Dale Sveum Press Conference – watch live

Nuveen Investments time!

[quote name=fang2415]Nuveen Investments time![/quote]Those guys rock balls.

This is the cutest thing ever. They’re helping him get dressed.

Kind of repeating himself. Keeps saying “all them people”

[quote name=Berselius]I agree with you. I do not believe Theo was the leak for all of those reasons you listed, but I’m not completely ruling it out. I’m speaking more to simply jumping to the idea Theo et al are paragons of decision making, and ergo never make bad decisions. This is the main thing that pissed me off about the Crawford deal.[/quote]Yeah, b, I couldn’t agree more. Theo put it best when he said the great GMs are right 55% of the time. I think most fans think great GMs to be right 98% of the time. It’s unreasonable.

[quote name=josh]So Dale’s more of a shaved baldy. Quade I think was entirely hairless on top. You can see the sides and back stubble on Sveumy’s head.[/quote]Quade was entirely hairless everywhere. Sveum, OTOH, has eyebrows.

[quote name=fang2415]Quade was entirely hairless everywhere. Sveum, OTOH, has eyebrows.[/quote]I think Q actually had some disease or something that made his hair fall out.

How did I never notice Quade doesn’t have eyebrows!?

Dave Kaplan: “How will you make sure you don’t have another Ramirez DOGGING IT on the field?”

[quote name=fang2415]He just played through it. Gamer.[/quote]I was distracted by the chrome dome.

He’s pretty straightforward. I already appreciate the lack of bullshit.

Best fans in the world! Drink.

I loved that line too, AC.

103, 104 years (dying laughing) I love it. He’s not even entirely sure how long it’s been.

[quote name=fang2415]“How did you get the nickname ‘Big Hairy Testicles’?”[/quote](dying laughing)

Nice. Winning = fun. It’s a duh comment, but most people don’t think like that.

Whoever she is, she did NOT wait for the wireless mic.

Biggest change: pounding the strike zone. This guy is very LaRussa-y.

[quote name=mb21]Nice. Winning = fun. It’s a duh comment, but most people don’t think like that.[/quote]I thought fun —> winning. He just blew my mind.

Hey hey, an analytics question!

[quote name=AndCounting]The odds are pretty good that Sveum has killed a man. He just has that look about him.[/quote]He does have that look like he could go serial killer. It something in the way his voice modulates when he gets a little annoyed.

Q: “WILL YOU MAKE CASTRO INTO A SUPERSTAR?!??!?”

EDIT: PLEEEEEEAAAASE!

[quote name=fang2415]Hey hey, an analytics question![/quote]the last half of the answer I really liked. I think sometimes people don’t realize that your aggressiveness depends on the type of team you have. If you have power hitters you don’t run into outs as he said. If you don’t have much power you’re going to have to run into some outs to create more runs.

Kicks in the butt, work ethic, hustle, play the game, work ethic, do the little things…

[quote name=AndCounting]Even without that, he seems LaRussa-y. His demeanor. Hopefully his ridiculous amount of wins.[/quote]Hopefully without the entire army of total assholes.

Running balls out will be big under the Sveum regime.

And I’m not sure he answered it.

[quote name=fang2415]Running balls out will be big under the Sveum regime.[/quote]It should be. I know fans and the media make a much bigger deal of it than it should be, but Sveum is absolutely right in saying that it’s something they control and it’s something they should do. I’m sure he’s intelligent enough to realize that sometimes not running as hard as you’d like is also just a mental mistake. it happens. Sometimes a player will be nursing a sore leg and won’t be able to give it 100% all the time. But other than that, the Cubs were pretty fucking lazy the last couple of years.

[quote name=mb21]It should be. I know fans and the media make a much bigger deal of it than it should be, but Sveum is absolutely right in saying that it’s something they control and it’s something they should do. I’m sure he’s intelligent enough to realize that sometimes not running as hard as you’d like is also just a mental mistake. it happens. Sometimes a player will be nursing a sore leg and won’t be able to give it 100% all the time. But other than that, the Cubs were pretty fucking lazy the last couple of years.[/quote]It’s going to be a battle of wills with Sveum and Soriano. Although I agree that it may be worth it if only to shut the fans up.

