Podcast: Killing time waiting for a decision
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Podcast on Oct 17, 2007 
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Bruce Springsteen is playing tonight at Madison Square Garden. Somewhere on 34th St. is a scalper just waiting to sell me a ticket. But I’ll be writing about the big meeting instead.
It’s not a happy day. But we’re pressing forward here at blog central. Here’s the latest exciting PeteAbe podcast:
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Watching book shelves and eating cds is an okay thing to sometimes do?
Go see Bruce, you’ve got all off-season to write about this.
Go see Bruce. The meeting will be long over by the time of the concert. My guess is that there won’t be any big announcements today and it won’t take you that long to write an article about that.
And if you know someone with an extra ticket, let me know. They sold out in 20 minutes and I missed out.
If you can’t get into the Garden, head up to the Beacon for the Jimi Hendrix tribute show. Guests include Buddy Guy, Robert Randolph, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
Lori did you check today? Usually they hold back tickets to sell day of.
Pete, any confirmation on the news out of ESPN that Guidry is gone?
With Sprinsteen in NY tonight…. at least there is one lucid ‘Boss’ in NY.
Jennifer – Yep. Nada.
Today is the day. No ALCS or NLCS to clutter up the airwaves so the national media can go all-Yankee, all the time.
Hey Pete-You can get tickets at face on the Bruce site Backstreets ticket exchange BTX
Roger
Lovin the new podcast.. keep it going
Pete – regarding your podcast on watching the game last night…no comment on Slappy Gaedel?
http://www.waswatching.com/arc.....aedel.html
For those looking for Bruce tickets, ticketmaster will have tickets for sale today probably between 1 and 3 (but they could go on sale at any time). They always hold back tickets so they can drop them on the day of the show. Just check ticketmaster often today. If you’re persisitent you’ll definitely get seats.
Pete, The only thing as good as the Lohud #1 blog is hearing the Podcast. Keep pushing the envelope and making the Lohud blog stay on top. Your voice is good for radio too!
Hey guys, while everyone’s on Torre watch, I have a challenge. There’s some ridiculous number of ways that a batter can reach first base (20+?).
Can you guys name them all?
I’ll start with the obvious ones:
1. Base hit
2. Walk
3. HBP
4. Fielding error
Pete, three words: Blinds-To-Go.
Have you seen these new T shirts out now for beantown?
“I played in the 2007 ALDS,and did,’t get to wear some shirt saying my team won.”
Guidry being let go is good news. With potentially 3 rookies in our starting rotation next year, Eiland is clearly the best choice for the job.
Stay away from rockin’ Mazzone.
passed ball
catcher interference
so they have leaked that guidry is gone and still no leak on torre…hmmmmmmmmmm is the word
fielders choice
Pete -
Enjoyed the podcast.
Peter, why would the Yankees say anything, unless they had a deal in place with Joe? Publicly announcing their intention to resign him would be incredibly stupid, because they would lose leverage. Do the Yankees say, “We want to sign Carlos Beltran” before it happens? Of course not because they would lose leverage and Boras would hijack them. Here is what it seems you are advocating…The Yankees come out and say, we want to resign Joe….the Yankees go to Joe with an offer for $4m for 2008…Joe says, “Gee whiz, I’m 67 years old, going to the HOF as a manager, you arleady told everyone that you want me, why would I accept a pay cut. You can go back to the fans and tell them that you let me walk for $3m.” So by coming out today, the Yankees may cost themselves a couple of million and if nothing else will have egg on their face if negotations don’t work out for some reason. Better not to say anything until a deal is in place, no? Even if Joe walks, if you don’t say anything, you can always spin it that you wanted somebody new if you can’t resign him. By publicly saying you want him now without a deal, you lose that ability to spin it. Peter, what am I missing? Seems like dumb business for the Yankees to say anything until an agreement is reached.
Pete, I’m headed to Tampa next week, can you tell me about the night life?
Mel,
fielders choice
Catchers interference
Runners interference
wild pitch on strike 3
double play
dropped 3rd strike
umpire awarding you first base for something wacky(actual rule,rare if ever)
thats all I got– More than 20 you say? Geez.
