I ask sincerely, talk baseball. I know "talk baseball" means different things to different people. Some will sit around and "talk baseball" with others in terms of stats. God Bless them and their little slide rules! I mean that, I love you sabre-geeks, one and all. Others when they spend time "talking baseball" will focus on what they hate about it all. Yeesh, could make for a real downer I guess, you know:
* I hate the way Garner manages the team... *grumble, grumble, grumble*
* Houston Astros will suck again this year, why can't they be like the Yankees (huh?)... *grumble, grumble, grumble*
etc. etc. etc.
I guess others when "talking baseball" will go the route of the romance of the game. Perhaps I fit into the latter category more than I care to admit. I love the game. I know the others do too, in their own way... including the haters (God Bless their little black hearts). I do know one thing, you get all three types, plus any other type that may exist, like the Jonestown Girls, I love the guys in tight pants crowd or the I have a bet on this game so I'm wound up tight about the outcome types, et. al., and you'll get a a curious mixed bag to "talk baseball". In fact, I betcha it is a bit unconfortable to sit at a sports bar like maybe, say... oh... The Bus, and fully enjoy yourself. I bet if you fall into one of those categories, you're probably gonna bite your tongue every once and awhile. You may even mutter "What the fuck!?!?" under your breath a few times. Good thing there is beer to calm the restless soul in such times, huh?
All this is to say that "talking baseball" in this place, the cyber version of a sports bar (with no beer unfortunately) can be very similar to those experiences. You either adapt or you go away, probably a bit unsatisfied with the experience. No harm, no foul. The only thing here is that those things muttered in a soft whisper is really said out loud. "What the fuck?!?!" Believe me, sometimes I do much of the muttering and probably cause a lot of it too. But when the conversation turns to good friends and not taking anything seriously, you know you're in the right place. Sports bar or here... raise another pint and salute the Houston Astros! And how about that play last night (eveyone quickly rush to your corner and come out with your stats or anecdotes or observations of tight pants... it's all cool. Well, maybe not the tight pants part for me, but I digress).
So when we talk about the Houston Astros, know that the history of this place, one that is going on 4 years now and has a legacy of six years previous to that when Astrosconnection.com (the great BFT!) was around, is about "talking baseball". And, of course, it's about saying "What the Fuck?!?!" a lot... a whole lot... mucho times. Some won't get it, some will, others will ask for more beer and laugh. Tis the way it goes.
So let's talk baseball shall we? And as a preemptive strike, here is a big "What the fuck do you know?!?!" to those who wish to talk about catchers value to a baseball team and especially to the aspect of winning. Yes, this is purely ancedotal, you won't find a single RCAP to pop into the arse of Brad Ausmus in this one. But you may find some things to make you either understand or order another beer and say "Yeah, right... whatever ancedotal boy!"
Fuck you too... in a nice way my friends!
Baseball Digest (the Baseball Junkies Bible): For catchers, the name of the game is defense (*circa May 2005*) Quote:
(Brad) Ausmus, like (Mike) Matheny, is highly aware of the latter point. They both know exactly what their key role is, and have learned not to be distracted from that by worries about personal offensive failures.
"I guess I've struggled so long I've kind of gotten used to it," said Ausmus. "When I put my gear on, once I hit the circle, I forget about that last at-bat. I learned in the minors to separate it. Unless you're Mike Piazza, you're not going to have a great offensive impact. You're going to have a greater impact defensively and working with pitchers on their game."
Matheny has a similar outlook when it comes to realizing his major duty.
"Pitchers are very aware of who's offensive-minded," he said, "and if you carry your hitting with you, it can cost your team more behind the plate than any other position. It's a tough task, but it has to be made. You have to make a conscious effort to let the pitcher know that your priority is to help them out."
Ausmus and Matheny are the current outstanding examples of very valuable catchers whose defensive ability far outshines their skill as hitters. Major league teams always have been able to find a place for a catcher who sparkles defensively even if he doesn't wield a big stick. And many teams relying on such receivers have been rewarded with pennants and World Series titles.
You know, sometimes it is good to sit and "talk baseball" (to me) with actual players and men who have been involved in the game for a very long time. That's why I like articles like this. Excuse me for the lack of tight pants talk or the catcher's ERA table in this, it's about "talking baseball" in the style that I would sit and do with anyone for hours on end. That's not to say I wouldn't mutter "What the fuck!?!?" if Bob Boone said something... never say never... it just means I'd probably be saying it less and listening more.
Go Astros, 2007!