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The ESPN baseball commentators are idiots

Th_buckykatt_tiny by Adam J. Morris on in News

So far today I have heard Buster Olney and John Kruk both say that Sammy Sosa has been the Rangers' best player this year, and Karl Ravich say that few players in the A.L. have had as good a season as Sosa has this year

Stupid.

Sosa hasn't been one of the Rangers' 1half-dozen best players this year, and hasn't been one of the 50 best offensive players in the American League this year.

Update [2007-7-1 22:47:53 by Adam J. Morris]: -- John Kruk just said, AGAIN, that Sammy Sosa is the best player on the Rangers.

Anyone who says that Sosa is the best player on the Rangers is either 1) joking, 2) someone who hasn't bothered to actually look at what the players on the Rangers have done this year, or 3) an idiot.

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blah blah blah
He must have wronged you in the past.  Just give it up already.

by kumar75150 on Jul 1, 2007 6:47 PM CDT   0 recs

if you hate him for steroids or something
just say it.

because youve suggested its all about performance, and if you actually dislike him this much for a .784 ops and 63 rbi, and blocking botts for the last couple weeks once botts has gotten himself going again....

overkill.

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 6:50 PM CDT   0 recs

I wasn't going to say anything else about it...
...but the crying of the ESPN commentators irritated me.

zywica will be blogging from the 4th thru the 7th, and he luvs Sosa, so there will be more balance then.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 6:51 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Adam
what did he ever do to you?

by coolaid on Jul 1, 2007 6:50 PM CDT   0 recs

it was ridiculous
i don't how those guys get away with that kind of "analysis" unchallenged.  they're saying he was robbed!
buffering....

by SteveP on Jul 1, 2007 6:52 PM CDT   0 recs

Yea
did so Sosa commit a sex crime against one of your family members or something.  

That being said, that's probably somewhat true

Lofton, Teix, Blalock (smaller sample), MY (only because he is a shortstop), Byrd (smaller sample size)

have all been better, with Kinsler probably being a push.

Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 6:54 PM CDT   0 recs

Kinsler isn't a push
Kinsler has been pretty clearly better than Sosa this year.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 6:58 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

How
Their OPS+ are identical.  While Kinsler plays a valuable position, he's balanced that out by being a hack in the field at this point.
Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:00 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

No
Their OPS+ are identical.  While Kinsler plays a valuable position, he's balanced that out by being a hack in the field at this point.

OPS+ underweights OBP.

Kinsler's been better offensively, as reflected in his EQA, because he has a higher OBP and has been a great basestealer.

And even a bad defensive second baseman has more value than a DH, if their offensive production is equal.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 7:02 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well
EQA greatly overweighs walks.  "Great basestealer"  How about efficient base stealer.  He's on pace for 23 steals, nice, but not great.

So RBI have absolutely no value whatsoever by any means, but 23 steals is a good measure of a player.

So, if you played Sammy in center everyday, he would be more valueable even though he would be terrible.  That doesn't make any sense to me.

Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

basestealer
I don't know... to me 11 sb's with 0 caught stealing is pretty good
"Pimps be damned, it's harder out here for a Rangers fan!" "If you don't throw strikes first, you're last."

by rentz on Jul 1, 2007 7:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Yea
I said it was nice.  Not eye popping however.  Through three months, it isn't too hard to find 11 spots to take a base.
Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:15 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm confused
EQA greatly overweighs walks.

How so?

So, if you played Sammy in center everyday, he would be more valueable even though he would be terrible.

No.  Sosa would be a far, far, far worse centerfielder, defensively, than Kinsler is a second baseman, defensively.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 7:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

EQA
doesn't it give more value to walks than OPS?

I still want to know why RBI's have no value, but suddenly SB's are very valuable.  

My point is if you are bad at a premium position, you aren't valuable at that position.  

You haven't made a point that tells me that Kinsler is "pretty clearly better" than Sosa.

Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Alright
explain it to me then.
Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:25 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

well
with all this talk about eqa and ops and obp how can you say that one of kinsler's defensive blunders that causes a prolonged inning or worse - unearned runs is somehow more valuable than Sosa who doesn't even play defense. I agree kinsler is more valuable than sosa, he plays a much more complete game and his defense is apart of that. But you cannot just assume that a bad defensive 2b is better than a dh whose stats are somewhat similar.

by Lonerangers on Jul 1, 2007 7:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

So
defense is irrelevant (unless it is Soriano), but RBIs are worthless.  Steals are hugely valuable, but hitting with RISP is not worth watching?

I love Kinsler, but the guy has been the biggest butcher I have ever seen the Ranger put at 2B.  

by Mike Simonek on Jul 1, 2007 8:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Defense isn't irrelevant
I'm not sure where you are getting that from.

However, Kinsler hasn't been as bad this season as people are making him out to be.

He's still better defensively at second base than Soriano was.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 9:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Better defensively
According to which stat?
One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 1, 2007 9:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

The thing is
I don't think i have ever heard Adam complain about Cat.

by coolaid on Jul 1, 2007 6:56 PM CDT   0 recs

Cat
If people were saying that he is the best player on the Rangers this year, or that he should be the All Star rep, I'd be complaining.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 6:59 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I get what
you are saying there but Sosa hasn't played all that bad and you can argue he is the best player on the team. He does lead the team in HR and RBIs.  

by coolaid on Jul 1, 2007 7:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Cat
isn't blocking anyone in the minors that could do better than him.  Plus he's under contract for 2 more years

by chase1971 on Jul 1, 2007 7:20 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well, you can move byrd
to LF and play sosa in RF and DH botts

by coolaid on Jul 1, 2007 7:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Don't see Cat doing anything
that Sosa can't do.
Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 1, 2007 7:41 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think its likely he is done
look up all his "most similar batters" in baseballreference.com .  Its fairly amazing the number of them that fell off a cliff in performance in their early 30s.
Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 2, 2007 6:27 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Still going to give him...
another season to let him straighten it out.  There's no reason to just stick him on the bench now and give up.

by chase1971 on Jul 2, 2007 12:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Actually
He is and so is Wilkerson.
One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 1, 2007 8:22 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

or laird...
...and his .219 EqA.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that Adam has never mentioned that Gerald Laird has a .219 EqA

by tricer on Jul 1, 2007 8:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

That's because
Adam hasn't had to refute anyone claiming that Laird is an all-star or having a great year.

by t ball on Jul 1, 2007 8:21 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Maybe someday
Laird can be as good as Barajas.
Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 1, 2007 9:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Laird
quite a disappointment this year, no doubt.  I thought he'd at least hit .250, though he still might the rest of the year.

by t ball on Jul 1, 2007 9:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Well how about a change of pace
Instead of constantly bagging on the guy with a .261 EqA, lets give equal time to bagging on the guy with a .219 EqA.  Yes, that is Gerald Laird.

For instance maybe we could point out that Sammy Sosa is worth 5.4 RARP, while Laird is worth 0.4 RARP - which ranks 46th among big league catchers.

by tricer on Jul 1, 2007 10:50 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I hear ya,
the 3 most disappointing Rangers for me, personally, at the halfway point are Tejeda, Laird, and Catalonotto.  (in no particular order)

by t ball on Jul 1, 2007 10:56 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Laird...
isn't blocking anyone.  And we have no one else to replace him with.  And no one is calling him the best player on the team.  

by chase1971 on Jul 2, 2007 2:17 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

OK
Laird should be an all-star and I think he's the best player on the team.  

Now can we start bagging on Laird and get off of Sosa's ass?

"I'm an aggressive guy, I'm not a guy who's going to go up there and swing like a girl." - Sammy Sosa

by cgolden on Jul 2, 2007 9:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If you think...
...Laird should be an All-Star and he's the best player on the team, then why do you think we should "start bagging on" him?

by mgb5 on Jul 2, 2007 11:32 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no one to replace Laird...
...according to the metrics, any Catcher in AAA, or the on the waiver wire, or in the independent leagues could provide similiar offense to what Laird has posted.

