FanPost

The Day Spring Training Begins to Matter


As many of you may or may not know a few posters that are now on The Good Phight used to populate the threads over at Beerleaguer run by Jason Weitzel. Spring Training was a highlight on the website as we regularly debated the merits of Eric Bruntlett or Miguel Castro making the roster as a back-up infielder. Opinions were scattered and thoughts were heated as factions were created supporting guys who had not been thought of as anything other than a Triple A player at the end of the previous season 5 months earlier.

It looked a lot like this:

The-warriors-85_medium

via the-losthighway.com

Then from among the throng came a voice of reason. This sage individual stood above the crowd and said, "Spring Training Stats don't matter."The dissenting voice caused push back and anger from the masses.

"Of course they matter," echoed throughout every page view of the website. People gave their fingertips blisters trying to furiously type out angry opposing views.

"How else can we assess who is going to make the roster if we don't apply Spring Training?"

The sage voice stood firm and ascended to the forefront of the discussion.

"They matter starting on March 20th."

The response was much like the earlier responses: anger, hatred, steadfast, and name calling. Lots and lots of name calling.

The voice stood firm.

"They matter starting March 20th because at that point the wheat is starting to be cut from the chaff. The guys who belong in Double A are mostly there now. Starters are beginning to play more and more and the number of at bats and innings pitched are increasing. This is when we can begin the separate the roster from the rest of the wretched herd."

Or paraphrasing Lou Brown:

Lou-brown_medium

via blogsohardsports.com


"You aren't hitting off guys who will be bagging groceries in a week."

And thus my friends here at The Good Phight- "Clout Day" was born. Named after the sage man who coined the term and has provided readers of BL over the years with fair reports on prospects, memories of Phillies seasons past, and argumentative (but mostly level-headed) analysis counteracting the more visceral opinions there.

It is his day, and this post is in honor of the man who I have missed reading since ceasing to post over at BL and who I wish would come over here to impart his well earned wisdom. Good Phight posters- both young and old- as clout would say: "It matters going forward."

Begin commencing your angst about this season.