THE NEW D-LEAGUE

berniecarbo

Heisman
Apr 29, 2020
5,220
29,572
113
This happens because kids today don't learn the fundamentals that become ingrained from playing sandlot ball every day, book or no book.
True, but George Kissell was special. It is no coincidence that Earl Weaver, Sparky Anderson, Tony LaRussa, Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre and Branch Rickey all praise him. One of his followers talked about how he would spend 15 minutes talking about a routine ground ball. One talked about his daily pre practice meetings to talk about a fundamental. If you were late, you were advised to be on time and presented with a cheap alarm clock.
 

vhcat1970

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
3,537
2,641
113
True, but George Kissell was special. It is no coincidence that Earl Weaver, Sparky Anderson, Tony LaRussa, Whitey Herzog, Joe Torre and Branch Rickey all praise him. One of his followers talked about how he would spend 15 minutes talking about a routine ground ball. One talked about his daily pre practice meetings to talk about a fundamental. If you were late, you were advised to be on time and presented with a cheap alarm clock.
I don't doubt he was good, but you can talk to someone about how to do something forever, but until you do it a hundred times you still may not get it what he's saying. I wasn't in military, but I surmise that's true about over & over drills vs. being told how to do them.
 

berniecarbo

Heisman
Apr 29, 2020
5,220
29,572
113
I don't doubt he was good, but you can talk to someone about how to do something forever, but until you do it a hundred times you still may not get it what he's saying. I wasn't in military, but I surmise that's true about over & over drills vs. being told how to do them.
Of course doing it is much better than hearing it. He was the man who insured the Card minor leagues were doing it. Till I was old enough to get a real job, I did thousands of reps daily throwing a golf ball at a rock wall to practice catching ground balls, soft hands, quick transfer of ball from glove glove to hand and quick release. Perfect practice makes perfect. At age 37 with a bad leg, a 25 year college coach told my team I was the best 3B he had ever seen. I was a mediocre hitter and a drunk for 10 years after Viet Nam, so I never went anywhere with it.

Most sites won't give a number, but a college coach told me that in shooting a basketball, it took 24 hours of perfect practice to build muscle memory. Each time your shot is the old form increases the time line. I have read 1000 reps on swinging a bat. You can't think about what to do in a baseball situation after it happens. Mark McGwire used to say you have to let go and let God, meaning trust your training. If you don't already know what to do and react immediately, it may be to late.
 

warrior-cat

Hall of Famer
Oct 22, 2004
192,099
157,501
113
Morning D-Legionnaires!

Still no rain but, it is time to cut the grass, I have waited long enough. Grass is brown but the weeds are green. High today to be around 105°. So, monster walk first and then, cut the grass at first light.

Before last night's Reds game which they held on to win 5-4, they had lost 8 of the last 12 only scoring 1.5 runs a game in those loses. No run support for struggling pitchers. Sal Stewart leads MLB in RBI's. Imagine what he could do if others were hitting too. Today's game vs the Cards at 11:40am central will be the rubber match as the current tally in this 5-game series is at 2 apiece.

It's Friday eve folks so, kick it in gear and be careful out there.

God Bless
 

MdWIldcat55

Heisman
Dec 9, 2007
21,578
86,879
113
Good morning folks. A busy Thursday for me. But all is well.

Warrior, I looked up the Reds' team stats before yesterday's game (I doubt one game mattered much.)

They had five guys who are or have been regular or occasional starters hitting under .193: McLain, Friedl, Marte, Hayes and Benson. Suarez was hitting .206. Bledday was .218. Even DeLa Cruz, Stewart and Stephenson were hitting under .260, and they are the relative achievers. The 1976 Reds' TEAM batting average -- including pitchers -- was .280. To say this hyear's team is hard to watch is an understatement.

Hope you all have a good day.
 

vhcat1970

All-Conference
Jul 2, 2025
3,537
2,641
113
Reds sent Marte down.