Springsteen is old, washed up, and crappy. Bleh.
wild pitch
balk
Steve Lombardi,
I kept waiting for the midges to come out last night. I forgot beantown is use to playing with a midges already, at 2nd base.He coildn’t help swatting because he’s always swatted at!!!
Thanks, Jennifer
It gets difficult after that, huh?
1. Base hit
2. Walk
3. HBP
4. Fielding error
5. Passed ball (on strike 3)
6. Missed tag (on strike 3)
7. Wild pitch (on strike 3)
7. Catcher’s interference
8. Fielder’s choice
9. Double play
10. Force out
11. Wacky ump call
How can you reach on runner’s interference? And balk?
peter,
thinking about ditching the house phone too! these wireless home phones are awful!! feel like they need to be replaced every couple of years at $200 or so. plus we’ll save the $50/month that i pay to Verizon for minimum service.
does anybody else see the use in having both home and cell service anymore?
So the Yankees have decided to switch from Guidry to Eiland? On most teams, you let the manager select his coaches. Even on the Yankees that’s typically how it goes. But when George has wanted to send a message to his manager in the past, he’s often dismissed the manager’s preferred coaches.
Is that what’s happening here? Is Steinbrenner forcing out Torre’s guy, to send him a message when they bring him back?
There definitely is not 20+ ways to reach first base.
catya,
In this politically correct world, that’s cold. lol. But Joe Morgan made a comment on the radio that the way to get Pedroia was to pitch him low, but you can’t really do that (basically implying that it’s difficult to throw a strike to such a short person). I chuckled because wasn’t Morgan rather diminutive himself?
Isn’t there some sort of Torre rally in the city today or something? I could have sworn I heard this on the morning news…anyone?
time square at 3
Thanks!!
Well, I guess I was wrong (first time for everything).
Spectator interference
1) Walk
2) Intentional walk
3) Hit by pitch
4) Dropped third strike
5) Failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds
6) Catcher interference
7) Fielder interference
9) Fan obstruction
10) Fair ball hits an umpire
11) Fair ball hits a runner
12) Fielder obstructs runner
13) Pinch-runner
14) Fielder’s choice
15) Force out at another base
16) Preceding runner put-out allows batter to reach first
17) Sac bunt fails to advance runner
18) Sac fly dropped
19) Runner called out on appeal
20) Error
21) Four illegal pitches
22) If a game is suspended with a runner on first and that player is traded prior to the makeup, another player can take his place
23) Base hit
Ok, correction, not on balk…
“When a pitcher commits an illegal action that is confusing to the batter, time will be called and the game will restart with a normal pitch; there is no further penalty”
geez I should be getting some work done instead of reading about baseball rules…
Thanks migames
Good job, Pete!! Enjoyed the podcast! Thanks again for all you do!
There’s also umpires’ interference. But that’s the only new one I’ve got.
I once tackled the question with some friends. We argued that the Pinch Runner should not count. The question speaks to a batter reaching base. Pinch runner is not the batter.
Its a tough decision to make, whichever way they go. It will say a lot about the direction that the organization is taking.
Also, contrary to the many posts written all over the web the past few years by people without any experience and raised on watching the Apprentice on TV, it is *never* easy to let someone go. Especially after 12 years.
Thanks, guys.
I heard this on the radio once, and they had a hard time getting past 15.
Imagine that, 20+ ways to reach first base and we still couldn’t get baserunners in the postseason. lol.
You see Pete? this was a good opportunity for using a BlackBerry. You should be able to go se The Boss and at the same time you should be able to remain communicated and even post news here.
Go out and get a BB now!
here is more discussion on how to reach 1st base. I guess it comes down to semantics: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_.....first_base
Not sure I understand the difference between all 20+ of these. What’s the difference between
14) Fielder’s choice
15) Force out at another base
16) Preceding runner put-out allows batter to reach first
And what does this even mean: 17) Sac bunt fails to advance runner – how does that necessarily mean the batter reaches first base?
“Failure to deliver pitch within 20 seconds”? Doesn’t Steve Traschel take, like, 2 minutes between each pitch?
And isn’t “Fielder’s choice” and “Preceding runner put-out allows batter to reach first” the same thing?
