Vida

[klaiggeb]

I think Vida Blue just became one of my favorite guys on the post game show.

After yesterday's debacle, he SAID ALOUD, what I was THINKING.

He said he was disgusted by their lack of energy. And that's what I saw, too.

Krukow disagreed, and for the first time ever, I thought that Kruk was spouting the company line.

IMHO, Kruk was wrong. Way wrong.

Getting CG'ed by THAT PUTZ?!

How far the mighty have fallen.

And someone please explain to my WHY Sanchez started over Susac?

boly

[sfgdood]

I didn't see the game because I had a family commitment but Krukow, in my opinion, has become something of a shill. I've never heard him criticize management or Bochy. He rarely criticizes umpires or Giants players and, in fact, he goes out of his way to defend "his guys" when they screw up. He didn't even blast Mike Winters much on his personal vendetta against Bochy, which I saw as bush league. There was a time when Krukow would frequently go on rants about things but as he as aged he seems to have lost the passion.

As for Blue, he doesn't add too much, IMO. He and Laskey sound to me like two old farts on the front porch who may have watched the game but probably nodded off for parts of it.

[klaiggeb]

I agree about Vida, and to a lesser extent, Laskey. They usually add nothing.

But last night... LAST NIGHT... he hung his head and told the audience he was disgusted.

Which I admired.

boly

[Rog]

I often wonder about the cause and effect relationship here. Does a team look languid because they aren't getting good results, or are they not getting good results because they're languid? And how does one tell without being in the dugout?

[rxmeister]

I agree with Rog for a change. A team looks like they're not trying when they're behind and the pitcher is dominating. They certainly looked energized for Hudson last night. I also think there can be a subconscious letdown when reality sets in and a championship team realizes it's not making the playoffs. I think they played their hearts out, but the onus is once again that management after a world championship didn't do enough to help them repeat. The philosophy of small off seasons combined with big deadline moves didn't work this time, and won't in the future, especially when your farm system is perceived as weak.

[klaiggeb]

Mark:

that our farm system is perceived as weak is an interesting contradiction by the "experts."

They say, 'weak,' but in the past 2 years, Panik has become a regular, and so has Duffy. Both have really proven they can flat out play.

Susac was doing extremely well until hurting his thumb with that stupid slide.

And this year, we've found Strickland and Osich in the pen, Heston starting, and to a lesser extent, Tomlinson.

That means in 2 years our farm system has produced 6 above average, to very good players.

That ain't bad.

So to the 'experts,' who made that claim, I thumb my nose.

boly

[Rog]

Although their player development has been criticized here, it has done a fine job of developing modest prospects into good players. Of the players mentioned here, Panik was a high prospect, although an exceptionally high one, and the other three were very modest prospects.

What we forget or simply didn't know about Joe is that in a single season he went from hitting .257 at Richmond to hitting .305 with the Giants.

[klaiggeb]

I don't think we forgot that, Rog, I think the more important point is that the Giants draft the right kinds of players, and then develop them to be more than what the eyes see at a cursory glance.

Or rather, what a scout's eyes see at a cursory glance.

Panik, Duffy, Susac, Tomlinson, just to name 4, all have something you can't see just by looking at numbers and making a judgement; they have character; they have heart; they have incredible 'ganas' desire.

They all came up to the bigs with an idea of how to play the game and get the most out of the talent they have.

None of them were awed by the show; none of them were steam rolled by the size of the stage. Instead, because they were so well taught, the stage became their platform to get better and better.

They all rose to the occasion because they were trained well.

And I'll bet there are more behind them.

boly