Harper Benching

[The Derski]

They don't call Matt Williams "The General" for nothin

 

[navamind]

Smashing your bat on the ground is nothing more than frustration, and expecting more of yourself. I did it. I hated striking out, especially with runners on base. I had worked really hard to become a decent hitter and get myself into the starting lineup, and I wanted to get the job done every time. When I didn't it was frustrating.

And I can't think of a single Major Leaguer who walks back to the dugout after making the last out of any sort. In fact, we didn't even do it on my high school team. Someone "picked us up" and brought our gloves out to us, and the base coaches took the helmets and bats back into the dugout.

you'd think fans would praise players for doing that, since it's OH SO GRITTY.

 

[depraved]

They don't call Matt Williams "The General" for nothin

It seems like he's trying to live up to that name pretty quickly. It'll be interesting to see how the Nationals season goes from here. A team with a ton of potential hopefully they can live up to it and make it an exciting year in Washington.

 

[Darkstone42]

If the throw was bad, Harper probably still would have had enough time to make it to the bag after he noticed it. If the ball was simply dropped, he still would have been out regardless, because the fielders had so much time to make the play. Like I said before, the benefit to hustle there was minimal, if there was any at all.

Now, if the play was going to be close, and hustle could get him on base or force an error, that's a different story. But that wasn't the case here.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Fuck that.

You either run full speed and dive head first into the bag like a man or you can take your prima donna candy ass home. Don't give me that sissy jog lightly bullshit. How much is that prima donna getting paid?! He can bust his ass!!! And if that lands him on the DL then he's a man and he's earned my respect - again. Because that's important.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Why? What does that accomplish?

If a player lines out to the shortstop, he probably doesn't run down the line because he's already out. Why is it any different when a throw is made to first base? If you're already out, why bother going and touching the bag? All it really accomplishes is slowing down the game.

A ground ball is completely different than a line drive, where before you get out of the batter's box the guy has the ball in his mitt. Shit I wouldn't run that out. You hit a ground ball to the pitcher, you run it out, I have seen them fuck that up plenty of times. Now if you are already halfway down the line, you got 40 more feet is that gonna kill ya?

 

[tlance]

It seems like he's trying to live up to that name pretty quickly. It'll be interesting to see how the Nationals season goes from here. A team with a ton of potential hopefully they can live up to it and make it an exciting year in Washington.

Seems like he is trying a little too hard.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Seems like he is trying a little too hard.

If, as being reported, the Nationals had a team meeting Thursday night and said that they need to run thru the base on all ground balls, Williams did the rigth thing. It doesn't matter who the player is, if he is doing the opposite of what the manager said you bench him. Harper was back in the lineup Sunday.

 

[tlance]

If, as being reported, the Nationals had a team meeting Thursday night and said that they need to run thru the base on all ground balls, Williams did the rigth thing. It doesn't matter who the player is, if he is doing the opposite of what the manager said you bench him. Harper was back in the lineup Sunday.

I don't fault him for benching Harper. I fault him for throwing his star player under the bus to the media. He did not think that through at all. There was no reason for him to disclose his true reasons for pulling Harper to the public. Handling it internally is always better.

If Williams had stayed quiet and Harper had talked to the media, then he would be in the wrong twice.

 

[obxyankeefan]

I don't fault him for benching Harper. I fault him for throwing his star player under the bus to the media. He did not think that through at all. There was no reason for him to disclose his true reasons for pulling Harper to the public. Handling it internally is always better.

If Williams had stayed quiet and Harper had talked to the media, then he would be in the wrong twice.

These things should always be handled in house, not in the media.

 

[Darkstone42]

A ground ball is completely different than a line drive, where before you get out of the batter's box the guy has the ball in his mitt. Shit I wouldn't run that out. You hit a ground ball to the pitcher, you run it out, I have seen them fuck that up plenty of times. Now if you are already halfway down the line, you got 40 more feet is that gonna kill ya?

But as soon as the first baseman has it in his mitt, just like on the line drive, there is no longer a point to run. You're just slowing down the game at that point.

 

[Loneranger]

but 60% of the league does the same exact thing on ground balls straight back to the pitcher.

so that makes it acceptable? Of course today this is acceptable becuz our stars are too cool to hustle. Have you ever seen a pitcher throw that one away? I have and I've seen it many times but that doesn't matter becuz it's much cooler to stand on 1st instead of 2nd. Ya ever wonder why we don't see triples anymore in this game? No you haven't becuz you don't even know wtf a triple is. Everyone is too cool to run when they hit the ball and are more interested in looking cool joggin to 2nd instead of busting it and sliding into 3rd - who has time for that when you're so busy taking off your batting gloves and handing them to an adult who ran harder than you to 2nd just to get our fuckin gloves! Players today are a joke and Harper is just one of them.

 

[Loneranger]

I'd give my left nut to watch Billy Martin manage these candy asses today

 

[StanMarsh51]

but 60% of the league does the same exact thing on ground balls straight back to the pitcher.

so that makes it acceptable? Of course today this is acceptable becuz our stars are too cool to hustle. Have you ever seen a pitcher throw that one away? I have and I've seen it many times but that doesn't matter becuz it's much cooler to stand on 1st instead of 2nd. Ya ever wonder why we don't see triples anymore in this game? No you haven't becuz you don't even know wtf a triple is. Everyone is too cool to run when they hit the ball and are more interested in looking cool joggin to 2nd instead of busting it and sliding into 3rd - who has time for that when you're so busy taking off your batting gloves and handing them to an adult who ran harder than you to 2nd just to get our fuckin gloves! Players today are a joke and Harper is just one of them.

