Graffanino's leadership

[BREWCREW5]

Not sure if anyone else caught Fielders post game interview in 08-11, but I was suprised how much he praised Graf for being the team veteran leader and telling the younger guys to step it up. He seemed to mention him like 3 or 4 times.

 

 

(added tag --1992)

[Paul77]

Yeah, I hit the rewind to hear it again. Sounds like he was really taking a leadership position with the team. I know Yost said he wanted Graffy to spend as much time as possible with the club in September, for just that reason.

[uwisfan]

that's what excites me about Dillon as well. Not only is this guy hitting well in clutch situations, but he has the coaching background, and obviously his age and baseball knowledge can help this young club.

[timothyw80]

Here is the clip... Doesn't seem like much to me...

 

 

August 11th Postgame

Uploaded by timothyw80

[trwi7]

I counted 12 you knows from Prince in like a 30 second interview.http://static.yuku.com/v2//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/laugh.gif

[brewcrewnation]

This was also on the jsonline Brewer blog that Gaffy need another surgery and will be out for at least 6-8 months won't be ready for opening day 2008.

[Paul77]

This was also on the jsonline Brewer blog that Gaffy need another surgery and will be out for at least 6-8 months won't be ready for opening day 2008.

Wow. Thats really too bad. Here's to a speedy recovery. Lets get him a ring, that might take some of the sting away.

 

He's not under contract next year is he? I don't think he is, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Kurt]

Prince mentioned something about Graffy making a speach before he left that was pretty powerful. Anyone know the basic gist of it?

[JJHardy7]

Graffy isn't under contract. He was in arby last year (something we didn't plan on thus having Counsell and Graffy). I don't know how much of a leader Dillon can be since he's really never lasted on the MLB level too long -- I love the guy don't get me wrong.

 

It's really too bad Estrada doesn't step up or at least I haven't heard him mentioned as a leader -- It seems like he's tried in the past, but I just wonder if anyone listens to him.

[recte44]

Maybe Tony will be a coach next season. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Paul77]

It's really too bad Estrada doesn't step up or at least I haven't heard him mentioned as a leader

I really don't want this to turn into a "lets bash Estrada" thread but ...

I'm not sure if Estrada's got the patience to really be a leader - at least not with this unexperienced club. I know Yost on at least three different occasions has pointed out that Estrada has at least tried to show some leadership. Most recently after the dugout incident he pointed to Graff & Estrada as "winners and leaders". But I think Estrada's "I've been through this, you haven't" attitude has rubbed some the wrong way. The Sports Illustrated article last month painted Estrada as a guy who couldn't relate to his teammates. I need only to point to his comments about the clubhouse mentality as proof of that. ("It's unbelievable, the mentality here. When you're used to winning, it's a different attitude. Here, it's like a panic zone" and the "It drives me nuts" comment.) Recently Ned Yost described Johnny's clubhouse persona by saying, "Johnny didn't come here to make friends, he came to win and he'll tell you that". That kind of sums it up.

 

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"We've been watching (the Cubs). We're in a pennant race," admits Bill Hall. Estrada, unlike Hall, doesn't even want to acknowledge that the Cubs are coming on. It's way too early to look at the standings, he says, even if that's what every baseball-loving fan in the Greater Milwaukee area is doing every day.

"I've been telling people in here, as much as everyone around here is excited, and the Brewers haven't been in first place this late in a season since '82, we're not in a pennant race yet," Estrada says. "When September rolls around, and we have a 2-1/2 game lead, then you got yourself a pennant race. But until then ... there's a lot of games still to be played."

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I think he really looks at the things with a different set of eyes that most of his teammates. His perspective seems to be "it's a long season and you can only control your own game. Don't sweat stuff out of your control. Relax.". I happen to think he's correct . I was in the right place at the right time a little while back and I got a chance to sit in on a conversation between Astros pitcher Chris Sampson and a guy he knew from his minor league days. After the two spent a few minutes catching up and making plans to meet up after the game the conversation moved towards attendance at Miller Park. Sampson asked about the expected crowd. When informed that it would be near a sellout he replied "Really? Fans are coming out pretty good then." The guy I was with said "We'll, we're not used to being in First place" Then Sampson said, "I knew they (the Brewers) we doing good, but I didn't realize they were in on top". To me that revealed that the players, at least some of them, don't look at things like we do. They don't watch the scoreboard everyday, they don't worry about the teams around them. Maybe some guys really do just come to the park, handle their business and let the chips fall where they may. I think thats the camp Estrada is in, whereas I think a lot of his teammates are too focused on the standings and the Cubs and things that can't control. Maybe that leads to undue pressure and a "must win, do or die" attitude. With 36 games left, that can't help matters.

 

I guess my point is, I don't think Estrada's the cancer some people seem to think he is, but I don't think he'll be a clubhouse leader either, at least not this year. I can see the Brewers winning the division and all of the sudden next season, once they been through it, a few more players fall in line with Estrada's "don't sweat the uncontrollable" attitude. Maybe then he can be more of a team leader.