Monday, October 20, 2003
Next year is....now
I am back, my brothers.
It took a few days, but I think I'm finally over the Very Bad Thing from Thursday night. Actually, the lack of baseball on my end was refreshing, and I think I'm ready to tackle the minimum 15 days until the Hot Stove season kicks off.
First the World Series. Judging by a couple of e-mails, some people think I'm showing an anti-Yankee bias, and severe sour grapes by not covering the World Series in depth. First off, I know that everyone has an anti-Yankee bias, so I can't comment really. Secondly, there are some sour grapes, but I just couldn't bring myself to watching two games at Yankee Stadium that should be at Fenway Park. Starting with game 3, I will be watching again, and giving you the same great fast food analysis you have grown to love.
Ok, now on to the Red Sox. Right now, I'm working on my off season preview, which include my "Recipe for a Perfect World." These are moves I would like to see done to make this team the best it can be. I hope that I will have the majors part all in place by Friday.
Right now, I will be talking about two things that aren't related to baseball at all. In fact, they are basketball items.
If you like college basketball and you live in New England keep your eye out this year. There is a mini-renaissance happening on the hardcourt. UConn is a favorite to win the national title. Boston College and Providence College are solid teams. Brown might steal the Ivy title. And for the first time since 1998-1999, URI has expectations. The Rams return all but two from the 20-11 squad from last year, and are adding some pretty good looking recruits. The New England hoops scene looks pretty entertaining this year if you like college hoop.
If you like the guys that are paid (Pro Hoops), today is a pretty shitty day to be a Celtics fan. Antonie Walker (who I love) and Tony Delk (who I don't) were traded to Dallas for Raef LaFrentz, Chris Mills, Jiri Welsch and a 1st round pick.
Let that sink in for a second.
Danny Angie just made his first trade as the bossman of the C's. The trade he wanted to make was to take his second best player, one of the top 40 guys in the league, and trade him for flotsam and a guy who hasn't been good since he was at Kansas. All dreams I had of the Celtics sneaking into the Finals this year are all but gone.
I can understand why people don't like Cyber 'Toine. He chucks, he styles, and he gets taken out of his game sometimes. But he works his ass off on the court, and he is the only thing that keeps Paul Pierce alive during games.
By the way, Pierce will now be quadruple teamed this season.
Last year the Celtics needed a third scorer. Now they need a second. Thanks Danny. Don't you have to resign to spend more time with your family now?
Now that all that is out of my system, tomorrow, I will be previewing game 3, as well as diving into a little bit of pop culture by giving you a review of Skin. I figured I would do that since the commercials are run every half inning during the Series.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
World Series - New York vs. Florida
As I'm sure you guys can understand, I don't have the heart to post a full series preview.
My pick is Yankees 4-2, DeweVision picks Yankees 4-1.
I'll be building my perfect world this weekend, and I hope to post it either Monday or Tuesday.
Friday, October 17, 2003
New York 6, Boston 5
First off, I would like to offer congratulations to the New York Yankees and their fans for winning the ALCS.
The Yankees won this game, and by extension the series, by taking advantage of perhaps the most heinous mistake of the year by the soon to be ex-manager of the Boston Red Sox, Grady Little.
Going into the bottom of the eight inning, Pedro was gassed. I knew it after Johnson popped out. I knew it after Jeter doubled. There is no way to defend sending Pedro out for the eighth. There is no way to defend him facing Williams, or Matsui, or Posada.
Grady managed this game like he managed the regular season. Unfortunately, it was game seven of the ALCS against the best team in the American League (talent wise). You need a healthy amount of guile, and luck to beat them in their park. Tonight, the Yankees took advantage of that huge hole that Grady Little gave them.
As a message to Red Sox fans: We are winning in 2004.
To Grady Little: You can kiss the fattest part of my ass.
To readers who stumble upon me in cyberspace accidentally looking for porn: I will be writing all offseason, going from the World Series, to the Hot Stove Season, to Spring Training. I'll probably write 4-5 times a week.
The Yankees deserved to win this game. They won because they don't do stupid things like leave their gassed ace on the mound because he doesn't want to come out. The Yankees won because their manager was more willing to win a ball game then make a friend.
Thursday, October 16, 2003
Boston 9, New York 6 and How the Cubs lost.
That is more like it. The offense is back, and the fans were treated to a pretty intense game, before a Nixon home run took the drama away. I think I might have misstated my point yesterday about offense. The biggest thing I like about offense is the "comeback factor." If both teams are hitting, then anything can happen. That is preferred to a team putting up a four spot in the second and then having a "who's offense is more anemic" contest the rest of the game.
People (those Classy Yankee Fans, who were leaving in droves before the Yankees hit in the bottom of the ninth) will tell you the Red Sox won because of the wind, because of Angel Hernandez's Wacky Zone, or because of Fox bias. This is crap. The Red Sox won because they scored more runs then the Yankees. Both teams were helped by the wind, both teams were helped/hurt by Hernandez's strike "zone", and although Fox may be desirous to see a black quarterback be a star, I doubt Fox is competent enough to actually pull off the fix. Remember, the best ratings would have come from Cubs/Red Sox. More on that in a few.
The Yankees lost this game because they were beat. They were beat because of some bizarre managerial decisions (not having anyone warming after Contreras, intentionally walking Varitek), some bizarre plays (Matsui throwing somewhere before looking/Ortiz's grounder hitting the base and then popping straight up), and some craptacular pitching by Pettitte, Contreras, Heredia, Nelson, and White. Ironically enough, the only pitcher that didn't surrender an earned run, Felix Heredia, did as much to help the Yankees lose as any of them. If you have been a regular reader of The House that Dewey Built, then you know that I hate the intentional walk unless it is absolutely necessary. Felix Heredia's inability to throw a strike is another example in the "I told you so" file.
Secondary for the Yankees, but probably much more annoying is the fact that their guys can not hit right now. The Yankees had five runs, seven hits, and one strikeout against John Burkett. After Grady sent Burkett to his room to think about the pain he wrought, the Yankees spent 5.1 innings scattering five hits, scoring one run (Posada's homer), and striking out six times. Biggest subject of Yankee ire is Jason Giambi. Against the Boston bullpen, he was 0-3 with three strikeouts, brought to you by Bronson Arroyo, Alan Embree, and Scott Williamson. Giambi will take a lot of guff because of his performance this season and during the playoffs because he is being paid $120 million. There is plenty of blame to go around as Karim Garcia, Hideki Matsui, Alfonso Soriano, Derek Jeter, Nick Johnson, and Jorge Posada are the only Yankees to reach base off of the Red Sox bully.
Tonight, there is Pedro Martinez against Roger Clemens. I really don't think I'll be able to concentrate on anything else all day.
And now for something completely different.
Simply put, the Cubs are not in the World Series right now because of Dusty Baker. Baker seems like a nice enough guy, but he has as much business managing a baseball team as I do. His abuse of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood all season has been well documented, but people are still surprised to see that they weren't sharp this series. His decisions on the offensive side of the ledger seems built on making outs quickly and efficiently, rather then scoring runs. Case in point, the presence of Tom Goodwin and Doug Glanville on the playoff rosters. They have the exact same skill set on offense, so why carry them both?
Dusty Baker was out managed by Jack McKeon this series. McKeon has a deep team that had the ability to put some runs on the board, despite having a shaky bullpen, and a fascination with Brad Penny. And if Juan Pierre got on to lead off a game/inning, McKeon didn't have Castillo bunt him over. In the first inning. Like Dusty did with Kenny Lofton and Mark Grudzielanek. It's wasteful baseball, and completely contrary to winning.
The end result was the Marlins beat the Cubs. The Marlins won with pitching, defense, and big ball (getting on base, hitting them around, not bunting or stolen bases. The Marlins are really too fast to not make every single to right a de facto hit and run. For what its worth, the Marlins were 4-7 in stolen base attempts). Ivan Rodriguez might be an overrated defensive player, but he's earning his keep this offseason. Some Cubs fans will blame goats, or that dude that stuck his hand out, but the blame lays with Dusty Baker and the Marlins.
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
New York 4, Boston 2
I've been writing a lot about things that bug me lately, the main recipient of this bile being Tim McCarver and Don Zimmer. I would assume that many people share my opinion on McCarver, as 2/3 of all Google searches that bring people to this site have some variation of McCarver and suck (or asshole, as some people say). This is less true for Zimmer, even though he is the more harmful entity in my opinion.
Before I get to the meat of this post, McCarver didn't annoy me yesterday, because I played a lot of NHL 2004 hockey, while looking at the TV for the pitches. Not only did this allow me to mute the TV, but it kept me distracted from the crapfest that the Red Sox and Yankees collectively put on. In fact, McCarver gave me the most entertainment of the night last night. When Mariano Rivera came into the game, McCarver was giving him the usual backrub, and then he said that "Rivera's elegant and easy gait is one of the reasons for his success." If you don't find humor in that, then you don't have a soul. There was the usually McCarver bluster of course, but nothing to get up in arms about. Derek Jeter made some pretty good plays and got the McCarver seal of approval. McCarver said the only way the Red Sox can get hits is broken bat singles right after Walker tripled to deep right. You know, the usual. Him admiring Rivera's gait made me stop hating him, and realize he is just an old fool trying to keep his job. While admiring men's gaits.
Anyway, the reason I'm posting wasn't to tell you that. I'm posting because I got an e-mail that asked me why I'm not doing game summaries anymore on this site. Why is everything during the ALCS a bitchfest. Well Mike, the answer is that this series has been terrible. There has been absolutely no excitement from this series, save the Saturday showdown. The runs scored have come in bunches. There have been no rallies so far. Offenses have been terrible. In other words, we're playing baseball in 2003, by guys who think its 1968.
I'm a big fan of offense, which surprises my friends because I was a pitcher. Offense makes for good baseball, because the game is in doubt with offense. With pitching, because runs are so scarce, if a handful are scored early, then you have guys trading zeroes, like yesterday. Offense makes the game better to watch. Now I don't mean I like Coors Field offense, 14-11 games just drag. I'm talking offense like the Cubs/Marlins series so far, which has been great.
The Red Sox/Yankees series has been horrible so far. If I was Fox, I wouldn't show the games in primetime either. They have two games left to catch my interest, before I can anoint this series watchable, let alone good.
And just for frame of reference, here are the rates for the Red Sox and Yankees:
Boston vs. New York .250/.309/.409/.718 vs. Oakland .211/.290/.378/.668
New York vs. Boston .196/.285/.291/.576 vs. Minnesota .275/.344/.384/.728
Here is the best player comps for those four offenses:
Bos (Nyy) Pat Burrell PHI .209/.309/.404/.713
Bos (Oak) Vance Wilson NYM .243/.293/.373/.666
Nyy (Bos) Brent Butler COL .211/.276/.300/.576
Nyy (Min) Mark Kotsay SDP .266/.343/.384/.726
Those aren't offenses. Those are two guys struggling to hold jobs, a guy who had one of the most disappointing years ever, and a centerfielder who is playing in an extreme pitchers park.
No one ever says "I can't wait to see Mark Kotsay play." The reason is he just isn't very good. I'm sure as hell not excited to see a Pat Burrell and Brent Butler battle either. That is why this series has been terrible.
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
A look at clutch
What is clutch? Is there such thing?
I don't know. No one can define it for me, and I haven't seen anyone with an clutch skill set. I'm not going to rehash the clutch hitting argument here, I will say that it is my opinion that there at clutch hits, but no clutch hitters.
Here are the top players this post season in the magical world of clutch.
ab h hr abrisp hrisp abmob hrmob clutch
Matsui NYY 28 3 1 11 4 18 1 3.179
IRod FLA 37 13 3 13 7 20 2 2.811
Sosa CHC 35 8 2 11 4 16 2 2.571
AGon CHC 33 10 4 7 4 12 2 2.424
Lofton CHC 43 15 0 8 5 12 0 2.209
Bernie NYY 27 6 0 7 3 12 0 1.444
Damon Bos 27 9 1 4 2 7 1 1.407
Ortiz Bos 33 3 1 5 1 11 1 1.212
Simon CHC 21 8 1 6 3 11 1 1.190
Sori NYY 34 8 0 8 3 12 0 1.118
I define clutch as hits with runners in scoring position and home runs with men on base above what is expected by neutral performance. That's why you have David Ortiz on there who has done essentially nothing this post season. Of his three hits since the end of the year, one was with a runner in scoring postion (the double off Foulke), and his only home run had a guy on base (off Mussina).
Sorry about the nicknames in the table, but that's the only way I can get it to format right. If you know how to do it better, drop me an e-mail.
Anyway, for the sake of bitterness, here are the 10 worst this postseason:
Alou CHC 41 16 1 11 3 23 1 -0.854
Nomar Bos 37 8 0 4 0 13 0 -0.865
Sierra NYY 4 1 1 2 0 2 0 -1.000
JTek Bos 22 6 3 2 0 7 0 -1.500
Cab'ra FLA 34 12 2 10 3 18 0 -1.588
Luis C FLA 37 9 0 7 0 12 0 -1.703
Lee FLA 38 7 1 12 1 23 0 -1.816
E'cion FLA 27 5 2 6 0 10 0 -1.852
Walker Bos 28 11 5 6 1 10 1 -2.143
Karros CHC 25 8 2 11 2 11 0 -2.400
Small samples aside, I think this is the best way you can accurately determine who is hitting well "in the clutch".
I tossed some stats up, because the numbers are a world where I don't get agita over idiots from Memphis, and jackass writers from New York.
It's mathamatical therepy.
This is getting ridiculous
I have to give a lot of credit to Yankee fans.
I’m dead serious about this. They have acted well, and even tempered in the last few days about the ugliness that existed between the Yankees and Red Sox. After Game 1, I received some e-mails from Yankee fans saying how the Sox would blow it and other various Yankee fan noise that confirmed their reputation.
However, to their credit, they seem to be putting Game 3 behind them. Red Sox fans are basking in the afterglow of Game 4, so all those bad things that happened on Saturday afternoon probably won’t be rehashed amongst the Hatfields and the McCoys until Game 7.
That’s what I thought until I went on Bruce Allen’s Boston Media Watch website and found this column in the New York Times: Hoping to avoid a negative charge by Dave Anderson.
I’ve never read Anderson before, so I’m not sure what his shtick is, but this is a column that would normally be reserved for the fan boy papers in New York, not the Times (which ironically enough is a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox.)
Although the column is poorly written, Anderson did say one thing that really turned my stomach.
Names or even nicknames will never hurt Martinez, but in the absence of sticks and stones, a battery might. When he's on the mound or when he warms up in the bullpen, he would be within range of any Yankees loyalist with a good arm. But if there's no Game 7, Pedro the Perpetrator will be safe.
Until next season.
Maybe I’m reading too much into this, but did a columnist for the national paper of record just encourage people to throw batteries at an opposing player?
I think Anderson is suffering from Rush Limbaugh disease here. It’s an affliction which only strikes the mediocre professional opinionists. People get paid for their opinion, and in an effort to stay relevant, they need to spark controversy. Dan Shaughnessy has made a career on this very principle. Anderson is saying something completely outrageous to try to get people to notice him/talk about him (Mission accomplished, jackass.)
Names that I call him here will not hurt Anderson. However, a battery might. When he’s in the press box, he’s in range of any Red Sox loyalist with a good arm.
See, its fun to threaten people on paper. I just hope the Yankee fans realize that Anderson is a talentless yutz, and Duracels go unsold in the Bronx.
It's funny that the fans are the ones who are seeming to rise above that game, and the players and coaches are on the way. Good thing the media is still beating the story drum. Otherwise, we might forget.
Monday, October 13, 2003
Red Sox 3, New York 2...Special Timmy ruins the game
Sox won...that is good.
