt Frost

Kurt Frost — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:06:08 +0000

I noticed something last night…all 9 starters in the Angels lineup are batting over .300 and the LOWEST obp in the lineup is .347. They clog the bases like crazy. How are they winning with all those base runners clogging the bases?

By: GregD

GregD — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:38:55 +0000

I was in the car that inning, and Marty was on Taveras, too.

I will note one difference between this incident and others I’ve heard Marty (or Thom) with players they seem to not like. Marty made his point with Taveras, said what he had to say, and that was it.

With other players, I’ve heard Marty (or Thom) dwell on it for the rest of the inning, and sometimes into the subsequent innings.

By: Travis G.

Travis G. — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:29:53 +0000

Welsh and Kelch (!) hammered Willy T. when he grounded out during his second-inning at-bat, when he swung at the first pitch he saw despite Lincecum throwing something like nine straight balls prior.

I’ve been preaching patience with Stubbs and (especially) Heisey, but it’s time to cut bait with Taveras and see what we’ve got in Stubbs for the next six weeks. Like McCoy, “I’ve seen nothing to merit the millions the Reds have flushed down the toilet when they brought this guy in.”

By: Steve Price

Steve Price — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:27:15 +0000

Dusty:

“That’s not Willy.” Since when? Has he been watching the same games we’ve seen all year?

“I ain’t no frontrunner.” May be bench the veterans who can’t play anymore?

“I can’t play everybody.” Well, don’t play the ones who can’t play.

“It’s part of the learning process.” Is morale not part of the learning process?

“He needs to chill and marinate.” By rotting in the minors or on the bench?

“I didn’t want to put the kid up there in that situation.” What happened to learning? And, anyway, 26 is not a kid in baseball years.

“There’s lots of guys calling me who want to play.” I know why…you’ll play them instead of those who are better.