Chicago should mail the Pirates a thank you card

Stephen Zielinski wrote:
>
> "Alan & Erin Williams" <williams5 RemoveThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message
> news:3F76FF4E.F7382178@mindspring.com...
> > Stephen Zielinski wrote:
> > >
> > > "KatyMaria" <katymaria7 RemoveThis @aol.com> wrote in message
> > > news:20030927225000.14508.00000426@mb-m28.aol.com...
> > > > >From: "Stephen Zielinski" stephen_zielinski RemoveThis @hotmail.com
> > > >
> > > > >That 2nd game lineup had to be the worst thing I've seen in a long
> time.
> > > > >Supposedly, this Pirate team is about winning games. So, sit Kendall
> on
> > > the
> > > > >bench.
> > > >
> > > > How often do you see the same catcher playing both ends?
> > > >
> > > > > Then run Redman, Nunez, Mackowiak, C. Wilson and Rivera out as your
> > > > >first five hitters.
> > > >
> > > > When your starter gives up six runs, five earned in 1.1 innings, it's
> hard
> > > to
> > > > blame the offense.
> > >
> > > Vogelsong was coming off of 2 strong performances. I heaped abuse on
> > > McClendon as soon as I saw the lineup. Vogelsong would have had to throw
> > > another shutout if the Pirates were to have a chance in this game with
> this
> > > offense.
> > >
> > > This was the most important game of the year for the Pirates and the
> whole
> > > of baseball and its fans were aware of the game and its importance. So,
> > > McClendon sits his best hitter? Kendall has all winter to rest before he
> > > goes to spring training with the Padres. Send him out there to battle
> the
> > > Cubs. Do it for pride!
> >
> > Catching back to back games of a Doubleheader? Posada got national
> > press for catching a day game after a night game this week! It's
> > nonsense. Kendall would have been less of an offensive threat in the
> > second game than his rested replacement.
> >
> > Alan
>
> But, his replacement had also played the first game.

Not as the catcher, my friend. Try doing about 300 squat-thrusts
wearing catcher's gear in the afternoon heat and then wait 30 minutes.
Now go run the bases. If your legs are still responding to the command
to 'Go', let me know.

Alan
'sprawling between home and first'
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"Alan & Erin Williams" <williams5.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3F772E74.E30E1033@mindspring.com...
> Stephen Zielinski wrote:
> >
> > "Alan & Erin Williams" <williams5.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
> > news:3F76FF4E.F7382178@mindspring.com...
> > > Stephen Zielinski wrote:
> > > >
> > > > "KatyMaria" <katymaria7.RemoveThis@aol.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:20030927225000.14508.00000426@mb-m28.aol.com...
> > > > > >From: "Stephen Zielinski" stephen_zielinski.RemoveThis@hotmail.com
> > > > >
> > > > > >That 2nd game lineup had to be the worst thing I've seen in a
long
> > time.
> > > > > >Supposedly, this Pirate team is about winning games. So, sit
Kendall
> > on
> > > > the
> > > > > >bench.
> > > > >
> > > > > How often do you see the same catcher playing both ends?
> > > > >
> > > > > > Then run Redman, Nunez, Mackowiak, C. Wilson and Rivera out as
your
> > > > > >first five hitters.
> > > > >
> > > > > When your starter gives up six runs, five earned in 1.1 innings,
it's
> > hard
> > > > to
> > > > > blame the offense.
> > > >
> > > > Vogelsong was coming off of 2 strong performances. I heaped abuse on
> > > > McClendon as soon as I saw the lineup. Vogelsong would have had to
throw
> > > > another shutout if the Pirates were to have a chance in this game
with
> > this
> > > > offense.
> > > >
> > > > This was the most important game of the year for the Pirates and the
> > whole
> > > > of baseball and its fans were aware of the game and its importance.
So,
> > > > McClendon sits his best hitter? Kendall has all winter to rest
before he
> > > > goes to spring training with the Padres. Send him out there to
battle
> > the
> > > > Cubs. Do it for pride!
> > >
> > > Catching back to back games of a Doubleheader? Posada got national
> > > press for catching a day game after a night game this week! It's
> > > nonsense. Kendall would have been less of an offensive threat in the
> > > second game than his rested replacement.
> > >
> > > Alan
> >
> > But, his replacement had also played the first game.
>
> Not as the catcher, my friend. Try doing about 300 squat-thrusts
> wearing catcher's gear in the afternoon heat and then wait 30 minutes.
> Now go run the bases. If your legs are still responding to the command
> to 'Go', let me know.
>
> Alan
> 'sprawling between home and first'

