Chron writers can’t seem to decide whether the Astros clubhouse is toxic:
Toxic time for Astros, and that’s bad (Jesus Ortiz, Chron Baseball , 06/18/2008)
If you’ve spent a few minutes in the Astros’ clubhouse these days, you’d feel bad for the boys.
“It’s real bad in here,” a player told me as soon as I got into the clubhouse Tuesday to try to get an unbiased opinion to the comments I read in the paper Monday from Roy Oswalt and Cecil Cooper. “It’s not going to get better.”
What? I was both stunned and saddened. How did it get this bad, this quick? This toxic?
Afterward, I sent a few close friends and family members who care about the Astros this text message: It’s really toxic in here.
Toxic clubhouse environment? Winning will fix everything (Richard Justice, SportsJustice, 06/27/2008)
I’ve heard that phrase mentioned several times over the last few days. There are people claiming the atmosphere is poisonous, that dramatic changes need to be made.
I don’t believe this to be true. I’m not in there enough to really know, but that’s my opinion based on what I’ve seen and heard. It’s very difficult for any member of the media to make that kind of assessment. I asked some players I trust and others that are in the clubhouse far more than me about this.
They don’t buy it, either.
Justice isn’t in there enough to know, except he still knows. Okee!
At least those are two different staff writers with different perspectives. Here’s Fran Blinebury, who offers two contradictory perspectives on Joey Dorsey within a few hours:
Au revoir to Batum. Bonjour Greene and Dorsey (Fran Blinebury, Courtside, 06/26/08)
As for Dorsey, when he’s good, he can be very, very good. Yes, he’s another undersized player on the frontline for a team that already has Landry and Hayes. But Dorsey’s bulk and quickness could compensate for his lack of height.
Rockets trade 1st pick Batum for Dorsey, Greene (Fran Blinebury, Houston Chronicle)
“We think Joey Dorsey was the best defensive player on the best defensive team in the country this year at Memphis,” Morey said. “We think he plays much bigger than his 6-7 height with the size of his body and his aggressiveness.”
The 24-year-old Dorsey was a key member of the best replica watches Memphis Tigers who finished 38-2 and lost in overtime to Kansas in the NCAA title game. He averaged 6.9 points and 9.4 rebounds.
Dorsey has prototypical size, strength and athleticism for the NBA power forward spot.
6-7 is not prototypical size for an NBA power forward — it’s short! It’s something Daryl Morey admits two paragraphs before Fran Blinebury writes that “prototypical size” nonsense. And it’s something Blinebury seemed to admit last night, when he called Dorsey “undersized.”
Bizarre.