Bochy's toolbox

[tzill]

From, of course, Grant at MCC:

But the offense can also improve, even if just incrementally, if some of the tools are removed from Bruce Bochy’s toolbox. In this analogy, Bochy doesn’t have a lot to work with. He has a broken drill, a hammer with a wobbly head, and a roll of wet Scotch Tape. I get that. This isn’t an offense with just one or two players screwing everything up. But if Rowand is a tool in the tool box, he’s a metal stabtoaster, which is a tool that is used to dig pieces of bread out of toasters that are still plugged in. You probably shouldn’t use it.

It’s kind of sharp, though, so you can still use it to open up a blister pack or a box. It has its uses. But Bochy keeps using it to get bread out. He’ll keep doing it until you physicaly remove the stabtoaster and throw it away. They make plastic stabtoasters, you know.

Heretofore, he is no longer Gamer, DropADuece, or RoRo.

He's MST -- Metal Stabtoaster.

 

[msgkings322]

From, of course, Grant at MCC:

But the offense can also improve, even if just incrementally, if some of the tools are removed from Bruce Bochy’s toolbox. In this analogy, Bochy doesn’t have a lot to work with. He has a broken drill, a hammer with a wobbly head, and a roll of wet Scotch Tape. I get that. This isn’t an offense with just one or two players screwing everything up. But if Rowand is a tool in the tool box, he’s a metal stabtoaster, which is a tool that is used to dig pieces of bread out of toasters that are still plugged in. You probably shouldn’t use it.

It’s kind of sharp, though, so you can still use it to open up a blister pack or a box. It has its uses. But Bochy keeps using it to get bread out. He’ll keep doing it until you physicaly remove the stabtoaster and throw it away. They make plastic stabtoasters, you know.

Heretofore, he is no longer Gamer, DropADuece, or RoRo.

He's MST -- Metal Stabtoaster.

Nice. I'm down with it.

But I always gotta ask: how do Grant and the rest of us know more about this than BigHead and Sabes? Don't they see what we see and then 100x more?

 

[calsnowskier]

Nice. I'm down with it.

But I always gotta ask: how do Grant and the rest of us know more about this than BigHead and Sabes? Don't they see what we see and then 100x more?

They see the same answers that we see.

The difference is that they are asking different questions than us.

We ask "What have you done for us lately?" Boch is asking "What can you for us in the future?"

I will fall back on my realization from last year...

You and I get caught up in trying to win 162 games, and we are foolish enough to think that a lost game, or series, is pantshat-worthy.

Bochy is only concerned with winning 11 games. The 162 game pre-season is ONLY there to fine-tune his instruments. As long as the trumpet is not broken during the warm-up, he knows how to use it when it really matters.

This was proven last year. Guillen, Panda, Zito and RoRo were used a lot during the "pre-season" last year, but when push came to shove, Uribe, Ross, and Bum were used and used properly.

 

[msgkings322]

They see the same answers that we see.

The difference is that they are asking different questions than us.

We ask "What have you done for us lately?" Boch is asking "What can you for us in the future?"

I will fall back on my realization from last year...

You and I get caught up in trying to win 162 games, and we are foolish enough to think that a lost game, or series, is pantshat-worthy.

Bochy is only concerned with winning 11 games. The 162 game pre-season is ONLY there to fine-tune his instruments. As long as the trumpet is not broken during the warm-up, he knows how to use it when it really matters.

This was proven last year. Guillen, Panda, Zito and RoRo were used a lot during the "pre-season" last year, but when push came to shove, Uribe, Ross, and Bum were used and used properly.

Excellent answer. So Grant's just another 'how can we win every day' guy like us?

 

[tzill]

Excellent answer. So Grant's just another 'how can we win every day' guy like us?

Well, in general I agree with Cal here. However, it's a little bit of an oversimplification to me. Whereas the "real" season doesn't begin until October, you have to GET to the post season, and so the 162 game prelude has more than exhibition value to it. Simply put, the G's have to win 90+ games to be able to dance.

