Casey "The Gamer" Blake
A Wall Street Journal feel-good on Casey Blake's clubhouse unification powers.
(un)intentionally hilarious lines:
[On Blake's nicknames]
"Mr. Blake's Cleveland teammates dubbed him 'the Chin' for his chiseled, Jay Leno-like jawline. His fellow Dodgers call him 'the Gamer,' a moniker he brought on himself in an interview earlier this year while discussing playing with a bad hamstring."
[Blake on using Spanish to mock English speaking teammates]
"'I'll joke around and say 'Hey, speak English,' says Mr. Blake, adding that American players should learn to speak more Spanish, too."
[Wichita State coach Gene Stephenson on Blake]
'He was not particularly fast and not particularly strong, but really, really played the game unselfishly,' says Mr. Stephenson. 'Frankly, that's become rarer and rarer.'"
[Twins "spokesperson" Mike Herman on letting Blake go]
"'When he took off the next year we were all kind of like, 'Oops!'"
In all seriousness, what a guy.
over 2 years ago
joeee
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The WSJ’s m.o. of referring to people as Mr. Lastname instead of just Lastname adds to the unintentional humor.
You are reading my signature.
by rolub on Oct 22, 2009 8:46 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, most of the time I like that little conceit, but in this case it seems really eccentric.
by ken from alexandria on Oct 22, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Clutchsey Blake lived up to his reputation with the bases loaded again last night.
by JulioBernazard on Oct 22, 2009 10:15 AM EDT reply actions
I just love Casey Blake. He’s the best Indian, ever. He’s so cool. He plays the game the right way. He’s great. He’s actually a very good player, too.
Nah. Wedgie has never heard of Rico Carty or Chico Salmon.
by kennesawmountainwahoo on Oct 22, 2009 8:56 PM EDT up reply actions
For the talent he had, he made himself into a much better player than other players with equal or even more talent. For that, I’ll always respect the hell out of him. And everyone will appreciate what he did while watching Santana for the next 6-7 years.
I respect your opinion even if I don’t share your respect for Blake. But I have a question, and I’m not trying to be combative or difficult.
For the talent he had, he made himself into a much better player than other players with equal or even more talent.
Why is that a good thing? I remember hearing it said of Pete Rose, as if that is somehow nobler than someone with more talent. I don’t understand why that is so. Why are scrappy guys who play above their talent level so admired? Is it because most of us are not so talented, and relate to players who make the most of their talent?
Simple, cuz they’re more like us. The more the fan sees of himself in the player, the more he admires the player. Plus, our collective work ethic finds more to like in the hard worker vs. the preternaturally gifted athlete. Like Wilton Norman Chamberlain usta say, “nobody roots for Goliath”.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
I don’t really get why you wouldn’t respect what Blake did by turning himself into a legitimate major leaguer after it looked like he was a AAA-lifer . I’m just saying that by itself, that’s admirable. It says nothing about his overall value, or how much he should have played, etc.
I’m not from Cleveland, but I always thought what Blake went through to become a major leaguer would be admired by Clevelanders, and instead he was one of the most reviled players from this era. My opinion is that folks took him to task for what he wasn’t instead of looking at what he was.
Agreed. Bottom line is, Blake was signed as a minor league free agent and put up an above average OPS+ (108) in 5+ seasons with the Tribe. Sure that’s not especially great, but it is better than most, and the team clearly got its money’s worth. He never complained while being shifted around between 3B and RF, and is still regarded as a positive influence in the clubhouse. I have tremendous respect for Blake and will always root for him (when he is not playing against the Indians).
My take is that Clevelanders, typically being blue-collar sorts, see all this boot-strap stuff as a load of hooey. There’s a prevailing mindset (at least among the Clevelanders I know) that says people who strive hard to get ahead and work extra hard are not to be trusted. Hard work is usually not rewarded, despite the Horatio Alger stories. There’s a certain working-class legacy to this, to distrust the bourgeois principles. Dedication and effort are frequently ignored. Life isn’t fair, and you’re most likely going to get screwed. That’s the Cleveland way.
