This is my first ever in-game blog, and I’ll use a play that happened just moments ago in the Sox-O’s game to explain why the Red Sox acquired Casey Kotchman and Victor Martinez, despite already having an All-Star –laden group of infielders.
Matt Wieters on second, Brian Roberts hits a grounder to the backhand of shortstop Nick Green. Not having the best throwing arm, Green decides against making a Jeter-esque jumping toss to get the speedy Roberts at first base. Instead, he opts to make the quick throw to Mike Lowell covering 3rd base so that he can lay down the tag and get the runner trying to advance on a non-force out. 35-year-old Lowell hobbles to the bag so Green can throw him the ball from maybe thirty away. Green throws it low, but not really to either side of the 3rd baseman, who underwent offseason hip surgery. Low is generally a good place to throw the ball when trying to tag out a runner, but not today. It was painful watching Lowell barely to bend his knees, and attempt to make a shoestring catch without moving a single one of the fragile joints in his body. The ball rolled past Lowell, allowing Weiters to not only advance to third, but to score the tying run as the ball went out-of-play into the Sox dugout. The next batter comes to the plate with a runner on second and one out, instead of a runner on first with two outs. With such a favorable situation, he hits a two-run homer that puts Baltimore up by two runs.
So what did this play tell us? Mike Lowell is far from Gold Glove 3rd baseman he was in ’05. We need someone to man the hot corner and give Lowell a rest a few times a week. Who can we put at third? We have Youk, but he’s an excellent defensive 1st baseman, and only a decent fielder at 3rd. So we look to acquire one via trade who can play good defense, all the while able to create runs at the plate. Since there’s no one available, we’re forced to move Youkilis to 3rd base. Adam LaRoche was our original replacement 1st baseman, but his strength is really on offense, rather than on defense. Since we lost some fielding ability by moving Youk away from 1st base, so LaRoche wasn’t the perfect fit. So Theo went to the Braves to trade LaRoche (5-19, 1 HR, 3 RBI in 6 games with the Red Sox) for defensive-minded Casey Kotchman. So here’s the breakdown again: lose defense at first by moving Youkilis to third, but get more offense at third from Youk than from Lowell; get offense with LaRoche, but Theo sees the need for more defense in the infield; gets Kotchman, despite sacrificing a little at the plate.
What about Victory Martinez? Jason Varitek is undoubtedly feeling the wear and tear of his 12-year catching career. His knees, ankles, and shoulder are as beat up as they can be before landing on the DL. His 78 AB in May have decreased in June, and again in July, where he will probably end up seeing close to 62 AB. With all due respect to George Kottaras, he doesn’t belong in a Red Sox uniform; he’s just not good enough. V-Mart will be able to take some pressure off Varitek and his knees, and Tito won’t hesitate to throw him behind the plate because he’s such an offensive force. Plus, he can also play 1st base or DH, offering Papi and Youk/Kotchman the day off. It’s amazing how much flexibility Terry Francona has, lining up his infield. Lowell, Youkilis, Green, Lowrie, Pedroia, Kotchman, Martinez, and Varitek can all play interchangeably. If one needs a rest, or can’t hit righties, Francona won’t have to think twice about giving him the day off; they can all replace each other without the team missing a beat.
However, what is most intriguing about the Martinez deal is how little the Theo ended up giving Cleveland. We kept Buchholz, Bard, and our main pitching prospects of Michael Bowden and Junichi Tazawa, as well as hitting phenom Ryan Westmoreland. We traded middle reliever Justin Masterson, and 1st round draft picks of the 2007 and 2008 Drafts, LHP Nick Hagadone and RHP Bryan Price.
What’d the Yankees do? Roy Halladay? No. Jarrod Washburn? Guess again. Jerry Hairston Jr. is who the Yanks got today. In his 2009 season with the Reds, he was batting a whopping .254 with 8 HR. Whoop dee doo. He’s more of a utility guy, and the Red Sox need not worry about him at all. It was a good day.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Stat of the Day: Papelbon is WHIPPED
Of all the closers with more than 20 saves, Jonathan Papelbon has the highest WHIP (Walks, Hits per Inning Pitched). If you feel like Pap has been making his outings harder than they need to be, you're right. An average of 1.37 batters get on base per inning he throws, which is a high number for a closer, whose position is based most of all on the ability to get a 1-2-3 inning to end the game.
Stat of the Day: In the Field
People point to a poor back of the rotation, untimely hitting, and lack of offense when they look at the Red Sox' woes. But what about defense? In terms of errors and fielding percentage, the Sox are middle of the pack, 15th and 18th respectively. But they have turned the second fewest double plays, and have allowed the most steals in the Majors, and have the lowest DER of any team. "DER" is an interesting stat I looked up, and it stands for Defense Efficiency Ratio, and it equals the percent of batted balls that are turned into outs by a defense. Boston's .689 DER 
means that only 68.9% of any ball put in play will become an out. A low DER like this typically means that our pitching staff relies too heavily on the strikeout and don't give their fielders a chance to make a play. Not surprisingly, the Sox have the most strikeouts in the AL. Pitchers should be making it a priority to keep their fielders on their toes by making a pitch not that is nit so good it cannot be hit and risk walking too many batters, but a pitch that's bad enough to be hit, but good enough to not be hit well. Look at Derek Lowe's no hitter of 2002: only 6 strikeouts. It's not about striking batters out, it's about recording outs, however that can be done. This seems like the first year where the Red Sox don't really have any defensive specialists--a David Roberts, Alex Cora, Gabe Kapler, or Doug Menkevich-type player.
means that only 68.9% of any ball put in play will become an out. A low DER like this typically means that our pitching staff relies too heavily on the strikeout and don't give their fielders a chance to make a play. Not surprisingly, the Sox have the most strikeouts in the AL. Pitchers should be making it a priority to keep their fielders on their toes by making a pitch not that is nit so good it cannot be hit and risk walking too many batters, but a pitch that's bad enough to be hit, but good enough to not be hit well. Look at Derek Lowe's no hitter of 2002: only 6 strikeouts. It's not about striking batters out, it's about recording outs, however that can be done. This seems like the first year where the Red Sox don't really have any defensive specialists--a David Roberts, Alex Cora, Gabe Kapler, or Doug Menkevich-type player.
Stat of the Day: The Unearned Run
Bartolo Colon and Daniel Cabrera lead the Majors in unearned runs. In just 12 games, 13 unearned runs have found their way to the scoreboard for the North Siders' Colon. He has a decent 4.19 ERA, but a record of only 3-6. Sloppy defense probably has something to do with that. Daniel Cabrera, formerly of the Baltimore Orioles, now with the Washington Nationals, has also given up 13 unearned runs. He is 0-5 in 8 starts with an ERA approaching 6.00. Lo and behold, the Nationals have more errors than any other ballclub, and the White Sox are 5th worst in the MLB.
What the Red Sox Need to Do At the Deadline
What the Red Sox don't need to do is go after Roy Halladay. The Jays are asking for basically our whole farm system to get Halladay for the year and two months left on his contract. As great as Halladay is, I don't think it's worth it. As a team, Red Sox pitching is best in the AL East, and 8th best overall. Smoltz is bound to find his groove one of these days, Daisuke could come back rested in September, Wakefield will soon be off the DL, and Buchholz will continue to settle in. Pitching isn't really our greatest need right now. Furthermore, over his career, Halladay has only a .613 win percentage after the break, compared to a .710 before. Also, Fenway Park is one of only two stadiums at which Halladay has a losing record (5-8)*, and is the only place he has allowed more than 10 HR (15). I don't see Halladay carrying the Sox to the World Series.
Who the Red Sox should continue to pursue is Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres. Boston only has one player with 20+ HR this year, Jason Bay, while other World Series hopefuls like the Phillies have four. Adrian Gonzalez is this year's Mark Teixera: a good defensive first basemen with the power to hit one deep at any point in the game. With Lowell struggling, Youk could take some load off and play more games at third, leaving first base open for Adrian Gonzalez. Lars Anderson, a top prospect for the Sox, should be included in the deal because, with Gonzalez locked up for the next couple years, Boston could get away with trading this Minor League slugger.
With Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson getting dealt to Seattle in a 7-man trade this afternoon, the market for shortstops is meager. It looks like Nick Green and Jed Lowrie will have to step up their game for the remainder of the season, and be the 10the tenth man who steps up as the season draws to an end.
I can't think of a much better acquisition than Victor Martinez. This great offensive-minded catcher from the Cleveland Indians could take the place of George Kottaras as the backup for Jason Varitek. Kottaras is a non-threat at the plate, and is on the roster simply because he can catch Tim Wakefield. We're seeing more of Kottaras recently, and it seems like Varitek's 37 year-old body isn't up to the task of catching every day. Since 2003, Martinez is the only catcher to rank in the top three in BA, HR, RBI, and TB among catchers.
*mimimum of 2 starts
Who the Red Sox should continue to pursue is Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres. Boston only has one player with 20+ HR this year, Jason Bay, while other World Series hopefuls like the Phillies have four. Adrian Gonzalez is this year's Mark Teixera: a good defensive first basemen with the power to hit one deep at any point in the game. With Lowell struggling, Youk could take some load off and play more games at third, leaving first base open for Adrian Gonzalez. Lars Anderson, a top prospect for the Sox, should be included in the deal because, with Gonzalez locked up for the next couple years, Boston could get away with trading this Minor League slugger.
With Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson getting dealt to Seattle in a 7-man trade this afternoon, the market for shortstops is meager. It looks like Nick Green and Jed Lowrie will have to step up their game for the remainder of the season, and be the 10the tenth man who steps up as the season draws to an end.
I can't think of a much better acquisition than Victor Martinez. This great offensive-minded catcher from the Cleveland Indians could take the place of George Kottaras as the backup for Jason Varitek. Kottaras is a non-threat at the plate, and is on the roster simply because he can catch Tim Wakefield. We're seeing more of Kottaras recently, and it seems like Varitek's 37 year-old body isn't up to the task of catching every day. Since 2003, Martinez is the only catcher to rank in the top three in BA, HR, RBI, and TB among catchers.
*mimimum of 2 starts
Brett Favre Retires, Take 3
March 4, 2008
Real? No--he decided he wanted to play again the following offseason. After tense diologue between Favre and Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson, the Packers traded him to the NY Jets on August 7 for a fourth round pick in that year's NFL draft (the took defensive end Jeremy Thompson out of Wake Forest).
Retirement from Jets? Real? This summer, even though it seemed like it we had once again been punk'd, even though Favre had surgery to repair his throwing arm this offseason, even though he once again considered a comeback with the, even though he contacted the Vikings about another return, we'll have to wait another year to see Favre on the field. He told Vikings head coach Brad Childress yesterday he plans to stay retired, saying his mind and body could not endure a 19th season in the NFL. Don't count him out for 2010, though.
In his career, he holds the NFL QB record for: pass attemps, completions, TDs, interceptions, yards, games won, and consecutive games started. Not too shabby.
Real? No--he decided he wanted to play again the following offseason. After tense diologue between Favre and Green Bay General Manager Ted Thompson, the Packers traded him to the NY Jets on August 7 for a fourth round pick in that year's NFL draft (the took defensive end Jeremy Thompson out of Wake Forest).
Retirement from Jets? Real? This summer, even though it seemed like it we had once again been punk'd, even though Favre had surgery to repair his throwing arm this offseason, even though he once again considered a comeback with the, even though he contacted the Vikings about another return, we'll have to wait another year to see Favre on the field. He told Vikings head coach Brad Childress yesterday he plans to stay retired, saying his mind and body could not endure a 19th season in the NFL. Don't count him out for 2010, though.
