I may be the only one who thinks Joba's antics are actually helpful to his mind frame when he pitches. When he tried to be stoic and composed, his pitching was suffering or lacking. Perhaps that can be argued as coincidence, but I'm not bothered by it; neither am I bothered by Paplebon or K-Rod's antics. That's not to say I admire them either (Mo is the gold standard of professionalism as far as I'm concerned), but while we still have Joba, let his celebrations work for him instead of trying to conform him to something he just may not be. And I don't agree that his showing off makes the other team get up and try harder. Maybe it does, but then if you have to rely on the opponent to play inspired baseball, you're losing in the long run.
I've also been a critic of Joba's "behavior" in the past, but now I agree Chyll. Like the Rocket, Joba needs to pitch with emotion. While Clemens didn't show his as much, it was still seething beneath the surface. Joba, on the other hands, seems as if he needs to express it. If the classy John Smoltz and Kevin Youkilis don't like it, so be it. Joba has to be Joba...not what other people want him to be. So, fist pump all you want, Joba...hopefully you have a reson to.
[1] & [2] I agree. If Joba shows emotion after he gets out of a tight spot, then I'm okay with it. Like William, I didn't much care for it at first (I guess I thought it was somewhat contrived). Also, since he was always coming into the game during a big spot he seemed to do it more often than not. Now that he is a starter, it seems more spontaneous and rare. If he continues to pitch well, he can do what he wants as far as I'm concerned.
Also, if Joba wants to buzz one inside on Youk, then I'm okay with it. Moving guys off the plate and trying to keep them guessing is part of baseball (ask Bob Gibson or Nolan Ryan). I'm not for plunking him on purpose (unless they hit one of our guys first), but not pitching inside is not going to keep them from pitching inside to (and possibly hitting) our guys. Joba has to pitch the way he thinks will best get hitters out. If intimidation is part of that, then so be it.
Speaking of Bob Gibson and intimidation, I recently saw an interview where Gibson said that people thought that he "glared" in at the hitters because he was angry. He said it was because he had trouble seeing the signs and he had to squint to make them out. Of course, he was also known as a guy who would "knock his own grandmother down if she dared to challenge him" and threw brush back pitches in old timers games. I wonder what the writer of the Joba article would think about Gibson?
[4] In fairness to Jason, he has a reasonable point - the Yanks don't want anyone on their side to get a broken wrist because Smoltz decided to throw at them in retaliation for Joba doing whatever.
However, if Smoltz is the "classy veteran" that Jason paints him as, I have to believe he'd plunk someone in the back or thigh, not the wrist or where they could get seriously hurt. John Smoltz of all people knows what rehab is like, and what missing time means to your career.
Of course, this means that Jason's whole thesis fails, but I appreciate where he's coming from.
[5] I understand where he is coming from in that article. I don't want any of our guys hurt either. However, I'd rather see Joba be more like Pedro than Mussina (overall I liked Moose, but I never liked the way he wouldn't protect his teammates). More often than not in the past, it seemed like our guys would get hit (like Jeter and Soriano by Pedro) and our pitchers would just let it go. Now, with Joba and AJ, that is not the case. Again, I'm not for plunking Youk on purpose (unless our guy gets hit first) and even then I don't think he should throw at his head (although, it is a big target... ;-) .
But like you say, Joba's gotta do what he's gotta do...
i also don't have a problem with joba's fist pump or whatever. he is an expressive guy and after getting a big out if he wants to yell and fist pump - do your thing man. he seems to very consciously turn his back so it does not seem as if he is doing it in the batters face.
while i don't care for krod or paps - i don't really care about what they do on the mound either.
as much as i hate youk and think he is a whiny bitch - joba has pitched near his head too much for it to be some random accident. in order to prevent a fight, especially one in which the catcher leaves his mask on that catapults the sox to the ws :~, or allows the sox to break someone's wrist, i think he should refrain from plunking youk and throwing at his head - back his ugly ass off the plate like you would anyone else who hangs on the plate like a christmas ornament, but that's it.
[9] "hangs on the plate like a christmas ornament"... nice! Although, if any of my Christmas ornaments start to look like Youk...then they are going in the trash...
