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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Jenkins: 3-Dot Lounge: Time to shut up baseball owners and shorten the season

and shorten the 3-Dot Lounge down to 2 while you’re at it!

Ignore those over-the-top groundskeepers (notably David Mellor in Boston) who destroy the pure aesthetic of grass fields by cutting patterns or cutesy designs into the outfield. The Giants’ unblemished sea of green is among the gems of Peter Magowan’s legacy; don’t mess with it . . . You really have to wonder about the Dodgers’ eye for pitchers if Chan Ho Park is anywhere near the staff, especially now ... Fox made its postseason debut with Game 1 of the NLCS, and one of the “Ford Keys to the Game” was - no kidding - “Beating (Cole) Hamels would be ‘hot.’ “ Then Tim McCarver chimed in: “A real hip term.” Is it even possible to be that out of touch? ... Then again, it’s a relief to be temporarily free of TBS, with the miscast Tony Gwynn (can’t go on the air with that voice), the digitally superimposed “9” near first base (as if 9 feet is some sort of magic number for a runner’s lead), and the relentless plugs for Frank Caliendo’s TV show (so oppressively intrusive, he ceases to be funny).

Repoz Posted: October 11, 2008 at 12:37 AM | 20 comment(s)
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1. akrasian Posted: October 11, 2008 at 12:57 AM (#2977511)

You really have to wonder about the Dodgers’ eye for pitchers if Chan Ho Park is anywhere near the staff, especially now

Wow. So Park has been an important part of the Dodgers' pitching staff all season, has one ineffective game, and this idiot questions the Dodgers' eye for pitchers? Shouldn't it be a requirement for a sportswriter that they actually watch more than one game?

2. Colin Wyers Posted: October 11, 2008 at 01:09 AM (#2977516)

3. Halofan Posted: October 11, 2008 at 01:24 AM (#2977521)

How can Frank Calliendo cease to be something he is not, nor ever was, in the first place?

4. akrasian Posted: October 11, 2008 at 01:33 AM (#2977522)

Let's look at this from the other side. Chan Ho Park put up six straight seasons prior to this year with an ERA+ below 100, and we're supposed to forget all of that after 95 innings or so of pretty good middle relief? Really?

It's not uncommon for poor starters to become decent or better relievers. It's also not uncommon for players suffering from injuries to pitch better when they're healthy. So yes, if you actually pay attention to the player, you should pay more attention to what he's actually been doing all season than for one outing.

5. Colin Wyers Posted: October 11, 2008 at 02:04 AM (#2977531)

6. akrasian Posted: October 11, 2008 at 02:25 AM (#2977535)

It's also not uncommon for a player to put up a really good season in relief as a one-time fluke and then revert back to being a mediocre pitcher like he was before.

Essentially you're arguing that we need to look at a larger sample of performance; I'm arguing the same thing, just on a larger scale.

Even if that's so - there are zero major league teams that won't try to ride a guy having a good season in relief. Jenkins is clueless if he thinks that there are any teams that wouldn't have been willing to trust Chan Ho today after he had risen from NRI in Spring Training to one of the more valuable bull pen guys all season long.

Sheesh. Chan Ho was brought in - after pitching well all season - in the middle innings, hoping he would be able to go multiple innings (which he has numerous times). It's not like the Dodgers were trusting him as a closer today. (incidentally, their closer is off the roster with an injury) He was a middle reliever/long man today - a guy who had been above average all season - and he wasn't perfect today, so the Dodgers' pitching evaluation abilities are to be blasted? That is the height of cluelessness. I'm not sure why you are bothering to defend Jenkins in this situation. It's not like he has a leg to stand on.

7. Crashburn Alley Posted: October 11, 2008 at 04:11 AM (#2977538)

Why should baseball owners shut up about losing billions of dollars in profit they'd be missing out on by shortening the season? I'm as socialist as they come but in this country, business owners have every right to have their profit margins in mind when they take a side on an issue.

