R.A. Dickey Says -- 2011

[G-Fafif]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: (Trying so very hard not to bring up yardwork-related in-season distractions)

One of the News commenters brought that up (albeit with the details all awry). Yeah, Bobby Ojeda's the perfect arbiter of ballplayer behavior now that he enjoys the benefit of not being a ballplayer.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

G-Fafif wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: (Trying so very hard not to bring up yardwork-related in-season distractions) One of the News commenters brought that up (albeit with the details all awry).

Well, it is the News comments section.

All joking aside, I get virtually nothing out of Ojeda that I don't get elsewhere. Darling's more articulate, and Keith is amusing, at least. I'd take someone like Leiter-- YES taint and all-- every night in a heartbeat.

[metirish]

Bob Raissman asked Ojeda about his Kilimanjaro eruption: When the media looks for a go-to guy in the Mets clubhouse R.A. Dickey is front and center. The boss scribes, for good reason, are enamored with him. That didn't stop Bob Ojeda, SportsNet New York's Mets studio analyst, from advising the knuckleballing philosopher to watch what exits his mouth. Ojeda arrived at this conclusion - very loud and in no uncertain terms - after the Mets dropped the first game of a Saturday (April 16) doubleheader to the Braves, 4-2. The game aired nationally on Fox. During the tilt, with the Mets trailing by two runs, Dickey did a live interview from the dugout with Tim McCarver and Matt Vasgersian. Their questions were not about baseball. Instead, they asked Dickey about his plans to hike up Mount Kilimanjaro in January with two pals. Dickey will be doing this for charity. Dickey, as usual, came off genuine and likeable. On SNY's postgame show, after the Mets loss, Ojeda said Dickey's interview "drove me up a wall." "When you got one of your pitchers talking during the game about what he's going to do next winter, that's inexcusable," Ojeda ranted. "That's a mental error as far as I'm concerned. We're in April and you're worried about next January?" More than insinuating Dickey was showing a lack of focus, Ojeda said he couldn't remember a player talking about his "upcoming" offseason so early in the regular season. "I honest to God don't think I've ever heard that in my 50 years in baseball," Ojeda said. Okay, but there's a good chance Dickey had no advance notice about what the Fox voices would ask him. A few days after his postgame commentary, someone brought that to Ojeda's attention. "If R.A. didn't know what they were going to ask him that's fine. You answer the question. It's a great cause, it's a great thing he's going to do, but then you got to spin it back to baseball," Ojeda said. "He's not schooled enough in media. It's all new to him. He came out of nowhere. He had a fantastic year, now people are interested in what he's doing. "But I believe there's a time and a place for those conversations," Ojeda said. "And I didn't think in the dugout, down two (runs), (in a) five-game losing streak in April, is the time to be talking about hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro in January. By the way, I don't expect the player to agree with me on that." Ojeda said as he was listening to Dickey's interview "the coach in me came out." He said he thought about Terry Collins "struggling" to get his team's attention. "You have to be savvy enough to understand the fans are watching. Fans want to hear: 'We're struggling right now, but my main focus is on this ballclub. I want to turn this thing around.' It can't be fake. You've go to feel it." Ojeda understands his analysis of this Dickey thing might be considered too rigid. He doesn't really care. "If that's old school, fine. I'm fine with being old school," Ojeda said. "But there are constants about this game. Some things I believe in over the years never really change."

Ojeda is having a fantastic year......the guy is becoming must see TV...... seriously though , he has gotten to be quite good.

[G-Fafif]

This is the danger of bringing old heroes (understanding real heroes are those who risk their lives for us -- always feel compelled to make that distinction) back into the fold. They'll develop feet of clay. Or mouths of nonsense. Or become indifferent hitting coaches.

Leiter has already committed his sin of going back from whence he came, so he could come here and work his way back up into our affections since he has nowhere to go but up from an "UNCLEAN!" perspective.

He's pretty good in his MLBN role and really, was there ever a more naturally talkative Met?

[ashie62]

I saw that Ojeda piece he was so pissed at Dickey it reminded me, in intensity of Jim Mora's "PLAYOFFS!"
rant.

[G-Fafif]

From Rubin's roundup:

R.A. Dickey, asked after Wednesday's game if his commentary after his previous start about everyone being accountable for improving his own performance was taken to heart, said: �I think guys are doing what they do best. You can see that manifested on the field in the way they�re playing. When I spoke about that, I was speaking from my point of view, which is to try to take ownership of what I can bring -- to try not to walk many guys and keep us in ballgames late and things like that. I feel like I�ve been able to step it up too. Yeah, I don�t know if anybody read into it. But I do feel like it might be a little more than coincidence that everybody in here kind of kicked it up a notch.�

Six-game winning streak: articulate ballplayers welcome.

[metirish]

I heard it on the post game, in addition to that he was saying how there is a feeling around the club that he only felt maybe four times last season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And while that's great, it's also an indicator of how transitory these feelings can be.