Here's a stat for ya: Sal Stewart leads MLB in RBI with 94. Reds team is 4th last in RBI & within 11 of being dead last at 490. So SS has 19% of all Reds' RBIs. No one else in MLB is close to that %. Those numbers make his season even more impressive.
 
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BBUK

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2005
806
4,497
120
I read the other day that MLB batting average as a whole was .244 or so. That is with a DH. What would it be with pitchers hitting? I don't like the DH, but you are probably in record low territory without it.

I go back to the expanasion of baseball Sir. (I know I bring that up.) Baseball has been watered down badly since then all over the dough. Just to absorb the money.

The skill of the game was watered down badly since then. It is a shame as there are only so many major-league baseball worthy players at any given time in history... The numbers just work that way and always will... Too many play in the majors today that are NOT worthy to play in the majors and never have been... Just a fact...

I remember Aurelio Rodriguez of the Tigers (His time there)... That guy couldn't hit his way out of a paper bag but the war's between him and Brooks Robinosn on the field were legendary to see who made the better play during their games.

I think Rodriguez's carreer batting average was .235 or .237 or something like that. I do not keep up with baseball at all for a lot of years now but that sounds like a medium average now...

Edit: HA, I had to look up Brooks Robinson's stat's... Career .267 .... That is a world of difference in batting averages as far as the production over time. I think Brooks had Rodriguez on fielding as well but I would hate to live on the difference between them as fielders. I saw Rodriguez's arm strength up close watching him throw from third to first and the ball plane never breaking, just a real frozen rope type throw.... A foot or two off the ground from third to first I saw many many times at games. (Loved the seats on the third base side... could really watch ALL the game that way.)
 
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BBUK

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2005
806
4,497
120
Oops, Hello All,

@warrior-cat (Thanks for the tweak reminder about the cacao in a cup of coffee.) I am drinking a cup like that now. (Had a cup yesterday and it felt good!), I added some coconut powder to this cup... I skipped the powdered milk this go-round. Thanks again....

Doing, doing paperwork trying to finalize a couple last areas and am losing concentration big time.. I guess I am getting down to it.. ;)

I am thankful, enjoy this day. Live it large....
 

cordmaker 74

All-Conference
Jul 5, 2025
416
2,361
93
Morning D-Legionnaires!

Still no rain but, it is time to cut the grass, I have waited long enough. Grass is brown but the weeds are green. High today to be around 105°. So, monster walk first and then, cut the grass at first light.

Before last night's Reds game which they held on to win 5-4, they had lost 8 of the last 12 only scoring 1.5 runs a game in those loses. No run support for struggling pitchers. Sal Stewart leads MLB in RBI's. Imagine what he could do if others were hitting too. Today's game vs the Cards at 11:40am central will be the rubber match as the current tally in this 5-game series is at 2 apiece.

It's Friday eve folks so, kick it in gear and be careful out there.

God Bless
WC, text with my cousin who lives there and works on the base, was telling me how long it has been since you have had any rain, crazy!
 

warrior-cat

Hall of Famer
Oct 22, 2004
192,099
157,501
113
Good morning folks. A busy Thursday for me. But all is well.

Warrior, I looked up the Reds' team stats before yesterday's game (I doubt one game mattered much.)

They had five guys who are or have been regular or occasional starters hitting under .193: McLain, Friedl, Marte, Hayes and Benson. Suarez was hitting .206. Bledday was .218. Even DeLa Cruz, Stewart and Stephenson were hitting under .260, and they are the relative achievers. The 1976 Reds' TEAM batting average -- including pitchers -- was .280. To say this hyear's team is hard to watch is an understatement.

Hope you all have a good day.
Someone in another thread mentioned that CES (Christian Encarnacion-Strand) who used to play for the Reds is hitting much better for the Orioles than he did with the Reds. Ke 'Bryan Hayes hit in the .200's before coming to the Reds. It makes me wonder what is happening with Reds coaching.
 

BBUK

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2005
806
4,497
120
HA...........Completely OT:



I did it again! I run pens OUT of ink... I cannot count how many over the years I did this way... Still do it. It is the frugal in me.... I worked that way in the government as well but didn't get totally "ignant"... I DO believe in frugality but not to this degree (All the time...)

