Protecting the Shields -- The Nick Cafardo Thread
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Note that Nicky used to see (and say) the same things about his boy Scutaro as he now sees in Aviles. Only now they are deficiencies. Had Scut still been here, we'd be hearing how moving Iggy down to Pawtucket was good for him and good for the club. And mark my words: when they bring Iggy up in June or July, as is the plan and has been all along, he will see no plan in it, but will sanctimoniously claim that they are fixing a mistake -- a mistake he warned them against -- of spring training.
If anyone is begging to be lampooned, Nicky boy is. Someone with a wit could fire up a site modeled on Fire Joe Morgan and have a good time. It's about time for a successor anyway. I miss that place.
If anyone is begging to be lampooned, Nicky boy is. Someone with a wit could fire up a site modeled on Fire Joe Morgan and have a good time. It's about time for a successor anyway. I miss that place.
This was my favorite quote in the train wreck article, as well as the laundry list that followed of all the noble outs that Iglesias made. Can someone smarter than I am kindly explain how you can hit .200 without looking over-matched at the plate?
"Baseball America: Phillies add further middle-infield depth, acquire SS Chin-Lung Hu from Indians. He batted .277/.328/.437 in 119 AB in Australia BB Lge."
There goes the Aviles-Blanton trade.
I mean, could the past couple of days have gone any worse for Nicholas?
What next... Larvanaway to Portland? Damon announces his retirement? Oswalt signs with StL for $1M?
There goes the Aviles-Blanton trade.
I mean, could the past couple of days have gone any worse for Nicholas?
What next... Larvanaway to Portland? Damon announces his retirement? Oswalt signs with StL for $1M?
If Bobby Valentine gets fired in the next 48 hours, someone needs to put Cafardo on suicide watch.
Felger just began a segment asking the question "Who on the Red Sox beat has been killing it with great coverage this spring training?" His answer, Nick Cafardo, the guest he and Mazz just brought on to advocate for Iglesias being made the starting shortstop. Felger was worried Cafardo would be suffering an emotional letdown with Iglesias being sent down.
That absolute disgusts me.
The only thing that Cafardo has been killing this spring is the Ponderosa buffet.
Cafardo is on with Felger and Mazz right now about Iglesias. "It's not like he's overmatched. He's only struck out 3 times and he's making contact".
"Immeasurable stuff makes champions. This team doesn't have the talent or the immeasurables".
WAAA--WAAAAA
"Immeasurable stuff makes champions. This team doesn't have the talent or the immeasurables".
WAAA--WAAAAA
Cafardo says that Iglesias has the kind of intangibles that bring championships but don't show up in the numbers. He said that he thought that maybe Bill James' influence and their love of stats like win shares might be causing the front office to undervalue shortstop defense, which Cafardo is just baffled by. Cafardo was disappointed that Valentine had backed off on the plan to start Iglesias but it sounded like Cafardo would still love to carry Bobby V's water. Cafardo did not give much credence to the idea that a terrible hitting shortstop would hold the Sox back. Of course he didn't.
The league leader in fewest strikeouts last year (among qualified players) was Juan Pierre, he of the 657 OPS.
Obviously Nick doesn't know that lack of strikeouts does not equate with not overmatched.
Right. Two years ago, they were killed for overvaluing defense, now they're misguided in their misappreciation of it. Why is it so hard for mediot types like Cafardo and F&M to grasp that it's not about defense or offense but rather total value.
edit: I just listened to this part of the interview. It so incredibly obvious when you hear Cafardo talk about this subject that he has zero contacts within the front office. Either that or he just ignores what they tell him. I mean I'm not saying you have to agree with them, but to be so ignorant of their philosophy to the point that you're basically describing the opposite of what they believe...and juxtaposed with Felger's introduction of him is just the cherry on top.
Honest question- how does one measure an 'immeasurable?'
Maybe...
Handshakes x Nicknames / Salary = X Factor!
Handshakes x Nicknames x Position of hat on head x amount of pine tar on batting helmet/ Salary x Quotable factor = X factor.
It really makes sense when quantified like this.
I want them to win the World Series right now more than I ever have in my life.
No. First, go to an ashram and meditate on this question. When you understand the dishonesty of the question, you will have achieved some immeasurable fraction of enlightenment.
<GONG>
It's gotten to the point where I honestly can't tell when Felger is trolling his audience and when he actually believes what he's saying. I don't understand how a rational human being could describe what Cafardo is doing as "killing it." He's getting called out on a regular basis by his peers. That's embarrassing enough, but this Iglesias article is truly nonsensical. Is he really holding up Cody Ross as some kind of offensive juggernaut as a right fielder?
If I thought Iglesias could put up a .657 OPS, I'd be in favor of starting him. At this point Iglesias wouldn't be just a bad hitter, he'd be Kevin Cash (714 career plate appearances, .526 OPS) bad.
So we had this in today's game against the Rays:
Ciriaco, SS-2B-3B-SS-2B-3B-SS
Spears, 2B-3B-SS-2B-3B-SS-1B
Hee, 3B-SS-2B-3B
-----Meneses, SS-2B
And not one word about the musical chair switches in Nick's game blog.
I guess those looks in the infield were not different enough.
Ciriaco, SS-2B-3B-SS-2B-3B-SS
Spears, 2B-3B-SS-2B-3B-SS-1B
Hee, 3B-SS-2B-3B
-----Meneses, SS-2B
And not one word about the musical chair switches in Nick's game blog.
