Devine, Casilla Told To Bow Out Of WBC
by Nico on Feb 15, 2009 10:13 AM PST
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PrintThe A's have told relievers Joey Devine and Santiago Casiila "Ix-Nay On The Uhbulewe-Bee-See-Way," because they are recovering from injuries. Now whether it's safer to pitch in competition earlier than usual or to be monitored by the A's training staff is another question, but the idea is that the A's come before the WBC.
As an opponent of "the WBC in March," who would like to see roster filled exclusively with Angels and Yankees, I'm thrilled. However, Devine and Casilla - while saying all the right things publicly - probably aren't. Brad Ziegler (USA) and Chris Denorfia (Italy) become the only two A's who might play in the WBC if they make the final roster cuts.
Should patroitism trump "management" - should a player get to decide if he's ready, willing, and able to participate in the WBC? Or should teams get to interfere in the best interests of the organization, even if it undermines this new and exciting tournament that combines a player's love of baseball and love for his country?
In other news, not satisfied to aim as low as Crosby, Matt Holliday has been working with Eric Patterson on his swing. {Waits for laughter to die down.} I'm envisioning "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego," only with Carmen replaced by the baseball, because Patterson has a nice enough swing - it just never seems to be where the ball is when the ball is passing through the strike zone. (Honestly, anybody can tell you where the ball is when it's in the catcher's glove, which is around when Patterson seems to swing). If Holliday can introduce Patterson's bat to the actual baseball, he's worth two Carlos Gonzali. Don't wait up, though - the wind in Phoenix is blowing out because Eric just took another swing at a letter high fastball.
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very happy to hear Holliday showed up early
I think that says a lot on behalf of his character. The fact that he reported early says to me that he’s here to play for the Oakland A’s and do whatever he can to help the team win.
He's like Mike Sweeney
without the bad health or the oldth!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Oh, and he's really really good still.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
A couple years ago, as I recall, the A's pitchers who were in the WBC had a horrible year.
Sorry that I can’t remember specifics or have a link but I do believe it throws the pitchers off and doesn’t allow them to gradually get into pitching shape. I am pleased that Devine and Casilla are not going.
I like that Holliday has taken this much interest in his team mates. If Patterson and Crosby can both improve their offense that will be a bonus.
"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, either way, YOU'RE RIGHT !"
Street and Loaiza, mostly.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Ziegler
The “i before e” rule fails in many names, but it’s good for Ziegler.
"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk
incidentally
Ziegler is german for goatherd. or, at the least, goater.
Ziege, meaning goat.
some things are just too perfect, huh?
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 15, 2009 5:29 PM PST up reply actions
wrong
“Ziege” is goat indeed, but name Ziegler is associated with a word “Ziegel”, meaning brick. So Ziegler, as most of German family names, has a root in a profession and means “a brick maker”.
goat herding is a profession, too
but yes. you’re probably right. i was hoping, more than anything else
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 16, 2009 8:42 AM PST up reply actions
Good thing Ziggy isn't a shooting guard!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
It's a shame no good players are allowed to participate in the WBC.
Maybe it points to a need to hold the event after the season, but teams are being allowed to do everything they can to kill a fabulous idea.
On another note, I don’t get the Eric Patterson hate. If there’s one thing he can do, it’s hit. It’s too bad he can’t play short, because he’d be an instant upgrade over Crosby.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
Seriously? From what I saw of Patterson, he has a nice swing
but can’t make contact. He swings through more hittable pitches than anyone this side of Jack Hannahan.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
All he did in the minors was hit, and he's only 25.
Career .303/.366/.474 line in nearly 1,800 at-bats. Didn’t strike out more or less than you’d expect, so contact wasn’t an issue there, either. I think he’s simply been unlucky in his brief major-league test drives. Unfortunately, he’s in a pretty bad situation in Oakland, and isn’t going to get much of a chance to play. It would be nice if he had a monster spring, so we could flip him for a piece we need more.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
He hasn't been unlucky, though I guess you could argue for a small sample size
The problem is that he can play two positions, but he’s terrible at both of them, so teams don’t really have an alternative reason to be patient with his bat. His bat is the only real value he has (pinch running, too, except the A’s have guys who are better at that who also serve another purpose).
