Been really busy with non-baseball activities, but...
Game 5 of the World Series was a travesty.
I understand why MLB attempted to start the game, but why did it take six innings to determine that a monsoon is inappropriate weather for baseball? Or baseball fans? Much less the World Series? Much less a potential deciding game?
It's also unfair. The Phils have now had to play defense in a deluge. When the game resumes, the Rays will play defense in the bottom of the inning under ordinary conditions.
So it's a sham.
And a travesty.
It's a shamvesty.
28 October 2008
18 October 2008
Rays of Sunshine
If a manager, particularly a DH-league manager, has significant influence on his team, it's in the tone he sets for the players. That's good news for the Rays following their Game 5 meltdown against the Red Sox.
Joe Maddon has said all the right things to put his young team in the right frame of mind for Game 6 and a potential Game 7. Most notably, he's demonstrated that he recognizes the whole notion of "momentum" in sports is vastly overblown if not completely fraudulent. He has said that teams sometimes blow big leads and his team would just have to shake it off and win a game at home.
The great benefit of going up three games to one in a seven game series is that you can lose a couple of games and still win the series. That's why Maddon is telling his guys to keep their heads up. They only need to win a game at home to make Game 5 disappear like a Mets' ninth-inning lead.
If you're dubious, ask Carlton Fisk about his dramatic 1975 World Series home run. The flag still flies in Cincinnati.
Joe Maddon has said all the right things to put his young team in the right frame of mind for Game 6 and a potential Game 7. Most notably, he's demonstrated that he recognizes the whole notion of "momentum" in sports is vastly overblown if not completely fraudulent. He has said that teams sometimes blow big leads and his team would just have to shake it off and win a game at home.
The great benefit of going up three games to one in a seven game series is that you can lose a couple of games and still win the series. That's why Maddon is telling his guys to keep their heads up. They only need to win a game at home to make Game 5 disappear like a Mets' ninth-inning lead.
If you're dubious, ask Carlton Fisk about his dramatic 1975 World Series home run. The flag still flies in Cincinnati.
06 October 2008
The Sucking Vortex of Misconception
Broadcasting sports is hard work that can be done well by about one one-thousandth of one percent of those who think they can do it. Broadcasters have to talk for three hours, often extemporaneously about nothing. So it's not surprising or all that noteworthy when they say silly things.
That's the preface to the deconstruction of an incredibly silly comment on tonight's TBS broadcast of the Rays and White Sox. It's hysterical that people actually believe blatant fallacies like this one.
Harold Reynolds, whose analysis of the tactics and mechanics of the game I find insightful, mentioned that Jason Bartlett was like a second lead-off hitter in the nine hole. Since he bats before the #1 spot after the first inning, Reynolds noted, he can give you that leadoff quality in a 9-1-2 hitting arrangement.
Putting aside that Jason Bartlett made an out more than 67% of the time this year, which is detrimental to a team from a "leadoff" position, Reynolds' assertion is nonetheless patently absurd. If you need a "leadoff" hitter to bat before the #1 spot, why don't you need a leadoff hitter to bat before the #9 spot for those 8-9-1 hitting arrangements? And the same for the #7 spot and so on down the line?
The simple truth is that your best hitters bat early in the lineup because they get more at-bats that way. And since you want guys on base when your power hitters are at the plate, you put a couple of high on-base guys up before them. No matter how a lineup is constructed, a bad hitter must precede a good hitter in the lineup at some point, unless your team is the Lake Wobegone Ice Fishermen, where every player is above average.
Aside: many teams have fallen into the sucking vortex of misconception that the leadoff hitter should burn up the basepaths, so they bat a low-OBP speedster in the top spot. Those teams are giving away games. Jason Giambi and his 120 walks would be a better leadoff choice than Juan Pierre or even Alfonso Soriano. When ARod goes deep, who cares how many green lights it takes Giambi to cross the street?
Jason Bartlett bats ninth because Jason Bartlett hits like a girl, and Joe Maddon would like him to bat as rarely as possible while still staffing the important shortstop position.
That's the preface to the deconstruction of an incredibly silly comment on tonight's TBS broadcast of the Rays and White Sox. It's hysterical that people actually believe blatant fallacies like this one.
Harold Reynolds, whose analysis of the tactics and mechanics of the game I find insightful, mentioned that Jason Bartlett was like a second lead-off hitter in the nine hole. Since he bats before the #1 spot after the first inning, Reynolds noted, he can give you that leadoff quality in a 9-1-2 hitting arrangement.
Putting aside that Jason Bartlett made an out more than 67% of the time this year, which is detrimental to a team from a "leadoff" position, Reynolds' assertion is nonetheless patently absurd. If you need a "leadoff" hitter to bat before the #1 spot, why don't you need a leadoff hitter to bat before the #9 spot for those 8-9-1 hitting arrangements? And the same for the #7 spot and so on down the line?
