Comments on: Blame the Superstar http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/ Articles and media appearances by Jonah Keri Fri, 26 Feb 2010 19:34:57 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: nym712 http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-476 nym712 Sat, 02 May 2009 18:09:22 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-476 Thank you! I am so sick of the booing and all the "unclutch" talk. Wright has struggled thus far this season and did struggle with RISP last season, but all the "he's never been clutch" stuff is absurd. Even last yr when he struggled his numbers were still vastly better in close games than they were in blowout games, so the various "stat padding" and "he only gets meaningless hits" stuff that gets thrown around is equally ridiculous. And people are criticizing Beltran as well? Carlos is a pretty streaky guy, but he's been plenty clutch, and he was great down the stretch last season. And even as a Mets fan I find it laughable how much criticism A-Rod's on the field play gets. Yeah he creates his own circus off the field, but all the not clutch stuff is silly. Thank you! I am so sick of the booing and all the “unclutch” talk. Wright has struggled thus far this season and did struggle with RISP last season, but all the “he’s never been clutch” stuff is absurd. Even last yr when he struggled his numbers were still vastly better in close games than they were in blowout games, so the various “stat padding” and “he only gets meaningless hits” stuff that gets thrown around is equally ridiculous. And people are criticizing Beltran as well? Carlos is a pretty streaky guy, but he’s been plenty clutch, and he was great down the stretch last season.

And even as a Mets fan I find it laughable how much criticism A-Rod’s on the field play gets. Yeah he creates his own circus off the field, but all the not clutch stuff is silly.

]]> By: Dear Fellow Met Fans: Stop It. | umpbump.com http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-473 Dear Fellow Met Fans: Stop It. | umpbump.com Fri, 01 May 2009 18:12:31 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-473 [...] his blog, sportswriter Jonah Keri addresses one of my biggest pet-peeves as a Met fan, namely, blaming David Wright for being “unclutch”. Keri writes: The problem with the argument that Wright deserves scorn because he doesn’t come [...] [...] his blog, sportswriter Jonah Keri addresses one of my biggest pet-peeves as a Met fan, namely, blaming David Wright for being “unclutch”. Keri writes: The problem with the argument that Wright deserves scorn because he doesn’t come [...]

]]> By: sorekara323 http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-470 sorekara323 Fri, 01 May 2009 03:46:26 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-470 Will repeat what I put on the Yanks blog tonight: "Huge win, 3 in a row now. 12-10 April with NO A-Rod, half-a-Tex, Cody “Vortex” Ransom, Brett “Spunky” Gardner, semi-CC, not-quite Mo, so-so AJ, dysfunctional Wang… I have to say with all that to deal with this has been a VERY successfull month" 2 back of Boston is nothing and their starters will not match ours over the long haul..Beckett and Lester as 1 & 2..will they stay healthy? Beckett, for all his post-season heroics..how many great seasons has he had? Lester only has one year behind him..Boston 92 wins, NYY 97. Will repeat what I put on the Yanks blog tonight:

“Huge win, 3 in a row now. 12-10 April with NO A-Rod, half-a-Tex, Cody “Vortex” Ransom, Brett “Spunky” Gardner, semi-CC, not-quite Mo, so-so AJ, dysfunctional Wang… I have to say with all that to deal with this has been a VERY successfull month” 2 back of Boston is nothing and their starters will not match ours over the long haul..Beckett and Lester as 1 & 2..will they stay healthy? Beckett, for all his post-season heroics..how many great seasons has he had? Lester only has one year behind him..Boston 92 wins, NYY 97.

]]> By: Jonah http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-469 Jonah Fri, 01 May 2009 01:35:23 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-469 I'd say the standings are a little more relevant right now, wouldn't you James? I’d say the standings are a little more relevant right now, wouldn’t you James?

]]> By: sorekara323 http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-468 sorekara323 Fri, 01 May 2009 01:16:16 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-468 Excellent post here Jonah. The A-Rod bashing in New York is laughable..people who just don't understant that the Yankees failure in the playoffs is due to having starters like Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown and Carl Pavano the past few seasons...on the other hand, in the Angels series and Tigers series A-Rod laid a stink bomb..but he'll be back and will contribute to the 27th championship in October, I have no doubt. Criticizing Sizemore is a joke..wish we had him! Btw..how are you liking Josh Beckett's 7+ ERA so far this season? He and Boy-Wonder Lester are not off to great starts..still too early for us Yanks fans to gloat? Excellent post here Jonah. The A-Rod bashing in New York is laughable..people who just don’t understant that the Yankees failure in the playoffs is due to having starters like Jaret Wright, Kevin Brown and Carl Pavano the past few seasons…on the other hand, in the Angels series and Tigers series A-Rod laid a stink bomb..but he’ll be back and will contribute to the 27th championship in October, I have no doubt.

