Master Index of Archived Threads


Heroic Boring

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 02 2010 12:44 PM

On this Good Friday, here's one hell of a good piece here from Patrick Flood, on appreciating what we've got while we have it in its Vitamin-Water-hawking, stupefyingly-good prime. (Plus, I'm totally stealing "a droning of awesome.") Patrick Flood wrote: So here’s this person, David Wright, adored equally by Broseph and little girls, who for years has come into my living room and suffocating dorm room and accompanied me over the radio on long car rides, and I’m not really sure I know that much about him. He never has a bad word for anyone, not another player, not an umpire. He always says the right thing, which can be horribly dull. He is never one to lose his composure either - maybe he would spike an occasional batting helmet, but that’s it. He reminds me of people encountered in life that are perfectly nice and no one has a bad thing to say about, but you just don’t ever take any interest in them because they are boring, at least to you. Wright comes on my TV and goes 3-5, and then does it again the next night and the next one and on into forever - his greatness is as easy to overlook as a skyscraper passed by daily. He is perpetually great, a droning of awesome. Wright is consistency, and consistency is monotony, and monotony is by definition difficult to notice. ... This may sound boring, but it’s not. Seriously, it’s not. Wright is a blank slate and that’s wonderful. He is whoever you want him to be. If you’re a little girl, or even an older one, he can be your perfect little milk and cookies crush, and if you’re a twenty-something bro, you can go to the bar crawl with him and then make t-shirts. If you’re a workaholic, Wright’s a workaholic too - there’s a reason he can steals those bases, and it’s not speed - and if you like to relax, well then Wright plays a child’s game for a living. If you sit at home and play video games, he does that too. He’s just like you, or your brother, or your son, or your friend, only Wright is probably much better at hitting spherical objects great distances.

Ceetar Apr 02 2010 12:48 PM Re: Heroic Boring

It's an excellent piece, I agree. And it sure makes me excited for 2010.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Apr 02 2010 12:51 PM Re: Heroic Boring

It gets me excited for the next decade-plus (hopefully), and for the prospect of my daughter growing into one of those girls who just can't stop hearting the guy in her notebook (for entirely on-field reasons, of course).

metirish Apr 02 2010 12:52 PM Re: Heroic Boring

I wouldn't want to be using that keyboard and monitor after Flood was done with it .

Ashie62 Apr 02 2010 05:26 PM Re: Heroic Boring

metirish wrote: I wouldn't want to be using that keyboard and monitor after Flood was done with it . A Flood of Spackle

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 07 2010 03:40 PM Re: Heroic Boring

Another something along the same lines, courtesy of SNY's Ted Berg: TB wrote: While the Mets were taking batting practice yesterday, I waited outside their clubhouse with our video producer and intern, prepping to interview Ike Davis for the Baseball Show. Every person that passed commented on the sweltering heat. Players walked by soaked in sweat, looking a bit wilted, conserving energy. Then came Wright, bouncing down the hall, no worse for the wear. Alongside him was a kid, about 8, wearing a “Make-A-Wish” t-shirt and a Mets hat. The kid looked a bit overwhelmed. Wright looked positively giddy. “Here’s our indoor batting cage, and here’s our video room,” Wright said, sounding himself like an excited 8-year-old showing his friend his parents’ new home or something. “You wanna see our clubhouse?” They emerged a few minutes later and proceeded toward the dugout. “You wanna meet some of the players?” Wright asked as they walked down the hall, away from where we were standing. “You know a lot of the players? Who’s your favorite player?” The kid mumbled something inaudible. “Well you have to say that,” we heard Wright say before they moved out of our earshot. “Because I’m walking with you!” We were the only media anywhere close, and no cameras were rolling. "Then he bounded off, leapt over the Grand Central, and put out a brush fire with his tears, each of which could fill a children's swimming pool, and mighty wind-producing waves from his bat. It was the bravest strikeout of all." (Yay, Dabidrye.)

G-Fafif Jul 07 2010 03:52 PM Re: Heroic Boring

The kid mumbled something inaudible. "My favorite player is the new Lincoln MKS. The highway is ITS diamond and she's a gem!"

