06-01-2009, 11:23 AM
I'm not a huge believer in intangibles. AJP didn't win the World Series for the Sox -- their starting pitching did. It's easy to point to plays on the field where someone tries to get his team riled up as some sort of "turning point," but I think it just makes sort of a bookmark. If something big happens after someone throws a spaz, then it's due to the spaz. If nothing happens, then everyone forgets that it happened.
Eric Byrnes typifies that kind of player, if you ask me. He's high energy, he throws a fit anytime he hits an XBH or steals a base, or makes a catch, or takes a ball. Does it make the rest of his team perform better? Um...I really don't think so.
Ramirez, Lee, Soriano -- they're all incredibly exciting players when they're playing well. Soriano is one of the most exciting players in the game when he's on a hot streak. Unfortunately, his cold streaks seem to last forever. Ramirez is a ridiculously good hitter...but he's out for a spell. Lee? If he was hitting like he did in 2005 (or any other year, honestly), then he's a lot of fun to watch.
When a team isn't playing well, we tend to look for answers in weird places. Leadership, energy, chemistry? If everyone is hitting and pitching, there's plenty of that. If everyone is sucking, everyone thinks the team is lacking in intangibles.
As far as Sosa goes, he made his teammates better, but it wasn't because he sprinted out to RF or blew kisses to the camera. It's because he was one of the most prolific offensive threats in baseball history for a 5-year stretch. It's like what Pujols is doing with a pretty pedestrian lineup surrounding him. Pujols doesn't gyrate, pose, or throw a fit -- but he hits the shit out of the ball. We just need guys to hit. We don't need Eric Byrnes.
My opinion, anyway.
BackyardLegend -- good to have you on board, by the way.
Eric Byrnes typifies that kind of player, if you ask me. He's high energy, he throws a fit anytime he hits an XBH or steals a base, or makes a catch, or takes a ball. Does it make the rest of his team perform better? Um...I really don't think so.
Ramirez, Lee, Soriano -- they're all incredibly exciting players when they're playing well. Soriano is one of the most exciting players in the game when he's on a hot streak. Unfortunately, his cold streaks seem to last forever. Ramirez is a ridiculously good hitter...but he's out for a spell. Lee? If he was hitting like he did in 2005 (or any other year, honestly), then he's a lot of fun to watch.
When a team isn't playing well, we tend to look for answers in weird places. Leadership, energy, chemistry? If everyone is hitting and pitching, there's plenty of that. If everyone is sucking, everyone thinks the team is lacking in intangibles.
As far as Sosa goes, he made his teammates better, but it wasn't because he sprinted out to RF or blew kisses to the camera. It's because he was one of the most prolific offensive threats in baseball history for a 5-year stretch. It's like what Pujols is doing with a pretty pedestrian lineup surrounding him. Pujols doesn't gyrate, pose, or throw a fit -- but he hits the shit out of the ball. We just need guys to hit. We don't need Eric Byrnes.
My opinion, anyway.
BackyardLegend -- good to have you on board, by the way.