Tim McCarver showed his McCarverness...that is bad.
Because I actually get e-mails saying that the McCarver bashing is good, here are my favorite Special Timmy quotes from tonight:
When Matsui misplays the ball off the wall, and Nixon and Millar advance to second and third: "What a great play by Matsui, keeping Millar at third. He played that extremely well deking out Millar." The replay then shows the ball bouncing over his head and rolling towards the infield.
Johnny Damon catches a flyball a few feet in from the warning track: "Bernie really can't hit a ball any better then that."
Jason Varitek pinch hits for Mirabelli: "Well, if you bat Varitek for Mirabelli then you have to take Wakefield out of the game."
Someone should tell Special Timmy that just because he caught Steve Carlton when all his skills dissolved, doesn't mean that the personal catcher thing is a hard and fast rule.
Anyway, my look at the game will come tomorrow morning. I needed to be bitter, since McCarver really takes away my enjoyment of the game.
Paul Williams
Paul Williams is 24 years old. He is a 2002 graduate of River College, where he played on the basketball team. He is also Red Sox fan.
George Noucas is the assistant basketball coach, and according to the Boston Globe (link doesn't work as of now), "Williams wasn't the most talented player in the world, but he played as hard as you could play and gave you everything he had every night." Noucas is a Yankees fan.
The two men used to kid eachother about their various affilations. They kept contact after Williams graduated college. Now Williams is a special education teacher at the 8th grade level at West Running Brook Middle School (Derry, NH).
By night, he is a groundskeeper who works at Fenway Park.
As you might know by now, he was the groundskeeper assigned to the Yankees' bullpen.
The end of the story has Jeff Nelson and Karim Garcia using cleates, feet, teeth, and fists to subdue what they said was a combative belligerent. The Boston police say that Nelson and Garcia were the aggressors. As of now, no charges have been filed, but the rumor is that it will happen tomorrow morning.
It'll be interesting to see if Fox mentions that tonight. If not, at least we'll know that Pedro and Manny really are bad guys.
Fine for throwing at someone: $50,000
Fine for yelling at someone: $25,000
Fine for yelling at someone and spiking someone else: $10,000
Fine for a coach running at someone, and assulting them: $5,000
Guess which ones are the Yankees, and which one are the Red Sox.
Sunday, October 12, 2003
The myth of class
I was going to write a whole recap of the game yesterday, but my heart just isn't in it. The reason is the wind in my sails was stolen by a few people who still trumpet the myth that the Yankees are a classy organization.
When tensions run high, it is impossible to remain objective. But partisanism is no excuse not to at least think about what happend at Fenway yesterday critically, rather then be a goofy fan-boy. In my estimation these are what I think about actions of yesterday:
- Pedro Martinez threw a shoulder high fastball at Karim Garcia. Garcia was grazed on the back of the left shoulder and hit the bat. I think it was Pedro's intent to hit Garcia, I don't think that it was his intent to throw behind Garcia.
- Garcia yelled at Pedro
- Garcia cheapshotted Todd Walker, spiking him about thigh high
- Pedro exchanged words with Jorge Posada, and Don Zimmer. During the altercation, Pedro and Posada both screamed at each other and pointed to their heads.
- The pitch to Manny Ramirez was eye high, and on the inside part of the plate. He overreacted, but it's easy to realize how he could get upset.
- Don Zimmer saught out Pedro Martinez with the intent to confront him. Pedro backed away a step, but pushed Zimmer. Zimmer fell because of the combination of the push and his forward momentum. This is confirmed by this video on Boston.com. Seen with RealPlayer.
- Jeff Nelson and Karim Garcia fought with a groundskeeper who was supposed to be in the Yankee bullpen. I don't have an opinion on this, simply because I didn't see it. The Boston Police are currently considering filing assault charges against Nelson and Garcia
- Tim McCarver still having a job is the biggest disgrace of this game, not the actions of the players
Everything that happend on the field is a part of baseball, except for the Zimmer/Martinez physicality. There is no reason why a coach on a team should go to a player on another team and confront him verbally, never mind physically. Alot has been made of the fact that Pedro should have taken more evasive action to keep from dumping Zimmer on the ground. Afterall, Zimmer is 72, he's had medical problems, and has a metal plate in his head. After this display, I think the plate might be the only thing in there.
I'm not going to mince words here, because I think this is the only way I can truely express what I'm thinking. Don Zimmer is a disgrace to baseball. His reputation as a cuddly statesman of baseball is total bullshit. This is a guy that took the most talented Red Sox team in the last 40 years and drove them into the ground. The people that Zimmer had run-ins with on the Boston Red Sox were Jim Rice, Bernie Carbo, Butch Hobson, Dwight Evens (yes, the namesake), Fergeson Jenkins, Rick Wise, and of course, Bill Lee. Spaceman has actually gone to the extreme that Zimmer was an "anti-intellectual menace"
The best example of Zimmer's High Crimes against Baseball came in 1978. Butch Hobson, Red Sox third baseman led the majors in errors. He had bone chips in his elbow, and he winced when he threw across the diamond. Hobson's manhood was questioned by his manager, Don Zimmer. To this day, Hobson has still expressed bitterness when it comes to 1978. Seeing that the Red Sox finished the year one game out of first, you would think that either DHing Hobson, or replacing him would have made up that game. Remember, because the difference in the standings was because of the one game playoff. It's not out of the relm of posibility to assume that one of the 43 errors committed by Hobson could have cost the Red Sox a game.
So why the love of Zimmer? I think it's because he's old and people tend to like the old people that stick around for a while at their craft. He should have been pushed out of the game years ago, but he's what the old time baseball people love.
I don't know enough about the Nelson/groundskeeper situation to comment on it. I will say that Paul Williams, the keeper, had spike marks on his back and arm. Seems a little excessive when trying to subdue someone.
I can't get started on Tim McCarver, except that he is a hazard in the booth. He was convinced of Pedro's evilness, especially when it came to Zimmer, before he saw the whole story. It also bears mentioning that McCarver was a Yankee employee, and was released by the Red Sox in 1975, costing him a World Series visit. I never thought he had a bias until yesterday. I honestly feel that Tim McCarver's continued career in broadcasting is all I need to know to prove that there is a God, and he has a sick sense of humor.
Where is the class folks? The Yankees get credit for it but they sure don't exhibit it. They win because of their talent, and their payroll advantage, not because they have clean uniforms, and carry themselves well. I suppose it is all Pedro's fault, but Martinez didn't spike Walker, and Martinez didn't force a 72 year old bench coach to actively instigate a fight. The MLB fined Martinez, Ramirez, Zimmer, and Garcia. The mayor of New York is calling for Pedro to face assault charges. Yankee fans on NYYFans.com have numerous threads calling for the head of Pedro Martinez, including one calling for a new nickname for him, calling him subhuman.
Where is the class? It isn't there. It's foolish to think that the New York Yankees are any better or worse people then any other baseball players. Calling a team classy is just another way to make something boring likable.
Saturday, October 11, 2003
Quick hit 10/11
I need a night to wrap my head around the game. I'm formulating what I'm gonna say here. Let me just tell you that if you don't want Tim McCarver bashing, then tomorrow's post isn't for you.
Tomorrow will be a weekday sized post, because I'm going to comment on the Red Sox game, the Cubs game, and the embarrassment to baseball that is Tim McCarver.
Also, today is URI's Homecoming. We lost to #3 Villanova 21-17 with a last second 'Nova touchdown. I need to go out and have fun while trying to decipher the strangest baseball game I've seen in a while.
Friday, October 10, 2003
Friday morning
Last night left a bad taste in my mouth. Today, I'm going to divorce myself from baseball, with my only involvement in the sport reading Andrew Zimbalist's book "May the Best Team Win," and having the Cubs/Marlins game on as background noise as I make my decent into the abyss of Budweiser.
Larry Mahnken writes the best Yankee blog (Replacement Level Yankees Blog) out there and said this about last night:
The Red Sox wasted opportunities to put the Yankees away in the first two innings, and the decision to bring in the struggling Scott Sauerbeck into the game in the 7th inning, after Giambi had walked, and turning Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada around to their strong sides, can only be explained by saying that Lowe was finished, and Sauerbeck was the only pitcher who had warmed up.
But why only Sauerbeck? Sauerbeck is a LOOGY, and his lefty/righty splits are painfully obvious in the regard. If Sauerbeck was used this way during the regular season, it's apparent why his numbers were so awful. That's just bad managing. But I ain't complaining. If Little wants to bring in the wrong guy to pitch to good hitters this series, more power to him.
Tomorrow the Yankees face Pedro in a huge swing game. Really, this game is all about Clemens--he won't be getting any standing ovations this time, unless he gets pounded out of the game. Rocket has only had two great starts against Boston in the past two seasons, and he's been pounded by them three times this year alone. The Yankees need him to throw six innings without giving up more than two or three runs, while they work Pedro's count and try to get the bullpen into the game. It can be done, but it's almost all on Clemens, pitching in what is absolutely his last game in Fenway Park, probably the last game he pitches against an American League team, and maybe the last game of his career. But, you know... no pressure, Rog.
Hero of the game: Derek Lowe, for hitting Aaron Boone with a pitch. Made my night.
I feel the same way. Amazing, eh?
New York 6, Boston 2
Game sucked, eh?
For all the quality of the A's series, this game sure did suck. It was the suckiest game that ever sucked.
Now that I have that out of my system, tonight was a painful but not a bad loss. The Red Sox went to Yankee stadium against two pitchers that have pitched well against the Sox of late, and walked away with a split. Looking forward, the Sox have face off against Clemens, Wells, and Mussina at Fenway, then Pettitte and Clemens in the Stadium. Tonight wasn't that bad.
But it still sucked. Four times the Red Sox could have turned a double play to end an inning. They did turn any of them. In the second, Matsui hit a grounder to second with Posada on. If they could have spun it, Johnson's homerun would have been a solojack. Three times in the third, they could have saved Lowe some pitches, but Millar "dove" (fell) over one, Jackson bobbled another, and Millar went home rather then turn two (this one was the smart call).
This game has also realized that there are two Grady Littles. There is Grady and Bizzaro Grady. Grady Little manages game one. Bizzaro Grady managed game two. Todd Walker wastes on the bench. Gabe Kapler leads off. Scott Sauerbeck pitches for the first time since June. Actually, let me stop here and rant (you guys paid for that).
Scott Sauerbeck can't get righties out!!!!! Jorge Posada is a switch hitter who has hit lefties at a .916 OPS clip, righties at .847. By calling Scott Sauerbeck into the game, you are flipping Posada around, batting right handed.
If you don't follow, that means that you are exposing the biggest bullpen weakness you have (Sauerbeck against righties), and the move played into your opponet's biggest strength at the time (Posada vs. LHP). Posada doubled in two runs against Scotty the Left, and the game was notched at 6-2, effecively putting the game out of reach. That decision did not lose the game for the Red Sox, but it sure didn't help.
Good lord, I'm going again...Tim McCarver is a jerk. There is no one I would rather hear do a baseball game less then Tim McCarver. I don't think he's biased against the Red Sox, I think he is a clueless front runner who opines for days went by, and he was the personal catcher for Steve Carlton. Good god, Fox, what does the guy have to do to get kicked off the air, say that Pedro is overrated because the media wants to see a Dominican pitching star??? I haven't heard one person say that McCarver brings anything at all to the discussion, never mind insight. He makes me long for those days past when the colorman of the home team did the series. I personally would love to see Buck with Kaat, or Remy. Even both. McCarver makes the game unbearable to watch and it makes my blood boil that he makes hundreds of thousands of dollars while people who can add to the game watching experience sit at home.
Argh! Tonight's game sucked. Saturday we have a marquee matchup: Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens. The only thing that would make me more ashamed to be a Red Sox fan then the Kim display would be if people cheered Clemens before this game. It really doesn't get much better then Pedro and Clemens in October.
Regis Philbin says: "Look at the Red Sox. They have facial hair and shaved heads. They look like street toughes."
Tim McCarver says: "You might beat Pedro, but you will never intimidate him. He's unintimidatable."
Fools act alike. Tomorrow I will post again, but it won't be as angry. Maybe.
Thursday, October 09, 2003
Boston 5, New York 2
I'm coming up with nothing today folks. Nothing. The offense is hitting again, the pitching was great with Wakefield, Timlin, and Williamson pitching top notch, and Embree pitching ok. Hell, Todd Walker even quit doing his Jeter impression and made some really good plays at second last night.
Otherwise it was a pretty boring game. It has invoked strange feelings in yours truely. I'm not excited. I'm actually pretty pragmatic. I can't wait for the next game to start tonight. I actually feel like I did when I was playing. My teeth are gritted and I just want to play ball.
One thing did get under my skin though. Why is it that the theatrics during the seventh inning stretch at Yankee Stadium are allowed to go on so long? I understand the patriotism angle, but if God Bless America is played, then can we cut out "Cotton Eyed Joe"? In the regular season, you get 1:40 between innings, in the post season, its 2:20. Why do the Yankees get the extra time for the 7th inning? It ices the pitcher coming into the bottom of the 7th, and it slows the game down to a crawl. I just don't get it.
Tonight Derek Lowe pitches against Andy Pettitte. Pettitte has generally been death on the Red Sox his career, but has been nothing more then medocre in the playoffs. Let's hope that changes tonight.
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
ALCS Preview
New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
NYY 101 61 877 716 .271 .356 .453 976 1011 .698 1.001
BOS 95 67 962 809 .289 .360 .491 1007 950 .701 .984
Lineups
New York Yankees
C Jorge Posada
1b Jason Giambi
2b Alfonso Soriano
3b Aaron Boone
ss Derek Jeter
lf Hideki Matsui
cf Bernie Williams
rf Karim Garcia/Juan Rivera/Ruben Sierra
dh Nick Johnson
Boston Red Sox
C Jason Varitek
1b Kevin Millar
2b Todd Walker
3b Bill Mueller
ss Nomar Garciaparra
lf Manny Ramirez
cf Johnny Damon
rf Trot Nixon/Gabe Kapler
dh David Ortiz
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
NYY 834.3 7.15 1.81 0.97 1.22 3.90 157.47
BOS 772.0 6.89 2.76 0.78 1.29 4.00 160.21
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
NYY 394.7 6.80 3.26 0.84 1.40 4.08 66.73
BOS 499.0 7.67 3.41 1.01 1.45 4.87 55.26
Games
Oct 8 @ NYY Tim Wakefield vs. Mike Mussina 8:00pm
Oct 9 @ NYY Derek Lowe vs. Andy Pettitte 8:15pm
Oct 11 @ BOS Roger Clemens vs. Pedro Martinez 4:15pm
Oct 12 @ BOS David Wells vs. John Burkett 8:05pm
Oct 13 @ BOS Mike Mussina vs. Tim Wakefield 8:15pm
Oct 15 @ NYY Derek Lowe vs. Andy Pettitte 4:15pm
Oct 16 @ NYY Pedro Martinez vs. Roger Clemens 8:15pm
Thoughts
On the one hand, you have an established power. They have a corporate exterior, are built on tradition, have an earned arrogance about them. They are described as classy and professional.
On the other is the rival. They aren't seen in the same light. They have long hair, or shaved heads, are built on failure, and are cocky as hell. They are described as unprofessional and bush league.
I am of course talking about the Omegas and the Deltas in Animal House.
You never find anyone say they root for the Omegas in the John Landis classic. They aren't fun, and they aren't interesting. Judging by their dress and demeanor, they are upperclass, a product of privilege.
Yup, everyone loves the Deltas. They are hard partying, hard drinking, and rough around the edges. They don't live within the set rules of society, and in fact when confronted with the orthodoxy, they actively rebel against it. The Deltas were a microcosm of life. They say to hell with "the man". People working in offices think back to college and say "If I was a student at Faber, I sure would rush Delta."