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 11:15 AM PST up reply actions
Major league pitching is fundamentally different from minor league pitching,
and Patterson screams AAAA to me. And he doesn’t play any position well.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Unlucky in the sense that where pitchers threw the baseball
kept not being where he was swinging? Eric Patterson: terrible piñata player!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
More or less.
The small sample size is pretty much what I mean. I am very skeptical that a player that has killed minor-league pitching and, as you say, has a very nice-looking swing, is really going to be that bad a major-league hitter.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
Bobby Crosby hit .302/.375/.480 in the minors.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Great - that's where he should be!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Great.
So every player with a strong track record in the minors turns out to be Bobby Crosby?
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
No, but every Bobby Crosby only has success in the minor leagues
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
No, but plenty of players who do well in the minors can't cut it in the bigs.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Right.
And the reason we should leap to conclusions about what kind of big-league hitter Patterson will turn out to be is…?
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
He appears unable to hit pitches a major leaguer needs to hit?
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Yes - and over a different small amount of time
on a different team. I’m not “leaping to conclusions” – after watching most of his 104 plate appearances last season, I just don’t think he has what it takes. His career .536 OPS isn’t making a stunning rebuttal, either. Small sample, definitely. Do I have an opinion on the matter? Yes.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Given that batting line, he definitely struck out more than you'd expect
His BABIP in the minors was like .400 last season (approximating).
All the projections at Fangraphs see him whiffing in 20-plus percent of his at-bats, which is not acceptable for a player with average power, fringe-average plate discipline, and bad defense.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
What was his career BABIP in the minors?
Seems like the 1,800 at-bat sample would be more useful.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
.399
No significant difference.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
He was lucky for 1,800 bats?
That’s amazing. Also, why are strickouts OK for some, but not for all, if they outproduce the baseline offensive stats for their position? Does he simply need to improve to average defensively at second to become an “acceptable” player?
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
How's he in a bad situation?
It’s literally if you show you can hit and hold a glove in the outfield (or third, or short) you’d get a game. Sounds ideal for a guy trying to break into the bigs.
Well keeping his eyes open could help as well
Wait for the the 2009 Oaklands A's season to start I can not. Herh herh herh.
Every team should keep all their players out of the WBC and then maybe they'll stop doing the dumbest event in the history of major sports
And, with that, maybe people will finally just put Bud Selig on a rocket to the sun.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 11:13 AM PST reply actions
And do what with the extra $18million?
Feed the hungry? C’mon, this is just crayzee talk.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
the WBC is great, i really enjoyed it last time.
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05
I liked the last one enough to go to the semis and finals again this year.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
It's the most pointless event in sports. It serves no purpose.
I’d rather watch spring training games. Sorry, fake national pride over a tournament that proves nothing and only serves to jeopardize the careers of professionals is not something that should be cherished.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 1:45 PM PST up reply actions
Sure. And all soccer and football. Yawnsville.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
They're not remotely similar.
All the best players in the sport of baseball, with the exception of a few Japanese players who are still indentured servants, already play in the same league.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:52 PM PST up reply actions
Some huge percentage of the world's best soccer players play in the Champions League
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
The Champions League is made up of teams from all over Europe though.
EPL, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc… all represented.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
Crap. Hit enter and my reply posted.
Anyway, there are at least 3 “top” leagues in soccer around the world, between EPL, Serie A, and Bundesliga. La Liga is probably right up there too.
It’s a much different structure than baseball is.
"I’m Joey Devine, I’m what Joba Chamberlain would be if he was good and nobody had ever heard of him."
La Liga is the best league in the world, right now
Serie A is in a bit of slump. watch out for the belgians, though – if you like a long range bet, put some money on them winning the European cup in 2012.
you heard it here first.
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 15, 2009 11:17 PM PST up reply actions
Or you could just paypal me the money instead.
Either way you’re never seeing it again.
PT is right, a good percentage of the best football players play in the Champions League (the cream of the South Americans tend to come over to Europe), but nothing beats that little extra zest an international tie brings with it.
That's my point
The fact that most good players play together in some club league already doesn’t make international competition uninteresting.
If nothing else, it’s a way of recombining those best players into totally different teams and environments. As is the WBC. How can someone be opposed to that?
