Bleacher Report - Articles by Rob Goldberg

Hey Jerry Manuel, Give Daniel Murphy a Chance!

Rob Goldberg — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:23:53 -0400

Over the past few weeks, injuries have plagued the New York Mets, who have been struggling to find a consistent lineup that will produce.

The roster has consisted of platoons and fill-ins and, for the most part, they have done their job.

However, one of those platoon players has the potential to be an everyday hitter and a very solid contributor to the lineup.

That player is Daniel Murphy.

Murphy began the season as a starter in left field and what did he do? He produced.

The young hitter batted .324 during the month of April and found a nice spot in the lineup behind Jose Reyes.

So what was his reward? He was turned into a platoon player and started less games. During the month of May, Murphy was getting less at-bats and, not surprisingly, his batting average went down.

Now that Carlos Delgado will be on the disabled list for an extended period of time, Mets manager Jerry Manuel should let Murphy show what he is capable of. It is too hard for a young player to come in and out of the lineup and produce well.

This is why the best bench players are more experienced professionals, like Alex Cora and Fernando Tatis.

Manuel seems to be trying to please every person on the team by getting them extended playing time. This is an important thing for a manager to do.

However, he seems to be hurting the players he is benching, like Murphy and Ryan Church earlier in the year.

I think the Mets should let Tatis do what he does best and be a very good bench player. They should also give Murphy the chance to be an everyday first basemen because, not only do they need one now, but the Mets will need one next year too.

If Murphy can get settled at a position defensively, he can get back to doing what he does best: batting.

The Fight Is Back in the New York Mets

Rob Goldberg — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:06:53 -0400

Who is this team and what have they done with the New York Mets?

Last season, the Mets were criticized for losing games late because of their awful bullpen. However, what many did not know is that the bullpen is not completely accountable. The lineup also failed to continue to produce runs after the first few innings.

The Mets also failed to win a game in which they trailed by only three runs until the All-Star break. Not since 2006, was a fan at all confident that they Mets might win a game that they were trailing after the seventh inning.

Fortunately, in the past two weeks we have seen that fight come back in the Mets. Not long after the team was criticized by General Manager Omar Minaya for being too laid back, they have done their best to show that’s not true.

This week, we have seen the Mets win a game in which they were down three runs in the eighth inning against the Braves, win a game when they were down 5-1, and win a game in the ninth after the bullpen blowing a save. Even their 12-inning loss on Wednesday was very encouraging, coming back three different times before running out of players.

Good teams win games by scoring early and keeping leads. Great teams are able to come back late in games against their opponents best pitchers. It is important to have that ability to never give up in order to win a World Series. The Phillies had that ability last year and they took it all the way to a championship.

Some of this comes from the bullpen, and this year’s crew has been able to keep the game close and not let leads get out of hand. But the lineup, mainly anchored by David Wright, has been showing that there is no quit in this team.

Meet the Mets Fans, the Most Cynical Group Around

Rob Goldberg — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:38:07 -0400

Fans of each team react in different ways throughout the season.

Fans from Philadelphia will change their mind on the team and each player’s worth from game to game, sometimes from inning to inning.

Yankee fans will always have the feeling that they will win the World Series, regardless of how they have played all season.

Mets fans are the exact opposite, however. No matter what happens, they will always have that feeling that something bad will occur. It seems as though the players or the coaches cannot do anything that meets their approval.

Fans will flood the message boards and talk radio shows trying to find who was at fault for every loss. When the team wins, there are still complaints over how they cannot find consistency.

And can you blame them? The past three seasons have ended in disappointment, and the four seasons before that basically ended in April.

The problem is that these fans will start complaining about the team too early in the season. This one is only three weeks old, and fans are already trying to make trades and fix problems that might just be flukes.

More than almost any other sport, the first few weeks of the baseball season mean very little to the success of the team.

Players get hot and cold. Teams get hot and cold. This might happen in April and will give people false hope. Fortunately, the water usually levels by the time Memorial Day comes around.

I can confidently say that Mike Pelfrey, John Maine, and Oliver Perez will all lower their seven-plus ERAs as the season progresses, just as much as I can say that Johan Santana will not finish the season with a 0.46 ERA.

My message to Mets fans: CALM DOWN!!!

The key players are hitting well, and eventually it will lead to hitting with runners on base. Dan Murphy is new to the outfield and will eventually get better in time.

