CIMO. Posted February 7, 2010 Report Share Posted February 7, 2010 In a hastily called press conference, Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro spoke out against what he called "an overly beneficent computative smear campaign" that has left fans believing the Indians might reach a level of vague adequacy in the 2010 season. "I have unequivocally stated that I believe this is a club that's rebuilding. For those who do not understand my coded language, I am implying that this is a team that will not win many games at all." Shapiro said that he had tried to keep mum after seeing the popular Baseball Prospectus "PECOTA" projections that predicted the Indians would finish at 76-86, a record the GM called "unrealistically good but still bad enough that I wasn't going to make a scene." However, when another set of mathematical analyses were released this week, these called the "CHONE" projections, and the Indians checked in at 81-81, good for second in the division, the two-time MLB Executive of the Year award winner felt like he had to speak out. "You know, 5, 6, 7 years ago, we didn't pay much attention to these projections because the majority of our fans didn't know what they were or what they meant. While it's still true that most fans don't know what they mean, they do hear about them and repeat them around the office. The end result for us is an echo chamber of rising expectations: just weeks ago, we had successfully made the argument that we would finish behind the Royals. Then, yesterday, I heard a caller on WTAM talking about how the Indians had a shot at .500 according to a 'transgression analysis.' I knew I had to speak out." In remaking his argument for 2010 as an absolute sinkhole of performance, Shapiro reiterated how poor he anticipated the entire pitching staff being but also made sure to highlight the offense and the team's fielding as probable contra assets. "Yeah, I looked at the nuts and bolts of the CHONE projections, the individual players. Jason Grilli is being projected as a net positive to our club, a guy with an ERA under 4. I signed Grilli as part of my Expectation Realignment Initiation. This was a guy who I thought would send a message to our fans: pack it in, wait till next year. And instead, he's part of some accidental Frankenstein that's supposed to allow our club to win 75 or 80 games? Please. He's got Jhonny Peralta playing defense behind him-we're planning on that! On purpose!" "At the same time, I don't want to take away from some of the low expectations we have for our offense: I've seen projections that put Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner's total at bats up near a thousand. How is that possible? Those guys are a crystal chandelier fashioned out of champagne glasses hanging over a crevasse of rocks and lava somewhere in an Eastern Bloc state on the moon!" At the same time, the Indians' top executive refused to give much credit to the younger players he had acquired throughout the last two seasons, stating "they ain't Cliff Lee" and "many of them don't even know some of the rules." More than anything, Shapiro seemed to simply want fans to realize what they were getting into if they chose to follow the team over the next 8 months. "Computers are great and all. I used to use one all the time-Hank Peters taught me how. Sometimes, though, when you've been around the game as long as I have, you realize you've got to trust your eyes and your guts. My eyes and guts tell me that this is the worst team I've ever seen." In assessing his division rivals, Shapiro refused to go into details besides saying that all the other clubs have "tons of good players" while the Indians have "maybe one or two." When pressed for a prediction for this upcoming season, Shapiro would not give a hard guess as to how many games his team could win or lose. "I'm not going to do that-I'm not going to put our guys under that kind of pressure. My prediction is like the Joads in Grapes of Wrath or something. When Ludlow gets stuck in the hold with the baby T-Rex in The Lost World. Misery." http://www.letsgotribe.com/2010/2/6/129846...es-mathematical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambridgeho Posted February 7, 2010 Report Share Posted February 7, 2010 http://www.letsgotribe.com/2010/2/6/129846...es-mathematical Dear god, we are in for a long long year. It was good while it lasted. Now we can watch the Yankee's win 3 world series in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballpeen Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 Sometimes, though, when you've been around the game as long as I have, you realize you've got to trust your eyes and your guts. My eyes and guts tell me that this is the worst team I've ever seen." Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanpot Posted February 12, 2010 Report Share Posted February 12, 2010 That was pretty good. This piece, from another SB Nation site, was even better: I don't get it either, but Michael Lewis -- author of Moneyball and The Blind Side -- has agreed to share an exclusive sneak preview of his forthcoming book, Up the Middle, with McCovey Chronicles. He approached me, much to my surprise, and I agreed before he even finished the sentence. I hate to sound like a blushing fanboy, but, wow. This is unbelievable. The preview is in .pdf format, so my apologies to those of you with slow connections. Click here for a sneak preview of Up the Middle by Michael Lewis http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2010/1/26...nouncement-from Beanpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIMO. Posted February 14, 2010 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2010 That was pretty good. This piece, from another SB Nation site, was even better: I don't get it either, but Michael Lewis -- author of Moneyball and The Blind Side -- has agreed to share an exclusive sneak preview of his forthcoming book, Up the Middle, with McCovey Chronicles. He approached me, much to my surprise, and I agreed before he even finished the sentence. I hate to sound like a blushing fanboy, but, wow. This is unbelievable. The preview is in .pdf format, so my apologies to those of you with slow connections. Click here for a sneak preview of Up the Middle by Michael Lewis http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/2010/1/26...nouncement-from Beanpot Man, Shapiro wiffs again. I like Asdrubal too, but there's no getting around the fact that this team could really use a Mr. Fantastic at shortstop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoachShmaltz Posted February 17, 2010 Report Share Posted February 17, 2010 dude no one wants to read that long-ass crap. save it for your listserv, douche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanpot Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 Man, Shapiro wiffs again. I like Asdrubal too, but there's no getting around the fact that this team could really use a Mr. Fantastic at shortstop. I caught a little bit of the Phillies early this afternoon in Clearwater. Watched Doc and the gang for a bit and then was on my way out when many players left for the clubhouse and the Tiger press conference. Just past the turnstiles, on a minor league field filled with players wearing numbers in the 70's and 80's, stood a man at short with a glow above his head. It was the pride of Stetson himself. I snapped a few pictures with my phone in hopes of posting them here. Of course, I forgot that He cannot be photographed. I'll try to get the lack of evidence up here just as soon as I remember how to post a picture (from my computer, not a website). Beanpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanpot Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Let's see if I can get these to work. First up should be a crappy picture of Mr. Bocock fielding (terrificly, of course) a grounder in Clearwater: Next is a crappy picture of Pat Neshek doing a bit of stretching down in Ft. Myers: And finally a crappy picture of ESPN's Grapefruit Express, docked outside of Brighthouse Field on Friday: Beanpot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshutchins Posted February 21, 2010 Report Share Posted February 21, 2010 Cool pics! Looks like it was a beautiful day for baseball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.