I think you see my point. Due to an error of geography, there are an insane amount of Yankee fans. But there are many, many Yankee fans that live outside of the Tristate. With no geographic bond to draw the people into this fandom, why do they do it? Why do they root for the Omegas?
I think, especially this year, that is why there is a lot of tension between Yankee and Red Sox fans. Red Sox fans celebrate by gathering on various college quads, and have drunken riots (I don't vant no dunkin roits in my town), and Yankee fans shake their head and chalk them up as boorish. The Red Sox celebrate clinching the Wacky Card at home with their fans, running into bars and the like, and people like Steve Levy call it excessive celebration on SportsCenter.
The Yankees are built on professionalism and the ghosts of 26 World Series titles, the Red Sox are built on passion and the workings of 29 year old kid and the mad theories of someone from Eastern Kansas.
When the Yankees lose a game, the next day their fans act like they have been denied their birthright. The next day after the Red Sox lose, their fans talk about their teams resiliency. A good example of this is the ALDS. Yankee fans I know said that everyone was harping on the Yankees for losing the first game. After the Sox lost the first two, all I heard was how the A's better sweep.
The Yankees are class and professionalism. They show it by allowing minimum facial hair, clean cut hair styles, and pristine uniforms. The Red Sox are immature and loutish. The show it by having a scruff, long hair (or no hair), and baggy dirty uniforms. The Yankees pump a fist and give a high five. The Red Sox point at their own bench and give a hug. The Yankees' owner says he doesn't care about the Red Sox, but they seem to be the topic of discussion whenever Steinbrenner opens his mouth. Word is he demanded that Brian Cashman block Boston from getting a Colon in a trade. Never mind that Theo Epstein was after Javier Vazquez. The Red Sox CEO openly acknowledges the rivalry, calling the Yankees the "Evil Empire" after signing Jose Contreras. He says its foolish to pretend the two teams don't like each other.
The fans don't like each other either. Both groups of fans are accused of hating the other team more then they like their own. Red Sox fans can be led into a Yankees Suck chant by Teddy Bruschi at the Patriots' Super Bowl parade. The Yankee fans are too big for that, instead chanting 1918, and Boston sucks at a Mets game (which happened on the ESPN game this summer).
Even the players are starting to get into it. After Roger Clemens beaned Kevin Millar on the head, Pedro Martinez hit Derek Jeter in the hand (to the day I die, I will never acknowledge that Alfonso Soriano was plunked by Pedro. He swung the bat.) Not quite Fisk/Munson, but some fire none the less.
I haven't even gotten into real analysis yet. You aren't gonna get it here either. The Yankees have starters playing into their strengths, and the Red Sox offense still haven't broken out yet. That doesn't bode well for the Hose Rouge.
Despite what I think, the Omega's have a stronger house. They have the class president, captain of the swim team, and the editor of the Daily Faberian. The Delta's have more fun, but they live in a shithole.
Jeff's pick (1-3): NYY 4-1
DeweyVision (3-1): NYY 4-1
Tuesday, October 07, 2003
NLCS Preview...and some thoughts
I'll get to the preview in a second.
I love baseball. I don't think it accurately is shown here just how much I think about baseball, watch baseball, or actually dream about baseball. Baseball is a religion to me.
My church just happens to be in Fenway.
This is why I can't fault people like Rich Eisen when he was on Sportscenter showing his passion for the Yankees, or Will Carroll on BaseballProspectus showing his love of the Cubs. They practice the same religion, except they worship in the Bronx or in Chicago. And I have no problem with that.
There is a line when passion becomes partisanism. Keeping with the religion analogy, those are the Fundamentalists. Those are the people who care when a team they have nothing to do with loses. They are the people that chat "Yankees Suck" while sober. They are the ones who go on internet message board and bitch about other teams more then they comment on their team.
The biggest problem with baseball is that the Fundamentalists make up most of the casual fandom. And because of that, Fox, never a network of subtly, panders to them. They look for the story that will get the Fundamentalists up in arms, rather then offer actual analysis. On example is Fox showing the Curse of the Goat/Curse of the Bambino montage before last night's A's game. Forget that I have actual never met a mature Red Sox fan that truly believes in the Curse of the Bambino, the Sox Fundamentalists got the built in excuse in case the A's won. It wasn't one team played better, it was a intangible curse from 80+ years ago.
This pandering to Fundamentalism is showing its head now. The Red Sox got bashed as being a low class team for the following reasons:
- They shaved their heads together
- The Lilly on the jackets
- Kim's finger
- Manny watching the homerun and then jogging to first pointing at the dugout
- Red Sox players advancing towards the stands
- Derek Lowe's "obscene" gesture towards the Oakland dugout at the end of the game yesterday
I've already covered the Kim finger issue, he was booed by Fundamentalists, and returned the favor. The shaved heads is no different then hockey players growing goatees for the playoffs.
That leaves Manny, Lowe, Lilly jackets, and the players engaging with the fans.
If you didn't see the game, Johnny Damon and Damian Jackson collided violently in short center last night. Damon didn't move for a few minutes, but was waved to the field as he was put in the ambulance. Then the camera cut to a brouhaha by the Red Sox dugout. As it turns out, David Ortiz was clapping on the way back to the dugout, as Damon was being carted off. Him and Jackson looked up at the stands and started yelling and moving towards them. Dave Wallace, Todd Jones, and Ron Jackson pushed the players away and Mike Timlin was yelling at someone. Security took the fan away. During the incident however, Thom Brenneman on Fox said how this was the "wrong time to get into it with fans"
Manny Ramirez was bashed for a solid inning after hitting a homerun off Zito and watching the ball fly out into the stands. When he started towards first, he pointed to the Red Sox dugout. Manny was "unprofessional", "bush league", and "might get himself or one of his teammates hurt."
The Lilly jackets were made by taping Lilly on the back of some of the players' jackets and were made when the fans were chanting "Lil-ly!"
After he struck out Terrence Long, he pumped his fist a few times and slapped his right hand on his thigh. Some of the A's, notably Miguel Tejada, Chris Singleton, Scott Hatteberg, and Tim Hudson thought that he was pointing to his crotch and thrusting it towards the A's dugout. I like to say goofy white guy celebrating, but their perception counts more then mine.
To those last four events, I would like to say why the double standard? Why were the Red Sox wrong to yell back at a fan who, as it turns out was mocking their teammate? Why are Lilly jackets bushleague, but Eric Byrnes shoving Jason Varitek not? Why is Lowe slapping his thigh obscene, and Tejada striking out and screaming "fuck!" not? Why is Manny crushing a ball to left and watching it go, and then celebrating by pointing to his teammates wrong, but Jermaine Dye watching his blast, and pointing to his teammates on the third baseline right?
I'll tell you why there is a double standard. Because of pandering to the Fundamentalists. The Red Sox are against the orthodoxy. They have fun when playing. They involve the fans as much as possible, and they look like they enjoy playing the game. Baseball isn't a job to the Boston Red Sox. They show their intensity by head shaving and pointing to the dugout, rather then shoving catchers and yelling fuck loud enough for a camera to pick up. To these Boston Red Sox, baseball isn't a job, it's a passion.
Chicago Cubs vs. Florida Marlins
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
CHC 88 74 722 680 .259 .323 .416 979 1003 .710 .977
FLA 91 71 751 692 .266 .333 .421 954 900 .704 .973
Lineups
Chicago Cubs
C Damian Miller/Paul Bako
1b Eric Karros/Randell Simon
2b Mark Grudzielanek
3b Aramis Ramirez
ss Alex Gonzalez
lf Moises Alou
cf Kenny Lofton
rf Sammy Sosa
Florida Marlins
C Ivan Rodriguez
1b Derrek Lee
2b Luis Castillo
3b Mike Lowell/Miguel Cabrera
ss Alex Gonzalez
lf Miguel Cabrera/Jeff Conine
cf Juan Pierre
rf Juan Encarnacion
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
CHC 838.0 9.13 3.47 0.75 1.21 3.20 206.43
FLA 684.7 7.58 3.01 0.78 1.28 3.59 139.13
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
CHC 421.0 8.81 4.17 1.03 1.35 4.15 69.11
FLA 462.0 6.64 4.03 0.80 1.45 4.34 42.24
Games
Oct 7 @ CHC Josh Beckett vs. C. Zambrano 8:00pm
Oct 8 @ CHC Brad Penny vs. Mark Prior 8:00pm
Oct 10 @ FLA Kerry Wood vs. Mark Redman 8:15pm
Oct 11 @ FLA Matt Clement vs. D. Willis 7:30pm
Oct 12 @ FLA TBA vs. TBA 4:00pm
Oct 14 @ CHC TBA vs. TBA 8:00pm
Oct 15 @ CHC TBA vs. TBA 8:00pm
Thoughts
In the division series, DeweyVision beat me 3-1. The system will have no such luck in the LCS.
We all know the important storylines in this series, the Cubs are close to unhittable, and the Marlins have youthful energy, in whatever Gammonisan dreamworld that was deemed important in.
The Marlins are very slanted towards the right. The Cubs have a lot of right handed pitching. And the Cubs throw hard. Very hard. Hard enough that the best offense in the National League was brought to its knees. My gut tells me that there will be alot of strikeouts sandwiched around Juan Pierre bunt singles.
A big point against the Cubs though, is the complete inablity to avoid making outs. Dusty Baker, who is immune from criticism I think, stacked his bench with non-hitters who have alot of speed, or make contact, because that "makes things happen." There will be no Hee Choi on the roster. Insted his polar opposite, Randell Simon, is. Simon's entire value is in batting average, so if you can get him to swing at a bad pitch (and he probably will, either singling, or getting himself out). Tom Goodwin is the same way, except he used to be able to play defense, and he can steal a base.
In the Youthful Exuberance department, there are two guys on the Marlins who wear their hats askew, and wear baggy uniforms. Juan Pierre and Dontrelle Willis are fun as hell to watch, in the complete opposite way that Simon is fun to watch. Pierre uses his speed to fuel a popgun offense, and Willis is the most baffling pitcher since Joe Piscipo swept the nation and FernandoMania was used to sell out Chavez Ravine.
All this means is that it will be fun to watch. A dalliance in speedy, strikeout baseball that will serve as a distraction to the baseball war happening in thee Junior Circut. The teams will look good, but baseball isn't about selling jeans, its about scoring runs and preventing them. Neither team scores much, but the Cubs prevent them better.
Jeff's Pick (1-3): CHC 4-2
DeweyVision (3-1): FLA 4-3
Monday, October 06, 2003
Boston 4, Oakland 3
Much like the regular season, tonight the Red Sox flew by the seat of their pants.
Right now, its about 15 minutes after game time, and I'm still wearing my backwards Sox hat.
Now is a time for celebration...Sox win! Sox win! Sox win!
Heroes
Manny Ramirez BOS
Three run bomb off Zito. Got bitched about for watching the shot's majesty. I think some people hate sports. I'm not one of them.
Jason Varitek BOS
Started the Red Sox scoring. For all the credit my illegitimate brother David Ortiz gets for clutch hits, I think Varitek might be the best hitter the Sox had this year in the "clutch" department.
Derek Lowe BOS
Lately, he's been pitching like he's had both testicles his whole life. I think one day I want to have a beer with Derek Lowe, just to thank him for this series, and to apologize for me thinking he was born with female gentalia.
Goats
Not on this day
Turning point
When Grady Little actually went by matchup and the hot hand, rather then ride his horse. Williamson was obviously wound too tight, and Derek Lowe provided the Vicadin for the soul.
Take that, conventional wisdom!
Going with Lowe. A lot of guys would have either rode Williamson or intentionally walked Melhuse. To his credit, Grady Little made the successful decision. To be honest, I'm too euphoric to even realize if it was the right one or not.
Jeff's Take
What do you think? See you Wednesday!
Road to the LCS
Now that there are only five teams left...four after tonight, I figured now is as good a time as any to review the completed Division Serieses. Also, I got an e-mail this morning that says that it's Adam Melhuse. I'd like to thank the e-mailer for clearing up and then destroying the joke.
Marlins 3, Giants 1
Series MVP - Ivan Rodriguez FLA
All he did was hit, and play defense. For all the talk of the energy the Marlins have, it was Ivan Rodriguez who was the stabilizing force behind the Fish. IRod holding on to the ball throughout the bevy of collisions really solidified his place among the "Greats of the League Division Series!". I love the Wacky Card.
Turning point
When Jack McKeon showed how much game two meant to the Marlins by bringing in Pavano and Willis. All the momentum Alou's Giants had after the Jason Schmidt beauty was wasted by the time Dontrelle Willis took the mound.
Jeff's take
Because of classes, I didn't really get a chance to see any of the Florida wins. The highlights have been shown ad naseum since, so I'll spare you the unoriginal rehashing.
All I have to say is that Barry Bonds wasn't allowed to become a factor, only notching nine at bats. Edgaro Alfonzo did what he could to knock Bonds around the sacks after the eight walks, but no one else in the Giants' line up hit. What cost the Giants the series was the inability for the Giants hitters to make adjustments to the Marlins, and ended up overcompinsating with some boneheaded baserunning (Snow trying to score on a single to left, Grissom trying to steal third). The only plus that came out of San Francisco is that Bonds said he would be back in spring training.
DeweyVision vs Jeff DV 1-0
Cubs 3, Braves 2
Series MVP - Kerry Wood CHC
Two starts, two absolutely dominant pitching performances against the National League's best offense. Truthfully, this recognition could go to Mark Prior or Moises Alou, but I'm going with Wood.
Turning Point
In game five, when Alex Gonzalez homered off Mike Hampton. Wood was too strong, the Braves hitters too impatient. The Brave hitters didn't do anything to help their cause. Despite scoring a run, they just didn't have the horses to come back from the "insurmountable" two run Cubs lead.
Jeff's Take
The Braves were out pitched, out hit, and out classed, whatever that means. Despite the high win total, this was the weakest Braves' team in years, and the Cubs exploited it. I'm not sure the Cubs are really good enough to make it in to the World Series, but they matched up well with the Braves.
By the way, if the Red Sox happen to win today, and then the Cubs and Sox make it to the World Series, I bet it'll be one day before I am sick of the "The world will end during game 7, har har har." Bite me, asshole.
DeweyVision vs. Jeff DV 2-0
Yankees 3, Twins 1
Series MVP - Derek Jeter NYY
Jeter is topping off his best year since 1999 by playing well in the postseason. His defense is still terrible, but at least he's putting the ash on the ball. Jeter is an annoying hitter to face because he seems to take away the inside corner with that dive across the plate, and then he flicks the outside pitch into right field. It's annoying baseball, but smart hitting. This is a note for Yankee fans who might stumble on this site: Jeter is a good baseball player, but not because of some mystic ability to "make the big play" or "rise to the occasion". The Yankees win because they are a good team, not because of "character and chemistry" or Jeter's "leadership and class." The sooner that the majority of announcers and fans know this, the sooner Yankee fans will stop being pidgeonholed as arrogant pricks.
Turning point
When game 2 started, the series was pretty much over. The Twins scored three runs in three games and were sent home by the bullies of New York. The Twins did well to take the first game, but I never really thought the series was in danger.
Jeff's Take
I've covered most of what I think in the last two sections, but I need to rant about the quality of broadcasting so far. Normally tolerable announcers seem to turn into giggling school girls when it comes to doing Yankee games. That isn't the annoying part, the annoying part is that they gush over the wrong things.
