Programming note

My apologies for the lack of postings the last day and a half. I'm in the midst of a very busy time at work. I will have some free time tonite so I'll be back at it. Thanks for coming by and the kind words about the Rasner interview. I'll try to get some other interviews over the coming weeks.

Murcer Update

Due to work constraints, I'm simply going to give you a link to visit. My apologies for the brevity. I hope you find a moment to visit the link below.

Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog: Bobby Murcer Update

As we've said here before, nothing but the best wishes to Bobby and his family. He's a wonderful ambassador for the game. I hope to hear and see him back in the booth soon.

An Interview with Darrell Rasner

Following my interview with agent Matt Sosnick, I asked Matt if it would be OK to interview one of his players. Being in New York and sucker for the low-down from one of the less-heralded players, I checked if the Yanks Darrell Rasner would be amenable. I was able to send Darrell a list of questions and he was kind enough to answer such topics as dealing with adversity, Metallica, his training regimen, Joe Girardi, and providing us with a player's view inside the lockerroom. Oh yeah, and being appreciative for being paid to play this game.


IIATMS: How early did you realize you have the “stuff” to become a major league pitcher?
Darrell Rasner: High school. I realized that it was what I wanted to do for a living, and that I probably had a fighting chance.

IIATMS: Are you a fan of the game, of its history? Casual or intense?
DR: I love the history of the game. I like looking over stats of old hall-of-famers and watching film of all of the greats of the game.

IIATMS: You were waived by the Nationals in 2006. Was there ever a time you doubted your ability to pitch in the majors?
DR: Never. It was definitely a bump in the road, and I really was caught off guard. When the Yankees claimed me, it just reinforced that the best of the best thought that I could help them win. It was a real validation for me.

IIATMS: What was it like stepping on the field as a major leaguer for the first time? At Yankee Stadium?
DR: Neither one was such a jolt that I forgot about my primary goal, which was to get guys out. The first game that I played as a big leaguer made all of the long, lousy bus rides in the minors worth while. Yankee Stadium has such a history that I know how amazing it is to be playing on the same field and for the same team as Ruth and Gehrig.

IIATMS: Best lockerroom pre-/post-game spread?
DR: Tampa and Houston, hands down.

IIATMS: Funniest guy in the lockerroom?
DR: Damon and Giambi are both hysterical.

IIATMS: Best part of the lockerroom?
DR: The clubhouse is made up of a bunch of great guys who know exactly what it takes to win. There is never a moment of panic from anyone, which is part of being a Yankee.

IIATMS: What’s the one thing you wish the fans could witness about being in the lockerroom, once the reporters are gone and the cameras are off?
DR: The guys are all down to earth, and everyone treats each other incredibly well. There are really no ego issues, which is amazing, given the collection of superstars on the team.

IIATMS: Which teammate has surprised you the most (ie: being friendlier, funnier, more serious, etc.)?
DR: A-Rod. He is incredibly kind and friendly, and takes an active interest in his teammates. He’s been awesome to me.

IIATMS: Which of your current teammates would you think is most likely going to be a manager at some point?
DR: Chad Moeller. Brilliant guy, and loves and respects the game.

IIATMS: What are some of the differences between Torre and Girardi?
DR: Torre is a great manager, but I really didn’t know him well. Girardi is really hands on, and he takes the time to really get to know his guys. He asks about our families, knows what our kids are up to, etc. The calm confidence we have as team definitely starts with Joe.

IIATMS: Best part of being a major leaguer?
DR: The best part is getting well paid to do something that I love. I know that this puts me in the minority, and I am really appreciative. Worst part? I really miss the time away from my family.

IIATMS: How would you advise kids and teens to safely strengthen their arms? Do you believe in throwing more or throwing less?
DR: I believe in throwing a lot, more is better for me. The best advice that I could give a kid is to use proper mechanics everytime that you play catch, because that is where stuff tends to get messed up.

IIATMS: What about leg strength?
DR: Leg strength is huge. It’s the first thing to go when physical exhaustion sets in, and then it becomes really hard to get guys out.