HA I laugh at myself so much. (I deserve it!)

Have a fine evening... Eating Little Ceasars cheese pizza again... My Darling wanted a break... :love:
 

warrior-cat

Hall of Famer
Oct 22, 2004
192,099
157,501
113
Morning D-legionnaires!

Ouch! Yeah, it is hot. 107 on tap for today and the next few days. No rain still either. No wind yesterday made it stifling. Cut the grass (weeds really) yesterday morning starting at 7am. Had not cut it since the 1st of Aug. Hard to tell where I had cut in most places except where the weeds were but...the weeds needed knocking down.

Reds... Comedy of errors. I did not watch after the top of 5 with them being down 4-0. Did not think they could make it up. Apparently, they did but lost it being up 1 in the top of the 9th 2 outs, 2 on and dropped a fly ball allowing 2 to score. Final, Cards 10, Reds 9.

Well, it's Friday folks, I hope you all who are working have an easy day to end the work week.

God Bless.
 

berniecarbo

Heisman
Apr 29, 2020
5,220
29,572
113
Morning D-legionnaires!

Ouch! Yeah, it is hot. 107 on tap for today and the next few days. No rain still either. No wind yesterday made it stifling. Cut the grass (weeds really) yesterday morning starting at 7am. Had not cut it since the 1st of Aug. Hard to tell where I had cut in most places except where the weeds were but...the weeds needed knocking down.

Reds... Comedy of errors. I did not watch after the top of 5 with them being down 4-0. Did not think they could make it up. Apparently, they did but lost it being up 1 in the top of the 9th 2 outs, 2 on and dropped a fly ball allowing 2 to score. Final, Cards 10, Reds 9.

Well, it's Friday folks, I hope you all who are working have an easy day to end the work week.

God Bless.
Neither team deserved a win. The score was still 5-4 with 2 outs when the CF dropped the fly ball. Cards radio said it was his first error in 131 games. Cards went on to score 6, making it 10-5. Cards walked 6 batters in bottom of ninth and the last Reds batter flies out up against the RF wall with the bases loaded in a 10-9 game.
 

BBUK

All-Conference
Jul 3, 2005
806
4,497
120
Hello All,

At it, at it... Got to sleep in though after being kept up until nearly 1am... (Yeah, I'm going to knock her in her head (My oldest)...)

Bunches to do today around me computer so.... (If the Lord doesn't take me home, I will probably be ...."bugging"...)

Tackle this day like a winning football offensive line....
 

BC_Wader

All-American
Aug 13, 2021
5,038
9,513
113
Hope you fellas have a great day today. Was blessed with perfect weather at an outside concert with my Daughter and SIL yesterday evening. Man, time flys as my Daughter is almost 25! Seems like yesterday she was so little.
We don't get to hang out much due to our schedules so I was glad the we got the opportunity. I needed that little break as it's a busy rest of the week. Hopefully get to sneak some fishing in Sunday. Weather looks beautiful and I've been jonesin' for sitting on a bank for a few hours. Enjoy the weekend!
 

cordmaker 74

All-Conference
Jul 5, 2025
416
2,361
93
Hope you fellas have a great day today. Was blessed with perfect weather at an outside concert with my Daughter and SIL yesterday evening. Man, time flys as my Daughter is almost 25! Seems like yesterday she was so little.
We don't get to hang out much due to our schedules so I was glad the we got the opportunity. I needed that little break as it's a busy rest of the week. Hopefully get to sneak some fishing in Sunday. Weather looks beautiful and I've been jonesin' for sitting on a bank for a few hours. Enjoy the weekend!
Man I really feel old now, my son turned 50 this year!
 

AustinTXCat

Hall of Famer
Jan 7, 2003
53,898
318,803
113
Good morning from ATX. Yup, triple digits here again today.

New security system is kick butt. Gotta be careful. Easy to get cops involved. Great peace of mind though.

Have a great Saturday.
 
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