Just talked to the guys over at our
sister site. Not too happy.
Labels: harold reynolds
It seems that ESPN sized up its BBTN crew, ran a bunch of numbers, analyzed hours of tapes, and decided somebody needed to go. It also seems that John Kruk has incriminating photos of the BBTN producers, because
Harold Reynolds has apparently been fired.
I'd still call this unconfirmed, since the only source so far is the NY Post. But, more later as details warrant.
Labels: harold reynolds
On "Baseball Tonight," re: Mets-Fish, when Delgado hit a 3-0 fastball off Koo for a 3-R bomb.
Ravech: Koo said later he didn't think Delgado would be swinging 3-0.Harold Reynolds: Well, this is America.Labels: harold reynolds
As we all know, before the season started, ESPN analyst and obese idiot John Kruk predicted that Randy Johnson would win 30 games this year. After Johnson's 3-2 start, ESPN analyst and blabbering fartbrain Harold Reynolds *reiterated* the prediction.
So, let's check in. After today's loss to the Mets, in which Johnson gave up 12 hits and 4 runs in 6.2 innings, Randy Johnson is now 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA. RJ is thus on pace for a 15-11 season. Is it possible for Kruk and HR to be correct? Absolutely!!! The Yankees are 22-21, so they have 119 games left. Johnson thus has roughly 24 starts left, if he stays healthy. So all he has to do is win every single one of his starts, and start throwing on three days rest around Sep. 1 to cram in two additional starts, and then win those. Or, maybe he can pick up a few wins out of the pen.
Anyway, I'm sure Krukie and HR know what they're talking about. Because they're both really really smart, and are not in any way stupid or terrible at their jobs. 30 wins for RJ, here we come!
Labels: harold reynolds, john kruk
Harold Reynolds, perhaps upset at the lack of him-related posts on this board, steps up big tonight during a discussion of who is going to break Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. John Kruk, in a remarkably un-Joe-Morgan-like moment, suggested Ichiro. That makes sense, considering that Ichiro set an all-time season mark for hits last year. Does HR agree?:
"I don't think that anybody's going to do it," Reynolds said on Sunday. "But if anyone could, [Brian Roberts would be the guy]. Here's four quick reasons why. One: The lineup he's in. Two: He's a switch-hitter. Three: He's a guy who can bunt for hits. Four: He's the kind of hitter who's going to see a lot of fastballs."One: the line-up he's in? Ichiro was in a terrible line-up last year. And he had like 500 hits.
Two: He's a switch hitter. Joe Dimaggio was not a switch hitter. Nor were 90% of the greatest hitters in history. Granted, Pete Rose was, so this isn't an entirely stupid thing to say. But...
Three: He can bunt for hits? Ichiro can't? Have you watched Ichiro play recently? He gets like four infield hits a game. He beats out routine grounders to the left side. He beat out a *smashed* grounder to *first* against Boston yesterday. Nobody, and I mean nobody, gets more infield hits than Ichiro.
Four: He's the kind of hitter who sees a lot of fastballs. Okay. Great. I think HR means that he gets a lot of fastballs because the rest of the line-up is good, which is point #1 that he made. Right? Can anyone think of another reason?
Also, Brian Roberts? He's had a really good six weeks. And he's got the best chance to break a record most think is unbreakable. Not Albert Pujols. Not Ichiro, the guy who has AVERAGED 231 hits a season over his first four full seasons. Brian Roberts.
Congratulations, Harold Joe Reynolds Morgan! We are on notice: you will not be out-retarded!
Labels: harold reynolds
...discussion on "Baseball Tonight." Harold Reynolds, our Joe Morgan of the Day, says this:
"It's not on-base percentage. If you don't score runs, it doesn't matter."Fantastic.
Reynolds naturally cites Rickey Henderson as the greatest lead-off hitter of all time, saying that he holds the all-time record for runs scored in a career. Apparently, it has not occurred to Reynolds, who is a former professional player, that Henderson couldn't have possibly scored that many runs if he did not first get on base. (He is second all-time in walks with 2190.)
Reynolds's three keys to being a good lead-off hitter? Glad you asked:
1. You have to steal bases. Because if you don't, then no one else in the line-up gets fastballs. Reynolds still apparently does not know that in order to actually help your team, you have to steal at a roughly 75% success rate (some say 80%).
2. You have to "handle the bat." He cites Juan Pierre as a guy who does this. I guess it means being able to bunt for hits, although Reynolds then showed a highlight of Pierre lining a soft single up the middle on an 0-2 count. He commends Pierre for "not trying to do too much" with the 0-2 fastball, which was low and outside. Perhaps he means that Pierre was smart for not trying to jack it out or something. Which considering his seven *careeer* homers, is something he tries to do...well...never.
3. "Knowledge of the Game." Derek Jeter is the example, because he knows when to bunt to move a runner over. He also, apparently, knows when to hit a home run, as Reynolds cites the Yankees-Sox game earlier this year when Jeter led off the 9th of a tie game with a home run. This is an example of "knowledge of the game."
Nice work, Harold! What is it about former second basemen-turned-analysts?
Let us say for the record that the only important thing for a lead-off hitter to do is to get on base. IsoP/SLG is gravy. "Knowledge of the Game" is expected. Stealing bases is okay if you are safe four out of five times. "Handling the Bat" is meaningless. Unless he meant being able to go the other way, or hitting sac flies when required, or something. But I don't think he did.
Labels: harold reynolds