So… I’m still slightly struggling to see what Thoyer love about this guy. Not that there isn’t something awesome about him, but I don’t think we’ve seen it yet.

[quote name=AndCounting]Great point. I liked what he said earlier about not forcing too much statistical analysis onto the players. Seems like an interesting dude.[/quote]I think he’s going to be open to communicating and strategizing with Thoyer, but that he seems like more of the leadership, strong will, old-school type overall.

I don’t care how many people he kills as long as he can help get the most out of the players thoyer gives him.

[quote name=fang2415]It may just be that they want an old-school, no-nonsense guy in the clubhouse, but they know that he’ll listen to them when it comes to strategy?

It is a little odd though: remember how Theo has talked about injury prevention, changing the culture so players flag injuries early rather than play through them and make them worse? If I’m a rookie with a twinge in my elbow, I’m not sure this is a guy that would make me more comfortable about raising that concern early.

Of course, he could be different with the players than he is with the press, but still…[/quote]Thoyer hired Sveum so they could influence him. If they wanted a guy with old school values they’d have just hired Valentine and called it quits. They want someone they can shape.

[quote name=mb21]Thoyer hired Sveum so they could influence him. If they wanted a guy with old school values they’d have just hired Valentine and called it quits. They want someone they can shape.[/quote]Any time Sveum does anything that I don’t like over his entire career, I will always be able to find comfort by reminding myself that they could have hired Valentine instead. If he does something really bad, I’ll remind myself that they could have hired Brenly. (dying laughing)

[quote name=fang2415]Any time Sveum does anything that I don’t like over his entire career, I will always be able to find comfort by reminding myself that they could have hired Valentine instead. If he does something really bad, I’ll remind myself that they could have hired Brenly. (dying laughing)[/quote](dying laughing)

[quote name=mb21]Thoyer hired Sveum so they could influence him. If they wanted a guy with old school values they’d have just hired Valentine and called it quits. They want someone they can shape.[/quote]Exactly. He’s willing to listen, he knows enough to know he doesn’t know everything. He’s eager to prove himself on the big league level, so he’s willing to learn and understand, even if right now he doesn’t have all that. He recognizes enough to know that stats are information that can be useful, and that it’s dumb to ignore it just because you think it’s ‘nerdy’ like La Russa used to do.

[quote name=mb21]I’m not really sure where the old school stuff is coming from. Several times he talked about learning, listening and figuring out what can best help the team. An old school manager says it’s going to be this way and that all players are going to have to adapt.

I’d also add that the most sabermetric organization in baseball wanted to hire Dale Sveum. In all honesty that’s all I need to know.[/quote]That’s a good point. It’s just a feeling. These press conferences are all talking points anyway. The circumstantial evidence is probably more meaningful than anything actually said to reporters under the lights.

I guess by “old-school” I meant “hardass.” Maddon doesn’t seem like a hardass, nor does Maddux. Those guys seem more like the charismatic, funny leader types. There are pluses and minuses to both styles.

[quote name=josh]That’s what I’m thinking. A La Russa who is open to new ideas,

As far as injury goes, that could be partly a med staff issue. Maybe Theo requires and Sveum enforces weekly checkups and honest communication. Sveum is responsible for making sure any inconsistencies get documented and reported and that everyone keeps on top of their niggling concerns. You wouldn’t necessarily need to be able to talk to him directly, if you had lots of opportunities to discuss with the staff. He could also be a big proponent of preventative measures, proper warm-ups, kinetics and all that. It doesn’t seem like it, really, but it would have been a good question.[/quote]That’s just one example of a concern I’d have about a guy who seems very into old-school values of hustle, work ethic, respect for the game, play hard every day kind of stuff. Guys like that often aren’t the easiest to approach, or the most understanding of individual issues, etc., etc. Which can work, but seems like an odd fit with the Superfriends ethic of openness, curiosity, asking questions, optimizing assets, etc.

