Posted on 10/01/2004 4:08:23 PM PDT by SaveTheChief
CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker was "shocked" by criticism leveled at him from television broadcaster Steve Stone, which general manager Jim Hendry felt were "personal" attacks.
On Thursday during the postgame interview with Baker, Stone questioned the manager's moves in the 12th inning of the Cubs' 2-1 loss to Cincinnati. Stone also criticized the team during an interview on WGN Radio on Thursday after the game.
"You want the truth? You can't handle the truth," Stone said on WGN Radio. "Let me tell you something, guys, the truth of this situation is [this is] an extremely talented bunch of guys who want to look at all directions except where they should really look, and kind of make excuses for what happened.
"At the end of the day, boys, you don't tell me how rough the water is, you bring in the ship. The best eight [teams] go on, the other teams go home," Stone said. "This team should have won the Wild Card [playoff berth] by six, seven games. No doubt about it. They have the talent to do that. They're life-and-death right now."
Baker was bothered by the tone of the postgame interview and later heard about Stone's radio comments.
"It shocked me," Baker said Friday. "A man can say what he wants to say. I don't understand it, I don't understand the timing of it. Bad timing. If there's something personal, you need to talk about it. You don't broadcast it to everybody else. I don't know where he's coming from. I feel bad for my team and I feel sorry for him to even do that. That's bewildering to me."
(Excerpt) Read more at chicago.cubs.mlb.com ...
From this lifelong Cubs fan's point of view, Dusty Baker needs to go. He doesn't know what to do with a bullpen and the team's performance has been questionable all year. With a team as talented as he had this year, Baker should be leading them to the playoffs. Not helping the matter are his borderline racist comments from last season about black and latino players being better for playing in the heat.
The team has no heart, no character, no guts, and no determination - all of which are qualities found in all championship teams of any sport.
I guess the bright side is that they have produced two consecutive winning seasons, and I can't remember the last time they did that.
This team lost the season 20 July then figured they were a shoe in for the wild card, so they all laid down on the job.
Bringing it into the political area, they like the bush campaign got over cocky, figured they had it it in the bag and then laid down on the job.
You don't win anything in this life by taking it for granted.
L So after Atlanta knocks the cubs out tomorrow, will just have to worry about bush winning.
< I fear though genetics will tell, he doesn't look like he wants to win, just like his father.
Time and votes will tell.
It's refreshing to hear a baseball commentator speak his mind. For years, New York Mets fans have had to endure Fran Healy, a third-rate catcher and a twelfth-rate announcer. As awful as the Mets are, Fran never utters a word of criticism.
The criticism was well deserved. The Cubs choked. They blew two 12 inning games this week. The players lost their will to win.
But the Cubs have Nomah...I thought he was the savior!
He probably got that from Harry, but Harry would sound a lot more disgusted than Stone ever has, or will.
The Cubbies simply do what they have historically done best, that's all.
Yes Stone is an articulate and insiteful commentator but:
1) He quite his job several years back because of a mysterious illness.
2) He wanted to be general manager, but nobody would have him.
I'm a San Franciso Giants fan. We had our turn with Dusty. He's a personable, likeable guy, and the players love him. But he won't make the hard decision to play the right man at the right time. His legendary loyalty to struggling veterans is heart-warming, but not World Series-winning.
Off your meds again, I see. What the hell is the matter with you?
Fact: Baker faired little better in SF.
Opinion: All he manages to do is field a decent team, granted, that is more than most others can say. But with Slamin Sammy off the steroids and about 40lbs lighter and half as strong, the Cubs don't win the extra games it takes to get into post season play.
Your point please?
baker goes to Cubs and go from lousy to winning.
Stone is an idiot and never a good picther.
I don't understand it, I don't understand the timing of it. Bad timing. If there's something personal, you need to talk about it. You don't broadcast it to everybody else. I don't know where he's coming from. I feel bad for my team and I feel sorry for him to even do that. That's bewildering to me."
Classic Dusty. Whining, "personal", "timing"... LOL. All because the broadcaster called it like it is.
Now you know how Giants fans felt earlier this decade, SaveTheChief. Idiotic bullpen moves, prima donna whining about any criticisms, pointless favoritism towards this or that player... you wanna talk about the 2002 World Series, Game 6? Just take your pain from the "Steve Bartman" game and multiply it by 10.
I couldn't have been happier to see Dusty go. When his teams win it's in spite of him.
The Astros have shown remarkable character this year in the face of elimination. They fired their manager mid-season!
My point about Baker is that with the team he has been given, he should be able to lead them to victory. The intangibles are ultimately the responsibility of the manager, and they are missing those intangibles this year.
The point is there is reason to think that Stone's judgement may not be as good as it normally appears on TV.
How many "never a good pitcher(s)" win a Cy Young award?
That sounds probable. Dusty has seen a lot more athletes than you playing in the heat.
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