The Yankees won out the series due to hitting the Twins when their starters started getting tired, and their pitching holding down a mediocre offense. The did not win because of good defense or "Yankee Mystique". When the Yankees started hitting Radke in the seventh inning of game two, it wasn't because of "Yankee Magic" as Joe Buck said, but because they are good hitters hitting off a starter who was up to 85 pitches.
As for defense, the Yankees are bar-none the worst defensive team in the postseason. Yesterday there were two plays that caught my attention, that were explained away by David Justice (who was wearing his Yankee jersey under the suit I think). The first was a Derek Jeter diving play on groundball up the middle. As most people who have seen Jeter can probably guess, the ball rolled under his glove into center for a single. Justice said the reason he didn't make the play is because he was worried about his shoulder injury from the beginning of the year. This is, of course, a crock of shit. There are probably 15 starting shortstop who make that play without diving at all. Jeter took three steps to his left and then dove.
The next was the (Justice) "extremely athletic" play Matsui made on a fly to left. He made a running catch, cutting in front of Bernie Williams, who had the same idea Godzilla had. In non-Justice land, this is called a "routine catch". In JusticeWorld, he says how Matsui is an above average left fielder for making that play, despite the fact that Mastui cut off a sprinting Bernie Williams, and avoided a crash by about a foot. It was a stupid play, but whenever Jeff Brantley brought it up, Justice talked about his athleticism.
I think this is why a lot of fans hate the Yankees, and by extention, their fans. They are almost never criticized by the national announcers, and even when they are, the Yankees have to do something terribly bad. Things like Jeter and Williams defense have deteriorated to the point of liability, but they are still called average to above average. People like hearing about their team doing well, so Yankee fans buy into it, and parrot what they hear on the air. It comes off as arrogance, and that causes a rift between the Yankee fan and the other fans. As an extention, it cheapens the fact that the Yankees have won 26 championships. When Smithers is kissing Burns' ass all the time, people forget how rich he is.
DeweyVision vs. Jeff DV 2-1
Sunday, October 05, 2003
Boston 5, Oakland 4
Going back to Cali - Notorious BIG
When the lala hits ya lyrics just splits ya
Head so hard, that ya hat can't fit ya
Either I'm witcha or against ya
Format venture, back through that maze I sent ya
Talkin to the rap inventor
Nigga wit the game tight, Bic that flame right
Spell my name right, B-I, Double-G, I-E
Iced out lights out, me and Cease-a-Leo
Gettin head from some chick he know
See it's all about the cheddar, nobody do it better
Going back to Cali, strictly for the weather
Women, and the weed -- sticky green
No seeds bitch please, Poppa ain't soft
Dead up in the Hood, ain't no love lost
Got me mixed up, you drunk them licks up
Mad cause I got my dick sucked
and my balls licked, forfeit, the game is mine
I'ma spell my name one more time, check it
Its the, N-O, T-O, R-I, O
U-S, you just, lay down, slow
Recognize a real Don when you see Juan/one
Sippin on booze in the House of Blues
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
If I got to choose a coast I got to choose the East
I live out there, so don't go there
But that don't mean a nigga can't rest in the West
See some nice breasts in the West
Smoke some nice sess in the West, y'all niggaz is a mess
Thinkin I'm gon stop, givin L.A. props
All I got is beef with those that violate me
I shall annihilate thee
Case closed, suitcase filled with clothes
Linens and things, I begin things
People start to flash, 818's, 213's
313's, B.I.G.
Frequently floss hoes at Roscoe's
If I wanna squirt her, take her to Fatburger
Spend about a week on Venice Beach
Sippin Crist-o, with some freaks from Frisco
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
Cali got gunplay, models on the runway
Scream Biggie Biggie gimme One More Chance
I be whippin on the freeway, the NYC way
On the celly-celly with my homeboy Lance
Pass hash from left to right
Only got five blunts left to light, I'm set tonight
Paid a visit to Versace stores
Bet she suck until I ain't got no more, only in L.A.
Bust on bitches be-lly, rub it in they tummy
Lick it, say it's yummy, then fuck yo' man
Fuck your plan, is it to rock the Tri-State?
Almost gold, 5 G's at show gate
Or do you wanna see about seven digits
Fuck hoes exquisite, Cali, great place to visit
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
I'm going going, back back, to Cali Cali
As an aside from blunts and hoes, I heard this song right after Bill Mueller caught the final out. It's great. Right now, the Dewey's House enclave of the Red Sox Nation is brimming with confidence, joy, and a Greek calzone from Leo's Pizza. I honestly feel so rejuvenated be the last two games that I could pitch an inning for the Sox if they need me.
Heroes
Dominican Duo BOS
Despite playing invisible for three games, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz won the game for the Red Sox. Manny had two hits, including a huge single off Foulke that set the stage for Ortiz. Ortiz broke out of his 0-16 slump with a double that drove in Nomar and Ramirez. Buy your David Ortiz Fan Club t-shirts right here.
Scott Williamson BOS
Williamson's troubles with his shoulder and control pale in comparison to the hell that he must be going through with a sick infant. He picked the exact right time to become untouchable. I just want to point out that a healthy, focused Williamson might be the best pitcher on the Red Sox, save for Pedro.
Adam Melhuese OAK
I don't know what else a guy has to do to get his team to win. Melhuease went three for four, essentially having his way with non-Williamson pitchers. Milhouse might also have won the award for most obscure A.
Goats
Keith Foulke/Ricardo Rincon OAK
Showing the flamablity that the Red Sox bullpen gets credit for, the best Oakland had to offer was less then a 38 year old knuckleballing Tiger cast off. Maybe Rincon has Todd Walker on his fantasy team, and want him to finish off this year strong so he can trade him for sweet, sweet draftpicks. Maybe that's just me.
Ken Macha OAK
Throwing Foulke for 51 pitches wasn't such a good idea, was it now. Macha has been a good manager, but I think he's falling into Gradyland. Kind of like when you're playing a monkey in chess, you don't try so hard and the monkey beats you. Again, maybe it's just me.
John Burkett+Grady Little BOS
The combination of the two made this game much closer then it should have been. Little did a good job with the game, save for leaving John Burkett in for an inning too long. John Burkett gets credit for showing his inner Burkettness.
Turning Point
When Grady Little brought Tim Wakefield in the game. Wakefield and Williamson allowed two base runners in 3 2/3 innings, shutting down Oakland completely and giving the Red Sox offense time to click into gear for the first time all series.
Take that, conventional wisdom!
The way to beat the Red Sox is to shut down their bats and expose their underbelly of a bullpen. This series, the bullpen has a 1.23 era, and is 2-0. Williamson, and Timlin will soon have songs sang about them by the children who were at these two games at Fenway.
Jeff's Take
I though that coming into Boston, the A's needed to sweep in order to win the series. I felt that a fired up Boston Red Sox team would be tough to beat once they got the taste of victory.
That first taste was last night, courtesy of Trot Nixon's bat. This afternoon, more gooey winning goodness was shoved down our throats off the bats of Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Todd Walker, and Johnny Damon. This Red Sox offense actually won the same way they put up so many runs during the regular season. No one hitter takes over a game. An analogy would be that the Damon/Walker home runs were paper cuts, and then the Oritz double would be the dunk in the salt water tank.
The Sox got some luck when Tim Hudson left the game due to oblique strain in the second. Then they hit an overmatched Sparks, a befuddled Rincon, and a overworked Foulke. The Sox won this game without much help from the Green Elephants.
You, enlightened fan, can of course not look past tomorrow night. For all the talk of "who do you want in a 5-game series?" that question now becomes "Who do you want in a one game series?" I'll take my chances with four day rest Pedro Martinez, over three day rest Barry Zito.
The storylines for this one are actually pretty nifty. You have a resurgent and rejuvenated Sox team, a reeling A's team, the duel of last year's top Cy Young finishers, and some bulletin board material courtesy of Tim Hudson.
In a futile attempt to think I can actually change the outcome of professional baseball games, here is Hudson's quote:
I think we have the better team," said Tim Hudson. "We have the best left-hander in the league going tomorrow."
But Boston believes it has the best right-hander.
"It's all right," Hudson said, "I'll take Barry Zito over Pedro Martinez any day."
Boston 3, Oakland 1
I just got home from this game now, after spending the night in Massachusetts. All I can say, is with no hyperbole, that Nixon's home run is the greatest feat in the history of mankind.
Heroes
Trot Nixon BOS
Duh.
Red Sox Bullpen
I thought these guys couldn't get anyone out? Timlin for three innings, Williamson for one. Excellent pitching kept the Oakland hitters not only at bay, but overmatched. Mike Timlin's performance might rank as one of the ballsiest pitching performances out of the bullpen all year.
Jason Varitek BOS
He made two heads up plays during the game, that really saved the game for the Red Sox. On the first interference call, when Hernandez threw the ball to Chavez, alot of guys would have tryed for the plate again, but Varitek essentially drew the interference call by running back to third. The second is blocking the plate when Byrnes tryed to score. He didn't get caught up in the macho "I look like a rough surfer" Eric Byrnes shove to go and get the ball and tag Byrnes.
Goats
A's defense
Normally sure handed, the A's 'fence was terrible last night. However, the only one that can really complain is Ted Lilly. The Sox only scored one run despite the extra four outs.
Red Sox offense
Welcome back! There were four well hit balls by the Red Sox last night. Johnny Damon's first inning double, a David Ortiz fly out in the sixth, Doug Mirabelli's singling in the eleventh, and Nixon's homer. Remember when they set the AL record for slugging?
Eric Byrnes OAK
Nice shove tough guy. Try touching the plate next time rather then pick fights with a catcher and then limping towards the dugout. Carlton Fisk would have tagged him and then strangled him to death with his batting gloves.
Turning Point
Um...probably Nixon's home run.
Take that, conventional wisdom!
Chad Bradford is fast becoming one of the most dominant bullpen arms in baseball. He has made many righthanders look absolutely foolish all year. Yet people still think he's garbage because he throws underhand and because he only throws 83. These are also the same people who don't realize that Byung-Hyun Kim is an excellent closer.
Jeff's Take
The game speaks for it self. Trot Nixon hit a homerun to win. Ted Lilly, and Derek Lowe pitched outstanding baseball. The umpires made correct, but controversial calls in the game (Umpire head Steve Palermo explained the rule and lauded the umpires).
Insted I will talk about the two non-baseball controversies.
On the jackets of Doug Mirabelli, Lou Merloni, Tim Wakefield, and Adrian Brown was some masking tape. The tape sayed Lil--ly, after the A's pitcher Ted Lilly. The crowd loved it. Sean McAdam didn't. I don't care. The game is supposed to be fun, and stuff like that is fun. It isn't "bush league" and it isn't "disrespecting your opponent". It's just something goofy that these Red Sox did with the fans. Call this a pre-emptive strike against all those who like to pretend that baseball is more important then it is.
The next is actually more serious. Reliever Byung-hyun Kim was introduced and booed pretty hard. Kim tipped his cap, and then flipped the bird to the booing fans. This is obviously an obsence gesture, that shouldn't be taken lightly. But isn't the cause just as obscene as the result? The fact that Red Sox fans booed a guy durning his introduction is shameless, and I was actually embarrassed to be a fan there. Mike Timlin was embarrassed to be his teammate. None of it means anything. I actually think that it's pretty immature to boo a person, rather then a play. Kim shouldn't of responded as he did, but there is no reason to expect more of him then the idiots that booed him.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
Quickness
Some quick notes today...
I ended up getting a ticket to the Red Sox game today. There is only one way I could be more pumped, and I dare not say it, lest I jinx the band and they break up.
I'll have one of those in depth thingies tomorrow, with my usual charm and panache. Or I'll just drop some f-bombs.
DeweyVision vs. Jeff
Marlins 2, Giants 1
Jeff: Giants
DV: Marlins
Cubs 2, Braves 1
Jeff: Braves
DV: Cubs
Twins 1, Yankees 1
Jeff: Yankees
DV: Twins
A's 2, Red Sox 0
Jeff: A's
DV: Sox
I'm beginning to hate DeweyVision.
Friday, October 03, 2003
Oakland 5, Boston 1
What a depressing game...
Heroes
Barry Zito OAK
Barry the Weird fought through his early struggles to pitch a gem. His hook was absolutely nasty once the fourth inning started. When Zito is on, he is nearly unhittable. He also only walked two guys, and struck out nine. I don't know if that is a testament to his goofy curve ball or a hacking Red Sox offense.
Eric Byrnes OAK
Surfer boy knocked in two runs with a double to left. From the nine hole, he was 2-4 with that double. Considering he was 0-second half, it sure was annoying to see him actually be able to put some wood on the ball.
Johnny Damon BOS
Really the only Red Sox to contribute to the offense. Damon's automatic double knocked in Mirabelli, for the single Sox run. I hate the auto. double rule, because Damon was gliding halfway between second and first when the ball bounced over the wall. He would have had a triple with Nomar up. Sad.
Goats
Tim Wakefield BOS
Not really fair to call him a goat, since he didn't do much wrong except no be able to control an uncontrollable pitch. Some of his knucklers just stayed up in the second and they got hit. If not for the second inning, then Wakefield gets the win, and is a hero.
Red Sox offense
Guys? Guys? Where are you? Guys?
Jeff
I watched both games. I can only blame myself.
Turning Point
In the top of the third, Mirabelli was in, Damon was on second and Nomar walked. Walker grounded out to third, and Manny hit a line drive into the left field gap that was stabbed by Guillen. The Sox never threatened after that.
Take that. conventional wisdom!
Grady Little hit Nomar second again, despite the fact that Walker and Ortiz really can't hit lefties. That left Nomar and Manny with absolutely to fall back on. Nomar and Manny: 2-6, 2 walks. Ortiz and Walker: 0-8.
Ken Macha decided that Keith Foulke's (free agent this offseason) arm was made more of rubber then anything as he pitched in the ninth despite a four run lead. Foulke wasn't very sharp, but only gave up a single to Mueller.
Jeff's take
I don't think the season is over.
I prepared myself to be able to drop these two games in Oakland, as long as the Red Sox themselves stay up, and realize they own in Fenway. It's looking promising, so far, as Derek Lowe's little hissy fit on the mound about walking Terrence Long is the kind of mentality this team needs.
As for game 2, it was a horrible game to watch. The last time I saw something like this was June 20-21, when the Red Sox played the Phillies. The end result of that extra inning one run loss, and a uninspired effort was a five game winning streak, culminating in a 25-8 battle against Florida.
I don't fault Grady's strategy in this game. Psychologically, moving Walker from the three hole might have been a bad move, considering the night he had the other night, and one of his homeruns was against a tough lefty. I'm just saying a real case could be made that that move was counterproductive. I just don't agree with that argument.
Ken Macha, who I think has done an outstanding job as A's manager, gave me a head scratcher when he brought Foulke into a four run game the day after he threw 51 pitches. Conventional wisdom is that you need your closer for just those situations. The A's team however might have been better served if they used one of their lesser bullpen arms.
This series isn't over, no matter what some "fan" sites and curly haired Boston Globe columnists tell you. Sox just need to play like they did to get here.
In the aftermath
There was comedy. Doldmoose34 from SOSH posted this and it made me laugh out loud. I changed the names from management to players cause I wanted to, and dammit, its my blog.
Manny: War's over, man. Zito dropped the big one.
Millar: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Nomar: Germans?
Walker: Forget it, he's rolling.
Millar: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...
[thinks hard]
Millar: the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!
[runs out, alone; then returns]
Millar: What the fuck happened to the Sox I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Millar, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Hudson, he's a dead man! Zito, dead! Lilly--
Nomar: Dead! Millar's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Millar: We're just the guys to do it.
Lowe: Let's do it.
I'll have the game review a little bit later.