IIATMS: How do you manage your emotions on the field?
Managing emotions while on the field? I can only control things until the point that I release a pitch. I try not to get bothered by stuff that happens that is out of my control.

IIATMS: What do your off-day workouts include?
DR: Sprints and distance running, lots of abs, lift 4 out of 5 days.

IIATMS: How did you come to select Sosnick-Cobbe Sports as your representatives?
DR: My dad and I met Matt, and we both believed that he was genuine, honest, and from the heart. I was sure that he would take good care of me and treat me with a lot of loyalty, and he has.

IIATMS: Do you read baseball-related books, websites, blogs, etc. or do you look to get away from the game when you are away from the field?
DR: Not at all. When I’m away from the field, I concentrate on my family.

IIATMS: Bonus question! Artist most prominently featured on your iPod? Newest music on your iPod?
DR: I love Metallica. The newest thing on my iPod is Alter Bridge.


IIATMS would like to thank Darrell for taking the time to answer our questions and again thank agent Matt Sosnick for his generosity with this time.

Friday fun: Video time, baseball style

Somewhere, Magglio is laughing (we hope) but Goose is stewing over today's ballplayers ("I can't stand that - the dancing, the laughing - there's no place for that in the game"):



Let's hear it for Todd Jones!

Down on the farm

For those of you die-hard Yanks fans, I thoroughly recommend you to check in with Chad Jennings' Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees blog. I don't usually weigh in too often on the Yanks prospects since I don't get to, you know, actually SEE them play. Chad does.

Jennings has a ton on some of the likely bullpen help the big club can look towards to rescue the leaky bullpen. To wit:

David Robertson: "Hard not to be impressed by Robertson, who now has 48 strikeouts in 33 innings. Eleven of his 16 walks came last month. I forgot to mention earlier, so I'll mention here that I asked Mark Newman today if the Yankees had any plans to let Robertson go back to throwing the slider he used in college. Newman didn't rule it out, but said Robertson's fastball moves so much that the slider seems redundant. They like having him work with that big curveball, and the curveball has obviously been working."

Mark Melancon: "Mark Newman understands the desire to see Mark Melancon in big league pinstripes, but player development is a game of patience, and Newman is willing to wait. With a 1.57 ERA through 11 Double-A games, Melancon has fans calmoring for a call-up, but Newman is happy to leave the right-hander where he is. “He could stay there all year," Newman said. "Probably will. Not a guarantee, but probably.” [...] The good news, of course, is that Melancon is rolling through the Eastern League, consistently throwing two, three and even four innings at a time."

And then there are the bats to look for either when the rosters expand in September or in Spring Training next year:

Newman on Brett Gardner: “His swing has gotten better, technique-wise. It’s clear to me because I haven’t see him for a few months, and people need to know how good Butch Wynegar is. He’s outstanding at what he does. He’s helped Gardy, and Gardy has worked his butt off, plus he’s very bright and committed to improvement. You take that and put him with Butch, you’re going to see some high caliber results.”

Newman on Austin Jackson: “He’s been good the last month. He‘s hit home runs, he‘s played defense good, he‘s hit for power. He jumped a level and made adjustments. He’s hitting about .285 with about a .360 on-base. He’s hit for power. It validates. Any time they go a significant chunk of the season performing, half a season in this case, you’re more confident in your assessment.”

And for those of you wondering who the heck Justin Christian is and why he was called up ahead of Brett Gardner, I humbly blockquote this:

Why Justin Christian instead of Brett Gardner? I can think of several reasons.

1. Christian is right handed. With a slew of left-handed starters scheduled to face the Yankees the next few days, a right-handed bat has very real value.

2. Christian has been red hot. Yes, so has Gardner, but it's not as if the Yankees called up some bum. Christian was hitting .412 this month with a .448 on-base percentage, .588 slugging nine stolen bases and only three strikeouts. Christian earned this call-up.

