My last two sentences about Jeff Brantley from my season outlook post: "As for his analysis, it's okay I suppose, but it seems to me that he's trying to be edgy and outspoken like Marty, as opposed to just being himself. I watched Brantley while he was on ESPN and I can't remember him ever being a controversial guy...can you?"
Brantley's last three complete sentences before Edwin Encarnacion hit a walk-off three-run homer off Diamondbacks closer Brandon Lyon: "This guy is not a clutch hitter. He is not a clutch hitter. He's not a clutch player."
Needless to say, I was happy as hell when Encarnacion planted that sucker into the left field seats. But I'm still mad. Mad at Brantley for doing exactly what he's done since he came back to Cincinnati--being someone he's not (i.e., Sir Martin Brennaman).
Look, it's fair to criticize Encarnacion's Harang-esque approach to bunting (which might actually be an insult to Harang). And certainly Encarnacion's play in the field is fair game. But to go so overboard pronouncing a player's unclutchness (a made up word)--despite evidence to the contrary that Thom Brennaman tried to point out--is simply idiotic.
One of two things happened here. Either Brantley declared Encarnacion unclutch because of his inability to bunt, or...Brantley was taking his previous frustration of Encarnacion out on him when it became convenient to do so, like--HELLO--when the guy has two strikes against him and he's facing a very good pitcher.
In cased you missed something back there...
There were two strikes against Encarnacion when Brantley made his "bold" prediction. TWO. You know who else isn't a great hitter with two strikes against? Almost everybody who plays baseball. Even when counts are favorable what's the best you can hope for? Reaching base about 35-40 percent of the time, right? If Encarnacion would have failed to get on base--which is going to happen far more often than not, regardless of situation--Brantley would have walked around with his chest out, as if he predicted the winning Powerball numbers or something. Whatever.
When are people going to realize that just because Brantley came from ESPN, and just because he's a moderate upgrade over Steve Stewart, that he's an annoying bozo trying to make a name for himself in an area where he's not well equipped?
Thoughts? Email me.
(And listen to the Nintendo podcast)
-Brad Spieser (Brad@TwinKilling.com)
4/2/08
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