Joe Morgan: (1:41 PM ET ) I think Harden can be an ace, he is excellent, and they stole Thomas from Atlanta by giving up Hudson. The A's are playing great right now, the young pitching is their key, but, I would think that if Mulder, Hudson and Zito were still there, they'd be doing the same thing. For the record, I don't know why you would call me a Billy Beane detractor ... I just disagree with his philosophy. Are you a Joe Morgan detractor because you disagree with my philosophy? I don't think so.
Testy, testy! Sounds like somebody has been reading FJM. (Or, perhaps he is just testy, and ignorant. Who knows.) In any case, I have two things to say about this exchange.
1. The sentence "...they stole Thomas from Atlanta by giving up Hudson" is ipso facto ridiculous. Where I come from, which is earth, "stealing" means getting something for nothing. You don't steal money from a bank by depositing a check and then making a withdrawal.
2. If Mulder and Hudson were there, they might still be a good team but the freaking point is that they traded those guys because they had to, because they have no money. They were brilliant trades, because, as you admit, Joe, they are performing as well as anyone could have imagined them performing if those other, higher-priced players, who were going to be free agents at the end of the year, were still there. See how it's better that they have younger, cheaper players who aren't going to be free agents? Do you get it? Hello? Joe?
3. Turns out I have three things to say about this exchange. Look at this section again:
"For the record, I don't know why you would call me a Billy Beane detractor ... I just disagree with his philosophy. Are you a Joe Morgan detractor because you disagree with my philosophy? I don't think so."
First of all, he didn't even call you a "Billy Beane detractor." What he said was: "It seems the Billy Beane detractors were waiting for a poor season with 2/3 of the Big 3 gone." He did not name you, or attack you, despite having every reason to do so.
Second of all...Joe. Friend. Where I come from, which is, again, earth, a "detractor" is exactly defined as someone who disagrees with someone else's philosophy. So, the reason he called you a Billy Beane detractor is because you disagree with his philosophy. And, also, yes, I certainly am a Joe Morgan detractor because I disagree with your philosophy.
What do you think a "detractor" is? I'm serious. What could a "detractor" possibly be, if not someone who disagrees with someone else's philosophy -- i.e., someone who thinks that someone else is wrong about stuff, and thus thinks/speaks ill of him? Joe Morgan is the very definition of "Billy Beane detractor."
Help?
Labels: billy beane, joe morgan, joechat