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
All sports are tournaments of fake regional pride that prove absolutely nothing.
by Rocktopus on Feb 15, 2009 1:54 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
so?
reductio ad absurdum doesn’t work in any sport, and clearly is not a way of judging the enjoyment that can be gleaned from them.
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 15, 2009 5:33 PM PST up reply actions
I don't think reductio ad absurdum applies here.
Perhaps my point was unclear. jd44 was saying that he didn’t like the WBC because of the “fake national pride” and because it means absolutely nothing. I pretty much agree with that but the truth is that that can be said about all sports.
So I’m not posing an absurd result to prove that his logic is absurd. I’m agreeing with him but contending that his argument doesn’t really say much.
right
makes sense. i concur, then.
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 16, 2009 2:25 AM PST up reply actions
I've never even been to California and I root for the A's.
So it really has nothing to do with regional pride for me. And of course sports proves something. If you’re going to go with this “In the grand scheme of things, sports isn’t that important” dumbass argument, please, never reply to anything I ever type ever again because that’s taking the whole thing so far out of context I don’t want to communicate with you anymore.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:53 PM PST up reply actions
That is my contention.
I’m not sure why this upsets you so much, but I’m not going to force you into arguing it if you cannot handle it.
Do you think that being an A's fan who's never been to CA
makes you representative of typical baseball fans, or a big huge anomaly?
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
Of course you're entitled to your opinion
I’m a big fan of the tournament and calling it fake national pride is just demonstrably false.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
Hmm...I'd say concepts like "fake" and "pride" are hard to demonstrate.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
It's basically set up as an easy way to be condescending about the tournament
But there is more than enough evidence out there of players being excited to represent their country in the first tournament, including many of them going back to tell teammates how much better it was than they expected.
Some people choosing not to participate because they’re putting their teams first (who actually pays them) or their teams don’t want them to play isn’t proof of fake pride on the part of others.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
Sorry, but this is just plain wrong.
First of all, Chris Denorfia playing for Italy is not a player representing his country.
Second, if national pride really mattered, the best players from every country would play. I’/ll bet you a billion dollars the American team will not be the best American players.
These guys are professionals and I want each of them to be doing their jobs. Their job doesn’t involve them abandoning professional responsibilities to play a bunch of games that nobody remembers 6 months later.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:47 PM PST up reply actions
I hope all your favorite players (yes, even A's!) have career ending injuries in a bunch of "serious" games that mean nothing
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:53 PM PST up reply actions
(Not really, but I think my point is pretty obvious. And right.)
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:54 PM PST up reply actions
I would be suspicious if you made the point and didn't think it was right.
I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup
That's fine
I’ll still be out there enjoying the semis and finals because I like it.
Last of the Ninth - Photography Site / jamesvenes.com - Blog
The best players aren't being allowed to play for their countries.
Most of them did the first time around, too. There has been change in that regard, for no good reason.
Chris Denorfias happen in every major international tournament of every kind.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
I don't really care about the WBC one way or the other.
But I am excited to hear little tidbits from spring training. I see on the sidebar that Jerome Williams is already being considered for the 5th starter’s job. Man, that would be a real pleasant surprise if he snuck in and won the 5th spot. I always like the guy since he came up through the Giants system and never felt like he ever quite got over the hump, mentally. He definitely has the stuff and he is still only 27 (?) so I’m pulling for the guy to make a nice comeback. Go get em’ Jerome!
And, nice to see Holliday taking the reigns in trying to help out his teammates early on. Man, now I really want to keep me some Matt Holliday…. :(
"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."
The Many Wines-Rumi
Speaking of his "Stuff"
I saw some clips of him on MLB.com and his fastball with the cubs was like 88mphs. Seems weak to me.
"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com
I think with the Giants he was more at 90-92MPH
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Interesting, Syphon.
But when was the last time he actually pitched for the Cubs organization? Perhaps has put some more heat back into his game?
"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."
The Many Wines-Rumi
Id hope so. But thats all i could find on him.
"With 16-year-old Dominican righty Michel Inoa in tow, Gio Gonzalez improving at Triple-A and lefty Brett Anderson carving up Double-Abatters along with Simmons and Trevor Cahill, Oakland’s pitching depthis officially the envy of baseball." - BaseballAmerica.com
question
Perhaps has put some more heat back into his game?
is that a euphamism for juicing?
i like it.
