Braves Quote For The Day
by gondeee on Apr 1, 2010 2:12 PM EDT
in Braves Quote For The Day
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PrintFrom an article on a Lakeland, Florida website about Braves outfielder Matt Diaz:
"Bobby virtually gave me my career," said the Braves left fielder. "I was a scrap-heap member of two organizations that were bad at that time. I couldn't make it there and Bobby saw something in me that allowed me to make the team in '06. I owe him a lot, personally and professionally." [...]
Watching video of Diaz's swing, Cox saw something he liked. The Braves traded a minor-league pitcher for him, and the rest of the story is filled with things Diaz once dreamed about - a .316 batting average, million-dollar contracts, even a little security by baseball standards. In fact, Diaz has now been with the Braves longer than any player except third baseman Chipper Jones, pitcher Tim Hudson and catcher Brian McCann.
Diaz will be another part of the Bobby Cox legacy. Cox has taken countless players like Diaz off the scrap heap and turned them into stars. He's taken All-Stars and given them the room to have some of the best years of their career. Bobby Cox is a special baseball talent, a talent so often overlooked. Like with Diaz, Cox simply builds his players up with the knowledge that he believes in them, he gives them room to play, and only looks to make adjustments when absolutely necessary.
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I don’t think most of us realize just how much we’re about to lose at the end of the season.
Shouldn't Reid Gorecki get a shot in RF before that Heyward kid everybody talks about?
Cox is the classic example of a coach who lifts players up, boosts their confidence in themselves and each other, and doesn’t over-react when things go badly.
In comparison to somebody famously abusive like Bobby Knight (the college basketball coach), I believe its obvious which is the better approach.
Both approaches are very effective. I bet you would be hard-pressed to find any former BK players (other than the one who tried to make a name for himself) who wish they had a different coach.
"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 Apr 1, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
We’ll see if people remember that when they are calling for his head during the season, especially when he leaves the starter in for one batter too many.
"My God! Good news fans, the Braves are showing signs of life for the first time in weeks. As a matter of fact, they appear to be beating the crap out of each other."
Watched Diaz play at FSU...
I was pumped to see when he signed with Atlanta. I still can’t believe how good he has been the last few years.
by tampa bay braves fan on Apr 1, 2010 2:48 PM EDT reply actions
he was actually traded for
IIRC.
For Ricardo Rodríguez.
by apoxonbothyourhouses on Apr 1, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Shortstop turned pitcher. And he was out of baseball within a year and a half. It’s not always just economics with small market teams, sometimes they suck because they just make terrible decisions.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Thanks...
I always feared my first TC post would contain an inaccuracy!
by tampa bay braves fan on Apr 1, 2010 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions
no worries, keep em coming biggo
...still waiting for Minaya to sign Brad Hawpe as a defensive replacement...
by VivaLosBravos on Apr 1, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
didn’t realize how much that would look like “Biggio” until I typed it
...still waiting for Minaya to sign Brad Hawpe as a defensive replacement...
by VivaLosBravos on Apr 1, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
While his loyalty is unrivaled and he has a great baseball mind, his loyalty can be at fault sometimes (Raul Mondesi, Reitsma, and Kolb come to the front of the mind). Nevertheless, he’s been great. Lets just enjoy this one last ride.
I guess that’s the price you pay for a player-loyal manager who sees a possibility and isn’t afraid to give somebody one more chance.
Yup,
and as frustrating as that can be sometimes, you can’t argue with the overall results. Besides, one Matty D. has got to outweigh 3 or 4 Reitsmas, right?
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Apr 1, 2010 5:07 PM EDT up reply actions
They certainly dont outweigh one wickman
by blitzerlover on Apr 1, 2010 8:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
and let's not get carried away
and proclaim Cox as something more than he is:
a great manager of talent and egos. However, as far as in-game baseball strategies, he’s got a long way to go. Cox’s has made some bone-headed decisions in his time in Atlanta.
However, if I were a baseball player, there’s no better player’s manager than Bobby Cox.
by apoxonbothyourhouses on Apr 1, 2010 3:21 PM EDT reply actions
not every manager
is perfect and doesnt make bad decisions.
by drumzalicious on Apr 1, 2010 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions
For every criticism that people make of Cox, I challenge you to find one manager of whom the same thing cannot be said.
"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 Apr 1, 2010 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
He gets thrown out too much...?
And before you jump on me, I’m just playing Devil’s Advocate and actually love the fact that he doesn’t take shit calls lying down and will fight for his players.
I consider that one more of a compliment, actually.
"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 Apr 1, 2010 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
One thing I've always wondered...
Would be what would happen if a team had “co-managers” (call them a manager and bench coach if you want). One would be in charge of day-to-day stuff, managing of egos and all that—the stuff Bobby excels at. The other would be in charge of in-game strategy only, but would have the final say in that area. Seeing as how most managers only really excel in one area (if any areas at all), that could be a good solution with the right two men.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Apr 1, 2010 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I think a manager’s effectiveness in ‘managing egos’ and the day-to-day stuff, comes largely from his final authority. All managers relegate authority to the members of the staff, give them all projects to fulfill. Eddie Perez and Chino Cadahia for example have had Escobar as their project. But I think largely Bobby gets the kind of respect he does because he has the authority to bench your ass. No matter what your contract is, Bobby is the permanent fixture, not you.
