123 replies to this topic

[Frisbetarian]

I am pleased to announce that Morgan Ensberg has agreed to do a chat with the members here at SoSH. Morgan was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 9th round of the 1998 amateur draft, and played 731 games during 8 seasons in Major League Baseball. He made the 2005 National League All Star team when he hit .283 with a .388 OBP and .557 SLG with 36 home runs and 101 run batted in. You can see Morgan's career stats at Baseball Reference

Morgan, who had a career IsoD (Isolated Discipline or OBP - BA) of almost 100 points, was a player sabermetric types loved. He was an intelligent player, and is currently sharing his thoughts on his blog, Morgan Ensberg Baseball IQ, where he discusses baseball, the state of sports in America, and most recently, sabermetrics. It's a cool site, and I strongly suggest you check it out.

Please submit your questions for Morgan here, and he will answer them, along with any follow-up questions, starting next Monday, April 5. If any non-members have questions, please feel free to PM or email (frisbetarian@gmail.com) them to me.

I hope you will all join me in thanking Morgan and welcoming him to SoSH.

[TomRicardo]

What is like for a former all star to go back and spend time in AAA like you did in 2008?

Also what the hell happened in 2000 Spring Training camp (the gun men story)?

[DeJesus Built My Hotrod]

Thanks Fris and Morgan,

What is the most important tip or piece of advice you can give kids about playing the sport?

[Talon]

Morgan - I've read your blog recently and I am aware of your interest in becoming a broadcaster. However given your theories and obvious knowledge of sabermetrics and stats and the growing number of sabermetricans and statisticians joining major league front offices, have you considered trying to join up with a major league front office or as a scout.

Edited by Talon, 28 March 2010 - 01:01 PM.

[JohntheBaptist]

Hey Morgan, really excited to hear your answers.

As you became interested in the subject as described in your blog, how did your perception of yourself as a player match with what these stats told you? Did any of it surprise you? Disappoint? Does any of the portrait it paints of you as a player "feel" inaccurate?

Thanks for your time.

[Rough Carrigan]

Wow. Thanks for taking the time, Morgan!

The last year of your career, you played in the AL, in New York. We forgive you. What were your perceptions of the differences between the American League and National League styles of play?

Do you think there's a prevailing gung ho ethos among players that tends to result in players playing when they should be sitting out games to protect from injury?

Wade Miller, a former teammate of yours in Houston, came to the Red Sox in 2005 and tried to resurrect his career after arm troubles. I seem to recall him talking about having continued to pitch with Houston even after his arm hurt. Do you remember anything about Wade Miller hurting his arm?

You played a bit in 2000 for Larry Dierker. He was a manager believed to be friendly towards some sabremetric ideas about the game. Did you notice anything different about how Larry Dierker managed than other managers?

You also played for Jimy Williams and Phil Garner in Houston. Could you please explain what were the different strengths of those two managers?

There's a perception that Minute Maid Park in Houston is a strong hitter's park, yet, the park factors listed at baseball-reference.com are essentially even. 100. If the short left field is working to increase scoring (correct me if this is wrong) what is it about the park that works to limit scoring?

[Morgan Ensberg]

What is like for a former all star to go back and spend time in AAA like you did in 2008?

Also what the hell happened in 2000 Spring Training camp (the gun men story)?

Yo YO! Tom! You are my first question so send me your phone number and I am going to call you about the "hold up". Writing it out wouldn't be accurate because you would have to hear my tone of voice. So that it is secure, here is my email address: Morgan.Ensberg@yahoo.com

The 1st qustion about AAA was the toughest time of my life. I was really depressed and it was very hard on me. I know that I am a good baseball player, but I was just tired of the mentl fight. My entire life I have been fighting to prove I can play. I wasn't picked for any high school scout teams, Connie Mack, or any other all star type team. Instead I played American Legion in El Segundo, Ca with a team that had guys who were still in high school. But I always believed that I could play.

Most people think we just have it easy. Yeah the money is fantastic, but we aren't thinking about money when we are trying to get a hit. But what seperates most of us is that we are willing to humble ourselves and keep on fighting. I am a fighter who had never once gone through the "front door". The only difference between myself and the other guy is that I studied hard so that I had every opportunity available (I was accepted to USC and walked-on to the baseball team), and I worked my tail off so that when I got a chance I could take advantage of it.

Does that make any sense?

Morgan

I am serious...emaill me and I will call you.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks Fris and Morgan,

What is the most important tip or piece of advice you can give kids about playing the sport?

