Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Nothing Better than a Casey Rip Session on a Tuesday

Perusing the boards on The Cleveland Fan website, I came across many threads about how bad the Tribe offense is, but none is better than the one titled "Blake Has to be Benched!" Here are some of my favorite posts:

hornet84 wrote:

Everytime I see Casey Blake's face, I see the 5-4-3 DP in Game 7. I don't think I will ever get past that. Do I need to seek professional help?

Steve Buffum wrote:

Absolutely. Simply watch the replay of his 10th-inning strikeout last night, and the image will vanish. Look, you can't spell "Blake" without an K *and* an E, and then all you have left is "bla." This season, I blame the lack of beard.

Duane Kuiper write:

Blake since his outburst in KC. .125 .250 .208 .458 24 AB 11 K 1 RBI

Eckersley wrote:

Wedgie has a man crush on Blake & as we've seen in the past, whoever is in Wedgie's doghouse sits the bench or is traded while his boys get most of the AB's. It shouldn't be that way, but it is & has been for years. Casey is going on 35. I don't see any team offering him a multi-year deal next winter, so he'll probably come back for at least 1 more season with the Tribe.

Emmo213 wrote:

While these are the same numbers from other threads if there's an anti-Blake thread I must participate. Since Jen doesn't like career numbers I'll look for Casey to start hitting like he has the last couple of years soon. Don't all clubs have a full time 3rd baseball with a .207 RISP?

2007 RISP: .190

2007 RISP w/2 outs: .163

2006 RISP: .261

2006 RISP w/2 outs: .281

2005 RISP: .171

2005 RISP w/2 outs: .085

buckeyehopper wrote:

Y'Know, there's something to be said about doing many things (like playing every position in the field) well enough to warrant a roster spot. But, as the saying goes...jack of all trades, master of none!!!

If Casey Jake doesn't embody that saying, I don't know who does. The guy gives away as many games jaking it in the clutch as he does when he comes through, so he is a wash in the clutch category.

But it's the day-to-day #s where this guy needs work...and a lot of it. He is barely hitting above the Mendoza line and that won't improve if he has the same BA in a couple weeks.

Casey Jake is a liability if he is hitting anywhere other than 9th in the order. (I would prefer him to hit 10th on days when Sabathia is on the hill, but that's just me).

Thankfully, this chump is a FA after this season. Shapiro should turn into the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man if he is even thinking about signing this AAAA player to another deal.

Eckersley wrote:

Casey could go 1 for his next 99 & would not be cut. He would still be starting nearly every day. That's pretty much carved in stone as long as the current manger remains at the helm.

buckeyehopper wrote:

Casey Joke sucks golf balls through garden hoses as a stress reliever. He is the poster child for this team's pending mediocrity. So, for the millions he's making to f--k up at playing a kid's game, I think he can take the rap if the team is going down in flames.

Note to anybodywho believes that Casey Joke is the best 3B the Tribe has: It is an opinion that Casey Joke is the best 3B on the Tribe because it has not been proven beyond a doubt that anyone else on the Tribe can play 3B.

If you only had one chance a week to show what you had, you'd be a little rusty, too. That would be the problem Mr. Marte is having, thanks to Mr. Wedge. Casey Joke is hitting .202 and falling and still starts...everyday.

Pardon me for thinking that Wedge isn't doing all he can to improve his team or put his best team on the field. As long as Casey Joke is starting everyday, Wedgie won't be fielding his best team...plain and simple.

slegend wrote:

What? Do not play Marte because of a lackluster scouting report, well here is the scouting report on Blake:

- No range defensively to his right or left at 3B, hitters should try and pull everything to the left side.

- Hits like shit, so just throw crap that lands on the plate and leaves a mark, this moron swings at it.

- Worst everyday player in MLB today. Do not ever walk this guy, like giving a NL pitcher a free pass.

2 comments:

Zach said...

Here's the question I have been asking since 2005:

Does anyone believe Casey Blake would have ever gotten a chance in the Big Leagues (a real, 150+ game chance like he did in 2003) had Eric Wedge not been his manager?

Blake has had his moments, but the truth is the Indians have ALWAYS pushed him as better than he is.

I said it in 2003-2004, screamed it in 2005, and even started a "Casey Blake Watch" on my blog.

All it got me was ridicule from people who think Blake is a great guy who will do anything the manager asks.

Well, if you were as inconsistent as Blake and as poor of a clutch hitter as he is, would you talk back to the manager?

Blake's willingness to do whatever his Wichita State buddy Eric Wedge asks somehow got him a $6.1 million deal this season.

And guys like Rick Manning wanted the Indians to give Blake a multi-year deal.

The Indians can push him all they want. I'm sure he's a good guy, and I have nothing but respect for his attitude and the way he plays the game.

But he's got more job security than Matt Millen, with a slightly-better performance rate.

He may rebound and hit .260, and fool the Indians into bringing him back. In fact, I assume that as long as Wedge is the manager, Blake will play for the Indians.

And that is a scary thought.

Todd Dery said...

Amen Zach!