When you have a starter that is performing at replacement level, it's not a big deal to find someone to replace them.  That is the whole concept.

Heck, we could call up Salomon Manriquez from Frisco and get similar production.  Maybe we should try that.

by tricer on Jul 2, 2007 12:24 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I'd like to see
Quiroz.  He was a big time prospect once upon a time.  He's hit well enough at AAA and is supposed to be good defensively.
Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 2, 2007 12:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Do you really think...
...we should call up Manriquez and bench (or send down) Laird?

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 2, 2007 12:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think...
...every possible alternative to upgrade the catching needs to be explored.  Gerald Laird is currently the 46th most productive major league catcher.  Several teams have backup catchers better than Laird.

All the Sosa talk has distracted us from discussing one of the worst starting position players in major league baseball.

This is a lost season anyway, so I think taking a look at some of the catchers in our minor league system might be a good idea.  It would be almost impossible for them to be any worse at the plate than what Laird has been.

by tricer on Jul 2, 2007 1:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Given...
...the track record Laird has, in the majors and in the minors, I have a hard time believing that calling up someone like Manriquez and giving him regular playing time is a better option than seeing what Laird does the rest of the way...

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 2, 2007 1:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Laird's minor league track record...
...is nothing stellar.  He had one season with an OPS greater than .800 and that was in his seventh season, and in his third run through the PCL.

And now he has 750+ plate appearances at the big league level with the following line:
.254 / .307 / .384 / .690

I don't see any evidence that he can handle being an everyday starter.  I don't have any problem letting him play out the rest of the year, but I also don't have any problem if they want to bring in somebody else and give them a shot.  

In either case, we need to find a catcher for next year's team.  Maybe a veteran guy that can start 4-5 times a week and then hang around to tutor Teagarden in 2009 in beyond.  Somebody like Barajas maybe.

by tricer on Jul 2, 2007 2:10 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Catcher
I don't have any problem letting him play out the rest of the year, but I also don't have any problem if they want to bring in somebody else and give them a shot.  

If they are going to bring in someone to look at the rest of the season instead, it needs to be someone better than the options we have currently in the system.

And Laird wasn't a great offensive player in the minors, but he was also relatively young at each level.

He's a good defensive catcher who has shown in the past he can hit some.  I think you ride it out with him for a while.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 2, 2007 2:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I believe that Laird
has been weighed down with getting a handle on the pitching staff/game calling side of things and his bat will get back to league average the 2nd half.

We don't need him to be Pudge in his prime, we just need him to be average with the bat and good at defense.  It seems like he still has a good shot at playing that well.  I like your recent idea, though, of putting up with Laird until the middle of next season when Teagarden is hopefully ready.  Cross your fingers.

by t ball on Jul 2, 2007 3:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

getting a handle on the pitching staff
I really thought that was Buck's intent last year.  Play Laird sparingly and let him learn some of the finer points of ML catching without the added burden of having to produce everyday.

It was a perfect opportunity for Laird to pick up on all that stuff, and apparently he didn't take advantage of his chance to learn those lessons.

I like Laird, and I want him to do well, but to be honest I'm starting to think he ain't that bright.

by tricer on Jul 2, 2007 6:31 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

You can see
why Buck seemed to prefer Barajas to Laird.  Neither can hit, but if you can't hit, you better be able to call a game or do something.
Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 2, 2007 6:51 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I thought...
...you didn't put any stock in that gamecalling/handling pitchers stuff.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 2, 2007 7:05 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't put much stock into it
until you see a whole rotation collapse when going from Barajas to Laird.

Maybe Laird really is that inept.  

There certainly don't seem to be a whole lot of plus signs in Lairds favor, other than the fairly trivial ability to throw out runners.

Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 3, 2007 7:11 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Good defensive catcher?
Apparently Washington has legitimate concerns whether he can call a game.  He leads the AL in Passed Balls.

He is good against stolen bases, but considering how few stolen bases occur in baseball, I'm not sure that is such a critical metric.

Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 2, 2007 3:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

no one's calling Laird
an all star.
buffering....

by SteveP on Jul 1, 2007 11:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Laird should be the AL starter
"I'm an aggressive guy, I'm not a guy who's going to go up there and swing like a girl." - Sammy Sosa

by cgolden on Jul 2, 2007 9:54 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Adam
never complains about his guys or guys he was on board with.  You will rarely hear him complain about Kinsler, Laird, Cat, or Whifferson even though all 4 of them have performed way way below expectations as a whole.  Im not even going to mention the starters.

On the other hand, Im not a big Sosa fan but when Sosa was signed, did anyone honestly expect him to do much better than he has done?  I dont think Sosa is great.  Im just sick of seeing daily threads about how much he sucks when those thoughts dont translate to the other guys.

by kumar75150 on Jul 1, 2007 8:42 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Someone
please link the sammy sosa prediction thread.

thx.

One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 1, 2007 9:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

projection thread
http://lonestarball.com/story/2007/3/29/112225/792

the average LSB prediction: .246/.310/.452

remarkably accurate =p
hes beating it by a bit though.

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 9:14 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

oh, and..
AJMs predictin:
.225/.280/.410

so hes been much better than AJM though he would be =p  although he said 215 at bats which would be DFA'd by now.

not that i think that was a bad prediction, its better than his baltimore numbers

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 9:17 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

GMs
Hopefully, some of the GMs will agree with the talking heads and trade us something for him.

by BCanfield on Jul 1, 2007 7:04 PM CDT   0 recs

Yes
It's annoying to hear how great he's been, but I hope other people in baseball are drinking the Kool-Aid.
Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 7:11 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

x
I don't think I'm saying anything too groundbreaking, but BBT (and, really 90% of all ESPN original programming) has been unforgivably bad for many years now.

I think it's just that the guys in Bristol are making television that's not designed for me.  They cater to the sports-talk listening, cliché-slinging casual fan.  95% of of baseball viewers have never heard of and don't care about OPS+ or park-adjusted statistics, and ESPN makes lowest-common-denominator TV shows.

I mean, any network that pays John Kruk and Joe Morgan to analyze baseball is pretty much not worth paying attention to.  I'll continue to consume my sports analysis and highlights through the Internet, thank you very much.

by alon91 on Jul 1, 2007 7:22 PM CDT   0 recs

list the half dozen
that have been noticeably better than Sosa.

just wondering.  

i can only imagine it includes 2-3 relievers.  which i just have a hard time doing since relievers just dont have the same impact on the team that starting pitchers and everyday players do.

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 7:28 PM CDT   0 recs

Yep, that crappy bullpen has had ...
... nothing to do with the few wins we have this year.  And they've been particularly non-impact in the Boston series.  Worthless jackasses.

by Athos on Jul 1, 2007 7:30 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

got that covered
but if you want an actual reply.

I'll rephrase: don't make idiotic sarcastic posts to perfectly reasonable ones.

I've never said the bullpen was meaningless.  I praise the bullpen to no, end and say how much i enjoy watching gagne pretty much every time he pitches.  I said gagne would be my choice for the all star game.  I praise BGL to no end.  To sarcastically say i tihnk the bullpen has no impact is idiotic.

But the fact is, Eric gagne has pitched 24 innings. many of them in losses just to get work.  Saying its hard for me to put that level of contribution, no matter how good, on equal level with every day performances is not idiotic.

But I would actually probably put gagne above sosa since he has simply been THAT good when in.

its aki and CJ with the mid 2s ERA that i have a hard time putting above sosa.

I didnt say they wernt valuable, i said they wernt on the same level as starters and positions.

