Sheffield Tells It Like It Is
I cannot believe I missed this quote from 5 days ago, but, I have to share it now, nonetheless:
“When I look at this team, I feel like we shouldn’t even lose,” [Gary] Sheffield said. “I don’t see how we lose. But we do.”
“Talent-wise, it’s better (now),” [than years ago] Sheffield said. “But those guys were willing to do the little things. They were willing to get blood on their clothes. They were willing to fight the opponent. They were willing to do anything to win. Because their job was on the line.
“With a team like this, you don’t feel like you have to play with a sense of urgency all the time. I sense that sometimes, like guys go out and feel like this talent is so good we don’t have to run into a wall or do something extra to win this ballgame, to take the walk and let somebody else get the hit. The little things are the reasons you lose games, and that was the reason we were losing.”
Read that last part again: I sense that sometimes, like guys go out and feel like this talent is so good we don’t have to run into a wall or do something extra to win this ballgame, to take the walk and let somebody else get the hit. The little things are the reasons you lose games, and that was the reason we were losing.
It’s one thing when the radio jocks and callers say it, and when the bloggers write it, and the ‘net forums throw it around, but, when a player on the team says it, that’s heavy stuff.
Desire, focus, call it what you want. This team does not have it.
I think that it is an excellent sign that Sheffield said this, because he has identified it as the problem. If he realizes that this is an issue, I can’t fathom him not trying to do something about it, at least on his part.
Then again, if this quote if from 5 days ago, evidently not much has changed.
Just on a side note, here is the Yankee line thus far in June: .211/.282./.299
That’s right – their OBP *and* slugging are both under 300.
So when A-Rod does express a willingness to fight his opponents his teammates don’t back him up
see ARod/Veritek and see also pre-season 2005 Red Sox dissing ARod in print
Sam – there were plenty of Yankees in that fight last July. And, as far as this ST, it had nothing to do with backing A-Rod, and everything to do with not being pulled down to the Red Sox level of stupidity.
Ahh, thanks for an alternate look on things. As an outsider up here in Canada that roots for the Jays, I see the rivalry between the Evil Empire and the Even-more-annoying RSN with a different perspective
(I was a Yankees fan until the Jays started getting good, about 1983-ish)