Cal on 105.7 the fan today

[barnanimal]

This morning I heard Cal would be on 105.7 this afternoon with Scott and Jeremy and possibly discussing his Brooks comments... Does anyone know when he will be on?

[BmoreMatt]

This morning I heard Cal would be on 105.7 the fan this with Scott and Jeremy today and possibly discussing his Brooks comments this afternoon... Does anyone know when he will be on?

They already did the interview. I missed most of it. Waiting for it to hopefully be posted on the website. He switched his stance on Brooks.

[atom_25]

They already did the interview. I missed most of it. Waiting for it to hopefully be posted on the website. He switched his stance on Brooks.

I don't think he switched so much as clarified. Long and short paraphrase: Beltre is better in the generational way. Ie today's players are bigger, stronger, and faster than players of yesteryear.

[BmoreMatt]

Scott just said, they will replay the interview in the next few minutes.

[waroriole]

I don't think he switched so much as clarified. Long and short paraphrase: Beltre is better in the generational way. Ie today's players are bigger, stronger, and faster than players of yesteryear.

Makes sense. Now, maybe all the moronic bad-mouthing of Cal, and questioning his allegiance, can stop.

[BmoreMatt]

I don't think he switched so much as clarified. Long and short paraphrase: Beltre is better in the generational way. Ie today's players are bigger, stronger, and faster than players of yesteryear.

Yea after listening to the whole thing now, this is what he was doing.

[Frobby]

Makes sense. Now, maybe all the moronic bad-mouthing of Cal, and questioning his allegiance, can stop.

It won't. He may as well have cursed Allah in Libya, in terms of how the people of Baltimore feel about it. Personally, I do think fielding in general is better in 2012 than it was in 1970. There is some logic in saying Brooks was better compared to his peers at the time than Belte is compared to his peers now, but that Beltre can do some things Brooks couldn't do because he is bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

That said, I'd have a very hard time conceding that Beltre is better than the best fielder I ever saw.

[russ snyder]

I don't think he switched so much as clarified. Long and short paraphrase: Beltre is better in the generational way. Ie today's players are bigger, stronger, and faster than players of yesteryear.

Yeah, he clarified his statement. Lip service IMO. Why didn't he make the statement about the "modern player" on Friday night? I noticed that he did not say any of today's players were better than him. ( Troy Tulowitzki perhaps?) Cal is a below average broadcaster who's attempt at edginess failed miserably.

[FR500]

Sorry, but I heard the interview and am not buying this whole generational thing. Never have. IMO I don't see that just because ballplayers are bigger and stronger today that they are given some sort of edge. There are simply too many other variables (i.e. equipment, field/stadium dimensions, expansion teams, etc.). I would pick the all-stars of the 50-70s over those today anytime. Sorry Cal.

As I mentioned before, I understand that Cal is green behind the booth and it would of not been too bad, if he just didn't add "Sorry Brooksie". That add-on just stunned and disappointed us to no end. And today's interview did nothing to change my mind. Scott did his best at the end to ask Cal again who was the greatest 3B of all time and Cal's fumbling weak reply was also disappointing.

I did like the email read before they introduced Cal (this email from Vi: Billy was always my favorite son, sorry Cal)

Lastly, it may just be us who have always been diehard supporters of ALL Orioles, but since Cal retired, he really hasn't returned to the Yard that often. Has he? The very few times we have seen him, it was for yankee games; suggesting that he makes a point to join his (dare I say or suggest) his NY buddies. Are we the only one to have noticed this or do we just keep blaming it on the ownership?

Wow, sorry about the rant. We were at the game last night and it was the best in a long time. Go Os, win 2 more in NY with Carl and his buddies...

[The Wedge]

You know what's funny? The thing that really seemed to rile everybody up was the "Sorry Brooksie." Which he probably only said because he realized he's an ex-Oriole and Brooks Robinson is revered in Baltimore, and this is a game featuring the Orioles...so he was like "crap, I'm praising this third baseman, I gotta atone for that somehow." And he blundered in to the worst way of phrasing the whole thing.

[CA-ORIOLE]

You know what's funny? The thing that really seemed to rile everybody up was the "Sorry Brooksie." Which he probably only said because he realized he's an ex-Oriole and Brooks Robinson is revered in Baltimore, and this is a game featuring the Orioles...so he was like "crap, I'm praising this third baseman, I gotta atone for that somehow." And he blundered in to the worst way of phrasing the whole thing.

Yeah, I actually think the sorry Brooksie was meant to be complementary. Just came out the opposite.

[Roy Firestone]

It won't. He may as well have cursed Allah in Libya, in terms of how the people of Baltimore feel about it. Personally, I do think fielding in general is better in 2012 than it was in 1970. There is some logic in saying Brooks was better compared to his peers at the time than Belte is compared to his peers now, but that Beltre can do some things Brooks couldn't do because he is bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

That said, I'd have a very hard time conceding that Beltre is better than the best fielder I ever saw.

