Ephemera 21

   I really have to say that as good as Maddon has been for the Rays, he is probably part of the reason they will never win it all. I remember a few years back whenTampa Bay really broke out and had a good year, I think they started with some kind of a fight with the Yankees, all the ESPN nonsense was “Yeah, I think what the Rays have done is jumped up and punched the bully in the chin and told them Hey we arent gonna take it anymore” Come on , I mean I kinda get it about trying to motivate your team but here we are three or whatever years later and I really see alot that of that “chip on the shoulder” “little man complex” kind of thing with Tampa. There has already been a little whining about how they are going to lose a couple of talented players, the team has publically ripped their own fans whining about not having a full house. I think with the way things are these days it’s not really cool to tear into your own supporters for not buying tickets. From what I understand the Rays have great t.v. ratings, so I mean the support is out there, use those tv numbers to get a better tv deal with your local broadcaster.    There was another thing where Maddon went nuts after that Twins game where the ball hit the rafters and he was going on about this is why they have to get a new stadium.He was not just saying that either, it was like an angry rant. Take it easy already, it was only 3 or 4 years ago that the team was a laughing stock, all of a sudden fans need to shell out their hard earned money and someone needs to build them a new stadium ?      If the team isn’t going to be able to keep their talent then this might end up being a flash in the pan anyway, lets take it easy on the new stadium deal. The other thing with Maddon is his strategy, I honestly think this a guy who thinks he is just plain smarter than everyone else. He says how  they are aggresive or whatever. Take something like “never make the first or last out at third base” that is something that I have heard over and over and over all my life. But Joe Maddon, he’s just a little smarter than these other folks that have been playing baseball for the last hundred years or so. it has really nothing to do with the fact that I am Yankee fan but there was a game in Sept. where Carl Crawford was thrown out trying to steal 3rd to end the inning very late in a very big game. I think Maddons response was something like “That’s how we play” what does that mean ? Thats how you play ? How is that ? Stupid ? You play the Stupid brand of baseball? The point of the never make the first or last out at 3rd is because you have nothing to gain and everything to lose. I thought it was pretty comical to see Texas running all over them in their game 5. Tampa completely fell apart, they didn’t know what to do, fumbling around and looking foolish.Sometimes you can just be too smart for your own good. I think Maddon has probably gotten Tampa about as far as he ever will.      Please don’t come back and say I am making too much of a steal attempt at 3rd, that is just one example to show where Maddon is coming from, I think it goes much deeper than just trying to steal 3rd with two outs. He has a faulty strategy, it’s good to be aggresive but not to be foolish. There is a reason why you have been hearing people preach about “never make the first or last out at third” that reason is because it is stupid to do that. Tampa has really got a good thing going now, hopefully they will get the chip off the shoulder and play some smart baseball.