Infield Chatter

[67Bleachers]

Was just over at the BDD site and there's an editorial about how the Bosox are frequently losing track of the number of outs while on defense and offense.

 

The writer gives a good summary and numerous examples of Boston players' mental lapses from this season and last season. He makes the point that this "little league" stuff has to stop. The writer suggests money fines as a solution. That's "fine" but there's more that can be done.

 

As an example, I had the pleasure of going to a Somerset Patriots vs Nashua Pride (AA) game last Saturday night. Nice little ballpark in Nashua and a crowd of about 2,200.

 

Anyway, after the thunderstorm and 1/2 the fans left you would have sworn you were taking in a game at old Exhibition Stadium (now closed, been there) or a sold out Skydome (never been there) in Toronto! My point is you could hear a pin drop in the place.

 

So after the thunderstorm, "the silence was deafening", and our Nashua Pride was taking it on the chin, (the score was something like 13 to 2 in the 7th), and it occurred to me how there was absolutely no infield chatter going on among the players (both teams).

 

Unless they just graduated from a new, secret sign language course that we don't know about there was NO COMMUNICATION with the pitcher or among themselves.

 

It must not be cool to chatter anymore. It' geeky. Maybe if the Red Sox "Geeked Up" a little more rather than "Cowboy'd Up", it would 'cool' a few of their opponents down instead of themselves.

 

What do you think?

 

Pride Post Script: It was a treat to witness Butch Hobson coaching third for Nashua while it was defended by 3B'man (Billy?) Nettles, son of Graig Nettles. What made the scene even more fun to savor is the fact that, (I think), Hobson and Graig Nettles played against each other in the '70's. History makes it interesting doesn't it?

 

And get this, there was another manager watching from the Patriots dugout and taking it all in...his name is Sparky Lyle.

 

Except for the loss and wet seat after the storm, an EXCEPTIONAL baseball night at AA ball.

[yeszir]

Whoa, thats awesome, who knew so many past greats and sons of greats could be at one double A baseball game? What major league teams are those teams affiliated with by the way?

 

But as for the infield chatter, it is a shame that it is fading away (I think it still exists to some extent in the majors), but I guess we just have to accept it. I don't think players are suddenly going to become cheerleaders out there shouting "NICE PLAY NOMAR" or "TURN 2!". The basics are so engrained in their minds that they have no need to coach each other. Plus, they'd also fear looking/sounding stupid or "geeky" as you pointed out.

 

Maybe the chatter also serves no purpose, considering the distances between players. I can barely hear my friends next to me at fenway at times, so how could a SS hear a 2B saying something to him? It's difficult, I'm sure.

 

I have heard of some people listening to the players chat during games from their first row seats, and I have heard that some interesting things are said. But its mostly just friendly chatter, not the infield coaching and screaming that you get from little league players sometimes.

[67Bleachers]

Originally posted by yeszir@May 18 2004, 11:00 AM

...What major league teams are those teams affiliated with by the way?...

 

....The basics are so engrained in their minds that they have no need to coach each other....

 

Thanks for your response.

 

To answer your question, while I was looking through that night's game program I had the same thought about affiliations but here was no mention of one, so I emailed them.

 

They wrote me back and NO TEAM in their "Atlantic League" has a major league affilliation. Basically, major league teams recruit from the Atlantic League and probably pay a good penny to get the talent; I'm told however, that the Nashua team is having a tough time financially and is having difficulty paying the rent. I think the team is 6 years old.

 

And maybe I was misinformed calling it AA ball because you probably need a major league affiliation to use the A, AA or AAA designations?

 

On your comment about, "the basics are so engrained in their minds...", I think that's the problem that the BDD writer was talking about....that the number of outs, so basic to ever Red Sox player, is NOT engrained in their minds.

 

So maybe "chatter" isn't what I'm after, maybe it's just my liking to see/hear a consistent, every game, every half-inning loud shout by the captain, catcher, whomever, that there are 1 or 2 freak'in outs!

 

And congrats to you on a great site. Thanks for all your hard work. I enjoy it.

[roary]

Forgetting the number of outs in the innings, although boneheaded and stupid, is most likely not from a lack of communication. If you can't count to 3 I doubt your listening skills are up to par either.

 

The infield chatter that I miss is the "come ooooooon Pokey" or whatever player you want to fill in. Hearing Damon shout "two outs!" with two fingers in the air isn't really my idea of infield (or outfield) chatter. It's just updating those who don't know how many outs there are. It's kind of ironic that I chose Damon there though, since he's the one that forgets the most often.

[YanksHater213]

chatting in the field could lead to not being able to concentrate, just an observation