SB Nation User Blog: BruteSentiment

Bay or Holliday

BruteSentiment — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:38:16 -0000

Bay or Holliday

This is an interesting comparison of the two, albeit in a Boston-centric way (it's ESPN Boston). I'm still leaning Bay, though I wouldn't be upset with either.

The Clink Of The Bat...ending?

BruteSentiment — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:01:28 -0000

The Clink Of The Bat...ending?

This could have a lot of repercussions for amateur baseball.

I've never been a fan of aluminum bats, but not for safety reasons. I just never liked swinging them and, yea, the clink sounds too much like kicking a chain link fence.

The accident is a shame, but the wrong group is being held responsible. It will be interesting to see how this changes how amateur leagues, particularly the NCAA, respond.

Of course, Greenpeace is probably pissed. More wood bats = less trees = global warming, I bet, by their math.

Breaking News: Rohn Out As Fresno Manager

BruteSentiment — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:17:25 -0000

Sources familiar with the situation have indicated that the Giants have let Dan Rohn go. Rohn, a three-time Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year winner, has been manager of the Fresno Grizzlies since 2007, guiding the team to two of their four best finishes since starting play in 1998.

Before coming to the Giants’ system, Rohn was a coach in the Seattle Mariners’ system for nine years. He managed the Triple-A Tacoma Rainers from 2001 through 2005, and in the process won one co-championship and three Manager of the Year awards (2001, 2004, & 2005). After the 2005 season, Rohn was promoted to the major league team as an administrative coach, a role made specifically for him. Speculation had raged that season that Rohn was being groomed to replace manager Mike Hargrove, but Rohn was let go in mid-September of that season when his position was eliminated.

A new Fresno manager is not likely to be named until at least the late winter, the normal time for minor league coaching staffs to be finalized and announced. Two likely candidates to replace Rohn are current Connecticut Defenders manager Steve Decker, and Fresno hitting coach Hensley Meulens.

There were no immediate indications behind the motives of Rohn’s release. The move was simply termed a personnel decision.

Link to the full story at SFDugout.com.

Big ups to the Baron for breaking this story. And thanks to Henry Schulman at the Chronicle for helping confirm it and giving us a little shout out in his post.

Arizona Fall League Update

BruteSentiment — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:30:37 -0000

I'm surprised by the lack of talk about the AFL in here.

It's hard not to like what the Giants' kids are doing so far in the AFL, with the exception of Posey. Here's the update as of Friday's games.

Hitters:

Buster Posey: .207/.281/.241, 7 G, 29 AB, 4 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 4 RBI, 8 SO, 3 BB, 0 SB, 0 CS

Thomas Neal: .375/.500/.458, 7 G, 24 AB, 9 R, 9 H, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 4 SO, 6 BB, 5 SB, 1 CS

Brandon Crawford: .318/.483/.409, 6 G, 22 AB, 5 R, 7 H, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 6 SO, 7 BB, 1 SB, 1 CS

Pitchers

Joe Martinez: 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 2 G, 2 GS, 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 HR, 1 HBP, 7 SO, 1 BB, 1.33 WHIP, .292 AVG

Dan Turpen: 0-0, 2.57 ERA, 4 G, 0 GS, 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 HR, 4 SO, 2 BB, 1 WP, 1.42 WHIP, .296 AVG

Steve Edlefsen: 2-0, 4.91 ERA, 5 G, 0 GS, 3.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 5 SO, 3 BB, 1.64 WHIP, .214 AVG

Obviously, sample size is an issue. (we're about a week and a half into the six week league)

Particularly when discussing Neal's success, remember that this is a league mostly of AA and AAA prospects, and Neal's the Giants' lone Single-A submission (each team is allowed only one out of six). Crawford is also looking like he's getting things figured out. Edlefsen's ERA is bad, but the peripherals aren't too awful and it's colored by one bad game. Martinez was the Scorpion's #1 starter and has done well

Posey's bad start is a bit disconcerting (maybe that long September layoff?), but one must consider a couple of things before panic mode. For one, Posey has, at each level, started slow and adjusted eventually (except in the majors, where he barely had time to get started); and two, this is Posey's first full professional year, and he's going an extra month and a half already. That's especially grueling for a catcher. The vast majority of Posey's peers in the AFL have had at least a year of conditioning for this kind of thing under their belt.