3. Gardner is getting noticeably better in Triple-A. It's not often that you can physically see a player improving. Progress is usually slow and steady and you only notice it in retrospect. With Gardner, it's happening right before our eyes. Why slow this kind of progress?
- Four stolen bases in eight attempts in April, 25 steals in 29 attempts ever since. It seems like he can take a bag whenever he wants.
- He said last week that he wanted to cut down on the strikeouts, and promptly struck out only twice in four days, all while walking seven times.
- I don't know how many pitches Gardner sees each game, but last night it was 25 in five at-bats. It's gotten to the point that we in the press box have set an over/under on the number of pitches he'll see in a game and tried to guess. Last night the over/under was set at 30 and almost got there.
- The power numbers, obviously, are much better this year than in the past.

4. Christian is 28 years old. He's spent almost exactly a year in Triple-A with consistent production. It's time to see what he can do.

Great job by SWB Yanks Blog. Thanks for keeping us in the loop!

Sexism, stupidity and the Mets

Seriously.

(as reported by Justin Rodriguez from the Times Herald-Record)

Earlier today, one of my colleagues, staff writer Mira Wassef, a hard-working and conscientious reporter, went to Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill to interview Davis. Brooklyn, the Mets’ Class A New York-Penn League affiliate, is in town to play the Renegades.

According to Mira, and I totally believe her, once she walked into the Brooklyn clubhouse, several players began whistling at her and making cat calls. She was unnerved to say the very least. You think the Mets look bad on the field? Well, check out this group of chumps. The performance by the Cyclones was pathetic. A disgrace.

Then came Davis, the Mets’ first round pick (18th overall) in the draft earlier this month out of Arizona State. Mira asked for Davis and, sitting in the clubhouse, he raised his hand. Mira asked if Davis had a few minutes to talk for an interview.

His reply?

“I’m not playing tonight, sweetheart. We don’t have anything to talk about.”

Sweetheart? Apparently, Davis, who signed for $1.5 million yesterday, thinks he’s still on campus or something. He’s not.

M-E-T-S, Let's go Me-...blech...

Take this job and shove it

Hard to believe a player actually did this, but this happened last night:

Astros pitcher Shawn Chacon was suspended indefinitely by the team Wednesday for insubordination after reportedly grabbing general manager Ed Wade by the neck and throwing him to the ground.

Now, Chacon's recounting of the story seems to indicate that Wade was overly aggressive, but he's the GM, the boss and he has a right to expect a player listen to his requests.

What I found so pathetic was Chacon's attempt at regret:

"Maybe it shouldn't have happened," Chacon said. "But when you do those things and you're yelling at somebody and you're cussing you better know what type of person you're dealing with. If there's any regret, I just wish they had just let me alone. I wish they had left me alone."

That's like saying you're only sorry you got caught. Chacon, consider yourself banished. Any GM who picks him up clearly has no sense of fraternity.

Endangered Species: The Complete Game

Not that I think this is the way to get to a desired outcome, but it's an interesting approach:

The Brewers will try something new at one affiliate to find the middle ground. Beginning this week at Class A Brevard County, relievers will start games before turning it over to the "starters" in the third or the fourth.

By starting the starter later in games, the Brewers hope their young players develop a "nine-inning mindset" by the time they reach the Majors.

The idea of using relievers in the early innings has been pushed for some time by Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, and was also endorsed several years ago when the Brewers gathered their organizational pitching coaches and medical people for a symposium.

Back to the Brewers and Ben Sheets, who had his third CG on Monday.

Sheets has thrown 16 complete games in his career and said he steps onto the mound every time out expecting to pitch all nine innings. He knows not every pitch[er] has the same outlook.

"I'm not saying anything new, everybody knows the reason -- you're not brought up that way," Sheets said. "In the Minors, pitch count is such a big thing. For the complete game, you have to trust enough to get your pitch count up somewhere around 115, 120.

"I think some people leave some of their better innings on the bench. Some guys are in really good grooves through seven, and get taken out when they could probably get through two more fairly easily. It no fault of anybody's; it's just baseball."

It's just baseball? No, it's just baseball's fault.

