Scrap Irony
03-13-2007, 10:37 PM
If Josh Hamilton is this good after four years off, how good could he have been after only two years off?
Paging Jeff Allison. Mr. Allison, please pick up the courtesy phone.
__________________________
For every Josh Hamilton, there's a Toe Nash.
__________________________
There's only one Toe Nash.
(Thank God.)
_________________________
Mr. Hamilton's spring has allowed several Red hitters to bask in the glow of the underappreciated. Yes, that's Brandon Phillips among the league leaders in homers. Yes, Mr. Dunn is hitting well over .400.
And yes, that's Ken Griffey, Jr., taking alternative field BP.
_________________________
Heard today that meal money for major leaguers is $150. $150! Per day! Where are you eating that you spend $150 a day? On food!? It's a miracle all professional ballplayers don't look like Orca. (And this is my main gripe regarding fat pitchers. The food is there, people. Pile on the gravy! Don't stint on the second and third helpings of mashed potatoes! It's okay-- America wants you... No needs you... to be larger than life. Ask David Wells. He knows.)
Plus, when you're cut, your meal money drops to $15 a day. I'd be swimming in butter for that, especially considering the post-game buffet and the constant snack food available. Imagine what you could have done on $15 a day meal money in college. Aldi would have feared me.
__________________________
Is there anything more disheartening than seeing a pessimist discount Spring Training games?
It's like kicking a puppy with only one leg.
(You should always use both legs when kicking a puppy.)
___________________________
We interrupt this posting to inform our readers of breaking news. Mark Bellhorn finally made a play defensively. News reports are sketchy, but it appears he was actually able to put glove to ball and throw the opposing runner out at a base.
Novel idea, that.
Speaking of defense. Has anyone noticed how much better Cincinnati plays up the middle? Three DPs turned today and a number of ground balls turned into two outs previously. With his limited pop and phenomenal glove, AGon might be an unsung player on an emerging team. He may not hit the 25 homers Brantley has forecasted, but 15-20 and a Gold Glove caliber SS is worth twice what Wayne K paid, IMO.
He solidifies the entire IF, allowing Phillips to shade more toward 1B, hiding Hatteberg's slowness afoot. Too, with the range EdE displays nightly, more balls up the middle should be turned into outs. Looking forward to that, for sure.
OF D, too, has been better. Hamilton's a gifted player, with speed, an incredibly high baseball IQ, and a cannon for an arm. Hopper, Denorfia, Freel, Crosby, and Gil are all well above average defensive OFs as well. Even Dunn's been solid.
Junior in RF, IMO, should also turn out above average. His is the highest baseball IQ on the team and the jumps he gets on balls are still fun to watch. Too, although his arm is slightly weaker than an established RFer, he's extremely accurate and smart enough to know when to gamble. Those CF instincts should also allow him to cover ground forward and drifting back.
There's a lot to like there.
____________________________
This just in: Junior has not played and very little has been written on the subject.
Is this good? Bad? Expected? Discuss.
____________________________
New Cincinnati Reds' Spring Training slogan: Our scrubeenies are better than yours.
Seriously.
Red scrub lineup
Janish SS
Hopper LF
Hamilton CF
Votto 1B
Denorfia RF
Keppinger/ Bellhorn 2B
Gil 3B
Moeler C
Rotation
Wilson
Ramirez
Burton
Bailey
Livingston
Bullpen
Hermanson
Lightenberg
Coutlangus
Santos
Add in Crosby and subtract Hamilton's gaudy ST numbers if you want.
Is it any wonder the Reds are winning?
_______________________
There is no truth to the rumor that Randy Johnson could be the father to the entire starting eight of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It just seems that way.
Stephen Drew is going to be a star. Chad Tracy, in another era of hot cornermen, would have been. Connor Jackson looks very good. As does whichever Chris Young is patrolling CF.
That team is rivalling the Brewers for best collection of young talent in the majors right now.