Once on the dance floor, I think Bochy knows the moves. But Grant's perspective, and mine, is that we also need to get there first. Grant has several times mentioned that he defers to Bochy and doesn't presume to know more than him. He's not a pantshatter. If Bochy sees something in MST then I think we give him the benefit of the doubt. I think there's some value in limiting Bochy's choices though.

Bring me Beltran!!

 

[gp956]

Excellent answer. So Grant's just another 'how can we win every day' guy like us?

Until this year when he turned into a professional journalist, Grant was a real estate agent with an English degree. And not to be a hater, but he's more about being entertaining than informative or insightful. I find him to be one of the most entertaining commentators around, but If I want info, I go to the beat writers, and if I want baseball insight I talk to myself.

 

[msgkings322]

Until this year when he turned into a professional journalist, Grant was a real estate agent with an English degree. And not to be a hater, but he's more about being entertaining than informative or insightful. I find him to be one of the most entertaining commentators around, but If I want info, I go to the beat writers, and if I want baseball insight I talk to myself.[/QUOTE]

Until the thorazine kicks in, then you just stare.

 

[msgkings322]

Well, in general I agree with Cal here. However, it's a little bit of an oversimplification to me. Whereas the "real" season doesn't begin until October, you have to GET to the post season, and so the 162 game prelude has more than exhibition value to it. Simply put, the G's have to win 90+ games to be able to dance.

Once on the dance floor, I think Bochy knows the moves. But Grant's perspective, and mine, is that we also need to get there first. Grant has several times mentioned that he defers to Bochy and doesn't presume to know more than him. He's not a pantshatter. If Bochy sees something in MST then I think we give him the benefit of the doubt. I think there's some value in limiting Bochy's choices though.

Bring me Beltran!![/QUOTE]

+1

Is this reasonably possible? By that I mean, can we get him for a couple of B prospects, and will the brass be willing to shell out the huge $ for 3 months of his services?

 

[calsnowskier]

Well, in general I agree with Cal here. However, it's a little bit of an oversimplification to me. Whereas the "real" season doesn't begin until October, you have to GET to the post season, and so the 162 game prelude has more than exhibition value to it. Simply put, the G's have to win 90+ games to be able to dance.

Once on the dance floor, I think Bochy knows the moves. But Grant's perspective, and mine, is that we also need to get there first. Grant has several times mentioned that he defers to Bochy and doesn't presume to know more than him. He's not a pantshatter. If Bochy sees something in MST then I think we give him the benefit of the doubt. I think there's some value in limiting Bochy's choices though.

Bring me Beltran!!

+1

Is this reasonably possible? By that I mean, can we get him for a couple of B prospects, and will the brass be willing to shell out the huge $ for 3 months of his services?

The cost will be dependent on how much of his $$ we take on. If we were to take his entire contract, We could get him for something like Ishi (ie, free).

 

[msgkings322]

The cost will be dependent on how much of his $$ we take on. If we were to take his entire contract, We could get him for something like Ishi (ie, free).

What's your guess on if the owners are willing to take all that on? I'd have to think if we get close to the deadline and are still struggling to score runs, they will say fuck it and hope another playoff run pays for it.

 

[nateistheshi]

Beltran's got to have a bit of dimished trade value not only due to his salary, but doesn't he have a clause that says he can't be offered arb?

 

[tzill]

Until this year when he turned into a professional journalist, Grant was a real estate agent with an English degree. And not to be a hater, but he's more about being entertaining than informative or insightful. I find him to be one of the most entertaining commentators around, but If I want info, I go to the beat writers, and if I want baseball insight I talk to myself.[/QUOTE]

Until the thorazine kicks in, then you just stare.

Mad rep!!

 

[gp956]

What's dumb is that, while Grant is complaining about Rowand starting 9 of the last 13 games, RoRo's actually been relatively decent over that stretch. Among the outfielders only Ross has out hit him. And, overall, only Huff, Ross, and Tejada have been better in June. So how again is Bochy doing anything less than trying to get the "hot hand" in there, and being successful at it?

Grant's over-arching point here is that given better tools Bochy would continue to prefer to use his "stabtoasters". And that's just so "meme from 2009" stuck in the middle of a losing streak to inflame the pitch fork carrying dullards.