HMM
Maybe the runner on first tries to advance but is thrown out, but the bunter reaches first?
Pete, your opinion of the time lapse regarding Torre is markedly different from Bill Madden’s (check out his article in the Daily News today). Any response to his article?
Jennifer – In that case, isn’t that a fielder’s choice?
Yeah you’re right. LOL
yeah, too many of those 20 are pretty much the same thing
Podcast is interesting, I like it.
If you read the WikiAnswers link migames left above, there’s really only eight distinct ways to reach first base:
1. Hit
2. Fielder’s Choice
3. Reached on Error
4. Dropped Third Strike
5. Hit by Pitch
6. Walk
7. Catcher’s Interference
8. Pinch Runner (the only way to reach without being a batter)
All the other things in the list of twenty-three are B.S. duplicate ways of saying the same thing. For example, the “Failure to deliver pitch in 20 seconds” is actually scored a ball, and if it happens to be ball four, it’s scored a walk, not something different from a walk.
And I was wrong about the umpires’ interference thing. It’s actually a ball too, so it’s the same thing as above.
I love baseball precisely because these ‘so many ways to reach first’ exercises are possible. I miss baseball so much after October. Thank goodness it is only just over 4 months before it is back (in some form, any way). And in the meantime, the drama makes the time fly!
More podcasts!
Great job!
Springsteen is a non-entity.
I wonder how many page refreshes this blog has gotten today.
Judging by my own, I’d assume 4,000,000, give or take.
my keyboard looks like this:
[F1][F2][F3][F4][ ][F6][F7][F8]…..
Boras just on CNBC. Says Alex will decide on whether to opt out before end of the World Series.
the boras-arod meeting was 3 days. i thought it was supposed to be like a 2 week thing.
Do we think ARod is waiting to hear the outcome of the entire Torre waiting game? Not sure I see that as influencing him.
So far on the off day, baseball is out of sight, out of mind on ESPNews. I haven’t heard any baseball talk for hours on there. They’re having Big 12 Media Day, showing press conferences with all of the college basketball coaches. It doesn’t matter who wins the Big 12, the 2007-08 national champions will be my Memphis Tigers!!
What do you guys think of this? Pedroia trying to slap the ball out of Martinez’s glove:
http://cache.boston.com/bonzai.....1_9092.jpg
http://nomaas.org/images/SlappyOHairless.gif
Steve – ARod is a cheater, that’s why Redsox Nation got so upset about his slap. I am a below average second baseman that is regressing to his normal numbers.
SO espn news isn’t giving wall to wall coverage about Dusty trying to slap the ball out of the glove?
Wang for Kobe Bryant straight up.
Discuss.
Jennifer- I haven’t heard a single word about it, but we are getting a Terry Francona news conference soon. Sounds like I’ll be looking for something else to watch. It’s my day off from work and I feel lazy!
Probably if the ball actually came out of the glove, they would give it a bigger stage, but since he only glanced it, and it stayed in the glove, it’s not that big of a deal. Fans of teams already eliminated excluded.
Pete-
I think the length of the whole bring back Torre situation is exactly what the Yankee organization wants. Where else can a baseball team get the amount of publicity for its organization without even having played baseball for 1 week and half.
In addition I am sure the Yanks will spend the next three weeks promoting ARod’s coming back/opting out situation, which will again keep their organization on the back pages of papers for another month.
What better way to build a brand name, then keep yourself in the headlines.
Peter,
I still use a datebook. I still buy a newspaper and I subscribe to a ton of magazines.
Paper rocks.
Liked your monologue, Tom Snyder would be proud (being my you’d appreciate that).
ps pretty light todo list, maybe should get a head start on your holiday shopping.
_Do we think ARod is waiting to hear the outcome of the entire Torre waiting game? Not sure I see that as influencing him._
lori,
i heard him say in a game 4 post game interview that it ‘could’ play a part in his decision…
that was on the radio. never saw it printed anywhere though.
“After six months under the Boston microscope, poor Dice looks like he’s constantly filming his own hostage video.”-Bill Simmons
And which set of numbers are the regression for Pedroia.
College: .384 (two years over .400)/.466/.544
Minors: .308/.398/.454
I’m just saying…if anything, he’s playing like he always has this year.
