Great quote from Gomes

[durl]

I was reading the Reds MLB page and came across the article about Gomes and his drive to stay in the big leagues. This part really impressed me:

The hot bats made the 90-minute trip up Interstate 71 along with Gomes, who reached safely in all five of his games with the Reds and is batting .429 (6-for-14).

"Everyone can pat me on my back right now, saying, 'Good job,' and what not," Gomes said. "I'm telling them I'm five lousy at-bats away from people not talking to me or possibly wondering if my jersey will still be hung up in my locker. This game is big peaks and valleys. You definitely have to find the happy medium with both of them. You can't keep your head in the sand in the valleys nor your head in the clouds for the peaks."

"Five lousy at-bats..." lets you know this guy is going to be working his behind off to stay in Cincinnati. Gomes knows what he's up against and seems to be prepared to do what it takes to stay with the team. I like that in a player.

That last sentence was great, too.

The last paragraph was interesting:

In a sport that is often associated with having too many trappings of comfort, Gomes doesn't conform to the stereotype.

"Even in the limelight of the big leagues, I'm living in a hotel and my closet is in my car with that rack that goes across the back," Gomes said. "People don't see that. I'm alright with it. As long as I'm healthy and between the lines, it's all good."

[redsmetz]

It reminds me of this line from Bull Durham:

You know what’s the difference between a .250 hitter and a .300 hitter? About 24 extra hits a season. 6 month season 24 weeks, that’s 1 extra hit a week. You get one extra gork, one more dying quail, one more ground ball with eyes a week, and your playing in Yankee Stadium.

[lollipopcurve]

To use the modern parlance, Gomes keeps it real. I think there's some pretty interesting chemistry brewing on this team.

[Nasty_Boy]

To use the modern parlance, Gomes keeps it real. I think there's some pretty interesting chemistry brewing on this team.

Winning will do this

[Team Clark]

To use the modern parlance, Gomes keeps it real. I think there's some pretty interesting chemistry brewing on this team.

I know that clubhouse "chemistry" means nothing to a great many on Redszone, HOWEVER, it's guys like Gomes that I root for. It's his work ethic and attitude that reflect how I WOULD BE if I were in his shoes. Guys like Gomes rub off on guys like Bruce, Rosales and other younglings who still look around for guidance.

My first Reds game of the year I found myself SCREAMING praise of Gomes after he sprinted from LF to back up 3B after the bad relay from Hairston. He then throws a guy out at the plate. (Although later reversed by a moronic interference call and yes it looked like he was out to me). There are just not a lot of big leaguers that make that play. In a game of inches, HUSTLE can supercede talent in a given situation.

I'm not saying that Gomes will hit like Manny Ramirez or just because he hustles he is a phenomenal ballplayer. He has his pitfalls. Consider this, he has a role on this team and he is playing that role to his maximum ability. Good for you Jonny Gomes!

[OnBaseMachine]

I've always been a huge Jonny Gomes fan. I can remember starting a thread on here about three years ago where I was pushing for the Reds to acquire him. I thought the Rays were undervaluing him, and I thought he had a chance of developing into an Adam Dunn type of hitter. He hasn't quite reach that level, but he's still a solid platoon player. I'm glad to have him on the Reds.

[traderumor]

I know that clubhouse "chemistry" means nothing to a great many on Redszone

As long as the players are human beings, this will matter. Just because it can't be quantified doesn't mean it doesn't exist certainly applies to this issue. Bringing up the 70s A's doesn't mean it doesn't exist (they had a team chemistry, after all). Does it translate to what really matters, making it to the postseason? For a team oozing with talent, maybe not so much. For a team with marginal overall talent, it may be a factor that pushes them to exceed "on paper" expectations.

[RFS62]

I know that clubhouse "chemistry" means nothing to a great many on Redszone, HOWEVER, it's guys like Gomes that I root for. It's his work ethic and attitude that reflect how I WOULD BE if I were in his shoes. Guys like Gomes rub off on guys like Bruce, Rosales and other younglings who still look around for guidance.