The most important piece of advice is to make sure that you have as many options open as possible. You may want to be a big leaguer, but play as many sports as you can. Playing other sports helps you understand games. It also forces you to work on skills that might not come naturally to you.

The other part is school. Now I am not saying that from a "go to school" commercial. I am saying that so that you have as many options available. The only reason that I got to the big leagues was because I was accepted to USC. I wasn't offered a scholarship. But since I got good grades, I was able to have USC be an option.

Great question.

Morgan

[Trautwein's Degree]

Again, thanks Fris and Morgan for setting this up and doing this. My questions are: Do major league players ever discuss things like UZR or linear weights? Do players read things like Baseball Prospectus, Bill James, and the Hardball Times?

Edited by Trautwein's Degree, 28 March 2010 - 08:42 PM.

[DieHardSoxFan1]

Thanks for answering our questions, Morgan.

Much was made of the "Come and Go as You Please" privilege afforded to Roger Clemens during his Houston tenure. Did this provide any sort of distraction or disgruntled rumblings in the clubhouse?

Also, who's the toughest pitcher you ever faced in professional baseball? Was there one particular guy who caused you to think "there's no way in hell I'm getting a hit right now"?

Thanks again.

[luckysox]

Morgan,
Thanks so much for your time.

What's the toughest play for a 3rd baseman to make, and who was a guy who you hated seeing in the box when you were playing 3rd?

Also, I noticed that you have one walk off home run - June 11, 2005, vs. Toronto. We've all (those of us on message boards and not in the big leagues) done that in our backyards at some point - but could you describe what it's like to do in the bottom of the 9th in front of 35, 000 people?

Thanks again.

Luckysox

[absintheofmalaise]

Morgan. Thanks for doing this.
You said on your blog that you want to understand sabermetrics better so you can help players understand better how some teams are evaluating them. You also said that you were told that you walked too much by your high school or college coach. There was a story a day or two ago about uber prospect Jason Heyward. The story was that he fell to the Braves in the draft because he was never pitched to in any of the leagues he played in in high school and teams felt that he couldn't be evaluated properly because of it. A big reason the Braves took him was because he exhibited such good plate discipline and didn't get frustrated and swing at junk off the plate.

I'm paraphrasing here, but in an interview Mike Lowell said that RBIs are the most important stat to him as a player and Theo Epstein said, in an interview about JD Drew, that not making an out is the most important thing a player can do. What were you told as a minor league and major league player was most important things you could do to get promoted to MLB and to keep your position in in MLB once you got there, if anything? Basically, were you told anything about how teams evaluated you?

[wibi]

Thanks for agreeing to do this!

My question dates back to the 2001-2002 era when you were in the PCL. Which was your favorite and least favorite park to play in? I've got a goal of hitting all AAA parks this year but more realistically will only hit the PCL ones (since I'm living in SLC, Utah).

Cheers!

[E5 Yaz]

The gun men story, for those who don't know and/or remember:

http://sports.espn.g...e...&id=3657182


Morgan,

Thanks for taking questions.

What percentage of active players would you say take sabermetrics seriously in terms of deciding a player's value to their team?

[mabrowndog]

Morgan, thanks a ton for participating in this. It's definitely appreciated. And kudos to Abs and Fris for helping arrange this.

* If you had to rate the best pitchers at executing a certain pitch type, who would top the list of guys you faced at the following:

- Two-Seamer
- Four-Seamer
- Splitter
- Cutter
- Slider
- Curve
- Changeup

* Along the same lines, which pitch type in general gave you the most troubles as a major league hitter, and why?

* Fans often hear scuttlebutt about tactics used by the grounds crews at various stadiums. How much of this goes on at natural grass fields, and what were some of the more common modifications you encountered with regard to the turf and the infield dirt? Did they affect your positioning or any other aspects of playing third base?

* Is there any antiquated on-field baseball strategy or traditional assumption you see still being deployed at the major league level that especially bugs the crap out of you?

* In 1997 you played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League, where your teammates included Matt Guerrier and J.J. Putz. You and Justin Lehr were part of the strong USC Trojan/Y-D pipeline that continues to this day. What discussions did you have with your coach Mike Gillespie that led you to spend the summer up here on the Cape? What are some of your favorite memories of that season, and what stands out as the most difficult thing you faced? What sort of summer job did you have? And what was the most important thing you learned during your stint up here?

* Doug Deutsch, the Astros scout who signed you, retired last year after a 27-year career. Can you describe from a player's perspective what the scouting process is like? When did scouts like Doug first start watching you play, what sort of conversations did you have, what guidance did you receive from your coaches and family, and did you ever feel pressured or overwhelmed by the attention?