Billy Beane loves soccerball, and so should you
by alea iacta est on Feb 15, 2009 5:35 PM PST up reply actions
I'm basically okay with whatever the owners and the players (through the union) work out
WRT the WBC. I think the most important factors are (a) that all teams are playing by the same set of rules, and (b) that the system is designed away from any pressure about an individual player (e.g., “We need Jeter to play, and he doesn’t want to, so we need to design a ‘system’ that gets Jeter on the team”). The worst thing would be for each team to improvise its own way of doing things, and for that to depend on specific outcomes for individual players on their rosters.
"And Julio Franco is batting right-handed!" -- Wayne Hagin, A's radio play-by-play, mid-80s
OT - since God (Dog) forbid a day go by without an update:
Poochini is doing GREAT today.
Diagnosis (ours): Hypoglycemia attacks have been causing the weakness, trembling, disorientation that suddenly puts him at death’s door.
Underlying cause: Heckifweknow.
Why he lost so much blood 2 weeks ago: Heckifweknow.
Ve don’t ask qvestions. Ve enjoy each gud day, ya.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
As the wise Dahli Llama once said...
“See each situation in your life out to the end without being attached to the outcome”.
Hard to see sometimes but I have found those words to help me throughout my life. Hope they will help you as well, Nico. :)
"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."
The Many Wines-Rumi
It hasn't worked with me and farm animals
Especially the part about not being attached at the end.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
roald? salvador?
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05
whoah Nelly!
easy there tiger….
"God made Majnun love Layla so much that just her dog would cause confusion in him."
The Many Wines-Rumi
Tigers ARE easy
It’s one of my “go to” species for slow Friday evenings.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
The ones that are beat writers burn bright.
"Dispatch knuckleheadedness with Bond-like aplomb." –74mk
Wow - check out
this photo and tell me that (if you don’t look at the name on the jersey) it doesn’t look a lot like Livan Hernandez!
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
yeah
i read that this morning and i can’t really explain the confusion and misassociation that went on in my head, but i had exactly the same thought
Follow the money...
Should patroitism trump “management” – should a player get to decide if he’s ready, willing, and able to participate in the WBC? Or should teams get to interfere in the best interests of the organization, even if it undermines this new and exciting tournament that combines a player’s love of baseball and love for his country?
I see the national pride thing as being very real, and that’s part of what ended up winning me over last time when I was totally against it in the beginning. It ended up being very exciting, I thought.
However, I completely understand teams wanting to protect their investments. These players aren’t cheap and there’s a great deal at stake if a player is injured. Depending on the player(s), it could drastically change the outcome of the season for a given team. Really, how is this any different than barring a player from high-risk activities like skydiving?
Like I said, it won me over last time, but I’m still not comfortable with how it’s done. Especially with pushing the World Series back to November. As much as I now like it and the idea, I’d rather they not have it at all the way it’s done now.
I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup
I'd be more enthused if it happened after a season than before it,
when players may be tired but they’re “stretched out” – kind of like the LCS and World Series, which 26-28 teams don’t play in (so certainly it’s not too much for a given player to add 5-10 games, or 2-3 starts, to their workload in November).
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I'd be open to that.
I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup
I'd be more enthused if I felt that it meant anything.
Sorry, but “national pride” in terms of sports is just silly. Of course, I think the Olypmics should be canceled for stupidity, too.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:54 PM PST up reply actions
... ok
I’m not sure if you think you’re enhancing your argument with this post, but let me assure you, you aren’t.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
National Pride?
The only time “national pride” makes sense is in sports. I want to see who has the best baseball/ badminton/ table tennis/ hurlers in the world. Does sports ever work out that way? No. but that is the task in creating a tournament like the WBC. A postseason tournament just makes more sense for the world (sense the best players play in the MLB).
I'm wating for the "sorry guys, got drunk last night" post
Very non-thejd work in this thread.
"There's never enough time to do all the nothing you want" -Bill Watterson
It'd work much better at the end of the season.
Then players have got the off season to rest, so GMs/owners etc aren’t worried about their pitchers being abused before they’ve even put on their uniform (all the talk about a pitcher only has so many innings in them a year). I really don’t think it’s an issue for positional players besides perhaps catcher.