My first Reds game of the year I found myself SCREAMING praise of Gomes after he sprinted from LF to back up 3B after the bad relay from Hairston. He then throws a guy out at the plate. (Although later reversed by a moronic interference call and yes it looked like he was out to me). There are just not a lot of big leaguers that make that play. In a game of inches, HUSTLE can supercede talent in a given situation.

I'm not saying that Gomes will hit like Manny Ramirez or just because he hustles he is a phenomenal ballplayer. He has his pitfalls. Consider this, he has a role on this team and he is playing that role to his maximum ability. Good for you Jonny Gomes!

Well said.

[TheNext44]

I know that clubhouse "chemistry" means nothing to a great many on Redszone, HOWEVER, it's guys like Gomes that I root for. It's his work ethic and attitude that reflect how I WOULD BE if I were in his shoes. Guys like Gomes rub off on guys like Bruce, Rosales and other younglings who still look around for guidance.

My first Reds game of the year I found myself SCREAMING praise of Gomes after he sprinted from LF to back up 3B after the bad relay from Hairston. He then throws a guy out at the plate. (Although later reversed by a moronic interference call and yes it looked like he was out to me). There are just not a lot of big leaguers that make that play. In a game of inches, HUSTLE can supercede talent in a given situation.

I'm not saying that Gomes will hit like Manny Ramirez or just because he hustles he is a phenomenal ballplayer. He has his pitfalls. Consider this, he has a role on this team and he is playing that role to his maximum ability. Good for you Jonny Gomes!

I agree with this whole post, but I would like to defend the "anti-chemistry" view.

First, I don't know too many people who claim that chemistry means "nothing." As traderumor points out, it part of human nature to be affected by others personalities. I just personally believe that chemistry is overrated.

But is also is part of human nature to overrate chemistry, as fans reactions to players like Jonny Gomes shows. We love this guy, we want him to succeed. We see his enthusiasm, and it makes us feel better about our team. We then too often make a leap from there to believing that this enthusiasm leads the team to victories.

I am sure there is some causal relationship between a players love for the game, and his teams victories, but I can't see it being big enough to really matter that much. Put it this way. If those quotes from Jonny Gomes came from Darnell McDonald or Corey Patterson or Rheal Cormier or Josh Fogg, would we be talking about how much chemistry matters?

I have no doubt that chemistry matters to some degree, and it sure as hell makes a team more fun to watch, but I am not sure that it really leads to that many more victories. At the very least, it's value is dwarfed majorly by talent.

My personal view is that winning breeds chemistry, not the other way around.

[Blitz Dorsey]

And it took Dusty Baker a month and a half to figure out that Gomes was better than Darnell McDonald. Or maybe I'm giving Dusty too much credit. Maybe he never came to that conclusion and Jocketty made the decision for him.

Still amazed that Gomes didn't make the team out of ST and McDonald did. But you know what, I think it worked out well in the long run. Gomes proved he has a GREAT attitude. And he didn't just go down to AAA with a good attitude, he hit the cover off the ball (.941 OPS, 9 HR, 27 RBIs) and earned his spot on the team. And now that he's here, he's not taking anything for granted and might be the RH bat we have been looking for in LF. He's not going to be great over the long haul. But he doesn't have to be. He just has to be a good platoon LF with Laynce Nix and I think he can be that.

[Tom Servo]

[remdog]

I know that clubhouse "chemistry" means nothing to a great many on Redszone, HOWEVER, it's guys like Gomes that I root for. It's his work ethic and attitude that reflect how I WOULD BE if I were in his shoes. Guys like Gomes rub off on guys like Bruce, Rosales and other younglings who still look around for guidance.