In his career, he holds the NFL QB record for: pass attemps, completions, TDs, interceptions, yards, games won, and consecutive games started. Not too shabby.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Stat of the Day: Dan Bard
In rookie Dan Bard's 23 appearances this season, he has allowed an earned run in only three of them. So as you can imagine, his 2.28 ERA is somewhat misleading. In fact, if you discard one outing on June 14 against the Phillies, his ERA would be a microscopic 1.11. The Red Sox are effectively easing Bard into the big leagues: at the end of July, he'll have increased his total innings pitched by one inning each month since his debut on May 13. July has undoubtedly been his best month of the season: in 9.1 innings, he's given up no runs and surrendered only two hits, while K'ing 17 and walking zero. A 17:0 K:BB ratio is unheard of in the Majors, as is averaging 2 strikeouts per inning pitched. Plus--always an important for a reliever--he has yet to give up a HR in his big league career. Look out, Pap.
What's up with That? Mascots
What's up with teams that have mascots as citizens of the city in which the team plays? You know what I mean--Why should I be afraid of natives of Canada? What the hockey team from Montreal needs is a mascot that makes people afraid to play in Canada. The Montral Lynx, The Cougars, the Caribou, something frightening! People indiginous to Canada do not have a reputation as being fierce, agressive, strong, powerful, cunning, or mighty--traits that all mascots should have. Here are some other mascots that have no business being mascots.
Montral Canadiens
Houston Texans
Philadelphia Phillies
Utah Utes
Illinois Fighting Illini
Montral Canadiens
Houston Texans
Philadelphia Phillies
Utah Utes
Illinois Fighting Illini
Favre vs. Vick
Why I’d Want Favre
• One of the best quarterbacks in the history of football
• Familiar with the West Coast Offense that he would play in Minnesota
• Play with something to prove to Green Bay
• Minnesota needs a QB better than Gus Frerotte
• He is an experienced leader who could take the Vikings to a Super Bowl
• One of the best quarterbacks in the history of football
• Familiar with the West Coast Offense that he would play in Minnesota
• Play with something to prove to Green Bay
• Minnesota needs a QB better than Gus Frerotte
• He is an experienced leader who could take the Vikings to a Super Bowl
Why I Wouldn’t Want Favre
• He’s coming off surgery on his throwing arm
• He wouldn’t join the team any sooner than the start of training camp—not really enough time to get to know his receivers, coaches, and new playbook
• He’s practically 40 years old
• He would be asked to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback, which makes signing him a big risk
• If he takes a whole off-season to decide whether to play or not, how committed is he?
• He’s coming off surgery on his throwing arm
• He wouldn’t join the team any sooner than the start of training camp—not really enough time to get to know his receivers, coaches, and new playbook
• He’s practically 40 years old
• He would be asked to be Minnesota’s starting quarterback, which makes signing him a big risk
• If he takes a whole off-season to decide whether to play or not, how committed is he?
Why I’d Want Vick
• If he got signed, it would be with a team that already has a QB in place—he would be a backup/goal line specialist/wildcat quarterback, LOW RISK
• Would keep defenses on their toes if he got a few snaps per game
• He’s a lefty, which defenses aren’t used to seeing
• Dual-threat passer and scrambler, one of the best athletes in the game
• If he got signed, it would be with a team that already has a QB in place—he would be a backup/goal line specialist/wildcat quarterback, LOW RISK
• Would keep defenses on their toes if he got a few snaps per game
• He’s a lefty, which defenses aren’t used to seeing
• Dual-threat passer and scrambler, one of the best athletes in the game
Why I Wouldn’t Want Vick
• Hasn’t played since 2006, probably a little rusty
• Fan backlash, still guilty in the court of public opinion
• Might not be able to play a full season with a team due to a possible 4-game suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell to start the 09-10 season
• Possible distraction for his team
So who would I rather have? I’d rather have Vick. He’s low-risk, and if he signs with his team, he would by no means be the starting quarterback. Instead, a good coach would play him where he’s most dangerous: at the goal line, where defenses would have to be wary of the option pass, the QB draw, or a scrambling Vick. Another place he would be ultra-effective would be in the wildcat formation. The wildcat offense continues to hurt defenses, and no one is more well-suited for the formation than Michael Vick. You could also throw him in the game to return a kickoff or punt; he can avoid tackles as good as anyone in the league, and would be a devastating returnman. As far a team distraction and fan backlash goes, if a team lets one man disrupt an entire locker room, that team has no business playing professional football. I’m always baffled when teams declare that a player like Terrell Owens is responsible for their under-performing. One player cannot possibly cause a whole team to underperform. When each player is able to go out on the field and do his own job to the best of his ability, ignoring fans and media, then you’ve got yourself a team. If Vick lands himself on a team that already has a stable QB, a good receiving crew, a coach that would know how to utilize his skill sets, and has loyal fans that would root for their team before thinking about what having a convicted criminal on your team means, then Vick’s transition back into the NFL should be smoother than ever.
Brett Favre 2008 season with the Jets:
• Threw as many TDs and interceptions for only the third time in his career
• Threw 7 passes for 40+ yards, tied for his lowest since 1996
• Second lowest total passing yards and yards per game since 1993
• Scrambled less than 23 times for the fourth time in his career, feet aren’t what they used to be
• QB rating in 2008 lower than his career QB rating
• Failed to complete a pass longer than 56 yards for the second time in his career
• Compared to his 2007 season, every single passing statistic was worse in his 2008 season
• Hasn’t played since 2006, probably a little rusty
• Fan backlash, still guilty in the court of public opinion
• Might not be able to play a full season with a team due to a possible 4-game suspension by commissioner Roger Goodell to start the 09-10 season
• Possible distraction for his team
So who would I rather have? I’d rather have Vick. He’s low-risk, and if he signs with his team, he would by no means be the starting quarterback. Instead, a good coach would play him where he’s most dangerous: at the goal line, where defenses would have to be wary of the option pass, the QB draw, or a scrambling Vick. Another place he would be ultra-effective would be in the wildcat formation. The wildcat offense continues to hurt defenses, and no one is more well-suited for the formation than Michael Vick. You could also throw him in the game to return a kickoff or punt; he can avoid tackles as good as anyone in the league, and would be a devastating returnman. As far a team distraction and fan backlash goes, if a team lets one man disrupt an entire locker room, that team has no business playing professional football. I’m always baffled when teams declare that a player like Terrell Owens is responsible for their under-performing. One player cannot possibly cause a whole team to underperform. When each player is able to go out on the field and do his own job to the best of his ability, ignoring fans and media, then you’ve got yourself a team. If Vick lands himself on a team that already has a stable QB, a good receiving crew, a coach that would know how to utilize his skill sets, and has loyal fans that would root for their team before thinking about what having a convicted criminal on your team means, then Vick’s transition back into the NFL should be smoother than ever.
Brett Favre 2008 season with the Jets:
• Threw as many TDs and interceptions for only the third time in his career
• Threw 7 passes for 40+ yards, tied for his lowest since 1996
• Second lowest total passing yards and yards per game since 1993
• Scrambled less than 23 times for the fourth time in his career, feet aren’t what they used to be
• QB rating in 2008 lower than his career QB rating
• Failed to complete a pass longer than 56 yards for the second time in his career
• Compared to his 2007 season, every single passing statistic was worse in his 2008 season
What does all this tell us? Brett Favre isn’t what he used to be. Coming off surgery, he will turn 40 in October this year. How much gas does he have left in the tank? Already, people are doubting Kurt Warner, who turned just 38 last month; out of either quarterback, I would expect Warner to have a better 2009 season. Favre should get worn out earlier than Warner, who has taken half the sacks Favre has, and played in less than half as many games, over his career. I don’t see why the Vikings would have so much faith in Favre, yet the Cardinals almost didn’t resign the QB who took them to the Super Bowl, fearing his age might catch up with him. If Favre arrives in training camp in Minnesota, he’ll have to get acquainted with a whole new receiving corps, learn a new playbook, establish himself in the locker room, and prove his worth, all in the six weeks of training camp. Not to mention, he's indecision is keeping the entire Minnesota team wondering who will be their starting quarterback at the start of the season, which is not fair to anyone. Finally, the Vikings have a decent quarterback in Tavaris Jackson: he started the last three regular season games for the Vikings, won two of them, and compiled a 109.0 passer rating, 7 touchdowns to 1 interception, while completing 62% of his passes. Brad Childress, if you can hear me, give Jackson the starting job, and let the Favre saga come to an end. Please.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Why I Love Sports
"Mandela used sport as a vehicle to make the impossible possible, sport has the power to unite people in a way that little else can, sport can awaken hope where there was previously only despair." Let Barack Obama and Morgan Freeman tell you a story.
Holliday Celebration in St. Louis
In his first game after being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals by the Oakland A’s, Matt Holliday tied a career high in hits, going 4-5. In his 93 games with the Athletics, he had got 4 hits in a game only twice. Yesterday in Philly, he also had a stolen base, a double, and an RBI. I don’t think this will be a flash in the pan for Holliday; I predict a great second-half from this three-time All-Star. Moving to the NL, he might be another Edgar Renteria-type player, who seems to thrive exclusively in the National League. (Renteria played in Boston in 2005 and in Detroit last year. Since 2002, his ’05 and ’08 totals are his two worst seasons in SB, BA, SLG, OPS, HR, E, and FPCT.) Matt Holliday was a huge success in Colorado playing in the NL, and now that he’s back in his comfort zone, we’ll see more of the 2006-2008 Holliday, who won three consecutive Silver Slugger Awards and three consecutive trips to the All-Star game. Another reason he’ll continue to hit with St. Louis is that he is now on a competitive team where every game matters. Oakland is 17.0 games behind the Angels in the NL West and has the worst attendance in all of baseball. St. Louis leads the NL Central and has the fifth-best attendance in the MLB. Holliday prefers a full stadium, as evidenced by his .428 BA in stadiums that average more than 30,000 fans per game, compared to his .270 BA everywhere else. The Cardinals’ Busch Stadium averages over 40,000 per game, so look for continued success from Matt Holliday in St. Louis this season.
What the Mariners and King Leonidas Have in Common
Team chemistry is an often overlooked piece to a team’s success. The New York Yankees would be the classic example of that: George/Hank Steinbrenner shells out boatloads of cash to buy any All-Star he can get his hands on, and then expects them all to coexist in the same locker room. Those hotshots are not used to sharing attention, and their performance often takes a hit. But then look at the Red Sox. This generation of BoSox has been the most fun-loving team in all of sports, I’d say. From Kevin Millar’s “Cowboy Up” to Nomar fastening Pedro to a bullpen pole, to Manny Being Manny, team chemistry has not been a problem at Fenway. Let’s take a peek at how their chemistry has carried over to on-field performance: Red Sox, two World Series; Yankees, zero World Series. Where the importance of team chemistry manifests itself most is undoubtedly in the midst of a playoff run. When teammates can rally around each other, amazing skillsets and superstar talent take a back seat role. Since 2004, Boston has won 28 postseason games, and the Yanks have won 11.