I may be the only one who thinks Joba's antics are actually helpful to his mind frame when he pitches. When he tried to be stoic and composed, his pitching was suffering or lacking. Perhaps that can be argued as coincidence, but I'm not bothered by it; neither am I bothered by Paplebon or K-Rod's antics. That's not to say I admire them either (Mo is the gold standard of professionalism as far as I'm concerned), but while we still have Joba, let his celebrations work for him instead of trying to conform him to something he just may not be. And I don't agree that his showing off makes the other team get up and try harder. Maybe it does, but then if you have to rely on the opponent to play inspired baseball, you're losing in the long run.
I've also been a critic of Joba's "behavior" in the past, but now I agree Chyll. Like the Rocket, Joba needs to pitch with emotion. While Clemens didn't show his as much, it was still seething beneath the surface. Joba, on the other hands, seems as if he needs to express it. If the classy John Smoltz and Kevin Youkilis don't like it, so be it. Joba has to be Joba...not what other people want him to be. So, fist pump all you want, Joba...hopefully you have a reson to.
[1] & [2] I agree. If Joba shows emotion after he gets out of a tight spot, then I'm okay with it. Like William, I didn't much care for it at first (I guess I thought it was somewhat contrived). Also, since he was always coming into the game during a big spot he seemed to do it more often than not. Now that he is a starter, it seems more spontaneous and rare. If he continues to pitch well, he can do what he wants as far as I'm concerned.
Also, if Joba wants to buzz one inside on Youk, then I'm okay with it. Moving guys off the plate and trying to keep them guessing is part of baseball (ask Bob Gibson or Nolan Ryan). I'm not for plunking him on purpose (unless they hit one of our guys first), but not pitching inside is not going to keep them from pitching inside to (and possibly hitting) our guys. Joba has to pitch the way he thinks will best get hitters out. If intimidation is part of that, then so be it.
Speaking of Bob Gibson and intimidation, I recently saw an interview where Gibson said that people thought that he "glared" in at the hitters because he was angry. He said it was because he had trouble seeing the signs and he had to squint to make them out. Of course, he was also known as a guy who would "knock his own grandmother down if she dared to challenge him" and threw brush back pitches in old timers games. I wonder what the writer of the Joba article would think about Gibson?
Dear Joba,
To thine own self be true.
Bronx Banter
PS - Keep it real, kid. Youk tasted the dirt in this game and you won. You do what you need to do.
[4] In fairness to Jason, he has a reasonable point - the Yanks don't want anyone on their side to get a broken wrist because Smoltz decided to throw at them in retaliation for Joba doing whatever.
However, if Smoltz is the "classy veteran" that Jason paints him as, I have to believe he'd plunk someone in the back or thigh, not the wrist or where they could get seriously hurt. John Smoltz of all people knows what rehab is like, and what missing time means to your career.
Of course, this means that Jason's whole thesis fails, but I appreciate where he's coming from.
I agree. He does pitch with emotion. But learn to knock a guy down the right way, DON'T throw it as his dome.
Let Joba be Joba (except for the part about throwing at a batter's head).
[5] I understand where he is coming from in that article. I don't want any of our guys hurt either. However, I'd rather see Joba be more like Pedro than Mussina (overall I liked Moose, but I never liked the way he wouldn't protect his teammates). More often than not in the past, it seemed like our guys would get hit (like Jeter and Soriano by Pedro) and our pitchers would just let it go. Now, with Joba and AJ, that is not the case. Again, I'm not for plunking Youk on purpose (unless our guy gets hit first) and even then I don't think he should throw at his head (although, it is a big target... ;-) .
But like you say, Joba's gotta do what he's gotta do...
i also don't have a problem with joba's fist pump or whatever. he is an expressive guy and after getting a big out if he wants to yell and fist pump - do your thing man. he seems to very consciously turn his back so it does not seem as if he is doing it in the batters face.
while i don't care for krod or paps - i don't really care about what they do on the mound either.
as much as i hate youk and think he is a whiny bitch - joba has pitched near his head too much for it to be some random accident. in order to prevent a fight, especially one in which the catcher leaves his mask on that catapults the sox to the ws :~, or allows the sox to break someone's wrist, i think he should refrain from plunking youk and throwing at his head - back his ugly ass off the plate like you would anyone else who hangs on the plate like a christmas ornament, but that's it.
[9] "hangs on the plate like a christmas ornament"... nice! Although, if any of my Christmas ornaments start to look like Youk...then they are going in the trash...
[9] [10] That's it! You two led me to who Youkilis reminds me of! I've been trying to think of this guy for ages!
The Head Elf from Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/prettywarstl/332128709/sizes/l/
: )
[11] LOL. Good call.