tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2365802854240344401.post7074904818341604747..comments2024-03-16T03:36:19.829-04:00Comments on Forest City Fanatics: Excuse me but baseball is still being played.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2365802854240344401.post-71792755943455504152009-06-16T20:42:19.847-04:002009-06-16T20:42:19.847-04:00Hooray comments! OK I will say that Valbuena need...Hooray comments! OK I will say that Valbuena needs to get at bats, so who else would we call up to sit on the bench when sending down Luis. Luis is a good defender and he can get regular time with everyone hurt. Given his batting average of .179 I would still like to see a little more Barfield.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09412697119447332410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2365802854240344401.post-55890483489854431972009-06-16T17:59:50.700-04:002009-06-16T17:59:50.700-04:00I was at Progressive Field 15 rows behind home pla...I was at Progressive Field 15 rows behind home plate for that Sunday night game. Man, a no-hitter would have been something to see. About the Choo play, I don't think he had a chance to get that. 95% of the time you play that off the wall to try and avoid the double. The only reason why that play was close was because Choo ran at it 100% to try and prevent the hit for Lee's sake.Figgshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06171029538941600895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2365802854240344401.post-13364669108360352392009-06-16T17:10:39.186-04:002009-06-16T17:10:39.186-04:00Molina's hit looked totally uncatchable to me....Molina's hit looked totally uncatchable to me. I was surprised after the game to learn this was even a thing people were discussing.<br /><br />I don't agree with a single thing in that Valbuena mini-rant.<br /><br /><i>WE CAN'T HAVE HIM FIGURE IT OUT YOU NUMSKULL!</i><br />Numbskull is spelled wrong, but it's the grammar of this that baffles me. What do you mean "can't"? Valbuena can't do it because he lacks the skill? The Tribe can't afford his bat because we're losing ground in the pennant chase? Confusing.<br /><br /><i>STOP TAKING THAT APPROACH WITH CERTAIN PLAYERS AND NOT WITH OTHERS!</i><br />This muddles the previous sentence, if anything.<br /><br /><i>YOU DIDN'T LET ANDY MARTE FIGURE IT OUT, YOU WON'T LET JOSH BARFIELD FIGURE IT OUT.. YOU FRIGGIN HYPOCRITE.</i><br />These comparisons are terribly inapt. For one, Valbuena has all of 95 plate appearances. Barfield had 444 in his first season as an Indian and posted a comically low OPS+ of 54 to Valbuena's equally silly 49. How long, exactly, should we have let Barfield kill our lineup? Marte got 257 PA last year and responded with a 53 OPS+. Both of those players have so far had much more time to "figure it out" than Valbuena. You might argue that it took a while for Marte to get an extended look, but he's done nothing with the opportunities he's had.<br /><br />Second, the alternatives are much different. In 2007, Barfield simply lost his job to Asdrubal Cabrera, who was a better hitter and fielder and who played a big part in the Tribe's Central-winning stretch run. Marte was similarly outplayed by Casey Blake and found himself out of a job.<br /><br />Valbuena, on the other hand, is only in the lineup because of injury. You think Wedge really likes playing this turkey every day? Once Sizemore and Cabrera come back, I expect we'll see far less of Luis. At least then our friend at TTD won't be so upset.Andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13047104184007592041noreply@blogger.com