But along those lines
I’ve theorized myself that in the last few years, there’s been a bit of an authority issue with the Braves. Hear me out:
Bobby in the past has had Jimy Williams, Pat Corrales, those types on his bench. Even Don Baylor when he was here. Guys who had been managers. And although they had to accept lesser roles to be on Bobby’s bench, they were still guys Bobby would see, and who might see themselves, as Bobby’s colleagues.
In recent years, guys like Cadahia, and Snitker, these are guys who may be good baseball men, but came up from the minors and have been subordinate their entire careers. Even Terry Pendleton and Glenn Hubbard, they are guys who PLAYED for Bobby.
There might not be anybody on the bench with the nerve to ‘tell truth to power," no one secure enough of their own position and knowledge to tell Bobby he’s making the wrong move. Somehow I doubt Pat Corrales ever had that problem.
While I get this argument, I don’t think it’s true. Knowing those coaches just the tiny little bit I do, I doubt any one of them has any problem telling Bobby what he needs to hear. In fact, I can almost guarantee that if they did they wouldn’t be a part of his staff.
I wrote a novel, it's about baseball, you should buy it: https://www.createspace.com/3407939
www.dropoutproductions.com
Like this?
"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
Sorry this is unrelated by I have a question hoping someone can help me out. When a team travels to a vistors park do they receive a portion of the ticket sales for that game(s). As part of sharing ticket revenue. Or does this only apply to Post Season games. I thought under mlb revenue sharing teams that make more in tickets, t.v. and have larger overall salaries sharied that money. Hope its not to dumb a question but I thought teams share their ticket sales during the regular season. Not 50/50 but a portion.
I don't think so
The big market teams would never go for that. Imagine the Phillies and Marlins. The Phillies would get pennies when they went to Florida but the Marlins would get millions when they visited Philly.
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on Apr 1, 2010 4:26 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I've never heard of that
But i guess there could be some kind of revenue sharing plan into place. I would think it’s kind of useless since basically everyone would sell out playoff games, thus the money canceling eachother out, but who knows…
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on Apr 1, 2010 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Now if only
we could arrange to have him only face left-handed pitchers, then he would play full time… (And win the MVP, no doubt)
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Apr 1, 2010 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions
You take that back
Matt Diaz is the type of star that doesn’t need to be called a star. If you don’t like Matt Diaz, you don’t like baseball. I ought to ban you for such ludicrous thinking.
No wonder nobody likes you, Tuttle... everything's a (Pujols) damn debate.
Hey now!
You can love Matt Diaz and still not call him a star. Me, I’d call him a supernova.
"Yeah, and I have an enchanted jock strap." -- Karl Karlson
by Jacob Peterson on Apr 1, 2010 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions
he’s certainly no black hole
...still waiting for Minaya to sign Brad Hawpe as a defensive replacement...
by VivaLosBravos on Apr 1, 2010 7:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Diaz is the man. I’m glad I got to meet him.
As far as Diaz is concerned, “it’s on.”
Let’s f[rea]king do this.
"It looks like The Hound of the Baskervilles out there." - Steve Stone
"...I'm reminded of Wuthering Heights." - Harry Caray
by Chief Noc-A-Homa on Apr 1, 2010 6:39 PM EDT reply actions
Diaz has now been with the Braves longer than any player except third baseman Chipper Jones, pitcher Tim Hudson and catcher Brian McCann.
This little notes on attrition shock me every time. That’s wild.
...still waiting for Minaya to sign Brad Hawpe as a defensive replacement...
Hard to believe, huh.
"SIGN PUJOLS OR FIRE WREN" ~ Swo12bv
by Smoltz's Beard on Apr 2, 2010 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Joe Blanton is out 3-6 weeks
With a bad oblique strain or something.
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on Apr 1, 2010 8:11 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
A loss the Phillies can afford
But they don’t have a lot of depth. If it were Halladay, they’d be in some trouble. More injuries like this might derail them for 2010.
oh man
Lidge and Romero both went on the DL today as well. Ouch. That bullpen is gonna be a disaster.
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on Apr 1, 2010 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
i should've rephrased
that bullpen is gonna be a disaster that bullpen is going to be even more of a disaster.
and true about Lidge. GET HEALTHY!!
"(Jason Heyward) is like the Grim Reaper -- you know he's going to get you, you just don't know where or when."
by Scott Coleman on Apr 2, 2010 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions
This is a really good read, but I think Matty D is selling himself a little bit short here. The talent was always there. It’s not like he possessed my baseball ability and Bobby turned him into what he is. Dude can play. Bobby just helped him recognize and harness it.
tUMD Hockey: In search of a title! But probably not this year.
I never realize how good Diaz is until I look at his average at the end of the year and it’s ALWAYS around .300. I’m hoping he doesn’t lose any playing time, even though Heyward is the man. He’s a real good guy, and an underrated player.
The .300 average is nice and all, but I am more impressed with the near .400 OBP.
"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 Apr 1, 2010 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
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