But a novel kind of team chemistry attracted my attention a little while ago when the Sox played against the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners bullpen’s chemistry is something else. Talk about 
things to rally around! The Red Sox had reversing the curse, and the Mariners bullpen has the movie “300”. Three year veteran reliever Mark Lowe started the tradition of hoisting gladiator-esque warrior helmets above the bullpen before each game. As Lowe explains it, “We all stick together and we’re all there for each other…it kind of symbolizes our mindset. When Lowe and the rest of the ‘pen watched the movie, they fell in love with it, and thought the message of camaraderie was fitting for their bullpen. Since then, they have found a replica of King Leonidas’s warrior mask, and started carrying it out the bullpen with them before each game. Now, they have a number of helmets, including Russell Crowe’s spiked helmet from the movie “Gladiator”. “Being the idiots that we are,” Lowe said, “we’ve taken it to extremes”. A self-proclaimed group of idiots, eh? Well, that worked for the 2004 Red Sox, whom Johnny Damon called “a bunch of idiots”. Having fun and team chemistry is an oft-forgotten-about criterion for a winning team. So far, it’s been working for the Mariners, who have the AL’s third-best bullpen ERA, lead the MLB in saves, and have one of the best closers in the game in former Red-Sock David Aardsma. I wouldn’t be surprised if the lighthearted atmosphere of the Seattle bullpen spills over to the rest of clubhouse, and the Mariners start to make a push in the competitive AL West, where they trail the Angels by 6.5 games.
But a novel kind of team chemistry attracted my attention a little while ago when the Sox played against the Seattle Mariners. The Mariners bullpen’s chemistry is something else. Talk about things to rally around! The Red Sox had reversing the curse, and the Mariners bullpen has the movie “300”. Three year veteran reliever Mark Lowe started the tradition of hoisting gladiator-esque warrior helmets above the bullpen before each game. As Lowe explains it, “We all stick together and we’re all there for each other…it kind of symbolizes our mindset. When Lowe and the rest of the ‘pen watched the movie, they fell in love with it, and thought the message of camaraderie was fitting for their bullpen. Since then, they have found a replica of King Leonidas’s warrior mask, and started carrying it out the bullpen with them before each game. Now, they have a number of helmets, including Russell Crowe’s spiked helmet from the movie “Gladiator”. “Being the idiots that we are,” Lowe said, “we’ve taken it to extremes”. A self-proclaimed group of idiots, eh? Well, that worked for the 2004 Red Sox, whom Johnny Damon called “a bunch of idiots”. Having fun and team chemistry is an oft-forgotten-about criterion for a winning team. So far, it’s been working for the Mariners, who have the AL’s third-best bullpen ERA, lead the MLB in saves, and have one of the best closers in the game in former Red-Sock David Aardsma. I wouldn’t be surprised if the lighthearted atmosphere of the Seattle bullpen spills over to the rest of clubhouse, and the Mariners start to make a push in the competitive AL West, where they trail the Angels by 6.5 games.Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Doc in Phil?
The Roy Halladay trade talks have been dwindling recently. According to Blue Jays’ GM J.P. Ricciardi, no team has been “aggressive” enough. The Jays are in rebuilding mode, so an aggressive trade would include a few top prospects, including a pitcher. In Boston, few were willing to throw in touted righty Clay Buchholz; in the Big Apple, flamethrower Joba Chamberlain was untouchable; in Philly, 22 year-old Kyle Drabek was considered too good to give up. Until now, that is. It appears that the Philadelphia Phillies are warming up to the idea of parting with their top pitching prospect. But why would a team running away with the NL East (9-game win streak, 6.0 game lead) surrender the most important building block of their farm system for an aging pitcher that historically pitches better before the All-Star Break than after?
For one, Halladay isn’t any ordinary aging pitcher. If he joined 46 year-old Jamie Moyer on the Phillies rotation, Philly would be home to two of the biggest freaks of nature in the Major Leagues. Thirty-two year-old Roy Halladay has amazingly pitched 7+ innings in 16 of his 18 total starts this season, and has a miniscule 2.73 ERA. Even though Moyer’s 23-year Major League experience is valuable in the clubhouse, having a pitcher who is pushing 50 won’t win you the World Series. Sure, he’ll win some games along the way, and his experience is valuable in the clubhouse, but with a 9-6 record, Moyer has shown that he can be hit. What the Phillies lack is a lights-out starter. It’s debatable whether they actually need one at this point in the season, as their explosive offense can keep them atop an ever-weakening NL East. They lead the NL in runs scored, as well as in home runs hit. However, pitching wins in the postseason. If you can assemble three or four pitchers in whom you are confident they can pull out a win against any team, you’re in good shape. And I don’t think the Phillies have that right now. Jamie Moyer is their winningest pitcher, but has defeated only one team with a record better than .500—the Brewers (48-46). Joe Blanton has a career record of barely .500, and Cole Hamels’s season (5-5, 4.72) has been disappointing to say the least. Even with all this said, for now, the Phills probably don’t need Halladay—they have their division locked up, and don’t really need a playoff push at the end of the season. If they make a move to acquire Doc, it’s not a sign that Charlie Manuel isn’t comfortable with his rotation the way it is now; it’s a sign he plans on needing a sure-fire starter, come October.
For one, Halladay isn’t any ordinary aging pitcher. If he joined 46 year-old Jamie Moyer on the Phillies rotation, Philly would be home to two of the biggest freaks of nature in the Major Leagues. Thirty-two year-old Roy Halladay has amazingly pitched 7+ innings in 16 of his 18 total starts this season, and has a miniscule 2.73 ERA. Even though Moyer’s 23-year Major League experience is valuable in the clubhouse, having a pitcher who is pushing 50 won’t win you the World Series. Sure, he’ll win some games along the way, and his experience is valuable in the clubhouse, but with a 9-6 record, Moyer has shown that he can be hit. What the Phillies lack is a lights-out starter. It’s debatable whether they actually need one at this point in the season, as their explosive offense can keep them atop an ever-weakening NL East. They lead the NL in runs scored, as well as in home runs hit. However, pitching wins in the postseason. If you can assemble three or four pitchers in whom you are confident they can pull out a win against any team, you’re in good shape. And I don’t think the Phillies have that right now. Jamie Moyer is their winningest pitcher, but has defeated only one team with a record better than .500—the Brewers (48-46). Joe Blanton has a career record of barely .500, and Cole Hamels’s season (5-5, 4.72) has been disappointing to say the least. Even with all this said, for now, the Phills probably don’t need Halladay—they have their division locked up, and don’t really need a playoff push at the end of the season. If they make a move to acquire Doc, it’s not a sign that Charlie Manuel isn’t comfortable with his rotation the way it is now; it’s a sign he plans on needing a sure-fire starter, come October.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Stat of the Day: The Error
According to baseball writer Bill James, the “error” is one of the most useless and misleading statistics in baseball. “It’s a moral judgment” he says, “you have to do something right to get an error; even if the ball is right at you, then you were standing in the right place to begin with”. I don’t disagree with him. An outfielder could get a great break on a ball, take the right angle towards it, and get within an arm’s reach of a well-hit fly ball. If it bounces off his glove, he gets an error. On the other hand, if an outfielder does not judge the trajectory of the ball correctly, he ends up taking one step forward, one back, then sprints forward, only to slide and miss a shoestring catch that ends up as a triple, he’s off the hook. Who would you rather have? The one who can determine the path of the ball exquisitely but occasionally drops a can-a-corn, or the one who reliably has to field the ball on a bounce because he has no idea where it’s going when it leaves the bat? I’ll take the former any day of the week. To prove that simply watching a player cannot accurately judge his defensive prowess, he tells you to think about this: “If [the batter] hits a smash down the line and the third baseman makes a diving stop and throws the runner out, then we notice and applaud the third baseman. But until the smash is hit, who is watching the third baseman? If he anticipates, if he adjusts for the hitter and moves over just two steps, then the same smash is a routine backhand stop—and nobody applauds”. I do think errors are an important statistic, but by no means do they tell you all you need to know about a player’s defensive ability. Here’s some stats to look at.
Since 1995, Derek Jeter has committed the most errors of any player. In that time, he’s won three Gold Gloves. Craig Biggio has the most errors of any second basemen in that time—he has four Gold Gloves to his name. Since 1999, the four top error-committers have been shortstops. By no means does that mean they are poor fielders. On the contrary, shortstop is where managers like to play their best defensive players. They commit so many “errors” because they can get to many more balls and have so many chances to commit an “error” than any other fielder. Brandon Inge and David Wright, two of the most amazing fielders in the game (Web Gems, anyone?) are two of the worst thirty defensive players in the MLB, according to the error stat.
In case you’re wondering, this Bill James character invented his own statistic that he feels measures a player’s defensive ability more accurately. It’s called the range factor: (putouts + assists) ÷ innings played. Instead of counting the number of mistakes a position player made, it counts all the successful plays made in the field and does not penalize a player for dropping a ball he might have made a great play just to get to.
Since 1995, Derek Jeter has committed the most errors of any player. In that time, he’s won three Gold Gloves. Craig Biggio has the most errors of any second basemen in that time—he has four Gold Gloves to his name. Since 1999, the four top error-committers have been shortstops. By no means does that mean they are poor fielders. On the contrary, shortstop is where managers like to play their best defensive players. They commit so many “errors” because they can get to many more balls and have so many chances to commit an “error” than any other fielder. Brandon Inge and David Wright, two of the most amazing fielders in the game (Web Gems, anyone?) are two of the worst thirty defensive players in the MLB, according to the error stat.
In case you’re wondering, this Bill James character invented his own statistic that he feels measures a player’s defensive ability more accurately. It’s called the range factor: (putouts + assists) ÷ innings played. Instead of counting the number of mistakes a position player made, it counts all the successful plays made in the field and does not penalize a player for dropping a ball he might have made a great play just to get to.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Stat of the Day: Around the MLB
Of the nine batters with the most home runs in the Major Leagues, seven play in the National League. So much for the designated hitter. In fact, Toronto’s Adam Lind has the most HR of any DH with 20—good enough to be tied for 16th in the MLB.
Only three Red Sox position players have played 80+ games this year, the fewest in the AL East; four Blue Jays have played 90+ games. Albert Pujols leads the Majors, and is the only player to have played in 92 games this season. More than anything else, this stat shows the depth of the Red Sox roster. They have the flexibility to give a player the day off, without sacrificing much on either side of the field. Whereas most teams are only comfortable starting their starters, Tito can use his backups without so much as a second thought.
Only three Red Sox position players have played 80+ games this year, the fewest in the AL East; four Blue Jays have played 90+ games. Albert Pujols leads the Majors, and is the only player to have played in 92 games this season. More than anything else, this stat shows the depth of the Red Sox roster. They have the flexibility to give a player the day off, without sacrificing much on either side of the field. Whereas most teams are only comfortable starting their starters, Tito can use his backups without so much as a second thought.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Say Bye-Bye to EEI
WBCN, 104.1 The Rock of Boston will soon air only live on the internet, coming off the radio for good. Actually, if you have an HD radio receiver, you'll still be able to hear it through the radio on 98.5 HD 2. Replacing WBCN will be Mix 98.5, becoming Mix 104. Now, I don't know the logistics of changing one's frequency on the radio, but I assume 104.1's reception is somehow better than 98.5's. So what will be on 98.5? The first and only FM sports radio in Boston. CBS is launching a new FM sports radio campaign, in Boston under the title of "The Sports Hub", and will air "a wide assortment of sports talk and play-by-play programming", according to CBS. Starting August 13, it will also become the new home of the Patriots and Bruins. It will compete with the AM station WEEI, which, ironically, was owned by CBS up until 1982. It started its sports programming when it was sold to the Boston Celtics in 1991.
