Carroll: Cleveland's Favorite Eckstein
Crap. I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.
"Pest." "Hustle." "Slightly-built." "Running out" things. And the very worst of them all: "A throwback type of player."
The celebration of tiny, mediocre, slap-hitting jockey-looking little men continues. (To be fair, I like Carroll--decent on-base skills, good pickup as a utility infielder. But come on people--for the sake of all that is good and right in this world, we can't let this go any further)
about 1 year ago
Cap'n Snegiryov
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I had the exact same thought while reading the article. My god, it’s like Joe Maxse just copy/pasted his favorite Eckstein article.
I think it’s a bit hypocritical for the PD to write an article like this but overlook Carroll’s history of getting into fights with teammates. It only took me five seconds to find this picture of Carroll about to throw down.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Jun 17, 2008 6:39 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Don’t forget this other important fact: he’s white.
by Buckeye Brad on Jun 17, 2008 9:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Yep. The media know very few scrappy, hustling Latino players.
Let's Go 2009!
by emd2k3 on Jun 17, 2008 9:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
This fact is way overrated.
He has to be white and under 6 feet tall.
Steel Nick
by nickjs21 on Jun 17, 2008 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You know, utility guys as a rule have to be do all the little things to stay in the league because they can’t do the big things (hit and/or field).
by Ryan on Jun 17, 2008 11:12 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
If I could give this statement 12 recommendations I would.
Free Andy Marte!
by woodsmeister on Jun 17, 2008 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
rec … but I do feel that Carroll is right on the line — he’s a fringe everyday player and a very high-quality backup. I am very pleased that we have him, and I think it was a sharp pickup given the risks of putting an under-developed Asdrubal in the starting lineup, and the advantages of sending Barfield to Buffalo.
by Jay on Jun 17, 2008 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I love pesky, fiesty, hustling slap hitters. Every winnng Indians team I can remember had at least one. My favorite is Cleveland born and bred Elmer Flick a 5’9” 168 lb. HoFer who was almost traded to Detroit for Ty Cobb. While with the Naps he and Lajoie got into it and Frick broke Lajoie’s hand with his face. I’d love it if we had another scrapper like this on the Tribe. Might be exactly what we need to get us going.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
by mauichuck on Jun 17, 2008 1:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
What’s important is to make sure that this scrapper is also Good At Baseball. Flick was – career 149 OPS+. I would support the acquisition of such a player.
by Voltaire on Jun 17, 2008 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
By scrappy I meant the boy would fight when provoked. I’ll always remember Delucci jumpin’ up to protect one of his own. Gotta respect that.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
by mauichuck on Jun 17, 2008 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
that’s why he won’t harm baseballs. just gently nudges them into the shallow outfield from time to time.
by Brick. on Jun 17, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You know the best story about Eckstein, right? He was named to the B’nai B’rith All-American team — the story is already hilarious at this point, just finding out that such a thing exists. But the punchline is, he’s not even Jewish, they just assumed he was because of the name.
by Jay on Jun 18, 2008 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right, which was kinda my point. There’s almost a 100% correlation between “scrappy” and “bad at baseball” (as FJM has reminded us countless times).
by Voltaire on Jun 17, 2008 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don’t know about all that. I’ll I know is that today, right this minute, Carrol’s a better baseball player than either Asdrubal or Barfield – scrappy or not.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
by mauichuck on Jun 17, 2008 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I’m sorry you lost me here. Are you trying to say it’s because of small sample size, is that it? Cuz small sample size or not, Carrol’s still a better baseball player. We’ll talk again in 6 weeks or so.
"the most vehement Yankee-hating guy I know" - Jay
by mauichuck on Jun 17, 2008 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah I don’t think there’s really an argument that can be made on this one, other than AsCab being the better defender right now, but he sure as hell wasn’t able to hit enough to stay in the league (although I think AAA is exactly where he should have been coming into the season if not for his solid showing in less than a half season in the bigs last season).
by hans on Jun 18, 2008 12:52 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The difference in defensive value may be pretty marginal, too. Carroll arrived with a great defensive rep, and I’ve seen nothing to convince me otherwise.
by Jay on Jun 18, 2008 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
slightly off topic about Asdrubal—did you know that he had already walked 22 times this season before being sent down to AAA?
I actually think that’s pretty impressive-he was normally batting in the 8 or 9 hole to begin with, and it’s not like he was being pitched around, what with his .184 BA and his sub.300 SLG.
by Cap'n Snegiryov on Jun 18, 2008 3:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Carroll has always had a pretty good K/BB ratio as a hitter, and with the right BABIP luck can post a nice and acceptable-above avg. OBP. He’s had OBP in the .370s twice in the past four seasons. So this season’s .379 OBP isn’t that far-fetched, although its been boosted by a .343 BAbip…..Carroll’s career BAbip is .314
by hans on Jun 17, 2008 2:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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