Ive seen them both, maybe more than anyone on this board. I watched Brooks close up from a dugout and on TV and in stadiums for most of his 23 seasons. I saw Beltre as a Dodger in LA and often as a member of the Mariners,Red Sox and Rangers.
Brooks Robinson earned 16 CONSECUTIVE Gold gloves. Adrian Beltre has won 3.Brooks' glove clearly helped the Orioles win a world championship directly in 1970. Beltre has
never even won a world title. Beltre is a 3 -time all star.Brooks was selected 18 times, mostly because of his glove. Brooks is a first ballot HOF, Beltre would be lucky to get consideration on the
ballot.I dont know how or why Cal said what he said, but it was the WAY he said it that ticked some people off. Cal is Cal, a classy, dignified and self aware legend. He didnt need to make a
statement that singled out Brooks as "inferior"(my words) to Beltre defensively. It would be much easier, more gracious and less controversial to just say"Brooks was great, Beltre was great, both
are terrific defensive players. Case closed. He didnt do that. It is unfortunate, but I dont think Cal meant it to slam Brooks.It just came out that way.

[Orioles West]

While I don't agree with Cal's take, or the new generation of athlete in the game explanation, he doesn't owe me any apology. And you know the weird part? Brooks Robinson isn't losing sleep over it either, if his teammates felt like he did his best, that all he ever needed.

As to the debate, there isn't one. Sure, some guys are taller, some stronger, but this ain't football. The beauty of the game is the dimensions are the same. People still throw hard and hit the ball really hard. Beltre can react to the ball faster? No. Does speed make any substantive difference at third base? If he were a shortstop, with all the ground to cover, a step faster can make a difference (unless you position well based on the pitch, right Cal?).

Third base is half setting yourself, and half reacting to the ball off the bat. No one covered that ground better than Brooks. No one.


-Don

[J.D.]

Sorry, but I heard the interview and am not buying this whole generational thing. Never have. IMO I don't see that just because ballplayers are bigger and stronger today that they are given some sort of edge. There are simply too many other variables (i.e. equipment, field/stadium dimensions, expansion teams, etc.). I would pick the all-stars of the 50-70s over those today anytime. Sorry Cal.

As I mentioned before, I understand that Cal is green behind the booth and it would of not been too bad, if he just didn't add "Sorry Brooksie". That add-on just stunned and disappointed us to no end. And today's interview did nothing to change my mind. Scott did his best at the end to ask Cal again who was the greatest 3B of all time and Cal's fumbling weak reply was also disappointing.

I did like the email read before they introduced Cal (this email from Vi: Billy was always my favorite son, sorry Cal)

Lastly, it may just be us who have always been diehard supporters of ALL Orioles, but since Cal retired, he really hasn't returned to the Yard that often. Has he? The very few times we have seen him, it was for yankee games; suggesting that he makes a point to join his (dare I say or suggest) his NY buddies. Are we the only one to have noticed this or do we just keep blaming it on the ownership?

Wow, sorry about the rant. We were at the game last night and it was the best in a long time. Go Os, win 2 more in NY with Carl and his buddies...

Maybe Cal doesn't come to many games because he's busy running a multi-million dollar company and owning a minor league sports team. You know, if we're conspiracy theorizing here.

[Bradysburns]

It won't. He may as well have cursed Allah in Libya, in terms of how the people of Baltimore feel about it. Personally, I do think fielding in general is better in 2012 than it was in 1970. There is some logic in saying Brooks was better compared to his peers at the time than Belte is compared to his peers now, but that Beltre can do some things Brooks couldn't do because he is bigger, stronger, faster, etc.

That said, I'd have a very hard time conceding that Beltre is better than the best fielder I ever saw.

I think this is a patently ridiculous argument on Cal's part. To say "sorry, Brooksie"... just admit. It was a STUPID thing to say. And people who question Cal's judgement are right on, in my view. Cal should have backed away from that comment. Instead, he reinforced it by confirming that Beltre was somehow better because of mere genetic happenstance.

Where is the evidence for this? I've seen the statistics. But how many gold gloves has Beltre won? Brooks' fielding percentage over 23 seasons was .971... a full 17 percentage points above his peers over that time frame. Beltre's over 15 seasons is .958... just 3 percentage points over the .955 of his peers over that time.

By what measure is he better? I don't mean to rehash the other thread here, but my point is... downplaying Cal's ignorant comment by suggesting people who disapprove are somehow reactionary or off-the-mark... makes zero sense to me.

I'm not a Cal hater, but he's really dropped a lot in my eyes over the past few days. And today's quasi-apology did not help matters.