I bring this up because Rice is still around the team he had a Hall of Fame career for.
Still working for the club and for NESN, even at the tender age of 72.
He is also an analyst for NESN.
A staffer told Rice that his advice did not align with the organization’s hitting approach.
Rice reportedly asked the staffer if he played professional baseball, and the response was no.
“I didn’t throw myself on anyone.
I’m sitting down, having coffee.
Nobody’s bothering me.
Someone comes over and asks me a question.
What am I supposed to say?
I didn’t go and get this kid.
I didn’t go and bring this kid and say, ‘Hit like this.’
He came over and talked to me.”
Look at the monitor, do what you do, and don’t talk to me."
This is straight out ofMoneyball.
I mean, how could you not love Rice telling this anonymous drone to go piss up a rope?
Whereas Rice was the terror of MLB pitchers since before this marshmallowy twit was born.
He was a professional hitting coach while this slappy was soiling his diapers.
So clean it up, John Henry.
Start teaching your analytics nerds how to put respect in their mouths when they utter the name Jim Rice.
This hitter who needed help went to the right source for advice.
Like Rambo, they asked Rice, he didn’t ask them.
Stats guys have their uses, but they need to know their place.
It’s at a laptop, going through data and compiling reports.
Who didn’t need all this analysis from theorists to get themselves immortalized in Cooperstown.
So reign these geeks in if you know what’s best for your team.
