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Legend
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Legend
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Tackles are tackles.
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Joined: Mar 2013
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Legend
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Legend
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It seems like 2023 is the last year for Tito. I still wonder if Alomar is the succession plan. If so, he certainly has learned the Tito style of managing.
Tackles are tackles.
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Legend
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Legend
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If 2023 ends up being Tito's last year, (I think he manages in 2024) I'd suspect it might be DeMarlo Hale that takes over. He's often talked about within the organization as someone that is highly respected and should have been given the opportunity to manage a team. Wouldn't be surprised to see Francona, when he ultimately retires, to stay with the organization in some sort of advisory role.
On a side note, Ramirez is an incredible team leader. This is amazing.
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Versatile Dog |
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Legend
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Legend
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Not bad at all. 
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Legend
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Legend
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Not about the Guardians, but John Smoltz is so knowledgeable. He was a great pitcher and I thought he was the best of the Braves pitchers when they also had Maddux and Glavine. That's debatable, but I really like listening to him. He understands the game of baseball so well.
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Legend
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Legend
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Having lived in Atlanta since 1978 and being a baseball fan; the Braves come with the neighborhood. Even when I lived in Reno for five years i got the MLB package so I could follow the Braves and Indians (at that time).
Because of coaching at East Cobb I came in contact with Smoltz on a number of occasions. He did a favor for one of my players when the youngster was diagnosed with hodgkins lymphoma. He had the whole Braves team sign a bat for the young boy. His father was very grateful. John also did a clinic at our local high school where I had a chance to talk pitching with him. And again at Georgia Tech where I was at a a coaching clinic. Real nice guy with a funny sense of humor.
He was a great clutch pitcher both as a starter and closer. But my guy was Maddux. John and Glavine both moved to the booth. Glavine on a part time basis with the Braves. John started with the Braves but was a natural and moved national coverage.
As an announcer he is very knowledgeable. But he drives me nuts because he can not stop talking. On pitch selection and location he is great.
But, he gets so deep into all kinds of psychological stuff I keep yelling at him "John shut up for a bit." It makes me laugh because that is John. He was that way as a pitcher. In fact the Braves hired a sports psychologist to work with him when he pitched because he would psych himself out.
He loves basketball and golf. He was great at basketball and is a hellava golfer.
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Legend
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Legend
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Good story.
I guess I can understand why he might get on the nerves of some people. I enjoy analytical minds, though. Just a personal preference.
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Legend
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Legend
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I don't want to cast a bad light on John. He is a good guy and he provides a lot of insight.
I guess having heard him so much of him when he first started as a Braves broadcaster that I have grown weary of over analysis.
Don't get me wrong. I still like John.
The years of Glavine, Smoltz, and Maddux were magic for me. I learned so much from those guys. I went to clinics with Leo Mazzone. Ned Yost's son caught my son. It gave me an entirely new perspective of baseball on a MLB level. I got to see the detail of information they work with. It fascinated me. Joe Simpson former player and Braves broadcaster was another local guy. His son, Ned's son and my son were all close. They were teammates and schoolmates.
It was a great time in my life. I have lots of terrific memories from those days.
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Legend
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Legend
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I would put Maddux on Mt Rushmore, but that may just be me... I absolutely marveled at his performance.
A masterful artist painting the corners. Psychology at another level -- never practiced from the windup as he reasoned that he would always need his best pitches from the stretch.
And then his efficiency:
"A complete game shutout under 100 pitches is called a “Maddux” because Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux completed this feat 13 times in his career, with no one else coming close to that (a distant second is Zane Smith with 7)."
I remember a game he completed on 77 pitches.
As the loveable SHA-wan Dunston said... “He’s so good, it’s pathetic.”
HERE WE GO BROWNIES! HERE WE GO!!
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Legend
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Legend
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My recollection from that time period is that Maddux was the best of the bunch.
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Legend
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Legend
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Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux are all HOFer's. I doubt that will happen again where three are playing for the same team at the same time.
Greg Maddux is my favorite player of all time. Maddux is the only pitcher in MLB history to win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons.
He won 18 Gold Gloves, the record for any position. 355-227. career 3.16.
When he pitched for the Braves. I don't think I missed a start. It was a clinic in pitching. He almost never walked a batter. He was always ready to pitch. He was incredibly durable. I don't recall him missing a start.
He did everything right. He was a unreal bunter. Ran the bases well with average at best speed. 18 Gold Gloves tells a lot about his defensive play but watching him field his position was a clinic.
He knew exactly what he wanted to throw and took very little time to throw a pitch.
Since the start of the post-1920 live-ball era, only Warren Spahn (363) recorded more career wins than Maddux. Maddux also has the most wins among pitchers who made their debuts after World War II. He is one of only ten pitchers ever to achieve both 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, and is the only pitcher to record more than 300 wins, more than 3,000 strikeouts, and fewer than 1,000 walks (exactly 999 walks overall).
