12/30/24
August 17, 2011
SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
Sox turn triple play against Rays
posted by kokaku at 09:44 AM on August 17, 2011
The Red Sox bullpen is tough on failures.
posted by yerfatma at 11:28 AM on August 17, 2011
Eli Manning suffering from post-concussion-like symptoms.
Instead of comparing him to Tom Brady, does anyone think Eli Manning is HOF-worthy yet?
Before you start laughing, I'll point out that if he has an "average" Eli Manning season, he'll have put up almost equivalent numbers as HOF legend Joe Namath.
Except he won't have thrown as many interceptions.
And he'll have more rushing yards.
And a better QB rating.
posted by grum@work at 11:34 AM on August 17, 2011
When you compare Eli's stats to all the other QBs playing today, and you compare Joe Namath's stats to all the other QBs playing then, what does it look like?
posted by fabulon7 at 12:43 PM on August 17, 2011
Of course, I've also heard people argue that Broadway Joe would never have gotten into Canton without paying for a ticket if he hadn't played in NYC, so YMMV.
posted by Bonkers at 12:46 PM on August 17, 2011
The Red Sox bullpen is tough on failures.
That sure don't look like no Cupid! Nice hunting bow, though.
posted by Howard_T at 12:53 PM on August 17, 2011
Instead of comparing him to Tom Brady
Another reporter bent on big headline splash steering the interview responses ...
Eli is certainly a top QB in the NFL. He guided a good, not great, Giants team to a Superbowl victory and was lights out in crunch time. He beat a far superior team in doing so. He also doesn't have the benefit of playing in the offensive scheme that Brady or his brother does, and somehow ends up losing his top receivers every year.
I think he needs a few more strong seasons to be considered HOF material.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:57 PM on August 17, 2011
oooh, you trouble maker!
you beat me to it
posted by yerfatma at 02:57 PM on August 17, 2011
How long has Omar Vizquel been playing baseball for money?
How long is that?
Since Vizquel signed his first professional contract, Kirby Puckett was called up to the major leagues, played 12 years, retired, waited 5 years to be elected to the hall of fame, died 5 years after that, and has had a 5th anniversary of his death.
During that time, Vizquel was/is still being paid to play baseball.
posted by grum@work at 03:02 PM on August 17, 2011
Red Sox get 3 hits in each of 3 games against Rays, going 1-2 (posted because the numbers amuse this Sox fan).
posted by kokaku at 05:00 PM on August 17, 2011
Tim Wakefield is even older than Vizquel and is still playing for the Red Sox.
posted by insomnyuk at 05:43 PM on August 17, 2011
He also doesn't have the benefit of playing in the offensive scheme that Brady or his brother does, and somehow ends up losing his top receivers every year.
Yeah, but unlike Brady and Manning, he's always had a very good to elite running back (Barber, Jacobs, Bradshaw) to fall back on. Manning hasn't had that since Edge left town, and Brady's never really had it (last year as a possible exception with GreenEllis/Woodhead.)
Plus, Brady's lost Moss, Branch, Troy Brown at times, not taking into account the years Reche Caldwell, David Givens/Patten or any other of the "...who?" receivers who accumulated unexpected yardage. Brady's often done it with nobody receivers, rather than, say, a Plaxico Burress to deliver balls to.
posted by dfleming at 06:20 PM on August 17, 2011
Eli is certainly a top QB in the NFLC.
As long as Rex Grossman is around.
posted by yerfatma at 08:36 PM on August 17, 2011
Is Rex Grossman around?
posted by fabulon7 at 10:50 PM on August 17, 2011
The Redskins claim to be starting John Beck this weekend. That's John "I failed to beat out Cleo Lemon" Beck.
Rex Grossman would be a step up.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 10:58 PM on August 17, 2011
Tim Wakefield is even older than Vizquel and is still playing for the Red Sox
yeah, I thought of him too, he started a year after Vizquel.
posted by dviking at 11:08 PM on August 17, 2011
Vizquel
Signed: 1984 (age 16)
Debuted in majors: 1989 (age 21)
Currently: 44 years old (23 major league seasons)
Wakefield
Signed: 1988 (age 21)
Debuted in majors: 1992 (age 24)
Currently: 45 years old (19 major league seasons)
posted by grum@work at 12:49 AM on August 18, 2011
They really missed an All Star game opportunity there. Imagine Wakefield pitching to Viszquel in the Old Timers At Bat. Who is the oldest active catcher to back up this sensational pairing?
posted by kokaku at 09:35 AM on August 18, 2011
Who is the oldest active catcher
Jason Varitek (1972) is the oldest active catcher.
Jorge Posada (1971), once a catcher, is listed as a DH and has appeared in 10 games at 1st this year.
On a side note ... Varitek is probably the only catcher who can deal with Wakefield's stuff on a consistant basis, young or old.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:52 AM on August 18, 2011
The oldest batter/pitcher/catcher triumvirate (non-stunt edition (ie, no Minnie Minoso/Satchel Paige/more than one appearance in a year)) I found after 5 minutes of search was on June 15, 2007.
Pitcher: Roger Clemens (44 years old)
Catcher: Jorge Posada (35 years old)
Batter: Julio Franco (48 years old)
Total: 127 years
If I had time, I'd go digging through Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro and Jack Quinn starts.
posted by grum@work at 11:14 AM on August 18, 2011
Jason Varitek (1972) is the oldest active catcher.
What about Pudge Rodriguez?
posted by bender at 11:39 AM on August 18, 2011
Pudge
I stand corrected. Pudge is in his 20th year as an MLB catcher, Varitek his 14th and Posada caught 15 years.
posted by cixelsyd at 11:55 AM on August 18, 2011
BTW, it turns out that the Clemens/Posada/Franco combo is the oldest one in recorded major league history. Even if you include stunt appearances (Minnie Minoso (54), Satchel Paige (58), Charley O'Leary (58), Jim O'Rourke (53), Nick Altrock (54)), it's still the oldest combo ever.
Interestingly, other people did some research and found only two times (same 3 players) where all three participants were at least 40 years old: Jamie Moyer (pitcher, 42), Pat Borders (catcher, 42), B.J. Surhoff (hitter, 40)
I guess the next challenge is to find the youngest one in recorded MLB history.
posted by grum@work at 07:05 PM on August 18, 2011
Joe Nuxhall (15), Joe Just (27) and Stan Musial (23) is a start. June 10, 1944.
posted by dfleming at 09:13 PM on August 18, 2011
I was going to suggest Bob Feller. Otherwise, I'd assume it's during WWII.
posted by yerfatma at 10:57 PM on August 18, 2011
September 18, 1957
Catcher: Frank Zuppo (17)
Pitcher: Jerry Walker (18)
Hitter: Earl Battey (22)
Total: 57 years
posted by grum@work at 01:25 AM on August 19, 2011
Eli Manning suffering from post-concussion-like symptoms.