Criticizing Sizemore is a joke..wish we had him!

Btw..how are you liking Josh Beckett’s 7+ ERA so far this season? He and Boy-Wonder Lester are not off to great starts..still too early for us Yanks fans to gloat?

]]> By: Topics about Baseball | Blame the Superstar http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-467 Topics about Baseball | Blame the Superstar Thu, 30 Apr 2009 23:33:26 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-467 [...] The College Baseball Blog created an interesting post today on Blame the SuperstarHere’s a short outline…pitching woes in the off-season, than I would about David Wright, who’s one of the 10 best players in baseball and could be on his way to a… [...] [...] The College Baseball Blog created an interesting post today on Blame the SuperstarHere’s a short outline…pitching woes in the off-season, than I would about David Wright, who’s one of the 10 best players in baseball and could be on his way to a… [...]

]]> By: Jonah http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-461 Jonah Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:42:38 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-461 No question Wright has struggled in clutch situations this year--just as he's struggled in non-clutch sitations so far this year, and just as many of his teammates have struggled so far this year. Only thing is "this year" = three and a half weeks. He'll come around. Handwringing, booing and media bashing won't help. Short answer to your A-Rod question: CONFIRMATION BIAS. Everyone in the world has decided that A-Rod hits 3-run homers when they're playing Kansas City in a meaningless May game, up 9 runs in the 9th inning. So people make a point to remember any and all similar occurrences, and pretend that A-Rod walk-off homers and September hits didn't happen. I could bring out all the data in the world, and no one will be satisfied. "A-Rod is a choker." To shrill talking heads and far too many fans, that's as true a statement as saying the Sun rises in the East. No question Wright has struggled in clutch situations this year–just as he’s struggled in non-clutch sitations so far this year, and just as many of his teammates have struggled so far this year. Only thing is “this year” = three and a half weeks. He’ll come around. Handwringing, booing and media bashing won’t help.

Short answer to your A-Rod question: CONFIRMATION BIAS. Everyone in the world has decided that A-Rod hits 3-run homers when they’re playing Kansas City in a meaningless May game, up 9 runs in the 9th inning. So people make a point to remember any and all similar occurrences, and pretend that A-Rod walk-off homers and September hits didn’t happen. I could bring out all the data in the world, and no one will be satisfied.

“A-Rod is a choker.” To shrill talking heads and far too many fans, that’s as true a statement as saying the Sun rises in the East.

]]> By: angryward http://jonahkeri.com/2009/04/30/blame-the-superstar/#comment-460 angryward Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:37:59 +0000 http://jonahkeri.com/?p=1185#comment-460 I say to-MAY-to, you say to-MAH-to. I'm not saying that Wright deserves to be booed out of Flushing but you are kidding yourself by simply looking at statistics. They only tell a very small part of the story. For instance, maybe A-Rod has hit .303 with runners in scoring position, but what if the lion's share of those hits came in games when the Yankees were blowing someone out or were otherwise comfortably ahead? And what if the outs he made were in situations where it was late in the game and the Bombers desperately needed a hit and rbi? Can you come up with those splits? If you have been watching the Mets at all (and I guess that you have) you know that Wright has been (I won't say lousy) less than dependable in important late-game situations. I am pulling for him to turn it around, but for now hopefully he's mentally strong enough to suffer a few boos. I say to-MAY-to, you say to-MAH-to. I’m not saying that Wright deserves to be booed out of Flushing but you are kidding yourself by simply looking at statistics. They only tell a very small part of the story. For instance, maybe A-Rod has hit .303 with runners in scoring position, but what if the lion’s share of those hits came in games when the Yankees were blowing someone out or were otherwise comfortably ahead? And what if the outs he made were in situations where it was late in the game and the Bombers desperately needed a hit and rbi? Can you come up with those splits?

If you have been watching the Mets at all (and I guess that you have) you know that Wright has been (I won’t say lousy) less than dependable in important late-game situations. I am pulling for him to turn it around, but for now hopefully he’s mentally strong enough to suffer a few boos.

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