New To Talking Chop and Heres Why
by TheMelkman on Dec 27, 2009 6:45 PM EST
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I recently joined Talking Chop and I did for a very special reason. But before I tell you, why don't I just get some things out in the open. First of all, I am a Yankees fan. A die-hard Yankees fan. Second of all, I am definitely not here to troll. And third of all, I am a female. Not a man!
Now that that's cleared up, we can get to the reason why I am here. As I mentioned, I am a die-hard Yankees fan. But what I didn't say was that I am also a die-hard Melky fan. Yes, I said it. My name is The Melkman and I am a Melky-holic. I am/was obsessed with him and will continue to be, no matter what team he is on. So, I came here. I am virtually stalking him from team to team.
Here are some things that you should know about Melky. Important things:
1. He is the Walk-off king. He is incredible in late inning situations.
2. He loves to have fun
3. He has a great arm and can play all three OF positions
4. He is a switch hitter
5. His nickname is the Melkman (sound familiar?)
6. His catch-phrase is Got Melky?
7. When he gets a hit you say, "The Melkman has delivered."
8. He's kinda slow
9. He does not speak English
-The Melkman
This FanPost does not express the views or opinions of Talking Chop.
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"The Melkman has delivered"
No way. I am also from New York. John Sterling’s broadcasts are torture. I will NEVER, NEVER say any line that he made up. Anyways, the Braves can use all of the fans that they can get. Go buy a melky Braves shirt!!
MATT DIAZ IS THE F**K*NG MAN.
They made me change my signature...
Its not a Sterling line.
Its a Kay.
"A picture is worth a thousand words, whereas a thousand words only equals one picture."-Yogi Berra
John Sterling is the only announcer ever employed to announce Braves baseball that I literally could not listen to, and from what I have heard of this Yankee escapades, he has only gotten worse.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Did he do Braves games too? I don’t remember that. I do remember the tragic Hawks broadcasts though. Aaargh!!
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
Yeah....
unfortunately.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
It actually isn’t possible to get worse than Sterling.. oh wait, Sterling can get worse than Sterling. FTR they should’ve let him go instead of Steiner after the 2003 WS. I happen to like Steiner. I don’t care if its his stupid call, it was Steiner’s inning
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
I'm a Steiner guy too.
He’s smart, eloquent, and well-prepared, if sometimes a bit goofy.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 29, 2009 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
Good luck here,but most of us are hoping Melky gets flipped to another team in a trade before spring training even starts.
Shouldn't Reid Gorecki get a shot in RF before that Heyward kid everybody talks about?
Was there a poll that I missed?
Otherwise, I for one and I expect a many others would be opposed to flipping The Melkman before ST (or until further notice), subject to the familar caveat that, of course, he is not untouchable.
Go back and read the thread about the trade that brought him here.
See all those people who don’t want him? We’re all hoping he gets flipped ASAP.
Shouldn't Reid Gorecki get a shot in RF before that Heyward kid everybody talks about?
Those people did not understand...
…that the trade was for Vizcaino, not Melky. Add me to the list opposed to flipping Melky. I think he makes a perfect fourth OF because he can play all three OF positions and is a switch hitter. Personally, when doing a headcount here, I count only those who agree with me. ;)
Mark me as well...
with Schafer and Heyward ready who knows when, I’m fine with waiting on them and using Melky, McLouth, Diaz, and then hopefully a potential 1B/corner OF signed to mix as help in case Glaus struggles/get hurt at 1st.
Eric Hinske is a 1B/corner OF.
He also hits righties well. Diaz hits lefties well. Platoon them in left until Heyward is ready, and move Melky to left. Diaz and Hinske would then be valuable bench guys later in the season.
It really doesn't matter.
Happy to have Vizcaino. Get rid of Melk before Bobby turns him into an everyday starter. One FUGA a decade is quite enough, thank you.
We had 2 just last season alone!
