June 18, 2019

SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 8 comments

Jacksonville native* Josh McCown has decided to end his 17 year NFL career. Thereby dashing the NY Jets' hope of one day having the oldest QB in the AFC East.

With a middle name of Treadwell, the journeyman was surely was put on earth by God to roam the league.

When you have career stops that include SMU, Detroit, Tampa, Cleveland, and the Jets and you hang in for over a decade and a half, I think you can safely be put in the "Not Easily Discouraged" category.

*(Jacksonville TX)

posted by beaverboard at 08:36 AM on June 18, 2019

Thanks for the clarification.

I've known the magic of a visit to Jacksonville, Texas. They had a Godfather's Pizza.

posted by rcade at 09:41 AM on June 18, 2019

This is the last one:

Time lapse at the corner of University & Adelaide in Toronto.

posted by grum@work at 10:46 AM on June 18, 2019

Matt Carpenter Beats A Marlins Shift With A Standup Bunt Double

I dislike the shift with a passion, but legislating against it is absolutely the wrong thing to do. Batters have brought this monster upon themselves by insisting on driving the ball at all costs, no matter how the defense is arrayed against them. What ever happened to hitters who learned to choke up on the bat and punch to all fields? "Hit 'em where they ain't" might have gone out when Nap Lajoie retired in 1916 (no, I never saw him play), but the concept is still valid. Let the sluggers continue to hit away. Most of the good ones will also be able to hit in the high .200s or low .300s, and that is in keeping with the way the game should be played. My argument is with the guys who hit around .250 or worse, hit maybe 20 home runs per season, and strike out or hit easy ground balls or shallow fly balls the rest of the time. If that's all you have for the bottom 4 or 5 hitters in your lineup, you have a problem. I would bet trading 10 of those 20 home runs for a .320 batting average would make most managers very happy. There's an argument to be made, but so many more things can be done with putting men on base, establishing some pressure on the pitching and defense, and making things happen. Yes, I'm definitely a fan of "small ball", but consistent hitting will produce more runs against good pitching than will the occasional long ball. Want to end the shift? Learn how to hit to the opposite field.

posted by Howard_T at 02:23 PM on June 18, 2019

During a game last week, the Nats' tv guys were debating, "Would you rather have a lineup of speedsters or power hitters?" I lean toward the speedsters, mostly for the reasons that Howard_T just outlined as well as the presumption that the fast guys tend to be worth a bit more in the field as well.

posted by bender at 03:29 PM on June 18, 2019

The animal kingdom answer: better to have a Rabbit Maranville than a Rob Deer.

posted by beaverboard at 06:19 PM on June 18, 2019

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.