Minnesota Pre Game Manny Interview wIth Gary Thorne

[section18]

Was tonight's pre-game interview in lieu of an OP Press Conference if traded while on the road trip?  Gary got him to say all of the right things about Baltimore and his time here.  He asked him if traded to a team that needs a 3B will he play there and smiled and said he wouldn't have any choice. He would play where they wanted him to play.  Please spread this comment to the other teams interested that need a 3B. It was a great interview and he said all of the right things.  Even Jim Palmer said something like Wow! He said all of the right things.  In addition they showed him in the dugout after the interview and he shook hands with all of the players as he walked through the dugout.  Unusual unless he's been told a deal is close to happening. So what does he do? He promptly goes out and doubles high off the right centerfield fence. Just missed a HR.

[foxfield]

God @#*$ it it's gonna hurt. But it's gotta happen.  

[mcneck]

The only thing exciting about this season will be if they do a full scale rebuild. I am not a fan of Manny and his me first attitude and for one will be thrilled when he gets traded. It should have happened last year but I wont beat that dead horse again.

[jtschrei]

I think Manny has always said the right things. He’s been a helluva player for us. Yes, the haters will say he carries himself like a prima Donna at times, but you know what, he’s a superstar. Overall, the numbers speak for themselves. I’ve loved watching him, especially before the move to SS. But once the Os couldn’t get an extension done, it was time to move him. Salute to you Manny. Thanks for the good times. Now, please trade the guy before he turns an ankle!

[Aristotelian]

9 minutes ago, jtschrei said:

I think Manny has always said the right things. He’s been a helluva player for us. Yes, the haters will say he carries himself like a prima Donna at times, but you know what, he’s a superstar. Overall, the numbers speak for themselves. I’ve loved watching him, especially before the move to SS. But once the Os couldn’t get an extension done, it was time to move him. Salute to you Manny. Thanks for the good times. Now, please trade the guy before he turns an ankle!

Would it be too much to ask that he not sign with the Yankees or Sox?

[accinfo]

1 hour ago, mcneck said:

The only thing exciting about this season will be if they do a full scale rebuild. I am not a fan of Manny and his me first attitude and for one will be thrilled when he gets traded. It should have happened last year but I wont beat that dead horse again.

I will take 8 more just like him at each position and the winning record that would go along with it.,

[Rene88]

1 hour ago, foxfield said:

God @#*$ it it's gonna hurt. But it's gotta happen.  

Yep. Because they fumbled the trade value of everyone else. 

Brach could have been traded for a killing 2 years ago...but no. Now batters hitting .290 off him. Zero value.

Britton? Angelos screwed that pooch last year.

Schoop? Awful year. If they were smart, they would try to extend now for cheap bc Little value.

Bleier? Could have yielded a nice return, hurt.

They will screw it up or karma will help because #ThatssoOrioles.

 

[Yardball85]

1 hour ago, mcneck said:

The only thing exciting about this season will be if they do a full scale rebuild. I am not a fan of Manny and his me first attitude and for one will be thrilled when he gets traded. It should have happened last year but I wont beat that dead horse again.

He's been one of the best and most enjoyable players to watch over the last six years.  I could not possibly disagree with you anymore.

[Barnaby Graves]

I will miss him for obvious reasons but his insistence on playing short has left a bad taste in my mouth.  The team has a ton of guys out of position, including himself.

[ThomasTomasz]

4 hours ago, jtschrei said:

I think Manny has always said the right things. He’s been a helluva player for us. Yes, the haters will say he carries himself like a prima Donna at times, but you know what, he’s a superstar. Overall, the numbers speak for themselves. I’ve loved watching him, especially before the move to SS. But once the Os couldn’t get an extension done, it was time to move him. Salute to you Manny. Thanks for the good times. Now, please trade the guy before he turns an ankle!

The Orioles have always had a blue-collar team and fan base.  All of our super star players have always carried themselves as humble guys, and most of us on forums like these only have a recollection of Cal Ripken and how he carried himself.  They respect that.  

Manny was the next superstar for us.  Miguel Tejada, when he first signed with us, was a star.  Adam Jones has been a leader and a star player, but not a super star.  Manny is that player, and at times, he's let a little arrogance show through.  And guess what?  I think it's OK.  I respect the hell out of Mike Trout because he says and does the right things, but sometimes, you want to see a little attitude and take charge from your super star player, and we saw some of that from Manny over the years.  

It is a shame that he's going out on such a historically bad season, not just for us, but for him at SS.  Many fans are going to remember his insistence on playing short, and he's on pace for a historically bad season according to some advanced metrics.  