I guess Sveum seems like the anti-Joe Maddon to me, which is different to what I expected. Not that it won’t work… but I’m not sure I understand how yet.

[quote name=mb21]I’m not really sure where the old school stuff is coming from. Several times he talked about learning, listening and figuring out what can best help the team. An old school manager says it’s going to be this way and that all players are going to have to adapt.

I’d also add that the most sabermetric organization in baseball wanted to hire Dale Sveum. In all honesty that’s all I need to know.[/quote]He’s old school in the sense that he doesn’t just accept a lack of hustle or occasional carelessness as the inevitable mindset of the modern athlete. I think people are seeing a tough commitment to accountability as old school. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Old school is probably far too broad. I don’t think you have to bench a guy or flame him publicly to keep him accountable. I think the man-to-man communication he emphasized is key.

http://sabermetricresearch.blogspot.com/2011/11/research-study-is-just-peer-reviewed.html

[quote name=AndCounting]He’s old school in the sense that he doesn’t just accept a lack of hustle or occasional carelessness as the inevitable mindset of the modern athlete. I think people are seeing a tough commitment to accountability as old school. I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Old school is probably far too broad.[/quote]Also, agreed that there’s a danger about splitting hairs when it comes to “what is old school”. I’ll try to think of some more specific characteristics to remark about. (dying laughing)

[quote name=AndCounting]I know streaking in the quad is decidedly old school.[/quote]Maybe they can kill off Soriano by having him mud-wrestle two topless girls.

[quote name=Mish]http://sabermetricresearch.blogspot.com/2011/11/research-study-is-just-peer-reviewed.html[/quote]I really like this article. It bugs me when scientific papers I edit remove all trace of the arguer and the doer. It’s an attempt to make it sound like Fact rather than just expert opinion, which is what it really is. I think this is a really good point.

[quote name=fang2415]Also, agreed that there’s a danger about splitting hairs when it comes to “what is old school”. I’ll try to think of some more specific characteristics to remark about. (dying laughing)[/quote]You have to remember too that the volume of “old school” responses were reacting to questions like “How are you going to make sure guys don’t get lazy?” and “What will you do about lapses on the field.” The questions themselves were shitty, and so his responses were generic. Most of the Cubs reporters are convinced that the problem boils down to the Cubs not hustling. If Rami had hustled, Dave Kaplan’s mind tells him, then the Cubs win the World Series at least twice.

With the Robin Yount rumors floating around I looked up his stats. Didn’t realize he was such an average-to-bad-ish defender, but it’s kind of cool how he won MVPs as both SS and CF.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yountro01.shtml

[quote name=josh]This is true, but how the experiment you ran relates to the hypothesis is where the interpretation comes in. What exactly it says about the hypothesis, specifically, what degree of accuracy it says it, how exactly it refines our understanding of the hypothesis, is as important as just chalking up tallies in the “for” column.[/quote]I think most people generally quibble about how the experiment was done rather than the hypothesis itself. You forgot this control, you dared to use that cell line, you fucked up that animal model, blah blah blah…

[quote name=Rice Cube]With the Robin Yount rumors floating around I looked up his stats. Didn’t realize he was such an average-to-bad-ish defender, but it’s kind of cool how he won MVPs as both SS and CF.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yountro01.shtml/quoteFangraphs is a little nicer to him in the late seventies/early eighties. The move to center seems to have been a lot harder on him than I’d been led to believe.

[quote name=Rice Cube]http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/parents-name-child-skyrim-character-195904653.html

Nerds…NERDS!!!!![/quote]A friend of mind on FB mentioned this. I argue that Dova is a cool name, and no one from his generation will remember Skyrim anyway.