I like the move. FM undoubtedly gets better reception in the Boston area, and radios that broadcast on FM and AM frequencies are getting harder to find. I'll love not having to pay an extra 20 bucks for a radio that carries both broadcasting formats, just so I can get my sports radio fix.
AM radio has been around since the 1900s, and not until the 1980s did FM start being widely used, despite being patented in 1931. First it was music, then talk, now sports are all switching over to FM broadcasting. WEEI was really the only reason I ever had to turn to an AM station. Now, with FM radio being more convenient and having higher sound quality, I think sports fans will stop fiddling with their radios to switch to AM, and will instead opt to turn to FM 98.5 The Sports Hub. Unfortunately, unless Red Sox and Patriots play-by-play keeps it around, I don't think WEEI will stick around much longer.
I like the move. FM undoubtedly gets better reception in the Boston area, and radios that broadcast on FM and AM frequencies are getting harder to find. I'll love not having to pay an extra 20 bucks for a radio that carries both broadcasting formats, just so I can get my sports radio fix.
AM radio has been around since the 1900s, and not until the 1980s did FM start being widely used, despite being patented in 1931. First it was music, then talk, now sports are all switching over to FM broadcasting. WEEI was really the only reason I ever had to turn to an AM station. Now, with FM radio being more convenient and having higher sound quality, I think sports fans will stop fiddling with their radios to switch to AM, and will instead opt to turn to FM 98.5 The Sports Hub. Unfortunately, unless Red Sox and Patriots play-by-play keeps it around, I don't think WEEI will stick around much longer.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Buchholz to Debut Friday
Boston's top pitching prospect Clay Buchholz is set to make his Red Sox 2009 debut this Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. Buchholz is 0-2 with a 4.22 ERA in his career against Toronto. What's the reasoning behind this decision? Read on to find out.
Last year, we saw Clay Buchholz crumble under all the media/fan hype, after his 2007 no-hitter and subsequent 3-1 record, 1.59 ERA. He was a kid, only 22 years old, and we Bostonians thought he would be the next big thing in Boston. However, in 2008, things didn't click for Buchholz. He still had good stuff—low to mid-90s fastball to go along with a devastating curve—but he struggled with his control, as he allowed .54 walks per inning, compared to .45 an inning in 2007. He gave up 11 homers in only 15 starts, and accumulated an ERA of 6.75. So this season, Theo tried to keep the Buchholz buzz to a minimum, keeping him in Triple-A until the right moment came. In Pawtucket, where he was able to avoid the spotlight, he thrived. His walks per inning dropped to .30, his ERA fell to 2.36, and his WHIP is under 1.0. Most other ballclubs would rush such a lights-out AAA pitcher into joining their 40-man roster. But the Red Sox aren’t like most ballclubs. Theo let him start 16 games in Pawtucket, and only now brings him up to start a game against the Blue Jays. In Buchholz’s one start against Toronto last year, he got the loss, pitched six innings, and gave up four runs, though he did manage to strikeout eight Blue Jays. I don’t think Buchholz will stay in the rotation, which already has five above average starters. But letting the youngster get some more experience, little by little, will hopefully make Buchholz Major League-ready come 2010, when Penny and Smoltz will both become free agents, and the Sox have club options on Beckett and Wakefield. I think Theo himself got caught up in Buchholz’s 2007 triumphs, and mistakenly brought him into the Majors before he was ready. So, for the remainder of this year, look for Buchholz to make periodic starts with the Sox, and maybe even come out of the bullpen. This gradual re-introduction in the Major Leagues will prime this young hurler for his future with the Sox.
But, let’s not forget about the other possible explanation for Buchholz’s unexpected start. It is somewhat curious that Theo decided to give Buchholz the nod against the Blue Jays the first day after the All-Star Break. One might expect his 2009 debut to come in the middle of a long stretch without off-days, when our starting five might need a rest day. However, none of our starters have pitched since last Sunday, and they should all be fresh. Yet, Buchholz, our top pitching prospect, is making his first start of the season instead. Why not let Lester, who is 2-0 with a 1.45 against Toronto this season, including a 12 strikeout performance back on May 31? Well, here’s why. After Buchholz’s lackadaisical 2008, his trade value has plummeted. Following his no-hitter and September success in Boston in ‘07, he was gold. Everyone wanted to get their hands on Clay Buchholz. But now, all teams see is that Clay can dominate Triple-A hitters, but can’t do so much in the Majors. After all, his 2-9, 2008 campaign can’t be overshadowed by his no-hitter against the Orioles two years ago. Anyways, the Red Sox are reported to be interested in acquiring Blue Jays’ ace Roy Halladay, whom Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi is prepared to trade, should a team aggressively step up and offer a superb set of prospects, which would ideally include at least one top pitching prospect. Well, what better way to showcase our top pitching prospect to Ricciardi than to have him dominate his own Toronto hitters? If Theo is serious about acquiring Halladay, we’ll probably have to part with Buchholz, and the more his trade value rises before the July 31st deadline, the less we’ll have to give up in addition to Buchholz. Personally, I think the Red Sox are World Series material without Halladay, whom we would have trouble resigning when his contract expires at the end of 2010; I hope the first scenario is really what the Red Sox front office is trying to do, not attempting to pump up Buchholz’s market value in an attempt to trade for Roy Halladay.
Mad at Madden
Tim Wakefield didn’t pitch in Monday’s All-Star Game, and Joe Madden has slid a notch in my book. No, just being there isn’t a thrill for the 42-year old, no matter how much he might say it is. I was disgusted to see Wakefield relaxing in the bullpen with his feet up, while the AL closers came in to finish off the game. He’ll probably never get another chance to pitch in the All-Star Game, and the least Madden could have done is put him in for an inning just to throw the NL batters for a loop with his knuckleball. Most of them have never seen a knuckleball, and Wake has won three of the four games he started against NL teams. Mark Buehrle has decent stuff, but he’s basically Johan Santana in a White Sox uniform—nothing the NL isn’t used to seeing. And second of all, this was Buehrle’s fourth All-Star appearance, and in the 2005 Midsummer Classic, he threw two scoreless innings. I think he’s had his All-Star Game fill. Joe Madden must have known how much Red Sox Nation wanted to see the second-oldest first-time All-Star pitch, so why couldn’t he have let him thrown one freakin’ inning?
As an aside, we’ve been hearing about how Satchel Paige was the oldest first-time All-Star in Major League history, when he represented the St. Louis Browns on the American League team in 1952 at the ripe age of 46. In a rain-shortened game, he did not get a chance to pitch. However, the next year, he was again on the American League All-Star team, and he pitched an inning, while giving up three hits and two runs.
As an aside, we’ve been hearing about how Satchel Paige was the oldest first-time All-Star in Major League history, when he represented the St. Louis Browns on the American League team in 1952 at the ripe age of 46. In a rain-shortened game, he did not get a chance to pitch. However, the next year, he was again on the American League All-Star team, and he pitched an inning, while giving up three hits and two runs.
A Look Back, and a Look Forward
Here we are, twilight of the 2009 All-Star Break. I’d like to take a moment to look back on how the standings looked at this time last year.
Let’s start with the AL. The improbable story of the 2008 Rays has grown all the more probable. Whereas last season, they stood atop the AL East virtually the whole year, today, they stand 6.5 games back of Boston in the East, good enough for third place. Right about where they belong. I get goosebumps just reminiscing about that ungodly situation for the BoSox. Chasing the Rays! Eesh! Glad that’s over. What I did like about last year’s AL East race was the Yanks finding themselves 12.5 games back of first place at the end of August. Today, they’re 3.0 back of Boston, even as their rotation and bullpen struggle mightily. I think 2008’s AL East was nothing more than a fluke. The Rays are back in the doghouse, and get used to seeing the Yankees in our rear view mirror. As for the AL Central, the Royals and Indians are in an even worse situation than last year’s combined .442 winning percentage at the break. This year, neither have won 40 games (two of the three AL teams to have less than 40 wins), and have a combined winning percentage barely over .400. Last year’s letdown season for the Tigers is no more—they’re now at the top of the division. However, that turnaround could also be accounted for by the struggles of Detroit’s main competition, the White Sox and Twins. Combined, they’re only three games over .500, and have basically handed the division to the Tigers, who have the worst record of any first place team in baseball. As for the West, the last time the Angles did not win the division was 2003, back when they were the Anaheim Angels. So it’s no surprise to see them atop the leaderboard there. The Rangers continue to progress, this year looking like a real contender for the first time in a long time. Even without Josh Hamilton for a large portion of the season, they’ve managed to keep the Angels honest, even leading the division as late as July 10th. Another change is in Oakland. Whereas last year they were seven games above .500, and second in the West, this year they are one of three AL teams to have less than 40 wins, and are 12.0 games back of first place.
The biggest shocker in the National League has to be in the NL West. At this time last year, the Diamondbacks were in the lead with a 47-48 record. It was the only division to not have a single team above .500. (Every other division had three teams with at least .500 records.) Yet this year, it is arguably the best division in baseball. Colorado has the median number of wins: 46—which is the best median record in the National League. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball, and San Francisco and Colorado are the top contenders in the Wild Card race. Turning to the Central, last year the Cubbies had the best record in baseball, and had the division locked up, leading St. Louis by 4.5 games. This year, with no team ready to step up and make a run for it, it’s a toss-up: five—count ‘em five—teams are within 4.5 games of the lead, and St. Louis is currently at the top, but with the worst record of any first place team in all of baseball. The West went from being the worst division in baseball to the best, and the Central has gone from one of the best divisions to one of the worst. In the NL East, the story has to be the not-so-Amazin’s. The Mets are under .500 by four games, and are ahead of only the Nationals in their division. At this time last year, they were in the hunt, only .05 games behind the Phillies. And other than the struggles of the injury-stricken Mets, the NL East standings are pretty stable compared to last year. Florida’s youth keeps them competitive, and the Braves are regaining some respect after their 14 consecutive playoff appearance streak came to an end in 2006.
Last year, only one team that led its division at the All-Star Break lost that lead by the end of the season. This year, I don’t think any will. The only change I predict by the end of the season will be the American League Wild Card: the Yankees will fall out of first place, and the Rangers will make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They start the second half with 12 of 15 games at home, which should get them off to a great start. They’re potent offense led by Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and Josh Hamilton, along with a reliable bullpen will power them past the heavy hitters in NY. In the NL Wild Card, the starting rotation in San Francisco will fend off the Rockies, who are nipping at their heels, and all the league leaders will remain the same as the season continues.
Let’s start with the AL. The improbable story of the 2008 Rays has grown all the more probable. Whereas last season, they stood atop the AL East virtually the whole year, today, they stand 6.5 games back of Boston in the East, good enough for third place. Right about where they belong. I get goosebumps just reminiscing about that ungodly situation for the BoSox. Chasing the Rays! Eesh! Glad that’s over. What I did like about last year’s AL East race was the Yanks finding themselves 12.5 games back of first place at the end of August. Today, they’re 3.0 back of Boston, even as their rotation and bullpen struggle mightily. I think 2008’s AL East was nothing more than a fluke. The Rays are back in the doghouse, and get used to seeing the Yankees in our rear view mirror. As for the AL Central, the Royals and Indians are in an even worse situation than last year’s combined .442 winning percentage at the break. This year, neither have won 40 games (two of the three AL teams to have less than 40 wins), and have a combined winning percentage barely over .400. Last year’s letdown season for the Tigers is no more—they’re now at the top of the division. However, that turnaround could also be accounted for by the struggles of Detroit’s main competition, the White Sox and Twins. Combined, they’re only three games over .500, and have basically handed the division to the Tigers, who have the worst record of any first place team in baseball. As for the West, the last time the Angles did not win the division was 2003, back when they were the Anaheim Angels. So it’s no surprise to see them atop the leaderboard there. The Rangers continue to progress, this year looking like a real contender for the first time in a long time. Even without Josh Hamilton for a large portion of the season, they’ve managed to keep the Angels honest, even leading the division as late as July 10th. Another change is in Oakland. Whereas last year they were seven games above .500, and second in the West, this year they are one of three AL teams to have less than 40 wins, and are 12.0 games back of first place.
