Deelirious In this, the second installment of Kasey and Stephanie Talk Baseball, we discuss Dee Gordon’s “injuries,” Ivan Nova’s nickname(s), and JJ Redick’s stupid face. Kasey: Dee Gordon, of your beloved Dodgers, is on the 15-day DL with a “bruised shoulder.” That reeks of Carl Pavano to me, but I know it is unfair to compare the two. I just think, two weeks for a bruise? Does that seem excessive or am I just a cynical jerk who has never been a professional athlete and thus, does not understand how severely a shoulder can be bruised? Stephanie: I would love to say that you are being too hard on him, but since we saw it happen in real life, his reaction seems slightly melodramatic. I don’t doubt that he is hurting, since he was just barely coming back from injuring his shoulder previously, but I think there are decisions to be made when you’re a professional athlete. Decide not to be a pansy. It’s like the beginning of last season when Andre Ethier was well on his way to the triple crown, and then went on the DL with a broken pinky finger. His pinky?! Tape it up! What a wuss. Injuries aside, Dee has been very exciting to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone run the bases that fast! The Dodgers actually have several rookies that I am jazzed about. Jerry Sands! Rubby De La Rosa! Justin Sellers! Justin Sellers’ tattoos! This has actually already been quite a year for rookies in general. I know you love Dee Gordon as much as I do, but who’s your second favorite? Kasey: Maybe it’s a peace of mind thing with Dee; in order to feel like he can actually play, he needs to believe he is all the way healed so, where maybe a different player would sit out for three games and then just get through the pain until it was gone, Dee needs to sit until he feels he is a full strength? I suppose there’s a logic to that; if you’re the Dodgers, you don’t want the kid playing tentatively, but you’d probably also like to believe one of your organization’s top prospects isn’t going to collapse in a heap every time he gets a boo-boo. It could be that I’m just spoiled by Derek Jeter, who has played for years through the pain of herpes. Speaking of the Yankees, Ivan Nova is technically a rookie, and he has been an incredibly pleasant surprise, especially after coming back up from a brief, mid-season stint in the minors. Aroldis Chapman is fun to watch, right? He had some control issues and got shipped back to AAA for a while but, fifty-some strikeouts in thirty-seven innings is not too shabby. We talked about this the other night but it is worth mentioning that Mark Trumbo has done a great job filling in at first in Anaheim. Of those Dodgers rookies you mentioned, which, if any, do you think will actually become consistently-contributing major league ballplayers? Oh, and how about this thing where the Indians have some new rookie step up once every two weeks? How long can that go on? Stephanie: Jerry Sands is going to be great. It was an act of desperation calling him up to the big club this year, both because of injuries and what I think was a lame attempt to get people excited about the future of the team. He needs more time in the minors to gain confidence and experience, but I think he’ll be a force in two years or so. If Rubby De La Rosa can get (and stay) healthy, he could have quite a career. But he’s another one who would definitely benefit from some more time in the minors. And I think you’re right about Dee. It’s possible he just has yet to acquire the mental toughness necessary to be in the majors. And there you have it: three wonderful prospects called up too early. Let’s hope it’s not to the detriment of any of their careers. Wow, I am sad now. Yes! Aroldis Chapman! I had forgotten about him! I am happy again! And Mark Trumbo. Now that’s a guy who has staying power. Ivan Nova too. No offense, but I want him to be a Cardinal so he can benefit from the infinite wisdom of Dave Duncan. Then he would be unstoppable! Apparently the Indians have an endless supply of young talent bouncing around their farm system. Don’t be jealous. The good ones will be Yankees soon! Besides, it has made this Indians team endlessly entertaining to watch. Jason Kipnis is really something. Remember Bryce Harper? I really thought he was going to be a mid season call up. So much so, that I even (foolishly) drafted him in the last round of my fantasy league. I dropped him like 10 minutes later, but still! Also, what a douche! If you had to choose rookies of the year at this point in the season, who would you pick? Kasey: I’m sorry I made you sad. Think about all the fun you’ll have over the next three years watching maybe one of those prospects pan out and the other two get traded for a washed-up former All-Star with an albatross of a contract! (Sorry, that’s the only process I’m familiar with where prospects are concerned.) Do you think Duncan and La Russa will ever part ways? I am of the opinion that Duncan could be a great pitching coach for any manager, but La Russa would be nowhere without Duncan. I just like saying “Kipnis.” Kipnis. Kipnissssssss. Kipnis. See? I do remember Bryce Harper. His star burned too bright! (He is currently hitting .256 in the Double-A Eastern League.) If I was in charge of handing out ROY Awards, and I was able to give them out right now, they would go to Craig Kimbrel in the NL and Michael Pineda in the AL, respectively. Kimbrel has stepped into the closer’s role ably (36 saves, 1.84 ERA, 13.4 K per nine innings) and Pineda has been a hell of a lot better than his 9-7 record indicates (3.57 ERA, .200 BAA, 137 Ks in 136 innings pitched). Maybe I’m biased towards Pineda because I’ve got a soft spot for the Mariners, having lived near to or in Seattle for most of my life. Same question to you. Stephanie: I have been a firm believer in Tony La Russa ever since reading 3 Nights in August, even though that book seems like it might just be Buzz (H.G.?) Bissinger’s knee-jerk reaction to Moneyball. One of the neat things about baseball managers is that they are all so different! Whether you buy into sabermetrics or you kick it old school, there is some intangible quality in successful managers that takes their chosen strategy a step beyond. Or maybe that’s just me being a baseball romantic. Either way, I think Dave Duncan would thrive anywhere, but there is definitely something to be said for his extended relationship and history with La Russa. But I digress. I am probably going to have nightmares about hissing Kipnisses. I would have to agree with you about Kimbrel for the NL. And while Pineda has been super impressive so far, it is hard for me to see past that record, even though I absolutely recognize that it is largely due to a lack of run support. A week ago I probably would have said Jeremy Hellickson (and you know how I feel about the Devil Rays), but now I’d have to pick Ivan Nova, and I’m not just saying that. He has been truly and undeniably awesome AND he has the numbers. Do you stand by those choices if you were going to predict the actual, end of the season, ROYs? And, Dee Gordon is the obvious choice for the NL, but who will win the CROY award? The C stands for cutest. It’s an actual thing. They just started it this year. Kasey: I would stand by Kimbrel for sure in the NL, but I think you’re right; if I was going to predict the actual AL ROY, it’d have to be Nova right now. His numbers are superb and he’s pitching for one of the five best teams in baseball, in an incredibly tough division. Do people call him “Chevy Nova?” I mean, why would they not? As for this suspicious CYOR award, Gordon is definitely a lock in the NL. In the AL, I guess I’d give mine to Josh Reddick, as much as it pains me. He’s a handsome fella, despite the fact that he is obviously a gargantuan asshole or he would not play for That Team. Now you! Stephanie: Chevy Nova is definitely a better and more complimentary nickname than Super Nova. Josh Reddick is a good pick. No relation to JJ, right? Then he’d be extra hateable! I’d say, for me, it’s a toss up between him and Dustin Ackley. They are both dream boats. I’m really glad Bud Selig started the CROY. What a conversation starter! And thank you for playing along. Kasey: I was going to pick Dustin Ackley but my M’s bias was already evident in choosing Pineda for ROY, so I’m glad you mentioned Ackley, who is one handsome sonofabitch. Luckily, there is only one “D” in JJ Redick’s last name, so they cannot be related. But let’s both pause to consider how big a shithead JJ Redick is. Moving on. In a fight between JJ Redick and Bryce Harper, who would win? (Trick question! The answer is “All of us,” because how fun would it be to watch those assholes smack each other in their stupid ass faces?) Stephanie: YES! Bryce Harper’s fighting style would consist of blowing JJ a kiss and then throwing his batting helmet in his general direction. As for JJ, he would probably be too concerned with his hair getting mussed to do anything but run away. We need to make this happen. This took a (great) turn for the weird. Kasey: That means our work here is done. Good talk.