Thanks again,
Mark

Edited by mabrowndog, 29 March 2010 - 08:59 AM.

[Fishercat]

Thank you Morgan for agreeing to answer our questions.

My question sort of goes off of Trautwein's question. Player voting for the All-Star Game was reintroduced in mid-2003, and they have a level of control over much of the roster. I was curious, considering your friendly relationship to some of the more advanced baseball metrics, as to how you made your choices on your ballot. Also, in a wider sense, how did most other players make their choices? Did they follow statistics and loyalties like most fans did, or does the on-field experience change how one votes in a dramatic sense (for instance, would a player be more or less likely to vote for a player he's seen a lot in person, or that he struggles against/does well against in spite of statistics promoting the opposite choice)?

[SeoulSoxFan]

Hi Morgan,

Just have a couple of pretty simple questions as a fan. Thanks a bunch for taking the time out to answer our questions!

1. What stands out from your All-Star experience in 2005?
2. What is your take on AL East this year, and which players will you be following most closely from the Sox, Yankees, Rays, and the O's?

[CaptainLaddie]

Man I remember watching an OTL on that gunman story. I have no question, but that OTL had me glued. Thanks for answering questions, this is pretty awesome.

Edited by CaptainLaddie, 29 March 2010 - 02:04 AM.

[Frisbetarian]

I should have mentioned this in my initial post, but the always awesome absintheofmalaise deserves the credit for this chat. It was his idea and he made the first contact with Morgan, handing it off to me to set things up logistically. Sorry for the slight, Rick.

[Rough Carrigan]

Thanks to absinthe, also.

Morgan, I'd like to ask another couple of questiona, if I may.

What percentage of your contract did you pay to your agent? Was that percentage consistent among agents? And did other agents ever attempt to get you to switch to them?

Edited by Rough Carrigan, 29 March 2010 - 10:34 AM.

[Alternate34]

Thanks for the chat Morgan.

You relate a story in your blog where your coach in college told you to sit on a change up at 2-1 because the pitcher on the mound threw that changeup 12 out of 12 times in that situation. How much of that information have you had access to when you played? Would you get information like what pitch a pitcher would come with at certain counts? Would that information be general or would you get numbers like "Eight out of ten times, in a 2-2 count, the pitch will go with his splitter."? Did you ever communicate with you coaches or front offices about the type of information you wanted or did they just go with the information they thought important?

[Morgan Ensberg]

Morgan - I've read your blog recently and I am aware of your interest in becoming a broadcaster. However given your theories and obvious knowledge of sabermetrics and stats and the growing number of sabermetricans and statisticians joining major league front offices, have you considered trying to join up with a major league front office or as a scout.

I did contact every team this off season and there wasn't a job available. My agent is Joe Sambito, and he said that the Red Sox have one of the best front office development programs so that is a goal. It is more that the Red Sox mentor their front office guys.

I love the game and I love to teach.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Hey Morgan, really excited to hear your answers.

As you became interested in the subject as described in your blog, how did your perception of yourself as a player match with what these stats told you? Did any of it surprise you? Disappoint? Does any of the portrait it paints of you as a player "feel" inaccurate?

Thanks for your time.

I didn't feel any correlation because the teams I was on didn't use those stats. Everything is always right fit. What most people don't take into consideration is that the only year I played everyday was 2005. So I did what I could under the circumstances.

Morgan

[Talon]

I did contact every team this off season and there wasn't a job available. My agent is Joe Sambito, and he said that the Red Sox have one of the best front office development programs so that is a goal. It is more that the Red Sox mentor their front office guys.

I love the game and I love to teach.

Morgan

Thanks for the response Morgan

I do believe I read that the Red Sox have brought in a few former players into their front office staff, most notably recently Curt Leskanic served as a professional scout and Billy McMillion, Carlos Febles, Kevin Walker and George Lombard have all fairly recently jumped from playing right into the Sox coaching development program. I suppose it does not hurt that Joe Sambito, among other teams, played on the Red Sox in the 80's and still may have some connections.

Thanks again Morgan for joining up with us, hope to hear more answers soon.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Again, thanks Fris and Morgan for setting this up and doing this. My questions are: Do major league players ever discuss things like UZR or linear weights? Do players read things like Baseball Prospectus, Bill James, and the Hardball Times?