I've been lobbying for longer than I have had a blog that pitch counts have become a self-fulfilling prophesy. If you don't train your arm to throw more than 100 pitches per outing, you won't be able to in a game. This pitch count concept is so institutionalized that it's filtered down to second grade leagues. I can see it for the kids whose arms are not yet developed, but by the time a player is in the minor league system, they should be conditioning themselves for 125-140 pitches per outing. Marathon runners don't run five miles per day to train. Do pitchers need to throw more to build endurance or have the salaries caused them to be overprotected?

I don't know the throwing routines for pitchers, major or minor leaguers. But if you look at the Japanese pitchers, they are more accustomed to throwing more. Dice-K's legendary Koshein tournament as high schooler is excessive, but it goes to the point that the Japanese emphasize throwing more than less.

In the quarterfinal of that year's Summer Koshien, Matsuzaka threw 250 pitches in 17 innings in a win over powerhouse PL Gakuen. (The previous day he had thrown a 148-pitch complete game shutout.) The next day though trailing 6-0 in the top of the eighth inning, the team miraculously won the game by scoring 7 runs in the last two innings (four in the eighth and three in the ninth). In that game he started in left field, but came in as a reliever in the ninth inning to record the win in 15 pitches. In the final, he threw a no-hitter, the second ever in a final. This performance garnered him the attention of many scouts.

The Japanese mantra of "Throw until you die" is on one end of the spectrum. I think where we are now is on the other end. There is clearly a happy medium that we've deviated from. Back in the mid-90's, when Hideo Nomo was still a curiousity, the NY Times had this to say:

Nomo left the Kintetsu Buffaloes after fighting openly with the team manager over demands that he pitch and practice more. He thus defied the hallowed tradition that Japanese baseball players must serve as uncomplaining samurais. That assumption dates from the early days, when the training regimen of the best team in the country was nicknamed "bloody urine," because the players practiced so hard they urinated blood.

The phenemenon of a complete game is a dying breed. The first years EVER that the leader in complete games threw less than 10 in a season was 1991 Glavine (NL) and 1994 Randy Johnson (AL). The last time a pitcher threw more than 10 complete games in one season was in 1999 Randy Johnson (NL) and 1998 Scott Erickson (AL). Last year, Brandon Webb led the NL with a whopping 4 complete games and Roy Halladay led the AL with 7.

Way back in 1986, the amazing Fernando Valenzuela twirled 20 complete games. A year before that, Bert Blyleven tossed 24. Twenty-plus years later, we have to look long and hard to see more than a handful per pitcher. And just for fun, in the Year of the Pitcher (1968), Juan Marichal had 30 (NL) and Denny McLain had (28). Ponder those numbers for a second. THIRTY complete games in one season. Now, players would drool to get 30 in a career. Then again, maybe they wouldn't be drooling; they'd be calling their agents to gripe about overuse.

It's just baseball's fault. Situational lefties, long relievers, 7th inning set-up guys, 8th inning-set up guys, one-inning closers. Specialization or a role created out of necessity?

Coming soon: Another interview

COMING SOON: An interview with a current Yankees pitcher!

Stay tuned, folks!

Fun video of the day

Yes, it's clearly a fake, but it's fun and well, I like it. So there.


Ball Girl Makes Incredible Catch - Watch more free videos

We don't need no stinkin' draft

Yet another benefit of Latin American ballplayers being exempt from the Rule IV Draft: It's open bidding season! No worries about some team drafting the guy you want ahead of you. No pesky "slotting" recommendations. Just straight cash, homie.

Multiple international scouts have told Baseball America in the past week that Inoa will shatter all bonus records for the international signing period by signing a contract worth at least $4 million, with numbers in the $4.2 to $4.5 million range being floated.

"He's a once-in-a-decade type pitcher," said one international scout.

Scouts say the Yankees have also been heavily pursuing Inoa, who hails from Puerto Plata, but with one week until Inoa can officially sign, the Athletics appear to be the favorite for his services. Athletics general manager Billy Beane and other top talent evaluators from the organization had been in the Dominican Republic to watch Inoa earlier in the year, and Beane was reportedly back in the Dominican again in recent weeks.

