Rookies

[Phil]

I saw a baseball movie Major League and some Football movies too that some of the veteran players were hard on the rookies. Mocking them and sometimes making life rather difficult.

I was curious if that really happens in prosports if veteran players are tough on rookies like that. Highschool kind of initiated frashmen but this could be different because a rookie could also be your best player. Like in hockey Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitols would have been screwed the last 2 years if it were not for their rookies.

[Classicblast]

Yes it does.

There's some guys that are brutal to the kids. Some of these kids come from Mexico, South America, Dominican Republics and sometimes Japan and Korea.

It's a culture shock to many of these guys. They're not only from a whole nother country but they're kids besides. Eighteen mostly sometimes a little older but that's what they are for the most part.

Most of them have studied English enough to translate with a language dictionary but this is their first time having to use it to communicate, and they get the treatment from older players.

I don't approve of it nor would I participate in it.

In more probablilty there's some resentment because when you're 31 as I am and you look in at spring training and you see eight to ten 18 year olds including ones from the United States who are not in for a culture shock, you know that ultimately they're here to try out for your job. You can't not know that.

That happend to me a year ago. Once I saw the guys that tried out I knew my chances weren't good. I know my ball playing days are numbered obviously when I landed a spot with a team that first time someone was sent packing there's only so many names allowed on a roster.

I think the biggest thing it stems from is veterans marking their territory because there's a chance of losing their territory.

[Phil]

Have you ever seen a rookie that was so good that you just can't believe it even though you've seen ball players all your life?

[Classicblast]

phil said:

Have you ever seen a rookie that was so good that you just can't believe it even though you've seen ball players all your life?

Yes lots of times. There was a kid in camp three years ago. He should have gone Majors and I believe he would have. He got caught with drugs.

They suspended him and sent him to rehab. I suspect he's going to get more chances. He will be 21 this training camp, not too late but what a waste of good talent.

But every now and then another real good player shows up.

[rylan]

Classic, have you ever played with adam lind?

hes zoomed through the jays system, and in 60 ABs he hit .367, with 2 HRs and 8 RBIs.

Anyway, if you play with any of the jays farm clubs, is there anyone we can look out for?

[Classicblast]

I never played with Lind but I know who he is. I think he's for real.

Also Eric Neilson hasn't always put up great statistics but he seems to hit when it matters.

I have to be a little careful with too much name dropping because I've taken some strong stands on the web as Classicblast and the players union is not favorable with that and believe me that can be a problem. So if I seem avasive that's why.

But those guys are great players in my opinion. The Jays got Frank Thomas too. That's an awesome acquisition.

[Blastgirl]

Frank Thomas is awesome.

[rylan]

i dont think Frank will ever hit .320 again, but .260 with 40 homers and 120 RBIs in a full healthy season, with the protection of Troy Glaus(.260, 40HR, 110RBI) and Lyle Overbay(.310, 25HR, 100RBI) will sure boost the jays

the jays are going to have a right killer line up this year(my predictions), potentially better than the yankees, easily better than the bosox

1. Reed Johnson - .301 AVG with .399 OBP, 15 SB's, 94 runs
2. Alex Rios - .311, 29 HR, 98 RBI, 24 SB
3. Vernon Wells - .315, 36 HR, 112 RBI, 21 SB
4. Frank Thomas - .269, 41 HR, 121 RBI
5. Troy Glaus - .248, 42 HR, 109 RBI
6. Lyle Overbay - .310, 25HR, 104 RBI
7. Gregg Zaun - .272, 16 HR, 70 RBI
8. J-Mac or R. Clayton - both are weak hitters, .230ish
9. Aaron Hill - .318, 11 HR, 56 RBI

Bench:
Jason Phillips(C,1B), mediocre hitter, had some good years with the Mets
John Macdonald(IF,C,OF) - if there was a gold glove for bench players, can play any infield, catch, and OF if he had to
Matt Stairs(1B,OF,DH) - past his prime, but he still has a few HR's left, even off the bench
John Ford Griffin(OF) - they brought him up in 05, and he hit pretty well, I dont know if they still have him.

the jays have the best lineup in their division. Boston really only has Manny and Ortiz. The yanks have a bunch of old timers, which are great when they're healthy, but theyre always injured.

people say the jays lineup is too right-handed, but I think thats better than having a lefthanded lineup.

anyway, jays are 2 pitchers and no injuries away from a world series in 2007

[Classicblast]

That's a pretty good prophesy for the Blue Jays line up.