What I would or could do is irrelevant. Kendall could have played. Thus, run
him out their. It was a bad call by McClendon. Had the Pirates needed the
game to clinch, Kendall would have played.
 >> Stay informed about: Chicago should mail the Pirates a thank you card 

Stephen Zielinski wrote:
>
(snip)
>
> What I would or could do is irrelevant. Kendall could have played. Thus, run
> him out their. It was a bad call by McClendon. Had the Pirates needed the
> game to clinch, Kendall would have played.

In the interest of World Peace I won't pursue this any further, Steve.
You seem adamant that this should/could have happened.

I disagree. I cannot remember any MLB catcher working both games of a
DHer in 2003. I think Kendall did make a PHing appearance in the second
game of one earlier this past month. I have a vague recollection of
Jason in Left field a number of seasons ago, and confess that it left no
lasting impression of his glove work elsewhere on the diamond.

I have read that JK has been rejecting the idea of playing any other position.

Alan
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"Alan & Erin Williams" <williams5.RemoveThis@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3F77335E.F703F098@mindspring.com...
> Stephen Zielinski wrote:
> >
> (snip)
> >
> > What I would or could do is irrelevant. Kendall could have played. Thus,
run
> > him out their. It was a bad call by McClendon. Had the Pirates needed
the
> > game to clinch, Kendall would have played.
>
> In the interest of World Peace I won't pursue this any further, Steve.
> You seem adamant that this should/could have happened.
>
Well, I'm not likely to change my mind on this one. The Kendall part of the
line-up bothered me less than the whole makeup of the lineup. But...
 >> Stay informed about: Chicago should mail the Pirates a thank you card 

"Stephen Zielinski" <stephen_zielinski RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:eJacnZrvnv0Uv-qiU-KYuQ@comcast.com...
> Well, they should play their catchers in both ends of a DH when the game
is
> this important.

You're missing the point here Steve the game wasn't that important to the
Pirates so why take a chance of harming you best asset in the off season
when the game means nothing to your franchise?
 >> Stay informed about: Chicago should mail the Pirates a thank you card 

"Robert Marsili" <rmarsili.TakeThisOut@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:HUJdb.3055$qK1.3148006@news2.news.adelphia.net...
>
> "Stephen Zielinski" <stephen_zielinski.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:eJacnZrvnv0Uv-qiU-KYuQ@comcast.com...
> > Well, they should play their catchers in both ends of a DH when the game
> is
> > this important.
>
> You're missing the point here Steve the game wasn't that important to the
> Pirates so why take a chance of harming you best asset in the off season
> when the game means nothing to your franchise?
>


I believe I understand the arguments of my critics. I just do not believe
they warrant my changing my claims about Kendall's sitting out the second
game of Saturday's double header.

I do not believe Kendall was at any greater risk playing the second game of
the DH than he was playing the last game of the season today. To my eyes,
Kendall looked tired for about the past week. If fatigue poses a significant
risk to a player or if the Pirates believed it poses a risk, then Kendall
would or should have sat out more games over the past week than he did. As
it happened, no one thought or demanded of the Pirates that the team rest
Kendall for a day or two since the Cub's series of last weekend. McClendon's
actions implied that the Pirates clearly believed a fatigued Kendall
catching the second game of a DH was a poorer player than a rested Rivera or
Hernandez would have been. That implication does not appear true to me.
Kendall has no trouble whatsoever keeping his BA above the Mendoza line. Nor
has he shown a propensity towards injury during his career. He has shown he
has the ability to play many innings and to play through fatigue. So,
playing Rivera or Hernandez in place of Kendall was not a gain in capacity
for the Pirates in the second game of Saturday's double header.

Finally, I do believe the game should have been important to the Pirates-to
the Pirate players in any case.
 >> Stay informed about: Chicago should mail the Pirates a thank you card 

Stephen Zielinski:

>I believe I understand the arguments of my critics. I just do not believe
>they warrant my changing my claims about Kendall's sitting out the second
>game of Saturday's double header.

Please email me your snail mail address, so I can send you your Flat Earth
Society Membership Card.

Wick Deer
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