Agreed. I watch baseball, I get an annual subscription of MLB TV every year and it's $90 for the whole season which is great value. There are plenty of tactics implied in baseball which many people don't understand. For example you don't just plonk the outfielders in a random spot, they are placed in a specific spot depending on the power of the batter, or if the batter is a strong puller of the ball the center fielder may get moved over a bit. Also infield shifts are common. It's quite funny to see a first baseman but then everyone else is between 2nd and 3rd base.
Talk about dull……I went to see a game in Chicago in 81ish. The pitchers were on top to such an extent that no-one could get a hit (i.e. get to first base). As it was getting duller and duller, the crowd were getting more and more excited. I didn't get it at all. Later I did a bit of research. It is very rare for a pitcher to go through an entire game without giving up any hits. It is even rarer for both pitchers to do it. The 'perfect game' has only happened a couple of times in baseball history. Anyway someone went and ruined all the boredom and got on base in the ninth. Once you get into the game though, it can be fascinating. Ever tried chewing tobacco by the way? A prerequisite for any player worth his salt. What any of this has to do with Jay Rodriguez I'm not sure.
Must be getting confused with Alex. Can't quite get excited about these new contracts given how quickly Lallana, Lovren and Shaw left are signnig them. All it means is we get a slightly bigger fee. I think Jay has come along hugely with us. Shows what could happen with Long given time. Would be disappointed if he did leave given all the effort we've made to get him over that horrific injury.
Do we know he is over that injury? He might come back with less pace, not something he can afford to lose with his questionable composure. I'm not sure he'd take the spot of Pelle/ Tadic/ Mane anyway.
But rounders doesn't cause the entire benches to clear and mass brawling to occur like baseball does on a regular basis.
Am sorry tomw23 - I appreciate we are all are different - but watching grown men run round in circles wearing long-johns and hard hats is a little bit much for me to take seriously. I also recall many years ago Ian Botham when at the absolute top of his game having a friendly contest in New York (I think at the Mets who had just won the World Series) with their top 'striker' (whatever the guys his with the lump of rounded wood) absolutely smash the ball further and more times than this other guy to the extent that the 'pitcher' (who was the best in the league that season) got quite upset. Botham just shrugged his shoulders and commented he had no idea what the fuss was about. Even the diplomat!
When I played, the Americans were amazed that I could catch a ball without a glove (i.e. its a hard ball but not as hard as a cricket ball). I hadn't seen that Botham thing but a good pitcher will make the ball move around a lot. I think the difference is that, with a few exceptions, the guy at bat is trying to welly it (technical term) each time, because as soon as they hit it, they have to run. There is a defensive 'bunt' but generally it ends up as a sacrifice hit. I can imagine a decent cricketer being able to take it up but not the other way round.
I like watching baseball, it is more than a sport in the USA, it used to be full of great expectorations, but that seems to be a thing of the past now. I am hoping JRod will appreciate how we are keeping his career alive and won't walk away at the 1st opportunity that wouldn't be very Saintly. Still no guarantee he will be as good as he was before getting crocked, only time will tell.
He's looking absolutely ripped in that Saints cancer pic. He's going to come back in great physical condition I think.
Good video on his blog site showing how his training is going along. Movement looks good and he says he is now working with a ball so maybe SSNs prediction that he could be back before the end of November is not so far off. No reason to rush him though as Long and Pelle have done very little wrong.
Rodriguez has undoubted skill and he was beginning to become a decent goalscorer before his injury. I've always had a nagging doubt over him because of his 'head down' tendency. Perhaps he can pick up some tips from Tadic, because really, its all he needs to become a top class player.
All the time we are doing well and scoring goals, I really don't want to see him rushed back to ensure his long term fitness If we loose Pelle to long term injury then I might change my mind but the odd game with Long/Mane leading the line should be fine If he doesn't come back until 1st Feb I would understand!!!! (LOL)
Saints and football clubs in general have a much better grip on handling recovery from injury than they did even five years ago (except whoever looks after Andy Carroll) The chances of players coming back to full fitness from serious injury is better than it has been. The fact that JRod has been (with the club physio to Germany to assess which boot/stud/blade combination will suit him best supports this. I am pretty confident that getting JRod back will be like signing a fantastic new player
Surely 15 league goals qualifies as more than just decent. And he wasn't even that, he was 'beginning to become decent'.
Don't start something when there is almost certainly no real disagreement. "Decent goalscorer" was what I said and I stick by it. He started off the season by fluffing a few shots. As he scored a few, he started getting more confident and the ratio was changing. AS I SAID, he was on his way to becoming a top class player. I don't think he was the finished article at the point he was injured. If you believe that he was as good as he's going to get sobeit, I can't change your opinions. I believe he has the potential to improve.