[NashLumber]

This was rather strange to see him say this. Earlier today, I was tuning into 105.7 and he said the opposite, that he’d play SS wherever he ends up and that he’d played SS his entire life up until he came up to Baltimore. He even characterized it as being at third only “a couple of years.” Wish I could find the clip (EDIT: found the source in my subsequent reply below) It was the top of the hour kind of clip they played. I was listening on Tune-In Radio, so I backed it up 30 seconds to hear it again so I could verify what I’d heard (which came off as quite arrogant). I wonder if maybe someone told him to turn the temperature down a bit on the SS/3B stuff if he was asked on the TV pregame presser? Maybe thinking that only locals hear this on the radio (or maybe the rare guy in NC like me) and it wouldn’t be news. (EDIT: found the quote in The Sun - see reply below ).

[NashLumber]

27 minutes ago, NashLumber said:

This was rather strange to see him say this. Earlier today, I was tuning into 105.7 and he said the opposite, that he’d play SS wherever he ends up and that he’d played SS his entire life up until he came up to Baltimore. He even characterized it as being at third only “a couple of years.” Wish I could find the clip. It was the top of the hour kind of clip they played. I was listening on Tune-In Radio, so I backed it up 30 seconds to hear it again so I could verify what I’d heard (which came off as quite arrogant). I wonder if maybe someone told him to turn the temperature down a bit on the SS/3B stuff if he was asked on the TV pregame presser? Maybe thinking that only locals hear this on the radio (or maybe the rare guy in NC like me) and it wouldn’t be news. 

Ok, found it. Was originally reported in the Sun, but found this when on Google looking for the quote. It has a lot more comment on Manny’s defensive metrics than the Sun did and questions why he is being so blunt in interviews about insisting he’ll play SS when it may be hurting his FA scenario. The audio of this is what I heard on 105.7 today. 

“On the question of whether he’ll continue to be a shortstop through free agency, the position he moved to from third base this year, he was unequivocal on shortstop being the position he will sign to play. 

“I’m playing short,” Machado said. “That’s the position I want to play. That’s the position I know I can play and produce [at]. … I’ve been a shortstop my entire life. I’ve played third base for a couple years. I did well, and I thought I was an elite player at that position, but at the end of the day, I’ve been a shortstop my entire life. I know I can be a way better player as a shortstop than I can at third.””

http://thecomeback.com/mlb/manny-machado-continues-to-be-way-too-honest-ahead-of-free-agency.html

 

As for playing SS his entire life, wasn’t he 19 when he was called up in ‘12? He’s spent most of years 19 through 25 at third base and excelling. Obviously being a SS from ages 13-18 were a pretty big deal to him, but it was the caliber of play he excelled at the last six years at 3B that teams will want to bank on. His body has changed and he’s slower. He doesn’t get that or is surrounded by yes men who would not dare bring it up.

[brooksfrankjim]

He’s a 3 WAR player at SS and can be an 8 WAR player at 3B.  It isn’t close.  At 3B he has the chance to be the best 3B ever.  So far this year, Trea Turner has 3.4 WAR and Manny, with his best ever year at the plate is only 1.9.  

[wildbillhiccup]

6 hours ago, NashLumber said:

This was rather strange to see him say this. Earlier today, I was tuning into 105.7 and he said the opposite, that he’d play SS wherever he ends up and that he’d played SS his entire life up until he came up to Baltimore. He even characterized it as being at third only “a couple of years.” Wish I could find the clip (EDIT: found the source in my subsequent reply below) It was the top of the hour kind of clip they played. I was listening on Tune-In Radio, so I backed it up 30 seconds to hear it again so I could verify what I’d heard (which came off as quite arrogant). I wonder if maybe someone told him to turn the temperature down a bit on the SS/3B stuff if he was asked on the TV pregame presser? Maybe thinking that only locals hear this on the radio (or maybe the rare guy in NC like me) and it wouldn’t be news. (EDIT: found the quote in The Sun - see reply below ).

I heard this too, but as part of the pre-game interview. I believe it was from the 4th of July game. And I agree 100%. He was very matter of fact / borderline arrogant about only playing SS. Then again, Manny's interview skills are mediocre at best. It's not really his forte. That's why Manny would be better off signing with a large market team where he doesn't necessarily have to be "the guy". 

I also feel like there should be a separate thread devoted to his hair. It's one of the most bizarre cuts / styles I've ever seen, and this is coming from a man who has watched quite a few World Cup matches!

 

[esmd]

1 hour ago, brooksfrankjim said:

He’s a 3 WAR player at SS and can be an 8 WAR player at 3B.  It isn’t close.  At 3B he has the chance to be the best 3B ever.  So far this year, Trea Turner has 3.4 WAR and Manny, with his best ever year at the plate is only 1.9.  

Yup.  Forcing the move to SS and making Beckham move to 3rd, which worsened two positions, has lessened my opinion of him somewhat.  But overall, I still appreciate what he's done in black and orange.  I'm ready to move on though, since it's obvious, and has been for awhile, that he never intended to stay here.