Walt on Bernie's show today

Secret Weapon · Post by **Secret Weapon** » March 20 07, 5:38 pm

* Looking for OF help, bullpen help. Thinks the asking price for some OFs is excessive, and the price will drop.

* Not sure about Bernie Williams;doesn't think it's good that BW sat out spring training; doesn't rule it out (but I think he was just trying to be polite).

* Schumaker -- thinks he'll play a lot if Edmonds is unable to go early. He's up on Skip.

* Thinks Ankiel took a step forward this spring ... he told Rick that if he goes to Memphis and plays a lot and is productive, he'll have a long career as a Major League outfielder.

* Thinks they'll open the season with 3 LHP, but with a 4th (Narveson), he says it's correct to speculate that he'd be willing to trade one to fill a need.

* Very pleased with the rotation, thrilled with Wells. Says Wells has fit right in, and become part of the group, thinking like a Cardinal, thanks in large part to Carpenter's leadership.

* Chris Duncan's defense: "I think he's doing well. This is a very difficult place to play the OF, with the high sun and the wind. He's worked very hard with Larry Walker and I'm confident he'll be better. But it's hard to judge him down here because of the weather conditions."

* Young guys who made a real positive impression: SP Blake Hawksworth, catcher Bryan Anderson, RP Dennis Dove.

--B

I wonder if there will be a trade or two before opening day...

Jmodene · Post by **Jmodene** » March 20 07, 6:03 pm

Well, Strauss has been implying a Narveson-to-the-D'backs-for-Jorge-Julio deal...

clevername · Post by **clevername** » March 20 07, 6:07 pm

the Duncan quote is interesting.

Walt and LaRussa have almost fallen over themselves to make excuses for Dunc. I've always kinda brushed it off...but this one sounds a bit silly.

JohnnyJay · Post by **JohnnyJay** » March 20 07, 6:27 pm

clevername wrote:the Duncan quote is interesting.

Walt and LaRussa have almost fallen over themselves to make excuses for Dunc. I've always kinda brushed it off...but this one sounds a bit silly.

Yeah, that's sort of strange excuse. Those are the conditions he will have to deal with on a daily basis.

ghostrunner · Post by **ghostrunner** » March 20 07, 6:31 pm

JohnnyJay wrote:
clevername wrote:the Duncan quote is interesting.

Walt and LaRussa have almost fallen over themselves to make excuses for Dunc. I've always kinda brushed it off...but this one sounds a bit silly.
Yeah, that's sort of strange excuse. Those are the conditions he will have to deal with on a daily basis.

Yes. High sun. Unlike the low sun so common in the Midwest.

Seriously, that goes up there with the Joe Morgan explanation of what causes a shadow.

haltz · Post by **haltz** » March 20 07, 6:44 pm

A high sun would be more of a reference to playing noon games. And it is harder to judge a fly ball. It's ridiculously windy in Florida as well.

Not that Duncan is Roberto Clemente, or that Walt isn't trying to put the best spin on Duncan's defense.

God, he just hit a ball a long way too.

stlmark · Post by **stlmark** » March 20 07, 6:44 pm

Jmodene wrote:Well, Strauss has been implying a Narveson-to-the-D'backs-for-Jorge-Julio deal...

I'd do it! Would you?

clevername · Post by **clevername** » March 20 07, 6:48 pm

are the other outfielders on the team having trouble with the high sun and wind?

what about young outfielders on the other teams playing in Florida?

I think some of the Chris Duncan defense moaning is overdone a bit, but that excuse seems flimsy to me.

Fan_In_NY · Post by **Fan_In_NY** » March 20 07, 6:49 pm

ghostrunner wrote:
JohnnyJay wrote:
clevername wrote:the Duncan quote is interesting.

Walt and LaRussa have almost fallen over themselves to make excuses for Dunc. I've always kinda brushed it off...but this one sounds a bit silly.
Yeah, that's sort of strange excuse. Those are the conditions he will have to deal with on a daily basis.

Yes. High sun. Unlike the low sun so common in the Midwest.

Seriously, that goes up there with the Joe Morgan explanation of what causes a shadow.

Usually the conditions are much much worse in Spring Training than they are during the season. This is not an outlandish excuse. The games are played at atypical times, there are no stands to block the wind, or shield the sun. Plus the fields are not aligned to prevent sun problems as well as the fields not being kept up as well the major league fields.

haltz · Post by **haltz** » March 20 07, 6:53 pm

clevername wrote:are the other outfielders on the team having trouble with the high sun and wind?

It is harder for all players to catch fly balls in Florida this time of year, than it would be at, say, Busch at 8:00 PM in June.

I think some of the Chris Duncan defense moaning is overdone a bit, but that excuse seems flimsy to me.

I don't think that it's an excuse so much, in fact he only has one error this Spring as far as I know. I was there for it actually, and the inning before, IIRC he made two plays, one of which a DP, that would have been web gems.

It's a tough place to catch flies. A good place to learn, and if he is handling it OK, which is seems like he has been, than that bodes well for some semblance of improvement. I don't think it's an excuse, it's more of just a fact, and something reasonable to point out concerning the situation.