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Guard Dog

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IIRC the Yankees wanted him to manage of of their minor league teams but Ruth was hoping for the Yankees or the Red Sox. In '34 he signed with the Braves to be a player manager (according to what they told him). But by June it was clear that wasn't going to be the case and he retired. He never worked in baseball again.

 

The saddest thing about sports is seeing age take the truly great ones. I remember watching Micheal Jordan miss a dunk during his last year with Washington.

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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You're right; I'd forgotten that he was talked out of managing the Newark Bears by either his wife or his manager.  Or both.

 

I've also read he may have been in consideration for some other managing jobs the year prior before he got taken on the Boston Braves deal but obviously nothing came of them.  His post Braves attempts to get into managing were all rebuffed.

I cannot - yet I must. How do you calculate that? At what point on the graph do "must" and "cannot" meet? Yet I must - but I cannot! ~ Ro-Man

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Two days to go. And although I hate to have to pick another Yankee there is just no denying this one; Derek Sanderson Jeter. His accomplishments on the field are well known, lifetime .310 hitter, 3465 hits, 260 HR. One of those is the last HR ever hit in the old Yankee Stadium, the House that Ruth Built. He holds the Yankee record for most games with a hit, most PA as a Yankee. And off the field he has been a huge help for youth charities in New York and elsewhere and founded the Turn 2 organization to help focus teens on athletics rather than drugs. He was a 14 time all star, 5 gold gloves, 5 World Series and was awarded both the Roberto Clemente Award and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award for his off-field work. A class act all around.

 

One interesting side note, in 1992 he was rated as one of the top picks in the MLB Draft. Houston had the #1 over all pick. Their lead scout was pushing them hard to take Jeter. They selected Phil Nevin instead. Nevin went on to bounce around the majors for 12 seasons without accomplishing much and the Yankees took Jeter with the 6th pick. Houston's scout quit over the selection. Talk about being vindicated.

 

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Derek Jeter. Most overrated superstar in North American sports in the last 20 years.

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Heresy! I couldn't disagree with you more. Yes his decline in his last threee seasons was remarkable but in his prime he was the best SS in the game considering total value (hitting and fielding). It's really rare these days to see a guy play as long as he did and finish +.300 in BA.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Heresy! I couldn't disagree with you more. Yes his decline in his last threee seasons was remarkable but in his prime he was the best SS in the game considering total value (hitting and fielding). It's really rare these days to see a guy play as long as he did and finish +.300 in BA.

 

I stand by my statement. As a hitter, his three year consecutive prime and five best peak seasons are very good, but he's always been one of the worst fielding starting shortstops in the game throughout his long career. Defensively, he's got a lousy first step and terrible range. To his credit, he's got a ++ arm and has a knack of making plays look spectacular that should have been routine in the first place.

 

All advanced metrics and the savvy front office analysts are in agreement over his poor defense.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=826&position=SS

 

His UZR and Def WAR are especially atrocious.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-other-half-of-the-story-about-derek-jeters-defense/

 

http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1415713.html

 

http://a.espncdn.com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1415695.html

 

http://grantland.com/features/the-tragedy-derek-jeter-defense/

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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This is it. One day to go. Tomorrow at 1PM Eastern in St. Petersburg the games count. So here is number 1 for 1 day to go. A man who never played an inning in the MLB but whose impact on the game of baseball cannot be denied, Sadharu Oh. Oh has hit more career home runs than any other player in any league. His Yomiuri Giants (in Tokyo) won the NPB's Japan Series 11 of their 22 times in his 22 years at First Base. His single season record of 55 HR stood from 1964 all the way to 2013 when Wladimir Balentien, a Dutch born player, of the Yakult Swallows hit 60. (Oh's 55 was tied a few times but not beaten until Balentien). Oh is still the NPB's record holder in RBIs, OPS, and he's third in hits.

 

1 day to go with Sadaharu Oh

 

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Edited by Guard Dog
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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Number 1 argument against the DH = Madison Bumgarner

 

BWAH-HA-HA-HA!!! 

 

I'm sorry but that's ridiculous. If I was a Major League Pitcher, I'd salivate on my chances on MadBum against any Major League batsman any day of the week and twice on double-headers.

 

Dude, you do realize Bumgarner's career numbers are .183 BA, .231 OBP, and .311 SLG?  In 2016, he was slightly above those marks at .186/.231/.360. The Major League average last year was .255/.322/.417. He's a bad hitter. Period. 

 

For all the overblown garbage about his supposed prowess as a hitter, MadBum is a terrible example to use. 

"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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He's typically only going to get 60-70 AB's a year, so you'd be better served comparing him to a bench player. But he's got 16 homers over about 450 AB's, which is a pretty solid number. He's entertaining as hell. Sure, he swings out of his shoes every at bat. That's the fun part.

 

This season he is 2-2 with 2 homers, so maybe he is just getting started. For most hitters, 450 AB's is one season.

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Yeah and those 16 home runs over the course of 450 at bats still equal to a SLG% in the low .300s. Duane Kuiper has a higher career SLG%. I'd take Kuip at DH over Bumgarner.

 

Manute Bol once made 6 three pointers in one half. Do you still want him regularly jacking triples as part of the offensive gameplan? He of the career .210 3FG%.

 

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"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Not a great example because I never got tired of him shooting threes

Look at the range on some of those knuckleballs

Lols. You're right. I concede everything,

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"Things are funny...are comedic, because they mix the real with the absurd." - Buzz Aldrin.

"P-O-T-A-T-O-E" - Dan Quayle

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Rays were strong against NY todat. Arch got in trouble a few times but battled. It's a nice way to start the season. The Giants have to be feeling that loss. They gave it away twice. Of course all it means it they won't go 162-0.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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The big takeaway from opening day is no lead was safe! Except the Dodgers. The Padre's would be hard put to overcome a two touchdown lead.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Tim Tebow blew up the internet last night by hitting a two run homer in his first at bat. Everyone was going crazy but all I could think was "yeah but he went 1-5 with three strikeouts" 

 

Damn this mathematical mind of mine. It's practical but no fun

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Listening to the Rays vs Yankees on the radio. Micheal Pineda has a perfect game going through six innings.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Annnnd that is the end of that. Longoria wrecked it with a double in the 7th.

"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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Will Myers hit for the cycle for San Diego last night. https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/04/11/wil-myers-cycle-san-diego-padres-colorado-rockies

 

When I think of the Will Myers trade (the second one) I grind my teeth. The Rays got back three players and and 2 prospects. 2 of those three players are gone, one prospect is a bust and cant get past  AA. The other might be a 4A player, maybe better. And Steven Sousa Jr. The "power hitter" that was supposed to anchor the line up. Ugh. In two season he was not played in more than 110 games and is slash line averaged over two years is .236/.311/.715 with a total WAR of 1.1. The OPS isn't bad but it's unimpressive all around. Meanwhile, Trea Turner for the Nationals is becoming a star and Will Myers is becoming a star. The Rays lost that trade.

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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The Braves are offering a new ballpark only IPA with a unique twist: the wort was cooled and and aged in wood chips made from baseball bats. It's called Chopsecutioner IPA. Color me curious. If I'm ever in Atlanta that's on my to-do list.

 

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/the-braves-new-ballpark-will-offer-a-beer-thats-been-brewed-with-baseball-bats/

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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"While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before"

Thomas Sowell

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