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Oakland 5, Boston 4
Here are some away messages that graced my buddy list this morning:
excruciating...
a f*cking bunt.....
what a let down
unbelievable....AND....David Justice is a Moron!
SOX....time to cowboy up....
A bunt?! Are you kidding me?! Who bunts?!.... friggen A's...GO RED SOX!!!
and then my favorite:
A's just delaying the inevitable...
By the way, who's winning the other series?
Anyway, here now the thoughts on the game:
Heroes
Ramon Hernandez OAK
He saw Mueller playing back with the bases loaded. The bunt was just ballsy, heads up baseball. Ken Macha said he did it on his own, and the Athletics have him to thank for their one game lead.
Eurbiel Durazo OAK
Key hits in the third and ninth of two of Boston's best pitchers drove in three runs. For what its worth, Durazo's patience at the plate stymied Pedro Martinez, and was a key part in driving him from the game after seven.
Todd Walker BOS
Probably the player of the game. Went 4-5, with two homers, one of them off one of the toughest lefties in the game. Walker's play in the last month or so is starting to make me feel bad about the death threats from July and August. Heeeeeeeeyyyy Walkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
Goats
Grady Little BOS
God, where to I begin? The vomit is at the top of my throat thinking about it. Just see below.
Manny Ramirez BOS
I love Manny like he was my autistic Dominican brother, but come on. Manny went 0-5, including ending innings with the bases loaded once and with runners on 1st and 3rd once. The only think that is keeping me from going into all out rant mode is that he busted his ass on Kapler's grounder to Chavez in the 12th, and almost beat him to the bag.
ESPN
Not only were Brantley and Justice terrible last night, but they cut to the pregame for the Red Sox and left the Bear Cubs fans watching that instead of their game. To top it off, we are subjected to Joe Morgan today. Why doesn't ESPN just put Tim McCarver, George Steinbrenner, and Satan in the booth together? Plus their game story on this game sucks. I'm actually stealing their sidebar content to save you guys from having to go to the site.
Turning point
When Grady Little decided it was better to have your Game 3 starter come in the game to pitch then one of your relievers.
Take that, conventional wisdom!
Keith Foulke pitched great for three innings and 51 pitches. Brantley said how stupid it was, because the A's lost their closer...in the 9th.
Jeff's Take
Grady Little blew this game.
He blew it long. He blew it hard.
I will itemize the managerial decisions I questioned:
*Starting Nixon in right when the calf was obviously bothering him.
I was wrong here. Nixon is still a better defensive right fielder with a hurt calf then anyone but Brown and Kapler, and his bat was needed against Hudson. Having Kapler or Brown against Hudson scares the shit out of me.
*Not pinch running for David Ortiz in the 8th.
Lessee...you need insurance runs, and you keep your slowest guy at 1st. Mueller doubled and Oritzzle only made it to third. If the worry was burning players, then Grady shouldn't have wasted two hitting for Nixon with one out. Adrian Brown shouldn't hit in the playoffs. There is a reason he is Adrian Brown.
*Pulling Byung-Hyun Kim in the 9th.
This boggled my mind. Embree was called on to face Eurbiel Durazo despite two facts. The first is that Durazo hits lefties better then righties. The second is that Kim retires lefties at a better rate then Embree. Grady, if you don't trust Kim and you insist on having a closer, then make Williamson/Embree/Timlin your closer. Don't jerk BK around. Kim retired Hernandez with a flyout, walked Billy McMillion, hit Chris Singleton, and then struck out Mark Ellis. Grady actually waited for Kim to get an out before the call. Horrible decision. Sauerbeck or Williamson would have been better choices.
*Bringing in Derek Lowe in the 11th
Listen, managing a bullpen can't be this hard. You have a long man in your bully, plus a game 4 starter. If you are worried about experience, then bring in Burkett. If you are worried about sucking, then bring in Arroyo. I don't know how anyone can defend bringing Derek Lowe out of the bullpen for the first time in two years to pitch the extra innings of a playoff game. For the record, of Lowe's four walks in 1.7 innings, one was intentional. Williamson could have worked the 11th as well.
*Intentionally walking Terrence Long
If you look at the blog Beaneball, they have a Jail Terrence Long graphic. The reasoning is that Long is a horrible hitter. Now, since Grady was in the mood to micromanage last night, he could have pulled Lowe, brought in Sauerbeck. Sauerbeck still can get lefties out, and if you walk him, so what? You were going to intentionally walk him anyway. Then you can bring in Bronson Arroyo for Hernandez. Or you can pitch to him when he has a 0-1 count. DON'T INTENTIONALLY WALK TERRENCE LONG. There were two outs, and runners on first and second. Chavez stole third, then Hatteberg went to second on defensive indifference. With a 0-1 count, Grady decided the best course of action would be to walk one of the A's worst hitters. This is the winner for bonehead move of the game.
I really don't have the energy or patience to talk about the Giants and Bear Cubs falling into ties against their opponets. Just so all of my readers know, just because ESPN (Joe Morgan today will harp on this) says the A's and Braves won their games with smallball doesn't mean that's the way to play (or true). The A's won on a fluke suicide squeeze in the 12th inning, and the Braves still had 13 hits. The Marlins, Giants, Cubs, and Twins won with Bigball this weekend. Don't listen to the myth propagation.
4pm today in the Al Davis Egoplex...Tim Wakefield vs. Patrick Duffy nephew Barry Zito. Insert Step by Step joke here.
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Playoff Roster
This is being reported other places, but here is the Red Sox Playoff Roster:
Arroyo, Bronson
Brown, Adrian
Burkett, John
Damon, Johnny
Embree, Alan
Garciaparra, Nomar
Jackson, Damian
Kapler, Gabe
Kim, Byung-Hyun
Lowe, Derek
Martinez, Pedro
McCarty, David
Merloni, Lou
Millar, Kevin
Mirabelli, Doug
Mueller, Bill
Nixon, Trot
Ortiz, David
Ramirez, Manny
Sauerbeck, Scott
Timlin, Mike
Varitek, Jason
Wakefield, Tim
Walker, Todd
Williamson, Scott
I don't know why I did last name first. I did get a chill up my spine when I typed Pedro's name in. I hope thats a good sign.
Can you feel it?
Sometimes I hate Blogger. I spent the last 40 minutes writing some good stuff about the games last night, and I accidentally hit the wrong button, and poof...all gone. You guys miss out on good playoffs, so I will just write my notes in and you will have to insert your own jokes.
MIN 3 NYY 1
Good pitching from Min. Santana had leg cramp. LeCroy single, scored on Hunter triple. Hunter got a triple? Why no error on Bernie? Soriano overthrow scores Hunter. Stewart robbed Matsui of extra bases. Man on first, Godzilla=double play. Do intangebles have a shelf life?
SFG 2, FLA 0
Schmidt pitched great. Cabrera is a good leftfielder playing third. Walking Bonds in 8th is stupid. Alfonzo doubles in Bonds. I hate all teams that walk Bonds with 2 out and no one on. Excellent job by Berman, Sutcliffe, and Gwynn.
CHC 4, ATL 2
I hate Atlanta. Fans are dumb. Tomahawk Chop is racist and stolen from Fla. St. Alot of Cubs fans there. Thought Kerry Wood homered in the 5th. Dusty Baker left him in when he was clearly out of gas. Farnsworth throws unnaturally hard. Braves were completely hadcuffed by Wood, but could have hit Borowski, lost all ability to hit smartly. Vinny Castilla and Alex Gonzalez are horrible.
See, that wasn't as much fun.
I usually write my posts at school, in one of the computer labs on campus. I live in a house off campus, so I walk into the lab from the parking lot. In the short walk, I noticed something I never did before. Everyone is wearing Red Sox hats. And not the trendy "I don't want to bend the brim" garbage, but actual, worn Red Sox hats. Not only that, there is a certain hum to campus now. People are excited about the game tonight.
I don't have any more analysis in me. Sorry folks, but I will tell you something. I haven't been this excited for a Red Sox game since Game 3 in the 1999 ALCS. I actually don't mind the start time being 10 because it builds the drama all day, and my Yankee fan housemate will be asleep. Really, 10 is probably the best time they could have started the game, because of the other games they have on the docket. However, Thursdays game should be in prime time on the East Coast. Fox likes the Yankees better from a money making stand point. Sigh. Oh well, I'll be a happy zombie tomorrow.
Pedro Martinez vs. Tim Hudson at 10pm tonight. I can taste it already.
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Playoff Preview
Playoffs?
Yes, Playoffs. Is there any better time of year? The nip of fall is in the air, and the crack of the bat can still be heard.
And we have three rounds of Seligian baseball to be played. Baseball Fever! Catch it.
The predictions are done using my patented DeweyVision prediction system. In order to test the accuracy of DeweyVision, I will be making my picks based on my own analysis. Then I will be giving you DeweyVision’s picks. Man against a system. My girlfriend is actively rooting for DeweyVision.
The normal disclaimers about all of my metrics being park and league adjusted apply. PkR and PkH are the park adjustments I used for runs and home runs. DE and OE are Defensive Effiencey (Balls in play turned into outs), and Offensive Efficency (the amount of runs scored/expected runs scored.)
San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
SFG 100 61 755 638 .263 .338 .423 952 858 .722 1.001
FLA 91 71 751 692 .266 .333 .421 954 900 .704 .973
Lineups
San Francisco Giants
C – Benito Santiago
1b – JT Snow
2b – Ray Durham
3b – Edgardo Alfonzo
ss – Rich Aurillia
lf – Barry Bonds
cf – Marquis Grissom/Jeffrey Hammonds
rf – Jose Cruz
Florida Marlins
C – Ivan Rodriguez
1b - Derrek Lee
2b – Luis Castillo
3b – Mike Lowell/Miguel Cabrera
ss – Alex Gonzalez
lf – Miguel Cabrera/Jeff Conine
cf – Juan Pierre
rf – Juan Encarnacion
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
SFG 553.7 6.03 2.60 0.72 1.20 3.32 129.28
FLA 684.7 7.58 3.01 0.78 1.28 3.59 139.13
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
SFG 484.3 6.75 3.57 0.69 1.32 3.49 89.45
FLA 462.0 6.64 4.03 0.80 1.45 4.34 42.24
Games
Sep 30 @ SFG Josh Beckett vs. Jason Schmidt 4:00pm
Oct 1 @ SFG Brad Penny vs. Sidney Ponson 4:00pm
Oct 3 @ FLA Kirk Rueter vs. Mark Redman 4:00pm
Oct 4 @ FLA J. Williams vs. D. Willis TBA
Oct 6 @ SFG TBA vs. TBA TBA
Thoughts
San Francisco walked through the regular season enroute to the West crown. Florida fought back through adversity and Torborg the Butcher to win the Wacky Card. On paper the matchup should be a breeze for San Francisco.
Although these games aren’t played on paper, these games should be a breeze for San Francisco. Although Jack McKeon has said that under no circumstances will Barry Bonds see a pitch to hit, it is a misconception to think that San Fran has no other fire power. Edgardo Alfonzo, Rich Aurilla and Ray Durham can still hit. The offense isn’t as prolific without Bonds, but it can still score runs.
Plus, actually going through the motions of pitching around Bonds puts a young pitching staff at a disadvantage. You figure, Josh Beckett will see Bonds three times. That is 12 pitches, minimum, to one guy, and he still gets on base. Assuming that he will run out of gas at around 100-110 pitches, that makes him more hittable. And Florida’s bullpen is the worst in the playoffs in either league.
The one area Florida does have an advantage is team speed. The stolen bases won’t be as much as a factor as Juan Pierre bunting for hits, or going from first to third on a Castillo blooper to right. Is speed enough to overcome pitching and hitting deficiencies?
No. The Giants won 100 games for a two reasons. They’re hitters can hit where hitting is scarce (119 games in SF, LA, and SD), and their pitchers play to that advantage as well. The Marlins should be able to take a game, but the end result should be a nice story, and one of the few games Dontrelle Willis has had on national television.
Jeff’s pick: SFG 3-1
DeweyVision: FLA 3-2
Atlanta Braves vs. Chicago Cubs
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
ATL 101 61 902 738 .283 .349 .476 985 958 .717 .971
CHC 88 74 722 680 .259 .323 .416 979 1003 .710 .977
Lineups
Atlanta Braves
C – Javier Lopez
1b – Robert Fick
2b – Marcus Giles
3b – Vinny Castilla
ss – Rafael Furcal
lf – Chipper Jones
cf – Andruw Jones
rf – Gary Sheffield
Chicago Cubs
C – Damian Miller
1b – Eric Karros/Randell Simon
2b – Mark Grudielanek
3b – Aramis Ramirez
ss – Alex Gonzalez
lf – Moises Alou
cf – Kenny Lofton
rf – Sammy Sosa
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
ATL 798.0 5.42 3.21 0.86 1.32 3.90 134.53
CHC 838.0 9.13 3.47 0.75 1.21 3.20 206.43
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
ATL 469.0 7.79 3.82 0.96 1.39 4.01 69.11
CHC 421.0 8.81 4.17 1.03 1.35 4.15 54.16
Games
Sep 30 @ ATL Kerry Wood vs. Russ Ortiz 8:00pm
Oct 1 @ ATL C. Zambrano vs. Mike Hampton 8:15pm
Oct 3 @ CHC Greg Maddux vs. Mark Prior 8:00pm
Oct 4 @ CHC TBA vs. TBA TBA
Oct 6 @ ATL TBA vs. TBA TBA
Thoughts
I think now would be a good time to let you know that the starters above are based on a hypothetical four man rotation. Some managers have said they are using three. I still based it on four.
The Cubs/Braves series kind of mimics the A’s/Red Sox series. An offensive based team against a pitching dominated team. In the Cubs case though, it isn’t that they can’t hit, its that they can’t get on base. And their staff is a no hitter waiting to happen. Very rarely do you see a team average a strike out an inning from its top four starters. My only worry is that Dusty Baker will get sentimental and start Shawn Estes. I think that’s a lot of Cubs’ fans worries too.
I don’t know that the Cubs’ pitching is strong enough, though. The Braves killed good pitching all year. David Pinto from Baseball Musings posted a chart yesterday showing that pitchers in the top 15 of ERA in either league posted a 8-14 record with a 3.79 ERA. Not only that, but some of the Braves more dangerous hitters are particularly good at drawing a walk without striking out (Chipper Jones, and Gary Sheffield for instance).
Before I give you my prediction, I will take the time right now to say that the Braves are the most boring team in the playoffs, probably because of overexposure more then anything else. Not only are all their games on TBS, but ESPN and Fox did a good job of putting them on national television as well. Add that to the last 11 years in the playoffs, and the Braves just annoy me now.
Anyway, the Braves are facing one of the more dominant staff’s in baseball, and their post season track record is less then stellar. However, the Cubs can’t hit past Sosa really, and the Braves pitching isn’t so bad that it can’t hold them down. In a long, brutal series, I think the Braves have it.
