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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Blair: ‘Scuffling’ Rios typifies decline in offence

If you’re J.P. Ricciardi, you can’t just attribute it to the Mitchell report or anything like that, because you’re an employee of Major League Baseball and, well, he just can’t go there, you know?

But there’s a lot of bad baseball being played in the American League these days. Awful stuff. A drop in offence that Ricciardi, the Blue Jays’ general manager, says is “flat-out alarming.”

The decline causes him to admit that when he sits in his office and contemplates trading for another hitter, he is looking at players “from a different vantage point” than he has in the past and that, well, that it wouldn’t surprise him if a lot of his peers are looking around and wondering whether maybe the wisest thing to do is hold off from trying to evaluate some of the slumping sluggers until the end of the year. For whatever reason.

“The game is changing,” Ricciardi said last night before the Blue Jays were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. He was watching as Rios took a called third strike with the bases loaded to end the game.

“The game you see now is the game you’ll see in the next few years,” Ricciardi added. “Less balls hit into the seats.”

So you are going to bring back Jorge Velandia. Interesting.

Repoz Posted: May 21, 2008 at 06:51 AM | 28 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralToronto

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   1. MSI Posted: May 21, 2008 at 08:25 AM (#2789266)
It may be true what JP is saying, but he's using it to hide from the blame for the poor offense. League-wide decline or not, the team is 13th in runs in the AL, so don't chalk up your poor offense to that.
   2. Cold Prosimian Posted: May 21, 2008 at 10:04 AM (#2789328)
John Brattain has written about this already, but Toronto's problem is being pathetic and overly selective when there are runners on base. They’re hitting .220 with runners in scoring position, .212 with the bases loaded, and .204 with runners in scoring pos. and 2 outs. You'd think the selectiveness would lead to a higher OBP in these situations, but it hasn't. It usually just gets them behind in the count. Rios drives me nuts. I've never seen a player that appears to give less of a damn after striking out or weakly grounding out than he does. He doesn't even frown.
   3. Greg K Posted: May 21, 2008 at 11:15 AM (#2789405)
Really?

I've noticed this year (especially in the first two weeks when Rios was hitting very well) that he gets unduly mad when he strikes out. I felt bad for him, because he was looking as good as I've ever seen him at the plate. I wanted to be like, "hey, Rios...all those walks you're getting us are valauble, don't be so hard on yourself"

Of course, since mid-April it's all been a different story.

I guess it might be just because I'm such a laid back person, but seeing players visibly frustrated...I always just assume that just exacerbates problems. I always prefer to see calmness in defeat.

EDIT: That being said, I was at the game last night, and Rios taking that last strike of the game was devestating.
   4. salfino Posted: May 21, 2008 at 11:29 AM (#2789417)
Rios is hitting homers on like 3 percent of fly balls (average is 10 percent). That's got to be a fluke. Of course, Victor Martinez is zero.
   5. rfloh Posted: May 21, 2008 at 11:38 AM (#2789424)
John Brattain has written about this already, but Toronto's problem is being pathetic and overly selective when there are runners on base.


Link?
   6. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:11 PM (#2789441)
‘Scuffling’ Rios typifies decline in offence

Have Jays fans no humour at the current state of their favourite team? Must this sort of negativity colour their every observation and give licence to these efforts to criticise rather than analyse? How will the team be able to maneouvre around such arguements?

Bloody illiterate Canadians!
   7. The Bones McCoy of THT Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:19 PM (#2789451)
Link?


Walking into disaster...

BTW ... Jon Hale (BDD and Mockingbird) informed me that with RISP and three balls on the batter the Jays are hitting .180.

I guess having three balls ain't what it's cracked up to be.

Best Regards

John
   8. Ryan Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:29 PM (#2789460)
Rios drives me nuts. I've never seen a player that appears to give less of a damn after striking out or weakly grounding out than he does. He doesn't even frown.

On several occasions (although not this year) I've seen Rios snap his bat in half after striking out. He gets plenty upset after a poor at-bat.
   9. Ryan Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM (#2789469)
Bloody illiterate Canadians!

While this is certainly amusing theatre, shouldn't you be earning your paycheque rather than trying to be the centre of attention?
   10. Van Lingle Mungo Jerry Posted: May 21, 2008 at 12:46 PM (#2789477)
While this is certainly amusing theatre, shouldn't you be earning your paycheque rather than trying to be the centre of attention?