The biggest shocker in the National League has to be in the NL West. At this time last year, the Diamondbacks were in the lead with a 47-48 record. It was the only division to not have a single team above .500. (Every other division had three teams with at least .500 records.) Yet this year, it is arguably the best division in baseball. Colorado has the median number of wins: 46—which is the best median record in the National League. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball, and San Francisco and Colorado are the top contenders in the Wild Card race. Turning to the Central, last year the Cubbies had the best record in baseball, and had the division locked up, leading St. Louis by 4.5 games. This year, with no team ready to step up and make a run for it, it’s a toss-up: five—count ‘em five—teams are within 4.5 games of the lead, and St. Louis is currently at the top, but with the worst record of any first place team in all of baseball. The West went from being the worst division in baseball to the best, and the Central has gone from one of the best divisions to one of the worst. In the NL East, the story has to be the not-so-Amazin’s. The Mets are under .500 by four games, and are ahead of only the Nationals in their division. At this time last year, they were in the hunt, only .05 games behind the Phillies. And other than the struggles of the injury-stricken Mets, the NL East standings are pretty stable compared to last year. Florida’s youth keeps them competitive, and the Braves are regaining some respect after their 14 consecutive playoff appearance streak came to an end in 2006.
Last year, only one team that led its division at the All-Star Break lost that lead by the end of the season. This year, I don’t think any will. The only change I predict by the end of the season will be the American League Wild Card: the Yankees will fall out of first place, and the Rangers will make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They start the second half with 12 of 15 games at home, which should get them off to a great start. They’re potent offense led by Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and Josh Hamilton, along with a reliable bullpen will power them past the heavy hitters in NY. In the NL Wild Card, the starting rotation in San Francisco will fend off the Rockies, who are nipping at their heels, and all the league leaders will remain the same as the season continues.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Midsummer Classic Preview
Here are my picks for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri.
1. The finals of the Home Run Derby will be Detroit’s catcher-turned-third-basemen-turned-power hitter, Brandon Inge, against San Diego’s first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. These two contestants have the highest HR/2B ratio in the competition. To me, this stat shows that, given a pitch in their strike zone, they’re not going to hit a double because they have the strength and athleticism to hit it out of the park. Since they’re not going to get anything out of their strike zone on Monday, they won’t be hitting any balls to the wall; just homers.
2. Adrian Gonzalez will win the Home Run Derby. He’s tied for the second-most HRs in all of baseball, and has been a consistent power hitter throughout his career. He’s missed one game the past three seasons, so with a day of rest he’s not accustomed to, he will be fresher than ever. At 27, he’s in the best shape of his career. He’s on pace to shatter his career high 36 home runs, and picked up his first stolen base of his career early this season. He’s on a cold streak, picking up only four home runs since the start of June, but I think he’ll find his power stroke by Monday.
3. Tim Lincecum will start the All-Star Game for the NL. Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner will only be asked to throw a couple innings, he’ll be able to give it all he’s got for 30 pitches or so. Come Tuesday, Lincecum will have a full five days of rest and will be ready to throw. NL leader in wins, Jason Marquis, pitched yesterday, so he’d be coming off two day’s rest, which is not enough time to fully recover. Lincecum is an enthusiastic youngster, who will be pumped up to represent his league; so he’ll put forth more of an effort than a veteran like Johan Santana might. He leads the NL by almost twenty strikeouts with 149, and his unorthodox delivery might trouble some American Leaguers. Critics say he'll have a short career because of his strenuous wind-up, so one would hope he'll be able to take advantage of his oppertunities while he can. Honorable mention: Chris Carpenter—when he’s healthy, there’s no one better. A Cardinal, he’d get a friendly welcome from his fans in St. Louis. He missed an entire month with a rib injury, but he has a WHIP under .90, which you seldom see from a starter, and has an ERA under 2.50. It’s a shame the injury bug has plagued this one-time Cy Young winner for essentially his whole career.
4. Zack Greinke will start the All-Star Game for the AL. Early this year, we saw what this 25-year old is capable of: through his first 6 starts, he had 6 wins with an ERA of 0.40, 54 Ks against just 8 walks. When Greinke’s on, he’s virtually unhittable. Three years ago, he missed considerable amounts of time after being diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression, and to start in the All-Star Game this year would really be a great story. He has faltered a bit recently, but I would too if I figured out I could go six innings, with six strikeouts and one walk, give up two runs, and come up with the loss. The only thing Greinke’s done wrong this season is pitch for the Royals. They have scored the second fewest runs in the Majors this year (under four per game), which means Greinke needs to be utterly perfect in order to pick up a win. He has the lowest ERA in the AL, and has 10 wins. Ten wins is respectable, but if Wakefield can pick up 11 wins with a 4.31 ERA, imagine how many Greinke would have if he were pitching for an offense like the Red Sox. Wins can be deceiving, as they are dependent on how much run support a pitcher gets. Greinke is first in the AL in ERA and HR allowed, and is second in Ks, BBs, and WHIP.
1. The finals of the Home Run Derby will be Detroit’s catcher-turned-third-basemen-turned-power hitter, Brandon Inge, against San Diego’s first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. These two contestants have the highest HR/2B ratio in the competition. To me, this stat shows that, given a pitch in their strike zone, they’re not going to hit a double because they have the strength and athleticism to hit it out of the park. Since they’re not going to get anything out of their strike zone on Monday, they won’t be hitting any balls to the wall; just homers.
2. Adrian Gonzalez will win the Home Run Derby. He’s tied for the second-most HRs in all of baseball, and has been a consistent power hitter throughout his career. He’s missed one game the past three seasons, so with a day of rest he’s not accustomed to, he will be fresher than ever. At 27, he’s in the best shape of his career. He’s on pace to shatter his career high 36 home runs, and picked up his first stolen base of his career early this season. He’s on a cold streak, picking up only four home runs since the start of June, but I think he’ll find his power stroke by Monday.
3. Tim Lincecum will start the All-Star Game for the NL. Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner will only be asked to throw a couple innings, he’ll be able to give it all he’s got for 30 pitches or so. Come Tuesday, Lincecum will have a full five days of rest and will be ready to throw. NL leader in wins, Jason Marquis, pitched yesterday, so he’d be coming off two day’s rest, which is not enough time to fully recover. Lincecum is an enthusiastic youngster, who will be pumped up to represent his league; so he’ll put forth more of an effort than a veteran like Johan Santana might. He leads the NL by almost twenty strikeouts with 149, and his unorthodox delivery might trouble some American Leaguers. Critics say he'll have a short career because of his strenuous wind-up, so one would hope he'll be able to take advantage of his oppertunities while he can. Honorable mention: Chris Carpenter—when he’s healthy, there’s no one better. A Cardinal, he’d get a friendly welcome from his fans in St. Louis. He missed an entire month with a rib injury, but he has a WHIP under .90, which you seldom see from a starter, and has an ERA under 2.50. It’s a shame the injury bug has plagued this one-time Cy Young winner for essentially his whole career.4. Zack Greinke will start the All-Star Game for the AL. Early this year, we saw what this 25-year old is capable of: through his first 6 starts, he had 6 wins with an ERA of 0.40, 54 Ks against just 8 walks. When Greinke’s on, he’s virtually unhittable. Three years ago, he missed considerable amounts of time after being diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and depression, and to start in the All-Star Game this year would really be a great story. He has faltered a bit recently, but I would too if I figured out I could go six innings, with six strikeouts and one walk, give up two runs, and come up with the loss. The only thing Greinke’s done wrong this season is pitch for the Royals. They have scored the second fewest runs in the Majors this year (under four per game), which means Greinke needs to be utterly perfect in order to pick up a win. He has the lowest ERA in the AL, and has 10 wins. Ten wins is respectable, but if Wakefield can pick up 11 wins with a 4.31 ERA, imagine how many Greinke would have if he were pitching for an offense like the Red Sox. Wins can be deceiving, as they are dependent on how much run support a pitcher gets. Greinke is first in the AL in ERA and HR allowed, and is second in Ks, BBs, and WHIP.
Curse of the HR Derby?
Nowadays, you'll hear players cop out of the HR Derby, claiming that, "it messes up your swing", or something along those lines. I don't see how three rounds of swinging for the fences (essentially a televised round of BP) can pull the plug on the rest of your season, right? Let's find out. Here's what the past nine HR Derby champions have done before and after the Derby.