I don't know any player that has ever brought up a sabermetric in the clubhouse. Players don't understand what all of those starts are. I don't think they read any of those blogs. Of course that doesn't mean that they wouldn't agree with any stat. Most guys don't really think UZR is accurate because ever field surface plays differently. In fact, the same fields play differently in the beginning of the year. The other part about UZR that most proponents don't understand is that the most important play is the routine play.

Does that help?

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Wow. Thanks for taking the time, Morgan!

The last year of your career, you played in the AL, in New York. We forgive you. What were your perceptions of the differences between the American League and National League styles of play?

Do you think there's a prevailing gung ho ethos among players that tends to result in players playing when they should be sitting out games to protect from injury?

Wade Miller, a former teammate of yours in Houston, came to the Red Sox in 2005 and tried to resurrect his career after arm troubles. I seem to recall him talking about having continued to pitch with Houston even after his arm hurt. Do you remember anything about Wade Miller hurting his arm?

You played a bit in 2000 for Larry Dierker. He was a manager believed to be friendly towards some sabremetric ideas about the game. Did you notice anything different about how Larry Dierker managed than other managers?

You also played for Jimy Williams and Phil Garner in Houston. Could you please explain what were the different strengths of those two managers?

There's a perception that Minute Maid Park in Houston is a strong hitter's park, yet, the park factors listed at baseball-reference.com are essentially even. 100. If the short left field is working to increase scoring (correct me if this is wrong) what is it about the park that works to limit scoring?

The American League is easier to manage. Because of the pitcher hitting, managers in the National League have to double switch players. The American League hits a ton more and probably has more powerful pitchers. It is a lot more complicated than that, but those are the generalizations.

What is your view?

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Wow. Thanks for taking the time, Morgan!

The last year of your career, you played in the AL, in New York. We forgive you. What were your perceptions of the differences between the American League and National League styles of play?

Do you think there's a prevailing gung ho ethos among players that tends to result in players playing when they should be sitting out games to protect from injury?

Wade Miller, a former teammate of yours in Houston, came to the Red Sox in 2005 and tried to resurrect his career after arm troubles. I seem to recall him talking about having continued to pitch with Houston even after his arm hurt. Do you remember anything about Wade Miller hurting his arm?

You played a bit in 2000 for Larry Dierker. He was a manager believed to be friendly towards some sabremetric ideas about the game. Did you notice anything different about how Larry Dierker managed than other managers?

You also played for Jimy Williams and Phil Garner in Houston. Could you please explain what were the different strengths of those two managers?

There's a perception that Minute Maid Park in Houston is a strong hitter's park, yet, the park factors listed at baseball-reference.com are essentially even. 100. If the short left field is working to increase scoring (correct me if this is wrong) what is it about the park that works to limit scoring?

Jimy Williams was a teacher. He is one of the top 5 baseball minds I have ever met. Phil is a gun slinger. He is very personable and relies on his gut. They are both really good guys.

Minute Maid Park is beautiful, but center field is what makes the park ridiculous. The Crawford boxes get a lot of attention and I am not really sure why they put it in there because it is in the field of play. The left fielder has to play closer to left center field which puts him out of position.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks for answering our questions, Morgan.

Much was made of the "Come and Go as You Please" privilege afforded to Roger Clemens during his Houston tenure. Did this provide any sort of distraction or disgruntled rumblings in the clubhouse?

Also, who's the toughest pitcher you ever faced in professional baseball? Was there one particular guy who caused you to think "there's no way in hell I'm getting a hit right now"?

Thanks again.

It didn't bother me at all. No other player seemed to care either.

The toughest pitcher I ever faced is John Smoltz by a long shot. I faced him a few times when he was closing and he was throwing 100mph with zero effort. That dude was filthy.

Morgan

[Jnai]

I don't know any player that has ever brought up a sabermetric in the clubhouse. Players don't understand what all of those starts are. I don't think they read any of those blogs. Of course that doesn't mean that they wouldn't agree with any stat. Most guys don't really think UZR is accurate because ever field surface plays differently. In fact, the same fields play differently in the beginning of the year. The other part about UZR that most proponents don't understand is that the most important play is the routine play.

Does that help?

Morgan

A follow-up question:
I've often been puzzled by why this might be. Do you think that there is a competitive advantage to be gained on the individual player level for understanding statistics? For example, Brian Bannister has noted in interviews that he reworked some of his pitches based on pitching statistics and novel measurements of pitch movements.

If you do think that there is a competitive advantage (and you might not, fair enough), why don't you think more players take advantage of the opportunity to learn about these things?