Oliver Perez will find his consistency and become the dominating pitcher we expect him to be. OK, well maybe not the last one.

What Is Clutch? A Look at the Most Overused Term in Sports

Rob Goldberg — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 12:44:01 -0400

As baseball season starts and we watch the beginning of the NBA and NHL playoffs, fans hear one word over and over again: “Clutch.”

What is clutch? It is heard all the time on ESPN and talk radio shows. Fans will complain or praise players for being clutch. So it must mean something, right?

In my opinion, clutch is the most overused term in sports. It is the product of short-term memory among fans and analysts. People will watch the end of a game and see a player strike out, miss a shot, or drop a pass and that player will be labeled as not being clutch.

So does a play at the beginning of a game mean less than a play at the end of a game?

Let’s examine baseball first. A run at the beginning of the game counts the same as one at the end of the game. The problem is that time is working against the hitters. The eighth and ninth innings consist of the teams’ top pitchers who are coming in full strength throwing in the upper 90’s.

In the playoffs, only the best starters on the best teams are still playing. With all of these factors, it should come at no surprise that a batting average will go down. If a player remains consistent, or does better, it is an extraordinary accomplishment.

So does this mean the only way to be clutch is to hit or pitch well in late innings? Not necessarily. Although all runs count the same, not all hits count the same. Ryan Howard of the Phillies exemplified this more than anyone else last season.

Many mocked his .251 batting average last season. However, he improved from .196 with the bases empty to .309 with runners on. Even better, he finished .322 with two outs and runners in scoring position. Regardless of the inning, the most important thing to do is to get runners home. This should be a better measure of clutch than hitting a walk-off in the ninth inning.

In baseball, each player in the lineup gets an even chance late in the game. In most other sports, coaches will strategically place the ball in the hands of their best players when the game is on the line.

Analysts will praise quarterbacks who come back late in games on a long drive ending with a field goal. Now is this because they are playing better in the last minute of the game? Or is it because defenses switch to a prevent formation with the safeties giving up medium range passes to avoid the deep pass?

Or is it because the two-minute-offense eliminates the chance for defenses to substitute and virtually eliminates a pass-rush due to fatigue? Many times a clutch player is one who is still in the game at the end and simply doesn’t make a bad mistake.

In basketball, a player is considered clutch only after seeing him make a buzzer-beater on Sports Center. Most times the last shot will go to the team’s best player, putting even more pressure on him to perform.

One of Michael Jordan’s famous quotes included, “26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” So great players are allowed to fail? For someone who grew up in New York this is a new concept.

This leads to the biggest problem with the idea of clutch, that it is a self-fulfilling prophecy to athletes. This is when something only happens because you believe it will. If an athlete hears enough times that he will fail when the game is on the line, he will start believing it himself and will soon fail.

New York Yankee fans, writers, and talk show hosts vilified Alex Rodriguez over the past few years. Becoming the Most Valuable Player was not enough until he won every game, especially in the playoffs. Unfortunately, booing and mocking him does not make him more likely to come through in those tough situations.

Fortunately, this can seem to have the same effect on the positive end. Many fans know seven time NBA champion Robert Horry by his nickname “Big Shot Bob.” Although he never was a major scorer during his career, coaches would consistently put him in at the end of the games. Time after time he earned his nickname by making three-point shots in the last minute of the game.

So is clutch real? Michael Jordan missed game-winning shots, but Alex Rodriguez has walk-off home runs. It is something that is immeasurable in sports, yet discussed so often.

Maybe the big secret is that every little thing can help a team to victory. Not just a home run, but also a sacrifice fly in the third inning. Not just making an open shot but setting a screen to create space. The late game pressure might hinder some athlete's abilities, but the players that rise above it are the ones who are most prepared mentally. Coaches know what it takes to win, maybe someday the fans will too.

The Best Sports Months of the Year

Rob Goldberg — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:33:18 -0400

There are fans of specific sports who will look forward to one moment or championship and consider it the best moment of the year. However the great thing about sports is that the fun keeps going all year round. People might debate what truly is the best sports month of the year. The biggest problem with this question is that some of the major sporting events have changed in the past few years. March Madness no longer ends in March, the Superbowl has been pushed back to February, and if Reggie Jackson still played today he would be known as Mr. November because that is when the World Series is played. So what is the one month that every sports fan can appreciate? To answer this, one has to look at the major events that take place throughout the year and when the biggest sports are at the most interesting times. Here is the countdown of the best times of the year.

