Fire Joe Morgan

[Crapshoot]

One of the greatest sites on teh intrawebs, by far:

Today's entry:

For those of you who are interested, there are several infielders available through free agency right now. Two of them are David Eckstein, an adorable 11 inch-tall translucent man who cannot play baseball very well, and Alex Rodriguez, who is better at hitting baseballs than every other person in the entire world.

Let's go to the journalistic/public opinion round-up. First, we have an ESPN.com poll, the final question of which is:

9. Which player would you rather have?

69.6% Alex Rodriguez
30.4% David Eckstein

Now, I suppose it is possible that some of the 150,000+ people who have voted in this poll were taking into consideration things like salary, or the current 3Bman on their favorite team, or something. But the question is, straight-up, who would you rather have?

And 30% say Eckstein. Thirty percent. Thir. Ty. Per. Ce. N. T.

That means that more than 45,000 people sat at their computers, and thought it over, and they said, you know, I don't want the guy who is 32 and had a .354 EqA+ last year with 54 HR. I want the 32 year-old who only played in 117 games last year (and 123 the year before) and hit 3 HR and had a .275 EqA+, and who needs a relay man to get the ball from short to first.

Who are you people? What is wrong with your brains?

Speaking of people whose brains are wrong, ESPN's Buster Olney has some things to say about Eckstein:

3. David Eckstein, SS

Injuries have limited the shortstop to 240 games over his last two seasons, and he doesn't have the body or playing style of someone who will last.

Sign him!

But nobody can argue this: When Eckstein plays, he produces.

I can argue that. I can easily argue that. You want me to argue that? I will argue that.

The man's career OPS+ is 89. That is below average for baseball players. His career high OPS+ is 101. That is one percent better than the average baseball player. He has never had more than 26 doubles in a season. He has never had a slugging percentage in the .400s. He is a terrible hitter.

His batting average in each of his last three seasons is .294, .292 and .309, and he made a couple of All-Star teams.

Oh my God. If Buster Olney were a GM, he would stock his teams with Ecksteins and Juan Pierres and Christian Guzmans and they would go 20-142.

He has been a shortstop and the Cardinals need a shortstop, and Eckstein may end up returning to St. Louis. But Eckstein could also be, for a big-market contending club, a very interesting buy as a super utility player, because he can play second base, and perhaps even third base, along with some shortstop.

David Eckstein playing third base would be amazing. I would love to see that. If Jacoby Ellsbury hit a ball down the line to David Eckstein and Eck had to backhand it and throw from foul territory, by the time the ball landed in the first baseman's glove Ellsbury would be sitting on the bench after his inside-the-park little-league HR and Kevin Youkilis would be at the plate with a count of 2-0.

You could move him around, give him days off when he had a nagging injury, and always inject energy into your team -- like a sixth man in basketball.

This is a reason to sign him?

GM: So, tell me why we should sign your client.

Eckstein's Agent: Tons of reasons. First of all, he's a winner. Second, he can inject energy into your team. Third, when we gets injured -- and he will definitely get injured -- you can give him days off!

GM: (has long since left room)

Pay him well on a two-year deal and promise him 400 plate appearances, and he could help you get to October.
Pay him well on a two-year deal, and he will certainly collect his paychecks while not helping your team at all. And if your team makes it to October despite his mediocre/bad play, he will totally help you win in October, with his career .278/.333/.335 line in the postseason.

Finally, here is the voice of reason, in the form of Keith Law:

Quite possibly the most overrated player in baseball because people say "gritty" and "scrappy" and "smart" when they really just mean "short." Eckstein has had a nice run in the National League as a slap-and-run guy who does all of the little things and not many of the big things: He's got a short swing and isn't strong, so he hits for very little power, and he's never drawn many walks or worked the count. He's still an above-average runner, but not a burner and not worth much on the base paths; the speed is most valuable in helping him bunt for hits or leg out some ground balls. He's a bad defensive shortstop, and given his age he's likely to get worse, so it makes much more sense for someone to sign him as a second baseman.