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Dec 27, 2009 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly
Looking forward happily to the day Melky is a throw-in in a deal to get him out of here. In a perfect world, by the end of the season our OF will be Diaz/McLouth, Schafer, Heyward L-R. No room for Melky. And I’m all for using Diaz as an everyday man in LF until Schafer is ready to take over center (obviously I hope Heyward comes in from Opening Day forward), and B. Jones or some other internal option can provide uninspired numbers for far less than Melky’s 3M as a temporary 4th OF.
You are underestimating Melky's versatility.
He is a very good fourth OF. He can play all three positions and is a switch hitter, so he can sub for both McLouth or Diaz against a tough righty/lefty. Regardless of who starts, Melky is a great fourth OF option. I have no problem with moving him for a proper return, but I wouldn’t want to dump him just to dump him.
Same here...
and as good as Diaz has been in a platoon role, it’s not unfathomable to think Cabrera can produce better and be more valuable.
by Mr. Sanchez on Dec 28, 2009 9:35 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
But 2010 is the start of a new decade.
Time for another.
"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green
by Stephen Schmidt on Dec 30, 2009 9:16 AM EST up reply actions
I know I will get jumped on for this, but...
…I am old school and think the new decade doesn’t start until 2011. Yes, I know that technically every year, hell every day starts a decade because a decade is any ten year time period. However, if we are going from the start of the Christian calendar, the first decade was 1 A.D. – 10 A.D., not 0-9 because the year 0 didn’t exist.
Because I'm certain people in year 10 talked about...
the biggest events of the decade. This is such a stupid complaint since I doubt people started grouping decades until the relatively recent past. 50s, 60s, 70s, 80, 90s, Aughts. We’re simple creatures, try not to complicate this stuff.
This is the best counter-argument to cavebird’s stance that can probably be thought of. There’s no point in thinking in terms of thousands of years, just the realization that a decade’s importance probably only became something worth talking about with the advent of television, to be used as a summation technique.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I am pretty sure decades had significance before the advent of television.
IIRC, the Roaring 20’s were called the Roaring 20’s before television came along, indicating that decades had some significance prior to television. I have no idea how long decades have had significance, that would require more research than I am willing to do.
I like to think of humans as more than simple creatures.
Of course, then I read comments at MLBTR and other sites, and well…..
The main point, however, is that every day starts a new decade. That is unassailable. Using January 1, 2010, as the start of a new decade of more importance than the one that started the day before or the day after is completely arbitrary. The only way to make is unarbitrary is to have some benchmark to start from, hence starting from the first decade A.D. lacks some arbitrariness. On the other hand, one could argue that the year we have assigned as 1 A.D. is a bit arbitrary as it was retroactively made 1 A.D. by people without the historical ability to be completely accurate.
Seriously...
when did they start counting years, and if they didn’t start at 1, why?
On the TV bit though, the “Roaring 20s” is a good one, but was that term coined after the fact in comparison to the depression of the 30s? I honestly think of the best of the decade stuff as little more than a tool to give the media a chance to fill space. Radio, TV, newspapers, they have inches and minutes to fill, and gotta fill them with something.
He doesn’t speak English? When I saw him a few times when he was in AAA he didn’t speak fluently but he spoke enough to have a conversation.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
common falsehoods about players DO NOT penetrate TC.
we take pictures of players’ wives for breakfast.
by brndn on Dec 27, 2009 7:43 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I was unable to find any info about Melky’s significant other (or lack thereof). I think he was supposed to have dated Mariah Carey at some point, though.
by FineHamAbounds on Dec 27, 2009 8:03 PM EST up reply actions
shes not even close to being hot
I used to like Frank Wren...not anymore. I want John Schierholz back!
by Scott Coleman on Dec 27, 2009 8:08 PM EST up reply actions
Mary Carey.
She is an idiot though.
"A picture is worth a thousand words, whereas a thousand words only equals one picture."-Yogi Berra
The Porn Star?
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Dec 27, 2009 9:06 PM EST up reply actions
Yes, the porn star.
There’s a sex tape involved, apparently.
