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1.Monty posted on July 11, 2012 at 01:14 AM #hit 0 | hit 0
Okay, I'll take the first swing.
Now Harper is Hamels’ teammate, on the National League All-Star team, an eight-home run and 25-RBI All-Star, while at least five others with deserving stats won’t be. Fan voting at its finest.
Back then, the fans picked the game's starters. That's all, the starters.
Seems like the best-case scenario is that Smitty thinks Harper won the "Final Vote"... either that, or he has a basic misunderstanding of how the roster is chosen. One really hopes it's not the latter, given that:
About six years ago, I was asked to head a committee of Hall of Famers to study the All-Star game and report to the commissioner on ways to improve its competitiveness and the experience for the players.
PRO TIP: Do not trust any committee created by Bud Selig.
I also can't tell if Smitty is being sarcastic or not about Harper being "classy."
I thought Schmidt's description of the Hamels-Harper episode was well put, and am pleasantly flabbergasted (there is such a thing, right?) to see a famous old player being reasonable about the veteran being the ####### towards a rookie, rather than the other way around.
5.BDC posted on July 11, 2012 at 09:48 AM #hit 0 | hit 0
marketing dollars and television have become more important than competition and credibility at this game and every game, except golf
That's like saying "glitz and tourist dollars have become more important than acting talent and fine writing in this show and every Broadway show, except Mamma Mia."
I thought Schmidt's description of the Hamels-Harper episode was well put, and am pleasantly flabbergasted (there is such a thing, right?) to see a famous old player being reasonable about the veteran being the ####### towards a rookie, rather than the other way around.
I agree, but how does it then follow then Harper is an undeserving All-Star? I'm not following Schmidt's line of reasoning here. I mean, you can make a case for others besides Harper, but his first paragraph seems to suggest that he thinks Harper plays the game the "right way", while his second suggests that he is overhyped.
I think Schmidt just led with defending Harper in re: Hamels by way of saying "I have nothing against Bryce Harper, but..."
9.TerpNats posted on July 11, 2012 at 10:27 AM #hit 0 | hit 0
I sense Schmitty's angle on Harper is that while he admires the way he plays and likes his potential, Bryce still is only 19 and, in a narrow definition of an All-Star, isn't there yet. A perfectly valid point. At the same time, Harper is one of the most talked-about players in MLB, someone fans want to see, so that has to be taken into account.
Schmidt seems to be the "old timer" (and man does that make ME feel old) who is aging the most gracefully. He seems pretty even-keeled on the various issues of contention (steroids, money, "new school" vs. "Old school" etc...). When he says something I don't get a cranky old man sense from him but a sense of a guy who genuinely thinks about what he is saying.
Schmidt seems to be the "old timer" (and man does that make ME feel old) who is aging the most gracefully. He seems pretty even-keeled on the various issues of contention (steroids, money, "new school" vs. "Old school" etc...). When he says something I don't get a cranky old man sense from him but a sense of a guy who genuinely thinks about what he is saying.
I sort of agree. I get the sense that Mike gives the questions some serious thought, but he's really not much of a thinker. He's just as likely to say something truly head scratching as insightful, often in the same interview.
13.JJ1986 posted on July 11, 2012 at 11:35 AM #hit 0 | hit 0
Schmidt really seems to think that the fans are picking all of the players or something. He contrasts Harper being picked with "Each manager really wants to pick a team he can win with, balanced and able to create the right matchups in late innings."
Is Schmidt saying the game yesterday didn't have "competition and credibility" because Harper was in it rather than Martin Prado or somebody? That seems overreactive and weird.
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Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.
1. Monty posted on July 11, 2012 at 01:14 AM # hit 0 | hit 0Fan voting?
Seems like the best-case scenario is that Smitty thinks Harper won the "Final Vote"... either that, or he has a basic misunderstanding of how the roster is chosen. One really hopes it's not the latter, given that:
PRO TIP: Do not trust any committee created by Bud Selig.
I also can't tell if Smitty is being sarcastic or not about Harper being "classy."
"except golf" seems like it might have some meme potential.
That's like saying "glitz and tourist dollars have become more important than acting talent and fine writing in this show and every Broadway show, except Mamma Mia."
I agree, but how does it then follow then Harper is an undeserving All-Star? I'm not following Schmidt's line of reasoning here. I mean, you can make a case for others besides Harper, but his first paragraph seems to suggest that he thinks Harper plays the game the "right way", while his second suggests that he is overhyped.
I sort of agree. I get the sense that Mike gives the questions some serious thought, but he's really not much of a thinker. He's just as likely to say something truly head scratching as insightful, often in the same interview.
I still enjoy it, though. Hall of Famers that are reasonable about modern baseball are a rare sight.
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