[quote name=josh]You have to remember too that the volume of “old school” responses were reacting to questions like “How are you going to make sure guys don’t get lazy?” and “What will you do about lapses on the field.” The questions themselves were shitty, and so his responses were generic. Most of the Cubs reporters are convinced that the problem boils down to the Cubs not hustling. If Rami had hustled, Dave Kaplan’s mind tells him, then the Cubs win the World Series at least twice.[/quote]To be fair, dealing with players’ lapses on the field is probably a bigger part of a manager’s job than being up on the latest stats.

http://twitter.com/#!/CSNMooney/statuses/137575308101562368

Sveum says Robin Yount won’t be part of coaching staff.

If anyone cares what the Red Sox are up to, the Bobby V thing and the comments herein are interesting:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/18/valentine-has-been-on-the-red-sox-radar-for-some-time/

[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]He was worth 11.5 WAR in 1982 (dying laughing)

That’s massive[/quote]Leading the league in OPS while playing shortstop is a pretty big deal.

New/old Blue Jays swag:

http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2011/11/17/2550250/all-true-mariners-team

Edgar Martinez has 70 WAR? As an almost exclusive DH? Why’s he not in the HOF again?

[quote name=ACT]To be fair, dealing with players’ lapses on the field is probably a bigger part of a manager’s job than being up on the latest stats.[/quote]Yeah, I agree. Tango made a great point recently that if you have a manager that doesn’t have the respect of his players he’s basically useless. How Sveum gets that respect is something I don’t really care about. He’s obviously willing to learn so he satisfies the top two requirements for me.

[quote name=WaLi][/quote]Took me a while to get this one.

Dexter —-> Two more seasons.

Meh. Deb finds out or GTFO.

[quote name=GBTS]Also, how many Homeland watchers here do we have? Last episode was bananas.[/quote]Last episode was really good. Great twist at the end. Interested in seeing how the show will change.

[quote name=josh]You have to remember too that the volume of “old school” responses were reacting to questions like “How are you going to make sure guys don’t get lazy?” and “What will you do about lapses on the field.” The questions themselves were shitty, and so his responses were generic. Most of the Cubs reporters are convinced that the problem boils down to the Cubs not hustling. If Rami had hustled, Dave Kaplan’s mind tells him, then the Cubs win the World Series at least twice.[/quote]This is totally true. Almost all the questions I’ve heard him answer have sucked. He didn’t quite break out of most of the dumb frames that were thrown at him, but some kudos to him that he didn’t really create any dumber ones either (a la Alomar).

So I’m guessing that the answers he gave to Thoyer’s smart questions were awesome and that’s why they hired him. The press has failed us by not asking him good questions, but lucky for Thoyer, they don’t have to rely on the press for that.

[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez][/quote][quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez][/quote]I can’t argue with you today.

[quote name=fang2415]Now I’m curious to know what the hell that kid was actually looking at.[/quote]I think it is one of those “find your way out of the maze” things where after a while the excorsist chick jumps out at you.

[quote name=WaLi]I think it is one of those “find your way out of the maze” things where after a while the excorsist chick jumps out at you.[/quote]Exactly. It scares you because you are concentrating really hard on the maze or the whatever and then a loud noise and face suddenly appears.

[quote name=Rice Cube]

/divided by zero’d[/quote]Went to that KFC/Taco Bell near the United Center (you know the place) once and they were out of chicken. They were also out of Taco meat. And tortillas. They just kept letting us name food items, not bothering to tell us what they did have. I believe we ended up with some cheese and chips.

[quote name=josh]Went to that KFC/Taco Bell near the United Center (you know the place) once and they were out of chicken. They were also out of Taco meat. And tortillas. They just kept letting us name food items, not bothering to tell us what they did have. I believe we ended up with some cheese and chips.[/quote]
I went to the Steak N Shake in Champaign once and the waitress told us “sorry, we’re out of hamburgers and ice cream.” I said, “so you’re out of the very two things required to make either Steaks or Shakes?” She said “you can have fries or you can leave”

(dying laughing)

[quote name=WenningtonsGorillaCock]I went to the Steak N Shake in Champaign once and the waitress told us “sorry, we’re out of hamburgers and ice cream.” I said, “so you’re out of the very two things required to make either Steaks or Shakes?” She said “you can have fries or you can leave”

(dying laughing)[/quote]
I remember being in Olive garden and they were out of fettuccini. I guess they cook all their pasta (food?) at the beginning of the day.