He is the best I ever saw.
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Legend
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Legend
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Yeah, the Gold Gloves often get lost in the list of jaw-dropping stats.
I should probably go back and watch and a game or two. Highlights wouldn't cut it -- would have to go back to the moment. Just thinking, I wonder if there are any docs or mini-docs? I'll be back...
HERE WE GO BROWNIES! HERE WE GO!!
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Legend
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Legend
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Quick baseball question. I researched it yesterday and got the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway. As a casual observer of baseball, it always seemed to me that every player got a gold glove every year - like they were giving them out like candy. Is it true that only one player at each position in each league gets a gold glove each year?
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Legend
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OP
Legend
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One player at each position in each league.
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Legend
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Legend
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Pretty cool the Guardians had what, 4?
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FATE |
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Legend
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Legend
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Yep. And, Jose Ramirez was a GG finalist at third base.
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Legend
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Legend
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To add a little history in response to your question... there has been (many times) a little eye-rolling going on around the time the awards were announced. Players that received the award over the course of a few seasons often seemed like they would be the recipient in perpetuity. Many fans began to point to the fact that it seemed a lot more like a popularity contest. Rafael Palmeiro won the award for first basemen in '97 and '98... then won again in 1999 while only appearing in 28 games.
Prior to 2013, the award was based on voting of managers and coaches, each voting for only players from their own league. In 2013 a formula was developed so that 25% of the vote was based on sabermetrics.
HERE WE GO BROWNIES! HERE WE GO!!
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Legend
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Legend
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Maybe that's why I have a bit of a tainted view of it. Thanks.
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Legend
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Legend
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Maddux was just fun to watch. He worked on batters in so many ways.
His mantra was you can only control your next pitch. He never flinched when things went bad.
Maddux based his game on location of the fastball. Specifically being able to locate the fastball low and away. He did not throw hard. Low 90's fastball.
He had a decent change and curveball. But what set him apart was the cut fastball. When he developed the ability to cut the fastball to left handers from inside to inside on the black. And cut the fastball in two directions. He became Greg Maddux.
Maddux mastered the ability to make strikes look like balls. And, make balls look like strikes. That ability lead to pitch to contact. He pitched to contact but he knew what that contact would be. Weak grounders and pop up flies.
His father was a professional gambler. Maddux had the unique ability to read hitters. You hear of pitchers tipping pitches. But, you don't hear much about how hitters tip weakness. Maddux could dissect a hitter. He could remember damn near every pitch he threw to hitters and how they reacted. When he got the ball from the catcher. There was this very quick pause and he was ready to go. He knew precisely what he wanted to do.
The stories from guys like Chipper Jones and other infielders who played behind him were funny as hell. There would be a mound meeting. He would say things like "when the count goes to 2 and 2 on so and so. He will hit a grounder to third so be ready.
He was a notorious prankster. Loved to have fun. But when he took the hill. He was all business.
I seriously thought about writing a book about Maddux. The title would have been. "The Master of His Domain."
That is what he was.
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Legend
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Legend
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Well that's a hell of a start to what would be a great book. Great to read your insight into a player many consider the GOAT. And yes, Mr. "All-about-his-business" lived up to the age-old cliche for any successful business... "location, location, location". Man, Maddux would just stand out there and paint the black, pitch after pitch. Glad you brought up his pace as well. I feel like he always had batters off balance because he was always "faster" than anyone else on the mound. Wasted no time warming up either. It's funny to look back at how he flew under the radar well into his career... because he didn't have all the flash, or a devastating fastball. Just quietly went about his business; and it seemed the respect didn't come until he was already knocking on the door of the HOF. Maybe overshadowed by Clemens, Johnson, and Martinez (to name a few) because they stood and delivered with devastating power -- he masterfully navigated the "steroid era" with pinpoint control and command. Oddly enough, posting some of the best pitching seasons in history while the ball was flying out of the yard at record pace. Someone should make a movie... or write a book. 
HERE WE GO BROWNIES! HERE WE GO!!
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Legend
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Legend
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Maddux was just a cool dude. You are right about Clemens, Martinez and Johnson. They were power pitchers who lived on intimidation.
If you saw Maddux at the grocery store. You would never think he was what he was. He looked like a dweb accountant.
It used to crack me up when you see guys pull an 0 for 4. They would go up there hacking and hit the second pitch to the second baseman on four hops. Walk back to the dugout thinking."I will get this guy next time." Come up again and take a third called strike while backing out of the box.
It was so funny to me to watch hitters reactions to Maddux. He carved guys up. You could not think with him and believe you could guess right.
