Posnanski Article on Athletic

[Revad]

https://theathletic.com/2553785/2021/04/30/vlad-jr-comes-into-his-own-the-joy-of-freddie-freeman-anthony-rizzo-and-more-joes-week-in-baseball/
 

This is something I think people miss all the time. The game doesn’t revolve around wins and losses the way the NFL does — every team loses 50, 60, 70, 80 times or more. The game isn’t about the playoffs the way the NBA and NHL are. The game is about these glorious moments that naturally come about, they are about a breathtaking Mookie Betts catch or the thrill of watching Byron Buxton running at full speed or a diving stab by Nolan Arenado or a brilliant long at-bat from Trout or a 3-2 count with Scherzer trying to work his way out of a jam.

[Revad]

It’s just that, and he mentioned it, that some baseball that I loved is no longer played at the major league level.  Triples, stolen bases, bunts...

[Angels 1961]

33 minutes ago, Revad said:

It’s just that, and he mentioned it, that some baseball that I loved is no longer played at the major league level.  Triples, stolen bases, bunts...

or the 3 run homer

[Stradling]

8 minutes ago, Angels 1961 said:

or the 3 run homer

I’d be willing to bet 3-run homers happen more often now than in the past. 

[tdawg87]

But...Trout.....playoffs.

[yk9001]

I get what he's saying, and I'm not shitting on it.

But man, he is talking about the 1%ers of baseball fans.  The dreamers, who romanticize every freaking foul tip.  Every no-hitter is like a virgin's wedding night.

 

That's not how most people view the game.

[Lou]

I like winning.

[Chuck]

 

 

[DCAngelsFan]

1 hour ago, Revad said:

https://theathletic.com/2553785/2021/04/30/vlad-jr-comes-into-his-own-the-joy-of-freddie-freeman-anthony-rizzo-and-more-joes-week-in-baseball/
 

This is something I think people miss all the time. The game doesn’t revolve around wins and losses the way the NFL does — every team loses 50, 60, 70, 80 times or more. The game isn’t about the playoffs the way the NBA and NHL are. The game is about these glorious moments that naturally come about, they are about a breathtaking Mookie Betts catch or the thrill of watching Byron Buxton running at full speed or a diving stab by Nolan Arenado or a brilliant long at-bat from Trout or a 3-2 count with Scherzer trying to work his way out of a jam.

When non-fans or people from other countries ask what I love about baseball, I tell them something similar - that the game, to me, is all about the 'moments' - transcendent, often improbable moments where someone does something unbelievable, seemingly impossible, often under immense pressure.

Whether it's the iconic ones like Scott Spezio's or Kirk Gibson's World Series home runs, or a prolonged "moment" like the combined no-hitter after Skaggs' death, full of weird concidences and symbolism,or just watching someone miss a Ohtani splitter by a foot or Trout soar over the Baltimore fence to steal a homerun - it's these moments that keep me watching.

[Angelsjunky]

This thread is gay.

[Angelsjunky]

Seriously, I very much agree, which is why I often argued--when the ridiculous question of trading Trout repeatedly came up for the three or so years before his extension--that there are some things that are more important optimizing on-paper win probability. Like, keeping the greatest Angel ever--and one of the greatest players in baseball history--an Angel for life.

As Pacino said in Any Given Sunday, "This game has to be about more than winning."

But yeah, winning is nice. But it is dessert. Baseball is a five-course meal.

[ten ocho recon scout]

15 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

 

But yeah, winning is nice. But it is dessert. Baseball is a five-course meal.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by ten ocho recon scout

[ten ocho recon scout]

I have to disagree on the Angels being the most interesting. I know thats blasphemy

I think Ohtani is 99 percent of it. Trout is Trout... so I dont know that non angel fans are paying any more attention to him than they are Soto, or Tatis, etc

Where they can become an actual national story is if Rendon and Fletcher get hot.

If that happens, and Bundy and one or more of Heaney / Cobb stay decent, then yes, I think lots of people will be watching. But again, so much of it is Ohtani

Ita crazy to think anyone on the same team as Mike Trout would be the story

[Inside Pitch]

28 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

This thread is gay.

Then call me Liberace cause I love all these little things.

[Inside Pitch]

27 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

Seriously, I very much agree, 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 minutes ago, Inside Pitch said:

Then call me Liberace cause I love all these little things.

We call taylor lib-erace, amirite!

(Sorry @Taylor, Im racking my brain for a conservative one to go with that, but drawing a blank for now)

[ten ocho recon scout]

Just now, ten ocho recon scout said:

We call taylor lib-erace, amirite!

(Sorry @Taylor, Im racking my brain for a conservative one to go with that, but drawing a blank for now)

Alright, here goes

We call the republicans on here... elton con, amirite!

[Angels 1961]

54 minutes ago, Angelsjunky said:

This thread is gay.

What does that mean?

[rageous]

1 hour ago, Chuckster70 said:

 

 

I agree about Ohtani and Trout but Pujols is hitting barely above league average at his position and he doesn't bring anything else to the table.

[sammyscioscia]

True, what has winning ever done for the Marlins fan base?

[tdawg87]

1 minute ago, rageous said:

I agree about Ohtani and Trout but Pujols is hitting barely above league average at his position and he doesn't bring anything else to the table.

I think it's more that he's got 5 HR and 12 RBI. Over a full season that's 40+ HR and 100 RBI.

He's not going to play that much, but I think the point is that he's driving in runs. He's not hitting .300 or .275. 

[jsnpritchett]

20 minutes ago, tdawg87 said:

I think it's more that he's got 5 HR and 12 RBI. Over a full season that's 40+ HR and 100 RBI.

He's not going to play that much, but I think the point is that he's driving in runs. He's not hitting .300 or .275. 

He has 5 HR, but zero doubles.  It's fluky.  He's still not hitting for average or getting on base.  He'll pop a few HRs every now and then, but that's about it.

[tdawg87]

Just now, jsnpritchett said:

He has 5 HR, but zero doubles.  It's fluky.  He's still not hitting for average or getting on base.  He'll pop a few HRs every now and then, but that's about it.

No one cares about the other shit at this point. We all know what he is. He's going to bat .230 at best with a low OBP. 

All we can hope for is that he contributes when he does play, and so far he has. 

[yk9001]

If Trent Rush is looking for national play, his only hope is Ohtani, and/or winning.

Trout has been close to an MVP every year for nearly a decade.  Nobody gives around the country shit until the Angels make the playoffs *and win*.

Pujols is an ossified old tree stump.  Only the Posnanskis of the world get thilled about Pujols' 5 homers, .221 ba and -0.1 WAR.

 

Ohtani is the most electric player this franchise has ever had.  He's the most electric baseball player I've ever seen in my life.

[Lou]

4 minutes ago, yk9001 said:

If Trent Rush is looking for national play, his only hope is Ohtani, and/or winning.

Trout has been close to an MVP every year for nearly a decade.  Nobody gives around the country shit until the Angels make the playoffs *and win*.

Pujols is an ossified old tree stump.  Only the Posnanskis of the world get thilled about Pujols' 5 homers, .221 ba and -0.1 WAR.

 

Ohtani is the most electric player this franchise has ever had.  He's the most electric baseball player I've ever seen in my life.

I agree with everything thing said, even the I'm not sure what "Nobody gives around the country shit" means.