The simple truth is that your best hitters bat early in the lineup because they get more at-bats that way. And since you want guys on base when your power hitters are at the plate, you put a couple of high on-base guys up before them. No matter how a lineup is constructed, a bad hitter must precede a good hitter in the lineup at some point, unless your team is the Lake Wobegone Ice Fishermen, where every player is above average.
Aside: many teams have fallen into the sucking vortex of misconception that the leadoff hitter should burn up the basepaths, so they bat a low-OBP speedster in the top spot. Those teams are giving away games. Jason Giambi and his 120 walks would be a better leadoff choice than Juan Pierre or even Alfonso Soriano. When ARod goes deep, who cares how many green lights it takes Giambi to cross the street?
Jason Bartlett bats ninth because Jason Bartlett hits like a girl, and Joe Maddon would like him to bat as rarely as possible while still staffing the important shortstop position.
05 October 2008
No Bush Leaguer, Y'all
South Carolina doesn't have much to brag about besides coming in second in the Civil War. So when one of ours shines in the pros, it's worth mentioning.
Like a lot of people whose tooth count approaches double-digits, Mike Cisco matriculated at the University of South Carolina. Drafted this Spring by Philadelphia, the 5'11" right-hander was not highly touted beginning his first summer of professional ball, despite his pedigree. Pitching coach Galen Cisco is his grandfather.
That might change now (his prospect status, not his pedigree). In 35 innings with the Lakewood Blue Claws of the Atlantic League, Cisco posted a .51 ERA with 30 strikeouts.
And no walks. None as in zero.
That's a strikeout-to-walk ratio of infinity, which is more than two. So that's considered good. See you in Wilkes-Barre, Mike!
Like a lot of people whose tooth count approaches double-digits, Mike Cisco matriculated at the University of South Carolina. Drafted this Spring by Philadelphia, the 5'11" right-hander was not highly touted beginning his first summer of professional ball, despite his pedigree. Pitching coach Galen Cisco is his grandfather.
That might change now (his prospect status, not his pedigree). In 35 innings with the Lakewood Blue Claws of the Atlantic League, Cisco posted a .51 ERA with 30 strikeouts.
And no walks. None as in zero.
That's a strikeout-to-walk ratio of infinity, which is more than two. So that's considered good. See you in Wilkes-Barre, Mike!
Sometimes the Bear Eats You
Just a quick note about the Cubs-Dodgers fiasco (for Chicagoans, anyway). The playoffs marked the fifth time this season that the Cubs lost three games in a row. It happens.
Also, a note about the Manny Ramirez pickup. According to Baseball Prospectus, Manny's performance post-trade deadline was among the best all time and added five wins to L.A.'s win total compared to a replacement-level outfielder. Of course, Manny was traded for Jason Bay, who is significantly better than a replacement-level outfielder, but even then, Manny added about three wins over only two months of the season.
Throw in, unscientifically, another half-win for the ancillary effect his acquisition had on the rest of the lineup and Ramirez was the difference for the Dodgers between facing the Phillies for the pennant and watching Arizona take on Chicago from their couches.
It's also worth noting, if it's any consolation to Cubs fans, that the best team in the NL did not lose to the playoffs' worst. With Manny, the Dodgers won 33 of 56 games, a 95-win clip. Add to that the returns of Nomar Garciaparra and team MVP Rafael Furcal, and this is no patsy. It's anybody's NLCS.
Also, a note about the Manny Ramirez pickup. According to Baseball Prospectus, Manny's performance post-trade deadline was among the best all time and added five wins to L.A.'s win total compared to a replacement-level outfielder. Of course, Manny was traded for Jason Bay, who is significantly better than a replacement-level outfielder, but even then, Manny added about three wins over only two months of the season.
Throw in, unscientifically, another half-win for the ancillary effect his acquisition had on the rest of the lineup and Ramirez was the difference for the Dodgers between facing the Phillies for the pennant and watching Arizona take on Chicago from their couches.
It's also worth noting, if it's any consolation to Cubs fans, that the best team in the NL did not lose to the playoffs' worst. With Manny, the Dodgers won 33 of 56 games, a 95-win clip. Add to that the returns of Nomar Garciaparra and team MVP Rafael Furcal, and this is no patsy. It's anybody's NLCS.
01 October 2008
Narrative Favors Griffey; Facts, Pierzynski
"Thome, Griffey Carry White Sox to AL Central Crown"
That was the headline yesterday after the White Sox defeated the Twins on Jim Thome's blast and a play at the plate. It's a compelling narrative, and, as usual, it's utter rubbish.