People in the game and those that covered the game for a living. They got it. They knew Maddux. Joe Torre, Lasorda, Skip Caray, teammates, opposing players.
They knew.
He won four Cy Young's.
In 1993 he was 16-6 with a 1.56 ERA.
In 1994 he was 19-2 with a 1.63 ERA.
He dominated pitching in every conceivable stat. Scoring a run off him was an exception to the rule.
Because of the reputation of Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux rain delays often have interviews with them telling stories. The Maddux stories are hilarious.
Two things come to mind that he was not good at. One was holding runners especially at first. He just did not do it. It was like he did not care. He would just strand you at second rather than play with you at first.
The second thing was. He could not get Tony Gwynn out. Of course not many could get him out. But he owned Maddux. However, it did not rattle him because Tony was not a power guy. Maddux kind of just went "oh well he is base runner now."
Consistency was Maddux. He was ready to go for every start and you could bank on him keeping you in the game with a quality start. Most of the time you were lucky to score on him.
If someone wanted to learn about how to pitch. He was the man to learn the craft from.
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Legend
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Legend
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Had to smile from ear to ear... forgot all about the Tony Gwynn oddity! I vaguely remember a back and forth between the two in the press -- all in good fun. The rain delay reminded me of another story... Expecting rain in Atlanta, Maddux went out and tossed a complete game one afternoon in like 1:50. I could be off on the time, but I remember someone saying after the game that Maddux said, pre-game, that he would try to speed things up so that they could get the game in before the storm. I remember walking away shaking my head -- mother nature can't even beat this dude. 
HERE WE GO BROWNIES! HERE WE GO!!
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Legend
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Legend
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For anyone who really loves baseball and good pitching. He was a pleasure to watch.
George Will a real affectionado marveled over Maddux. He was like a great artist. Brilliant control.
He worked the entire strikezone. He messed with your timing. He mastered movement.
Location, velocity, and movement are prime factors of pitching. Maddux used all of them.
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Legend
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Legend
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Tackles are tackles.
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Legend
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Legend
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Good. He should have been recognized for his leadership.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. GM Strong ![[Linked Image]](http://www.dawgtalkers.net/uploads/small-gator-chomp.gif)
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Legend
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Legend
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Good. He should have been recognized for his leadership. He was recognized here for the past several years ... with people calling for his scalp. 
Micah 6:8; He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
John 14:19 Jesus said: Because I live, you also will live.
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Legend
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Legend
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Legend
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Legend
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Tackles are tackles.
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Practice Squad
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Practice Squad
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Don’t think he fit in after Gonzo and then the possibility of Will Brennan.
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Legend
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Legend
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j/c...
Well before my my time, but Koufax is a legend and this is such an honest man.
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Dawg Talker
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Dawg Talker
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Really cool interview. Not for retiring because of injuries, but how well spoken he was in his announcement. I did not know he retired at 30.
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Legend
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Legend
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Wow I didnt know he was THAT young either
"First down inside the 10. A score here will put us in the Super Bowl. Cooper is far to the left as Njoku settles into the slot. Moore is flanked out wide to the right. Chubb and Ford are split in the backfield as Watson takes the snap ... Here we go."
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Legend
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Legend
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This is not Guardians but it is baseball.
I saw that the Dodgers declined the signing option on Cody Bellinger. I was thinking that he would be a power option for the Guardians or Braves.
Bellinger won the MVP at 23 in 2019. He had a monster season. The last two seasons his decline was shocking.
I am a nerd about studying the mechanics of hitting and pitching. I have attended coaching clinics and spent way to much time absorbed in books and videos. I can't help it. It fascinates me.
I was wondering. What happened to Bellinger? Why did this guy fall so far?
I found this article. I have no idea if anyone else would be interested. But this shows the detail of analysis that goes into baseball.
https://www.prospectslive.com/prosp...-possible-resurrection-of-cody-bellinger
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Legend
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Legend
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I think the problem is the guy isn't a power hitter who was made in to more of a power hitter. Lot's of players have been screwed up trying for the big power numbers.
I think if you look at his stat line, his 2018 stat line is more indicative of his true stat line. If a team is satisfied with a player hitting 260-270 with 25 homers, I think that is what you can get out of the guy. He just needs to get the idea of hitting 40-50 homers out of his head. That is hard to do once a team and fans expect that.
The guy just signed with the Cubs. I think with lower expectations the guy won't press and we will see the stats rise....if the guy goes in to it with a clear head.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. GM Strong
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Legend
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Legend
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We now have a guy with decent offensive power, potential 30- HR power, that is an actual first baseman and won't need to trot Naylor out there on a regular basis. Also the guy has an extremely good strikeout rate at roughly 16% in the past 2 years and 20% overall. For anyone following the Guardians model, a low strikeout % is very important.
Tackles are tackles.
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