Overheard in press box, from local reporter: 'If this Moore kid was any good, they'd be up 31-0 right now.'
--Darin Gantt, on CAR@NE
by MichaelProcton on Dec 28, 2009 12:26 AM EST up reply actions
Does he scream “The Melkman has delivered” at the end?
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
Given his apparent grasp of English...
probably not.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 28, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
+ Infinity
That would be effing hilarious.
"…aren’t worthy enough to hold his (Pujols) ass cheeks apart while Playboy models wipe him with thousand dollar bills after he craps out the cure to whatever previously-incurable disease." by royhobbs 1/7/09
I didn't mean it like that.
What I meant was that when he interviews he uses a translator.
"A picture is worth a thousand words, whereas a thousand words only equals one picture."-Yogi Berra
I like Melky.
He is good in the clutch, he plays great defense and he seems like a fun guy who can help keep tension down in the clubhouse. I want him to be our leadoff guy.
But, as cavebird mentioned, Arodys Vizcaino was the prize of the trade.
Good Melky post. Everything there is true. Hope he rewards you here. Oh 1 thing. Melky may own the walkoff but can’t hit for squat until the 7th
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
by GoBravesNY on Dec 27, 2009 9:42 PM EST via mobile reply actions
yeah, that is a problem
"A picture is worth a thousand words, whereas a thousand words only equals one picture."-Yogi Berra
And Melkman...
…don’t worry about everyone’s desire to see Melky as the fourth OF. He’ll have plenty of chances to play his way into an everyday job in that role—-McLouth isn’t a picture of health, nor is Diaz. And the third outfielder will either be a rookie (okay or Schafer who technically isn’t a rookie anymore, but not exactly immune to injuries) or someone we sign, I would guess that would be Nady if we sign someone. (Although I might prefer Hinske given the costs.) And as a Yankee fan, I am sure you know all about Nady’s ability to stay healthy.
Diaz...
hasn’t had recurrent health problems, has he?
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." A. Bartlett Giamatti
Melky Sucks
If he’s our leadoff hitter or everyday OF we are in a world of trouble.
Well that hardly seems to be in good taste.
You could at least be a little nicer about it.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 28, 2009 12:57 PM EST up reply actions
So...
Thrashing Jesse Chavez was all good, but we slam another crummy roster addition and suddenly it’s bad taste? We’re fans. We’re entitled to our opinions, and sometimes they’re rather harsh (usually deservedly). Melky is not a useful piece for us. Maybe if he could hit a lick he could be, but he can’t, so he’s not.
I was mostly kidding.
But yeah, why trash a guy here when he’s picked us up a poster when there are so many other places to do it. And I haven’t honestly seen much thrashing of Chavez as an actual player, just as a return for Soriano.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 29, 2009 10:16 AM EST up reply actions
Welcome
Hope you came for the Melkman, but stay for the rest of the team. At least until the WS, there’s no conflict.
If Albert played in the AFL, they’d have to rename it the AZ/NM Fall League, based on where his homers landed.
I should probably let you know I want to get to know the Braves.
I wanna be a fan, except not quite. I know most of you are ready to get rid of him, but if you give him a chance you’ll start to like him. At first, get ready for this, I didn’t like him either. But as the season went on, we all started to like him. He is a great player and when given the chance can really shine.
"A picture is worth a thousand words, whereas a thousand words only equals one picture."-Yogi Berra
I like him, I always have. He’s a good guy and a good player. If the Braves do trade him and it makes the team better I’m all for it, but I’m not gonna jump on the “trade him now” boat anytime soon.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I have nothing against him as a person, but his performance is underwhelming to say the least and I think we’d be better off letting Heyward give it a shot alongside Matt and Nate. And I concur with Gondeee’s newest post that it’s probably in our best interest to move him this winter, because it’s doubtful his value is going to go up this year.
I still think the best plan with Heyward is to start him out in AAA and check back in June and see how he’s doing. And no matter how good he is in ST this will still be my stance.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I respect that
But unless we sign someone else to handle LF while Diaz plays RF, it will remain my stance that unless he has a bad spring Matt and Jason need to be full-time in left and right. Melky as a starter is a very bad idea.
