This is a long post. Sorry.
Unreal stuff. Just utterly asinine on both the question and answer end. This is going to be a Monday/Wednesday staple on Chuckie Hacks now. Feel free to comment and cast your vote for that week's "Billups of the Mailbag" award. Witrado actually answered my own question today!
Without further adieu:
Q: stadush_7901 of Milwaukee - If the clutch hitting doesn't improve soon (say maybe a month), what would happen, if anything, to the leadership of this team?
A: Anthony Witrado - There is good leadership on this team. Guys like Kendall and Cameron are solid clubhouse characters and I doubt they'd allow a slide to carry on off the field. And it's not just clutch hitting, which the team has been good at with the exception of recently, but it's hitting overall.
My REACT: Everybody re-read that question right now. WTF does that even mean? Seriously? What leadership is he speaking of? Ownership? Coaching? Players? How are you supposed to answer that? They are going to cry. They are going to send Prince Fielder to AAA. Moron.
Q: Peter of San Mateo, CA - Can you comment on the quality of Rickie Weeks' at bats? From Yost's comments, it sounds like he has solid at bat and is making good contact, but just has had bad luck. I haven't been able to find his BABIP (batting avg for balls in play) online, but Yost's comments would indicate that it's low. The relatively high differential between his OBP and BA are a positive, as is the high number of runs scored. Can you comment on what you've seen visually about his at-bats? Does it corroborate the quality at-bat, low BABIP thesis, or is he just not doing well? I am in California and have not been able to watch most games to observe myself.
A: Anthony Witrado - Weeks has been striking the ball hard, but as happened again last night, he's hitting balls right at guys. It's weird that it keeps happening to the same guy, but it does. Baseball is one of those sports that eventually evens itself out, so as long as Weeks keeps hitting the ball hard, they'll end up falling for hits. But the strikout thing is still a little bothersome for me. At least he is taking pitches, though.
My REACT: Peter my friend...when Witrado saw that question his pits starting sweating. Do you actually think he has any idea when BABIP is? Puhhhhlease. He totally evaded your question with a bunch of cliche answers that he gives to everybody whenever there is a Week's question. Guess what Witrado? Week's BABIP is around .215. That means he is getting unlucky. Read a baseball book.
Q: John of Milwaukee - Where can one find statistics re how likely a runner is to score from 1st with no outs vs on 2nd with one out, etc.
A: Anthony Witrado - Baseball prospectus or maybe find some Bill James books.
My REACT: Allright...at least he pointed them to Baseball Prospectus...but how about a little effort here! How about a basic run-expectancy matrix table Witrado? Go ahead...type it into Google...see what happens! Overall...bunting sucks!
OUTS
RUNNERS 0 1 2
--- 0.5165 0.2796 0.1075
1-- 0.8968 0.5487 0.2370
-2- 1.1385 0.6911 0.3502
12- 1.4693 0.9143 0.4433
--3 1.5120 0.9795 0.3718
1-3 1.8228 1.1830 0.4931
-23 2.0363 1.4144 0.6073
123 2.3109 1.5279 0.7485A: Anthony Witrado - Wow. How about he's right-handed, so no. The majors isn't a place to learn how to hit from the unnatural side of the plate.
My REACT: Well done Dan of Onalaska...well done. You are very keen indeed. With great senses.
Q: Adam of Milwaukee - Hey Anthony, There was a showdown on Costas' HBO show last night between the Deadspin creator and a national writer talking about blogs and the media. Where do you and Tom stand on that argument? There are so many great blogs about the Brewers (Brew Crew Ball, Chuckie Hacks) that in my mind serve as mainly a way for people to get excited about this Brewers' season. I don't see anything wrong with that! Do you?
A: Anthony Witrado - Not so much, but those people are also not in the clubhouse gathering inside info like Tom and I. Blogs are all good as long as you know which ones are informed and which ones are just fans. I also hope people don't mistake the people who write the fan blogs for actual journalists. But to better answer you, no, I don't see anything wrong with it.
My REACT: That was my question (notice the shameless Hacks plug). Ahhhhh...the classic "inside info" argument. I bet he could tell me when Prince shaves his pubic hair or when JJ switches to a new color jockstrap. That makes you much more knowledgeable on how the Brewers are actually playing (sarcasm alert) and gives you justification in your analysis.
I just blasted Witrado pretty bad here...so I got to give him my Billups vote. Overall...I think he's a pretty solid beat writer. No denying that. And I am definitely not a journalist. From the sound of his answers though he's got a lot to learn about the actual game itself.
10 comments:
My Billups of the mailbag vote goes to Dan from Onalaska, that was a joke right?!?!
totally agree with him there, bloggers are mostly a joke and should be read as one. they have no real insight, and basically are around to complain about anything and everything.
Maybe Onalaska Dan meant he'd bat a COMBINED .375 over the next two years? Like, two years of .190...?
Nope, still doesn't make sense. He's an idiot.
Why stop there? WHy not just say that Sheets should throw lefty whenever his tricep hurts. My "senses" say that'd work great.
I also think bloggers are a joke.
But I also think the guy from Onalaska might not have a brain.
Does Dan in Onalaska have a blog? I would like to read some of his insider information.
That took me well over 8 minutes of my life I am a slow reader.
Dan in Onalaska rocks.
Dan in Onalaska has to be in consideration for Billups of the Year.
witrado is ass
I like how Witrado's answer to you was essentially to point out about three problems and then say, "...but no, I don't see anything wrong with it."
Essentially, except for everything wrong with it there's nothing wrong with it. Kind of condecending....
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