Will be interested in your report on the ball park in Cincinnati. I’ve heard it’s a gem.
1 Like
More like the lump of coal shoved up Cameron’s ass. Pressure and time…
Arlington did their job.
2 Likes
Bagwell calling the next 4 games as Blummer takes vacation.
3 Likes
Wonder of wonders, the Rangers actually looked like the better team last night. Garcia hit two homers, they made two highlight reel catches in the OF, and they summoned just enough pitching and offense to win.
My friend is a Rangers fan first, then Astros, and he accurately described his team as a “AAA lineup.” On to Detroit this morning.
I take it you’re not driving?
Ha!
More driving on this trip than I’d like, though. Flying to Detroit, driving to Cincinnati and to Cleveland, then flying home. My friend’s adult daughter will join us today and will be our driver. No convenient times for trains, dang it.
I think we’re aligned on this. I agree Altuve is selfish, but not in the sense that he doesn’t care about the team or winning or only thinks of himself. He obviously tries his best and wants the team to win. But his lack of self-awareness and discipline hurt him and the team often, and he doesn’t seem to get this or try to correct. I can understand wanting to be the hero, but he often doesn’t need to be the hero, he needs to be a “team player” (I hate that term, it’s far too overused, but I think everyone knows what I mean) and think situationally and not how he can save the day. I understand that big time players step up in big moments, and Altuve certainly has done so on many occasions. But he tries to create those moments (rather than them finding him) when it’s not called for and that is NOT putting the team ahead of one’s self.
1 Like
Thanks, Guys,
That helped.
PS
Rather than > “You’re better than this!” ===> “You CAN BE better than this!!!”
I think “singly focused” or " one track mind" are better descriptions than selfish. IMHO.
After all what he is trying to do ( get a hit or HR every at bat) is the best possible result for the team. Even better than the result would be by executing situational hitting.
But, let me add, his pulling everything when just a ground ball to the right side is needed drives me crazy.
Exactly, HH.
No, it is not.
I think it relates to why the prodigy talents rarely make good coaches or teachers.
Super talented individuals, in all fields, can just succeed with little to no study, thought, or effort. To a point.
If a guy has just performed without much study or thought his whole life or career, then it’s hard to create those habits.
It’s also a big reason that so many talented youngsters can’t make it in the major leagues.
Altuve is not one of those. He had to scratch and claw his way to the big leagues. That is why it is so disappointing to me that he shows so little understanding of basic fundamentals.
I think the fact that he’s always had to prove himself is one of the reasons he insists on making himself the center of attention. It’s why flails wildly at pitches, it’s why he swings for the fence when a ground ball is indicated, it’s why he takes unnecessary chances on the bases, it’s why he insists on catching every popup. I understand why he is that way, but it’s just not helpful at this point.
2 Likes
There is also the possibility, and not a small possibility, that he’s incapable of tweaking his game: that if he backs off his general aggressiveness at the plate, for instance, that it results in an overall decline instead of an overall positive result. He may from time to time have tinkered, not liked the result, and discarded. The assumption that Altuve doesn’t generally know what he’s doing seems like a big assumption, even if he sometimes does stupid stuff.
5 Likes
Of course there’s likely some truth to that. But having known many professional ballplayers, I can say unequivocally that that being a good ballplayer does not necessarily mean you have a clue.
No doubt.
I suspect when his body begins to slow the wheels will begin to turn more.
Jim you picked the right game in Arlington.
Oakland up 3-0 in the first.
1 Like