themetfairy Jul 07 2010 03:53 PM Re: Heroic Boring

Another something along the same lines, courtesy of SNY's Ted Berg: TB wrote: While the Mets were taking batting practice yesterday, I waited outside their clubhouse with our video producer and intern, prepping to interview Ike Davis for the Baseball Show. Every person that passed commented on the sweltering heat. Players walked by soaked in sweat, looking a bit wilted, conserving energy. Then came Wright, bouncing down the hall, no worse for the wear. Alongside him was a kid, about 8, wearing a “Make-A-Wish” t-shirt and a Mets hat. The kid looked a bit overwhelmed. Wright looked positively giddy. “Here’s our indoor batting cage, and here’s our video room,” Wright said, sounding himself like an excited 8-year-old showing his friend his parents’ new home or something. “You wanna see our clubhouse?” They emerged a few minutes later and proceeded toward the dugout. “You wanna meet some of the players?” Wright asked as they walked down the hall, away from where we were standing. “You know a lot of the players? Who’s your favorite player?” The kid mumbled something inaudible. “Well you have to say that,” we heard Wright say before they moved out of our earshot. “Because I’m walking with you!” We were the only media anywhere close, and no cameras were rolling. "Then he bounded off, leapt over the Grand Central, and put out a brush fire with his tears, each of which could fill a children's swimming pool, and mighty wind-producing waves from his bat. It was the bravest strikeout of all." (Yay, Dabidrye.) When I was in Philly for a Tug McGraw Foundation event on April 30th, the mom of a boy with brain cancer (who, sadly, has since passed away) told the group a similar story about David Wright from about a year ago. She was very emotional about it; her son had become disfigured from his treatments and was very shy, but David was wonderful to the kid.

seawolf17 Jul 07 2010 06:34 PM Re: Heroic Boring

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: They emerged a few minutes later and proceeded toward the dugout. “You wanna meet some of the players?” Wright asked as they walked down the hall, away from where we were standing. “You know a lot of the players? Who’s your favorite player?” The kid mumbled something inaudible. “Well you have to say that,” we heard Wright say before they moved out of our earshot. “Because I’m walking with you!” What you don't know is that the kid mumbled "derekjeter," and then just as they moved out of earshot, David Wright whacked the kid upside the head with a T-shirt gun. "WHERE'S YOUR HERO NOW, KID? WHERE IS HE?"

Edgy DC Jul 07 2010 09:10 PM Re: Heroic Boring

Tough, tough room.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jul 23 2010 09:39 AM Re: Heroic Boring

Nice Waldstein color piece from a few days back about Wright's special Amazin' friend here. (I'm just amazed the word "anointing" didn't come up once.) David Wright, dressed in his Mets uniform, was weaving his way quickly, and somewhat nervously, through the crowd, adjusting his cap along the way. Some of the fans pointed and told companions who it was. One woman gasped, surprised at the sight of a real player, a star no less, walking by her. Most of the fans just stared, trying to make sense of a player seemingly on his way to buy a hot dog so close to game time. But minutes later, Wright was the one who was somewhat speechless, honored to be in the presence of one of the greatest players in baseball history, Willie Mays. The get-together before a game between the Giants and the Mets reinforced a growing relationship between the two men, who are separated by background and age (Mays is 79, Wright is 27), but not in their admiration for each other.

Edgy DC Jul 23 2010 09:46 AM Re: Heroic Boring

Wow. I remember Mays as a Met coach taken a turn as a DH in a few spring training games.

Fman99 Jul 23 2010 11:17 AM Re: Heroic Boring

G-Fafif wrote: The kid mumbled something inaudible. "My favorite player is the new Lincoln MKS. The highway is ITS diamond and she's a gem!" I missed this when it was posted. Classic hilarity.

G-Fafif Jul 23 2010 02:06 PM Re: Heroic Boring

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Nice Waldstein color piece from a few days back about Wright's special Amazin' friend here. (I'm just amazed the word "anointing" didn't come up once.) David Wright, dressed in his Mets uniform, was weaving his way quickly, and somewhat nervously, through the crowd, adjusting his cap along the way. Some of the fans pointed and told companions who it was. One woman gasped, surprised at the sight of a real player, a star no less, walking by her. Most of the fans just stared, trying to make sense of a player seemingly on his way to buy a hot dog so close to game time. But minutes later, Wright was the one who was somewhat speechless, honored to be in the presence of one of the greatest players in baseball history, Willie Mays. The get-together before a game between the Giants and the Mets reinforced a growing relationship between the two men, who are separated by background and age (Mays is 79, Wright is 27), but not in their admiration for each other. This article gave me ridiculous chills I have not felt since Willie threw the first ball of the 2007 ASG in San Fran to Jose. Thanks for sharing.

