Jeeter da man! what a game eh?

[tvguy]

Wonky, that's a good point about Jeter/A-Rod. A-Rod probably does have the better arm, and the general rule in baseball is that best arm plays Short if he can field that position. All things considered, the Yankee's felt that Jeter was a more consistent S/stop. A/Rod over the years made spectacular plays but booted a few too many routine plays.

All things considered Sometimes the obvious answer isn't the right answer. I was our softball teams lead off batter for many years. As I got older and a bit slower the coach after a little prodding from other team mates would make someone younger and faster the lead off runner.
But it never worked out for them and I always got put back at number one. It turns out that a good lead off hitter doesn't care that he is the first up to start the game. And the ability to get on base has many variables.
My on base percentage was always very high which made me a better person for lead off than someone with a higher batting average. As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

ALL things considered Maybe Jeeter was the right man for short, who knows. There's a lot to it, that's all I'm sayin

[GoCometsGo]

I don't like the Yankees. Never have. Jeter seems like a decent sort BUT it's all an act. If he really cared about what was best for the Yankees and their fans, he would have moved over and let A-Rod play SS. Jeter is all about Jeter. Period.

For the record... A-Rod is an asshole, too.

GcG, that's a good point about Jeter/A-Rod. A-Rod probably does have the better arm, and the general rule in baseball is that best arm plays Short if he can field that position. All things considered, the Yankee's felt that Jeter was a more consistent S/stop. A/Rod over the years made spectacular plays but booted a few too many routine plays. (Not saying he was not a great S/Stop). And A/Rob was willing to learn 3rd base. Give him points for that. He has become a damn fine fielder at "the hot corner".

As for A-Rob being an asshole. Okay, he has put his foot in his mouth too many times. He is very much about ego. Still, they guy can has "all five skills", is headed for the Hall of Fame and if we only see him as a ballplayer, we see one of the greats of our time. Give him that.

That team is as good up the middle as it gets!

Too bad the Socks are going to win the pennant. By 6 games.

I bet the Yanks would have loved to have had A-Rod at short. Don't forget, it took years for the fans to accept A-Rod as it was... they would never have accepted him if he had taken Jeter's position against Jeter's wishes. The only way that THAT move could have been made AND accepted is if it was offered up by Jeter. It wasn't... at least not publicly. I believe that putting A-Rod at 3rd was a political move. The owners did not have the balls to make the best baseball decision.

I'm not as much of a Jeter hater as a Yankee hater. The Yankees epitomize everything that I despise about pro sports. I'll be damned if I'll say anything nice about any Yankee... even Jeter.

And if I lived in NYC, I would NOT be a Mets fan! I used to be an A's fan but I don't really follow baseball anymore.

[tvguy]

I'm not as much of a Jeter hater as a Yankee hater. The Yankees epitomize everything that I despise about pro sports.

What do you Yankee haters see when you watch a game? Maybe I'm just weird but I see a baseball team out on the field. I don't see any organization.
I see a group of men playing a kids game. I see them turn that game in to a marathon of a minimum of 162 games in a single year.

When I see a talented team like the Yankee's and I see top pitchers like Mariana Rivera come in to to close a game I feel like I'm watching magic and to hell with their salaries or their "organization.

I'll be damned if I'll say anything nice about any Yankee... even Jeter.

Whatever IMO that's just loopy. I can appreciate raw talent in people that I may not personally like. I loved Ali's Talent when very few I knew could stand him, the same with Tyson, the same with Barry Bonds.
I'm watching talented people play a sport, I'm not thinking about dating them.

[Wonky]

Well, we read and learn here.

Yankee fans, Boston fans, whatever.

People who love baseball, are first and foremost baseball fans. It's about the game. So, why do we so fanatically gravitate to Major League Baseball? Because we get the chance to see the very best players in the world execute the athletic ability it takes to play this game at the highest level.

Only those who have attempted to play this game know how difficult it really is!

Oh yea! We embrace certain players and they become the examples of the very best in our opinions. Of course we are partial to the players on the team we support, but a baseball fan will acknowledge the skills of a player on any team.

So Jeter's name came up. There is not a baseball fan in the world who would not say (or admit) that Jeter has been one of the most consistently fine baseball players of his era. To say otherwise is to expose baseball ignorance.

All great baseball players must display five skills: They must: Hit for average, hit with power, run well, throw hard and with accuracy, and field their position well. And they must do ALL these things better than most other players. Jeter has all five skills, has been showing them all these years, and will be remembered for a very long time. Because, not only is he a very skilled baseball player, he has proven to be a good citizen, an ambassador for the game, and that hated cliche, "A role model".

Baseball: The perfect metaphor for life.

[Crone]

Well, we read and learn here.

Yankee fans, Boston fans, whatever.

People who love baseball, are first and foremost baseball fans. It's about the game. So, why do we so fanatically gravitate to Major League Baseball? Because we get the chance to see the very best players in the world execute the athletic ability it takes to play this game at the highest level.

Only those who have attempted to play this game know how difficult it really is!

