Comments on: Wrenching. http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/ In-your-face baseball commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:48:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Rich http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-53410 Rich Sun, 14 Oct 2007 15:20:27 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-53410 Urgh. The most demoralizing part was watching all the fans begin to file out of the ballpark as the runs mounted. I have never seen Fenway so empty during a game as in the bottom of the eleventh. You got the sense that even if there had been a rally, the black cloud of despair would have crushed it. Also, the game didn't end until almost 2 am. Whoever decided on an 820pm start time needs to be nutpunched. Repeatedly. Urgh.

The most demoralizing part was watching all the fans begin to file out of the ballpark as the runs mounted. I have never seen Fenway so empty during a game as in the bottom of the eleventh. You got the sense that even if there had been a rally, the black cloud of despair would have crushed it.

Also, the game didn’t end until almost 2 am.

Whoever decided on an 820pm start time needs to be nutpunched. Repeatedly.

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]]> By: Zvee Geffen http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-27071 Zvee Geffen Thu, 04 Oct 2007 18:20:02 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-27071 Come now, Nick. There's room for both approaches! I like observation and gut feelings and not reducing everything to numbers, but when something is as obvious as being last in many statistical categories (as in the case of Jeter's defense), one has to sit up and take notice. Reyes is good, to be sure. He's just not the hands-down best, defensively. And he sure ain't the best offensively. Come now, Nick. There’s room for both approaches! I like observation and gut feelings and not reducing everything to numbers, but when something is as obvious as being last in many statistical categories (as in the case of Jeter’s defense), one has to sit up and take notice. Reyes is good, to be sure. He’s just not the hands-down best, defensively. And he sure ain’t the best offensively.

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]]> By: Nick Kapur http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26969 Nick Kapur Thu, 04 Oct 2007 03:40:31 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26969 Whoa! Look at you go, Sarah, you've become a stathead! Throwing range factor and zone rating in Coley's face when he talks of what he's actually seen with his own eyes! What happened to that old traditionalist Sarah, who didn't like Murray Chass's approach but felt she could at least understand his point of view that stats might be "undermining enjoyment of the game"? Whoa! Look at you go, Sarah, you’ve become a stathead! Throwing range factor and zone rating in Coley’s face when he talks of what he’s actually seen with his own eyes!

What happened to that old traditionalist Sarah, who didn’t like Murray Chass’s approach but felt she could at least understand his point of view that stats might be “undermining enjoyment of the game”?

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]]> By: Zvee Geffen http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26768 Zvee Geffen Wed, 03 Oct 2007 19:19:13 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26768 Reyes' fielding percentage puts him right in the middle of the pack of NL shortstops (which we admitted above is a deep field right now). He's actually second-to-last in range factor, though he ranks third in zone rating (just behind T-Bone). Overall, the numbers don't portray him as a great glove. Jeter is similar---middling to bottom-of-the pack according to most defensive metrics. Yet Jeter won a Gold Glove last year. There's no accounting for hype. Reyes’ fielding percentage puts him right in the middle of the pack of NL shortstops (which we admitted above is a deep field right now). He’s actually second-to-last in range factor, though he ranks third in zone rating (just behind T-Bone). Overall, the numbers don’t portray him as a great glove. Jeter is similar—middling to bottom-of-the pack according to most defensive metrics. Yet Jeter won a Gold Glove last year. There’s no accounting for hype.

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]]> By: Sarah Green http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26764 Sarah Green Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:34:13 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26764 Sarah, to be fair, I haven't watched Tulowitzki much this season. But I've seen enough of Reyes to know that -- his late season struggles aside -- he is one of the best defensive short stops I've ever watched. I'm curious, was Tulowitski's range factor better than Reyes'? What makes you think Reyes is overrated? Sarah, to be fair, I haven’t watched Tulowitzki much this season. But I’ve seen enough of Reyes to know that — his late season struggles aside — he is one of the best defensive short stops I’ve ever watched. I’m curious, was Tulowitski’s range factor better than Reyes’? What makes you think Reyes is overrated?