Zvon Jul 23 2010 03:05 PM Re: Heroic Boring

G-Fafif wrote: This article gave me ridiculous chills I have not felt since Willie threw the first ball of the 2007 ASG in San Fran to Jose. Thanks for sharing. What he said.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Aug 18 2010 01:28 PM Re: Heroic Boring

He strikes out a bunch! He's sucked since the All-Star Break! A month-and-a-half-of-putrid obviously means he's ordinary! TRADE DAVID WRIGHT! Or not. (Megdal for GM, indeed.) The grim truth is evident for all to see: David Wright's .648 OPS from July 1 through August 15 is no different than the times other third basemen proved they simply weren't capable of being franchise performers, day-in and day-out. The definitively inconsistent Mike Schmidt season has to be 1980, when the Hall of Fame third baseman hit .286 with 48 home runs, a 199 OPS+, and led the Phillies to a World Series victory. Unfortunately, his year will be forever marred by the period from June 17 through August 10, 1980, when he hit just .196/.319/.406, marking him as an inconsistent player in the eyes of all of baseball then and forever. He further cemented this distinction by following that period with a season-ending run of .311/.405/.661, a devastating display of sometime hitting. Eddie Mathews let the baseball world know just how inconsistent he'd be at age 21, hitting 47 home runs at third base while posting an OPS+ of 171 in 1953. And yet, from June 4 through June 30, 1953, Erratic Eddie hit just .232/.301/.438, after starting the season with a line of .333/.453/.730 through June 3. Talk about unreliable!

Zvon Aug 18 2010 03:35 PM Re: Heroic Boring

He strikes out a bunch! He's sucked since the All-Star Break! A month-and-a-half-of-putrid obviously means he's ordinary! TRADE DAVID WRIGHT! Or not. (Megdal for GM, indeed.) The grim truth is evident for all to see: David Wright's .648 OPS from July 1 through August 15 is no different than the times other third basemen proved they simply weren't capable of being franchise performers, day-in and day-out. The definitively inconsistent Mike Schmidt season has to be 1980, when the Hall of Fame third baseman hit .286 with 48 home runs, a 199 OPS+, and led the Phillies to a World Series victory. Unfortunately, his year will be forever marred by the period from June 17 through August 10, 1980, when he hit just .196/.319/.406, marking him as an inconsistent player in the eyes of all of baseball then and forever. He further cemented this distinction by following that period with a season-ending run of .311/.405/.661, a devastating display of sometime hitting. Eddie Mathews let the baseball world know just how inconsistent he'd be at age 21, hitting 47 home runs at third base while posting an OPS+ of 171 in 1953. And yet, from June 4 through June 30, 1953, Erratic Eddie hit just .232/.301/.438, after starting the season with a line of .333/.453/.730 through June 3. Talk about unreliable! Very nice article. Puts things in their proper perspective.

G-Fafif Sep 01 2010 10:40 PM Re: Heroic Boring

Times reports David has nobody to play with. Lineup and Card Game Feel Lonely for Wright By RAY GLIER ATLANTA — One by one, David Wright’s card-game partners have disappeared from the table. Their almost daily routine, starting in spring training, has been broken up by the business of baseball, which includes injuries and the turmoil of a lost season. Catcher Rod Barajas went to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jason Bay, the left fielder, sustained a concussion and is not around. Jeff Francoeur, the right fielder, was shipped to the Texas Rangers after Tuesday night’s game. So, does Wright like to play solitaire? Wright smiled. “It’s not a favorite of mine,” he said. Wright is not blaming anyone for breaking up his card game, or for a season that looked promising but has now deteriorated. The Mets managed just two hits Wednesday night and lost their third straight game here, 4-1, falling 13 games behind the Braves, who lead the National League East. “It’s baseball; that happens,” Wright said of his friends’ exits. “For selfish reasons, I hate seeing those guys go, but there is a business side to baseball. It doesn’t always work out that you get to develop those relationships. “I’m glad that they went to pretty good situations, Rod going to L.A., where it is home, and Jeff going somewhere in the middle of a pennant race. The foursome played spades, casino and any other card game you can name. Wright looked around the clubhouse when asked if it was time to find new partners. “You kind of have to find a new group,” he said. “Hopefully, there are enough guys in here that play. If not, we’ll have to teach some of these young guys.”

Edgy DC Sep 02 2010 05:35 AM Re: Heroic Boring

So, is playing cards with Wright bad for your bat, or does Wright seek out poor-hitting toadies for cards?

seawolf17 Sep 02 2010 07:48 AM Re: Heroic Boring

I'm reading too much into this, but maybe Pseudo-Captain David needs to diversify his card game a little bit.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Sep 02 2010 08:19 AM Re: Heroic Boring

Well, in that crowd, DW's always got the last word in trashtalk. Also... yeah, I think a quota system for friendly card games might be a little bit much.

MFS62 Sep 02 2010 09:48 AM Re: Heroic Boring

If he wants to play Bridge, I'll be his partner anytime. Of course, I'd have to be on the team first. Later