Derek Shelton is one of those hilarious geniuses.

As if this team needs me to like them any more

11 months ago thevicar 75 comments 0 recs |

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Very, very good.

by afh4 on Feb 23, 2009 11:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I love the idea that Choo’s idea of not hitting a home run is hitting it off the top of the center field wall

by Roger Dorn on Feb 23, 2009 11:34 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

“Bases loaded, down three, nobody on deck,” Shoppach said. “You’ve got to go deep!”

I love Kelly a little bit more now.

"Less of an Indians fan" - Jay

by Voltaire on Feb 23, 2009 11:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

ALL!!!!

I can’t wait to do that for Shoppach’s first homer.

by Toxicadam on Feb 24, 2009 4:42 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess we know where Garko is in the batting order.

by CBusSteve on Feb 25, 2009 10:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

So, Grady’s a choker.

by fwembt on Feb 24, 2009 3:04 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

“Ryan Garko put down a perfect bunt when told he had a runner on second with none out in another.”

GAAAAHHH

Make it stop. No more of this crap.

by tabler84 on Feb 24, 2009 7:10 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Now we know who’s really taking Marte’s roster spot.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 10:23 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs

Heh, apparently so. Puke.

by tabler84 on Feb 24, 2009 10:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey, if Garko 2009 gets the same “opportunities” as Marte 2008, I’m all about it.

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 11:04 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d rather that be Benfran or Looch. Too bad.

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Feb 24, 2009 11:51 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

All part of the utility man mentality.

Pronk Needs You

by woodsmeister on Feb 24, 2009 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Garko’s situational hitting challenge:

It’s the opening play and you are sitting on the 5:5 and 6:4 tiles. Which do you play?

by APV on Feb 24, 2009 10:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Geez, now you’re gonna make me start feeling bad for the guy.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 10:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It’s all part of my clever plan to set expectations low for him so that Chuck and I can bask in the glory of our Garko comeback predictions

by APV on Feb 24, 2009 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

/climbs on the Garko “bandwagon”

Put me down for .350/.470

Though I look right at home, I still feel like an exile

by Manhattan Tribe Fan on Feb 24, 2009 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

SLG/OPS?

Don't be stupid. PUT IN MELOAN.

by gte619n on Feb 24, 2009 4:47 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

Beat me to it.

Carmona for Cy Young 2009

by danvail on Feb 24, 2009 5:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Who isn’t predicting a comeback for Garko? I know I am.

My thing on Garko is, there needs to be a reality check as to what he’s done, what’s he’s likely to do, and what his ceiling is, and all of those things are routinely and significantly over-estimated. I think he deserves limited playing time in the early going, and if he hits significantly better than Shoppach and gets more time, great, and if he lucks into getting more of an opportunity and does something with it, that’s great, too.

I will say this, though. The defensive edge of shifting replacing Garko/Vic with Vic/Shop is worth more than 50 points of OPS to me, and I don’t think Garko is 50 points better than Shoppach. Atop that, I think Vic will hit better by playing more at 1B and less at C, but we won’t ever be able to quantify that unless he has a career year.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 11:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with that completely, and I do think the “plan” for the lineup will shift depending on early season performances from Garko and Hafner, especially. I think Garko realistically needs to hit .370/.500 to warrant being a 5-day/week player, given the options we have.

by APV on Feb 24, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The 870 OPS is not really feasible for him, but as you well know, the options we end up with generally aren’t as good as we think they’ll be in February.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 12:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oooh, I’m gonna bookmark this post.

by mauichuck on Feb 24, 2009 11:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You do that, buddy.

PECOTA has his 50° at 749, his 60° at 783, his 75° at 816, his 90° at 884.

That’s a fairly wide spread, meaning that Garko has shown us two very different seasons, the weaker one being more recent, but he’s also dead in his prime. Naturally, this confuses PECOTA, his indicators are all over the place.

I’m more bullish on Garko than PECOTA, but getting back to APV’s comment, if you really believe that Garko isn’t worth playing at < 870 OPS, then you just shouldn’t play him. Per PECOTA, he has a 25% chance of hitting 816 or better, but also a 25% chance of hitting 680 or worse. The reality may be better than that, but it isn’t in a different galaxy.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 25, 2009 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

To clarify what I meant – I think Garko shouldn’t be on pace for 550 PAs unless he’s putting up that kind of line. If he’s not, he should still play, but as part of a rotation that gets Shoppach into the lineup more often and gives Vic more time at 1B. The reality is that if Garko is hitting .825, we probably don’t have a lot of other options for a 24th guy who can replace that.

by APV on Feb 25, 2009 12:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d like to see Vic starting at 1B and Kelly at C by the end of the year. I think you’re right in that Vic would hit better as a full-time 1B, or at least good enough to be a league average 1B while providing solid defense.