Oh yea! We embrace certain players and they become the examples of the very best in our opinions. Of course we are partial to the players on the team we support, but a baseball fan will acknowledge the skills of a player on any team.

So Jeter's name came up. There is not a baseball fan in the world who would not say (or admit) that Jeter has been one of the most consistently fine baseball players of his era. To say otherwise is to expose baseball ignorance.

All great baseball players must display five skills: They must: Hit for average, hit with power, run well, throw hard and with accuracy, and field their position well. And they must do ALL these things better than most other players. Jeter has all five skills, has been showing them all these years, and will be remembered for a very long time. Because, not only is he a very skilled baseball player, he has proven to be a good citizen, an ambassador for the game, and that hated cliche, "A role model".

Baseball: The perfect metaphor for life.

Yaaaay Wonky! You hit that one outta the park! w00t!

[BeerMe]

As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard

to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

That may have been why you couldn't be anywhere else in the line up. You have to be able to situationally. Not just pull the ball. All that is asking for is an automatic double play with a runner on first.

[tvguy]

As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard

to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

That may have been why you couldn't be anywhere else in the line up. You have to be able to situationally. Not just pull the ball. All that is asking for is an automatic double play with a runner on first.

You are right but when you lead off at first inning no ones on first
Everyone is different. I was never good at backing off and placing the hits OR swinging for right field. I tried it but I always went back to hitting the ball as hard as I could in the gap or over the infielders heads.
And when I did hit right at third or short, often it was hard enough to field that I still got on. So the truth is that I did not hit in to double plays a lot.


But I consistently had a batting average of 5 to 600, not a big deal in slow pitch softball but with a very high on base percentage which is why they kept me at lead off. The first year I played I was on on a team that was number one the year before. I hit the most doubles with my batting style. As I got older those doubles turned in to singles.

[Wonky]

As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard

to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

That may have been why you couldn't be anywhere else in the line up. You have to be able to situationally. Not just pull the ball. All that is asking for is an automatic double play with a runner on first.

You are right but when you lead off at first inning no ones on first
Everyone is different. I was never good at backing off and placing the hits OR swinging for right field. I tried it but I always went back to hitting the ball as hard as I could in the gap or over the infielders heads.
And when I did hit right at third or short, often it was hard enough to field that I still got on. So the truth is that I did not hit in to double plays a lot.


But I consistently had a batting average of 5 to 600, not a big deal in slow pitch softball but with a very high on base percentage which is why they kept me at lead off. The first year I played I was on on a team that was number one the year before. I hit the most doubles with my batting style. As I got older those doubles turned in to singles.

I envy ya, TV.
You must have (or had) some foot-speed.
And we know know how important on base percentage is.
I too played some soft-pitch ball. Enjoyed it. And was not so good.
Not "fleet of foot", I batted eighth and played right field. Anything hit deep my way and I needed both the 2nd baseman and 1st baseman as cut-off men. weak arm? No arm!
I did have moderately good bat control (soft pitch after all) and did fairly well at advancing runners with no outs. (I made LOTS of 1st outs).

And this is weird (I think). I was sucked into playing hardballl on an industrial league. (I was mid 30's at the time). I hit better in baseball than softball. More pop, and hit line drives that could have been doubles had I been faster. I batted 2nd and because my bat was slow punched many in the hole between 1st and 2nd with a runner on. But, still slow, weak arm, and only adequate in the field. I take some pride in the fact that I knew the game and did not make mental errors. (Never made the 1st or last out at 3rd base). While slow, I could run 1 to 3rd well because I often got a good read on a gap ball.
(Our team was dead last both years I played). But, the beer was good! Great
times.

Wow. Guess this post proves it's ALL ABOUT ME. Sorry. Love this game!

[GoCometsGo]

FYI... I was only a little serious about my posts in this thread. Professional sports aren't important enough for me to really "hate" over.

Someone once said this about the Yankees: They have an unfair advantage within the rules.

I think that about sums it up.

[tvguy]

As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard

to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

That may have been why you couldn't be anywhere else in the line up. You have to be able to situationally. Not just pull the ball. All that is asking for is an automatic double play with a runner on first.

You are right but when you lead off at first inning no ones on first
Everyone is different. I was never good at backing off and placing the hits OR swinging for right field. I tried it but I always went back to hitting the ball as hard as I could in the gap or over the infielders heads.
And when I did hit right at third or short, often it was hard enough to field that I still got on. So the truth is that I did not hit in to double plays a lot.


But I consistently had a batting average of 5 to 600, not a big deal in slow pitch softball but with a very high on base percentage which is why they kept me at lead off. The first year I played I was on on a team that was number one the year before. I hit the most doubles with my batting style. As I got older those doubles turned in to singles.

I envy ya, TV.
You must have (or had) some foot-speed.
And we know know how important on base percentage is.
I too played some soft-pitch ball. Enjoyed it. And was not so good.
Not "fleet of foot", I batted eighth and played right field. Anything hit deep my way and I needed both the 2nd baseman and 1st baseman as cut-off men. weak arm? No arm!
I did have moderately good bat control (soft pitch after all) and did fairly well at advancing runners with no outs. (I made LOTS of 1st outs).