Deelirious

In this, the second installment of Kasey and Stephanie Talk Baseball, we discuss Dee Gordon’s “injuries,” Ivan Nova’s nickname(s), and JJ Redick’s stupid face.

Kasey: Dee Gordon, of your beloved Dodgers, is on the 15-day DL with a “bruised shoulder.” That reeks of Carl Pavano to me, but I know it is unfair to compare the two. I just think, two weeks for a bruise? Does that seem excessive or am I just a cynical jerk who has never been a professional athlete and thus, does not understand how severely a shoulder can be bruised?

Stephanie: I would love to say that you are being too hard on him, but since we saw it happen in real life, his reaction seems slightly melodramatic. I don’t doubt that he is hurting, since he was just barely coming back from injuring his shoulder previously, but I think there are decisions to be made when you’re a professional athlete. Decide not to be a pansy. It’s like the beginning of last season when Andre Ethier was well on his way to the triple crown, and then went on the DL with a broken pinky finger. His pinky?! Tape it up! What a wuss.

Injuries aside, Dee has been very exciting to watch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone run the bases that fast! The Dodgers actually have several rookies that I am jazzed about. Jerry Sands! Rubby De La Rosa! Justin Sellers! Justin Sellers’ tattoos!

This has actually already been quite a year for rookies in general. I know you love Dee Gordon as much as I do, but who’s your second favorite?

Kasey: Maybe it’s a peace of mind thing with Dee; in order to feel like he can actually play, he needs to believe he is all the way healed so, where maybe a different player would sit out for three games and then just get through the pain until it was gone, Dee needs to sit until he feels he is a full strength? I suppose there’s a logic to that; if you’re the Dodgers, you don’t want the kid playing tentatively, but you’d probably also like to believe one of your organization’s top prospects isn’t going to collapse in a heap every time he gets a boo-boo.

It could be that I’m just spoiled by Derek Jeter, who has played for years through the pain of herpes.

Speaking of the Yankees, Ivan Nova is technically a rookie, and he has been an incredibly pleasant surprise, especially after coming back up from a brief, mid-season stint in the minors. Aroldis Chapman is fun to watch, right? He had some control issues and got shipped back to AAA for a while but, fifty-some strikeouts in thirty-seven innings is not too shabby. We talked about this the other night but it is worth mentioning that Mark Trumbo has done a great job filling in at first in Anaheim.

Of those Dodgers rookies you mentioned, which, if any, do you think will actually become consistently-contributing major league ballplayers?

Oh, and how about this thing where the Indians have some new rookie step up once every two weeks? How long can that go on?

Stephanie: Jerry Sands is going to be great. It was an act of desperation calling him up to the big club this year, both because of injuries and what I think was a lame attempt to get people excited about the future of the team. He needs more time in the minors to gain confidence and experience, but I think he’ll be a force in two years or so. If Rubby De La Rosa can get (and stay) healthy, he could have quite a career. But he’s another one who would definitely benefit from some more time in the minors. And I think you’re right about Dee. It’s possible he just has yet to acquire the mental toughness necessary to be in the majors. And there you have it: three wonderful prospects called up too early. Let’s hope it’s not to the detriment of any of their careers. Wow, I am sad now.

Yes! Aroldis Chapman! I had forgotten about him! I am happy again! And Mark Trumbo. Now that’s a guy who has staying power. Ivan Nova too. No offense, but I want him to be a Cardinal so he can benefit from the infinite wisdom of Dave Duncan. Then he would be unstoppable!

Apparently the Indians have an endless supply of young talent bouncing around their farm system. Don’t be jealous. The good ones will be Yankees soon! Besides, it has made this Indians team endlessly entertaining to watch. Jason Kipnis is really something.

Remember Bryce Harper? I really thought he was going to be a mid season call up. So much so, that I even (foolishly) drafted him in the last round of my fantasy league. I dropped him like 10 minutes later, but still! Also, what a douche!

If you had to choose rookies of the year at this point in the season, who would you pick?

Kasey: I’m sorry I made you sad. Think about all the fun you’ll have over the next three years watching maybe one of those prospects pan out and the other two get traded for a washed-up former All-Star with an albatross of a contract! (Sorry, that’s the only process I’m familiar with where prospects are concerned.)