I know it’s fun to poke fun, but he’s a good player.
mel,
Didn’t you hear revenge is a dish best served cold,touche!
Ways to get on first base:
…
24. Midges attack the opposing pitcher while the opposing manager sips green tea in the dugout.
Who cares who the manager is?
If we don’t get more pitching in here it won’t matter.
Starters, relievers, etc
Pedroia is an average 2b. He doesn’t walk enough and he doesn’t hit for power. So for any type of value he has to hit 310 every yr.
Cano is in a different league than him.
As this playoff run is showing, Pedroia is easily pitched to. While Cano showed hes a #3 hitter next year.
Great PodCast, SuperStar ! I may not agree with you ( or your rants ) but you are appreciated, my friend !
Queens that is great!!! LOL
What is taking so long to hear information about the meetings.
and fyi, i read that Cash had dinner with George’s sons.
Jennifer – Was that last night or did they hit the early bird special this evening?
Pete – What’s the good word? Are they still meeting under the apparent cone of silence? While I have no problem with them taking the time to make the best decisions they can (and undertstanding there are probably lots of moving parts that need to be put in place), I still am impatient for news! Was George in attendance for the entire meeting thus far?
It was last night.
It was also reported on the radio that Stick was in the meetings this morning, they aren’t sure about the afternoon meetings.
barnsy,
The only concern I have with Cano and Melky is their lack of patience at the plate. If Cano isn’t moved to #3 it may be because of that.btw The cardinal fan Looovvve Cano,they want him there like you won’t believe!!!
I’d consider giving the Cardinals Cano for Colby Rasmus and a pitcher. If Rasmus really develops as he should, he’ll be a star outfielder. Not a superstar but a good ballplayer. Plus second base is the easiest position to fill, so we could get a nice outfielder, some pitching depth and fill second with a role player and not lose any production.
Dane Cook Postseason SNL http://youtube.com/watch?v=1KRrXI-4GYg
Barnsey, that’s stupid. They’re both excellent players, and no, Cano is definitely not in a different league than him. They’re different players, but both great in their own rights. I’d take Dustin’s defense, Cano’s power, Dustin’s average, and Cano’s arm. That’s a complete list. Also, Dustin has shown he’s pretty consistent over the course of the year, less the first month, while Cano goes hot and cold (and the cold is terrible).
I’m just not going to knock the kid, when I think he’s done more than you and I ever will with half the given ability.
Click my name for link to Dane Cook Postseason parody from SNL
Cano for Pujols
I’m with ya on having a paper datebook. I think I just like the feeling I get when I can cross something off my list. Good podcast, but no intro music this time?
And looking over the numbers, he has hit .310 every year he’s played baseball.
Cano for Pujols
ha. Even St. Louis isn’t that stupid. Maybe Cano, Wang, Hughes, Melky, and Kennedy.
Even then, maybe.
Yeah, I was just kidding. How about this one Andy Phillips, Ron Villone and Kyle Farnsworth for Pujols. And if LaRussa is still manager of St.Louis throw in a bottle of Johnny Walker Black, so he will feel like he got taken care of…..
StandingONeill,
I don’t think the Yankees are ever going to give up on another young 2nd baseman so quickly. Can you say SORIANO,
he only got better after he left here for the Rangers.He went through a slump or two especially in postseason,remember? Cano has the goods be patient,you’ll see. imho
Hawk, you are a moron. Check the stats. And ask the scouts.
Cano is on a different level as a player than Pedroia. Who’s a nice player but more Adam Kennedy than anything else.
Cano’s ceiling is sky’s the limit because of the power potential he has and the fact that he right now is one of the top hitters in the league. You don’t hit over .300 three straight years without absurd talent. As the league adjusted to him this year he made the adjustments back and got even better.
Cano is a #3 type hitter. A game changer. A 100 RBI guy at 2b who’s defense gets better every year. And a hitter who gets more patient with each game. Take a look at the stats from the 2nd half of the yr.
Pedroia is decent little player but a fill in. Someone easily replaced. He doesn’t walk and he has no power what so ever. So if he doesn’t hit 310 he becomes worthless. Unless you take his “grit” because he’s small and white and gets his uni dirty. Then again some of you probably would because you are morons.
