On Michael Bourn: The Terry Francona Effect Continues To Pay Dividends
February 11, 2013Miguel Montero on Trevor Bauer: “Good Luck to Carlos Santana”
February 12, 2013
While We’re Waiting serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
Fantastic read on Cavs guard Shaun Livingston’s NBA journey– “Having somebody like that who has been in the league for as long as he has, he knows the game so well,” Irving said of Livingston. “Even when he first came into the league, you could obviously see that he knows the game. I’m still a fan of his. I was watching him when I was growing up.”
These days, Livingston comes off the bench to spell Irving. They occasionally play together, but mostly he plays with the second unit. Byron Scott likes Livingston’s calming presence on a young team. Even if Livingston wanted to showcase his full talents — the no-look passes, the And1 dribbling skills — the minutes are often not there. Livingston is no longer the future. Irving is the present. Livingston is just trying to regain some of his past. “I’m not that guy anymore,” Livingston said. “I’m not that 19-, 20-year-old kid they are going to roll the ball out to and say, ‘Here. Play for us. You are our guy.’ That falls on Kyrie now. The dynamics have changed.” [Abrams/Grantland]
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Should be even MORE exciting now Tito– “He’s also excited at the veterans Antonetti added. Outfielder Nick Swisher is a little reminiscent of Dustin Pedroia in terms of brashness. Infielder Mike Aviles is versatile. Designated hitter Jason Giambi is so respected in the clubhouse that the Rockies interviewed him for their manager spot over the winter. He’s also the type of veteran a manager can lean on to help police the clubhouse.
But it’s not just about seniority. When Francona began contacting players shortly after accepting the Cleveland job, he did so alphabetically. “I wanted everyone to feel important,” he says. “They are important. When they walk through those clubhouse doors, I don’t care who they are. Every one of them is important.” [Miller/CBS Sports]
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“There is a lot to like about this deal for Cleveland. First and foremost, they receive the services of a very good player for the next four years (with an option for a fifth.) Michael Bourn is something of a throwback player in that he has no power of which to speak. Even though he has only 16 home runs over the last four seasons, only five Major League outfielders put up more fWAR than Bourn: Ben Zobrist, Ryan Braun, Matt Holliday, Andrew McCutchen, and Jose Bautista.
Cleveland did not sign Bourn for the last four years, they signed him for the next four years. What kind of player do they get? A speedy on-base machine who runs down plenty of balls in the outfield and runs the bases alertly and effectively. Bourn enters his age 30 season with concerns over the rate at which speedy contact hitters age floating around him. His stolen base totals are sure to decline, but as discussed earlier today, stolen bases are an insignificant piece of the total package.” [Fairservice/Getting Blanked]
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“But this? The Indians for the last couple weeks have been filling out their roster with NRIs. High-profile NRIs, but NRIs all the same. Pitchers and catchers reported yesterday, and the team seemed content to go into the season with the roster they had. Drew Stubbs would be a decent defender, and well, let’s hope he’s not an offensive black hole. The Indians didn’t have a DH, but well, they can keep their key players healthy by rotating them in and out of the lineup. The Indians have dealt with holes before, even ones that they knew going in they’d have to deal with. This wasn’t a club one player away from a World Series, this was a club trying to regain their competitiveness after an historically awful second half. Sure, Michael Bourn was out there; he did fit into the lineup in center field, and would solidify the lineup, but reality said that some other club would swoop in and grab him, and besides, the Indians were maxed out on their payroll.
But surprise, surprise, the Indians signed a Scott Boras contract, and not a Juan Gonzalez-style one-year deal; it’s a four-year deal that means Bourn and Swisher will be in the outfield through at least 2016.” [Ryan/Let’s Go Tribe]
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And for those that just want more NFL draft info, here you go. [Shutdown Corner]
20 Comments
on the NFL draft, I’m really in the Moore, Milliner or bust camp. If those two are gone, then I really hope some team absolutely falls in love with Fisher and gives us a bounty because none of the other possibilities at #6 seem much better than what we can get 6-10 spots later.
Moratorium on the NFL Draft until at least April, please. Let’s talk Tribe!
Sort of off-topic, but yesterday I turned on ESPN and they were talking about the “significance” of Michael Jordan turning 50, as if this is some cosmic event. In disgust, I switched over to ESPN2, and they were talking about THE SAME THING! Sheesh!
After that I was afraid to turn on CNN, so I shut ‘er down.
When the Tribe FO announced a 2012-2013 window, I really didn’t think they’d go about it THIS way, but whatever. I’ll take whatever works.
just yesterday that would have likely gotten you down clicks
The new CBA complications may have just given the Tribe Michael Bourn over the Mets? So, here’s one instance it helped the small markets (purely by chance, but we’ll take it):
CBS:
The union (and Mets) were prepared to argue that
since they were the 10th worst team in 2012 and only bumped back to pick
No. 11 because of the Pirates’ failure to sign last year’s No. 1 pick
that by the spirit of the rule they should keep the pick.
BTW, Keith Law has officially lost it with me. He is calling Bourn a bad fit for the Indians because we already had guys for CF (even though Bourn is better) and that we may move Swisher to 1B and Reynolds to DH, which hurts their “value” (rather than stating how Bourn replaces Aviles’ hitting in the lineup or that he replaces Stubbs as our leadoff man – both significantly helping our lineup).
Not to mention the Mets are desperate for a competent CF now and we may be able to oversell them with Stubbs? At least a thought.
That’ll teach you to watch ESPN for anything other than College Gameday and actual games.
And I’m always afraid of CNN. The other day, one host asked Bill Nye (you know, the science guy) whether the asteroid that is passing close to earth is “a result of global warming.” Be afraid. Be very afraid.
If I stop watching CNN and non-gametime ESPN, I’ll be missing all the news on shark attacks and Jeter’s ankle. Sounds good.
Yes, yes, and yes. Keith Law should stick to what he does best, which isn’t all that great to start with (evaluating minor league guys).
Pssshh duh… everyone knows that asteroids prefer warm/tropical climates.
“stolen bases are an insignificant piece of the total package.” I don’t believe this is true at all, especially in a player who’s averaged 54 steals a year over the last four years. When he starts to slow down, he will lose a lot of value, and his ultra important defense will diminish as well. Stolen bases are much more valuable than people give them credit for in my opinion.
This is where MLB Network, NBATV and NFL Network all come in to play.
Who is Moore? I’m a Milliner man myself.
The Indians are Bourn Again! Love what he adds to the team and lineup plug him right in leading off.
DaMontre Moore – aka the DeMarcus Ware of this draft
Bill Nye sold out?
Ah where did he play?
Well, how much credit are they given, and how much credit do you think should they be given?
Stolen bases get an too generous share of credit for the total baserunning package. Once we factor in caught stealing, and taking the extra base, or getting thrown out trying to advance, we can get a useful number for baserunning value. BB-ref and fangraphs both make a pretty solid attempt at quantifying this.
A&m