And Thomas is a clutch hitter too. And RBIs is the most important stat. Sure you need a good batting average homeruns are what spectators live for but RBI is what really wins games. Even a long fly ball that's caught can be a productive out. If you can at least touch the ball that's a value.

[rylan]

yeah. thats the problem with glaus and wells, but especially glaus. whenever there are men on base, Glaus seems to pop out or ground into a double play. with the men on base in front of him now, thomas will have a lot more chances to get RBIs.

the jays need a solid pitcher though. they have a cy young winner Halladay, who shouldve easily got 21 wins this season
(jays fan know what im talking about, Alex Rios' error, B.J's couple of blows, lack of run support, and bull pen losses, all in his last 9 starts)

they also have AJ burnett, and though people think he wasnt worth it, I see him getting 18 wins with a 3.88 ERA.

Gustavo Chacin, though his ERA was high, he still did it when it counted. if he pitches like '05, with an ERA mid 3's, and keep pitching 5-6 innings per start, he could give us 14 wins at least, and keep us in a lot of games.

im hoping for josh towers to bounce back. he was great in 05, but some bad luck, a little bit of uncontrolled grapefruits down the plate, and a hitters park gave him the stunning 2 and 10 record(1 and 9 when he was starting the game) with an ERA over 8. if he can find his controll, it would be good to see the Towers that gave us a 13-12 record with a 3.71 ERA, and 208 innings pitched.

we really need another guy, someone like Jeff suppan. Meche wouldve been nice, but I was thinking he would go for about 8 million a year. a 5 year 55million dollar contract is outright stupid, and Kansas City is going to pay for it.

[dannyboy]

Sometimes there's surprises too.

Adam Wainwright came up as somewhat of a darkhorse pitcher and he was the man for the Cardinals in the playoffs. He only came in in 2005 and pitched an average of just over an inning a game with 3 saves in the regular season. So there's a lot of times the guys just turn out to be good when nobody really expects them to.

Now was Wainwright just hot at the right time? Well, maybe but I don't think so I think he's going to turn out to have a great career from here.

[Phil]

classicblast said:

phil said:

Have you ever seen a rookie that was so good that you just can't believe it even though you've seen ball players all your life?

Yes lots of times. There was a kid in camp three years ago. He should have gone Majors and I believe he would have. He got caught with drugs.

They suspended him and sent him to rehab. I suspect he's going to get more chances. .

Is that the guy who was found shot to death?

[Classicblast]

Yeah Pasqual was his name. What a waste of great talent. How could getting high be more important than being successful in a career?

[Jersey]

Just ask Ricky Williams. He now plays in a league where they don't screen for marijuana, I forget where though.

[Phil]

That's a good example. 'I don't think I want to play for your team because it interferes with my getting stoned schedule.'

Oh geez.

I can't believe that but that's how it is nowadays.

It is a shame that kid got killed that way. I assume he was not American born, or was he?

[dannyboy]

I know you addressed the question to Classic, but I know the answer. That guy was from Santo Domingo of the Dominican Republic.

He was schooled in the United States I think Miami, Fl from the age 13 because of his baseball skills he was gotten into a private boarding school. His family was given a chance to live in the States.

When and how he got into his habits is anybody's guess and why he let it end his life is just a sickening thought.

It's a terrible shame that he met his death at an early age and in such a terrible way but that's what happens when you let substance control you.