Jeff’s pick: ATL 3-2
DeweyVision: CHC 3-1
New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
NYY 101 61 877 716 .271 .357 .454 976 1011 .698 1.001
MIN 90 72 801 758 .277 .341 .431 1007 950 .710 1.005
Lineups
New York Yankees
C – Jorge Posada
1b – Jason Giambi
2b – Alfonso Soriano
3b – Aaron Boone
ss – Derek Jeter
lf – Hideki Matsui
cf – Bernie Williams
rf – Karim Garcia/Juan Rivera/Ruben Sierra
dh – Nick Johnson
Minnesota Twins
C – AJ Pierzynski
1b – Doug Mientkiewicz
2b – Luis Rivas
3b – Cory Koskie
ss – Cristian Guzman
lf – Shannon Stewart
cf – Torii Hunter
rf – Jacque Jones
dh – Matt LeCroy
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
NYY 834.3 7.15 1.81 0.97 1.22 3.90 157.47
MIN 714.0 5.96 1.89 1.20 1.27 4.30 117.41
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
NYY 394.7 6.80 3.26 0.84 1.40 4.08 66.73
MIN 482.0 7.43 3.40 0.93 1.32 3.73 109.46
Games
Sep 30 @ NYY Johan Santana vs. Mike Mussina 1:00pm
Oct 2 @ NYY Brad Radke vs. Andy Pettitte 8:15pm
Oct 4 @ MIN Roger Clemens vs. Kyle Loshe TBA
Oct 5 @ MIN TBA vs. TBA TBA
Oct 6 @ NYY TBA vs. TBA TBA
Thoughts
The Twins are 0-14 in their last 14 games against the Yankees. At the end of their last tussle, Twins pitcher Rick Reed actually said, “We are so lucky we don’t need to face them anymore”
Reed might have woken up in a cold sweat just thinking about meeting in the playoffs.
The story line here is the team that has an owner that hates them against the most hands on owner in the game. Small market vs. big market. Midwest vs. East Coast. Little Twinkies vs. the Evil Empire.
Saving you from more canned sentiment, the Yankees are the prohibitive favorite for reasons such as experience, skill, and money. Of course none of that really mattered to the Angels last year, so I guess I have no point.
I honestly think the X-factor here is Johan Santana. Santana has as much ability as anyone in the league, and throws from the left side, where Bernie Williams, Jason Giambi, and Ruben Sierra have historically done less damage. Tonight, if Santana out duels Mike Mussina, the Twins might just steal the series.
The thought of Matsui, Williams and RF du jour coving the outfield in the BaggyDome puts a hop in my step.
I’m going to gamble and say that Santana isn’t enough. The Twins pitching has been improved and they have a lights out bullpen, but the thought of Kyle Loshe against the Yankees isn’t too promising. Of course, no he will no hit them and I will still be an idiot. Baseball has a funny way of doing that to you.
Jeff’s pick: NYY 3-0
DeweyVision: MIN 3-0
Oakland Athletics vs. Boston Red Sox
Team
W L RS RA AVE OB% SLUG PkR PkH DE OE
OAK 96 66 768 643 .254 .360 .492 967 1014 .726 .992
BOS 95 67 962 809 .289 .326 .417 1022 956 .701 .984
Lineups
Oakland Athletics
C – Ramon Hernandez
1b – Scott Hatteberg
2b – Mark Ellis
3b – Eric Chavez
ss – Miguel Tejada
lf – Terrence Long
cf – Eric Byrnes/Chris Singleton
rf – Jose Guillen
dh – Eurbial Durazo
Boston Red Sox
C – Jason Varitek
1b – Kevin Millar
2b – Todd Walker
3b – Bill Mueller
ss – Nomar Garciaparra
lf – Manny Ramirez
cf – Johnny Damon
rf – Trot Nixon/Gabe Kapler
dh – David Ortiz
Starting Pitching
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
OAK 717.7 6.50 3.06 0.78 1.17 3.21 179.61
BOS 772.0 6.89 2.76 0.78 1.29 4.00 160.21
Bullpens
IP K/9 BB/9 HR/9 WHIP ERA RsSvd
OAK 419.7 6.58 3.71 0.97 1.31 3.60 86.73
BOS 499.0 7.67 3.41 1.01 1.45 4.87 55.26
Games
Oct 1 @ OAK Pedro Martinez vs. Tim Hudson 10:00pm
Oct 2 @ OAK Tim Wakefield vs. Barry Zito 4:00pm
Oct 4 @ BOS Ted Lilly vs. Derek Lowe TBA
Oct 5 @ BOS TBA vs. TBA TBA
Oct 6 @ OAK TBA vs. TBA TBA
Thoughts
This is what baseball is all about.
For the first time since 1999, the Boston Red Sox are in the playoffs, against a team they have met 3 times before. The A’s hold a 2-1 post-season edge on Boston.
This series literally has it all. My favorite baseball team is going against my second favorite team. The best hitting in the AL is squaring off against the best pitching in the AL…blah blah.
In away though this series actually has some importance. It’ll mark the first time one of the modern sabermetricly inclined teams in baseball (Toronto being the other) makes it to the championship series for their league. From there, its just one step away until we have our first World Series that knows what DIPS is. Maybe, just maybe, we can play the World Series on paper, rather then on the field [/fallacy].
Anyway, no words here can do justice to how I am feeling towards the beginning of this series. We have Pedro Martinez against Tim Hudson to start, in a rematch of one of the best pitched games of the season. Hudson as you may remember carved up the Red Sox, mixing in strikeouts with his many groundballs. Pedro pitched that game coming off a complete game shutout of the Angels, when he reached 128 pitches and wasn’t sharp. There is no such weakened Pedro now.
The intensity of the series will surely be felt by the thousands of Red Sox fans, and the hundreds of A’s fans that actually will see these teams play live. In my humble opinion, this will be the best Division Series of the year.
However, the right result won’t be a happy one for the Boston Red Sox. As much as it pains me to see this, I just can’t get comfortable with this match up. I think the A’s are too strong on the mound, and too strong on the field. They are adequate with the bat; enough so that the Red Sox hurlers will have their problems. I see this series being emotionally over after Scott Sauerbeck retires Eric Chavez and then seeing a Miguel Tejada homerun disappear over the left field wall in the Al Davisium.
Jeff’s pick: OAK 3-2
DeweyVision: BOS 3-1
This will be a good test of the DeweyVision system, since I have disagreed with DeweyVision in all 4 series.
I think now is the time that I tell you I am the worst prognosticator on earth.
Tomorrow, I will give a recap of today’s games, as well as a more in depth analysis of the Pedro/Hudson game.
Monday, September 29, 2003
Awards - AL Most Valuable Player
I really don’t know how to make heads or tails of this whole American League MVP thing. There are people that I want to win, but I’m not sure they actually deserve it. I know ARod should have won last year, swear on bibles and Jayson Stark. This year I’m not so sure.
I really don’t have much else introspective or witty to say, except kudos are in order to Aubrey Huff, and Dmitri Young, for dragging their respective offenses across the finish line, largely unnoticed. Huff for one, kept the first base position on my fantasy league afloat while Paul Konerko went to find himself. Next spring, when I do my fantasy draft preview, and I say “Konerko” and “Might be a good pick in the
AL MVP
10. Tim Hudson OAK 16-7 2.70 6.08 k/9 78.064 runs sved
Token pitcher and the token A. Hudson just nudged out second favorite baseball player David Ortiz for this spot. Saying that, I have to be careful, or someone will rip up my membership in the Red Sox Nation. I love David Ortiz, but Hudson is one of the primary reasons the A’s made the playoffs. As an aside, isn’t weird to see one of the best baseball players in the world listed at 6’1” 163lbs? I’ll take him on the mound, but I’m sure there aren’t many people who would take him in a bar fight. Hudson might weigh as much as Ortizzle’s leg.
9. Edgar Martinez SEA .295-24-98 .408/.492/.900
His bat is lower on his shoulder now. It’s painful to see him run. His bat speed seems so slow, and then there is contact. Ten seconds later, there’s Edgar jogging into second. Maybe he doesn’t deserve to be this high up on the list, but this is like a lifetime achievement award for Martinez. He probably won’t make it to the Hall of Fame because of the inability to field, but he belongs. Probably the least annoying thing about the Mariner’s season this year was the joy I got from watching Edgar Martinez hit. Prettiest swing I’ve seen on a right handed batter.
8. Frank Thomas CHW .267-42-105 .390/.562/.952
Thomas is reason number 1,920 why batting average is overrated. He’s had a few solid years in the last five, but because they weren’t as good as the five before that, people don’t notice. Well, some people do…not White Sox fans though. All the one’s I talk to think he needs to be gone yesterday. Sigh.
7. Bill Mueller BOS .327-19-85 .398/.541/.939
Was that fun or what? Mueller is reason number 2,482 why batting average is overrated. He lead the league, therefore he is the best hitter in the league. He’s one of the best hitters in the league because of his ability to turn on a pitch once in a while, and spray line drives all over Fenway. Billy might also have the most violent swing in baseball. Mueller is directly responsible for one of my favorite memories of the Red Sox this year. He went big fly, and when he went back to the dugout, the Sox gave him his high fives. Except Ortiz, who hugged him full on and rubbed his head. Mueller disappeared and came out of the mountain with a half smile, and gasping for breath. That moment right there typifies the Red Sox season folks, David Ortiz giving man-love to Bill Mueller.
6. Jason Giambi NYY .250-41-107 .412/.527/.939
Remember, just because it’s a down year for his standards, doesn’t mean it’s a bad year. Giambi is reason number…forget it. Chances are if you are in love with batting average, you aren’t reading this anyway. The best thing about Giambi is whenever he’s in an interview, he looks like he’s in a hostage video. Sox fans and Yankee fans alike enjoy that. Just stop doing deodorant commercials, Big G. I remember you of your hitting-the-shit-out-of-the-yard, biker-looking, dubious-hygiene days in Oakland. Save that memory for me before you completely sell out.
5. Bret Boone SEA .292-34-115 .363/.530/.893
Hits like an outfielder, fields like a shortstop, and does it all in a park that is unfriendly for both. Boone is almost too small for his bat, but he sure can hit. He brings the same intensity that daddy Bob brought. I really have nothing else to say about him.
Oh yeah, his RBI’s went way down when Ichiro stopped getting on base. Funny how that works, eh?
4. Jorge Posada NYY .281-30-101 .405/.518/.922
The coolest thing about Posada is the lack of batting gloves. That must sting like hell. Anyway, his defense isn’t great, but it isn’t bad either. He hits a ton. Walks a ton too. He really isn’t in the same league as the top three guys, but will probably finish head of all three of them and win the award if tradition holds.
3. Alex Rodriguez TEX .297-47-118 .395/.599/.994
Although I don’t think that ARod should be penalized for his teammates sucktitude, nor for this crazy talk that he has actual say in who the Rangers sign, I really don’t think this is his year. Call it homerism, or whatever, but ARod just simply hasn’t been as good as the two guys before him. Last year he deserved it. He did in 2001, 2000, and 1996 also.
Baseball Prospectus uses a stat called EQA to deduce a player’s value. This number is read like a batting average, .300 is the bench mark. If I remember correctly, ARod leads the American League in this category. Far be it from me to look down on other’s work, because maybe he is the best offensive player in the AL this year. This is more an explanation as to why we differ. I use a Runs Created stat and adjust for parks. EQA is also adjusted for parks. I think the biggest discrepancy is that I put more weight in a player’s park then BP does. They aren’t wrong, just different then me. If you start digging at numbers, you will find all sorts of discrepancies like that.
All that said, if ARod won, then I wouldn’t care. He’s been screwed three times.
2. Carlos Delgado TOR .301-41-141 .425/.587/1.012
He carried Toronto on his back during their “frisky” period in June. Does anyone really think that Delgado has one of the worst contracts in baseball anymore? He will probably be used like Giles is used in San Diego, the centerpiece for a massive overhaul. Delgado just looks like he loves baseball, and Toronto. I think that I could meet Delgado for a beer, and talk to him all night, never once mentioning baseball. I don’t know if that’s true at all, but it’s the presence that he gives off.
1. Manny Ramirez .325-37-104 .427/.587/1. 014
Ironically enough, Ramirez and Delgado finished with the same amount of at bats. Manny of course won’t win because of the perception that he isn’t a gamer, is selfish, and doesn’t hustle. This is all bullshit. Manny Ramirez is the centerpiece of the Boston offensive juggernaut. He only had two real slumps all year, and the Red Sox didn’t win many of those games. Swung the bat with murderous intentions since the middle of August, and playoffs were the end result. Ramirez might someday replace Mel Ott as the best player never to be league MVP.
Something that’s been bugging me for the whole season. Last year, Manny came around to score on a double. Ichiro threw a bullet home, and Manny slid, face first into the plate. The end result was a broken finger and six weeks on the shelf, because his finger got caught in Dan Wilson’s knee pad. Manny was called a stupid player because of the slide, by many in the national media (the Baseball Tonight crew, mainly)
First game of the year in Toronto , Derek Jeter sprinted to third on a wild pitch I believe. Throw came in low, to catcher Ken Huckaby covering, and Jeter slid head first into third, hit his shoulder on Huckaby’s knee pad and separated his shoulder. Jeter was said to have made a smart hustle play.
Both head first slides into a base where the catcher was covering. Both runners out. Why is there a double standard? I think if anything, Jeter’s play was more boneheaded because he couldn’t have scored on the play. I will never understand people sometimes.
Tomorrow, the playoffs begin. Wait for the preview, it will be a hum-dinger.
Two more notes.
And in the NL manager of the year, I made an egregious error. I forgot Jack McKeon. He of course has done an insane job in Florida, and deserves the award. I would like to thank Henry M. for pointing that out.
Here are all the awards, in case you want to catch up:
NL MVP
AL Cy Young
NL Cy Young
Futility Teams
Rookie of the Year
Silver Slugger
Gold Gloves
Manager's of the Year
NL Contender Bullpens
AL Contender Bullpens
Sunday, September 28, 2003
Awards - National League Most Valuable Player
I got this in the mail yesterday:
Dear Voter:
There is no clear-cut definition of what Most Valuable means. It is up to the individual voter to decide who was the Most Valuable Player in each league to his team. The MVP need not come from a division winner or other playoff qualifier.
The rules of the voting remain the same as they were written on the first ballot in 1931:
1. Actual value of a player to his team, that is, strength of offense and defense.
2. Number of games played.
3. General character, disposition, loyalty and effort.
4. Former winners are eligible.
5. Members of the committee may vote for more than one member of a team.
You are also urged to give serious consideration to all your selections, from 1 to 10. A 10th-place vote can influence the outcome of an election. You must fill in all 10 places on your ballot.
Keep in mind that all players are eligible for MVP, and that includes pitchers and designated hitters.
Only regular-season performances are to be taken into consideration."
I figured, it’s nice of them to let me vote, since I’m not a member of the BWAA, nor do I treat them with anything less then distain.
Now of course, I don’t get a real vote, just rants on a web site, but this is my hill, and these are my beans.
Also, don’t you think it’s kind of shortsighted not to let people that write primarily for internet sites to join the BWAA. Not only is it not accepting the new technology, but its snobbish. No one can rationally tell me that George King deserves a vote, and Rob Neyer doesn’t..
NL MVP
10. Brian Giles PIT/SDP .299-20-88 .425/.511/.937
Giles is the most unrecognized player in baseball, for too many years by my estimation. He was often overshadowed in Pittsburgh, due to Pittsburgh being small, and him not being Barry Bonds. He was acquired in one of the more lopsided trades in baseball history, as Cleveland traded him for Ricardo Rincon. Imagine how that trade would be talked about if the Pirates haven’t won a World Series since the 1910s.
9. Edgar Renteria STL .330-13-100 .394/.480/.874
Normally, I don’t look at RBI when I decide the MVP. Sportswriters love it, without really recognizing that RBI are based as much on opportunity as it is on skill. I really don’t think that I can rationally discount a leadoff hitter getting 100 RBI in the National League. Edgar Renteria is having a pretty good year with the glove too.
8. Vladimir Guerrero MON .328-25-79 .424/.585/1.009
When he was younger, Vladimir Guerrero was Randel Simon without the extra 80lbs. Now, he’s Sammy Sosa Redux. Guerrero is the hitter that Garciaparra was before the wrist injury. He would probably rank higher on this list if not for the whole missing games thing.