I could come up with a few possible reasons:
1) General lack of education: Math or logic involved in complex statistics might be difficult, players might not be inclined to work through statistics homework for what might be little gain
2) Lack of opportunity: Players aren't exposed to these statistics because traditional baseball culture has tended to ignore them
3) Frustration: Players might feel as though complex statistics don't really reflect what happens on the field (i.e., "The most important stat is the RBI or the win")

Maybe you might come up with a few others?


(Oh, quick edit: Thanks for participating!)

Edited by Jnai, 29 March 2010 - 11:32 PM.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Morgan,
Thanks so much for your time.

What's the toughest play for a 3rd baseman to make, and who was a guy who you hated seeing in the box when you were playing 3rd?

Also, I noticed that you have one walk off home run - June 11, 2005, vs. Toronto. We've all (those of us on message boards and not in the big leagues) done that in our backyards at some point - but could you describe what it's like to do in the bottom of the 9th in front of 35, 000 people?

Thanks again.

Luckysox

The toughest play for me is when a left handed hitter has softly "qued" the ball. There is so much spin rotating in the opposite direction that you are used to. Since it isn't hit hard, if the ball hits a rock it will take a hop you are not used to.

Gary Sheffield is the only guy in the league that I am legitimately nervous of when he is up. His swing is so hard and the ball is all topspin. It is just amazing how hard he hits the ball.

Hitting a walk off is awesome! I will always remember that at bat. It was a 3-0 fastball and I had the green light to hit away. So fun!!!!

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Morgan. Thanks for doing this.
You said on your blog that you want to understand sabermetrics better so you can help players understand better how some teams are evaluating them. You also said that you were told that you walked too much by your high school or college coach. There was a story a day or two ago about uber prospect Jason Heyward. The story was that he fell to the Braves in the draft because he was never pitched to in any of the leagues he played in in high school and teams felt that he couldn't be evaluated properly because of it. A big reason the Braves took him was because he exhibited such good plate discipline and didn't get frustrated and swing at junk off the plate.

I'm paraphrasing here, but in an interview Mike Lowell said that RBIs are the most important stat to him as a player and Theo Epstein said, in an interview about JD Drew, that not making an out is the most important thing a player can do. What were you told as a minor league and major league player was most important things you could do to get promoted to MLB and to keep your position in in MLB once you got there, if anything? Basically, were you told anything about how teams evaluated you?

I was just told to get hits. The system I came up in really didn't tell us what they were looking for. I always hit homeruns so I thought that was how I would get to the big leagues, but I had no idea what I needed to do exactly. I love the "not get out" by Epstein though. That is simple enough and it makes sense to me.

I was never told about how other teams evaluate me either. I was just never in any of these situations, but I wish I were. I am good with information and finding patterns. That would have been awesome!

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks for agreeing to do this!

My question dates back to the 2001-2002 era when you were in the PCL. Which was your favorite and least favorite park to play in? I've got a goal of hitting all AAA parks this year but more realistically will only hit the PCL ones (since I'm living in SLC, Utah).

Cheers!

My least favorite park was probably Tacoma. It huge and the field at the time was horrible. I loved Sac though.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

The gun men story, for those who don't know and/or remember:

http://sports.espn.g...e...&id=3657182


Morgan,

Thanks for taking questions.

What percentage of active players would you say take sabermetrics seriously in terms of deciding a player's value to their team?

That is so hard to tell. None of my friends in the game understand any of the terms. Since teams don't really make public what they are looking for, players assume that it is all of the traditional stats. It will change though.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Morgan, thanks a ton for participating in this. It's definitely appreciated. And kudos to Abs and Fris for helping arrange this.

* If you had to rate the best pitchers at executing a certain pitch type, who would top the list of guys you faced at the following:

- Two-Seamer
- Four-Seamer
- Splitter
- Cutter
- Slider
- Curve
- Changeup

* Along the same lines, which pitch type in general gave you the most troubles as a major league hitter, and why?

* Fans often hear scuttlebutt about tactics used by the grounds crews at various stadiums. How much of this goes on at natural grass fields, and what were some of the more common modifications you encountered with regard to the turf and the infield dirt? Did they affect your positioning or any other aspects of playing third base?

* Is there any antiquated on-field baseball strategy or traditional assumption you see still being deployed at the major league level that especially bugs the crap out of you?

* In 1997 you played for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod League, where your teammates included Matt Guerrier and J.J. Putz. You and Justin Lehr were part of the strong USC Trojan/Y-D pipeline that continues to this day. What discussions did you have with your coach Mike Gillespie that led you to spend the summer up here on the Cape? What are some of your favorite memories of that season, and what stands out as the most difficult thing you faced? What sort of summer job did you have? And what was the most important thing you learned during your stint up here?

