This drives me crazy. The Globe’s Nick Cafardo predicts that the Cleveland Indians will be happy they invested $3 million in former Red Sox rightfielder Trot Nixon. Why? “He will likely play only vs. righthanders, but he’s motivated to produce at a high level,” Cafardo writes. “He worked out harder this offseason than he has in many years.”
Gee, thanks, Trot.
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About all you can say about Carfado is he’s better than Shaughnessy.Sure, Nixon worked out harder. He wasn’t hurt for a change. All this crap about JD Drew and Manny not playing, yet the last time Nixon played more than 135 games was 2002, and he’s missed 228 games since then, or 1.41 full seasons. He’ll add to those totals this year.Baseball Prospectus forecasts this for Trotman:PA 394 HR 9 BA .264 OBP .352 SLG .412 VORP 1.8Basically, he’s a replacement level player at this point in his career.
I should add that while Carfado was ripping off ESPN’s Buster Olny on the Todd Helton piece, Bob Ryan was stumbling over basic addition (bolds mine):In fact, I will now provide you with the full list of 60 players who should have been unanimous choices to become members of the Hall of Fame based on an affirmative answer to the following question:”Can you honestly look me in the eye and say that this man should not be in the Hall of Fame? Yes or no?”… But here, in alphabetical order, are the 61 men who should have gone in unanimously, No Questions Asked.”
Does it drive you crazy because Cafardo wrote, “He will likely play only vs. righthanders,” when he means, “He will probably play only vs. righthanders.”Likely is a an adjective, not an adverb. Correct: “He is likely to play…” or “he will probably play…Yes, it does drive one crazy.
“Gee, thanks, Trot.”???C’mon Dan – what ballplayer at this point in the season won’t tell you he’s been working out harder? Especially if he’s going to a new team? Isn’t this right up there with “take it one game at a time” and “I’m just happy to be here”?
Anon. 5:53 – You are just the sort of button-downed prid I cannot stand. The English language evolves. Carfodo’s usage is idiomatic. Deal with it.
Steve: “Especially if he’s going to a new team?” !!! Sorry, I forgot that he refused his salary from the Red Sox last year. Go Trot!
Mike,Easily your most meaningful contribution..
Trot Nixon was one of the best right fielders we’ve had in years. Knocked in the winning runs in game 4 of the world series, cranked the game winning homer in the bottom of the 11th inning in game 3 of the ’03 ALDS that set up the comeback from an 0-2 deficit against the A’s, followed that up by hitting .333 against the Yanks.. only 5 players on the Sox played more than Trot in ’06(the most being 41 more games). 7 played more than Trot in ’05(35 being the most,big papi). 15 played in more in ’04(think his playoffs more than made up for that). 7 played more than Trot in ’03(the most, 20 games more by nomar),3 played more than Trot in ’03(only 4 games difference between trot & shea/nomar), Trot played in the most games in 2001 with an injury battered team, 5 players played in more games than Trot in ’00(19 more being the most by the great Brian Daubach), 6 played in more games than Trot in his first full season in ’99. Why am I wasting time on this? Look at the consistency! 7 of 8 seasons with 114 games or more! 6 of 8 with 123 or more! Who cares what any Boston writer says about Trot? The guy busted his hump when he was here, and he’ll get a well-deserved standing O when he returns in May.
blogadoo, you really don’t like Trot, do you? :-)114/162 = 70%. You try missing work 30% of the time, then tell me your boss wouldn’t kick your butt out the door.“Trot Nixon was one of the best right fielders we’ve had in years.” Not sure how far back you’re going, but perhaps you remember a guy named Dwight Evans?
Well, let’s not forget that the Indians now have to justify their spending money on a player that was (quietly) considered “washed up” by the Red Sox.Trot’s got to justify it, too. He knew that working out harder alone wasn’t going to make a lick of difference to the Red Sox brass; they had grand plans and they didn’t include a mid-level player on his downslope…no matter how beloved he was or how good his attitude is.But Cleveland is another story. They’ve taken a chance on him and he knows it…and he knows that he can make a difference in justifying the Indians’ decision by busting his ass in the offseason.After all, no amount of money is a better motivator than having something to prove. Isn’t that the lesson of A-Rod and Manny Ramirez?
Speaking of Sox, Dan…nothing to say about the white-hot-for-one-day speculation that Curt Schilling would retire from baseball after this year and run for senate against John Kerry? (that thankfully appears to be not true since today Schilling says he wants to pitch in 2008, too)Personally, I do kinda wish John Kerry would just go away. But damned if I want to see him replaced by a “shill” (couldn’t resist) for Dubya like Curt is.
Good grief! It’s not bad enough baseball players are forsaking loyalty by jumping from team to team for the money, now man. . . wants them to sink into the deeper morass of politics? Let’s all pray to Connie Mack for forgiveness.
That’s funny, don, because Connie Mack’s grandson — who just happened to have the same name — was a Congressman for decades.