7. Mark Prior CHC 18-6 2.43 10.43 k/9 70.178 runs sved
Prior is the only pitcher on the list. I just as easily could have listed Schmidt or Gagne also, but didn’t. Gagne pitched in 5.7% of his team’s innings, and as dominant as he has been, I don’t think that anyone can truly make the case that Gagne’s innings are more valuable then say, Guerrero’s. Schmidt has pitched excellently too, but he hasn’t pitched any better then Prior has, and the Giant had the best pitcher’s park in baseball to help him. Plus, if the Cubs lost Prior, who then would Dusty Baker abuse?
6. Jim Thome PHI .268-47-131 .388/.577/.964
I still have nightmares of Thome hitting against Mike Timlin and Jason Shiell. Imagine how good the Phillies would have been if they had more then Thome, Abreu, Shrinking Pat Burrell, and 5 various others. Actually that’s not accurate, Marlon Byrd hit a little bit too, and Lieberthal and Polanco had very good years. I guess it really is Bowa and Wade’s fault. Also, David Bell hit a robust .195. Nice pickup. My friend Tony from Jersey is a big Phillies fan. He helped with this report through slugs of Jack Daniel’s and f-bombs.
5. Todd Helton COL .358-33-117 .457/.630/1.087
Some remember my giving of the Silver Slugger to Thome. Helton’s among the best glove men, and its just enough to push him over Thome in the MVP race. Todd Helton might have one of the prettiest swings in baseball, and my mom assures me that he is quite the looker. If I was from Denver, there is a very good chance that my blog would be called “The House that Todd Built”. One of those quite, unassuming superstars that people dismiss because he plays in a launching pad. Because of that, people forget just how good a player he is.
4. Gary Sheffield ATL .329-39-131 .419/.606/1.025
Early in his career, Sheffield had an almost Bondsian distain for the media. He’s grown up a lot since then. Sheffield will be the #2 free agent next year, after Vlad. Atlanta apparently will try like hell to sign him again. If anyone reading hasn’t gotten a chance to see Sheffield hit, his stance is one of the most interesting that I’ve seen. Think Kevin Millar on amphetamines.
3. Javy Lopez ATL .327-43-109 .377/.687/1.063
Probably the most surprising season since Caminiti’s 1996 MVP campaign. Is it me or does it seem like there are an awful lot of catchers having good years on the north side of 30 this year. Posada, Varitek, Ivan Rodriguez, and Lopez are all having excellent seasons with the bat. Javy Lopez is going to be a free agent, and someone will probably overpay for him drastically. Javy has had a hell of a year, but come on, how many catcher hit when they are 33?
2.Albert Pujols STL .358-43-124 .440/.667/1.107
See below
1. Barry Bonds SFG .339-45-89 .528/.747/1.275
To see why this race isn’t even close takes a measure of sophistication. Albert Pujols probably would be the MVP of the American League, for what its worth. Pujols is a Triple Crown threat, Bonds isn’t. Pujols has played more the Bonds. Other then that, there is no way I can accept anyone thinking about Pujols as the National League MVP.
First the subjective. I generally don’t buy this argument, but it is used to explain why someone shouldn’t win the award. Wouldn’t the Cardinals finish in 3rd place without Pujols? Not only are there two Cardinals on the MVP list, but Jim Edmonds is also having his typical huge year. It doesn’t hurt Pujols, but it does Alex Rodriguez? The hypocrisy is probably tied up in dollar signs, and media savvy. Again, I’m just ranting here, I don’t actually want to use that as an argument.
If you go by the numbers, the counting stats seem to favor Albert. The rate stats are swung so far in Bonds’ favor it is unreal. Bonds gets on base over half the time. When he does put the ball in play, he gets five bases for every six at bats. He is doing it in the best pitchers park in the majors. If you take a team of nine Barry Bonds’ this year, and have them hit, this team of Bonds’ should be expected to score 2195 runs. If you give him league average pitching, then the team’s record should be 154-8. If you Team Bonds replacement level pitching, he should still finish 123-39. Pujols is just not in Barry’s league.
Now sentiment. Barry Bonds’ body is breaking down. He has faced a personal hell, with the death of his father. And through it all, he is still the best hitter in baseball.
Bonds isn’t cordial. He is more likely to tell a writer to go to hell then he is to drop clichés on what he needs to do to fight through slumps. When Bonds opens his mouth, he comes across as an arrogant prick. I probably would too if my entire career I had to answer questions about my father (Bobby Bonds) or my godfather (Willie Mays). Joe Baseball player might be compared to other Joe Baseball players. Barry Bonds has been compared to legends since he debuted in 1986. All he want to be compared too is Barry Bonds. People forget that Gods have tempers, wants and needs. Because Barry beat to his own drum, some media types and fans think that he the arrogant prick that he was in his youth. They are too busy crapping on Barry the Ballplayer, they fail to see Barry the Man.
Bonds probably won’t win. Sometimes writers can’t see past the leather chair and the accusations of Jeff Kent enough to see the contributions on the field, the words of Dusty Baker and Jim Leyland and JT Snow, and just about every other teammate he’s had. It is a shame that baseball won’t really be able to appreciate Bonds’ greatness until he’s gone.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Doing some housekeeping
I have good news for the people out there that have been reading me since the beginning. The House that Dewey Built has hit the small time.
Thanks to two sources, one traditional one not, this site received almost 150 hits yesterday, which bested the record for a day by almost 100. It is right now I would like to thank those sources.
The first is David Pinto's Baseball Musings. I've enjoyed Pinto's blog for a while, and I went so far as to borrow (some might say rip off) his style for an afternoon game against the White Sox. David linked me for the first time yesterday, and many many people came from his site. Because of that, I have to raise the bar on here, and hopefully, I can keep the people that came over from his site. Raising the bar doesn't mean I still can't say things like "bitch fit" or "asshole". Those are for Jeff.
The second group that came over...I can just say they have kept me entertained for a while now. My girlfriend is a big Red Sox fan, and she goes to the MLB message board for the Red Sox. It is there she has met some fellow ladies and they discuss some of the finer points of baseball. I've always found those discussions entertaining. Well, Jocelyne posted this web site and a good amount came over from the MLB boards. Ladies, thank you for coming, thank you for the laughs. If I could do anything at all for you, drop me an e-mail. I have no naked pictures of Doug Mirabelli. I'm shocked too.
As for the site. Because of the playoff schedule jumping right out at me, here is the schedule for the next few weeks. Tomorrow is the National League MVP, Monday is the AL MVP. Tuesday is the Playoff Preview, using DeweyVision. After that, I will just be wrapping up the playoff games, as I will be able to watch a good amount of them (Cox finally hooked me up with some cable).
To wrap up, thanks for stopping by, and we'll have a bunch of actual content coming tomorrow.
Friday, September 26, 2003
Good night at the Ballpark
Last night was intense.
Actually, it was more like watching an important game become a laugher in your living room with 34,526 of your closest friends.
The game was over when Garciaparra hommered in the second. The game was a blowout when Millar homered in the fourth. In the fifth, I left my seat to find someone (those familar to SOSH, I met RoughCarrigan and FoxinSox), and we stood up in the SRO section behind the Red Sox on deck circle.
Now, normally I wouldn't bore you with such trival details, except one of the cooler things happend during this excursion. Jocelyne, my girlfriend, heard someone from the street yell, "Let's go Sox!" Thinking it was just some fan, she looked down. And saw Boston starter Derek Lowe.
It was cool, there was Derek Lowe standing 3 stories below us in the player's parking lot, on a cell phone, wearing the red undershirt and two bags of ice on, and he was feeling the crowd. A few minutes later, I yelled down "Good game Lowe!". He acknowledged with a fist pump and a point. It was the first time a major league baseball player gave me something rather then the finger (I hate you Jack McDowell and Tony Phillips).
So here is my point. I feel differently about the Red Sox this year. I honestly don't think they are going to win the World Series, in fact, it would be tough for them to make it by Oakland in the first round. I love this team this year though. It's a group of guys that genuinely love the game of baseball, and everyone (even Manny, Shaughnessy/Mazzeroti/Satan) seems to love the city and fans. And I love them for it.
There were three more chill moments in the game itself. The first was in the eighth inning, Bill Mueller, who was one of only two Red Sox starters still in the game, got a standing ovation his entire at bat. I honestly don't care if he wins the batting crown, but it would be probably the most unexpected crown in a while.
The second was the top of the ninth, when the new Boston pitcher was announced...Ramiro Mendoza. Also got a standing ovation. Actually the hardest I've ever cheered for a Yankee.
Lastly, on the Auxillary Scoreboard, there was a countdown to clinching. When Mendoza threw a curve that was called strike three on Brian Roberts, and the number hit 0. Right then, The Standell's Dirty Water played. I've never been happier surrounded by 34,000 people I don't know.
After three exhibition games against the Devil Rays, the Red Sox go to Oakland. Pedro Martinez vs. Tim Hudson.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Awards - American League Cy Young
David Ortiz is the man. Bronson Arroyo seems to have clinched a rotation spot. The Red Sox are one game away.
Oh yeah, they lost 7-3 and I couldn't be happier.
Thanks to Anahiem and their plucky, death by 1,000 monkey bites team, the Boston Red Sox have lowered the magic number for clinching the Wacky Card to one. And they did it by only scoring 3 runs in John Burkett's worst start in his career. Why am I so happy?
I have tickets for tonights game. Everything worked out right so that I can share a beverage witht the Red Sox at the Destiny Grille Pub.
I'm telling you folks, I have a fever, and the only perscription is playoff baseball (and cowbell.)
So, back to work. I'm sorry I didn't post last night. I went to Poncho O'Mally's, which is a restaurant/bar in Narragansett that has all you can eat tacos on Wednesday night. They have soft and hard versions of beef and chicken tacos. Here were the final standings...
ALee 21 (new record)
Me 14
Quagger 13
Meatball 13
Evan 11
Bougey 6 (tied chick record)
By the time I got home, I couldn't hack sitting at the computer. My stories of gastrointestinal abuse will be spared. That's the make up for not posting last night.
Now for the American League Cy Young. There are three candidates that would be better choices then Mark Prior or Jason Schmidt. These three candidates have actually inspired some good debate on whether quality of innings is more important then quality. TO be honest, I don't know myself. This is the toughest award I've had to rank so far.
AL Cy Young
5. Jamie Moyer SEA 20-7 3.27 5.43 k/9 55.303 runs sved
Moyer is a good sentimental choice. Rob Neyer wrote a good human interest column on him earlier in the week. He might be the smartest pitcher this side of Greg Maddux. His career really took off when he got traded to Seattle. I hated the Bragg for Moyer trade when Dan Duquette did it, but I didn't think it would be this lopsided.
4. Esteban Loazia 20-9 2.96 8.18 k/9 66.538 runs sved
Loazia was the front runner all year, but scuffled as his team started losing it. Loazia is setting career marks in everything at age 31, and usually, that would make a great story. However, through August and September, when talks of who would win what were hotting up, people seemed to be looking for excuses not to give Loazia the award. Either way, the guy was signed as a minor league free agent, made the White Sox, and pitched like Tom Seaver for four months. Someone will make him a very rich man this offseason, and be curious as to why he doesn't repeat.
3. Roy Halladay 21-7 3.22 6.83 k/9 76.508 runs sved
At the begining of August, people were saying that Halladay deserved the Cy Young award, presumably because he won 16 game in a row, and led the league in that same catagory. Since then, he is 5-5, but has pitched better. Amazing that he can lose credit for a 2-4 stretch where he put up an ERA under 3. To show you the trouble I had with this selection, Halladay is closer to first then he is to Loazia. Loazia is closer to first then he is to Moyer.
2. Pedro Martinez BOS 14-4 2.25 10.00 k/9 73.518 runs sved
Pedro won't finish higher then fourth because of the BWAA's inablity to reason past the antiquated notion that a pitcher is in complete control of his won/loss record. By my figuring, the Red Sox bullpen cost Pedro seven wins. If we reasonably assume that Pedro gets credit for four of those wins, then we are looking at a guy who is 18-4, and the front runner for the Cy Young. Now, Pedro hasn't pitched many innings, and that has probably cost him wins, but when you lead the American League in every important pitching catagory, save for innings, then shouldn't you be a front runner?
1. Tim Hudson OAK 16-7 2.70 6.08 k/9 79.724 runs sved
Hudson is the happy medium between Halladay and Martinez. He almost has Halladay's inning quantity, and almost has Pedro's inning quality. If you get 90 percent of one, and mix it with 90 percent of another, you get a damn good pitcher. Hudson will probably finish above Martinez, but this is Halladay's award to lose because of the wins thing. If not for Keith Foulke's battle with humanity, then Hudson is 20-7 right now. Theoretical Hudson 20-7, theoretical Pedro 18-4, and actual Halladay 21-7. Maybe then the writers would have to do their homework.
I'm leaving right from campus to go to the game tonight, so the award schedule has been pushed back a little. I'm going to try to do the NL MVP on Monday, and the AL MVP on Tuesday. Tomorrow, I'll give a recap of the game, and over the weekend, I'll jump on a few times to share my thoughts and dementia. The updates will happen much more frequently once I have cable internet in my house insted of dial up. That day is neigh.
Derek Lowe against Unnamed Generic Pitcher (Omar Daal) tonight at 7:05. As I said, I'll be at the Fens. My loins are moist with excitement.
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Awards - National League Denton True "Cy" Young
Why is it that wins are attributed to the pitcher?
I mean it was obvious back in the day, as pitchers pitched a complete game. But now, pitchers get wins for such performances as 5ip, 6er as long has his offence chips in 7. They get losses in 7ip 1 er games if the bats are cold. Wins and losses can be tacked on if a bullpen arm can't hold the line.
So why?
I think it's pretty antiquated. Little Joe Morgan thinks that it is the most important determinant. Little Joe is an idiot. A pitcher's job is to keep runs off the board. Thats it. Pitcher's don't "know how to win" or "pitch well enough to lose". They pitch to keep runs off the board.
NL Cy Young Award
5. Kevin Brown LAD 14-9 2.43 8.03 k/9 62.769 runs sved
Guess what? I park adjusted my runs saved, so now they are figured with park and league context in mind. Last year, Brown was hurt. This year, he was not. He is worthy of Cy Young award consideration, considering he has the weakest offense this side of Detroit behind him. His sinker is still one of the nastiest pitches around.
4. Brandon Webb ARI 10-8 2.75 8.51 k/9 56.907 runs sved
Webb gets some bonus points for his part in keeping the D'Backs rotation steady while Randy Johnson was getting his knee fixed and Curt Schilling was feeling the ill affects of his QuesTec induced bitch fit. You know, for someone who is a horse, Schilling sure is a whiner, isn't he?
3. Eric Gagne LAD 54 svs 1.23 15.12 k/9 34.571 runs sved
Absolutely dominant this season. He is on pace to blow away the strikeout rate record. It must be tough to beat him when there is almost no chance of putting the ball in play. Gagne holds the consecutive saves record, and looks like the evil illegitimate son of Buddy Holly, and Scott Sauerbeck on the mound. As a note, Russ Ortiz, who will probably finish 2nd or 3rd in the award voting, has less runs saved then Gagne, despite 120 more innings.
T-1. Mark Prior CHC 17-6 2.42 10.33 k/9 67.141 runs sved
Jason Schmidt SFG 17-5 2.34 9.01 k.9 67.598 runs sved
The differences between these two guys are so insignificant that it would be stupid for me to argue one over the other. Prior k's more, but also walks more. Schmidt has a lower ERA, but when you adjust for ballparks, its even. Prior has pitched 3 less innings, but has essentially the same amount of runs saved. They've both played for Dusty Baker. I haven't seen a compelling reason for one over the other yet, so I make them tied. Fake bonus points for Prior, because he wears the same number I did in high school.