The Cardinal worth trading for would be catcher Yadier Molina, but he’s probably off limits. He’s a youngster who plays impeccable defense, can throw out any basestealer, has a knack for getting the clutch hit, and plays with a lot of energy. Yadier is going to keep on getting better. If the Yankees ever needed a replacement for Posada, he would be the direction to look in, but the Cardinals probably wouldn’t want to give him up.
You quote Batting Average as the stat to make your case for Dustin P???
That useless, nonsense stat?? That doesn’t mean anything and you can’t evaluate players on it.
Go read Moneyball and Baseball Prospectus and come back when you get some sense Hawk.
I love Cano. I think that he will be the best 2nd baseman in the game within the next few years. I wish he could steal more bases, but otherwise he is great.
Yeah, let’s trade a 24 yr old superstar in the making 2b, left handed hitter, who has proven he can thrive in NY and in the playoffs for some minor leaguers.
Thank God some of you are just idiots and don’t have any power.
italian greco,
Why would he have to steal bases? You realize he’s in a lineup with superstars hitting around him. Why would he risk an out on the base paths when Jason Giambi is behind him? Or Matsui? Or Damon? Or Jeter? Or A-Rod is on 3rd?
Always great to run into outs especially when you have great hitters in every slot in the lineup.
I think people are being naive with this whole ARod thing. The guy finally learned how to play the New York media this year.
What do you expect him to say about Torre, of course he’s going to be with the rank and file on that one. I’m betting he could care less what happens to Joe. ARod’s going to do whatever’s best for his pocket. Do think Boras is in a meeting with Alex saying…”I don’t know Alex, if they get rid of Joe you’ve got to look somewhere else.” I highly doubt anything about Joe Torre is in Boras’s dossier about Alex.
I like Alex, I hope he stays, but be real, the Torre situation has nothing to do with it…no matter what he says publicly.
Jdawg,
My Cardinal friends are soOO jealous that the yankees have his brother,no way will they ever trade him! .The Cardinal to go for is Albert,because Arod would be very motivated with a big bat like his,plus he plays 1st base
How bad was Cano at the plate that you guys still think he’s a liability there?
He has vastly improved his patience at the plate, even getting some walks this season. Pitchers are actually going to have to start thinking when he bats as he no longer swings at slop. He’s also tightened up his play in the field. (OT-but did you see that line out grab by Asdrubal Cabrera last night? WOW)
Keep your Pujols and your Pedroias, I want Cano in pinstripes.
Do Not Touch list: Chamberlain, Hughes, Wang, Cano, and Cabrera (maybe). And probably Kennedy. He was a very good college pitcher.
Anyone that thinks Pedroia can hold Cano’s jock didn’t watch them play the 2nd half of this yr.
Cano is far superior player.
Maybe he should “hustle” more and show more “grit” and be 5’5. I don’t think Cano should apologize for having superior physical skills. So superior that sometimes he makes it look too easy.
And most people are inherently racist that they will root for the short white guy over the much better Latin player.
Cano should definitely be on the “untouchables” list. The guy has too much potential, too much upside. He provides decent power, a high average, can hit lefties, a great arm at second base, an influx of youth, etc. He’s not a basestealer, but he has what you would call good baserunning speed. He can go from first to third on singles and score from first on doubles. The Yankees would probably have to be absolutely floored by an offer before trading Robbie.
Forget Pujols.
Forget any offensive player.
Get Pitching.
You can win with a Doug M at first. You can win with Shelly at 1b.
Buy you need pitching. We need 3 more pen guys and another top notch starter.
Aces win playoff series. Hopefully Joba, Hughes, and Kennedy develop into that. or at least one.
barnsy,
I don’t know. I guess I got spoiled with Soriano. I mean Cano is a great 2b and is defense is underrated. Most of his errors are him being , I guess for a lack of a better word, lazy. I’m not saying he is a lazy player, but you know what I’m saying. I know one thing Cano is WAAAAYYYY better than Pedroia. Not even close.
