" Let go once in a while, you're a loose lily floating down an amber river. Ahhh. ... When you're feeling under pressure, do something different. Roll up your sleeves, or eat an orange."Terry Francona:
We're supposed to be good, and it's hard to be good. There are times when it wears on you, especially in this town. ... I like coming to work. It's a hard thing to explain, but I like it and it's hard. There are times when it feels almost overwhelming ...
I want there to be an atmosphere where they want to show up every day and do the right thing. We can have rules out the [expletive], but if they want to do the right thing, we'll be a better team. It's about consistency. If they win the other night or if they don't, they don't need to come in here and see me either bouncing off the walls or dragging my tail. It doesn't work. It's got to be the same every day.
I know there's a segment of our fan base that wants to see Billy Martin come out and scream. That doesn't help. My job is to not make life more difficult for our players. I just think that whenever there's a big urge in me to lose it, that's probably the time for me not to lose it. The guys are losing their poise anyway. So I've got to rein myself in, because that's just the way our team works better.
I'll be taking everything in the air, and on the ground. He's just going to stand there. I'll take everything. I'm playing second base and first base tonight.
1. Ted Williams 162 1949Jesus, did that Ted guy ever bother to take the bat off his shoulders?
2. Ted Williams 162 1947
3. Ted Williams 156 1946
4. Ted Williams 147 1941
5. Ted Williams 145 1942
6. Ted Williams 144 1951
7. Ted Williams 136 1954
8. Carl Yastrzemski 128 1970
9. Ted Williams 126 1948
10. Kevin Youkilis 126 2010
Jesus, did that Ted guy ever bother to take the bat off his shoulders?
ReplyDeleteI'd be curious to know how many of those were IBB. I looked at his B-R.com page and only see numbers in that category from 1955 onward. Interestingly, in 1957, when he batted .388 at the age of 38(!), he had 119 walks that season, and 33 were intentional.
If they walked him intentionally that many times at age 38, it would be interesting to know if it was about the same ratio when he was the league leader year after year (not including the years lost to service in WWII).
Wow, how the hell did Willams get SO many BBs? Were many of them intentional? I guess he is the true (non-Greek) god of walks.
ReplyDeleteI love the Zen of Francona.
Barry Bonds 2004 232 BB
ReplyDeleteBy this time were the steroids everyone assumed were coursing through this guy's at-bats a factor in IBB decisions?
Yook ain't Greek, either!
ReplyDeleteThat year with 33 really stands out, though. TSW had led the AL the previous two seasons with 17 and 11. Then he had only 12 the year after the 33.
Also, in 1953, 12 years after his most famous batting title, Ted hit .407!
Yes, I am well aware of Youk's Rumanian Jewish background, same as my grandfather! :)
ReplyDeleteAmy always calls Yook the "Non-Greek god of walks". This time it's Allan's memory that's going! :)
ReplyDeleteAnyone else get the Black Books reference?
What Black Books reference?
ReplyDeleteAnd who is Elle Grrl? Another version of L-girl?
Yes, Elle Grrl is one of L-girl's alter egos.
ReplyDeleteBlack Books is a hilarious, short-lived British comedy staring the Irish comic Dylan Moran. This post makes reference to it.
I guess I missed the reference since it did mean anything to me!
ReplyDeleteDid NOT mean anything to me.
ReplyDeleteLegend has it that Williams--notoriously or admirably, depending on your POV--refused anything outside the strike zone, even when it might have made sense in a game situation to swing at a bad pitch.
ReplyDeleteFrancona is so fucking impressive when he talks like this--and he does regularly. That's real leadership as opposed to all the counterfeit styles sports coaches and managers are so often exponents of.
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