You might remember Rob Dibble saying some pretty critical things about Stephen Strasburg yesterday on the radio. The full transcript is here, but basically, Dibble was outspoken about Strasburg's inability or disinclination (however you want to put it) to play through a little bit of pain, forgetting, of course, that Strasburg is a long-term investment and therefore should be protected.
Today, Dibble responded to the outrage over yesterday's comments, and as expected, he failed to disappoint. Federal Baseball has the epic transcript.
I've been playing baseball since I was six years old, so that's 40 years I've been on a baseball field and around a baseball field, and so our opinions are formulated through facts, not fiction, not their little chat room jargon, and so they can try and twist it any way they want, and if a guy's hurt, he's hurt, he's going to go on the disabled list, it's a moot point, but if he's not hurt, get your butt out there and play....they're two totally different scenarios, so, you know, stick to what you know, which is nothing, and stick to your little blogs."
Rhetoric aside, Dibble's main point seems to be that he was taken out of context. Is that true, or did he just backtrack? I decided to use some chat room jargon to examine the issue on this little blog.
Let's compare Dibble's comments yesterday with his comments today, shall we? Emphasis mine:
Dibble, yesterday: You're never going to be 100 percent healthy, feel perfect. So you have to take accountability that you're gonna throw sometimes, your arm's gonna hurt. You're gonna be out there on the mound sometimes, the mound is gonna be terrible and the dirt is gonna be a little loose and it might not be so great. You can't constantly be complaining over every little thing.
Dibble today: First of all, if you're hurt, you can't suck it up, so that's a moot point, but if you're not hurt, that's what I was talking about. If you're not hurt and your arm's fine, then keep pitching.
So Rob, are you suggesting that you, Chris Sabo and Josh Willingham weren't hurt when you listed the various terrible ailments you all played through the other day? Because like you said, if you're hurt, you can't suck it up.
Dibble, yesterday: This is the simple answer to this, you need to know the difference between pain and injury. When I was 12, my arm hurt. When I was in my teens and I would throw and walk off the mound when I was a starter, my arm would throb. I couldn't even hold a glass of water. And you know what? I loved it.
"I was so sick, I loved it, 'cause I felt 'ok, I'm throwing hard enough to make my arm shake when I'm just standing there.' So I was a totally different animal than I think has been created here with Strasburg, where now you're telling this kid as soon as you feel any arm pain, call us and we'll come help you.
Dibble, today: if a guy's hurt, he's hurt, he's going to go on the disabled list, it's a moot point, but if he's not hurt, get your butt out there and play....they're two totally different scenarios
I guess this means that you aren't "hurt" if you "loved" being in pain. So ... I guess Stephen Strasburg's problem is he doesn't love being hurt? LOVE BEING HURT, STEPHEN! LEARN TO LOVE IT!
Dibble, yesterday: "I'm not a doctor, and I haven't read the MRI yet, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna come back fine,"
Dibble, today: "You and I [to co-host Jim Memolo] when we go on the air, we're very prepared, and yesterday when I went on the air, I knew exactly what the Philly doctor that looked at Stephen Strasburg had said. And people will think that, 'He pops of and he says this and that,' the Philly doctor that examined Stephen Strasburg said he should be ready to throw in five days. Pitch in a game? No. But throw, and he threw the next day, he long-tossed the next day.
So Rob, did you know the MRI, or did you just spout off without reading it?
Dibble, yesterday: "What Mike Rizzo and Jim Riggleman do, that's totally different," Dibble said. "They have to think of the long-term ramifications of what they're doing right now with this kid's career.
Dibble, later on yesterday: So I was a totally different animal than I think has been created here with Strasburg, where now you're telling this kid as soon as you feel any arm pain, call us and we'll come help you. Please.
Basically, Dibble thinks Mike Rizzo and Jim Riggleman are doing the right thing by being cautious, yet also thinks it's dangerous to create an atmosphere where they're cautious. Got it.
Dibble, yesterday: As far as this kid? Stop crying, go out there and pitch. Period.
Dibble, today: What really ticks me off, Jim, is when bloggers, who have no information, and have not talked to doctors, have no on-the-field information will rip into me and say, 'Oh, yeah, Dibble told him to suck it up.'
In Rob Dibble's world, telling a pitcher to "stop crying and pitch" is different than saying "suck it up." Technically, he's right, because they aren't literally the same exact words. I guess he nailed those "little blogs" after all.
Then again, if past history is any indication, I'm guessing Dibble also hasn't talked to the doctors.