I planned on doing the American League this morning, but it looks like that isn't gonna happen. I'll try to do it this afternoon or tonight. Eitherway, I have one more post in me today.
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Awards - All Futility Teams
Before I get to the Futility Teams, there was some good stuff today in the Washington Post (sorry, need to register for the link to work). Apparently, Dave Sheinin is curious as to why Luis Matos had a called strike in the dirt. Also, how Nixon hit an outside fastball and hit it out. First the Matos situation.
In the fifth inning, umpire Doug Eddings called a borderline pitch a strike. Matos turned around and said something to Eddings. Mike Hargrove jumped out of the dugout and spoke to Eddings, presumably to protect his player and not argue balls and strikes. The next pitch, Matos homered. In the seventh, Todd Jones threw an 0-1 pitch low and outside. I didn't see where the pitch was, but Sheinin said that Varitek "caught the pitch with his mitt almost in the dirt." Matos argued with Eddings, and was tossed, which as I'm sure you know, is the rule in baseball. Now, what is funny is this remark from Sheinin.
The Orioles also intimated that the calls were a result of Fenway Park being outfitted with the QuesTec Umpire Information System, which is being used by Major League Baseball in 13 ballparks to evaluate umpires' accuracy in calling balls and strikes
If that is the case, then the pitch was a strike. QuesTec is set up to determine what is what, and Matos had no argument. I have no idea if Eddings is a good umpire or not, but if he made the call due to QuesTec, then Matos got what he deserved.
As for Nixon, Jason Johnson thought there were shenanigans with the pitch he threw:
Nixon's homer, in particular, did not sit well with Johnson, who said he threw a perfect pitch -- "Right on the black, right where I wanted to throw it."
The fact Nixon turned on it and crushed it? "There's no way he turns on that," Johnson said. "No possible way."
The implication was that Nixon knew what was coming, although Johnson did not accuse him of anything directly.
Sheinin doesn't buy it though. He responds:
The Red Sox, however, were made to turn off a television monitor in their bullpen last week when Tampa Bay Devil Rays Manager Lou Piniella protested it
See, media can be fun, even if they aren't from Boston. Overall, I think Sheinin gave a pretty fair assessment of the game last night.
Now for the futility teams. These are the guys that have contibuted the least to their team's fortunes. I have some basic criteria, of 350 ab, banning parttimers from the teams.
NL Futility Team
c - Brad Ausmus HOU .230-4-45 .305/.295/.600
In one of the best hitting parks in the majors, Ausmus has sported a robust .295 slug. Although his defense is solid, that is piss poor. Intangibles can't make crap filet mignon.
1b - Randell Simon PIT/CHC .273-15-70 .308/.430/.739
First base is no place for a singles hitter. Actually, I kind of like Simon. He has dubious power, and no plate discipline to speak of, but he hits everything. Against the Red Sox this year when he was in Pittsburgh, Simon took an pitch well outside and about eye high and crushed it over the left field wall for a home run. This was no Ozzie Smith dinger either, this was a bomb. I've never seen anything like that.
2b - Ron Belliard COL .269-5-39 .343/.379/.722
Remember when Ronnie could hit? It was only a few years ago. Alex Cora can't hit either, but at least he can help his team with the glove. Balliard can still draw a walk, with a ISO. Plate Discipline of .074, among the highest of National League customers. Belliard just isn't worth giving a full time job to. IPD is figured the same as Iso. Slug. Subtract the BA from the OP%.
3b - Geoff Blum HOU .269-10-52 .303/.389/.692
Compared to Blum, Belliard is Ted Williams. Playing Blum instead of Ensburg might be the Astros' undoing this year. Jimy never changes, I tells ya.
ss - Royce Clayton MIL .221-11-37 .297/.328/.624
How can someone with a good glove and 11 home runs be on the Futility team? Easy, be Royce Clayton. By the Win Shares method, he has contributed 0 to Milwaukee's offense. 0.00. 470 at bats, wasted. That means, by the Win Shares method, Jack Wilson, and Cesar Izturis are better offensively and defensively. That is why I'm willing to overlook the 11 home runs.
lf - Pat Burrell PHI .210-21-64 .312/.413/.725
This one was tough because I love Burrell, but he has regressed totally from last year. I thought at the beginning of the season, you could pencil him in for .280-40-110 .400/.575/.975. Good thing the pencils have erasers. If Bowa sticks around next year, you think Burrell might the next one out of town? I'd bet on it.
cf - Endy Chavez MON .250-5-47 .294/.353/.647
At least he has a glove.
rf - Roger Cedeno NYM .268-7-37 .322/.378/.700
One of Steve Phillips's moves. Cedeno was actually a good leadoff man, and an indifferent defender. Now he seems to be just indifferent to baseball. I get the feeling the last two years on the job, Phillips was trying to get fired.
sp - Shane Reynolds ATL 11-9 5.74 5.12 k/9 0.213 runs saved
Braves fans, if Reynolds starts any playoff games, then it does not bode well for your team. You've been warned.
closer - Jose Mesa PHI 24 svs 6.27 7.70 k/9 -3.222 runs saved
I heard bad things about that closer by committee! You need a Proven Closer to put out fires!! Mesa is gasoline for Phillies souls.
AL Futility Team
c - Brent Mayne KCR .242-6-35 .307/.342/.648
I really wanted to put Enar Diaz here but he didn't have enough ab to qualify. The same thing happend in the NL, when the Giants were too disagreeable to play Neifi Perez more. Moves like that make this less fun.
1b - Paul Konerko CHW .238-18-65 .309/.407/.717
The Pat Burrell award goes too...Paul Konerko! I can't believe I wasted a first round pick on Paulie. If I was more objective, Ken Harvey would be here, but he didn't kill my fantasy team.
2b - Luis Rivas MIN .261-8-42 .311/.385/.696
I thought he would be good. I was wrong. Rivas has just never shown the promise he flashed his rookie year. Aaron Gleeman hates him.
3b - Tony Batista BAL .234-25-94 .270/.395/.665
Hits home runs and does little else. Shane Halter is just as bad but doesn't have enough AB, and it's no fun to pick on the Tigers. That's like spitting on someone who already had the hell kicked out of him by a biker gang. Actually, up until this point, no Tiger deserved it.
ss - Ramon Santiago DET .221-2-25 .287/.278/.565
There we go. Santiago might be the worst player in the majors. It's very rare to see someone with a higher on base percentage then slugging percentage. His glove is better then Derek Jeter's. Um...he's a better hitter then Brother in Suck Omar Infante. Um...patoo!
lf - Carl Crawford TAM .279-5-54 .308/.357/.665
Craig Monroe's 20 home runs are the only thing keeping him out of this slot. Sweet Lou said that Crawford would win a batting title. Possibly next year. Crawford needs to learn how to actually hit first.
cf - Alex Sanchez DET .284-1-19 .314/.351/.665
Think Roger Cedeno without the flashy glove. Soon to be tried in The Hague for Crimes against the Tigers.
rf - Terrence Long OAK .244-14-59 .292/.386/.678
Billy Beane's Great Big Mistake. Long has regressed every year he's been in the league. However, he is more solid with the glove then what he gets credit for, as long as he isn't in center. Long will be one of the focal points of a post I will write in the near future about Moneyball.
sp - Cory Lidle TOR 12-14 5.90 4.97 k/9 -3.019 runs saved
Why has Lidle pitched 184.2 innings? Cory Lidle is the type of thing friends are lost over. Next time Billy Beane says he needs the Blue Jays to complete a trade, JP Riccardi should either hang up the phone, or ask for a guy that might actually help his team win.
closer - Billy Koch CHW 11 svs 5.81 7.18 k/9 -0.352 runs saved
He was the Proven Closer that was supposed to put the White Sox over the top. However, when you throw 99, and straight, and have no idea where it's going, and have a ten cent head, then you don't keep your closer job long.
Just three more days of awards in the ol' holster. Tomorrow will be the Cy Youngs. Thursday will be the National League MVP, Friday AL MVP. Tonight, the Orioles stay in Fenway and throw lefty Eric DuBois against The King of Knuckle Tim Wakefield at 7:05.
Monday, September 22, 2003
Barry Bonds
Last week, I mentioned a Dan LeBatard column on Barry Bonds that David Pinto excerpted on his blog. Here is the full-length Miami Herald version of that column. Hidden Humility
It's almost chilling.
Awards - Rookie of the Year
I seem to be getting some critical e-mails lately. I feel they've all been fair, I can only improve this blog if I know what's wrong with it. They've all been fair except for one. Here it is, paraphrased:
It's stupid to pick award winners before the season is over. Idiot.
I really don't think it's stupid to pick award winners now. There is very little chance of someone playing themselves into an award in 7 games, when they failed to win in 155 games. Plus, If I wait until the playoffs start, playoff performance might skew the results, and even worse, I would be writing about this rather then the playoffs. If I waited until after the World Series, then I am cutting into Hot Stove time. Couple that with my lack of cable television, its a no brainer to push my opinions on you now. Take the red pill, my friends.
My rules for picking the Rookie of the Year are the same as the MLB's. Hideki Matsui is eligible to win. Personally, I haven't heard a compelling reason why he shouldn't be eligible, other then the fact that he played in Japan for 10 years. Until the rule is changed, I am going to abide by the rule.
NL Rookie of the year
I'm kind of upset the Dontrelle Willis bandwagon has crashed and burned. I generally didn't like Willis' brashness (during a game at Fenway, the benches cleared and he stood behind Jack McKeon and was screaming at David Ortiz), he sure was fun to watch pitch. Just think, Willis was a throw-in from the Cubs in the Alfonseca/Clement trade.
As for the ballot, mine would look like this:
1. Brandon Webb ARI 10-7 2.50 8.6 k/9
Webb kind of came out of obscurity. Webb isn't mentioned in Gary Huckaby's Hot Stove Heater for ESPN. He wasn't mentioned in the annual Baseball Prospectus. I didn't hear too much about him from Baseball America. John Sickles, who I think knows who everyone in organized baseball is, did mention him:
Overlooked, but went 10-6, 3.14 at Double-A El Paso. Good control, throws strikes with average stuff, but knows what he is doing on the mound. University of Kentucky product.
That isn't exactly a prediction of the best pitcher on a staff that includes hobbled Randy Johnson, and Questec camera enemy Curt Schilling. However, that scouting report is incredably accurate. All he does is throw strikes and get guys out.
2. Scott Podsednik MIL .315-7-53 42 sb .380/.427/.807
If Webb came out of obscurity, then Podsednik came out of something that was beyond obscurity, like limbo, or Tampa Bay. Sickles didn't even give Podsednik a token mention in this past season's minor league report. The 27 year old Texan plays a passable defense, can steal bases with impunity, and isn't afraid to take a walk (54 bb/534 ab). Unfortunatly for the Brew Crew (as an aside, you notice no one nationally calls it that anymore? That is a shame.), this is probably as good as Podsednik is gonna get.
3. Marlon Byrd PHI .302-7-45 9sb .366/.423/.789
Byrd was my pick to be the National League Rookie of the Year in April. Bill James made a mention in The New Historical Baseball Abstracts that the shortish stocky body type seems to be disproportionatly successful. The Kirby Puckett/Yogi Berra body type. His reasoning was that they really don't look much like athletes, so they are given less chances to fail. They have to be good ballplayers, and keep developing to make the majors. Guys that look like Gabe Kapler are a dime a dozen in MLB, with as many successes as failures. If this is true, it bodes well for Marlon Byrd. He's taller then Puckett, but he weighs more. Byrd is surprisingly nimble for a big guy, and, although he probably wont make the Hall of Fame, he should be a fixure in the Phillies outfield for a bunch of years.
AL Rookie of the Year
This job is easy, because there have been no rookie pitchers that have stood out in the Junior Curcuit this year. I will mention Jeremy Bonderman though, because of his talent, he was rushed to the majors, and was the 20 year old Christian to the AL lions. Just thinking about what Bonderman could become on a team that actually had some major league talent on it...
1. Jody Gerut CLE .281-22-75 .337/.500/.837
Although he can't hit lefties, whenever he swings the bat against a northpaw it has murderous intent. Another rookie this year that went largely unnoticed until he got called up and started to hit. He is already 26, though, and he lacks true plate discipline, so he might be deemed a spare part when Grady Sizemore is ready to jump to Cleveland. Gerut is as fun to watch as it is to say. Garrrrr-it.
2. Angel Berroa KCR .292-16-71 .341/.457/.798
Berroa was horrible in the minors last year, but before that, he was a decient player. The second spot was a toss up between Berroa and the third place winner, but I think that Berroa's defense is enough to push him over slightly. Actually, any of these three guys should/could win.
3. Mark Teixeira TEX .260-25-83 .334/.486/.820
Ta-sher-a. He has the potential to be a Lance Berkman clone at 3b, but with the emergence of Hank Blalock this year, his future might be across the diamond. Next year, the Rangers might have an infield of Teixeira-Young-Rodriguez-Blalock. Add in the hitters launching pad that is the Ballpark at Arlington, and some pitchers might start openly weeping on the mound. Unfortunatly, half of them will be Rangers pitchers. To be completely honest, Gerut and Teixeira won't get much support because of Rocco Baldelli's batting average, and Matui's RBI's. They are the writer's favorite toys, its better to keep going back to them then actually determine who might be the best players in their first year.
Sunday, September 21, 2003
This is getting ridiculous
Rocco Baldelli was warming in center last week at Fenway Park. He was overthrown and went to go shag the ball. As he jogged into the triangle, he noticed a screen in the Red Sox bullpen. He told Lou Pinella and the umpires made the Red Sox pull the plug.
Having a monitor in the bullpens and dugouts are against MLB rules. Unless there is permission from the league, which I assume the Yankees have, since the Stadium bullpens have monitors, and the Red Sox say they had. Pinella said that the monitors gave the Boston relievers an unfair advantage because the arms would be able to notice the umpires strike zone better.
Seattle GM Pat Gillick feels that the Boston intentions are far more nefarious. He is saying to anyone who will listen that the Red Sox have been cheating all year, stealing signs. The evidence that Gillick sites is that the Red Sox hit much better at home then on the road. He also thinks that the Rangers are involved in sign theft. Gillick also mentions that everyone in the AL knows that they have been cheating all year.
Please.
Pat Gillick is a parody. He is a man so wrapped up in his own self interest, that what is good for Pat Gillick is good for everyone else. Hey, I can't or won't make a trade to better my teams disaster at third base? I want to make a rule that limits in-season trading. My team gets its collective asses kicked by two teams that have been hitting all year? It's because they are stealing signs. Apparently nothing in Pat Gillick's world is the fault of Pat Gillick.
Someone should mention to Stand Pat that the Mariners have collapsed for the second straight year. Someone should also clue him in on Park Affects. It bears mentioning that both Fenway and Arlington are hitters parks. The park factors are 1017 for Fenway, and 1139 for The Ballpark. In Safeco? 918. Yup, hard to see why teams hit better in hitter's parks.
For some comedy's sake, here is Steinbrenner lapdog Bill Madden's take.
On the baseball side of the ledger, I'm sorry about the lack of truly Red Sox information on this site lately. Dewey's House was built on analysis of the Red Sox games, not listening to a baseball blowhard spout off who he thinks should be the various award winners. Fortunately for you, loyal reader, my NESN will be returning soon enough. Unfortunately, it will be on September 29th. What can I say folks. I've only seen 3 Red Sox games since I've moved into Narragansett. I can't tell you anything you can't read in the boxscores yourself. I know Pedro Martinez spun a great game today, with 11 k's.
I know that tomorrow, Jason Johnson faces off against Jeff Suppan at Fenway Park. After that, I only know what I think I know. Tomorrow, I'll bring you the Rookies of the Year.