Doesn’t every major northeast and midwest city think of itself as a blue-collar town? Which ones don’t?
That’s what the psychomarketing guys think will play to Giants and Patriots fans. Here’s what I think when I think blue-collar city (not always economically accurate): Gary, Indiana; Flint, Michigan; Youngstown, Ohio; Rochester, N.Y.; Milwaukee, Wis. And so on.
It’s okay if you want to pretend to have working class bona fides. New York City has the largest working class in the country, but all you hear about is Rockefeller Center and Donald Trump. So New York isn’t really a dems-and-doze city.
Newport Beach doesn’t think of itself as a blue-collar town. I can’t think of much else. You have to pander to those voters. Ain’t enough of them rich.
Working Class Towns, Northeastern Extension: Buffalo, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Allentown, Springfield Mass., Lowell.
Flames. Flames coming out of smoke stacks. Flames every where.
by afh4 on Oct 24, 2009 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Betcha the Grand Calumet River never caught on fire. Plus Michael Jackson’s from there.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
I don’t think Michael Jackson represents anything working-class.
by Buckeye Brad on Oct 24, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions
There was a good NY times piece last year about how underrated effort is. Effort is considered mundane and commonplace or worthy of mistrust (see how much vitriol Blake catches); God-gifted talent, “elite athlete DNA” is the True Rare Prize. Of course that’s not true; most people don’t know the meaning of backbreaking, hard, physical work, and find a way to complain or call it quits once your lungs feel like they’re gonna burst.
I knew a guy who just graduated from my school who taught me just how rare real effort is. Total workaholic freak, now at Princeton for PhD in econ and member of their club basketball team having never played organized bball in his life (he played club baseball in undergrad). He refuses to shoot but he’s basically a Shane Battier.
For the talent he had, he made himself into a much better player than other players with equal or even more talent.
I’m afraid I have to call “total BS” on this — although I am sometimes guilty of the same.
In the eyes of almost any observer, raw “talent” is almost indistinguishable from skills that are the fruit of thousands of hours of hard work. People of all levels of training and observation often believe that they are seeing one, when they are actually seeing the other.
Blake was possessed of great all-around athleticism. Remember how long it took him to adapt to playing the outfield? Just about no time at all. He was, almost instantly, one of the better defensive outfielders in the game. Yes, his bat was always suspect, but on the whole, his major league numbers are consistent with his minor league numbers.
He was a late-bloomer in the minors, exploding at age 24 in a manner not unlike Kouzmanoff. On top of that, he suffered some untimely injuries right when he should have been breaking in to the majors. That created a situation where he appeared to be a Four-A guy when he was a legitimate everyday player, even if perhaps a fringe one.
Yes, he became better than a fringe player, although not consistently so, and not greatly so. I don’t believe he over-achieved particularly. I do believe he was underestimated.
I understand, of course, that Blake has that certain body language, where people who view themselves as hardworking white guys will project that self-image onto him. I am quite certain that that projection has nothing to do with being able to sort out his talent from his work ethic.
Wasn’t Blake one of the best high school athletes in the history of Iowa? I think he was a 3-sport star. I would say that requires a fair amount of athleticism.
by Buckeye Brad on Oct 23, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions
hardworking white guys
Why must we always inject race into this discussion?
Certainly Walter Payton was considered a “hardworking” player and Earl Boykins and Spud Webb too. With all three their diadvantages in their particular sports are self evident.
The physical attributes needed to play baseball are not so self evident as basketball and football, but they exist. Speed, throwing arm strength and hitting power can be improved with hard work, but you still hafta play with your baseline God-given talent too. Some have more to start with than others.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
why must we always inject God into the talent discussion?
by Brick. on Oct 23, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Chuck-
Jay is saying it’s much easier for a majority of fans and sportwriters to project themselves as a Casey Blake/David Eckstein, because in fact, they are white, too.