The video has disappeared from the Web, but here's what it showed: Ken Griffey caught Brendan Harris's pop fly 20 feet from second base and noodle-armed a two hopper up the line as Michael Cuddyer tagged. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski snagged the ball just as Cuddyer crashed through his outstretched arm and into his body. Pierzynski made the tag, bounced off the ground and held onto the ball, preserving the 1-0 win. Nifty play by the catcher, not the center fielder.
The better headline, in my hometown paper -- Sock It Thome!
I don't mean to spoil the party, because crediting Griffey makes baseball fans forget that the world outside the stadium's going to hell in a handbasket. But the facts are persistant little buggers that can't be thrown out at the plate.
That was the headline yesterday after the White Sox defeated the Twins on Jim Thome's blast and a play at the plate. It's a compelling narrative, and, as usual, it's utter rubbish.
The video has disappeared from the Web, but here's what it showed: Ken Griffey caught Brendan Harris's pop fly 20 feet from second base and noodle-armed a two hopper up the line as Michael Cuddyer tagged. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski snagged the ball just as Cuddyer crashed through his outstretched arm and into his body. Pierzynski made the tag, bounced off the ground and held onto the ball, preserving the 1-0 win. Nifty play by the catcher, not the center fielder.
The better headline, in my hometown paper -- Sock It Thome!
I don't mean to spoil the party, because crediting Griffey makes baseball fans forget that the world outside the stadium's going to hell in a handbasket. But the facts are persistant little buggers that can't be thrown out at the plate.
Predict-O-King's Idiot Baseball Ga-RUN-Tees
The Mighty and Marvelous Predict-O-King knows all and sees all. His predictions never fail. That's because the sports media always does.
Without further ado, his Idiot Baseball Ga-RUN-Tees:
1. Baseball "analysts" will predict series outcomes based on which team was hotter in September. Research by Baseball Analysts found that there is absolutely no correlation whatsoever between a team's September record and its playoff performance. Hey, who needs facts when you have opinions to publish!
2. A team that loses game 1 of a five-game series with its ace on the mound will be written off by the baseball media. It helps increase the excitement when they come back to win.
3. A team down 1-0 and facing the other team's ace will be written off, as if the ace is a guaranteed win, even though he went 17-11 on the year.
4. The underdog in a series will take game 1 on the road and the baseball media will pronounce that it has the "momentum." When it loses game 2, the baseball media will announce that the momentum has "shifted," as if it were a paradigm, or a continental shelf.
6. One team's ace will get lit up. Another team's slugger will take the collar twice. The baseball media, now practicing psychiatry, will determine that they "choked" or "felt the pressure" or weren't "clutch."The media will be unable to process the notion that even great players have bad days.
7. Baseball "analysts" will "analyze" an upcoming series by assigning wins and losses according to pitcher and home field, because as we all know, the team at home with the better starting pitcher wins in the playoffs 85% or 90% of the time. Or maybe its 52%, I forget.
8. Once again, some knucklehead will run out the statistic that the winner of game 1 in a five-game series wins the series 75% of the time. Of course, since the average series goes four games, the winner of any game you choose wins the series 75%.
The Mighty and Marvelous Predict-O-King has spoken!
Without further ado, his Idiot Baseball Ga-RUN-Tees:
1. Baseball "analysts" will predict series outcomes based on which team was hotter in September. Research by Baseball Analysts found that there is absolutely no correlation whatsoever between a team's September record and its playoff performance. Hey, who needs facts when you have opinions to publish!
2. A team that loses game 1 of a five-game series with its ace on the mound will be written off by the baseball media. It helps increase the excitement when they come back to win.
3. A team down 1-0 and facing the other team's ace will be written off, as if the ace is a guaranteed win, even though he went 17-11 on the year.
4. The underdog in a series will take game 1 on the road and the baseball media will pronounce that it has the "momentum." When it loses game 2, the baseball media will announce that the momentum has "shifted," as if it were a paradigm, or a continental shelf.
6. One team's ace will get lit up. Another team's slugger will take the collar twice. The baseball media, now practicing psychiatry, will determine that they "choked" or "felt the pressure" or weren't "clutch."The media will be unable to process the notion that even great players have bad days.
7. Baseball "analysts" will "analyze" an upcoming series by assigning wins and losses according to pitcher and home field, because as we all know, the team at home with the better starting pitcher wins in the playoffs 85% or 90% of the time. Or maybe its 52%, I forget.
8. Once again, some knucklehead will run out the statistic that the winner of game 1 in a five-game series wins the series 75% of the time. Of course, since the average series goes four games, the winner of any game you choose wins the series 75%.
The Mighty and Marvelous Predict-O-King has spoken!
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