I need to rant.
I've had it up to here with broadcasters. I used to turn down the channel for a few of them, now, most.
The Mets, Giants, Red Sox seem to have the last of the 'fair' broadcasters.
Most teams have announcers in place that put a positive spin on their own team, while speaking freely with criticism of their opponents.
Yuck.
They criticize umpires, feeling their team is getting jobbed. Wanting consistency from the men in blue.
At the same time, we're left wanting consistency from the same folks who are begging for consistency from another profession.
The Braves and Rockies are the best/worst at this art.
Bryce Harper can be targeted as a slacker as he runs half speed down the first base line. It's mentioned that he may have a leg problem, but he ran hard earlier on a double.
This coming from the same folks who protected Chipper Jones and Troy Tulowitzki in running half speed to prevent injury, yet exhalting them for a hustle double.
Ugh.
To tell the truth, I would rather listen to King Homer Harrelson in Chicago than those that chip away at a visiting team, all the while telling fans at home, that their team's asses don't stink.
Hard to listen to, at least Hawk os consistent.
Thank God that All Star voting is over. I swear that every team had 10 players that were All Star worthy.
Just ask their broadcasters.
Personally, I don't vote for All Stars. Nor any election that gives 35 votes!
Why 35?
Why not 100?
Of course, one vote would make it seem as if only millions were voting. Not the multi-millions of votes that 35 offers.
Leading vote getters mean little.
If Jose Altuve played for Kansas City, he may have been the leading overall vote getter. As it was, he was lucky to beat out Infante for a spot as a starter.
These same broadcasters have the same book on players as well.
Here are the numbers from three different players.
According to most talking heads, one of these players is having a superlative year, one is having a mediocre year, while the third is said to be somewhat lucky.
.233/45/20/39/2
.203/43/19/36/1
.237/43/18/51/0
Fantasy-wise, these are basically the same numbers. All are power driven stats with a downer batting average.
The last set of numbers belongs to Chris Davis. He is said to be having a mediocre year. I guess that is fair, considering that he has done much better in other seasons. Still, I know a few fantasy teams and real teams who would love to have those numbers from a hitter. But, after seeing Davis have over 50 homers, broadcasters are thinking, mediocre.
The second set of numbers belongs to Luis Valbuena...the lucky player.
Most Cubs fans thought that Valbuena would be replaced by Baez and that Fowler was the better end of the deal.
Most fantasy players would rather have Valbuena's stats.
Is Valbuena lucky?
No.
Valbuena has spotty power and hits for no average. If anything, he is what he is.
The superlative player and owner of the first set of numbers is Joc Pederson.
Has he really been THAT good?
The power is certainly prevalent, but really, has he done any more than Davis or Valbuena?
Broadcasters, Bryan Kenny, and anybody who loves a base on balls, laud Pederson for taking walks.
Look at his runs scored! Are his walks really helping the Dodgers? It looks like a lot of right handed pitchers would rather face the next Dodger hitter than give Pederson a pitch he can handle.
And looking at his batting average and power numbers, they are right in not giving him fat pitches.
We have a tendency to believe that hardly any walks (unless intentional) are truly given by a pitcher.
By the same token, we believe that a batter like Pederson 'earns' his walks. That he has a good eye. Or is patient.
A player who walks three times without scoring is a pitchers vicory. Yet, after the game, the hitter is celebrated for being patient or having a good eye. The pitcher penalized in BB given and his WHIP increased.
Gotta love sabrmetrics!
Pederson has scored as many runs as Kevin Pillar.
Runs scored is to fantasy offense as Wins are to the pitching side of fantasy. Once Pederson reaches first base, he and his fantasy owners must rely on the kindness of teammates to plate him.
Pillar plays in an offense that scores many, many runs.
The Dodgers do not have that kind of offense.
Not counting homers, Pederson has been on base over 100 times and scored 25 times.
Speaking of the Dodgers offense (and getting off my rant about broadcasters...and starting another..), I can't wait to see how Bill James ranks their baserunning skills.
The Dodgers are the only team in baseball who have more caught stealing bases than stolen bases.
They are last in baseball with 17 stolen bases.
Pederson, who stole 25 bases or more in his last four years in the minors, has two.
Good for third on the team.
If Zack Greinke gets one more steal, he would tie Pederson for third.
Don Mattingly has turned this team to a station to station team.
No wait, more like a STAYtion to STAYtion team.
His favorite game is red light....red light.
Sorry for being away so long. Been very, very busy. Thanks to all for the notes.
They were appreciated.
Oh wait, I almost forgot a rant...
Has anybody listened to Rex Hudler from the Royals broadcasts?
Hudler is the supreme optimist. To a fault.
Here's the scenario.....
China has jammed all of our technology except for Rex Hudler's microphone. Hudler is the only person all of America can listen to.
Here is how it would go....
"Hi folks!"
"This is quite exciting for me! I have the attention of every American as China is in my other year relaying information to me!
Here is the first bit of news....
In five minutes, China will launch a nuclear weapon designed to wipe us all off the face of the Earth.
That was nice of China to give us five minutes!
Now, we can get our affairs in order!
Husbands kissing and hugging their wives!
Mothers comforting their children.
Ya know, really, this could be something that brings all of America closer together!
It makes no difference whether we're Bill Gates or a man in prison, we all share the same thoughts with impending doom so near.
Pretty cool if you ask me!
We're all equal!
And isn't that in our Declaration of Independence?
How ironic is that?
And we'll all know that that is something China will never have.
Although, they will be alive.
Here comes the missile!
It's a good looking missile!
Sweet colors.
Great design.
Sleek, fast, a little like Alex Rios chasing down a long fly ball.
It was my pleasure".....and the mike goes dead.
Hudler is a guy who is neither a bad or good broadcaster. In fact, one day you may like him because of your own mood....and hate him the next day because that mood has changed.
Personally, I could not listen to him every day of the year, but at the same time, it is hard to find fault with somebody that has such a rosy outlook on baseball.