I’m with you.
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Dec 28, 2009 8:24 PM EST up reply actions
I do agree that the best course of action is to leave Heyward in AAA, unless something unforeseen happens. (One of our OF’s get’s hurt) But, I think we’ll have to at least consider bringing him up if we get off to a slow start. I mean, if we start out something like 5-10, and struggling to score, it might be a good idea to bring him up.
I take this from what happened last season. I think we have Franceour too long of an opportunity to prove himself before pulling the trigger on a trade. (I don’t really know how long we were actually shopping him, so I could be pulling this out of my butt as well) If we had done it sooner, I think we make the playoffs. I don’t that to happen like that again.
This is an interesting theory, utilizing the big prospect to give the team a boost. It has its inherent issues, it really only works if he comes up and does well; if he flops a little it’s not really a boost at all. But, I still like it.
That being said, at least to me, it’s not about what the Major League team needs right this minute (this minute being any point in the year when it seems like they need a boost), it’s about what they need for the next six years. A talent like Jason Heyward is bigger than a few weeks or a few months in the Majors. It’s worth making sure that he is fully ready to go before moving him up, so that he can come up, be successful, and be the player everyone wants him to be. If the Major League team needs a boost and Heyward isn’t ready, it would be a huge mistake to move him up just for immediate help.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Exactly.
It’s just not worth it. Besides, Heyward will inevitably struggle when he first reaches the Majors, no matter how late we call him up.
The only time the Mets win is in the offseason.
by GouldisGold on Dec 30, 2009 12:24 AM EST up reply actions
That's not necessarily true.
Most prospects stuggle when initially brought up. Some, however, do not. Therefore, I would not say his struggles are inevitable.
But how do you know he "isn't ready" until he gets there?...
Cody Johnson is clearly not ready. Freddie Freeman certainly doesn’t look ready. But Heyward is a special sort with his plate discipline and the rest of his skill set. It’s almost like Tommy Hanson, yeah sure, if we wait until June or July he probably uses the time in AAA well and comes up strong. But because he is successful with a later call up doesn’t mean he wouldn’t be successful if up straight out of spring. Now, it’s all conjecture and the only opinion that matters those in the Braves FO, while we all just get to sit back and watch and talk about it. But I just don’t see how we define “ready” or “not ready” with someone like Heyward (or Hanson).
by Mr. Sanchez on Dec 30, 2009 10:02 AM EST up reply actions
This
I’ve been saying that unless we unearth a viable LF option or Heyward has a bad spring, he’s probably capable of manning right from the word go.
For future reference- when a top prospect has a good spring but is held down until June anyway, is that going to be known as getting Longoria’d?
It’s not a question of whether or not he’s capable. I’m more than confident Heyward would be capable of playing from Day 1. Heck, if they had brought him up this past August I would have been fairly confident about his ability. It’s a question of what’s best for him long term.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Yes!!
The thing is to evaluate his mental makeup and weigh that against the team’s needs.
All players struggle sometimes and many or most prospects stuggle when initially brought up, but that doesn’t mean they are inevitably psychologically crushed or unable to go forward to have very successful careers. I simply don’t buy into the coddle and baby top prospects theory.
What would be a huge mistake is not putting Heyward in RF and costing ourselves games in the standings and a shot at the playoffs.
Eh...
Let the guy at least see AAA for a minute at the start of the season to get his chops, then move him up. Worked for Hanson, worked for Braun, worked for Longoria, and it should work for Heyward.
by FineHamAbounds on Dec 30, 2009 1:23 PM EST up reply actions
We can’t define ready or not ready because we don’t know. The only people who really know are the Braves, their coaches and front office. We, as fans, never really know, except after the fact when we can examine and say “he was ready” or “he wasn’t”.