How the Yanks could get out-bid by a relatively measley $1 million (give or take) is beyond me. This is the one area that the Yanks should absolutely exert their financial muscle. The cost of not winning the "auction" far outweighs the incremental costs. The way the Yanks write off bad decisions, what's another $4-5 million if the kid absolutely flops? And if he develops like the scouts dream he can, you've got control of him for years and will save multiples of that signing fee.

Inoa's fastball sits in the low-90s and has touched 94, which he complements with a curveball that generates generally positive reviews from scouts and a changeup. Aside from his present velocity, what stands out about Inoa is his size—at 6-foot-7, 205 pounds he projects to throw even harder—and his athleticism, which enables to repeat his fluid delivery.

Why not ante up and make a run at this kid?

An Interview with Matt Sosnick

An interview with Matt Sosnick

I was recently privileged to spend some time with professional baseball agent Matt Sosnick of Sosnick-Cobbe Sports. Matt Sosnick was the subject of ESPN analyst/writer Jerry Crasnick’s book “License to Deal: A Season on the Run with a Maverick Baseball Agent” (published in 2005). Sosnick’s current roster of MLB players include Dontrelle Willis, Josh Willingham, Darrell Rasner, Freddy Sanchez and the hottest rookie on the planet, Jay Bruce. Sosnick’s name was in the news recently as he was Josh Hamilton’s agent until a few weeks back, a story which I covered here. Matt was kind enough to chat with me about the business of being an agent, the Hamilton situation, Mark Cuban, collusion, integrity and how his mom found my blog.

IIATMS: How did you decide to become an agent?
Matt Sosnick: I used to be a CEO of a hi-tech company, but I hated it. I was trying to decide if I should become an agent or if I should go back and get my Ph.D. in Psychology. Ultimately, I decided I was too lazy to go back to school so I became and agent.

IIATMS: Are you an attorney?
MS: No, I am not an attorney. I have them working at the Firm, though.

IIATMS: What do you think are the most important personal traits in being a successful agent?
MS: Charisma. Charisma, not deception. Agents try to spin things to their strengths. We’re not the only good agents out there, but we try to get closer to our clients than others. The “bottom line” is the only thing that matters at the larger firms and that drives other agents to do things that we would not want anyone from our Firm doing.

IIATMS: Besides the agents, how do you staff your firm? Do you have a stable of guys running stats and data?
MS: We’re a pretty small group. We’ve got former players, some of which were once clients, plus the expected support staff. We don’t have interns or a stable of guys crunching numbers. We’ve got one guy who coordinates all the Firm’s activities, a jack-of-all-trades.

IIATMS: How does a kid who loves baseball break into this side of the business, other than going to law school? What advice would you give the kids entering college? For those leaving college?
MS: It’s nearly impossible to just break into. The best way is to intern for a team as soon as you can. Keep following up, being persistent. Then go to law school.

It’s like wanting to be President. The odds on that are 1 million to one [for those who actually want to be President]. But if you wrangle an internship with a senator, you’ve reduced those odds significantly. Same goes for getting into baseball. So many people want in.

IIATMS: What’s your vision for your Firm? Remaining smaller, closer-knit? Or becoming larger like some of your peers?
MS: We’d like to remain about the same size, but deepening the number of clients.

IIATMS: Do you envision expanding into other sports?
MS: No. We don’t want to become a CAA (Creative Artists Agency); a factory.

IIATMS: What’s the standard fee for an agent?
MS: Standard fee is 5%.

IIATMS: What impact, if any, did Jerry Crasnick’s book “License to Deal: A Season on the Run with a Maverick Baseball Agent” have on you, your firm?
MS: It helped with notoriety. Otherwise, it was largely neutral. Other agents have used it against us. One agent photocopied selected quotes from the book and sent them to every player in the Cape Cod League to make the Firm look bad.

Ironically, there was an agent in the book that I helped land a client, even though I had never met him before. Turns out he was the agent to Josh Hamilton left me for. It’s a rough business.

IIATMS: Which organizations are the best to work with? Why? What makes some organizations more difficult to work with?
MS: The difference in any organization is their levels of professionalism.