My first Reds game of the year I found myself SCREAMING praise of Gomes after he sprinted from LF to back up 3B after the bad relay from Hairston. He then throws a guy out at the plate. (Although later reversed by a moronic interference call and yes it looked like he was out to me). There are just not a lot of big leaguers that make that play. In a game of inches, HUSTLE can supercede talent in a given situation.

I'm not saying that Gomes will hit like Manny Ramirez or just because he hustles he is a phenomenal ballplayer. He has his pitfalls. Consider this, he has a role on this team and he is playing that role to his maximum ability. Good for you Jonny Gomes!

I agree with everything you posted there. I praised that play that Gomes made simply because it showed that he was 'in the game' mentally and was willing to make the effort to backup a play that doesn't even happen on some nights.

The Gomes/Nix platoon could become an acceptable alternative to the 'big bat' that we've all wanted. Nix and Gomes just need to keep their focus day by day, game by game, play by play, pitch by pitch.

I don't doubt that they will have their 'valleys' but it will be interesting to watch their accomplishments.

Rem

[Degenerate39]

Stealing that!

[nate]

I agree with this whole post, but I would like to defend the "anti-chemistry" view.

First, I don't know too many people who claim that chemistry means "nothing." As traderumor points out, it part of human nature to be affected by others personalities. I just personally believe that chemistry is overrated.

But is also is part of human nature to overrate chemistry, as fans reactions to players like Jonny Gomes shows. We love this guy, we want him to succeed. We see his enthusiasm, and it makes us feel better about our team. We then too often make a leap from there to believing that this enthusiasm leads the team to victories.

I am sure there is some causal relationship between a players love for the game, and his teams victories, but I can't see it being big enough to really matter that much. Put it this way. If those quotes from Jonny Gomes came from Darnell McDonald or Corey Patterson or Rheal Cormier or Josh Fogg, would we be talking about how much chemistry matters?

I have no doubt that chemistry matters to some degree, and it sure as hell makes a team more fun to watch, but I am not sure that it really leads to that many more victories. At the very least, it's value is dwarfed majorly by talent.

My personal view is that winning breeds chemistry, not the other way around.

This.

Chemistry is an underdog that never wins by himself. Pair him with Tools, Talent and Execution and he'll become the most popular member of the gang. Even if all he does is mooch smokes and call shotgun.

[Mario-Rijo]

I agree with this whole post, but I would like to defend the "anti-chemistry" view.

First, I don't know too many people who claim that chemistry means "nothing." As traderumor points out, it part of human nature to be affected by others personalities. I just personally believe that chemistry is overrated.

But is also is part of human nature to overrate chemistry, as fans reactions to players like Jonny Gomes shows. We love this guy, we want him to succeed. We see his enthusiasm, and it makes us feel better about our team. We then too often make a leap from there to believing that this enthusiasm leads the team to victories.

I am sure there is some causal relationship between a players love for the game, and his teams victories, but I can't see it being big enough to really matter that much. Put it this way. If those quotes from Jonny Gomes came from Darnell McDonald or Corey Patterson or Rheal Cormier or Josh Fogg, would we be talking about how much chemistry matters?

I have no doubt that chemistry matters to some degree, and it sure as hell makes a team more fun to watch, but I am not sure that it really leads to that many more victories. At the very least, it's value is dwarfed majorly by talent.

My personal view is that winning breeds chemistry, not the other way around.

I agree with TC and yourself to some extent. I do believe that talent is a must and all the chemistry in the world can't help a substantial lack of talent. I don't believe TC did or would refute that. However there is a reason that we often see the teams who on paper should win, don't win. Who had the Phillies and the Rays in the W/S last year? Yes winning most often breeds chemistry but I think that chemistry can then help a team win games it maybe shouldn't or wouldn't had they not gained that chemistry through hard work and sacrificing for each other. I think that's the difference between the teams on paper and on the field some want to win for themselves and some win for each other. And if the talent is at all close that latter team will win the vast majority of them.

Talent is a great thing and perhaps the most important but without the intangibles guys don't usually make the most of their god given talent.