Long profile of Burriss in the Wash Post

by cakes on May 4, 2008 9:38 AM PDT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/03/AR2008050302303.html

Nice to see the hometown paper rooting for one of its own. It's a shame that DC hasn't put out more ballplayers. It's a bigger baseball town than people think. I went to Walter Johnson High School in the MD suburbs, which is the first high school in America named after a baseball player.

I also wish the Giants had sportswriters like Dave Shenin.

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I don’t know if this was discussed in the gameday thread, but I thought Burris looked different at the plate (I think it was yesterday’s game) in the only at-bat I saw. He was much more upright than usual. Did anyone else notice this? I wonder what the purpose of that would be.

Less arm, more talk. Raisingcain is a GAMER.
Adopted Giant: Henry Sosa

by raisingcain on May 4, 2008 9:54 AM PDT reply actions

I would love it if Burriss turned into Maury Wills.

Without all the evil, I mean.

"he walked 18; new league record! Struck out 18, another new league record! He also hit the sportswriter, the PA announcer, the bull mascot twice..."

by i did my job on May 4, 2008 10:49 AM PDT reply actions

Evil Wills

I just missed seeing Wills play, but as a kid I remember seeing him on the Superstars competition on Wide World of Sports (which was a Battle of the Network Stars for professional athletes). I recall he pulled a Robert Conrand (to maintain the Network Stars analogy) by pouting about his finish in some race, and ultimately was filmed sulking off the track, yanking the restraining rope that encircled the field over his head and behind him as he in essence “took his ball and went home”. There’s a somewhat fine line between being competitive and being a plain old prick.

Kevin Correia: MLB's best fifth starter on a last place team

by VidaWantsYourCar on May 4, 2008 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions

Love the handle. Eight one eight, fifty-two twenty-three!

by Grant Brisbee on May 4, 2008 7:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Nice article

I really enjoyed writing this article. It’s hard not to root for Manny, although I still have significant concerns about whether he will hit.

by sharksrog on May 4, 2008 2:59 PM PDT reply actions

Oh, he can hit. To a certain extent.

My concern is whether he can hit the ball out of the infield. ;)

Proud adoptive parent of Tim Alderson.

by JT Jordan on May 4, 2008 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions

Manny

He looks to be more of a good UT / Pinch Runner guy, at least for now. He squares up the ball well but even when he does the ball does not come off his bat hard. He makes Omar look like a power hitter. As he gets older though that could change.

That said, I like his defense better than Bocock. Brian seems to have a better instinct and a better arm, but doesn’t maintain the mental focus that Burriss does. That double pump thing Burriss does make me wonder whether his arm is strong enough to play at short.

As the marketing people will let us know soon enough, Manny is a “gamer.”

by Change Up on May 4, 2008 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions

You’re actually the first person I’ve heard that prefers Burriss’ defense to Bocock’s. There’s never been any question if Bocock can stay at the position, but it’s quite the opposite with Burriss.

Proud adoptive parent of Tim Alderson.

by JT Jordan on May 4, 2008 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions

I’m a big fan of make-up. I’d rather have a shortstop that makes all the routine plays than a shortstop who misses some routine plays and makes some fantastic plays. IMO Bocock has better defensive tools but Burriss has better mental tools.

by Change Up on May 5, 2008 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions

You enjoyed writing this article?

What a coincidence! I enjoy writing this blog on a daily basis.

If you like things that are funny, perhaps you will enjoy ChatterBalks Dot Com?

by groug on May 4, 2008 4:02 PM PDT up reply actions

Rog isn’t really thinking straight right now. Something about staying up late and four overtimes.

Brian Sabean's new dad: Firm believer in corporal punishment

by rxmeister on May 5, 2008 5:43 AM PDT up reply actions

That was beyond sports writing and flirted with the realm of literature.

by Change Up on May 4, 2008 4:24 PM PDT reply actions

Great Story

Unlike Rog, I didn’t write this story but I enjoyed reading it. I’m going to Washington for the first two games of that four game series and I hope that Manny is still around and gets into at least one of those games. You would think he will still be here, as he is outplaying Bocock right now.

Brian Sabean's new dad: Firm believer in corporal punishment

by rxmeister on May 5, 2008 5:45 AM PDT reply actions

I'm hoping to get to at least two of those games myself.

If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, you want the upper deck left seats down the left field line—it’s the one spot in the stadium that gives you the classic panorama view of DC with the Capital Building, White House and Monuments. In fact, the cheapest seats in the house way up in Section 401 hold some of the best views.

My boy ain't fat, he's just big boned. Big bat, too.

by Roger on May 5, 2008 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

This piece was so incredibly well done I might as well end my own life because I just can’t compete with that as a writer. Even in my own fiction, I can’t create anything just so well done.

"While conservatives tell you 'leave things alone and no one will lose,' and liberals tell you 'interfere a lot and no one will lose,' baseball says 'someone will lose.' Not only says it - but insists upon it! ... Democracy is lovely, but baseball's more mature." BVCE supports SF Dugout and Manny Burriss.

by BaronVonCurrentEvents on May 5, 2008 10:49 AM PDT reply actions

Dave Sheinin really is a wonderful features writer

It’s probably obvious, but in case it isn’t, this was the feature story on the front page of Sunday’s sport section. Virtually the entire above the fold was a giant picture of Manny in his SF hat.

My boy ain't fat, he's just big boned. Big bat, too.

by Roger on May 5, 2008 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions

It's a nice piece...

...although it’s a little misleading to say that his promotion was “hastened by his performance this spring” rather than by Vizquel’s injury and Bocock’s inability to hit major league pitching. The Bochy quote about a “special kid”, which they used to headline the last section, was the kind of generic manager quote that could be used for any prospect.

2008: My previous assessment may have been overly optimistic.

by EliminateMe on May 5, 2008 11:40 AM PDT reply actions