Obviously the thing then is that it’d have to compete with the World Series and it’s never winning that. I like the idea as a concept, but it needs work – something along the lines of once ever four years, a snazzy cup and erm…..some sort of pay incentive perhaps?
Exactly.
It’s always about the money. Owners should have a say so in what their players under contract can and cannot do but this all should really be stipulated in the contract that are signed.
If I were an owner, I want the player to have as much freedom as possible but I would want the long-term investment that I have in that player protected from as much risk as possible. With players not under team control this can be possible: negotiate a contract with a player that allows for the player to take risks but at forgoing some benefit to the player — the amount which you, the owner, would need to spend to purchase injury insurance on the player.
For very good and elite players under team control, the issue is more problematic since these players are not earning a true market salary for their contributions. Because of this, the owner is not protected as much by insurance and therefore would have to spend more than the insurance pays out (in a qualifying event) to replace the players production. Of course, many might suggest, perhaps correctly, that the team is already benefitting nicely by having these very good and elite players under team control.
Anyhow, everything imaginable should be negotiated and in writing so as to lay out expectations and limitations before they arise.
by LowcountryJoe on Feb 16, 2009 3:33 AM PST up reply actions
Completely agree it should be stipulated in contracts.
Unfortunately, being as it’s still new, contracts haven’t caught up to the idea just yet.
At a bare minimum, I do feel that any “voluntary” participation should 100% void any guaranteed money contract status during the duration of, or injuries resulting from, the WBC.
IOW: You want to play, you’re on your own and you take your chances.
I could prove God statistically. Take the human body alone - the chances that all the functions of an individual would just happen is a statistical monstrosity.
~George Gallup
Any such contracts clauses should be voided
If I’m a judge, I’m telling any owner who tries to enforce one of those to go jump in the lake.
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
That's creative sentencing!
Although personally, I think your judicial sense is all wet.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I think the rules are a little different for pitchers than position players in regards to the WBC
I think pitching is the only sports-related activity that someone can do right and still get hurt. For that reason I can see teams not wanting their (important) pitchers to play in the WBC.
For position players, I don’t think the risk of getting hurt in the WBC is any greater than in a spring training game.
I like important stuff just as much as the next guy, but please, for a little while, deliver us from meaning, baseball. That's your greatest glory, and we thank you for it very, very much. -- Craig Calcaterra
Good point - and with pitchers coming back from injuries
it’s hard to argue with a team like the A’s saying “No-o-ooo.”
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
Isn't pretty much the entire sport of football something that someone can do right and still get hurt?
Many years from now, when his name's recalled
Everyone will say, "He should have passed the ball"
-- Al Stewart, "Football Hero"
Clipboard holding is a dangerous activity.
I agree though, extreme contact sports (American football, Rugby [Union and League], Aussie Rules football etc) are ones that you can do everything right in, but still end up injured.
As I’ve said previously, the biggest issue with the WBC is the use of pitchers. They’d have to write in some iron clad rules about their use/abuse for it to stay a pre-season tournament…..which then kind of defeats the object as it’s Spring Training in national jerseys.
You're right, I should have been more specific
I meant “non-contact” sporting activities. Obviously any time contact is involved there is a chance for injury, but there is more risk in pitching than there is in, say, swinging a bat, dribbling a basketball, or throwing a football.
I like important stuff just as much as the next guy, but please, for a little while, deliver us from meaning, baseball. That's your greatest glory, and we thank you for it very, very much. -- Craig Calcaterra
If i'm the owner of a team...
I wouldn’t let any of my players play in that. Teams have too much invested in these players to let them do their job for another team, even if that team is a “country”.
The A’s made a very wise decision with two injury-prone players.
"I'm not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school like I did." -Yogi Berra
If I were team owner, I'd find a way to fine players for conduct detrimental to the team if they played.
This is no different than a player riding a motorcycle or playing tackle football with friends. It’ll only take another injury or two before owners start drawing up contracts preventing their players from doing this stupid thing.
by thejd44 on Feb 15, 2009 8:55 PM PST up reply actions
I hear that Patroitism is big in Dennsylvania
m*****f***ing c***s***ing peanut butter and jelly!! f*** f*** f***!!!
I don't know...
if I like the trade of Street, CarGon, and Greg Smith for a new hitting coach.
"Sweeney's a white Andre Ethier."--a white, drunk Billy Beane
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