* Doug Deutsch, the Astros scout who signed you, retired last year after a 27-year career. Can you describe from a player's perspective what the scouting process is like? When did scouts like Doug first start watching you play, what sort of conversations did you have, what guidance did you receive from your coaches and family, and did you ever feel pressured or overwhelmed by the attention?

Thanks again,
Mark

Two Seamer- Brandon Webb
Four Seamer- John Smoltz when he was closing (101 mph)
Splitter- Smoltz
Cutter- Mariano
Slider- Smoltz
Curve- Wainright
Change- Hammels

Pitchers who were able to throw cutters that started middle away and end up away gave me the most trouble.

I have never heard or felt like an opposing team did something to alter a field I played on. Fields with short grass like LA and SD I would have to play deeper. Cincinatti and Milawaukee had amazingly slow grass so I had to play closer.

I hate playing the 3rd base line in a "no-doubles" situation. I also think that infielders who are told to play "half-way" shows me a manager doesn't know what to do.

YD was awesome! We had a great group of guys and I loved "fried dough". A high school coach that I played against actually called me so that was how I got out there. I actually just got back from surfing when I told him I would go. By the way, there are no waves on the cape that I can surf.

I never met or spoke to Doug. Scouts sit and watch and we don't even know they are there. When I met Doug I had never seen him before. But he was a great guy.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thank you Morgan for agreeing to answer our questions.

My question sort of goes off of Trautwein's question. Player voting for the All-Star Game was reintroduced in mid-2003, and they have a level of control over much of the roster. I was curious, considering your friendly relationship to some of the more advanced baseball metrics, as to how you made your choices on your ballot. Also, in a wider sense, how did most other players make their choices? Did they follow statistics and loyalties like most fans did, or does the on-field experience change how one votes in a dramatic sense (for instance, would a player be more or less likely to vote for a player he's seen a lot in person, or that he struggles against/does well against in spite of statistics promoting the opposite choice)?

We don't have access to any advanced metrics so we voted based on what we saw. The fan vote is usually way off on who deserved to be on the team.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Hi Morgan,

Just have a couple of pretty simple questions as a fan. Thanks a bunch for taking the time out to answer our questions!

1. What stands out from your All-Star experience in 2005?
2. What is your take on AL East this year, and which players will you be following most closely from the Sox, Yankees, Rays, and the O's?

1. The all star experience was incredible, but it was quick. I remember that there we so many media there that you couldn't take practice swings during BP.
2. The AL east is going to be a blood bath. My guess again will be Red Sox and Yankees. Injuries will be the difference.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks to absinthe, also.

Morgan, I'd like to ask another couple of questiona, if I may.

What percentage of your contract did you pay to your agent? Was that percentage consistent among agents? And did other agents ever attempt to get you to switch to them?

I paid my agent 4% and that is standard. Other agents never tried to formally contact me. It would be through other team members.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks for the chat Morgan.

You relate a story in your blog where your coach in college told you to sit on a change up at 2-1 because the pitcher on the mound threw that changeup 12 out of 12 times in that situation. How much of that information have you had access to when you played? Would you get information like what pitch a pitcher would come with at certain counts? Would that information be general or would you get numbers like "Eight out of ten times, in a 2-2 count, the pitch will go with his splitter."? Did you ever communicate with you coaches or front offices about the type of information you wanted or did they just go with the information they thought important?

I never saw any scouting reports like I saw in college in proball. They basically threw the equipment out on the field and said play. We asked a couple times if they had any tendencies, but they didn't.

Morgan

[SydneySox]

Hi mate, really enjoying the answers you're giving out.

I wondered if you could talk to the pressure you're under from the media and how it affects you, the team and the way you live.

As part of that, I wondered how much support the teams you were a part of provided you or players with support in dealing with the media and the pressures they generated on you in terms of your personal life or your ability to do your job.

Clearly, we hear time and again that Boston and New York are tough places to play and live for ballplayers. We've seen and heard some of our hometown guys like Manny and Youklis talk or react to the pressure of their fame and the press they receive in the dailies. As a followup, do you think it's the sort of thing that would have dissuaded you, or do you know of guys (you don't need to name names!) who definitely had issues signing somewhere or playing somewhere because of the reputations they'd recieved?

Another question if you had time is something I've always wondered, that's more about the personable side of the game...