In terms of the best from ownership, to the GM, assistant GM, scouting director, etc., the best ones for us to deal with have been, in no particular order are: Oakland, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and the Cubs.

IIATMS: Speaking of the Cubs, does Mark Cuban stand a chance at buying the Cubs or will it land in the hands of a Friend of Bud?
MS: I’d be very surprised if Cuban ends up owning the Cubs, but that’s just speculation on my part, nothing more.

IIATMS: There’s been a recent trend of locking up rookies with longer term contracts to buy out their arbitration years. How do you advise your players?
MS: It’s completely a risk/reward discussion. Anything can happen to a player and we do encourage players to gain a sense of financial security who are concerned about that. And those that succeed will have a chance at a big contract again anyways. We just had Freddy Sanchez and Dontrelle (Willis) sign longer term deals so the money will be there again later if they perform. And if they don’t, they still have the benefit of the guaranteed money. Same goes for the younger guys.

Regarding Jay Bruce, we’re open to a discussion. But he’ll still have a chance at a big money contract down the road if he continues to progress, no matter if he signs a deal now or not.

IIATMS: What’s an arbitration hearing look and feel like?
MS: It’s an uncomfortable thing. No one likes going, which is why these things tend to be settled prior to a hearing. Teams don’t want to offend their players and players don’t like hearing the bad things that a team might say. But it’s looked at as a big negative if the player does not show.

Again, it’s all about perception. Boras was 0-11 in arbitration hearings but was selling himself on his skill in that environment.

IIATMS: What sort of things do you and the guys at your firm read? Asked differently, do you guys dive down into bowels of the internet/blogosphere for ideas, insight, opinion?
MS: Well, my mom actually found your blog, not me. She’s got a Google Alert set up.

We don’t really read that much; we just don’t have the time.

IIATMS: What rules would you like to see changed (with regards to labor, such as the Draft)?
MS: The Draft actually works to our strengths. Your agent is a big determining factor where you are actually drafted. Teams trust us to get the deal done. We have less signability issues and have had guys drafted ahead of their predicted spots as a result.

IIATMS: What rules would you like to see changed (on the field)?
MS: I’d like to see Instant Replay for home run calls. It’s more important to get it right. The umpires have such a difficult job and they do a great job at it, but with some of the configurations of the ballparks – such as a line determining a boundary – it’s just very difficult to make every call.

I’d like to see the manager be allowed to request a replay, though.

IIATMS: What’s draft day like for you? How does your firm cover all the draftees?
MS: We’ve got all of our employees together. It’s set up like a war room, with all the names on magnets. It’s an exciting day.

A few years ago, the draft was “it” for us since we didn’t have many guys in the majors yet. It’s how we built our business.

IIATMS: Losing a client is undoubtedly difficult and I know that losing a big client on the cusp of a big contract is especially painful. How did your peers react? What about your clients?
MS: Let me clarify an error: We have not had Josh Hamilton as a client since his draft day. He was a client of ours only since he was acquired by the Reds. He was introduced to us by a rather sketchy financial advisor. That bad link was a bad omen.

Let me also say, I like Josh Hamilton and I wish him nothing but the best. But once you use the Christian- or God-card, it’s impossible to take that back. In the days prior, Josh and his wife were very complimentary of us. They were very happy with the work we were doing for them. We were supposed to fly out and meet with them a few days later, but the next day, we were notified that we were fired.

IIATMS: Do you have a motto or mantra that guides you? I’m partial to “the essence of loyalty is reciprocity”, which, I think, describes your approach pretty well, too.
MS: Yes. “You have the decision whether karma will work for you or against you”. I place an unfair premium on loyalty. I give those loyal to me ten times that loyalty in return. That’s just how I am. I’m getting married in August and I’ve been friends with all of my groomsmen for at least 20 years.

There’s no coincidence that the clients we like the most are the most loyal. Guys like Josh Willingham, Josh Johnson, Darrell Rasner. These guys have become some of my best friends, not just clients of mine. I’d have it no other way.