SAMMY SOSA-2000
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 86 103 23 74 97 .305 .574
post-HR Derby 70 90 27 64 71 .338 .711
LUIS GONZALEZ-2001
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 87 103 26 66 43 .342 .674
Post-HR Derby 75 95 31 76 40 .308 .701
JASON GIAMBI-2002
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 86 100 22 71 63 .318 .602
Post-HR Derby 69 76 19 51 49 .309 .593
GARRET ANDERSON-2003
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 92 117 22 78 48 .316 .597
Post-HR Derby 67 84 7 38 35 .313 0.463
MIGUEL TEJADA-2004
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 85 107 15 75 28 .311 .506
Post-HR Derby 77 96 19 75 45 .311 .566
BOBBY ABREU-2005
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 89 99 18 58 65 .307 .526
Post-HR Derby 73 69 6 44 69 .260 .411
RYAN HOWARD-2006
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 84 88 28 71 97 .278 .582
Post-HR Derby 75 94 30 78 84 .355 .751
VLADIMIR GUERRERO-2007
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 85 101 14 75 32 .325 .548
Post-HR Derby 65 85 13 50 30 .323 .546
JUSTIN MORNEAU-2008
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 95 118 14 68 55 .323 .512
Post-HR Derby 68 69 9 61 30 .267 .481
Only three times did a batter's statistics change noticeably following their victory at the Derby (±3 HR ±.20 BA, in the same direction). One of these times (Sammy Sosa), both numbers increased. Furthermore, I wouldn’t give much thought to Morneau’s drop in numbers, since, throughout his 7-year career, his 1st half hitting numbers are far better than his second half numbers—his 1st half HR total nearly doubles his 2nd half’s, and his BA is 32 points higher before the All-Star break compared to after it. That leaves Abreu as the sole culprit; the only proof that superstitious players have that participation in the HR Derby creates glitches in your swing, and ruins the rest of the season. However, by citing Sosa’s improvement after his Derby victory, Abreu’s drop in offense is basically null and void. One player’s numbers shot up, while another’s plummeted—not a very convincing case. So what is it that has influenced notorious HR hitters like Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez to decline a chance to participate in the HR Derby? Probably arrogance. They don’t want to get shown up by someone whom they consider a lesser hitter. This will sound totally off the mark in Manny’s case, but those sluggers who refuse to put on a show on the eve of the All-Star Game must be taking the game way too seriously. In 1999, when Sosa was asked about his poor showing after the Derby’s first round, he told sideline reporter Stuart Scott that he didn’t care, it doesn’t matter since he was just out there to have a good time. Who could forget Big Papi’s role as towel boy, wiping the sweat away from, and bringing Gatorade to whomever is at bat? That’s what it’s all about. It’s not about winning and defining your legacy. Who’s going to remember if Manny got eliminated after round one of the HR Derby, then went 0-2 in the midsummer classic? Probably no one. So, if you look at the data, there’s virtually no reason anyone should refuse a chance to win the HR Derby.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3183612
SAMMY SOSA-2000
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 86 103 23 74 97 .305 .574
post-HR Derby 70 90 27 64 71 .338 .711
LUIS GONZALEZ-2001
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 87 103 26 66 43 .342 .674
Post-HR Derby 75 95 31 76 40 .308 .701
JASON GIAMBI-2002
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 86 100 22 71 63 .318 .602
Post-HR Derby 69 76 19 51 49 .309 .593
GARRET ANDERSON-2003
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 92 117 22 78 48 .316 .597
Post-HR Derby 67 84 7 38 35 .313 0.463
MIGUEL TEJADA-2004
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 85 107 15 75 28 .311 .506
Post-HR Derby 77 96 19 75 45 .311 .566
BOBBY ABREU-2005
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 89 99 18 58 65 .307 .526
Post-HR Derby 73 69 6 44 69 .260 .411
RYAN HOWARD-2006
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 84 88 28 71 97 .278 .582
Post-HR Derby 75 94 30 78 84 .355 .751
VLADIMIR GUERRERO-2007
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 85 101 14 75 32 .325 .548
Post-HR Derby 65 85 13 50 30 .323 .546
JUSTIN MORNEAU-2008
G H HR RBI SO BA SLG
Pre-HR Derby 95 118 14 68 55 .323 .512
Post-HR Derby 68 69 9 61 30 .267 .481
Only three times did a batter's statistics change noticeably following their victory at the Derby (±3 HR ±.20 BA, in the same direction). One of these times (Sammy Sosa), both numbers increased. Furthermore, I wouldn’t give much thought to Morneau’s drop in numbers, since, throughout his 7-year career, his 1st half hitting numbers are far better than his second half numbers—his 1st half HR total nearly doubles his 2nd half’s, and his BA is 32 points higher before the All-Star break compared to after it. That leaves Abreu as the sole culprit; the only proof that superstitious players have that participation in the HR Derby creates glitches in your swing, and ruins the rest of the season. However, by citing Sosa’s improvement after his Derby victory, Abreu’s drop in offense is basically null and void. One player’s numbers shot up, while another’s plummeted—not a very convincing case. So what is it that has influenced notorious HR hitters like Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez to decline a chance to participate in the HR Derby? Probably arrogance. They don’t want to get shown up by someone whom they consider a lesser hitter. This will sound totally off the mark in Manny’s case, but those sluggers who refuse to put on a show on the eve of the All-Star Game must be taking the game way too seriously. In 1999, when Sosa was asked about his poor showing after the Derby’s first round, he told sideline reporter Stuart Scott that he didn’t care, it doesn’t matter since he was just out there to have a good time. Who could forget Big Papi’s role as towel boy, wiping the sweat away from, and bringing Gatorade to whomever is at bat? That’s what it’s all about. It’s not about winning and defining your legacy. Who’s going to remember if Manny got eliminated after round one of the HR Derby, then went 0-2 in the midsummer classic? Probably no one. So, if you look at the data, there’s virtually no reason anyone should refuse a chance to win the HR Derby.
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=3183612
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
What's up with That? ESPNChicago
Chicago has their own ESPN site called espnchicago. It got started last April as ESPN’s first local sports media venture. Let’s juxtapose all the Chicago sports teams with those of Boston and see who has fared better in recent years. Since 2000, Chicago has brought home one championship, and Boston has taken six. And yet, ESPN feels like Chicago deserves its own media outlet, and that it should be advertised every half-hour on SportsCenter. If any city deserves special treatment in the sporting world, it’s Boston.So I ask you, ESPN, what’s up with that?
Bears: Record past five seasons, 45-35, two losing seasons. Since 1995, they’ve made the postseason three times, and two out of three times, they failed to win a single playoff game. Last championship, 1985. Marquis names: Brian Urlacher, Jay Cutler
Patriots: Record past five seasons: 63-17, zero losing seasons. Reached the playoffs six of the past eight years, and have never lost their opening series. Super Bowl champions 2001, 2003, 2004. Last championship: 2004. Marquis names: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Jerrod Mayo
Bulls: Record past five seasons, 211-199, one losing season (two .500 seasons). Since the days of MJ, they’ve won a single playoff series. Last championship: 1998. Marquis names: Ben Gordon—gone to free agency, Kirk Hinrich—benched, Derrick Rose—sophomore slump, anyone?
Celtics: Record past five seasons, 230-180, two losing seasons. They’ve finished first in the Atlantic division three of the past five years, and have made the playoffs six of the past nine years. Last championship: 2008. Marquis names: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Rasheed Wallace, the list goes on
Cubs: Record past five seasons, 416-393, two losing seasons. Do I need to mention the Curse of the Billy Goat? They haven’t won the World Series in a century! Three managers since 2001, and no postseason wins since 2004. Last championship: 1907. Marquis names: Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Zambrano
White Sox: Record past five seasons, 433-378, one losing season. I do have to give the South Siders some props for their recent years’ success. They won the World Series in 2005, and skipper Ozzie Guillen keeps his squad in the headlines (for good or bad). Last championship: 2005. Marquis names: Carlos Quentin, Paul Konerko
Red Sox: Record past five seasons, 470-340, zero losing seasons. Do I need to mention the Curse of the Bambino? It’s been broken! World Series champs in 2004 and 2007. Stuck in the toughest division in baseball, these Sox haven’t had a losing season since 1997. Red Sox Nation is alive and well, and I’d be willing to bet its population equals the total number of Cubs and ChiSox fans. Not to mention, the Fenway Faithful hold the longest streak of consecutive sellouts in baseball history (at well over 500 games). Last championship: 2007 Marquis names: David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Josh Beckett
Blackhawks: Record past five years, 163-186, three losing seasons. They’ve been making some progress in recent years, but they’ve only made the playoffs twice since the 1997-1998 season. They have longest current Stanley Cup draught in the entire NHL, now at 48 years. Last championship: 1961. Marquis names: Martin Havlat, Marian Hossa
Bruins: Record past five seasons: 199-145, two losing seasons. Made the playoffs 29 straight seasons from 1967-1996, and have qualified for the postseason the past two years. Last season, they tied for the most wins of any team in the NHL, and won the Eastern Conference. Last championship: 1972. Marquis names: Zdeno Chara, Tim Thomas, Patrice Bergeron
Miscellaneous: Chicago Fire (soccer) won the MLS Cup in 1998, but haven’t made a trip to the finals since 2003. Chicago Sky (WNBA) have never had a winning season since their debut in 2006.
Miscellaneous: New England Revolution (soccer) made it to the MLS finals three years in a row from 2005-2007, and have qualified for the playoffs the past seven years. Boston Cannons (lax) is one of the original six teams of MLL and have a 9-season record of 60-48.
And so ESPN thinks Chicago sports have what it takes to keep ESPN reporters busy around the clock. Why? Because they have won extra baseball team? Clearly, Boston is where they belong. The only reason I can think of that would steer ESPN away from Boston is that Boston's local sports coverage--the Globe, WEEI, NESN--is probably the best in the country, and ESPN's Steve Phillips doesn't want to get shown up by the local reporters. But really, ESPN, what's up with that? We'd all love a little extra TLC from the national media.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Just Dive, Drew!
I don’t know if I was the only one who noticed this, but last night, Sox fans gathered another piece of evidence in the case of Red Sox Nation v. J.D. Drew. In the sixth inning, Justin Masterson was charged with his first blown save after David DeJesus hit a 381 foot home run just into the right field bullpen. Now, most outfielders would relish a long ball that clears the wall by less than a foot, because most outfielders like to give the home crowd a show by making a magnificent catch that robs a home run. But not J.D. Drew. He was content to bump into the wall as gently as a leaf falling to the ground, content to watch the ball skim the top of the wall, as two Royals jogged around the bases. But we were playing the Royals, and already had the game in control, so why risk an injury, right? Actually, no. Dejesus’s two-run shot essentially won the game for the Royals, who ended up beating Boston 8-6. Here's J.D.'s lack of effort. http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5501039
It hurts me to say this about a professional outfielder, but J.D. must still be haunted by the time he crashed into the right field wall in 2007: chasing down a fly ball, he bruised his back, putting him out of the lineup for a few days. OK, so he’s a little wimpy for not wanting to put his body on the line like we watched Coco do time and time again. But there’s more. In 2007, two months after he bruised his back on that wall, Fenway groundskeepers added two inches of padding so that J.D. Drew wouldn’t have to fear hurting himself if he decided to play all-out baseball for once in his life. And yet, even now, J.D. still isn’t comfortable playing his position the way it was meant to be played. To see a real outfielder, see Aaron Rowand’s body-sacrificing running catch for the Phillies. I know people always look to J.D. as the cause of all the Red Sox’s problems, and I’m not one of those people. I know he’s ultra-talented, and his on-base percentage is off the charts. Plus, who can forget his grand slam in game six of the 2007 ALCS against the Indians (we won the World Series that year. Thanks, J.D.!) But I’m still waiting to see some $14 million-a-year defense from this one-time All Star.a
It hurts me to say this about a professional outfielder, but J.D. must still be haunted by the time he crashed into the right field wall in 2007: chasing down a fly ball, he bruised his back, putting him out of the lineup for a few days. OK, so he’s a little wimpy for not wanting to put his body on the line like we watched Coco do time and time again. But there’s more. In 2007, two months after he bruised his back on that wall, Fenway groundskeepers added two inches of padding so that J.D. Drew wouldn’t have to fear hurting himself if he decided to play all-out baseball for once in his life. And yet, even now, J.D. still isn’t comfortable playing his position the way it was meant to be played. To see a real outfielder, see Aaron Rowand’s body-sacrificing running catch for the Phillies. I know people always look to J.D. as the cause of all the Red Sox’s problems, and I’m not one of those people. I know he’s ultra-talented, and his on-base percentage is off the charts. Plus, who can forget his grand slam in game six of the 2007 ALCS against the Indians (we won the World Series that year. Thanks, J.D.!) But I’m still waiting to see some $14 million-a-year defense from this one-time All Star.a
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Stat of the Day: The Effects of a Full Count
Out of the Red Sox starting nine, only one player is batting better than .250 with a full count this season. That player is David Ortiz. His BA with a full count is far away the best on the team; his .414 average is .164 higher than the Sox’s second best hitter with a 3-2 count, Kevin Youkilis (.250). I think this statistic explains why we love David so much. With the pressure on, and the Fenway Faithful on their feet, Ortiz comes through more often than any other Red Sock. In fact, even with Ortiz in the lineup, the Red Sox BA with a 3-2 count is .215. As a whole, the team batting average for the BoSox is .265, a full .50 points higher than our pipsqueak .215 with a full count. I didn’t know if this was a Boston idiosyncrasy, or if most teams struggle with a full count. So I took a look at the Yankee lineup. Their team BA with a full count is .264, whereas their team batting average, disregarding the count is .276, a difference of only .012 points. But more importantly, the Yankee BA with a full count is way better than what the Sox do when the count is full. Also, it may surprise you to know which Bronx Bomber has the best BA with a full count. No, not Mr. Clutch Derek Jeter, but Johnny Damon. His .429 average with a full count is even better than Big Papi’s!