As a white male of dubious physical prowess, I see how it is much easier to view myself as one of these types of players than I can a Manny Ramirez, no matter how hard or not-hard either the Casey Blakes or Manny Ramirezes of the game work.
where people who view themselves as hardworking white guys will project that self-image onto him.
I don’t see an ‘injection’ of race as much as an admission that race is a factor in both projection and self-identification.
Wait 'til next millennium!
Quick show of hands:
Of all the people who rushed to comment on Blake’s awesome hardworkingness, how many are not white?
I don’t know, Jay, I guess I’ve never really thought about what race I am. I’m not as hung up on it like you are.
Steel Nick
I’m the dude who’s playing the dude disguised as another dude.
Everybody should get ice cream every day.
by Joel D on Oct 24, 2009 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
The physical attributes needed to play baseball are not so self evident as basketball and football, but they exist.
One of the overlooked lessons of Moneyball was the traditional reliance on appearance. The guy (Billy Beane, in this case) looks like an Adonis, so he should be able to kill the ball. The other guy looks like John Kruk or Kirby Puckett. He looks like he should be working in a auto-parts store. But lo and behold—Kruk hits line drives. Fat guys can play, sometimes.
Lookism is a problem in baseball, as it is in many walks of life. How many generals looked the part and couldn’t lead an army? (General George McLellan?) I think Casey was beneficiary of this sort of thinking. He looks like a gritty ballplayer, the kind of guy who will do whatever it takes to win. If Casey were a fat black dude (there’s race again) I don’t think he would have had the chances he had.
See that’s not it either. There are lots – hundreds probably – who can through a baseball 95mph. But only a small percentage of those guys can pitch in the Major Leagues. But there’s probably thousand’s of guys who can throw 85 mph, but there’s only one Greg Maddax.
It’s not how player’s look, it’s what they can do with the skills they’re given. This is why successfully drafting high school kids is so difficult. Baseball, more than any other game, is where unmeasurable talents can be so important. Basketball, pretty easy, your 7’2"? ou’re going to college on a BB scholarship somewhere. Football? You’re 230 lbs. and run a 4.4 40, same deal. Baseball’s a little tougher. You look like Mickey Lolich and throw 87-90 You’ve got a problem.
Casey Blake? You say he’s a three sport star outta Iowa? I’ll bet there’s a coupla dozen guys who can make the same claim. I’ll also bet there’s not a handful of ’em ever got 500 ABs in the Majors.
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
It’s not how player’s look, it’s what they can do with the skills they’re given.
So why did you disagree with him? He was making the same point as you just said.
by Buckeye Brad on Oct 24, 2009 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Here’s the point I was clumsily trying to make. My take is that the average fan identifies more with the pudgy, – Kruk, Puckette, Mickey Lolich, – or short – Pedroia, Boykins,Brian – or awkward – Bernie Kosar – player more than the obviously gifted (read looking) athlete – Chamberlain, Canseco, Terrelle Owens.
In other words, if you want to be the People’s Hero, you’re more likely to succeed in garnering that title if you look like a coach potato and play like Superman. If you look like LeBron, nobody’s ever gonna call you an "overachiever">
Resident LGT results-oriented boob.
Yeah, you’re right. It was a carelessly expressed point, though by talent I meant skills more than athleticism.
After thinking about this for awhile, what I respect most is how he ended up with the major league career he had considering where he was at age 29. In that sense, I think you can argue that he overachieved. And to your point, maybe that opportunity never presented itself due to a variety of reasons.
A few years ago Blake was designated as one of Iowa’s top 10 athletes ever – baseball, basketball, football, and track.
I don’t think of Blake as an example of awesome hardworkingness, but I do think that of Dustin Pedroia. What does this mean?
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