Friday, January 25, 2013

Weaver Announces Chips Lineup and Rotation

Steve C, owner the DC Chips, welcomed Earl Weaver to his ball club this afternoon.  After an initial hesitation at returning to the Baltimore-DC Metro Area, Weaver quickly agreed to pilot the franchise after realizing the star performers up and down the lineup.  True to form, Weaver was his typical eloquent self.

When asked about how he'll run the club, Weaver said, "A manager's job is simple.  For one hundred-sixty two games you try not to screw up all that smart stuff your organization did in January." 

Years ago with Baltimore, Weaver was famous for his "pitching, fundamentals, and 3-run homer" philosophy, and thus expressed concerns at the possible question marks in his new rotation.  After all, he said, "The only thing that matters is what happens on the little hump out in the middle of the field," and, "Nobody likes to hear it, because it's dull, but the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same – pitching."

On being reunited with Frank Robinson, "Frank was the most intense ballplayer I've ever seen.  He played the game as hard as anybody.  He never, ever gave up on an at bat no matter what the score was.  He'd get a big hit.  He went into the stands in New York to make a catch.  But what's important is, he did those things every day."  Of course, he also added, "I don't think in all the years I managed him, I every spoke more than thirty words to Frank."

Bill James was on hand and added his own two cents after the press conference, "If there was no professional baseball he'd have been a bouncer at a midget bar.:

Chips Lineup
.C – Deacon White
2B – Ross Barnes
CF – Cristobal Torriente
DH – Bill Joyce
RF – Frank Robinson
1B – Ben Taylor
LF – Sheree Magee
SS – Pop Lloyd
3B – Chone FIggins

Chips Rotation
SP 1 – Bob Ojeda
SP 2  - Javier Vazquez
SP 3 – Atlee Hammacker
SP 4 – Randy Jones
SP 5 – Jim Merritt

CL – Tug McGraw
SU R – Kent Tekulve
SU L – Rob Murphy

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