Peter Gammons sez Cespedes wants $35-50MM.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Peter Gammons sez Cespedes wants $35-50MM.[/quote]Per year?

[quote name=fang2415]I can’t argue with you today.[/quote]
False.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Probably over six years. I don’t think he’s Albert Pujols yet.[/quote]This probably includes any random signing bonuses. I’d probably adjust that to say “five or six years” to be safe.

[quote name=GBTS]Also, how many Homeland watchers here do we have? Last episode was bananas.[/quote]It was a really good episode. I’ve really liked the show so far, but I am a bit concerned. I actually saw this twist coming. I was hoping that Brody had been turned just because I knew after the trailer that Brody hadn’t been turned. I watched 24 and the same guy is doing Homeland.

[quote name=Rice Cube]This guy is unprotected before Rule 5:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=vendit001pat/quoteThat the switch-pitcher?

[quote name=Rice Cube]This guy is unprotected before Rule 5:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=vendit001pat/quoteA 26-year-old in AA? That’s just the kind of young talent the Cubs need to rejuvenate their farm system.

[quote name=Rice Cube]http://www.isvenditteaswitchpitcher.com/yes.html[/quote]That page is okay. Needs an update. The javascript screams 2005.

[quote name=ACT]A 26-year-old in AA? That’s just the kind of young talent the Cubs need to rejuvenate their farm system.[/quote]He didn’t even start until 23. That’s weird. Did he spend a couple of extra years in college?

[quote name=ACT]His stuff hasn’t exactly impressed scouts. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/sports/baseball/14pitcher.html?_r=1&em=&pagewanted=all/quoteThe B-Ref stats look really awesome but I’d trust the scouts too. Something doesn’t add up there.

I just threw the name out there because he was a switch pitcher who apparently didn’t completely suck, I don’t know for sure that the Cubs are high on him or not.

[quote name=Rice Cube]http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/parents-name-child-skyrim-character-195904653.html

Nerds…NERDS!!!!![/quote]

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]No longer blogging about Jerry Sandusky on a Cubs blog?[/quote]False. Looks like NCAA is instigating its own investigation.

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]That may be, but the last UnOb View seems to have gone all 404 on me.[/quote]Fine for me. Maybe you’re just dogging it.

[quote name=Mercurial Outfielder]Fine for me. Maybe you’re just dogging it.[/quote]I won’t last under Sveumy then.

Now all the UnObViews are missing for me btw.

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]I won’t last under Sveumy then.

Now all the UnObViews are missing for me btw.[/quote]Slacker.

Just to make one more post about me, I have now fixed the error that was occurring on my end.

/phew

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]Just to make one more post about me, I have now fixed the error that was occurring on my end.

/phew[/quote]In about 34 years, MB will check it out to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

[quote name=Rice Cube]You reported Jerry Sandusky?[/quote]I thought that would elicit what could only ever be a bad joke. Congratulations. (dying laughing)

If an older woman who likes younger men is called a “Cougar” then I guess an older man who likes younger men is called a “Nittany Lion”…… Too soon??

It’s not too soon. It’s appropriate. It’s like calling them Ped State, which is also appropriate.

Wood———-> apparently coming back

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1119-wood-cubs-chicago–20111119,0,2694823.story

No surprise here but I like it.

Payroll floor to be instituted?

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/11/18/report-mlb-could-tax-low-spending-clubs/

I like it, RC.

[quote name=mb21]I think it’s nothing more than an attempt to gain some leverage in the upcoming negotiations. I don’t believe much can be gained, but none can be lost so why not do it?[/quote]
I agree. It’s really all they can do to drive the value up at this point.

I’d like to think that someone will take Z if $14MM of the salary is paid, but I don’t think they’ll just flat out release him. That’s a lot of money to just eat.

