Official Game Thread - 8/24 - Bucs vs Reds

[Doc]

I would like to see someone in leadership get through to Cruz. And that probably means a change in leadership. Shelton and his coaches are worse than useless. They're counterproductive. I see Cruz's problem as more ignorance than selfishness. Because I don't think he consciously decides he doesn't care about the team. I believe he just simply doesn't get it. He may not be very bright, I don't know. I would like to see someone teach him that there is more to a team than the sum of its individual performances. Players contribute to the team in a variety of ways. Sometimes as much as what they don't do as what they do. He can help the team more by not playing SS, by not running into ill-advised outs, by not lazily admiring his hit instead of sprinting for extra bases. I think he's accustomed to being the freak on the field at every level he's played and people just marveling at his abilities. I doubt he's ever grasped the concept of just being one of the players all doing the best they can to obtain a favorable outcome for the team. Maybe I'm wrong and he just doesn't care. But he needs to mature as a player and I'd rather it be here than with another organization laughing at the Pirates for another failed attempt to develop a player.

You might be right but I think it’s his personality, and that’s hard to change. Guys who hustle all the time, it’s an innate quality. It can be emphasized over and over, but he has to buy into it and I don’t think he ever will because it’s not in him. I do agree with you about him playing shortstop. We all see it, why doesn’t the management? In fact, I’d just as soon he not be on the field at all. Just have him DH. I know it takes his arm out of the game but he uses it badly too often now so what’s the point of him being out there. I wonder how many times his arm has been a benefit, such as throwing out a runner on a relay? I guess it’s happened but I can’t remember if it has.