Being on the dole, I'm spending the day in my pyjamas, lying on the chesterfield.
   11. Greg K Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:12 PM (#2789506)
I think Rios' "problem" is that he has such laid back movements. He's so slow and quiet setting up in the box, and he runs so effortlessly. I always kind of feel like he could fall asleep at any time on the field, I don't think he's ever made a jerky movement in his life.

And I think it's easy for a lot of people to read that as "complacent" whereas I think it's just a product of him being incredibly gifted athletically. I think this may be acting below the concsious level for a lot of fans, and maybe he's not getting as much slack as a spazz-tastic player might get.
   12. TVerik Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:17 PM (#2789510)
The most herky-jerky good player?

I can't think of someone who consistently looked awful and had a good career.
   13. The Bones McCoy of THT Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:19 PM (#2789514)
While this is certainly amusing theatre, shouldn't you be earning your paycheque rather than trying to be the centre of attention?


Very well played Ryan ... RDF, MBS!

Best Regards

John
   14. rfloh Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:19 PM (#2789515)
#12

Vlad? I've often seen people criticise both his swing and running mechanics.

Having said that, I don't agree with those criticisms.
   15. Ryan Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:20 PM (#2789516)
Being on the dole, I'm spending the day in my pyjamas, lying on the chesterfield.

I apologise for your grey situation. Sadly I have many things I must plough through and catalogue today, but if I had more time I would purchase a double-double and a doughnut for you at Tim's to help you out.
   16. Greg K Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:22 PM (#2789518)
Well I guess in terms of my Rios comments I would consider Sheffield a very "herky-jerky" player

And Vlad too
They just look vicious up there, whereas Rios looks like he's an old man easing into a bath.

Different strokes for different folks, I just think when Rios is struggling, his laid-back style gives fans something to gripe about
   17. The Jerry Royster Experience Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:36 PM (#2789531)
“The game you see now is the game you’ll see in the next few years,” Ricciardi added. “Less balls hit into the seats.”

I wonder what makes Ricciardi say this. The article seems to be clinging to the tried and true "steroids did it!" angle, but Ricciardi seems smarter than that.
   18. Shock Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:52 PM (#2789549)
Man, Rios for Lincecum would have been awesome.
   19. Greg K Posted: May 21, 2008 at 01:59 PM (#2789560)
How long do these "eras" usually last?

The station to station 50s
the second deadball 60s
the hit-happy 20s
the slugging late 90s-early 00s

maybe he just sees baseball in phases, none of them lasting more than 10-15 years. Whether due to external influences, rule changes, or just the players/managers adapting, baseball changes every now and then.

EDIT: not to say that's what I think JP is saying, or even that I believe that. Two months is a little premature to be talking about era shifts.
   20. The Bones McCoy of THT Posted: May 21, 2008 at 03:19 PM (#2789647)
You're killing me here Ryan.

Best Regards

John
   21. The Good Face Posted: May 21, 2008 at 03:27 PM (#2789655)
Well I guess in terms of my Rios comments I would consider Sheffield a very "herky-jerky" player

And Vlad too
They just look vicious up there, whereas Rios looks like he's an old man easing into a bath.


Albert Belle was another guy who's swing looked like he was trying to bludgeon an ox to death with a sledgehammer. Violent and ungraceful... like a bizarro-world Will Clark.

David Eckstein playing defense is up there too.
   22. Ryan Posted: May 21, 2008 at 03:52 PM (#2789680)
Glad to be of service, John.
   23. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: May 21, 2008 at 04:01 PM (#2789690)
"The most herky-jerky good player?"

Jim Eisenreich.
   24. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: May 21, 2008 at 04:56 PM (#2789742)
I always thought Winfield looked like an oaf. So of course he was drafted by 13 different professional leagues.
   25. salfino Posted: May 21, 2008 at 06:30 PM (#2789814)
Speaking of Winny, Rios is a tall righty hitter and there aren't many of those.
   26. Harveys Wallbangers Posted: May 21, 2008 at 07:35 PM (#2789886)
Garret Anderson
John Olerud
Greg Luzinski
Ron Cey

To name a few
   27. bookbook Posted: May 22, 2008 at 12:42 AM (#2790631)
It's the balls - altered by the commish office to (a) make it appear they have the steroids problem under control for press consumption and (b) make it appear there was a massive steroid problem - so as to gain leverage over the players and players union with the assistance of the aforementioned, gullible press. And then (c) never mind the fact that more pitchers than hitters have been found to be juicing from the positive tests that have happened.
   28. Greg K Posted: May 22, 2008 at 01:27 AM (#2790655)
If only the two commissioners of both the AL and NL could have gotten together and done it for both leagues....
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