Rock the Vote?
by Grant Brisbee on Jul 9, 2008 12:32 PM PDT
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PrintI want to promote Aaron Rowand for the final All-Star spot. I really do. A centerfielder who hits .299/.364/.460 while playing good defense is a valuable player. An All-Star, even. MLB.com even provides little widgets for sites like this to promote Rowand. Lookie here:
Fancy. Except Rowand just had a terrible June (.225/.275/.343). And his defense doesn’t bring me lemonade on a hot day. It’s fine defense, don’t get me wrong. The in-season numbers have him as the finest in the land. So it’s possible that the balls dropping just in front of Rowand would have dropped well in front of other players. Maybe I’m relying on my eyes too much. But it ain’t enough to swing my vote just yet.
He’s hitting better in July, and he’s still a Giant. And he will be for a long, long time. So it’d be nice to see a third Giant at the All-Star Game. So, the more the merrier. Even if Rowand weren’t having a good year, sometimes you just have to vote for the laundry.
But Pat Burrell and Carlos Lee are having monster years. Man, what I wouldn't give to have an actual cleanup hitter....
But they’re doing it in hitter’s parks, and their supplementing the offense with poor defense. Corey Hart hasn’t been doing much better than Rowand, especially when defense and position are part of the equation. David Wright isn’t…
You see, the thing about David Wright is…
Uh huh. Apparently, David Wright is a much better choice for the final spot. He has a .383 on-base percentage, 17 homers, and he plays good defense at a key position. Which leads us to the…
Comment starter: Do you vote for Rowand anyway? Loyalty over logic? I could see either way, to be honest….
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Screw that
Rowand needs to just rest for those days
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
re: his fielding
John Dewan’s Plus/Minus system has Rowand at 0, which I think is dead average
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
+1
He played in the all-star game last year. Let him rest. Go David Wright!!
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
by WilliamVanLandingham on Jul 9, 2008 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Good point. He’s probably either run into a wall or take a shit in the ribs.
2008 Giants: Scrappy! Scrappy! Joy! Joy!
A nasty shit in the ribs.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
Which celebrity would host the telethon for that, uh, ailment?
I'm adopting a true Giant and an awe-inspring gamer: tk. "Atta babe."
I voted 25x for Rowand and Longoria
Cuz that is how I roll.
Billy Hayes: His job is better than yours.
“Even if Rowand weren’t having a good year, sometimes you just have to vote for the laundry.”
Sometimes you do have to vote for the laundry, particularly in the case of the Giants. Rowand is having a good year. Certainly much better than I expected him to have. The outfield of the Giants is having a pretty decent year as a matter of fact. I have a friend (who is a Dodger Fan BTW) comment on Randy Winn the other day. He was extremely p*ssed of at how well Winn plays the wall at AT&T. His team wins two out of three in my house and he’s still cranky. pfftttt…Dodger Fans.
So..my vote goes for the laundry and the gamer-ness of Rowand.
My adopted son Matt Downs. Bill Mueller without the two-flap helmet .
Speaking of Dodgers fans
My lifelong LA Dodgers fan went to his first game of the season last night and sent me this report on Andruw Jones aka But For The Grace of Ned Colletti Go Us:
It’s just shocking what a hollow shell he is of the beautiful, amazing player he used to be. He’s literally lost all five tools that he used to have. His body language is terrible-he walks more slowly to his position than a 45-year-old starting pitcher. Physically he looks just awful. At the plate he seems to be entirely guessing. I have no idea why he’s starting-even with his contract, I’d think Torre would have the cajones to sit him down and let Juan Pierre, or anyone else, play.
Needless to say, my friends glum email filled me with glee. That’s Schadenfreude for ya.
Eagerly awaiting Crazy Crab Bobblehead Night on 7/18.
Was about to say
I didn’t know you could legally own a Dodger fan.
Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC
by Stuttering John Tamargo on Jul 9, 2008 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions
lol
and even if you could, why would you want to?
Eagerly awaiting Crazy Crab Bobblehead Night on 7/18.
City Of San Francisco Resolution 48-2008
make “owning” a Dodger Fan illegal at All Times, except during a winning series by the Giants at At&T Park :-)
My adopted son Matt Downs. Bill Mueller without the two-flap helmet .
wow
how wrong I was to support the Giants signing him to a 2 year $10-15 million per year contract. This makes me ecstatic
Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!
by UnleashTheGore on Jul 9, 2008 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions
one of the fun things about disagreeing with Front Office moves
is how good it feels to be wrong.
you can't block the Bocock
I keep wondering whether Jones was juicing. I’ve never seen suspician mentioned, but his HR spiked awfully quickly and dropped just as quickly at an age when that shouldn’t have been expected.
Again, I never hear him mentioned like so many other guys, but it makes me wonder. Thoughts?
2008 Giants: Scrappy! Scrappy! Joy! Joy!
“I keep wondering whether Jones was juicing. “
I don’t think we have to wonder anymore. Thought it last year, and this year just reinforces the opinion. The Bonds “witch hunt” still goes on, but of course he was the only guy using :-(
My adopted son Matt Downs. Bill Mueller without the two-flap helmet .