Yes, I think Cano is untouchable, but don’t tell me that if an offer of Cano for Pujols came around that you wouldn’t take it. I think I would. It would never happen, but still.
i don’t see why dave eiland should be considered a favorite to replace guidry. he’s been coaching only 5-6 years. what’s his philosophy? i haven’t heard anything except that because joba, hughes, and kennedy are good he must be good. how does he compare to someone like rick petersen who knows every aspect of being a pitching coach from biomechanical studies to hands on teaching of fundamentals. does eiland? i’m not saying he doesn’t, but i doubt it. why not get someone who has proven themselves at the mlb level instead of getting someone with only short time minor league experience?
if you want to go with someone with only minor league experience, why not go to someone like stu cliburn( triple a pitching coach) of the twins organization who has had 15 years of pitching coach experience. the whole twins pitching staff has gone through him.he knows the yankee organization having competed against them on a regular basis.
i think this assumption that eiland is the best choice is not well thought out.surely there should be a search for guidry’s successor that takes other things into account besides joba, hughes, and kennedy’s success. i think they were good before eiland ever laid eyes on them.
Andy,
Pedrioa,small man big ego= Napolean complex!!!!
Hawk – you forgot to liken my gritty play to David Eckstein
Yeah, what was I thinking there. Cano is awesome. Probably the best ever. I mean, comparing two players, albeit different races, is never a good idea.
I hope you have a heart attack today for insinuating that I even took race into account when looking at the numbers.
We’re not trying to disparage Pedroia, just trying to make the case that we love Cano.
Pedroia does seem to spark the Sox though, so he does have some intangibles that make him a valuable player for that team. He’s easily one of the most popular players in that clubhouse.
Yeah, he’s short and probably the rookie of the year in the AL. We spend the day blogging on the computer talking about players, and being wannabe GM’s. ha.
Catya,
Soriano is a nice player but look how easily he was replaced. And not to mention we traded him for Arod, the greatest player in baseball. I can’t speak for everyone but I don’t think many yankee fans are missing Soriano right now.
Hawk Hawk Hawk,
Do you really mean a heart attack? Calm down the informed know what you were saying,it’s all good,man!!!
I understand that, Mel. I’m actually both a Yankee and Cano fan, but I’m not going to completely dump on Pedroia for being short. He’s a great player for them. It’s no different than we pump up Kennedy for his minor league stats. Other than that, we really have no real reason to be in love with a softer throwing Mike Mussina, but we do, so we hype him.
Comparing Pedroia to Cano is like comparing Eckstine to ARod in both their heydays as shortstops. Eckstine is a gritty, nice player…but
This kid ois 24. He’s still learning 2b and learnig how to recognize the strike zone. The sky’s the limit for him.
He’s a BETTER all around hitter than Soriano and eons ahead of him as an infielder!
Yeah, let’s trade a 24 yr old superstar in the making 2b, left handed hitter, who has proven he can thrive in NY and in the playoffs for some minor leaguers.
Thank God some of you are just idiots and don’t have any power.
John nice of you to call me an idiot, appreciate it buddy. And I never said definitely trade him, but out of all the trade chips the yankees have Cano is the best option, seeing as second base is the easiest position to fill. If you can improve two spots by trading one spot, you consider it. And yes I’m glad I don’t have that power, wouldn’t want it, tough job.
so now Cano is both Carew and A-Rod wrapped into one?
StandingONeill,
You missed my point totally. I meant Yankee fans be patient with Cano and not be so quick to give up on him. If you read my post above,I Love Cano as a player,I’m willing to wait for his patience at the plate and Melky’s too.
I hate Pedroia because he’s on the Sox, but I’d probably love him if he were on my team. Cano has had flashes of being more patient, but most of the time I watch it seems like he makes up his mind whether or not to swing before the pitch is shown. I find him just frustrating most of the time. Pedroia had more walks and a higher OBP this year than Cano has ever had.
that’s “before the pitch is thrown”, not “before the pitch is shown”
Hawk:
Who said Cano was “ARod and Carew wrapped into one”?
My statement was meant to compare the talent gap between Pedroia and Cano as similar to Eckstine and ARod in their heydays. I guess that’s too difficult for you to comprehend.
Pedroia is 24 in his first year. Cano is 24 in his third year. Let’s see how consistent Pedroia is as a hitter when pitchers have seen him for three years.