Ahhhhhh. Soothing. Although how he is at #15 I will never know.

Seriously - the idea that 30% of baseball fans would rather have David Eckstein.... Just wow.

[Pumpy Tudors]

What does this have to do with firing Joe Morgan?

[Maple Leafs]

If only there was some way to link us to this web site.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Seriously - the idea that 30% of baseball fans would rather have David Eckstein.... Just wow.

Honestly I think I would have guess the number would be closer to 45 percent. Not saying it is right, just shows how ridiclulous some folks can be.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

What does this have to do with firing Joe Morgan?

Its just the name of the website (firejoemorgan.com), they initially made the blog in an attempt to hold the sportswriters and broadcasters accountable for the crap some of them spew. They decided to make Joe Morgan the posterboy since he's probably the worst in terms of never actually offering analysis, avoiding questions, and factual errors.

I read about it somewhere a couple years ago and its been one of my favorites since.

They can come across as assholes, so its not for everyone.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

If only there was some way to link us to this web site.

If only! Damn, I can't view the site I don't know the address!

[ISiddiqui]

David Eckstein playing third base would be amazing. I would love to see that. If Jacoby Ellsbury hit a ball down the line to David Eckstein and Eck had to backhand it and throw from foul territory, by the time the ball landed in the first baseman's glove Ellsbury would be sitting on the bench after his inside-the-park little-league HR and Kevin Youkilis would be at the plate with a count of 2-0.

I literally laughed out loud when I read that earlier this morning. Brilliant stuff like that is why I keep coming back .

[st.cronin]

Its a fallacy to claim that third base requires as good or better a throwing arm than shortstop. A good throwing arm is important at both positions, but if your arm is good enough to play shortstop, your arm is good enough to play third base. Almost always the player with the best throwing arm plays shortstop, not third base.

[Maple Leafs]

Alright, I originally responded to this post with a smart-ass remark. But after seeing the blog mentioned again elsehwhere and checking it out, I have to say that you're right -- this guy is fantastic.

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Alright, I originally responded to this post with a smart-ass remark. But after seeing the blog mentioned again elsehwhere and checking it out, I have to say that you're right -- this guy is fantastic.

Wait, you gave a smart-ass remark? I'm shocked.


I figured you'd like him. FJM keeps getting quoted by Rob Neyer in his chats, and I love the fact that ESPN editors just let it slide.

[Chief Rum]

Heh, never read this thread before. Look, I love Eckstein's spunk and approach, yada yada. But Eckstein over ARod? Are you freakin' kidding me?

And, BTW, I have hated Joe Morgan since his biased coverage of the 2002 pennat chase and playoffs. The man literally walks around with a hard on for Billy Bean, I swear to God.

[Neuqua]

RIP

[nilodor]

+1

[DeToxRox]

Did I miss something?

[Atocep]

Sad to see it end, but at least for me, the writing has been on the wall the past few months. Their coverage of this past baseball season was sporadic at best and they were going long stretches without posting the past couple months.

Hats off to my favorite blog. It was a good run.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Did I miss something?

I guess Joe Morgan died, but I can't find anything about it on the interwebs.

[stevew]

I bet if Ryan Howard wins the MVP, that they will feel reinvigorated.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Took me a minute to figure out the thread necromancy (and even longer to care enough to check and see if I was right), but ...

Hello, everyone.

After 21 years, and almost 40 million posts (we'll have to check those numbers, but it's something like that), we have decided to bring FJM to an end.

Although we have not lost our borderline-sociopathic joy for meticulously criticizing bad sports journalism, the realities of our professional and personal lives make FJM a time/work luxury we can no longer afford. ...

[larrymcg421]

Ken Tremendous and Junior seemed to be clashing quite a bit last season. I wonder if that had something to do with it.

FYI, Ken is a writer on The Office that also plays Mose.