MB, I thought Kyle Smit had some upside, or at least a good season. Is him being taken off the 40 man a surprise?

[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]I agree. It’s really all they can do to drive the value up at this point.[/quote]So Sveum said Zambrano is out of strikes. How do you drive up value on someone who you openly admitted is out of strikes?

[quote name=Rice Cube]So Sveum said Zambrano is out of strikes. How do you drive up value on someone who you openly admitted is out of strikes?[/quote]
I was referring to what Theo has been saying. Sveum’s comments seem to conflict with that.

[quote name=mb21]I’m sure Sveum and Theo talked about Z before anything was said to the media. I don’t believe you can drive Z’s value up. He’s been in the league for a decade and every team in baseball knows he has serious issues.[/quote]
True. I think I meant to say- not ruin his value further. They need to establish some market, or else they’ll be eating 18 million bucks.

[quote name=Rice Cube]So Sveum said Zambrano is out of strikes. How do you drive up value on someone who you openly admitted is out of strikes?[/quote]
Everyone knows Zambrano has balls though. I guess that means he’ll walk.

[quote name=Rodrigo Ramirez]True. I think I meant to say- not ruin his value further. They need to establish some market, or else they’ll be eating 18 million bucks.[/quote]I think the market will be there. Z is about league average and that has value. They’ll have to send a lot of money along, but they’ll find a taker and probably get something decent in return.

[quote name=mb21]It’s nothing special. It’s basically the same as the one ACB had.[/quote]Yeah, the opening page is different and looks all fancy but then it just takes you to the mobile version of each article. Nice touch though.

[quote name=Rice Cube]Z: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 unearned run, 2 BB, 4 K[/quote]You and your damn spreadsheets! Did he hustle it out? DID HE CHEW SUNFLOWER SEEDS?!?

[quote name=josh]You and your damn spreadsheets! Did he hustle it out? DID HE CHEW SUNFLOWER SEEDS?!?[/quote]Someone in a forum said he got hit in the face by a line drive. I still can’t find anything.

The links are all fixed now and the registration should be working. You may want to go back to the home page and then click on this article again or just click on this link to get back here: http://www.obstructedview.net/chicago-cubs/articles/dale-sveum-press-conference-watch-live.html

The Cubs have 4 players to their 40-man roster: Junior Lake, Josh Vitters, Jeff Beliveau and Matt Szczur. Lake, Vitters and Beliveau had to be protected or they would have been eligible in the 40-man roster. Vitters and Lake each had 4 years of minor league service time (started career at 18 or younger) and since Beliveua was drafted out of college he was allowed 3 years before being eligible. Not sure why Szczur was added to the 40-man roster. He only had 1 year of minor league service time (partial season after being drafted does not count). Only reason I can think of is that his contract guaranteed him an MLB roster spot after the 2011 season. Either that or the Cubs intend to give him a job to open the 2012 season.

Just thought of Ryan Flaherty who is eligible for the Rule 5 this year if not protected. Very strange they’d protect Szczur and not Flaherty. Could Flaherty be headed to Boston to complete the Theo deal? That’s about the only way that makes any sense. Then again, I thought the same thing about Marquez Smith so grain of salt.

[quote name=mb21]The Cubs have 4 players to their 40-man roster: Junior Lake, Josh Vitters, Jeff Beliveau and Matt Szczur. Lake, Vitters and Beliveau had to be protected or they would have been eligible in the 40-man roster. Vitters and Lake each had 4 years of minor league service time (started career at 18 or younger) and since Beliveua was drafted out of college he was allowed 3 years before being eligible. Not sure why Szczur was added to the 40-man roster. He only had 1 year of minor league service time (partial season after being drafted does not count). Only reason I can think of is that his contract guaranteed him an MLB roster spot after the 2011 season. Either that or the Cubs intend to give him a job to open the 2012 season.[/quote]
Hendry Cubs somehow fucked up his first contract, had to release and resign him, meaning he had to be added to the 40 man this year. Too lazy to link.