My point is that he should be up until the Braves can definitively say “he’s ready” because his development is one more important things the franchise has ever dealt with. Making sure he is ready and will be a force from day one is more important than trying to win games, which sounds odd, but what it really means is the long term is more important than the short term.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I just think "ready" is the wrong word...
Compare Heyward to other callups—Francouer, McCann, Schafer, Furcal, Andruw. Were any of them more “ready” than Heyward? Were they better prepared? Had they played any more games, if not less, above A ball? Outside of maybe McCann but probably not even him, were any of them as mature at the plate, on or off the field, as Heyward is? I think he is as ready, if not much more, than any of those aforementioned players when they came up to stay. Now, economic factors may play a role, or the fact that we have decent starting OF without him so we can afford the luxury of taking our time with him (or at least I think Melky, Diaz, and McLouth are all at least average to above average), but I think he’s more than “ready” to play RF for the Braves. Again, there is no problem with waiting, and letting him continue to develop on a smaller stage, but he appears as ready or more so than several others who got the call.
I can agree that some young players can have their delicate confidence undermined by early adversity and have long term negative consequences from that. Is it your view, however, that this is a common, majority of the time impact? To me, that theory just seems like a stretch.
It’s only something that can be judged on a case to case basis. My point is that the Braves need to do, and will do, whatever is in the best interest of Heyward in the long term, not what immediately serves the Major League team. If that means keeping him in AAA a little to grow more and make him very ready for what he’ll see in the Majors, not so much to protect his “delicate confidence”, then that’s what they’ll do. If they feel he’s 100% ready to go at the start, then he’ll go, but it won’t be because it suits the immediate team needs.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Couldn’t agree more that the Braves will not rush him. They will evaluate him from every direction and be conservative in their decision-making. So, if we were betting, the smart money would have to be on him starting in AAA.
On the other hand, it would hardly be a surprise to me if he forces their hand by his play on the field in ST, his confidence and maturity. And if so, he will have earned the right to be the opening day RFer.
Moreover, if that is indeed the case, my point is it would be very counterproductive to hold him back … for the team, especially, but also very possibly for him.
See, in that scenario he’s proven he’s ready, mentally and physically, so I’d have no issue with things. I guess what I’ve been saying is that whatever the Braves end up doing, starting him in the Majors, starting him in AAA, whatever, is going to be the best thing for him because that’s what they have in mind more than anything else. If I had to advocate or bet one way or the other I’d go with starting him in AAA, but if he starts out in the Majors I’ll be more than happy because I know that means the team thinks he’s ready.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
I’m willing to give him a chance, just as I was willing to give Francoeur a chance at the start of last season.
Having said that, I am not really optimistic that Melky can contribute to anything other than a decent PH option with sufficient D ability.
"My team of nine guys who hit like Albert Pujols and never ever bunt just beat your team with one Shane Victorino 472 to 3."
by justincredubil02 on Dec 28, 2009 6:19 PM EST up reply actions
Respect...
but you kinda creep me out for some reason.
Gracias.
I get that a lot from people who don’t know me personally.
I will only love baseball twice. Now and forever.
Female?
I don’t believe it, you better timestamp those ti…wait, sorry.
Wrong board. My bad
Also I hope Melky is traded
60% of the time, it works every time
I have no problem with his as a 4th OF
But he should not be starting for the Braves. We need a plus defender and/or plus hitter in our OF, and Melky is absolutely average across the board.
I didn't think you did.
But I’m just scared Cox will.
by FineHamAbounds on Jan 1, 2010 10:56 PM EST up reply actions
Well...
Thats nice I’m sure him and Escobar will have a great time together.
by bravesforever16 on Dec 30, 2009 10:09 PM EST reply actions
it is a new decade
time for us to dominate the NL east never the phils again and win the world series against either Boston, NYY, or Chicago W.S. GO BRAVES!!!!!!!!
yeah I know bad choice
their world series win crossed my mind as I was posting that and it just came out
did melky write this post himself?
He's pretty good in 'The Show'....
by lemke2blauser2bream on Jan 3, 2010 3:45 PM EST reply actions
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