Posey does have three errors (two committed in the first two games), and a passed ball (committed late this week). He's the only player on the Scorpions with more than one.

And to end on a good note: Guess who's leading the Arizona Fall League in steals? Oh, well it's the Cardinals' Daryl Jones with 6. But Neal is tied with one other guy for five (in six attempts). Neal said he wants to make that more of his game in a recent interview, and that he's going to use the AFL to become a smarter base stealer.

"I've been seeing the ball a little better, taking the ball the other way and taking my walks,"...

BruteSentiment — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:28:49 -0000

"I've been seeing the ball a little better, taking the ball the other way and taking my walks," said Crawford. "I'm not swinging at pitches in the dirt and I'm getting into better hitter's counts. And that's generally when I get my hits."

AFL Coverage via MLB.com

Richmond Chooses: Flying Squirrels!

BruteSentiment — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:39:22 -0000

This is literally just off the presses. The Hambones got eliminated from being chosen due to being offensive to the NAACP, and Flatheads probably suffered from similar complaints from local native americans. And I don't think Hush Puppies ever had a chance in heck.

I honestly wonder how Kevin Frandsen feels about this. Will he model the new uniforms when they are unveiled?

The question for you is: Will you buy the hats when they come out? Other than Xanthan, of course...

Dodger fans = Classy....If classy is throwing a woman down....you know what? I can't even joke...

BruteSentiment — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:07:17 -0000

Dodger fans = Classy....If classy is throwing a woman down....you know what? I can't even joke about this.

I'm not saying that the girl that's a Cardinals fan isn't instigating some of this (I have no idea who started this before the video was taken), but even if a woman slaps you, you don't throw her down concrete steps.

Also notable: Security doesn't initially take the guy who did it.

(Original Link http://withleather.uproxx.com/2009/10/dodgers-fans-are-ready-for-the-nlcs )

Richmond Hush Puppies? New Name Finalist Revealed

BruteSentiment — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:42:43 -0000

Richmond Hush Puppies? New Name Finalist Revealed

Um...wow.

CNBC's Darren Rovell (their sports business reporter) led the voting for a 'wild card' name entry. He said that 60% of the suggestions came from the Richmond area, suggesting dissatisfaction with the other finalists.

Then again, Hush Puppies have no specific connection to Richmond, either the brand or the fried cornmeal.

To be fair, of the other considerations for the wild card entry, there isn't much to choose from. The other names Rovell considered: Hellbenders, Grits, Stink Pots, Battle Ants, Cicadas (really?), River Raptors, Tree Frogs, Blood Suckers and Dirt Balls. Yikes.

You can still vote here.

The Richmond HAMBONES??? Seriously? (5 Finalists announced)

BruteSentiment — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:39:49 -0000

The Richmond HAMBONES??? Seriously? (5 Finalists announced)

The choices: The Rhinos; The Rock Hoppers; The Flying Squirrels; The Flatheads; The Hambones.

So, if the Flying Squirrels win, does that mean Frandsen plays there all season?

Angel Villalona a suspect in a murder investigation (no, no joke)

BruteSentiment — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 20:18:42 -0000

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=txgiantsvillalonasuspe&prov=st&type=lgns

This is the definition of bad news with the Giants system. Villalona's been out with an injury since mid-season, but I would've expected him to be somewhere with the team, even now, before instructional league began.

I'll do my best to stay on this, and see what I can find out.

Horrible news for the Giants' system after San Jose just took their third title in five years.