John Kruk hates BJ Upton

[mulheap]

Kruk just killed Upton on baseball tonight for loafing and letting that guy from the food network and tgi fridays commercials advance to second.

and from the few minutes I saw of the game, Joe Magrane seemed to be all over Upton also

he's got the lazy reputation now, good luck getting rid of that

[Matt]

and from the few minutes I saw of the game, Joe Magrane seemed to be all over Upton also

umm...magrane didnt do this game.  he is still out on assignment for the olympics.

but again, it wasnt a situation that BJ did anything too different then most players in that situation.  but AJ pierzinski made a heads up play by getting to 2nd and since BJ has had the media attention lately for not hussling thats what kruk decided to focus on.

but both steve phillips and chris singleton stood up for BJ and told it right.

i cant believe that they were actually giving AJ props for that base running play.  i was fully expecting to watch Baseball Tonight and hear them rip the umps to shreads for that call.

i hate to say it but i think we might be starting to see the shift in calling from the umps because much like the NBA...MLB wants BIG market teams in the post season. 

its a crock the way the rays have been hosed by the umps recently. 

[Triple B]

Haven't watched the tv version yet but listened to Sirius version and caught the tail end of a Kruk call-in and him ripping BJ. He obviously only heard the negative stuff down here with nothing about the posistives from teammates and media .....

And as far as the call, I haven't seen it yet, just heard the radio on it and they were going nuts ... when I tuned in Sirius' ESPN baseball show, I too expected to hear a blast of the ump but all they were saying is that players are taught to do what AJ did in the hopes of getting that call ................. beautiful.

[Singabull]

and from the few minutes I saw of the game, Joe Magrane seemed to be all over Upton also

umm...magrane didnt do this game.  he is still out on assignment for the olympics.

but again, it wasnt a situation that BJ did anything too different then most players in that situation.  but AJ pierzinski made a heads up play by getting to 2nd and since BJ has had the media attention lately for not hussling thats what kruk decided to focus on.

but both steve phillips and chris singleton stood up for BJ and told it right.

i cant believe that they were actually giving AJ props for that base running play.  i was fully expecting to watch Baseball Tonight and hear them rip the umps to shreads for that call.

i hate to say it but i think we might be starting to see the shift in calling from the umps because much like the NBA...MLB wants BIG market teams in the post season. 

its a crock the way the rays have been hosed by the umps recently. 

Wrong.  This was magrane's first game back mr. rays fan.  And if you watch bj, he caught the ball and took his time turning and throwing.

Rays should trade bj and some prospects in the off season for a guy that actually wants to be on this team

[Who'sYourData?]

Didn't see the game.  But Kruk is an idiot.  Just because he could hit a belt high fastball a long way, doesn't mean he knows anything about baseball.

Magrane, on the other hand, is better.  No great, but I'll listen to a little of what he has to say.

[___ Eats It]

Rays should trade bj and some prospects in the off season for a guy that actually wants to be on this team

If we traded away every player you hate along with some "prospects", we'd have no farm system left.

[Bullpride08]

BJ screwed up on that play.  He made a great catch for sure, but in that situation he's got to be heady knowing someone is on 1st and one run wins the game.  He's got to catch and then fire a rifle into 2nd base or to cut-off.  He does that and AJ stays put at 1st.  I won't condemn BJ, but it was not a heady play on his part.  Just keep in mind the great ones catch it, and then pivot and fire it in.  BJ lobbed it back and made it easy for AJ.  This is not against BJ, lots of guys make that error, but had he fired it in he would have held AJ at first or possibly got him out at 2nd.

As for the call it was the right one, and a heady play by AJ.  By rules you are not allowed to touch or impede a baserunner in baseball.  Even if Aybar was next to him and AJ reached out, Aybar needed to stop after he threw the ball or get way out of the way, technically that's what guys are taught because you cannot touch the baserunner under any circumstances if you do not have the ball.  He just ran past AJ and made it easy on him.  By baseball rules AJ is allowed to do what he did and the refs allowed to make the call they did.  However, it is not typical baseball etiquette to do what AJ did.  It was heady, but frowned upon by major leaguers just like hard slides off the base into 2nd.  You can bet your ass the next time the Rays face the White Soxs Maddon and crew will give AJ a little chin music to remind him of that point.  Not that AJ cares since he's been voted the most 'hated man in baseball' for a reason.

[Bullpride08]

Rays should trade bj and some prospects in the off season for a guy that actually wants to be on this team

I'd say keep BJ for another year.  He's not up for arbitration until the end of the 2009 season.  He's still a great five points player.  Keep him, and use the multitude of pitching prospects they're stockpiling to get a real RF like Halliday.  A guy that will make plays at the bat in the field this way BJ's occasional mistakes won't be amplified.

[Matt]

As for the call it was the right one, and a heady play by AJ.  By rules you are not allowed to touch or impede a baserunner in baseball.  Even if Aybar was next to him and AJ reached out, Aybar needed to stop after he threw the ball or get way out of the way,

you are wrong here.

the rule book clearly states that it is a judgment call for the umpire if he believes that the runner "delibertely interferes" with the play.  it is VERY clear that AJ made the move towards Aybar that was not related to his attempt to get to 3rd base.  (that point was even brought up on Baseball Tonight when they jokingly said that 3rd base had been moved to left field).

AJ clearly looked back at Aybar and knew exactly where he was at and then throw his elbow at Aybar (and still didnt even make contact, but he fell down in a Vlade Divac type flop)

point is....its a judgment call for the Ump to make there and he clearly used poor judgment.

[GoUSFbulls99]

OK, John Kruck, dogging on BJ for lack of whatever, Please.  John was one of the most disgusting (and still is), lazy and uncaring individual when he played.  So those comments coming out of his mouth made me laugh until my rib cage hurt  :ROFLMAO

AJ just made a smart play by advancing on the BJ catch.  Sometimes it takes more than just talant and speed to be a major leauge player.  It takes making the smart plays. 

We have a very smart player too, his name is Bartlett.  On Saturdays game, when the bases were loaded, he sheilded the short-stop who in turned misplayed the ball, leaving everyone safe and a run to score.  Those little things is what makes you a great team, they call it small ball.  Bartlett has done so many of the small things that really go unnoticed.  He is the teams MVP!