That’s what differentiates us. Every year, before the season, we take all of our clients and their families on vacation. We want to build that relationship with not just the player, but those closest to him. We view it more like a fraternity mindset. It’s not for everyone but there is a reason these guys are with us.

Generally, we’ve got a stable of guys who share a similar philosophical mindset: They have limited expectations on what the world owes them and they are thankful for all they have. These are the guys who rarely get into incidents or embarrassing situations.

IIATMS: Do you think owners are united in their stand against guys like Sosa, Bonds, Gibbons and some of the other Mitchell Report guys? Or is it simply a matter of teams trying to get younger/cheaper?
MS: It’s a joke to think that there is a conspiracy. I have no doubt that Barry could be a productive hitter right now. But the risk doesn’t equal the reward. It’s not the on-the-field production for these guys, but the off-the-field distractions, headaches. There’s a lack of continuity as well and no GM will stick his ass out on the line for that risk.

IIATMS: How do you help guys handle disappointment? Dontrelle’s in Single A after struggling mightily this year. He’s been a long time client (with your firm logo tattooed on his throwing arm as a show of loyalty), so I’m curious how you help him.
MS: We’ve simply reminded him that he’s still got the stuff to be a successful major league pitcher. Everyone wants him to work it out. The Tigers are and have been reasonable and well within their rights to demote him. They invested in him and want to help him become a productive member of the club. We all want to see Dontrelle succeed and we’ll do anything we can to help him.

IIATMS: Can an agent drop a client as easily as a client dumping an agent? Why would this be done?
MS: Yes, you can. I think you have to be more established to do so. When I started, I was too insecure to consider doing that. But now we strive to represent a different kind of player. Better quality guys are less at risk.

We would drop a client for things like domestic abuse. We have no stomach for that.

IIATMS: How bitter can rivalries between agents get when competing over players, draft picks, etc.?
MS: Worse than you can ever imagine.

There are a ton of amoral guys out there, dying to make their numbers. With so many millions on the line, some guys would stop at nothing to steal a client or smear your name, guys with no barometer in their morality. Just look at the guy who sent excerpts from the book to every player in the Cape Cod League.

Players who want to be wow’d with hookers and strippers will go somewhere else, to the LA firms. That’s fine by me. We’re looking for a different player to represent.

IIATMS: Bonus question time! You're a huge Dave Matthews Band fan. What’s your favorite DMB album?
MS: The first Dave & Tim Reynolds acoustic album. With the whole band, either the live at Red Rocks or “Listener Supported”. I’m also as big a Counting Crows fan as I am of DMB.

IIATMS: I'd once again like to thank Matt Sosnick for being so generous with his time.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Other Sosnick/Hamilton-related postings:

• The difference a few years makes
• Quick! To the Matt phone
• More Sosnick, Bruce-Almighty style
  

Friday fun: Video time, soccer style

OK, it's likely not real but it's funny and it's Friday.

FOOT 2008 (REMI GAILLARD)

Have a great weekend.

Goose probably hates you, too

Evidently, Goose Gossage seems to hate everything about baseball today. He probably hates me for having the nerve to post my thoughts without being employed by a newspaper. He probably hates you for daring to read it. New fangled interwebs.

I'm not really sure why he's so anti-expression and anti-emotion, considering his emotion is what made him one of the most feared pitchers of the 70's and 80's. But he is and I find it silly.

Gossage believes the dancing antics of Jose Reyes are one reason why the Mets have been in a tailspin since last September.

"There's not enough mustard in the city to cover Reyes," said Gossage, who was at the Stadium to give a pitching clinic to Bronx Little Leaguers and raise money to support inner-city youth baseball leagues in six cities. "He needs to act like a professional.

"I don't want this sport to turn into football where they dance after every play. I can't stand that - the dancing, the laughing - there's no place for that in the game. He's not the first great player to play - I wouldn't even say great because he hasn't won anything yet."

Gossage also ripped Joba Chamberlain last month for his fist-pumping antics, but later spoke to the rookie to make sure his words weren't taken out of context.

Yeah, so stuff that in your Z-Cavaricci's and burn 'em. And get off his damn lawn, too!