Which is simply the case.  45 to 70 innings in relief just doesnt equat to 600 at bats or 180 to 220 innings as a starter in impact.

and if you are the stathead you seem to think you are (if im remembering old posts correctly) then you should know that.

but again, dont confuse less important with not being important.  i love the rangers having a good pen.  but if i could trade it for a good starting staff id sure as hell do it.

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 7:52 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Great. Glad to know the pen isn't meaningless.
Of course, that's not what you implied in your original post.  You were daring anyone to claim a reliever or two might be having better seasons than God's current gift to RBIs when the game isn't close or in the late innings.  Clearly, our relievers have done well in pressure situations, and to demean that as "just not as important as starters or everyday players" in an attempt to head off anti-Sosa arguments is pretty damned intellectually dishonest at the very least.

by Athos on Jul 1, 2007 8:03 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

intellectually dishonest? at the least?
i wish there were smiley faces on this board so I could properly laugh.

jesus christ, the relief comment wasnt meant to say he couldnt put them on there.  it was meant to say I wouldnt put too many personally and would disagree with his if he did.  i was listing off in my head who i would put above sosa, and was contemplating what relievers to put ahead of him.  i thoguht about all the guys with 2s ERAs in my head (as listed below like eyre and mahay) and was thinking I wouldnt put them above sosa, and made a comment about it.

it was thinking out loud.

there are some relief roles that I would put on equal level. scott shields throwing 90 to 100 innings of suht down relief year after year.  a shut down closer.  but a middle reliever with a 2.5 ERA who has been technically above average vs sosa who can be argued has been below average? i was just trying to relate my thoughts on it.

if he disagrees, he can argue against my point.  like you could of.  just dont do it by posting insane sarcastic posts that misrepresent what ive said.

although it looks like hes left for now anyway.

anyway...........

hell i didnt even really disagree that there were 6, i just wanted to see who he would list.  ive got 5 i would have no big argument with over sosa and could probably be convinced for at least one more now that im thinking about it more.

if ive somehow given you the impression i think sosa has been truly above average and all star worthy you are way off the mark. i just like him and dont think hes been anywhere near as bad as AJM does.

by DSheppard on Jul 1, 2007 8:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Dont ask the impossible.
Mitt Romney should "get out his small-varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn" -- Sen John McCain

by DJCahill on Jul 1, 2007 7:48 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

is this sarcasm
getting a little bit old for anyone else?
One picture is worth 1,000 denials.

by nirvana on Jul 1, 2007 7:44 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Pardon the hell out of me.
But reading statements like that one are taking this crap a little too far.  Relievers just don't contribute that much?  In 2004, the Rangers won 89 games in large part because of their solid bullpen.  The only shining spot this season has been the bullpen.  Without them, we'd be lucky to have half the wins we do now.

So I'll tell you what, I'll quit being sarcastic when some of you Sosa disciples quit being stupid.

by Athos on Jul 1, 2007 7:49 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

How
is arguing that Sosa hasn't been "awful" or needs to be DFA'd, make someone a Sosa disciple?

I've never said that he is really good.  I've actually said a number of times that there is no way that he can keep up the pace and that we should deal him as soon as possible.

But to put in the same category as Cat, Wilk, Cruz, Vazquez, etc. is insane.  

The guy makes a good point.  Individual bullpen members are never as valuable as everyday players.  I thought you guys learned that in Stathead 101.  

Chris Young/Adrian Gonzalez for Aki Otsuka, the new Sammy Sosa/Wilson Alvarez for Harold Baines

by badradiorules on Jul 1, 2007 8:07 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't recall saying anything about you.
Unless you have more than one user name ....

by Athos on Jul 1, 2007 8:12 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Wait
Individual bullpen members are never as valuable as everyday players.  

A great reliever is, without doubt, more valuable than a mediocre positional player.

Sosa is a mediocre positional player.  Thus, there are relievers more valuable than him.

by Adam J. Morris on Jul 1, 2007 9:24 PM CDT to parent up