OT: Dusty Baker is a complete idiot

Ed B

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Can anyone explain to me why that ass clown was allowed to select a 7th Atlanta Braves player for the NL all star team (Russ Ortiz?) instead of Dontrelle Willis?

Statistically, Ortiz is having a nice year but someone needs to explain the concept of media to this guy, because no one is going to tune in to see Russ Ortiz. Dontrelle Willis is an unknown phenom that everyone wants to get a glimpse of.

And besides, with Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal in the game, there were already two Braves who don't deserve to be there, I hardly see how he felt justified in taking Ortiz too.

MLB just blows every chance it has to exhibit any media savvy at all. And picking his own player, Kerry Wood, over Willis was every bit as dumb.
 

Russ Smith

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FWIW they had an article on Willis last week in my local paper(he's from Hayward I think). They said then that he currently would be slated to pitch the day of the All star game(based on the normal rotation).

So they can't use that normal excuse of he just pitched or he's not scheduled to pitch for X number of days. Pitching in the AS game would be right on schedule and yeah I agree he's one guy I would definitely want to see.
 

Dback Jon

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Originally posted by Ed B
Can anyone explain to me why that ass clown was allowed to select a 7th Atlanta Braves player for the NL all star team (Russ Ortiz?) instead of Dontrelle Willis?

Statistically, Ortiz is having a nice year but someone needs to explain the concept of media to this guy, because no one is going to tune in to see Russ Ortiz. Dontrelle Willis is an unknown phenom that everyone wants to get a glimpse of.

And besides, with Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal in the game, there were already two Braves who don't deserve to be there, I hardly see how he felt justified in taking Ortiz too.

MLB just blows every chance it has to exhibit any media savvy at all. And picking his own player, Kerry Wood, over Willis was every bit as dumb.

Ed, Ed, Ed - I see you have been sucked in the media sideshow that is Willis-mania as well. Dontrelle is a nice story, but our own Dback Brandon Webb is having a better season. Webb is the first pitcher EVER in the history of MLB to have 12 consecutive (and counting) quality starts to open a career. And his stats are better or equal to Willis'.

The manager of the previous' years World Series teams are allowed to fill unpicked slots with whomever they choose. Ortiz and Wood are having good years.
 

Lex

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Dusty OWED Russ Ortiz.

Dontrelle Willis? Great looking rookie with a nice record.

Brandon Webb, D-Backs rookie, leads the National league in ERA.
 

Russ Smith

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Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
Didn't Russ Ortiz play for him in SF?

Come on Jim surely you're not suggesting Dusty would play favorites (-:

Yes Ortiz was a Giant and I'm sure it's strictly a coincidence.
 
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Ed B

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Willis is an exciting player on a crappy team with no fan support and an ERA of 2.13.

I think he deserves to get in. If a d-backs player got shafted too, then Baker should be doubly ashamed. Kerry Wood is the most overrated player in baseball, and Ortiz is a thoroughly uninspiring choice.

I think 6 braves players would have been enough.
 

Jim O

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I can't stand Dusty, his toothpicks, and his wristbands. Oh well, my Cardinals took two of three from them this weekend.

Long Live Pujols!
 
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Ed B

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Also, I'm just happy that in the face of the usual attitude that nothing the White Sox ever do is good enough or deserves any attention, Esteban Loaiza was selected.

Here's a guy who was a non-roster invitee to spring training after washing out with the Devil Rays who has gone 11-4 with a MLB leading ERA and at one point went 19 innings without allowing a runner past second base.
 

Ryanwb

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I thought for sure this thread was going to be about Baker's recent comments that came under fire about Latins and Blacks being able to handle the summer better than the Whites.
 

Jim O

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Originally posted by Ryanwb
I thought for sure this thread was going to be about Baker's recent comments that came under fire about Latins and Blacks being able to handle the summer better than the Whites.

He may be right. I am hot as hell right now!

j/k

:eek:
 

Russ Smith

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Originally posted by Lex
Dusty OWED Russ Ortiz.

Dontrelle Willis? Great looking rookie with a nice record.

Brandon Webb, D-Backs rookie, leads the National league in ERA.

Valid points but unfortunately people get enamored with W/L record and 8-1 is better than 5-2.

Tim Hudson didn't make it for the A's, the team is something like 15-4 when he pitches but he's only 6-3. Foulke made the AS team, 3 of his blown saves cost Hudson wins, he said himself he feels he cost Hudson an AS berth.

I'd like to see Willis but you can make a clear argument that both he and Webb should be there on numbers.
 

SECTION 11

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Originally posted by Ryanwb
I thought for sure this thread was going to be about Baker's recent comments that came under fire about Latins and Blacks being able to handle the summer better than the Whites.


We have to turn it into a Jake thread first, then move onto the draft, David Boston and a few obligatory religious topics. Then it'll end up at "Race and the Barometer."
 

PDXChris

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My biggest problem is that Willis has only pitched 77 innings compared to around 120 for all the other starters selected. THat comes to about 6 or 7 starts short of the other guys. You have to do it for the entire first half to be considered IMO. That is that same thing with Webb. He is short about 5 to 6 starts. If he(Webb) had his microscopis ERA with 120 innings pitched like the other starters, then we could say he was robbed. It would be like putting Sammy in because he has good numbers for playing in 60% of the games this year so far. I think there shold be a rule that you have to play in 92% for position players and have mised no more than 2 starts to be eligiable as a started.
 