[metirish]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: And while that's great, it's also an indicator of how transitory these feelings can be.

exactly


transitory? , BG using big words too

[G-Fafif]

Mets had a 10-1 stretch and a 12-1 stretch in 2010. Feelings were pretty good around the club then, too.

[metirish]

G-Fafif wrote: Mets had a 10-1 stretch and a 12-1 stretch in 2010. Feelings were pretty good around the club then, too.

not after he was called up though right?

[G-Fafif]

metirish wrote: G-Fafif wrote: Mets had a 10-1 stretch and a 12-1 stretch in 2010. Feelings were pretty good around the club then, too. not after he was called up though right?

He was here for the second one, which encompassed the march through Baltimore and Cleveland.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I also liked this one, from the Rubin game article last night:

Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey, asked about Reyes� reaction, offered one word: "Justified."

Yee. Haw.

[metirish]

I also liked this one, from the Rubin game article last night: Starting pitcher R.A. Dickey, asked about Reyes� reaction, offered one word: "Justified." Yee. Haw.

ah , heard him say the word but couldn't hear the question.

I should add that it drew big laughs from the assembled press and Dickey did look rather chuffed with himself.

[G-Fafif]

The Most Interesting Man in the World is at it again.

In the Mets� bat rack at Citi Field, almost every bat includes a sticker with the player�s number on the knob. Not Dickey�s. His bats have no stickers. He writes his number, 43, in black ink in the middle, with a name curled around it. One bat is called Orcrist the Goblin Cleaver and the other is Hrunting. Dickey, an avid reader, said that Orcrist came from �The Hobbit�; it is the blade Bilbo Baggins uses in the Misty Mountains. Hrunting � the H is silent, Dickey said � came from the epic poem �Beowulf�; it is the sword Beowulf uses to slay Grendel�s mother. �Just having fun,� said Dickey, whose mystical weapons must be working. His career average entering the weekend was .246, sixth best among active pitchers with at least 60 at-bats.

I rarely say this, but wow...just wow.

[Ceetar]

I don't know how I missed that. I'm blaming the cold again.

[Edgy MD]

Read, guys.

[Edgy MD]

Nerdiest correction in Times history.

[metirish]

Edgy DC wrote: Nerdiest correction in Times history.

I'm sure they got a barrage of complaints about it right?

[G-Fafif]

Wow, even his quirks aren't quite right this year.

Dickey's warmup music changed from "Panama" by Van Halen to "Darth Vader's Imperial March" or something like it from Star Wars. And his at-bat music was similarly kooky. Unfortunately, his pitching didn't stay in the sun.

[Ceetar]

Nerdiest correction in Times history.

here: educate ourselves so we don't make this mistake again.

although, what are the odds Dickey just said Bilbo because people might actually know who that is versus remembering who Thorin is even if you read the books?

http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Orcrist

[bmfc1]

Love the use of "big words" (yesterday: "capricious") but I really don't care while he's pitching so badly. Instead of saying (I'm paraphrasing), sometimes the knuckleball works and sometimes it doesn't, I'd rather he said "I'm pitching abhorrently and will endeavor to live up to the contract that I signed as well as the expectations that the fans have for me and that I have for myself."

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Here are some words for him to use.

I am despondent with having capitulated so often for my team. I have deserved to have won but one fixture this year; in all other starts my control has been dreadful and my usually elusive knuckler has been unproblematic for my adversaries to demolish. As the nominal ace in a team that badly requires one, I must endeavor to elevate my effort so as to overcome the opponent�s best effort, as when the Mets opposed Clayton Kershaw on Sunday and bestowed me with yet another lead. As diminutive an advantage as it was, it was a benefit I could ill afford to surrender. I think maybe pretending to be an erudite college professor instead of a destitute athlete, and impressing sportswriters by having read more books than they have, exhibits considerable foolhardiness on my part and requires a re-examination of my priorities and maybe, more exertion and less loquaciousness.

[dgwphotography]

"I guess the no-hitter is next. I'll sign up for it -- tell me where." R.A. Dickey , Tuesday night, after the Mets ended a nearly two-year grand slam drought by hitting two in a 14-3 victory over the Tigers

Here's to hoping that it comes today.

[G-Fafif]

Glute and all, R.A. must be coming around. Used "enlighten"; "community"; and "rejoice" in the postgame.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

dgwphotography wrote: "I guess the no-hitter is next. I'll sign up for it -- tell me where." R.A. Dickey , Tuesday night, after the Mets ended a nearly two-year grand slam drought by hitting two in a 14-3 victory over the Tigers Here's to hoping that it comes today.

I was 15 outs from joining the ministry of the Church of Robert Allan.

[Frayed Knot]

Tonight's pre-game interview and the words you don't normally hear from jocks included; "maladies", "resolute" and "acute".

[TransMonk]

[Benjamin Grimm]

All right, let me be the first to say it: R.A. Dickey is an idiot.

[metirish]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: All right, let me be the first to say it: R.A. Dickey is an idiot.

let me share that with you and collectively we will call him an idiot.Join us brothers.