So what have we learned after this rant? David Ortiz’s reputation for being good in clutch is no fallacy; he is in his element with the pressure on. In fact, his .414 3-2 BA is second only to the classic hitter’s count of 3-0. Also, when Johnny Damon is at the plate with a full count, be careful what you throw him. Next, the Red Sox lineup as a whole should not let the count run full all that much (especially Mike Lowell, who bats .111 with a full count), and should try their hardest to find a pitch to hit early in the count.
So what have we learned after this rant? David Ortiz’s reputation for being good in clutch is no fallacy; he is in his element with the pressure on. In fact, his .414 3-2 BA is second only to the classic hitter’s count of 3-0. Also, when Johnny Damon is at the plate with a full count, be careful what you throw him. Next, the Red Sox lineup as a whole should not let the count run full all that much (especially Mike Lowell, who bats .111 with a full count), and should try their hardest to find a pitch to hit early in the count.
Stat of the Day: Youkilis
Of the top 50 AL hitters, (by BA), the average difference between their BA and OBP is .66. So if a batter hit .305, one would expect his OBP to be .371. A difference of more than .66 would indicate that a batter has a keen eye, and thus walks quite a bit—this is a good thing. Generally speaking, walks are good, and if a batter can maintain a high BA, and high OBP, he is a valuable asset to his team. Kevin Youkilis’s OBP is an astonishing 1.20 higher than his BA. Of the top AL hitters, this range is second only to Ben Zobrist of the Tampa Bay Rays, (1.22). Nevertheless, Youk’s data is more impressive because his BA is still .9 points higher than that of Zobrist, and his OBP is .7 points higher. Here’s what I mean:
Ben Zobrist: Batting average = .282
On-base percentage = .404
Difference, .404 -.282 = 1.22
Kevin Youkilis: Batting average = .291
On-base percentage = .411
Difference, .411 - .291 = 1.20
Ben Zobrist: Batting average = .282
On-base percentage = .404
Difference, .404 -.282 = 1.22
Kevin Youkilis: Batting average = .291
On-base percentage = .411
Difference, .411 - .291 = 1.20
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Stat of the Day: Junebug
David Ortiz has finished one fantastic June after his maddening first few months to the season. Take a look at his numbers: .320 BA, 7 HR, 18 RBI, 1.062 OPS in 24 games. In each of these four telling stats, Ortiz ranks better than the entire AL All-Star starting infield of Evan Longoria, Derek Jeter, Dustin Pedroia, and Mark Teixera. On top of that, he’s only made one fielding error all season!
But what’s most interesting about this breakout June is that it wouldn’t be totally out of the question for him to keep batting at this pace for the rest of the year. If he batted a whole year at the pace of this past June, he would not set career highs in any category. His 1.062 OPS would rank behind his 1.066 of 2007, and his .320 BA would not be as good as the .332 he hit in ’07. The 121 RBI he would be on pace for would be less than the ’04, ’05, and ’06 seasons, and his 47 projected homers would tie his 2005 total, and fall short of the 54 he hit in 2006. So what does this June ’09 tell us about the remainder of Papi’s season? We know he still has it in him to put up big numbers, and it wouldn’t be asking too much of the 5-time All-Star to keep hitting as well as he did in June.
Furthermore, over the course of David’s career, June has been a turning point. What D-Day was to WWII, the month of June is to Ortiz’s hitting statistics. Once June rolls around, everything else starts to unfold for Ortiz. With each month following June, Ortiz’s numbers improve in every major category: his career hits, runs, doubles, RBI, walks, and homers are better in July than they were in June, and better in August than they were in July. Let’s look/hope for a monster rest of the season from Big Papi.
But what’s most interesting about this breakout June is that it wouldn’t be totally out of the question for him to keep batting at this pace for the rest of the year. If he batted a whole year at the pace of this past June, he would not set career highs in any category. His 1.062 OPS would rank behind his 1.066 of 2007, and his .320 BA would not be as good as the .332 he hit in ’07. The 121 RBI he would be on pace for would be less than the ’04, ’05, and ’06 seasons, and his 47 projected homers would tie his 2005 total, and fall short of the 54 he hit in 2006. So what does this June ’09 tell us about the remainder of Papi’s season? We know he still has it in him to put up big numbers, and it wouldn’t be asking too much of the 5-time All-Star to keep hitting as well as he did in June.
Furthermore, over the course of David’s career, June has been a turning point. What D-Day was to WWII, the month of June is to Ortiz’s hitting statistics. Once June rolls around, everything else starts to unfold for Ortiz. With each month following June, Ortiz’s numbers improve in every major category: his career hits, runs, doubles, RBI, walks, and homers are better in July than they were in June, and better in August than they were in July. Let’s look/hope for a monster rest of the season from Big Papi.
No Ring For the King with Shaq
So LeBron and Shaq had some good chemistry at last year’s All-Star game, but I don’t think Shaq will get LeBron his championship when they play together this season, and here’s why. When Shaq has won championships, he’s had Kobe in LA (6-6, 205 lbs.), and he’s had D-Wade in Miami (6-4, 216 lbs.) Both are guards who prefer to take perimeter jump shots than drive the lane. Their style of play is what Shaq complements best. Not that of a forward like LeBron James (6-8, 250 lbs). Here’s what happens with Shaq under the rim: defenses need to double-team Shaq, or else he’ll swallow up every pass and use his post-up play to score basket after basket. With so many men down low, Kobe/Wade were left open—or at least under single-coverage, which is basically open, for them—so they could bury the their jump shots easily. In Kobe Bryant’s 13 NBA seasons, he has had better than 46.3% field goal shooting five times. All but one of those times he owes to Shaq. In the 2005-2006 season, the Heat won their first NBA championship with Shaq, and Dwayne Wade shot 49.5% from the field. He has never shot so well in his career, even last year when he led the NBA in PPG. But in Phoenix, Shaq wasn’t able to make a huge difference because the big stud he was supposed to play alongside was Amare Stoudemire, who looks more like a LeBron than Kobe or D-Wade. Stoudemire is a 6-10 and 250 lbs foward. Granted, LeBron is a more of a shooter than Stoudemire, but King James’s dominion is just as much in the paint as on the perimeter. With Shaq drawing so many defenders under the rim, where is LeBron supposed to go? If he tries to drive the lane, he’ll find that Shaq creates more traffic than NYC rush hour. Zdrunas Ilgauskas was happy to take passes further away from the rim and take a step-back two-pointer, leaving space for LeBron under the rim. Now, if the Cavs got Shaq as an answer to Dwight Howard, they did a good job. O’Neal will be able to stop Superman (#2) more effectively than Ilguaskas, as he is much more of a defensive force. However, he will also be an encumbrance to LeBron on the offensive side of court. Looking at the stars Shaq has played with, Lebron falls somewhere between Stoudemire and Dwayne Wade. So, look for the 2009-2010 Cavaliers to have a season that is more successful than the 2008-2009 Phoenix Suns, but not as successful as the 2005-2006 Miami Heat.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Bruins' Free Agent Market
The NHL free agency period began July 1st. Some notable Bruin free agents include P.J. Axelsson, Mark Recchi, Steve Montador, Stephane Yelle, Byron Bitz, and Shane Hnidy, and Phil Kessel. Wingers Mark Recchi and Byron Bitz have already signed with the B’s, while 11-year Bruin P.J. Axelsson is still exploring the market, and scoring machine Phillip Kessel’s future has yet to be determined. The Bruins have only so much cap space left on their roster, so they may not be able to afford their first-line center this coming year. There were some trade rumors that would send Kessel to Toronto for 4-time All-Star defenseman Thomas Kaberle*. Kessel was undoubtedly the Bruin’s main offensive threat, and the B’s will need to either resign Kessel or acquire another big-name player, if they want to repeat as the Eastern Conference’s top goal-scoring team.
*Since Kessel is a restricted free agent, the Bruins do have “dibs” on the Kessel, with the chance to match any offer given to him. This is why, although Kessel is technically a free agent, the Bruins are within their rights to trade him.
NBA Free Agency '09
The free agents of 2009 were free to begin negotiations with any NBA team on July 1st. Although free agents can’t actually sign with any team until July 8th, several free agents have agreed to sign with a particular team, once that date rolls around. The big names that have already signed are Ron Artest with the Lakers (3-year), Hedo Turkoglu with the Raptors, Trevor Ariza with the Rockets (5-year), Charlie Villanueva with the Pistons (5-year), Ben Gordon with the Pistons (5-year), and yesterday’s reports are that Rasheed Wallace is heading to Boston for a two-year contract.
Before I talk about this deal for the Celts, I’d like remind y’all that there is a salary cap in the NBA. However, unlike the “hard” cap of the NFL and NHL, the NBA features a “loose” cap. Whereas in the NFL teams can exceed the cap in only the rarest of circumstances, the NBA offers a variety of exceptions by which teams can exceeds the salary cap. One exception that you have probably heard mentioned this offseason is the mid-level exception (MLE). It allows a team already over the cap to sign a player with a single year’s pay that is equal to the league’s average salary. Another common exception is the Larry Bird exception (named because the Celtics were the first team to implement this rule when they re-signed Larry Bird), which allows a team to resign their own free agent for the league’s maximum salary if the so-called “Bird free agent” has played for one team for at least three years in a row, without being waived.*
Rasheed Wallace, who can play both forward and center, will make Boston one of the most experienced teams in the NBA. He is a great two-way threat with plenty of experience, and will make a great addition to the Celtics lineup. Between Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Wallace, the Celtics have an unprecedented 53 years of NBA experience. With the addition of Shaq, Boston’s Eastern Conference rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers projected starting five will have a combined 38 years of experience. Last year, ‘Sheed had his lowest PPG since his rookie year with the Washington Bullets, scoring only 12.0 points a game; yet his 7.4 rebounds per game was 2.6 above the league average and higher than his own career average. Since his career is on the decline at age 34, Wallace will probably come off the bench for the Celtics, serving as a backup for Kevin Garnett. His willingness to accept a two-year contract worth over $1 million less than his 2008-2009 single-year salary, in addition to his readiness to play fewer minutes is a testament to Rasheed’s desire to win his second championship ring.
Another rumor that has been circulating throughout the media is that Boston is actively pursuing Suns’ free agent Grant Hill, instead of Glen Big Baby Davis, who could be headed to the Spurs. Grant Hill is even older than Sheed, and at age 36, this will be his 15th season in the NBA. While Hill is undoubtedly more proven than Davis, we saw Big Baby’s potential in this year’s playoffs, where he scored 15.8 points and averaged 5.6 rebounds per game while filling in for KG; who knows when he’ll come into his own? 2008-2009 was only his second year in the NBA, and Ainge could probably sign Davis for a less costly contract than he will be forced to pay 7-time All Star Grant Hill.
Looking at Boston’s projected starting lineup, Boston has some of the most proven stars in all of the NBA. Here are some stats between Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Grant Hill:
• Pierce was selected 10th in the 1998 NBA Draft, the lowest out of any of the five players (Allen: 5th, Garnett: 5th, Wallace: 4th, Hill: 3rd
• Together, they have appeared in 40 NBA All Star games
• 5-player averages: 19.50 PPG, 7.06 RPG, 3.72 APG
• Combined 4,606 reg. season games (56 82-game seasons), 402 playoff games
And don’t forget, Boston still has Rajon Rondo prepared to play his 4th season with the Celtics. In this year’s playoffs, he was .3 rebounds and .2 assists short of averaging a triple-double.
