Cardinals: lack of focus and/or desire?

[JL21]

The bottom line for me is, sure, everyone is entitled to an opinion, and every poster has the right to say what they want, etc etc etc --

but some "opinions" are nothing more than guesses.

and some of those guesses are directly about peoples' character, personality, effort, intensity, and motivation.

We're guessing things -- making them up, essentially, using nothing but what we THINK we see, about people in situations most of us have never experienced, using what we THINK it MIGHT be like, about the personal attributes of people we've never met -- and then we're taking it personally when people call us on making ADMITTEDLY uninformed guesses -- "gut hunches" about people's character!

This is seventh grade home room behavior that has nothing to do with sports. It's the equivalent of creating a rumor -- whether out of ill will or not, the dynamic is the same.

Free speech does not extend to making things up that we do not and cannot know about people we've never met.

I think this post is lacking in heart, intensity, and effort.

[jim]

Fortunately, I'm not calling anyone's character or work ethic into question.

But in my book, you did just that. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but it's how I feel.

Well, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt.

Mine are somewhat bruised for you thinking that. Because, if you knew me, you'd say I'd never do such a thing.

But, that's OK. Because, I've realized I'm dealing with a person or two here that have paper thin skin and no rationalization outside what an overanalyzed stat pack indicates.

Stats are cool, don't get me wrong. I just think I've run into one or two people here that realy on and take it to the extreme.

You are completely and totally misunderstanding me. My feelings weren't hurt, you didn't suggest that I wasn't focused and causing the Cardinals slump, did you?

[StL Dan]

Fortunately, I'm not calling anyone's character or work ethic into question.

But in my book, you did just that. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but it's how I feel.

Well, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt.

Mine are somewhat bruised for you thinking that. Because, if you knew me, you'd say I'd never do such a thing.

But, that's OK. Because, I've realized I'm dealing with a person or two here that have paper thin skin and no rationalization outside what an overanalyzed stat pack indicates.

Stats are cool, don't get me wrong. I just think I've run into one or two people here that realy on and take it to the extreme.

You are completely and totally misunderstanding me. My feelings weren't hurt, you didn't suggest that I wasn't focused and causing the Cardinals slump, did you?

You are completely misunderstanding me. I never insulted Tony LaRussa or the players.

[skmsw]

But, that's OK. Because, I've realized I'm dealing with a person or two here that have paper thin skin and no rationalization outside what an overanalyzed stat pack indicates.

Hmmm. But that probably was not meant as an attempt to analyze anyone's character or motivations, right?

Stats are cool, don't get me wrong. I just think I've run into one or two people here that realy on and take it to the extreme

Take it to the extreme? Like admitting you don't know something, but then suggesting that it probably can be attributed to someone else's attitude anyways? Now that's extreme.

[jim]

You are completely misunderstanding me. I never insulted Tony LaRussa or the players.

You said they seemed to lack focus. In my book, you did.

[skmsw]

Fortunately, I'm not calling anyone's character or work ethic into question.

But in my book, you did just that. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but it's how I feel.

Well, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt.

Mine are somewhat bruised for you thinking that. Because, if you knew me, you'd say I'd never do such a thing.

But, that's OK. Because, I've realized I'm dealing with a person or two here that have paper thin skin and no rationalization outside what an overanalyzed stat pack indicates.

Stats are cool, don't get me wrong. I just think I've run into one or two people here that realy on and take it to the extreme.

You are completely and totally misunderstanding me. My feelings weren't hurt, you didn't suggest that I wasn't focused and causing the Cardinals slump, did you?

You are completely misunderstanding me. I never insulted Tony LaRussa or the players.

I guess the following quote must have meant something different than how it came across:

I've been wondering if they just aren't where they should be pyscologically across the board...from the starters to the bullpen to the everyday lineup.

I don't think this team has identified or figured out a reason to play to the best of their abilities every single day. They are complacent.

Maybe "insult" is too strong a word, but it definitely implies that something negative about the character of the team is responsible for the performance on the field. Something negative about the character of a bunch of people you've never met. For reasons you can't specify.

If that is not what you meant, maybe some of us HAVE misunderstood you, and personally, if that is the case I apologize. But surely you can see HOW one might misunderstand, if indeed you do NOT mean to be calling their character into question in that quote above where you, y'know, call their character into question.

[StL Dan]

You are completely misunderstanding me. I never insulted Tony LaRussa or the players.

You said they seemed to lack focus. In my book, you did.

I said they seem to lack the same focus as previous years, thus far.

That is not to say they don't have focus. It does mean they might not have the same razor sharp focus they've had in the past.

Hence the question, "are there different levels of focus".

[StL Dan]

Fortunately, I'm not calling anyone's character or work ethic into question.

But in my book, you did just that. I'm sorry if that seems harsh, but it's how I feel.

Well, I'm sorry your feelings were hurt.

Mine are somewhat bruised for you thinking that. Because, if you knew me, you'd say I'd never do such a thing.

But, that's OK. Because, I've realized I'm dealing with a person or two here that have paper thin skin and no rationalization outside what an overanalyzed stat pack indicates.

Stats are cool, don't get me wrong. I just think I've run into one or two people here that realy on and take it to the extreme.

You are completely and totally misunderstanding me. My feelings weren't hurt, you didn't suggest that I wasn't focused and causing the Cardinals slump, did you?

You are completely misunderstanding me. I never insulted Tony LaRussa or the players.

I guess the following quote must have meant something different than how it came across:

I've been wondering if they just aren't where they should be pyscologically across the board...from the starters to the bullpen to the everyday lineup.

I don't think this team has identified or figured out a reason to play to the best of their abilities every single day. They are complacent.

Maybe "insult" is too strong a word, but it definitely implies that something negative about the character of the team is responsible for the performance on the field. Something negative about the character of a bunch of people you've never met. For reasons you can't specify.

If that is not what you meant, maybe some of us HAVE misunderstood you, and personally, if that is the case I apologize. But surely you can see HOW one might misunderstand, if indeed you do NOT mean to be calling their character into question in that quote above where you, y'know, call their character into question.

I can understand what you are saying and accept some people might get sideways because of what I said.

Bottom line, it was just a thought. An attempt to start conversation. If it had developed into that rather than someone getting in a twist over character assassination, this thread would have taken a better course.

If I want to talk character assassination, I'll talk to you about Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa or a myriad of others.

Tony LaRussa, Dave Duncan and the crew would not be on that list.

[StL Dan]

Andy Benes is saying that struggling hitters are typically being more impatient at the plate and swinging early in the count.

How do we explain million dollar players not executing their profession to the best of their ability?

Lack of focus?

Time to get back to basics?

Time to re-evaluate approach to every AB?

Surely not. These guys not paid to find themselves in situations where they are performing to lesser than their average standard because they are executing as they should.

EDIT: Oh, wait. These guys are human.

[mcgee51taguchi99]

I said they seem to lack the same focus as previous years, thus far.

I'll repeat my question from page 2 or 3 of the thread: what specifically are you seeing on the field that suggests this? Again, not attacking you - just want to know what you're seeing that perhaps others are not.