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Hendry Cubs somehow fucked up his first contract, had to release and resign him, meaning he had to be added to the 40 man this year. Too lazy to link.[/quote]Yeah, something like that!

[quote name=mb21]I’m too lazy to look over the entire roster to see who is available so I went over to read Arizona Phil on TCR. http://www.thecubreporter.com/2011/11/18/cubs-finally-begin-address-roster#comment-192441

Phil thinks this is as strange as I do. 33 payers on the 40-man roster and at least a couple guys you’d like to protect? I think he might be onto something thinking a few of those guys could be the ones that Boston and San Diego are looking for. Otherwise it’s just odd.[/quote]
I certainly want to see what Smith or Flaherty can do, given that the cubs have no 3B and only half a 2B. Hell I wanted Flaherty called up over LaMayhew last year. I know nothing.

Why didn’t Oklahoma State call a time out?

Why are they playing college football on a Friday night? I am confused.

(dying laughing) the BCS is about to go into chaos

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]Why are they playing college football on a Friday night? I am confused.[/quote]It’s the only way ISU can get nationally televised. No competition.

[quote name=Rice Cube]https://twitter.com/#!/PepeBeisbol

The most recent tweets are about Z’s start last night. Apparently he took a liner off the face and stayed in to finish the fifth before going to the hospital.[/quote]Holy shit.

[quote name=Rice Cube]https://twitter.com/#!/PepeBeisbol

The most recent tweets are about Z’s start last night. Apparently he took a liner off the face and stayed in to finish the fifth before going to the hospital.[/quote]There’s also a tweet-off between this guy and Carrie Muskat where she’s trying to confirm it. She makes a good point that Z is extra motivated to do well, although most competitive players probably wouldn’t want to get out unless the impact to the face was as bad as what happened to Byrd.

[quote name=josh]So he definitely gave 110%.[/quote]Extra effort doesn’t count if it’s in Venezuela. Who are we going to trust, some foreign Twitter account or our own eyes?

[quote name=josh]Let’s kidnap him just to be sure. That’s what you do in Venezuela when you aren’t sure.[/quote]Correct. Wilson Ramos getting kidnapped in Venezuela is equivalent to, say, Josh Hamilton playing on a strained groin in the MLB.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-1119-rogers-cubs-chicago–20111119,0,4866704.column:

“Everybody goes off spray charts,” said Epstein, referring to computer-generated graphics that show where batters have hit balls over the last two or three seasons. “Dale got the spray charts, but then he would get video and watch where every hitter had hit his last 100 ground balls. He would use a different color to circle those balls and that’s what he would use to position our infield and outfield. He would do it before every series. That’s just his approach to the game. …You help a pitcher get an extra out or two, that could be huge.”

Yeah, yeah, whatever. WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT PLAYERS WHO JUST WON’T HUSTLE?

Man, Josh, you were so right about those questions yesterday. I understood Sveum as an old-school disciplinarian and totally forgot that the 90% of the questions he was asked were about discipline, hustle, guts, etc.

Just watched his CSN interview with Kaplan and two-thirds of the questions were about discipline and hustle. Then he asked about pitch counts and it was like a different generation answering. Noted that older guys get better at taking more pitches and said he’d keep on everybody about taking every single pitch they can’t hit for a home run. Wow.

Would love to hear him answer some more questions like this, but apparently we’ll have to wait a while since the Chicago press know that being a winning manager is all about hustle, discipline, and guts.

[quote name=mb21]Yeah, fang, the questions were embarrassing. If it wasn’t about grit and hustle it was about how many phone calls he received congratulating him on getting a big league job.[/quote]Do reporters even like baseball?

[quote name=Recalcitrant Blogger Nate]My wife, who hates baseball, says that Epstein looks like Zack Morris from Saved By the Bell.

[/quote]

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]Or do they just like manly, testosterone-filled versions of soap operas about honor, sacrifice, and brotherhood?[/quote]Band of Brothers?