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NCAA Tournament: What We Learned After the First Weekend

Rob Goldberg — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 23:01:02 -0400

After four days of madness, the Sweet 16 is now set. There were some surprises and a few great finishes, but only a few people have already torn up their brackets.

However, when the dust settled and the greatest weekend in sports has finished, we are able to learn a few things about this league.

The Selection Committee Does a Great Job

Primarily, the main complaint against them is that they select the wrong bubble teams to be in the tournament.

Well this year, the last few teams in the dance set out to prove they belonged. Arizona, Dayton, Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin were the last five teams in according to their seeding.

Every one of these teams showed up to play and won their opening round game. This makes it hard for outsiders to debate their merit.

The Committee's other task is to seed the teams in the tournament. The Sweet 16 includes the top three seeds in each region and the four seeds in two brackets. This shows that they were able to tell who the best teams really are.

The ACC Is Not As Good As Advertised

Analysts had said all year long that the ACC and the Big East were the by far the best conferences in the country. Three different teams spent time on top of the polls and others hovered around the top 10. Unfortunately, the NCAA Tournament is the time for teams to prove their real merit, and the ACC has come up short.

Four teams were upset in the first round, including Wake Forest's pitiful performance against Cleveland State. The Sweet 16 includes only two teams from this underachieving conference—the usual suspects of Duke and North Carolina.

If the ACC wants to continue getting seven teams in the tournament, the teams better perform better once they get there.

Connecticut Seems Most Ready For A Title Run

After winning their first two games by a combined 82 points, the Huskies have shown that they do not need Jerome Dyson to win.

A.J. Price has stepped up to take more responsibility and Hasheem Thabeet remains the most important defensive player in the country.

Few teams can match-up with their size, and the only limitation they might have is postseason experience. No player on this team had won a Big East or NCAA Tournament game until this past Thursday.

The Next Two Weeks Will Be Very Entertaining

There are many unanswered questions that will be very exciting to find out with some great match-ups this upcoming weekend.

Can Villanova use its quickness to stay with Duke?

Can Syracuse's 2-3 zone slow down Blake Griffin?

Will Ty Lawson show any lingering effects of his toe injury?

Can this rejuvenated Arizona team continue to win?

Will any more teams mock Memphis and Conference USA?

Stay tuned, because this tournament is just beginning.

Final Four Sleepers To Watch

Rob Goldberg — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 11:10:11 -0400

Every year, fans across the country want to know what team in the NCAA Tournament is going to surprise people.

Although last season ended with four top seeds making the Final Four, this year could lead to something different. It might be too late to use these picks for your office pool, but here are some teams seeded three or higher to watch as the tournament unfolds.

Syracuse

Even if you didn't see the game, most people watched the highlights of the six-overtime win against UConn in the Big East Tournament. What you might not know is that this was not a fluke.

Jonny Flynn is one of the best point guards in the nation and can continue to lead his team no matter how long the game goes.

UNC, the No. 1 seed in their bracket, has struggled against talented point guards this season, and their two-three zone should be able to slow down Tyler Hansbrough.

Gonzaga

Many people have forgotten about the Bulldogs this season, mostly because they play in the WCC. However, they swept through the conference, finishing 14-0.

They have very good balance with Josh Heytvelt down low and Jeremy Pargo having the ability to take over a game. Austin Daye and Matt Bouldin provide good complements.

These players have too much talent to be held down and should at least provide a scare to North Carolina in the Sweet 16, especially if Ty Lawson is still not 100 percent.

Purdue

The Big Ten Tournament champions went under the radar this year after struggling without sophomore Robbie Hummel. He not only provides them with points and rebounds, but he is also a very smart player and a leader on this team.

The Boilermakers are very well-coached and with Hummel back they are much better than their five seed indicates. Watch for them to compete with UConn in the Sweet 16.

Wake Forest

Although a team that spent the season at No. 1 in the polls is usually not considered a sleeper, the Demon Deacons start this tournament as a No. 4 seed. They have a plethora of future NBA talent and start three players over 6'9", helping them defeat opponents on size alone.

