12/21/24
June 25, 2008
Let's Play the Feud!: On Sunday night's broadcast, Joe Morgan suggested (once again) Ernie Banks' career statistics were inflated by the "basket" in Wrigley's outfield. This being Joe Morgan, the basket was installed in Banks' final year with the Cubs and accounted for, at most, 6 of 512 career home runs. This being Joe Morgan, Cubs fans will have to get in line behind a number of computers before they hear an apology.
"Grandpa Simpson Territory" - exactly.
posted by BoKnows at 02:58 PM on June 25, 2008
If only Billy Bean hadn't single-handedly built that basket...
posted by dirigibleman at 04:43 PM on June 25, 2008
I think the "Morgan has no fucking idea..." quote adequately covers all things Joe Morgan.
posted by Howard_T at 10:44 PM on June 25, 2008
Aww, Poor Joe.. Are you jealous that you've never been (and never will be) referred to as Mr. Red ? Or possibly upset that you're no longer even mentioned as the best 2B of all time; I believe that honor would have to go to either Ryne Sandberg, Jeff Kent, and/or very soon Chase Utley..We're all very sorry that you've always played second fiddle to Johnny Bench, Pete Rose & Co, but you need to stop taking your frustration out on classy players who you don't even belong in the same story with!! By all means though, please feel free to continue to tell us how great you were; we're not worthy, we're not worthy.
posted by CaptJeesh at 10:53 PM on June 25, 2008
I'm really starting to think that Joe does this kind of stuff just to keep his name out there because theres no way he can compare to Mr. Cub in all around play or in just being humble. I dont remember him complaining when he was part of "The Big Red Machine" and its not Banks or Sandbergs fault that he isnt even remembered as the second or third best player on his team. Both Banks and Sandberg carried that franchise and Joe had the benifit of playing with some of the best players around. That being said I'm need to go cut my hands off now for defending Cubs players while being a Sox fan.
posted by jda at 11:20 PM on June 25, 2008
If ESPN were ever to market a drinking game based on the number of easily correctable errors Joe Morgan makes in the average broadcast, I'd have a permanent suite at the Betty Ford Clinic.
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:44 PM on June 25, 2008
Or possibly upset that you're no longer even mentioned as the best 2B of all time; I believe that honor would have to go to either Ryne Sandberg, Jeff Kent, and/or very soon Chase Utley.. Uh, I think Joe Morgan is a grade-A moron when he tries to talk about anything other than himself and the Reds, but don't go down that same path by trying to imply that Sandberg, Kent or Utley are anywhere remotely as good as Morgan. While he's not the best in history (I think that's between Eddie Collins and Rogers Hornsby), Joe Morgan is still one of the best of all time.
posted by grum@work at 11:47 PM on June 25, 2008
Joe had the benifit of playing with some of the best players around Since a hell of a lot of people are into the "FireJoeMorgan.com" bandwagon, they forget how great of a player Joe Morgan truly was. He may have benefitted from playing alongside Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and the rest of the Big Red Machine but he was still one of the cogs that made that machine work properly. On that note, Joe Morgan is an idiot that has no idea what he's talking about. Great player, horrible in being baised while doing color commentary
posted by BornIcon at 07:48 AM on June 26, 2008
but don't go down that same path by trying to imply that Sandberg, Kent or Utley are anywhere remotely as good as Morgan Or Ernie Banks, though Utley certainly has a chance.
posted by yerfatma at 07:59 AM on June 26, 2008
Or Ernie Banks, though Utley certainly has a chance. Ernie Banks was a SS until moving over to 1B almost 10 years into his career, he never played 2B.
posted by BornIcon at 08:13 AM on June 26, 2008
Argh, I misread jda's comment and thought he was comparing the careers. Either way, starting a team I'd take Joe Morgan.
posted by yerfatma at 10:26 AM on June 26, 2008
Whining about the basket at Wrigley is below any sportcaster, even the opionated Joe Morgan. What about the right field corner of storied Yankee Stadium? Or as NoMich pointed out, the overhang at old Tiger stadium? How about the green monster in Boston for yielding doulbles on lazy pop flys to left? Too much foul territory at Dodger stadium? Lowering and moving in the fences at old Busch stadium? Playing in thin air in Colorado? Keeping baseballs in humidors prior to power hitting teams coming to town? Not mowing the infield when slap hitter heavy lineups come to town? Piping warm water to the water fountains in the opponents dugouts? Watering the first base dirt triple when playing against Ricky Henderson, Maury Wills, or Vince Coleman? How about the home team providing the official scorer (was that really a hit?)? They tried to call it home field advantage. But if both teams have to deal with it during the series, it should even out. Noting that Joe Morgan played nearly all of his career in Cincy and Houston, I wonder if any of his stats were ever padded by playing in games in Chitown with the basket? He wasn't exactly known for upper deck or out-of-the-park blasts
posted by knowsalittle at 10:30 AM on June 26, 2008
Either way, starting a team I'd take Joe Morgan. He's a little old, no?
posted by bperk at 11:12 AM on June 26, 2008
The next thing you'll hear from Joe is that the wind was a major factor as well. Come on Joe, quit being so angry and enjoy life.
posted by dbt302 at 11:15 AM on June 26, 2008
He may have benefitted from playing alongside Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and the rest of the Big Red Machine but he was still one of the cogs that made that machine work properly. For a guy that won back-to-back MVP awards, and was arguably the best player on the team from 1972 - 1976 (based on win shares), it's more likely that Rose, Bench and tBRM benefitted from playing along side Morgan.
posted by grum@work at 11:17 AM on June 26, 2008
Despite my distaste for Joe Morgan's announcing, and the Big Red Machine of the 70's, I must agree with grum@work. Since the era of Ernie Banks, the list of second basemen better than Joe Morgan in the 70's is pretty freakin' short. If you want to include longevity in the arguement, there is Ryne Sandberg, Willie Randolph, Craig Biggio and Davey Lopes (and now Jeff Kent). However, other than Sandberg, none of these players were regularly even the best player on their team, much less a two time MVP award winner. Excellent batting average in the 70's during a time when batting .290 was rare, formidable power for a secondbaseman at the time, a multitude of stolen bases, clutch hitting in the post season, superior fielding, excellent sportmanship, etc. - love him or hate him, you must respect his accomplishments. I would not say the same about his game commentary.
posted by knowsalittle at 11:37 AM on June 26, 2008
A counterpoint to firejoemorgan.
posted by justgary at 03:29 PM on June 26, 2008
I'd like to see some stats on just how much text Posnanski generates in a week. I had to unsubscribe to his blog due to time commitments.
posted by yerfatma at 03:49 PM on June 26, 2008
Besides, it looks like they angled the basket so that it won't actually create a home run out of a typical pop fly. Unlike the home run porch that hung out over right field at old Tiger Stadium. That thing ruled. (Why is "home run" two words? It seems like it should be a single word.)