Broperas (dying laughing)

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]Do reporters even like baseball?[/quote]I’ve wondered that too. It’s entirely possible that at least some of them got assigned the sports beat and it just stuck, that they never had much of an interest at all. I agree that Dave Kaplan has a storyline he wants to shove down everyone’s throat. He at least knows people in the game and seems to genuinely like the sport. He definitely doesn’t have an appreciation for the sport in its modern form, but some of the others seem like they’d do anything to ask about something other than boring old baseball.

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]http://i44.tinypic.com/15631c9.jpg[/quote]
Qu’est-ce que c’est?

You know, if the Cubs had run hard to first base last season they’d have won 197 games. Easily.

http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l135&t=g_log&gid=2011_11_18_oriwin_magwin_1

That’s the play-by-play of last night’s game where Z had to leave. The key play seems to be:

Ezequiel Carrera lines out to first baseman Dmitri Young.

Usually when a line drive deflects, it would’ve been noted in the play-by-play, but maybe they were sloppy here. Sounds like the ball bounced off Z’s face and to his 1B, either in the air or enough so that the 1B could step on the bag or tag the guy. Ouch.

Z was replaced in the bottom of the 6th.

[quote name=Rice Cube]http://mlb.mlb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=l135&t=g_log&gid=2011_11_18_oriwin_magwin_1

That’s the play-by-play of last night’s game where Z had to leave. The key play seems to be:

Usually when a line drive deflects, it would’ve been noted in the play-by-play, but maybe they were sloppy here. Sounds like the ball bounced off Z’s face and to his 1B, either in the air or enough so that the 1B could step on the bag or tag the guy. Ouch.

Z was replaced in the bottom of the 6th.[/quote]http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-zambrano-recovering-after-being-hit-in-face-by-liner-20111119,0,533444.story

Ah, Z made the play himself.

[quote name=mb21]Unlike Z, I’m willing to wait my entire life to get hit in the head by a line drive.[/quote]Playing rec league softball, I’ve been hit by line drives in the arm, the knees, the shins, and the torso, but never the head. Hurt like hell though.

/cool story bro

[quote name=Rice Cube]Playing rec league softball, I’ve been hit by line drives in the arm, the knees, the shins, and the torso, but never the head. Hurt like hell though.

/cool story bro[/quote]I got hit in the shin last summer by a linedrive softball. Seriously, it’s still slightly tender. That was in July.

Blue Jays are going retro with their logo, too. Everyone’s going retro.

MB I am hearing unconfirmed rumors that it is, indeed, a Cyclone state. Can you verify?

Apparently, Z got hit in the face twice…

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/cubs-talk/post/Zambrano-gets-10-stiches-after-two-liner?blockID=597140&feedID=661

I wonder if this was on Theo’s list of things Carlos must endure so as to redeem himself.

[quote name=Smokestack Lightning]Apparently, Z got hit in the face twice…

http://www.csnchicago.com/blog/cubs-talk/post/Zambrano-gets-10-stiches-after-two-liner?blockID=597140&feedID=661

I wonder if this was on Theo’s list of things Carlos must endure so as to redeem himself.[/quote]What are the odds of a pitcher getting hit by line drives twice in a game?

[quote name=Suburbankid 22][/quote]
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)

Zambrano said he has waited 14 years to get a liner off his face. It was his lucky day because he received two.

(dying laughing)

I know I’m late on this, but I just realized that Theo’s grandfather and granduncle were screenwriters for Casablanca. Wow.

RC’s alma mater —> momentarily not sucking against Andrew Luck

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/11/latest-on-upcoming-cba-1.html

There’s also an item in there about how certain Type A relievers will no longer cost a draft pick. I wonder how they determined that.

[quote name=Rice Cube]RC’s alma mater —> momentarily not sucking against Andrew Luck[/quote]False.

[quote name=Suburbankid 22]Hard-headed motherfucker[/quote]Es un toro. But that video only showed the first hit. I wonder what the second one was like.