And this is weird (I think). I was sucked into playing hardballl on an industrial league. (I was mid 30's at the time). I hit better in baseball than softball. More pop, and hit line drives that could have been doubles had I been faster. I batted 2nd and because my bat was slow punched many in the hole between 1st and 2nd with a runner on. But, still slow, weak arm, and only adequate in the field. I take some pride in the fact that I knew the game and did not make mental errors. (Never made the 1st or last out at 3rd base). While slow, I could run 1 to 3rd well because I often got a good read on a gap ball.
(Our team was dead last both years I played). But, the beer was good! Great
times.

Wow. Guess this post proves it's ALL ABOUT ME. Sorry. Love this game!

That's OK Wonk that it was all about you. I found it interesting. I would have loved to be on a hardball team was an adult. I don't think I would have been much of a hitter against good pitching and I don't know what position I would have played.
I suck at the outfield and not the greatest at fielding hot grounders either.

I was a pitcher in softball and when a ball gets hit at you, beings so close you protect yourself more than you try to catch the ball.

[Wonky]

As a notorious pull hitter that made a third baseman work very hard

to field and then make a great throw I often took first from an error

That may have been why you couldn't be anywhere else in the line up. You have to be able to situationally. Not just pull the ball. All that is asking for is an automatic double play with a runner on first.

You are right but when you lead off at first inning no ones on first
Everyone is different. I was never good at backing off and placing the hits OR swinging for right field. I tried it but I always went back to hitting the ball as hard as I could in the gap or over the infielders heads.
And when I did hit right at third or short, often it was hard enough to field that I still got on. So the truth is that I did not hit in to double plays a lot.


But I consistently had a batting average of 5 to 600, not a big deal in slow pitch softball but with a very high on base percentage which is why they kept me at lead off. The first year I played I was on on a team that was number one the year before. I hit the most doubles with my batting style. As I got older those doubles turned in to singles.

I envy ya, TV.
You must have (or had) some foot-speed.
And we know know how important on base percentage is.
I too played some soft-pitch ball. Enjoyed it. And was not so good.
Not "fleet of foot", I batted eighth and played right field. Anything hit deep my way and I needed both the 2nd baseman and 1st baseman as cut-off men. weak arm? No arm!
I did have moderately good bat control (soft pitch after all) and did fairly well at advancing runners with no outs. (I made LOTS of 1st outs).

And this is weird (I think). I was sucked into playing hardballl on an industrial league. (I was mid 30's at the time). I hit better in baseball than softball. More pop, and hit line drives that could have been doubles had I been faster. I batted 2nd and because my bat was slow punched many in the hole between 1st and 2nd with a runner on. But, still slow, weak arm, and only adequate in the field. I take some pride in the fact that I knew the game and did not make mental errors. (Never made the 1st or last out at 3rd base). While slow, I could run 1 to 3rd well because I often got a good read on a gap ball.
(Our team was dead last both years I played). But, the beer was good! Great
times.

Wow. Guess this post proves it's ALL ABOUT ME. Sorry. Love this game!

That's OK Wonk that it was all about you. I found it interesting. I would have loved to be on a hardball team was an adult. I don't think I would have been much of a hitter against good pitching and I don't know what position I would have played.
I suck at the outfield and not the greatest at fielding hot grounders either.

I was a pitcher in softball and when a ball gets hit at you, beings so close you protect yourself more than you try to catch the ball.

Well now you've done it...
Reminds me of a subject I'm passionate about.
I think team sports can be really important for a kid.
I was not very talented as an athlete, but loved sports, especially baseball.
And there's the rub.
I went to three different high schools. The first two were small schools and I was able to be on teams, even though I was very often on the bench. The last school where I graduated was a much larger school (over 400 in graduating class) and there I would not have been able to make any team.
I'd like to a lot more effort and resources put into intramural (?) sports so that any kid who wants to play and shows the willingness to work and practice could enjoy being part of a team.
I mentioned in that previous post that I was in an industrial league. It was in San Francisco and they had A, B, C and D leagues so that about anyone who wanted to sponsor a team could. I played on a team the company I worked for sponsored...they sponsored several (big company). I played in D league. Still, it was a hell of a lot of fun, and we had a great time.

For a long time I looked for a sex team on which to play. Never found one, but kept asking for women to volunteer. I could only interest other guys and that was not "my kind of game".
(Yea TV, don't even go there! I know: I would have only been a bench player on that team too, waiting for "the star" to get tired).

[tvguy]

My senior year in high school I finally made the foot ball team.The whole season went by with me riding the bench. Then one night, the last game of the year the game was tied and we had the ball with only a few seconds left.

I was a receiver and that night two of our star receivers were taken out with injuries.
The coach called a time out, he looked down the bench right at me.

And he said... HEY TVGUY get out of the way so I can see who else is on the bench!