I guess those looks in the infield were not different enough.
This week, Nicky gives us his annual managerial rankings. (Who knew these things were a waited-for event?) Anyhoo, here's his thoughts on a familiar name.
Valentine, meanwhile comes in at 15th ,,, right behind Ron Gardenhire
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/04/01/ranking-major-league-managers/eGjd2b8I4wSEAwPFENccPM/story.html
Now, guess where Nicky ranked him among the 30 MLB managers ...
... wrong! Farrell apparent is no better than 26th among managers, ahead of only Brad Mills of the woeful Astros and the three first-time managers who Nick says he traditionally (!) puts at the bottom.
Valentine, meanwhile comes in at 15th ,,, right behind Ron Gardenhire
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2012/04/01/ranking-major-league-managers/eGjd2b8I4wSEAwPFENccPM/story.html
5. Wouldn’t the Indians be better off signing Johnny Damon than trading for Bobby Abreu?
Hard to fault Cafardo for that one. Damon put up a 110 OPS+ to Abreu's 104 last year. Neither can play defense or run all that well any more. They're the exact same age, they are both left handed hitters. I don't know why you'd trade for either guy if you could simply sign the other one.
Does he seriously not understand that not every team has the cash flow of the Red Sox? The Indians can't just sign a free agent at the drop of the hat. Especially not a Boras client that hasn't signed yet due to contract demands. Add to all that that Abreu's been at spring training for a month; he would be available on opening day while Damon would have to get into shape.
https://twitter.com/#!/nickcafardo/status/186531018025611266
Nick Cafardo: Johnny Damon's Headhunter
I would love to know just how Cafardo chooses his manager rankings. I think that it's based on who talks to him the most because while I don't think that Joe Girardi is a bad manager, he doesn't strike me as a top five guy. But it shouldn't be surprising as Nick is the only one of his compatriots who chose the Yankees to win the World Series this year.
Though Michael Vega may want to check on the Red's free agent acquisition, Mat Latos.
Though Michael Vega may want to check on the Red's free agent acquisition, Mat Latos.
But, but, if Jason Bay had just stayed in Boston, he'd still be a good hitter! TERRIBLE decision by Theo.
In other news, Bay might lose his job.
(Yeah, I know, there was the concussion, blah, blah - don't ruin by Cafardo-bashing with facts...)
In other news, Bay might lose his job.
(Yeah, I know, there was the concussion, blah, blah - don't ruin by Cafardo-bashing with facts...)
Bruce Jenkins and Marty Lurie were discussing Cafardo's rankings on the all-sports station out here over the weekend. They were baffled as to how Bochy had dropped as much as he did (I think he went from first in 2011 to ninth in 2012 or something like that). They never figured out that Cafardo does these off the top of his head as a space-filler.
"This correspondent"???? .... Nick has regressed to WWII radio now?
http://www.boston.co...d_daniel_b.html
FFS, Nick...
HE IS 38 YEARS OLD and HIS AGENT IS SCOTT BORAS. THERE IS NO MYSTERY HERE. "Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit" are not looking to add the salary that Boras is obviously demanding. Case closed.
Is Nick his pimp or something?
It's a mystery? Really?
HE IS 38 YEARS OLD and HIS AGENT IS SCOTT BORAS. THERE IS NO MYSTERY HERE. "Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit" are not looking to add the salary that Boras is obviously demanding. Case closed.
Is Nick his pimp or something?
Hey, here's an idea. "You're an AL GM, saying it's a mystery why JD hasn't signed. Why haven't YOU signed him?". But followup questions are beyond him.
Astros: Jed Lowrie (played for the Sox, you know he's in Houston if you paid attention this offseason) Kyle Weiland (ditto) and Wandy Rodriguez, who the Sox were rumored to be interested in last year.
Padres: Edison Volquez and Carlos Quentin were fairly well known trades, weren't they? Cameron Maybin is pretty well known if you follow young players at all. Headley and Hundley have been there for a while, so if you've paid any attention to them at all over the last couple years, it's pretty easy.
It's very easy to answer those if you follow the Red Sox and/or any baseball at all, and give it a second of thought, which explains why Cafardo thought they were puzzling questions.
Padres: Edison Volquez and Carlos Quentin were fairly well known trades, weren't they? Cameron Maybin is pretty well known if you follow young players at all. Headley and Hundley have been there for a while, so if you've paid any attention to them at all over the last couple years, it's pretty easy.
It's very easy to answer those if you follow the Red Sox and/or any baseball at all, and give it a second of thought, which explains why Cafardo thought they were puzzling questions.
Yeah, as can anyone who likes baseball a little bit. Cafardo assumes the people who read the Boston Globe Sunday baseball notes aren't interested in baseball, because he's not.
Yeah, I misread Pirates for Padres, as was pointed out by the previous post. It's there for everyone to see, but okay I apologize to you and hereby "own" it.
The point is still the same-- people who follow baseball can name three players on any team without too much trouble. People who don't care about baseball can't. Which group is Cafardo in again?
The point is still the same-- people who follow baseball can name three players on any team without too much trouble. People who don't care about baseball can't. Which group is Cafardo in again?
I mean this isn't a big deal, especially on Twitter, but when stats are this easy to look up and double check it comes across as horribly lazy.
Another gem from this morning:
I really couldn't tell that Cafardo wants Bard as the closer. Because he's only been tweeting about this since the beginning of March. #deadhorse
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