 

[filosofy29]

I rarely check McCovey's Cove anymore. I used to like it, but then it started to mirror the ESPN board. Now I usually just look here and Mercury News.

 

[gp956]

I rarely check McCovey's Cove anymore. I used to like it, but then it started to mirror the ESPN board. Now I usually just look here and Mercury News.

I check in regularly, but mostly to read owlcroft's posts (the guy who started Moneyball for the A's, and who also worked for the Giants during Al Rosen's tenure), and the "minor lines" threads.

Went ahead and read the thread in question here, typical 200-post tangents where equally misinformed children argue about things they read about on wikipedia - in this case the merits of high fructose corn syrup. Interspersed with about 20 posts claiming Bochy is dumb. Yeah, pretty much ESPN with tangents added.

Basically Grants shtick is to mix equal parts fan angst, some baseball cliches, with a dash of sabermetrics, and tossed in a colander of pop cultural references. Sometimes the result is entertaining.

 

[filosofy29]

I check in regularly, but mostly to read owlcroft's posts (the guy who started Moneyball for the A's, and who also worked for the Giants during Al Rosen's tenure), and the "minor lines" threads.

Went ahead and read the thread in question here, typical 200-post tangents where equally misinformed children argue about things they read about on wikipedia - in this case the merits of high fructose corn syrup. Interspersed with about 20 posts claiming Bochy is dumb. Yeah, pretty much ESPN with tangents added.

Basically Grants shtick is to mix equal parts fan angst, some baseball cliches, with a dash of sabermetrics, and tossed in a colander of pop cultural references. Sometimes the result is entertaining.

I'll have to check that dude out (Owl). I remember you mentioning him quite some time ago and that he knew what he was talking about. I believe he was being attacked for not being a fan of FLew or something like that.

Side note: do you still post overthere on your alt account? I used to look and see if I could figure out which one was you, but I never even came close to be honest, lol.

 

[gp956]

I'll have to check that dude out (Owl). I remember you mentioning him quite some time ago and that he knew what he was talking about. I believe he was being attacked for not being a fan of FLew or something like that.

Side note: do you still post overthere on your alt account? I used to look and see if I could figure out which one was you, but I never even came close to be honest, lol.

I've posted a couple of time in this year. Once to disagree with something owlcroft wrote, and another time to answer a sincere request for help on an economics question. I never posted much over there outside of gameday threads. The few times I ventured out to discuss some specific baseball issues ended up being disappointing experiences for the most part.

Yeah, about owlcroft, there are a few mods/oldtimers over there who regularly take potshots at him. Generally though, he's a respected poster over there. He's got a lot more patience than I do, that is for sure.

 

[tzill]

I check in regularly, but mostly to read owlcroft's posts (the guy who started Moneyball for the A's, and who also worked for the Giants during Al Rosen's tenure), and the "minor lines" threads.

Went ahead and read the thread in question here, typical 200-post tangents where equally misinformed children argue about things they read about on wikipedia - in this case the merits of high fructose corn syrup. Interspersed with about 20 posts claiming Bochy is dumb. Yeah, pretty much ESPN with tangents added.

Basically Grants shtick is to mix equal parts fan angst, some baseball cliches, with a dash of sabermetrics, and tossed in a colander of pop cultural references. Sometimes the result is entertaining.

You are probably more experienced over there than I, but I find Grant pretty damn clever...not necessarily insightful, but clever. I never read the threads; it all seems to clubby to me and I'm not in on the joke. Or I am the joke.

I'm never sure about these things. :arg:

 

[calsnowskier]

You are probably more experienced over there than I, but I find Grant pretty damn clever...not necessarily insightful, but clever. I never read the threads; it all seems to clubby to me and I'm not in on the joke. Or I am the joke.

I'm never sure about these things. :arg:

I hate message boards that are driven by a core group of people that are driven by a bucketful of inside joke.

Those sites are so annoying.

 

[tzill]

I hate message boards that are driven by a core group of people that are driven by a bucketful of inside joke.

Those sites are so annoying.

Yeah, Raptor Jesus for that.