Wake Forest has struggled away from home this season, but this is still a team that has defeated both Duke and North Carolina. Louisville should be scared of Jeff Teague and company in the third round, with the winner becoming the favorite for the Final Four.

The NCAA Tournament is the most exciting time of the year, especially for fans of parity. When top seeds go down, other teams benefit. Any of these four teams could still be standing when One Shining Moment is played.

New York Mets Provide a Different Face, Same Message

Rob Goldberg — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 07:53:31 -0400

After a third straight loss, this time to the Chicago Cubs at home, New York Mets manager Jerry Manuel spoke to reporters about the slide the team has endured.

"Teams that fight all the way to the end," Manuel responded. "Sometimes carry that over into the postseason."

Sound familiar? It's the same "everything is going to be OK" attitude that Willie Randolph was preaching as the 2007 season came to an end. His most famous line, "The champagne will only taste sweeter when we win," attempted to give fans hope. Instead it gave them a reason to roll their eyes and eventually call for his firing.

Now I am not implying that Willie Randolph was solely responsible for last season's collapse, nor am I saying that Jerry Manuel will be to blame if the Mets once again miss the playoffs.

Players are the ones on the field and at bat. You can't blame the manager when Jose Reyes' unstoppable engine runs out of gas. But Albert Einstein once said, "The definition of stupidity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Manuel has definitely turned the season around for the Mets.

Entering Tuesday, the team is 52-35 since Willie Randolph's firing after starting the season 34-35. Unfortunately, as the 2008 season comes to a close, Manuel has sat idly by and watched the team lose game after game—in almost the same manner. As the bullpen continually blows saves, I am left wondering whether or not you really can script October.

On the first day as interim manager, Jerry Manuel told the team that his goal is to make more defined roles for the bullpen. The problem is that when every player is under performing in those roles, a rational person would use different players.

Maybe all that needs to be changed is a little tweak in the lineup.

The point is that when a team suffers a losing streak, the manager should do whatever it takes to get the team back on the right track. The Mets have already seen what happens when a manager tries to convince himself that things will work out in the end. Otherwise the Mets will be home watching the playoffs, Jerry Manuel will be home updating his resume, and Mets fans will once again be home asking "What happened?"

Shea Stadium: The Forgotten Home of the Other New York Team

Rob Goldberg — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:39:14 -0400

On Sunday night, Yankee Stadium got it's well-deserved send off. The ceremony was accompanied by a full day of coverage on ESPN, a parade of all-time Yankee greats, a win by the beloved Andy Pettitte, and a speech by Derek Jeter that will be shown for years to come.

The most storied franchise in sports provided their Bronx home with countless memories that are unrivaled by any other venue. Any fan of sports, not just the Yankees, should have lost a few tears when The House That Ruth Built shut its doors for the final time.

However, just 10 miles away, another stadium will soon close after 44 years. Shea Stadium, home to the New York Mets since 1964, will see its last regular season game played next Sunday.

Although it is still not known whether or not additional games will be played in the postseason, Shea Stadium still deserves to be noticed. Much like Crash Davis at the end of Bull Durham, Shea will fade into nothingness, becoming only a distant memory and an answer to a few trivia questions.

The structure isn't noteworthy—a perfect circle with none of the nooks and crannies that make each of the ballparks around the league unique. Even the events do not compare to the historic venues of its age.

The most famous baseball moment that took place at Shea is without question an error. It didn't see many stars or championships or even too many playoff series. But for many fans in the New York area, the stadium was a home.

The little things are what made Shea Stadium unique.

It has been a place where backups like Todd Pratt and Endy Chavez made their places in playoff history. It has been a place where curses have been renewed, from Bill Buckner's historic mishap or a black cat running onto the field in a game against the Cubs.

A place that presented baseball's first mascot—a giant baseball with arms and legs named Mr. Met. A place that raises a dented, old apple out of a hat every time a Mets player hits a home run. I guarantee there is not a fan at the game that doesn't smile every time they see that apple.

I have seen over 100 games in this ballpark. Perhaps few will care when the last person turns off the lights and 55,000 seats are turned into a parking lot, but I will always remember watching Rey Ordonez covering the entire infield, Bobby Valentine's ridiculous antics, and "Cow-Bell Man" walking 10 miles through the stands each game leading fans in "Let's Go Mets" chants.

For all of the loyal fans that have watched the Mets through good times and bad, here's to the greatest home you could have asked for.