Do you think Duncan and La Russa will ever part ways? I am of the opinion that Duncan could be a great pitching coach for any manager, but La Russa would be nowhere without Duncan.

I just like saying “Kipnis.” Kipnis. Kipnissssssss. Kipnis. See?

I do remember Bryce Harper. His star burned too bright! (He is currently hitting .256 in the Double-A Eastern League.)

If I was in charge of handing out ROY Awards, and I was able to give them out right now, they would go to Craig Kimbrel in the NL and Michael Pineda in the AL, respectively. Kimbrel has stepped into the closer’s role ably (36 saves, 1.84 ERA, 13.4 K per nine innings) and Pineda has been a hell of a lot better than his 9-7 record indicates (3.57 ERA, .200 BAA, 137 Ks in 136 innings pitched). Maybe I’m biased towards Pineda because I’ve got a soft spot for the Mariners, having lived near to or in Seattle for most of my life. Same question to you.

Stephanie: I have been a firm believer in Tony La Russa ever since reading 3 Nights in August, even though that book seems like it might just be Buzz (H.G.?) Bissinger’s knee-jerk reaction to Moneyball. One of the neat things about baseball managers is that they are all so different! Whether you buy into sabermetrics or you kick it old school, there is some intangible quality in successful managers that takes their chosen strategy a step beyond. Or maybe that’s just me being a baseball romantic. Either way, I think Dave Duncan would thrive anywhere, but there is definitely something to be said for his extended relationship and history with La Russa. But I digress.

I am probably going to have nightmares about hissing Kipnisses.

I would have to agree with you about Kimbrel for the NL. And while Pineda has been super impressive so far, it is hard for me to see past that record, even though I absolutely recognize that it is largely due to a lack of run support. A week ago I probably would have said Jeremy Hellickson (and you know how I feel about the Devil Rays), but now I’d have to pick Ivan Nova, and I’m not just saying that. He has been truly and undeniably awesome AND he has the numbers.

Do you stand by those choices if you were going to predict the actual, end of the season, ROYs? And, Dee Gordon is the obvious choice for the NL, but who will win the CROY award? The C stands for cutest. It’s an actual thing. They just started it this year.

Kasey: I would stand by Kimbrel for sure in the NL, but I think you’re right; if I was going to predict the actual AL ROY, it’d have to be Nova right now. His numbers are superb and he’s pitching for one of the five best teams in baseball, in an incredibly tough division. Do people call him “Chevy Nova?” I mean, why would they not?

As for this suspicious CYOR award, Gordon is definitely a lock in the NL. In the AL, I guess I’d give mine to Josh Reddick, as much as it pains me. He’s a handsome fella, despite the fact that he is obviously a gargantuan asshole or he would not play for That Team.

Now you!

Stephanie: Chevy Nova is definitely a better and more complimentary nickname than Super Nova.

Josh Reddick is a good pick. No relation to JJ, right? Then he’d be extra hateable! I’d say, for me, it’s a toss up between him and Dustin Ackley. They are both dream boats. I’m really glad Bud Selig started the CROY. What a conversation starter! And thank you for playing along.

Kasey: I was going to pick Dustin Ackley but my M’s bias was already evident in choosing Pineda for ROY, so I’m glad you mentioned Ackley, who is one handsome sonofabitch.

Luckily, there is only one “D” in JJ Redick’s last name, so they cannot be related. But let’s both pause to consider how big a shithead JJ Redick is.

Moving on. In a fight between JJ Redick and Bryce Harper, who would win? (Trick question! The answer is “All of us,” because how fun would it be to watch those assholes smack each other in their stupid ass faces?)

Stephanie: YES! Bryce Harper’s fighting style would consist of blowing JJ a kiss and then throwing his batting helmet in his general direction. As for JJ, he would probably be too concerned with his hair getting mussed to do anything but run away. We need to make this happen.

This took a (great) turn for the weird.

Kasey: That means our work here is done. Good talk.

9 months ago
  1. kingfielder posted this