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]]> By: Zvee Geffen http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26762 Zvee Geffen Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:16:06 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26762 Pete, your sarcasm is duly noted. But who would you have picked? gej, Renteria has certainly performed for the Braves (in a way that he never performed for the Red Sox, grumble grumble). Reyes is okay but he's not better than Tulowitzki either offensively or defensively, at least not this season. Reyes gets extra attention from the national media because he plays in New York, which is where most of the national media are located. Pete, your sarcasm is duly noted. But who would you have picked?

gej, Renteria has certainly performed for the Braves (in a way that he never performed for the Red Sox, grumble grumble). Reyes is okay but he’s not better than Tulowitzki either offensively or defensively, at least not this season. Reyes gets extra attention from the national media because he plays in New York, which is where most of the national media are located.

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]]> By: Pete http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26760 Pete Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:01:17 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26760 Pedroia? On this site? Shocker!!! Pedroia? On this site?

Shocker!!!

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]]> By: gej http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26729 gej Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:33:22 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26729 If you're going to take Renteria, then there's four. One has to think that Jose Reyes is also better, correct? If you’re going to take Renteria, then there’s four. One has to think that Jose Reyes is also better, correct?

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]]> By: Zvee Geffen http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26694 Zvee Geffen Wed, 03 Oct 2007 13:00:36 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26694 gej, I meant defensively. Tulowitzki has a higher fielding percentage and range factor. Everett edges him out on zone rating. I assume your three better shortstops would be Renteria, Rollins, and Hanley Ramirez (isn't it odd, btw, that two of those are former Red Sox?). I can only say that the NL is clearly where the AL was a few years ago when Jeter, A-Rod, and Nomar were all at the position: a state of unsustainable wealth akin to the dot-com bubble. I can't hold it against Troy for coming up in such an economic climate! And Nick...I assume that was a Freudian slip on your part when you called Braun an "every day first baseman." I, personally, would like to see Braun at a defensively forgiving position such as first, but alas for the Brewers and for me, he plays the defensively crucial position of third base. And yeah, I know once he was called up he was their everyday guy. But he still missed almost two months of the season. For me, it comes down to this: Tulowitzki, in his first year, played like a veteran. Braun played like a rookie. Therefore, Tulowitzki gets the ROY. But I'm sure next year, Braun will have the last laugh when he goes to the All-Star Game. gej, I meant defensively. Tulowitzki has a higher fielding percentage and range factor. Everett edges him out on zone rating.

I assume your three better shortstops would be Renteria, Rollins, and Hanley Ramirez (isn’t it odd, btw, that two of those are former Red Sox?). I can only say that the NL is clearly where the AL was a few years ago when Jeter, A-Rod, and Nomar were all at the position: a state of unsustainable wealth akin to the dot-com bubble. I can’t hold it against Troy for coming up in such an economic climate!

And Nick…I assume that was a Freudian slip on your part when you called Braun an “every day first baseman.” I, personally, would like to see Braun at a defensively forgiving position such as first, but alas for the Brewers and for me, he plays the defensively crucial position of third base. And yeah, I know once he was called up he was their everyday guy. But he still missed almost two months of the season.

For me, it comes down to this: Tulowitzki, in his first year, played like a veteran. Braun played like a rookie. Therefore, Tulowitzki gets the ROY. But I’m sure next year, Braun will have the last laugh when he goes to the All-Star Game.

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]]> By: BeraH http://umpbump.com/press/2007/10/14/wrenching/comment-page-1/#comment-26645 BeraH Wed, 03 Oct 2007 06:55:29 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/wrenching/#comment-26645 Adam Everett was out several months with a broken leg. Braun was taken out in the late innings of every game I saw him in. He had great offense, but obviously his coach held his defensive liabilities against him if he actually removed him from games regularly. I really do like Braun but I can see how it's not a longshot that Tulowitski would get the ROY. Adam Everett was out several months with a broken leg.

Braun was taken out in the late innings of every game I saw him in. He had great offense, but obviously his coach held his defensive liabilities against him if he actually removed him from games regularly.

I really do like Braun but I can see how it’s not a longshot that Tulowitski would get the ROY.

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