Once again (this seems to be a recurring theme), you have no idea what you're talking about.
Endangered Species: The Three-Base Hit ? The Hardball Times

The decline of triples is much more likely a result to the increase in home runs, which is partially a result of smaller ballparks.

If you look at the park factors today, do you know where the most triples occur? The bigger parks of course. Last year for instance, the 3 parks that were the easiest to hit triples in were AT&T, Coors, and Comerica, parks which you'd expect to be up there.

But since there aren't that many 'big parks' like there were in prior years, it's only expected that the amount of triples would decrease.

 

[Loneranger]

Once again (this seems to be a recurring theme), you have no idea what you're talking about.
Endangered Species: The Three-Base Hit ? The Hardball Times

The decline of triples is much more likely a result to the increase in home runs, which is partially a result of smaller ballparks.

If you look at the park factors today, do you know where the most triples occur? The bigger parks of course. Last year for instance, the 3 parks that were the easiest to hit triples in were AT&T, Coors, and Comerica, parks which you'd expect to be up there.

But since there aren't that many 'big parks' like there were in prior years, it's only expected that the amount of triples would decrease.

you're out of your fuckin mind. You think a fence that's 3' shorter than the old one has anything to do with this? IDK why I even try - you have all your BS to "back up" your claims that hold no water. The fact is the game today is different. It's full of lazy fucks who refuse to run period. You can watch it every single inning of every single game played today. I've watched this game a helluva lot longer than you have and have seen it with my own eyes. Its so bad now it's never even mentioned when the Bryce Harper's of the world walk 30' instead of run thru the bag. Quit making a fool of yourself defending what's obvious to everyone.

 

[Darkstone42]

you're out of your fuckin mind. You think a fence that's 3' shorter than the old one has anything to do with this? IDK why I even try - you have all your BS to "back up" your claims that hold no water. The fact is the game today is different. It's full of lazy fucks who refuse to run period. You can watch it every single inning of every single game played today. I've watched this game a helluva lot longer than you have and have seen it with my own eyes. Its so bad now it's never even mentioned when the Bryce Harper's of the world walk 30' instead of run thru the bag. Quit making a fool of yourself defending what's obvious to everyone.

Did you even read the article? It wasn't a three-foot difference. Forbes Field was one cited example, 360 down the left field line, 447 (!) to center and 376 down the right field line. Compare that to PNC, which with the deepest part of the ballpark being the North Side Notch at 410 feet, 325 right down the line in left, and 320 down the right field line. In PNC, if you hit a liner off the wall in right, even at a dead sprint, you might end up with a single.

PNC is not atypical of the modern ballpark, and Forbes was not atypical of old ballparks. It seems reasonable that when outfielders have less ground to cover, fewer balls will fall in, and those that do will be quicker and easier to get to, and the throws into the infield will be shorter and easier, all culminating in fewer triples.

 

[redseat]

Why would you even bother hustling on that? Especially with a quad injury?

Not sure what major league player actually runs that out.

 

[StanMarsh51]

you're out of your fuckin mind. You think a fence that's 3' shorter than the old one has anything to do with this? IDK why I even try - you have all your BS to "back up" your claims that hold no water. The fact is the game today is different. It's full of lazy fucks who refuse to run period. You can watch it every single inning of every single game played today. I've watched this game a helluva lot longer than you have and have seen it with my own eyes. Its so bad now it's never even mentioned when the Bryce Harper's of the world walk 30' instead of run thru the bag. Quit making a fool of yourself defending what's obvious to everyone.

If you really think the difference is 3' shorter, this backs up that you clearly don't know what you're talking about.

I could care less how long you've watched the game. It's bias, as most fans will favor their players/era. Your perception is not reality.

How is this any different from the time you claimed that 'young people' in your day owned houses and were responsible unlike young people today, and I showed you hard facts and numbers that proved that there wasn't much difference?


Fact is: people seem to remember things as being better than it actually was, and this is no exception. Babe Ruth had more triples than a guy like Kenny Lofton or Beltran and twice as much as Jeter...yea, let's think it's because Ruth was a hustler and Lofton, Beltran and Jeter were lazy and caked it around the bases...give me a break.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Did you even read the article? It wasn't a three-foot difference. Forbes Field was one cited example, 360 down the left field line, 447 (!) to center and 376 down the right field line. Compare that to PNC, which with the deepest part of the ballpark being the North Side Notch at 410 feet, 325 right down the line in left, and 320 down the right field line. In PNC, if you hit a liner off the wall in right, even at a dead sprint, you might end up with a single.

PNC is not atypical of the modern ballpark, and Forbes was not atypical of old ballparks. It seems reasonable that when outfielders have less ground to cover, fewer balls will fall in, and those that do will be quicker and easier to get to, and the throws into the infield will be shorter and easier, all culminating in fewer triples.

But he watched more baseball!

Watching more doesn't make someone more rational, which apparently isn't realized.

 

[navamind]

you're out of your fuckin mind. You think a fence that's 3' shorter than the old one has anything to do with this? IDK why I even try - you have all your BS to "back up" your claims that hold no water. The fact is the game today is different. It's full of lazy fucks who refuse to run period. You can watch it every single inning of every single game played today. I've watched this game a helluva lot longer than you have and have seen it with my own eyes. Its so bad now it's never even mentioned when the Bryce Harper's of the world walk 30' instead of run thru the bag. Quit making a fool of yourself defending what's obvious to everyone.

Protip: post less, lurk more.