But, of course, no one has anyone rivalling Mr. Hamilton.
Or Toe Nash.
Paging Jeff Allison. Mr. Allison, please pick up the courtesy phone.
__________________________
For every Josh Hamilton, there's a Toe Nash.
__________________________
There's only one Toe Nash.
(Thank God.)
_________________________
Mr. Hamilton's spring has allowed several Red hitters to bask in the glow of the underappreciated. Yes, that's Brandon Phillips among the league leaders in homers. Yes, Mr. Dunn is hitting well over .400.
And yes, that's Ken Griffey, Jr., taking alternative field BP.
_________________________
Heard today that meal money for major leaguers is $150. $150! Per day! Where are you eating that you spend $150 a day? On food!? It's a miracle all professional ballplayers don't look like Orca. (And this is my main gripe regarding fat pitchers. The food is there, people. Pile on the gravy! Don't stint on the second and third helpings of mashed potatoes! It's okay-- America wants you... No needs you... to be larger than life. Ask David Wells. He knows.)
Plus, when you're cut, your meal money drops to $15 a day. I'd be swimming in butter for that, especially considering the post-game buffet and the constant snack food available. Imagine what you could have done on $15 a day meal money in college. Aldi would have feared me.
__________________________
Is there anything more disheartening than seeing a pessimist discount Spring Training games?
It's like kicking a puppy with only one leg.
(You should always use both legs when kicking a puppy.)
___________________________
We interrupt this posting to inform our readers of breaking news. Mark Bellhorn finally made a play defensively. News reports are sketchy, but it appears he was actually able to put glove to ball and throw the opposing runner out at a base.
Novel idea, that.
Speaking of defense. Has anyone noticed how much better Cincinnati plays up the middle? Three DPs turned today and a number of ground balls turned into two outs previously. With his limited pop and phenomenal glove, AGon might be an unsung player on an emerging team. He may not hit the 25 homers Brantley has forecasted, but 15-20 and a Gold Glove caliber SS is worth twice what Wayne K paid, IMO.
He solidifies the entire IF, allowing Phillips to shade more toward 1B, hiding Hatteberg's slowness afoot. Too, with the range EdE displays nightly, more balls up the middle should be turned into outs. Looking forward to that, for sure.
OF D, too, has been better. Hamilton's a gifted player, with speed, an incredibly high baseball IQ, and a cannon for an arm. Hopper, Denorfia, Freel, Crosby, and Gil are all well above average defensive OFs as well. Even Dunn's been solid.
Junior in RF, IMO, should also turn out above average. His is the highest baseball IQ on the team and the jumps he gets on balls are still fun to watch. Too, although his arm is slightly weaker than an established RFer, he's extremely accurate and smart enough to know when to gamble. Those CF instincts should also allow him to cover ground forward and drifting back.
There's a lot to like there.
____________________________
This just in: Junior has not played and very little has been written on the subject.
Is this good? Bad? Expected? Discuss.
____________________________
New Cincinnati Reds' Spring Training slogan: Our scrubeenies are better than yours.
Seriously.
Red scrub lineup
Janish SS
Hopper LF
Hamilton CF
Votto 1B
Denorfia RF
Keppinger/ Bellhorn 2B
Gil 3B
Moeler C
Rotation
Wilson
Ramirez
Burton
Bailey
Livingston
Bullpen
Hermanson
Lightenberg
Coutlangus
Santos
Add in Crosby and subtract Hamilton's gaudy ST numbers if you want.
Is it any wonder the Reds are winning?
_______________________
There is no truth to the rumor that Randy Johnson could be the father to the entire starting eight of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
It just seems that way.
Stephen Drew is going to be a star. Chad Tracy, in another era of hot cornermen, would have been. Connor Jackson looks very good. As does whichever Chris Young is patrolling CF.
That team is rivalling the Brewers for best collection of young talent in the majors right now.
But, of course, no one has anyone rivalling Mr. Hamilton.
Or Toe Nash.