How seriously do you take the crowds at the feilds you play at, home and away. Are the fucking Mexican waves as annoying to the players on the field as they appear to be from my position trying to ignore them in the stands? In those many moments of baseball where you found yourself standing at third during a pitching change or mound visit, how often did you spend time paying attention to the antics or actions of the fans around you?

Cheers again, mate. Great reading your stuff.

[Fred not Lynn]

You write quite a bit about the shortcomings of youth baseball, and youth sports in general these days - with the proliferation of early specialization, and too much year round full-time emphasis on one sport at way too early an age.

I love what you have to say about knowing you can be a better baseball player than another guy, because you know you're a better basketball player...that you got better at baseball by becoming a better athlete when you were young, not by becoming a better baseball player (correct me if my paraphrasing is off). What do you think can be done within youth baseball, and youth sport in general to make things right? Given that youth sport has grown to be something of an industry that's not likely to go away, can that industry adapt itself to better serve the needs of the young athlete?

[bowiac]

Morgan,

To what degree do baseball players believe that baseball is a game of luck to a large degree? I'm wondering to what degree do players "feel" concepts like BABIP in the first place? Do you sometimes go up, hit the crap out of the ball, and then see it go right to a fielder and feel "well shucks, nothing I could have done"? Or do you always feel like there's something you could have done better in that at bat? In a related questions - how often do you hear pitchers go out after they've gotten shelled and say they felt like they pitched pretty good? Do pitchers who go out and get no strikeouts, 5 walks, but not allow any runs generally feel like they've done a great job?

I ask because a lot of "statheads" felt you were the victim of exceptionally bad luck in a few years, hitting a lot balls right at people. Do you guys feel that way during the games too?

[wyatt55]

Thanks for joining us and sharing your insights Morgan.

Was Nolan Ryan running Round Rock when you were there? What were your impressions of him at that level? What were his strengths (and perhaps weaknesses) that you saw?

The couple of the Rangers I've spoken to have been very impressed with his work with them on the major league level.

[mabrowndog]

YD was awesome! We had a great group of guys and I loved "fried dough". A high school coach that I played against actually called me so that was how I got out there. I actually just got back from surfing when I told him I would go. By the way, there are no waves on the cape that I can surf.

Heh, I get that all the time. My sister married a guy from close to your old stomping grounds (Manhattan Beach) and they live just off The Strand. He still grabs his board and hits the water every morning before work if the swells are right. When he first visited here he tried Nauset Beach and, like you, wasn't at all impressed. I suggested he give kite surfing a go, as it's extremely challenging here when the winds blow 30+ knots, but no dice. FWIW, he's a Trojan (class of '89).

Thanks again, Morgan. The candor is definitely appreciated.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Hi mate, really enjoying the answers you're giving out.

I wondered if you could talk to the pressure you're under from the media and how it affects you, the team and the way you live.

As part of that, I wondered how much support the teams you were a part of provided you or players with support in dealing with the media and the pressures they generated on you in terms of your personal life or your ability to do your job.

Clearly, we hear time and again that Boston and New York are tough places to play and live for ballplayers. We've seen and heard some of our hometown guys like Manny and Youklis talk or react to the pressure of their fame and the press they receive in the dailies. As a followup, do you think it's the sort of thing that would have dissuaded you, or do you know of guys (you don't need to name names!) who definitely had issues signing somewhere or playing somewhere because of the reputations they'd recieved?

Another question if you had time is something I've always wondered, that's more about the personable side of the game...

How seriously do you take the crowds at the feilds you play at, home and away. Are the waves as annoying to the players on the field as they appear to be from my position trying to ignore them in the stands? In those many moments of baseball where you found yourself standing at third during a pitching change or mound visit, how often did you spend time paying attention to the antics or actions of the fans around you?

Cheers again, mate. Great reading your stuff.

The pressure is enormous and you always have to answer questions. The media was great to me because I gave them honest answers, but it is really hard to deal with.

The wave is always at a bad time. During pitching changes I love looking into the crowd. Some people do some really crazy stuff.

[BoSox Rule]

Red Sox board so somebody had to ask: What was it like facing Pedro Martinez 7 times in 2005? He wasn't 96 MPH Pedro anymore, but he was still really, really good that year. How off balance do you feel knowing he can get you with a well placed fastball, curve, or change at any count?