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 12:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

By the end of the year? I think you might see that on Opening Day.

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I guess I just mean I hope this ends up being the predominant configuration and that it works well.

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 1:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

But if you pull a two and a six
I’ll pack my bags and take that risk
And if you pull a four and five
They’ll never take this man alive
I’ll go far east and I’ll survive
The market street I’ll duck and dive
I’m living life just as fast as I can
A nod, a wink, another drink, I am the domino man

apologies to The Beautiful South.

Signature to be named later.

by emd2k3 on Feb 24, 2009 10:52 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe it won’t be dominos this year with Garko and roomie Barfield on the bench together. Maybe it’ll be after-game East Sixth Street party planning.

Pronk Needs You

by woodsmeister on Feb 24, 2009 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No, it’s this:

Gark, you’re in a 350-foot high dome. You need to hit the ceiling to stay alive and not foul out.

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Feb 24, 2009 11:53 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This increases the chances of scoring a run. Any other situation though, yeah Gaaahhh and whatnot.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Feb 24, 2009 9:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Shin-Soo Choo, who has been crushing the ball in these early days of camp

This is my favorite part.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Feb 24, 2009 8:58 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

What if Choo is for real? And if Hafner does return in some form? And if Victor stays healthy? And if they find an effective way to get ABs for both Victor and Kelly?

by APV on Feb 24, 2009 9:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

CHAMPIONSHIP!! Seriously, this time.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Feb 24, 2009 9:08 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This.

by tabler84 on Feb 24, 2009 9:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well played

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 11:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, i watched the whole video.

by Brick. on Feb 24, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I was wondering the same thing while I was falling asleep last night. What if Choo is actually a star?

by Roger Dorn on Feb 24, 2009 12:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Glad to know I wasn’t the only one that’s been kept awake by thinking about baseball the last few nights. I keep wondering how I’m going to fit baseball games into my schedule every night of the week now that I’m relatively busy.

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 12:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It is tough. I started dating my gf during the pennant run in 07. Combining that with work and the Indians, I felt like I had no spare time

by Roger Dorn on Feb 24, 2009 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Tomorrow, dude. Tomorrow.

"Less of an Indians fan" - Jay

by Voltaire on Feb 24, 2009 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Turk, don’t forget to fit Cavs playoffs games in your schedule, too. I expect them to keep us busy until June.

The best thing probably is to hit [Grady] 2nd -- Jay

by Buckeye Brad on Feb 24, 2009 1:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yikes

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 1:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

D
V
R

"Lotta heart in Cleveland." - Ian Hunter

by Denver Tribe Fan on Feb 24, 2009 2:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Haha, touche

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The full paragraph made me a little giddy.

Shin-Soo Choo, who has been crushing the ball in these early days of camp, was given the opposite direction. He was challenged to do anything but hit a homer, and he responded with a towering shot off the center-field wall — about a foot and a half short of going out. That drew a roar of laughter from his teammates.

by FredOx on Feb 24, 2009 9:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

same.

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Feb 24, 2009 11:54 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That line about Choo makes him a seriously mythical figure in my mind. A true baseball hero, fighting off military conscription for the love of the game, who can command the baseball so well that he can hit it off the top of the wall whenever he damn well pleases.

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 11:06 AM EST reply actions 6 recs

I love this image.

by tabler84 on Feb 24, 2009 11:41 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If only my photoshop skills were good enough to put Choo’s face on an Uncle Sam body…

I'm *always* in the driver's seat, cugino -- Chuck

by Turkmenbashi on Feb 24, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

gimme a couple days…

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Feb 24, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

by FredOx on Feb 24, 2009 1:22 PM EST up reply actions 11 recs

Good Lord, Fred … this is a family site!

Well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.

by Jay on Feb 24, 2009 2:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I didn’t even notice that the first time but now, I share your appalledness.

by NickFantana on Feb 24, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow. that’s really well defined.

So 2009.

by Gradyforpresident on Feb 24, 2009 3:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yikes. i didn’t see it right away either.

Travis Hafner is overrated. Clarity is underrated. David Dellucci is David Dellucci.

by westbrook on Feb 24, 2009 7:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

how did you not notice? can we put a(nother) pair of pants on that guy?

by APV on Feb 24, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I could do some BS thing where I could try and make it seem weird that you noticed and I’m not in the habit of noticing that sort of thing but the reality is…

…I don’t find these Photoshops entertaining at all. There’s about a half dozen of them I’ve found entertaining. In the history of the site. Consequently, I tend to gloss over them.

by NickFantana on Feb 24, 2009 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs