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batted balls · 07-15-2006, 05:46 PM

Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . .

Surprised by the first two games of the College World Series? Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Ivy is on a roll. Ivy is getting strong. Ivy is growing!

Yet, Ole Max wants to look at the other side right now. One of the biggest reasons for Arizona State's failures in games one and two has been the "performance" of right fielder Reggie Jackson. Reggie never met a microphone or camera he didn't like. Reggie views himself as "the straw that stirs the drink." Well, folks, Ole Max is here to tell you that right now that straw really sucks. Check the stat line for Reggie: Eight at-bats, five strikeouts. Those numbers don't lie Reggie. Add in the fact that Reggie has left more men on base than a revoked military pass and you begin to see why ASU is struggling.

Which leads Ole Max to ask the question, what will Arizona State manager Bobby Winkles do? With the Sun Devils down 2-0, Winkles can't wait. Reggie needs to get hot, and he needs to get hot now! The problem is that Reggie isn't even lukewarm. He's gone from being a Sun Devil to a Sin Devil. Reggie's been as close to a hit that past two days as Bobby Vinton has.

One of my colleagues said that he'd seen better swings in a park compared to Reggie's. I'll go a step futher: Reggie's "swing" looks like that of a blindfolded sugar-spastic kid lunging at a pinata. Heck, any baseball thrown by an Ivy pitcher is safer than that brightly colored animal dancing off a tree at some kid's fiesta.

Ole Max thinks Reggie will continue to get at-bats in the CWS because Winkles is hoping and praying that his swing will eventually connect. However, look for Winkles to drop Reggie in the batting order. He's got to wake up his slumping giant.

Does Ole Max think Reggie's bat will get out of its slumber. Ole Max's answer is yes. But, it may be too late. Sure, ASU still may win a game or two. But mark Ole Max's words, unlike Reggie's bat, Ivy is in control.

Is it fair to place so much blame on one player? Probably not, but when that player is proclaiming himself as the "beginning, middle and end" of all things baseball, Ole Max can justify it. Besides, somewhere in that beginning, middle and end Reggie Jackson may actually hit the baseball while it still matters. The problem is that it may not matter enough . . .

This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off and getting ready for game three of the College World Series . . .

07-15-2006, 05:46 PM	#141 (permalink)
batted balls All Star Starter Join Date: May 2003 Location: White Sox Country Posts: 1,319 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0x in 0 posts	No Action from Jackson--Max Mercy, Jr. Max Mercy, Jr. here again, folks . . . Surprised by the first two games of the College World Series? Hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Ivy is on a roll. Ivy is getting strong. Ivy is growing! Yet, Ole Max wants to look at the other side right now. One of the biggest reasons for Arizona State's failures in games one and two has been the "performance" of right fielder Reggie Jackson. Reggie never met a microphone or camera he didn't like. Reggie views himself as "the straw that stirs the drink." Well, folks, Ole Max is here to tell you that right now that straw really sucks. Check the stat line for Reggie: Eight at-bats, five strikeouts. Those numbers don't lie Reggie. Add in the fact that Reggie has left more men on base than a revoked military pass and you begin to see why ASU is struggling. Which leads Ole Max to ask the question, what will Arizona State manager Bobby Winkles do? With the Sun Devils down 2-0, Winkles can't wait. Reggie needs to get hot, and he needs to get hot now! The problem is that Reggie isn't even lukewarm. He's gone from being a Sun Devil to a Sin Devil. Reggie's been as close to a hit that past two days as Bobby Vinton has. One of my colleagues said that he'd seen better swings in a park compared to Reggie's. I'll go a step futher: Reggie's "swing" looks like that of a blindfolded sugar-spastic kid lunging at a pinata. Heck, any baseball thrown by an Ivy pitcher is safer than that brightly colored animal dancing off a tree at some kid's fiesta. Ole Max thinks Reggie will continue to get at-bats in the CWS because Winkles is hoping and praying that his swing will eventually connect. However, look for Winkles to drop Reggie in the batting order. He's got to wake up his slumping giant. Does Ole Max think Reggie's bat will get out of its slumber. Ole Max's answer is yes. But, it may be too late. Sure, ASU still may win a game or two. But mark Ole Max's words, unlike Reggie's bat, Ivy is in control. Is it fair to place so much blame on one player? Probably not, but when that player is proclaiming himself as the "beginning, middle and end" of all things baseball, Ole Max can justify it. Besides, somewhere in that beginning, middle and end Reggie Jackson may actually hit the baseball while it still matters. The problem is that it may not matter enough . . . This is Max Mercy, Jr. signing off and getting ready for game three of the College World Series . . . __________________ White Sox fan since 1972 Last edited by batted balls; 07-15-2006 at 05:59 PM.