Elktonnick
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Everything posted by Elktonnick
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That is absolutely not true. The foundations of the trade weren't made until Henry/Lucchino talked with Dodgers ownership. In any negotiation one always has fliers out there but the idea that Cherrington laid the foundatiion for this deal doesn't square with either the reporting or the business reality. The only one making up facts to suit a reality is you. Cherrington does what he is told to do. He has shown no initiative since becoming GM. He for one thing is risk adverse. When told to jump his only question is how high.
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First of all Benny had as much to do with setting up the LA deal as an office boy which was all he was in that transaction. The deal was conceived and negotiated above Benny's pay grade. Secondly unfortuneately Benny is here to stay but that doesn't make him competent for the job. Third if he weren't seen by ownership as not fully competent why are they reportedly hiring a more experienced person to assist him or why does Henry want to reportedly have Bill James reporting diectly to the owner. Sounds to me as if they don't fully trust Benny with the keys to the office. My opinion which may be a minority is I'd fire Cherrington before I'd fire Valentine and that isn't to say that Valentine shouldn't be fired.
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I couldn't agree more. There are some clubhouse issues in Toronto also. I want them to pursue a competent experienced GM who will hire his own manager whomever that would be. The idea of a designated successor leaves me cold.
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The problem wasn't that they spent too much time on the managerial search last year but rather, not enough time on a search for a competent general manager.
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Football is big no doubt but the problems with Washington baseball are those I outlined above and logistical. Apart from the question of fan loyality there are real logistical problems getting in and out of DC for night baseball. Hockey and basketball don't need to draw above 25k every night to be competitive. The baseball stadium although a great ball yard is located on the edge of a tough area and on the wrong side of town. It IMO is difficult to drive to and Metro has it's own issues.
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You would think that to be true but the Washington baseball market is tricky. I lived in DC for over twenty years before moving to Northern Maryland. There are so many structural and systemic problems, I have my doubts. I think the NATS will be another Rays type franchise when it comes to drawing power.
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There is a theory that throwing the cutter causes a pitcher to lose velocity on his fastball over time. Phil Hughes stopped throwing the cutter and his velocity reportedly increased. Dan Duquette has banned the teaching of the cutter to minor leaguers in the O's system.
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Baseball is a hard sell in DC. Remember the Nats ball park is only 35 miles from Camden Yards. So the fan base is split. Most DC residents are from someplace else. Typically, baseball fans have loyalties to their hometown teams and about half are AL fans and most of these, if they aren't Os fans, root for the Yankees or Red Sox. For this reason I think the Nats are making a huge mistake with Strasburg. They need to get to the World series to establish themselves more firmly in the Washington market. Washington has another problem. The Metro virtually shuts down at 10 pm.
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There is no point to Iggy being here. He sucks at the plate. BV just in a very harsh way gave the kid the facts of life. That's why it is called hardball. He is regressing by facing big league pitching even in September. He needs at bats but not here.
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BV was just making the point that everyone knows Iggy can't hit major league pitching. There is no point sugar coating it. No one does the kid any favors. He does not belong in the bigs yet. If this weren't September and the Sox weren't out of it, he wouldn't nor shouldn't be here.
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I couldn't agree more. Adding one or two starters won't fix the problem. I believe there is a fundamentally flawed approach to pitching in this organization. If BV goes or stays, it is extremely important that the club hire the right pitching coach. One thing I was surprised to learn that the starters apparently don't throw from a mound in between starts. Could this be one of the reasons for the universal problem that seems to plague every starter in the first inning? I want them to re-think the organization's approach.
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Gomez at best reminds me of Brian Daubach. Depending on who else is available, he is not likely to hang around.
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The Duke not only built the pitching staff, he had to rebuild the scouting dept.
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I never said that Duquette deserved all the credit for 04-7 just that he created the foundation which made it possible. The Baltimore situation that Duquette walked into is quite different from the Boston situation that Epstein inherited. For example, Baltimore hasn't had a winning record since 1997.
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Here is another reason to like Dan Duquette, In an interview with Steve Melewski that is destined to provide content for weeks, Dan Duquette outlined the Orioles’ philosophy when it comes to the cut fastball. In essence, the pitch won’t be taught in their minor league organization. “We don’t like it as a pitch,” the Baltimore GM said. I have maintained that the single biggest reason for Beckett et al decline in velocity is their over use of the cutter. There is evidence that it has an adverse affect on lng term arm strength.
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I think the Duke's performance in Baltimore demostrates his competency. That franchise was a mess.
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If the Dodgers fail to make the playoffs it will add further credence to the argument that A-Gon is the "cooler" as Shaughnessy called him.
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The 04-07 success was built on the foundation that Dan Duquette created. "Duquette is also noted for several major acquisitions that would ultimately play a part in the Red Sox 2004 World Championship, including acquiring knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in 1995, Pedro Mart?nez in 1997 from Montreal, the 1997 trade with Seattle for both pitcher Derek Lowe and All-Star catcher Jason Varitek the free agent signings of Manny Ram?rez in 2000 and Johnny Damon in December, 2001 and the Sox traded over 35 players in Duquette's farm system to staff the team including LHP Jorge De la Rosa traded for Curt Schilling." Do the Sox win in 07 without Varitek, Wakefield,Youkilis and Manny Ramirez? I don't think so! , QED
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One Boston sports personality joked that Giardi could be managing the Red Sox and Francona the Yankees next year. LIke I said he was joking!
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This is the time to test the mettle of the true fan. Right now this team could be the worst W-L percentage since the 1965 team. This is almost as bad as that team That team had only 62 wins. While I am not a cockeyed optimist, and I am not suggesting that this will happen two years later the Sox did win the AL title. The red sox could be a real contender 2014. It is possible. At the beginning of the year I thought his team was somewhere between 83- 89 wins and between 2nd and 4th in the division. So while I am disappointed with this year's performance, I can't say I am totally surprised either. My real doubts are whether Henry is capable of putting together the FO team that can return the Sox to conteneder status in two years. The 04-07 success was built on the foundation that Dan Duquette created. Ben Cherrington is no Dan Duquette.
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I can't imagine anyone who would either chew tobacco or dip during a job interview and expect to be hired.
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He was minor league manager of the year last year. The problem he has getting a big league job is supposedly he doesn't interview well, according to Baseball America.
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The sox need a new approach. This means a manager from outside the organization. I'd like them to consider a first time ML manager but with a proven track record. My choice is Ryan Sandberg.
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I agree that LL probably wanted BV to be his change agent. I also hope that they fire Cherrington or bring some one over him to run baseball ops. Cherries track record on picking pitchers isn't very good. Any one who was party to the Bard fiasco is suspect in my book.
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9/7 vs Toronto Season's not over just yet!
Elktonnick replied to Laser Show's topic in Mike Grace Memorial Game Thread Forum
I question whether this team could win any league