A quite vivid description of new Cleveland Browns' D-Coor Mel Tucker defensive philosophies came across in a recent Plain Dealer piece by Tony Grossi. In it, a few phrases repeated themselves and serve to indicate what Tucker considers fundamental to the anticipated 2008 approach: collapsing the pocket so QBs can't set their feet and bump coverage that disrupts and re-routes so as to upset timing.
The former ingredient figures to hinge heavily on the performances of newcomer DL Shaun Rogers (Lions) and Corey Williams (Packers), as well as what Shaun Smith might generate in fulltime NT focus.
The latter ingredient should be expected to factor in the selection of whomever is brought in to help fortify the CB position, especially now that Daven Holly has been lost for the upcoming campaign.
Credit Grossi for so nicely capturing the essence of Tucker's disclosures.
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Recent entries have argued for Tribe Manager Eric Wedge to bunch his club's best bats, in hopes doing so might better avert the tremendously horrendous number of low-scoring offensive games.
Sunday morning boxscores contained two graphically illustrating the effectiveness of such a batting order technique---as reflected in what Detroit and Tampa accomplished against Minn and Balt, respectively.
How does 11 hits, 11 rbi and at least 10 runs from four consecutive batters by both team sound?
Tampa's Carl Crawford, BJ Upton, Carlos Pena and Evan Longoria assembled those very numbers against the O's from lineup spots 2-5 yesterday, while the Tigers did two runs better from hitters 1-4: Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco, Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez.
While such production, needless to say, is not customary nor predictable, it does illustrate the contagious nature of hitting results, with one man's successes feeding another's.
Facing starters willing to surrender nine runs each in fewer than three innings pitched is also helpful. No manager can control that from an opposing mound staff, however, as if that needed to be pointed out.
Kudos to the manager for encouraging his troops to go up their swinging aggressively. Calling what they've been doing "paralysis by analysis," Wedge correctly insinuated turning loose his batsmen might be the best way for them to regain the zeal and successes that not only got them to the big leagues but also to within a single win of last fall's World Series---though Terry Pluto's statistical analysis, also in today's PD, demonstrates that the decline has been digressing for some time now, beginning as long as two seasons ago.
Perhaps Wedge's inspiration came from watching the manner in which the visiting Rangers flailed confidently Friday evening. OF David Murphy's attacking success most exemplifies the means.
Lastly, while it is bad news to learn Fausto Carmona will not be available to the Tribe for at least four weeks with that left hip ailment, it nonetheless permits GM Mark Shapiro additional time to intelligently market veteran starter Paul Byrd, particularly inasmuch as he maintains big deals in MLB are rarely made in the month of May.
Yesterday's entry proposed using Byrd to acquire Rockies' 3b Garrett Atkins and mentioned the rise of LH 3b Ian Stewart as contributory to the veteran's being available. Stewart was promoted by Colo prior to Sat's contest and he got the start at third, going hitless in three trips, with a walk and a K. This despite Atkins having gone 3-for-5 in Friday's contest, highlighted by his 8th homer, 30th rbi and elevated .338 BA.
Versatile infielder Clint Barmes (pronounced Bar-Mess) was injured in that latter game, during which he raised his average to .343 with two knocks in five trips, resulting in his placement on the DL. Barmes was playing his natural SS spot, having moved over from 2b for the injured franchise centerpiece Troy Tulowitzki. Barmes' hits were both doubles (13) and his two rbi raised his total to 20. He attended Evansville (hometown of Bob Griese and Don Mattingly), as did Cleveland's Jamey Carroll and Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan.
Read the complete post at http://www.xanga.com/MALeonard/658616730/in-case-you-missed-it-tuckers-d-philosophy-described.html