Schilling done?

(H/T to the ProJo SoxBlog, emphasis mine)

Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, on this morning's edition of the WEEI radio show Dennis and Callahan, said that he will have shoulder surgery on Monday, ending his chances of pitching this season. The 41-year-old right-hander went on to say that "there's a decent chance that I have thrown my last pitch, forever."

There are lots of Yankee blogs chatting about this today. What I have seen a lot of, that I really don't like, is that people seem to be taking a twisted joy in knowing that Schilling is hurt and possibly done for his career. I enjoy watching the Sox lose as much as any Yankee fan, but I don't think I have ever cheered an injury. And I am not going to start now.

I'm a fan of the game, a fan of the team I grew up watching, a fan of the players who have made the most of their incredible skills. Cheering when a player, even on your most bitter rival, suffers a possible career ending injury is just so low, so weak, so cowardly, so... disgusting.

I might think Schilling is a pompous blowhard (as do others). I might not like his approach and tact on certain things. But, he's entitled to his views and opinions as much as I am. He's incredibly generous and charitable. I will not cheer his injury.

Switch hitter vs. switch pitcher

Turns out, the Yanks have a minor leaguer who's a switch pitcher. So what happens when a switch pitcher meets a switch hitter? Pure comedic genius.

(H/T to the good folks at Bugs & Cranks for the video; thanks to my bro for the tip-off)

An interactive gangbang

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Why I hate Kyle Farnsworth

I was asked why I hate Kyle Farnsworth. I had to step back and and explain it in a different way. He seems like a nice enough guy (except when you charge the mound). He seems like he cares and genuinely wants to win and succeed. So here's how I explained it:

I hate Kyle Farnsworth because he's got so much natural talent and all I want is for him to be as great as his talent. Because of those expectations, it makes me hate his failings that much more. I don't hate LaTroy Hawkins because I don't think he has the natural stuff that Farnsworth does, therefore I hold lower expectations than Farnsworth. Maybe I just need to lower my expectations for him. But that's hard for me to do since I can see how much God-given talent this guy has.

This is why fans boo their stars, I think. We want them to succeed SO badly, when they fail, we're disappointed. We know they are supremely talented and we want that talent to shine.

Major league ballplayers can hit speed when it's just speed. When there's no movement, professional hitters can catch up to 100MPH straightballs. As my Dad yelled to me over the phone the other day: "Just move your middle finger over a half an inch and make the ball move a little!"

Jeter overrated, says MLB players

Interesting that a Sports Illustrated survey of 495 MLB players showed that Derek Jeter was voted most overrated.

In a Sports Illustrated survey of 495 Major League Baseball players in its June 23rd issue, Jeter was voted the most overrated player in the game, grabbing 10 percent of the vote. Teammate Alex Rodriguez and Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew were tied for third in the poll, each with a seven percent share.
......
Ironically, when SI asked MLB players, “Whom would you pick to build a team around?” in a separate survey last week, A-Rod ranked first and Jeter second.

I won't weigh in here. You tell me. Is Jeter overrated? What makes him overrated? Or is he just "rated", neither over- or under-?

Let's hear ya. Make the case.

Don't mess with Jerry Manuel

Note to all Mets personnel: Do NOT mess with Jerry Manuel. He's a bad dude. Gangster, in fact.

Manuel met resistance from a helmet-tossing Jose Reyes on Tuesday night, when the shortstop's left hamstring tightened and he didn't want to leave the game. Reyes eventually headed for the showers, and shortly afterward apologized to Manuel for the well-intentioned insubordination.

"I told him next time he does that I'm going to get my blade out and cut him. I'm a gangster. You go gangster on me, I'm going to have to get you. You do that again, I'm going to cut you right on the field," quipped Manuel, who reinserted Reyes at shortstop and the leadoff spot for last night's series finale against the Angels.

Well, that's certainly a different approach than Willie's Torre-esque stoicism. Most pundits said Manuel's style is too similar to Willie's style and the team was looking for a spark, someone who'd give the team a kick in the rear. Maybe Manuel IS that guy. Or just playing the role...