It's like Jenkins' employer saying, "We're not going to need you to come in 5 days a week every week throughout the year. Instead, you're going to take six weeks of unpaid leave. I don't want to hear you whine about it."

As much as it sucks for us regular Joes, rich people have as much a right to money in this country as everyone else.

Tell the owners to shut up and feel lucky they're in the game at all.

You can say this to anyone... janitors, secretaries, baseball owners. It just feels right because the owners are rich.

8. Hello Rusty Kuntz, Goodbye Rusty Cars Posted: October 11, 2008 at 08:12 AM (#2977553)

This guy hates everything about baseball.

9. KronicFatigue Posted: October 11, 2008 at 08:40 AM (#2977558)

Make opening day, 4th of july, labor day, and the first game after the allstar break double headers. Teams can even charge more (double?) a ticket. That shortens the season w/o shortening the season. You could even add the first day of interleague play (and have one game w/ the dh and the other game w/o it).

10. bunyon Posted: October 11, 2008 at 08:43 AM (#2977559)

I, for one, am tired of not being able to see football players' faces. So, we should ban helmets. No whining about it, now. You should feel lucky you're in the game at all.

11. scareduck Posted: October 11, 2008 at 09:41 AM (#2977573)

Essentially you're arguing that we need to look at a larger sample of performance; I'm arguing the same thing, just on a larger scale.

Except that Chan Ho was used as a reliever in the main this year, while he was principally a starter before this year. That's a role change.

12. scareduck Posted: October 11, 2008 at 09:43 AM (#2977574)

From TFA:

Give Ramirez credit for his bat speed and raw power, but that was a joke homer he hit in the fourth inning Friday, a routine fly that found the left-field seats in Philadelphia.

... but ...

Ballplayers don't get any more stylish than Hamels - even at the plate, where he stroked an authoritative single in Game 1.

Manny's homer is a "joke" but Cole Hamels' single is "authoritative". Gotcha.

13. scareduck Posted: October 11, 2008 at 09:44 AM (#2977575)

How can Frank Calliendo cease to be something he is not, nor ever was, in the first place?

Ding, ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

14. 44magnum Posted: October 11, 2008 at 09:59 AM (#2977581)

OOOH! I like #9.

15. bunyon Posted: October 11, 2008 at 10:08 AM (#2977586)

I like 9, too. You'll have to compensate MLBPA. I think upping rosters to 27 would work.

16. Swoboda is freedom Posted: October 11, 2008 at 10:33 AM (#2977595)

As a Mets fan, I strongly support shortening the season. I suggest 147 games.

17. Rafael Bellylard (p8p) Posted: October 11, 2008 at 10:43 AM (#2977598)

I like #9, but would stretch it to make it the first Sunday of every month.

18. The Politics of Torre: How the HOF Really Works Posted: October 11, 2008 at 10:46 AM (#2977604)

think upping rosters to 27 would work.

Great. More pitching changes.

19. RMc is the President of the United States Posted: October 11, 2008 at 10:53 AM (#2977610)

As a Mets fan, I strongly support shortening the season. I suggest 147 games.

With their luck, they'd make it the last 147 instead of the first 147.

upping rosters to 27 would work.

Great. More pitching changes.

Since there are 24 base/out combinations, nine innings and lefty/righty, each team should have at least 432 pitchers (plus more, to allow for injuries) to cover every possible eventuality. ("Here comes the Cardinals second-and-third, one out, 1-0 count, second inning specialist!")

20. The Artist Posted: October 12, 2008 at 02:15 AM (#2979764)

Since there are 24 base/out combinations, nine innings and lefty/righty, each team should have at least 432 pitchers (plus more, to allow for injuries) to cover every possible eventuality. ("Here comes the Cardinals second-and-third, one out, 1-0 count, second inning specialist!")

Tony LaRussa has wet dreams about this scenario...

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Jenkins: 3-Dot Lounge: Time to shut up baseball owners and shorten the season

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