Thanks, and not many people can say Pedro intentionally walked them

Ensberg vs. Pedro

Cr#	Year		Date	Tm	Opp		Inn	RoB	Out	Pit(cnt)Sequence	Play Description
1	2005	reg	2005-06-07	HOU	NYM	down 0-1	t 2	---	1	1 (0-0)	Groundout: P-1B
2						down 0-1	t 5	---	1	3 (0-2)	Strikeout Swinging
3						down 1-2	t 7	1--	2	4 (1-2)	Strikeout Swinging
4			2005-07-28	HOU	NYM	down 0-1	b 2	---	0	4 (3-0)	Walk
5						down 0-1	b 4	---	1	5 (2-2)	Strikeout Looking
6						tied 1-1	b 6	---	2	6 (3-2)	Strikeout Looking
7						tied 2-2	b 8	-2-	2	4 (3-0)	Intentional Walk

Edited by BoSox Rule, 30 March 2010 - 10:25 AM.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Morgan,

To what degree do baseball players believe that baseball is a game of luck to a large degree? I'm wondering to what degree do players "feel" concepts like BABIP in the first place? Do you sometimes go up, hit the crap out of the ball, and then see it go right to a fielder and feel "well shucks, nothing I could have done"? Or do you always feel like there's something you could have done better in that at bat? In a related questions - how often do you hear pitchers go out after they've gotten shelled and say they felt like they pitched pretty good? Do pitchers who go out and get no strikeouts, 5 walks, but not allow any runs generally feel like they've done a great job?

I ask because a lot of "statheads" felt you were the victim of exceptionally bad luck in a few years, hitting a lot balls right at people. Do you guys feel that way during the games too?

I don't believe in luck at all. Most player do though.
If you hit a ball hard there is nothing you can do so you know you can't change it. You may feel frustrated that you hit it right at a guy. And pitchers never feel good when they are getting shelled. Pitchers don't feel like they did a good job in your other example, but they aren't mad either.

[Morgan Ensberg]

Thanks for joining us and sharing your insights Morgan.

Was Nolan Ryan running Round Rock when you were there? What were your impressions of him at that level? What were his strengths (and perhaps weaknesses) that you saw?

The couple of the Rangers I've spoken to have been very impressed with his work with them on the major league level.

Nolan was in RR all the time. I saw him most days. Dude is unbelievable with players. Great guy and great family.

Morgan

[Morgan Ensberg]

Red Sox board so somebody had to ask: What was it like facing Pedro Martinez 7 times in 2005? He wasn't 96 MPH Pedro anymore, but he was still really, really good that year. How off balance do you feel knowing he can get you with a well placed fastball, curve, or change at any count?

Thanks, and not many people can say Pedro intentionally walked them

Ensberg vs. Pedro

Cr#	Year		Date	Tm	Opp		Inn	RoB	Out	Pit(cnt)Sequence	Play Description
1	2005	reg	2005-06-07	HOU	NYM	down 0-1	t 2	---	1	1 (0-0)	Groundout: P-1B
2						down 0-1	t 5	---	1	3 (0-2)	Strikeout Swinging
3						down 1-2	t 7	1--	2	4 (1-2)	Strikeout Swinging
4			2005-07-28	HOU	NYM	down 0-1	b 2	---	0	4 (3-0)	Walk
5						down 0-1	b 4	---	1	5 (2-2)	Strikeout Looking
6						tied 1-1	b 6	---	2	6 (3-2)	Strikeout Looking
7						tied 2-2	b 8	-2-	2	4 (3-0)	Intentional Walk

He really kept me off balance. I remember him throwing big looping curveballs that I just couldn't lay off of. It was frustrating.

Morgan

[Rough Carrigan]

The American League is easier to manage. Because of the pitcher hitting, managers in the National League have to double switch players. The American League hits a ton more and probably has more powerful pitchers. It is a lot more complicated than that, but those are the generalizations.

What is your view?

Morgan

I was wondering about the pace. I remember Mark McGwire saying that he liked the pace of the national league game more, not the double switches and things like that but that he felt with weaker bottoms of the lineups that pitchers challenged hitters a bit more and that the game went a bit faster. Did you notice anything like that?

[John Marzano Olympic Hero]

The pressure is enormous and you always have to answer questions. The media was great to me because I gave them honest answers, but it is really hard to deal with.

I'll follow up ...

Why aren't more players like you? In the above bolded, it seems that is all the fans and the media wants; honest or semi-honest answers. When they get them, the media and fans usually gives them a longer leash (see Brett Favre). But when they act surly and are unaccommodating, the media responds accordingly and tries to hang the guy at every opportunity. After a while, this usually bleeds onto the fans.

Athletes have to understand this, right? Why would they continue to pick fights with the media when the media has the last word and the power to mold fan perceptions? Isn't easier to do your job with fan/media support?