AZ1766

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Originally posted by Ed B

And besides, with Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal in the game, there were already two Braves who don't deserve to be there, I hardly see how he felt justified in taking Ortiz too.

.


Ed B,
You lost me on this one.....you don't usually make blanket statements about folks without something to prove your point. They deserve to be there, only my opinion..
 

Dback Jon

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Bankybruce - good point about the innings pitched. Webb has one more start, and 12 more innings than Willis.

W-L is the not the best way to judge pitching - there are too many factors beyond the starter's control for that to be a deciding factor - how many runs his own team scores, bullpen relief, etc.
 

AZCB34

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Originally posted by Ed B
Can anyone explain to me why that ass clown was allowed to select a 7th Atlanta Braves player for the NL all star team (Russ Ortiz?) instead of Dontrelle Willis?

Statistically, Ortiz is having a nice year but someone needs to explain the concept of media to this guy, because no one is going to tune in to see Russ Ortiz. Dontrelle Willis is an unknown phenom that everyone wants to get a glimpse of.

And besides, with Marcus Giles and Rafael Furcal in the game, there were already two Braves who don't deserve to be there, I hardly see how he felt justified in taking Ortiz too.

MLB just blows every chance it has to exhibit any media savvy at all. And picking his own player, Kerry Wood, over Willis was every bit as dumb.

Show me an AllStar manager who hasn't chosen some of his own guys as "rewards" for whatever reason. Torre was taking tons of Yankees every year. Willis is a nice story but people are no more going to tune in to see Willis than Ortiz.

Ed, no matter how MLB and FOX spin it, it is still an exhibition and until managers have no say in who plays, there will always be nepotism at work in the managers selections.
 

Lex

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Brandon Webb's ERA is currently 2.04 in 80+ innings pitched. I only offer this to refute the Willis hype.

While it might be a good idea to pimp these rookies in a year when the two most dominant pitchers in baseball have been sidelined due to injury, (Johnson & Schilling) the fact that both of the rookies are low on innings pitched is enough to keep them both grounded for at least another year.
 

PDXChris

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Re: Re: OT: Dusty Baker is a complete idiot

Originally posted by AZCB34
Show me an AllStar manager who hasn't chosen some of his own guys as "rewards" for whatever reason. Torre was taking tons of Yankees every year. Willis is a nice story but people are no more going to tune in to see Willis than Ortiz.

Ed, no matter how MLB and FOX spin it, it is still an exhibition and until managers have no say in who plays, there will always be nepotism at work in the managers selections.

Then who should decide?
 

AZCB34

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Re: Re: Re: OT: Dusty Baker is a complete idiot

Originally posted by bankybruce
Then who should decide?

I don't know but until a method comes up, managers will tend to pick the guys from their teams or guys who they feel they owe (Ortiz?).

I think fans voting is the biggest sham anyways since they hold parties to fill out ballots. The KTAR folks were having parties downtown PHX to have people come in and stuff the boxes with Dbacks players. That is the cheesiest thing I think I have ver heard of...wait, the people who actually went down there to stuff the ballot boxes are likely cheesier.

There has to be a way for a computer to select the best of the rest without any prejudices built in...ensuring every team is represented of course.

In fact, the single best way would be to remove the fans vote altogether (ratings can't get any worse) and have a computer select all the players based on the best players up to a certain point in the year...again ensuring every team is selected. Then if Willis fell into the top 12 pitchers based on a computer ranking then guess what...he is in. Same with 8 Braves. If they are tops...too bad so sad. Ed is all wound up but the Braves have the best (or is it second best now?) record in baseball. That means their players must be doing something right.
 

Russ Smith

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Originally posted by Lex
Brandon Webb's ERA is currently 2.04 in 80+ innings pitched. I only offer this to refute the Willis hype.

While it might be a good idea to pimp these rookies in a year when the two most dominant pitchers in baseball have been sidelined due to injury, (Johnson & Schilling) the fact that both of the rookies are low on innings pitched is enough to keep them both grounded for at least another year.

I don't know about Webb but in Willis' case that's intentional to delay his eligibility for arbitration. Or so said the guy on the radio today.
 

Krangodnzr

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Oh come on Ed, quit hating on the Braves. You know you are just jealous. :D Just kidding.
 

AZCB34

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Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Oh come on Ed, quit hating on the Braves. You know you are just jealous. :D Just kidding.

Actually he is hating on the Cubs and Baker. The Braves thing is just his excuse for hating Baker's choices. :thumbup:
 

Krangodnzr

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Originally posted by AZCB34
Actually he is hating on the Cubs and Baker. The Braves thing is just his excuse for hating Baker's choices. :thumbup:

I'm a little sensitive about the Braves...the torment of losing multiple World Series will do that to you. :D
 

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Yes, Dusty may have dropped the ball on Willis, but lets face it you can make a case for a lot of people and why they didn't make it. If you want to argue about an issue that hurts more is the fact that each team gets a representive. That rule blows if you ask me. Anywho Dusty did do a pretty good job I think. Kudos to him in not taking Sosa I even though he's the N.L. Manager I was glad to see that Clemens and Pedro didn't make it either. Yes they are stud pitchers but they didn't deserve a trip to the All-star game and they're not going. Jeter didn't make it nor should he have. But I think the voting and who goes is getting better. Now just get rid of that each team must have a rep rule.
 

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