There are quiet a few players
Who had a “sudden” drop in performance, especially power, after approximately the 2006 season.
Brian Giles, Bill Hall, Ray Durham, etcCoincidence?
Gee Coach, I dunno – I just can’t seem to hit the ball as far as last year…
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 9, 2008 1:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Giles is still a beast, held down by PETCO. He makes my All-Star team this year.
Although, his power did drop off a bunch.
I’m not saying that there isn’t any credence to all this, as I wouldn’t feign to pretend that there isn’t, but I’m also sure there are plenty of players who experience sudden declines in power (in performance) every season. Wild speculation is fun, and most of these players probably did have PED related career shifts… but without something less circumstantial, I’m more inclined to cast a wide net than point specific fingers.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 9, 2008 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Hi, My name is Brian Giles
and in 2002 I hit 38 home runs.
The next year I hit 20, and then 23, 15, 14, 13 after that. Oops, what happened?
Also, in 1998 I hit 16 home runs, the following year I hit 39. Awesome!
Yes, there are potential other factors/explanations – but I am highly suspect of any player who experienced a step function up or down (and especially both!) in power in the last 10 years.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 9, 2008 2:45 PM PDT up reply actions
Being suspect is fine by me, but I get a little iffy when things get this close to being accusations. I imagine I’m probably just reading your suspicions more strongly than you’re stating them, though.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 9, 2008 3:00 PM PDT up reply actions
To be honest
I think that basically every player in the ML between 1995 and 2006 probably utilized PED to some extent, so I don’t feel too bad about throwing around accusations on the internet to that effect.
Certainly not singling anyone out.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 9, 2008 3:17 PM PDT up reply actions
I wouldn't say normal..
Sure, you can find other players who experiences similar situations.
However, on average it is much less of a step function.
Like I said, there are plenty of other credible explanations – I just think in light of everything else it is not rediculous to be suspicious.
I mean, cmon – Aurilia hi 37 HR in 2001 and 15 in 2002.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 10, 2008 8:28 AM PDT up reply actions
Wait, let's run through that again...
...your friend has no idea why Torre isn’t starting Juan Pierre?
Well duh…he’s Juan Pierre.
Andruw Jones at least has a history of non-suckitude to offer the remote promise of returning to.
The All-Father is now a Giant!
Also Juan Pierre is injured.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
By this logic
We should certainly try to acquire Bill Hall.
Just think, if he could return to form!
Buy Low!
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 9, 2008 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Fifth!
Rowand’s throws past the cut-off man annoy me, but I like him. I’m too lazy too vote.
2008 Giants: Scrappy! Scrappy! Joy! Joy!
Anagram of "Should I vote for Aaron Rowand?"
NO! AWFUL HORRORS, OVATION DEAD
David Wright it is.
Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC
by Stuttering John Tamargo on Jul 9, 2008 12:45 PM PDT reply actions
Anagram of "Should I vote for David Wright?"
GOOD! IS VIVID, WRATHFUL, RED-HOT
Anagram of "Giants pitcher Matt Cain" = TRAGIC MAN, ISN'T PATHETIC
by Stuttering John Tamargo on Jul 9, 2008 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Dude
You need a hobby.
other than Anagrams, I mean.
Eugeniooooooo!!!!
by FairweatherFan on Jul 9, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Who holds the record for "most times hit by a baseball in a season"?
Not just HBP’s, but fouling the ball off of yourself. Rowand seems to do that more often than most
Adopted Giant: Aaron King
Wearing the crown by 2011. Or at least the LOOGY hat
I believe that Biggio holds the record for HBP. Who’s tracking the ” total times hit by a baseball during a season” stat. This is baseball after all. There is a stat for everything :-)
My adopted son Matt Downs. Bill Mueller without the two-flap helmet .
Rowand's defense is overrated
just because he crashes into walls doesn’t make him a great defender. He is a good defender, but based on my personal observation this year, he’s never heard of a “cut-off man” and his arm isn’t that good. Wright is a total stud. Lee is a total stud. Burrell is having a monster season. Hart wears sunglasses at night. Rowand is a gamer.
Lee .294/.341/.551/OPS+ 133, 4 SBs
Wright .288/.383/.510/OPS+137, 9 SBs
Hart 296/.336/.510/OPS+ 120, 13 SBs
Burrell .281/.413/.590/OPS+ 157, 0 SBs
Rowand 299/.364/.460/OPS+ 117, 1 SB
Rowand is having a decent season, and his numbers are comparable to Hart, but Lee, Wright and Burrell are having significantly better seasons offensively. I don’t watch the All-Star game for defense, so frankly, Rowand’s defense doesn’t factor in. I want to see homers in the All-Star game, which is played in an AL park this year and will feature the DH. Lee, Burrell and Wright should get the votes.
Personally, I’d vote for Burrell because I have Lee and Wright on my fantasy teams and I DON’T want them anywhere near the home run derby and I want them to have the time off, cuz that’ll jack up their swings for the 2nd half.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 9, 2008 12:54 PM PDT reply actions
that goes without saying
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 9, 2008 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, because nobody would think to say it.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 9, 2008 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Well everybody would think to say “it” but not “Goofus is a stud” or any permutation of that phrase.
I mean, that’s just plain silly.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
Oh shoot, you’re right. I keep making that mistake.
My Dave Righetti is better than your Dave Righetti.
by howtheyscored on Jul 9, 2008 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not sure if it stopped counting them at 25
but I voted Rowand + Longoria well over 100 times the other day while I was watching a game
Definitely loyalty over logic for the all star game. Gotta pick up our boy.
I don't think it does,
because we have only 3-4 days to vote.
Anyway I voted for Rowand a ridiculous amount of times just because woo Rowand WOOOOOO!
Don't you it's gonna be all right. But not right now.
I'm a Gamer-voting homer
Just to piss off those people that hate the fact that the Giants have two All-Stars already.
by rightcenterfielder on Jul 9, 2008 12:57 PM PDT reply actions
doesnt matter, i cant really see wright losing, he does play in new york after all. have you guys checked out the AL line up? 6 starters from Boston and NY and only like 2 deserve it
proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..
with that said
im voting for rowand just in case
proud father of the newly acquired Brandon Crawford..
The AL lineup every year:
Red Sox, Yankees, Ichiro, and maybe 1 or 2 other guys tearing it up in April/May
by rightcenterfielder on Jul 9, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions
I voted for Rowand and Longoria 3 times.
That was the extent of my Giants loyalty.
Trent Kline: Decentish. Also, my website is called ChatterBalks Dot Com and on it I make jokes about things.
Here's the thing
The AS game is now just a popularity contest. If they were smart, you’d only get to vote once, and that would make things a bit more logical. Even then, all the stupid BoSox fans would keep voting Varitek in there. And you know, when in Rome…
Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!
if you didn't catch it
that post means you should vote for Rowand
Proud pappa of....STEVE HOLM!!
by UnleashTheGore on Jul 9, 2008 1:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Also keep in mind...
that someone has to replace Soriano, so its likely that the NL OF who is second in voting after this will take that spot.
Don't you it's gonna be all right. But not right now.
I like how SF Giants urges us to vote for Rowand and Jermaine Dye because Dye is a Bay Area native. I can totally get behind that though
cuz Pat Burrell doesn't have local ties?
He went to San Lorenzo HS before transferring to Bellarmine in San Jose.
Proud adopted parent of future big league slugger Thomas Neal
by nostocksjustbonds on Jul 9, 2008 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions
My guess
is they assume that Dye has better name recognition in the Bay Area from his time with the A’s. Plus, Rowand seems to be a bigger folk hero in Chicago than Philadelphia.
by rightcenterfielder on Jul 9, 2008 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions
I vote for him a lot
Him and Longoria, because I’ve never seen the latter play on tv, and I’d like to.
Without actually watching an A’s game.
Tentatively adopting Dan Ortmeier. And Boom Goes the Dynamite.
I admit that I voted for the laundry. He's one of our own; the others aren't.
I voted over 20 times online and about 60 times via text message (once you get into a rhythm, it is really fast). Just a pro-Giants move, not that Aaron “deserves” to be there or doesn’t deserve it.
I'm adopting a true Giant and an awe-inspring gamer: tk. "Atta babe."
What vote gives the NL the best shot to win?
I’m sick of the AL always winning. The DH sucks. Short porches and exploding scoreboards suck too!!
Well, actually I kinda liked the exploding scoreboard…
Screw the AL!!!
David Wright is my guy.
Sorry Giants fans...
But my vote goes to Pat Burrell—he’s having the best offensive season of any NL outfielder and the numbers say he’s actually decent in the field this year. If you don’t believe that, David Wright’s the next pick.
I’d go with Rowand over Lee and Hart, though. Quality defense in center gives him a two win swing over those other guys. And Rowand sure as hell deserves to make the team over Ryan Braun.
in something like this, i’m not worried about a player from New York being snubbed. David Wright will get plenty of votes purely based upon the market he plays in. As I see it, I’m just balancing out all the East Coast crazies who keep voting Jeter, etc. into the starting lineup year after year whether he deserves it or not.
Idolizing Robb Nen since 2002...
by Smoke on the Water on Jul 9, 2008 2:35 PM PDT reply actions
This sham is a charade
I voted a few of my 25 votes for Rowand the other day (before I got distracted by something, most likely my kids) but this leaves me very disinclined to go back to it:
Each club has mounted aggressive political-like campaigns; take the Giants as just one example. [...] Staci Slaughter, the club’s senior vice president of communications, said the first time they counted how many times the employees had voted, some had already registered 10,000 votes.
So, what is supposedly a fan vote is literally being rigged by team staffers, and MLB.com is running articles merrily talking about how blatantly the rules are being flouted. And this is supposed to make me want to get out there and vote?
Eh, whatever. Way to take the fun out of it, guys.
The All-Father is now a Giant!
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