MLB: Can You Be TOO Honest With The Media?

[cybsball20]

As alot of you probably know, especially if you play fantasy baseball, my brother recently lost his spot as closer for the Nationals and rightfully so. Right now he just doesn't have the mindset for the role and it's probably a combination of inexperience and always being a starting pitcher. Anyhow, there was an interesting comment that came from acting GM Mike Rizzo;

"I think he probably needs to do a little media counseling. I think a lot of pitchers have felt it, and not many of them say it," Rizzo said. "He was very truthful and forthcoming to the media. Confidence is everything. I don't know one closer that I ever played with or was around that didn't second-guess themselves at times. Not many of them mention it in the media."

This comes from Joel being very honest about his striggles with the media, basically saying he was thinking of worst case scenarios while on the hill. While some may think this is refreshing, compared to the canned answers and cliches we have become acustom to, what do you think????

 

[IcSyU]

I don't think so. If he says something different, then they think he just sucks when the fact is that he's just not confident. Obviously I didn't close under even close to the amount of pressure he's got, but you gotta have the edge that you're going to get every guy out. When you don't, you're going to run into more problems than good.

 

[CrossCyed]

Let me ask Ozzie....

 

[IcSyU]

Let me ask Ozzie....

Or Lou....they really beat around the bush a lot :wink:

 

[06Panther]

I would be extremely cautious about taking ANY sort of advice from Washington Nationals management.

 

[illinoiscyclone]

Canned answers are garbage. But a pitcher SHOULD have confidence. Not sure about the situation in question, but I feel like in order to be an athlete, most of it is mental, and you should think that you are the best no matter if you are or arent.

As not a big baseball fan, I am just saying this in general and this isnt a direct shot at Joel because all I know about him is that he was on team USA and that he got a save earlier in the year cuz I saw it on sportscenter.

 

[CYKXBUT]

He probably was too honest. There are many piranhas out there, ready to tear into the vulnerable. He'll get it back. Watch some film when he had it going, get some confidence from some good outings and he'll be set.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Yup, especially if they were holdovers from Montreal. They could have won many World Series's with the talent they had, somehow, maybe money i dunno, they didn't.

You can pretty much blame that on the 1994 strike. It is pretty much assumed they were a shoe-in for the World Series that year.

 

[cybsball20]

Omar Minaya can be blamed for the state of the Nationals right now. Trading guys like Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore for Bartolo Colon among other BAD trades... After that, Bowden didn't help... I think Rizzo and Kasten can clean things up though.

 

[Wallruss64]

Too honest or not atleast he had an O on his jersey.

 

[superdorf]

If he pitches great and is honest, people will love him.

If he has problems and is honest then he shouldn't be... I don't think he can win.

Growing up as a good Midwestern kid I'm sure it would be hard to "lie" to the media.

I don't think there is a good answer.

 

[hurdleisu24]

I'd rather a player be honest than try to cover something up or refusing to talk to them.

 

[mtowncyclone]

Too honest or not atleast he had an O on his jersey.

lol

 

[ajk4st8]

Life would seem to be much easier with a canned answer to the media.

Its not like we cant figure out whats going on anyway.

Good luck to him the rest of the season.