Other free agents that have yet to commit to a team include: Dikembe Mutombo, Lamar Odom, Nate Robinson, Marcin Gortat, Andre Miller, Ime Udoka, Mike Bibby, and Shawn Marion, as well as the Celtics’ Leon Powe, Mikki Moore, Stephon Marbury.
*The MLB’s version of a salary cap is the called a “payroll threshold”. Instead of being penalized with the loss of draft picks or millions of dollars (as in the NBA), teams that exceed the salary cap pay a small “luxury tax” that goes to baseball’s “industry-growth fund”. Although the luxury is sometimes called the “competitive balance tax”, the tax money does not redistribute the money to poorer teams. Instead, the MLB uses this fund to promote baseball around the world and for player benefits.
Before I talk about this deal for the Celts, I’d like remind y’all that there is a salary cap in the NBA. However, unlike the “hard” cap of the NFL and NHL, the NBA features a “loose” cap. Whereas in the NFL teams can exceed the cap in only the rarest of circumstances, the NBA offers a variety of exceptions by which teams can exceeds the salary cap. One exception that you have probably heard mentioned this offseason is the mid-level exception (MLE). It allows a team already over the cap to sign a player with a single year’s pay that is equal to the league’s average salary. Another common exception is the Larry Bird exception (named because the Celtics were the first team to implement this rule when they re-signed Larry Bird), which allows a team to resign their own free agent for the league’s maximum salary if the so-called “Bird free agent” has played for one team for at least three years in a row, without being waived.*
Rasheed Wallace, who can play both forward and center, will make Boston one of the most experienced teams in the NBA. He is a great two-way threat with plenty of experience, and will make a great addition to the Celtics lineup. Between Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Wallace, the Celtics have an unprecedented 53 years of NBA experience. With the addition of Shaq, Boston’s Eastern Conference rivals, the Cleveland Cavaliers projected starting five will have a combined 38 years of experience. Last year, ‘Sheed had his lowest PPG since his rookie year with the Washington Bullets, scoring only 12.0 points a game; yet his 7.4 rebounds per game was 2.6 above the league average and higher than his own career average. Since his career is on the decline at age 34, Wallace will probably come off the bench for the Celtics, serving as a backup for Kevin Garnett. His willingness to accept a two-year contract worth over $1 million less than his 2008-2009 single-year salary, in addition to his readiness to play fewer minutes is a testament to Rasheed’s desire to win his second championship ring.
Another rumor that has been circulating throughout the media is that Boston is actively pursuing Suns’ free agent Grant Hill, instead of Glen Big Baby Davis, who could be headed to the Spurs. Grant Hill is even older than Sheed, and at age 36, this will be his 15th season in the NBA. While Hill is undoubtedly more proven than Davis, we saw Big Baby’s potential in this year’s playoffs, where he scored 15.8 points and averaged 5.6 rebounds per game while filling in for KG; who knows when he’ll come into his own? 2008-2009 was only his second year in the NBA, and Ainge could probably sign Davis for a less costly contract than he will be forced to pay 7-time All Star Grant Hill.
Looking at Boston’s projected starting lineup, Boston has some of the most proven stars in all of the NBA. Here are some stats between Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Grant Hill:
• Pierce was selected 10th in the 1998 NBA Draft, the lowest out of any of the five players (Allen: 5th, Garnett: 5th, Wallace: 4th, Hill: 3rd
• Together, they have appeared in 40 NBA All Star games
• 5-player averages: 19.50 PPG, 7.06 RPG, 3.72 APG
• Combined 4,606 reg. season games (56 82-game seasons), 402 playoff games
And don’t forget, Boston still has Rajon Rondo prepared to play his 4th season with the Celtics. In this year’s playoffs, he was .3 rebounds and .2 assists short of averaging a triple-double.
Other free agents that have yet to commit to a team include: Dikembe Mutombo, Lamar Odom, Nate Robinson, Marcin Gortat, Andre Miller, Ime Udoka, Mike Bibby, and Shawn Marion, as well as the Celtics’ Leon Powe, Mikki Moore, Stephon Marbury.
*The MLB’s version of a salary cap is the called a “payroll threshold”. Instead of being penalized with the loss of draft picks or millions of dollars (as in the NBA), teams that exceed the salary cap pay a small “luxury tax” that goes to baseball’s “industry-growth fund”. Although the luxury is sometimes called the “competitive balance tax”, the tax money does not redistribute the money to poorer teams. Instead, the MLB uses this fund to promote baseball around the world and for player benefits.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
What's Up With That? Wimbledon 2009 Finals
What’s up with Roger’s tote bag that he carried onto Centre Court today? Number 1: It looks like he borrowed his wife’s gym bag. Number 2: What the hell does he need to carry onto the court other than a couple rackets, some Gatorade, and maybe a dry shirt? Number 3: He just looks plain goofy carrying his massive Wilson bag, plus his feminine bag big enough to carry a small child.
What’s up with Roger wearing everything detailed in gold? The Nike swoosh on his shoes and headband, the outline of his collar and sleeves, his warmup jacket, and his tote bag—all are white with a dash of gold. Is it because anything except gold will clash when he holds up the gold Wimbledon trophy? What's up with that arrogance, Roger?
What’s up with Roger’s on-court outfit? Not only does the gold detailing give
the impression that he’s full of himself and has no chance of losing, it looks like he either just got drafted to the military or is about to go ballroom dancing. Underneath his military-themed jacket, with cargo pockets galore, he wore a button-down vest that he might as well wear under a tux to go with his Gillette-shaven face and Rolex-covered wrist. What’s up with seating Roger’s wife directly in front of Roddick’s wife? Can anyone say catfight? Roddick is married to blond supermodel Brooklyn Decker, and Federer recently married his longtime girlfriend, Mirka, who is a bit chubby and has unflattering features. Not only does it make Mirka look even worse, but it won’t do anything to make the Roddicks and the Federers better pals. They already don’t have much respect for each other, as they are always getting in each other’s way on the court, but now the women of the family probably hate each other too. I must say, Brooklyn showed much more respect for Federer than Mirka did for Roddick. Whenever the camera showed the two, Mirka was actively rooting, clapping or yelling for her husband, while Brooklyn sat back, and watched with excitement, wanting Andy to pull off the upset, but not disrespecting Roger by applauding every time he made a mistake. What's up with that?
What's up with Venus barely putting up a fight against sister Serena in the women's final? Serena won in stright sets 7-6, 6-2. The previous three times the Williams' sisters met head-to-head they have battled it out, playing three sets each match. I know at 29, Venus might be on the decline in terms of her career, but what's up with that? That sure wasn't the final it was cracked up to be.
What's up with Serena's fashion this tournament? Are you sure she has her own clothing line? Apparently it's called Aneres...I guess she sometimes does dress pretty backwards. In her post-championship press conference, she sported a T-shirt reading "Are you looking at my titles?" across the chest. I know Serena's really not that arrogant, and it was just a playful shirt, but come on Serena. What's up with
that? Then, onto the court, she wore an overcoat that I guess you could call "unique". It was basically a rain jacket that got mixed with a bathrobe, allthewhile it remained super short, hardly longer than her skirt, to show lots of thigh. You're at Wimbledon, for cryin' out loud! I know it's usually cold and wet in London, but what's up with that?
Why I Can't Wait For Federer to Retire
Today, Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick in the longest Grand Slam match of all time—77 games, 6 more than the previous record set in the 1927 Australian Open. And we thought last year’s encounter between the world’s #1 and #2, Federer and Nadal was the greatest match ever! John McEnroe called it “the greatest match I have ever seen”. ‘08’s final, like this match, could not be decided in just 5 sets; it was won 9-7 in the final set by the underdog Rafael Nadal. In some ways, despite a 30-game fifth set this year, last year’s final was actually better. There was more up-and-down, more service breaks, more comebacks, and the underdog actually won—the first time Roger had ever lost in a Grand Slam final. It wasn’t the server’s battle that was the 2009 final. Not until his 33rd service game was Roddick broken. If you add up only these games, that’s over 5 sets worth of service games won by Roddick. You gotta hand it to the guy. Coming into today, he was 2-18 against Roger. In 11 of those losses, he failed to even win a set, and all of his 18 defeats came in the quarterfinals or later in a tournament. Losing to the same opponent for 9 years in a row must be one of the most frustrating things a human being can go through (except maybe an 86-year World Series drought). And today, after some of the hardest offseason training he’s ever done, to come out in his 21st match against Federer, once again the underdog, and to battle the way he did, takes a whole lot of heart. Playing the final set was undoubtedly grueling for both competitors; however, because Federer just happened to serve the first game of the set (Roddick ended the previous set by winning his service game), the pressure was always on Roddick. Once the match was 5-5, as long as Roger kept winning his own service games (he had a career-best 50 aces in the match—his serve was on), if Roddick lost his serve, he lost the match. From 5-5, Roger won his service game to make it 6-5, and Roddick had to win the next game or the championship is lost. He continued to win his service games with ease, even knowing a loss would mean 2nd place. In the end, Federer was able to break Pete Sampras’s record of 14 Grand Slam titles.
It’s hard to believe Roddick has only won a single Grand Slam (the 2003 U.S. Open). He’s a great player, and a decent backhand short of being the best, and the only American currently on tour who has ever won a Grand Slam. His only crime was being born within a couple years of July 8th, 1981. This is, of course, Roger Federer’s birthday. Since 2004, only 2 Grand Slams have been won by someone not named Federer or Nadal. Frankly, there has never been a time with such dominating players. The 70s and 80s had Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Guillermo Vilas all competing for the world’s #1. In the 90s, it wasn’t all Pete Sampras; there was Agassi, there was Jim Courrier, Patrick Rafter, Stefan Edberg, and Gustavo Kuerten. But for the past half decade, there has been Federer, and, well Federer. 2009 isn’t even over, and Federer has already shattered the record of 12 Grand Slams in a single decade (shared by Sampras and Roy Emerson); keep in mind, Federer didn’t even win his first Grand Slam tournament until 2004.
Personally, I’m sick of the guy. I want to have more anticipation, I want to be able to ask, “Who do you think will win?” without feeling like Nostradamus, being able to predetermine the response. It’s no fun watching Federer stroll to the finals, losing only one set in the whole tournament. What’s entertaining is watching Roddick play five sets against veteran Lleyton Hewitt, because the outcome was so uncertain. I can’t wait until the days of Federer are over and thrilling runs by unexpected players will no longer be crushed by the Federer Express.
It’s hard to believe Roddick has only won a single Grand Slam (the 2003 U.S. Open). He’s a great player, and a decent backhand short of being the best, and the only American currently on tour who has ever won a Grand Slam. His only crime was being born within a couple years of July 8th, 1981. This is, of course, Roger Federer’s birthday. Since 2004, only 2 Grand Slams have been won by someone not named Federer or Nadal. Frankly, there has never been a time with such dominating players. The 70s and 80s had Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, and Guillermo Vilas all competing for the world’s #1. In the 90s, it wasn’t all Pete Sampras; there was Agassi, there was Jim Courrier, Patrick Rafter, Stefan Edberg, and Gustavo Kuerten. But for the past half decade, there has been Federer, and, well Federer. 2009 isn’t even over, and Federer has already shattered the record of 12 Grand Slams in a single decade (shared by Sampras and Roy Emerson); keep in mind, Federer didn’t even win his first Grand Slam tournament until 2004.
Personally, I’m sick of the guy. I want to have more anticipation, I want to be able to ask, “Who do you think will win?” without feeling like Nostradamus, being able to predetermine the response. It’s no fun watching Federer stroll to the finals, losing only one set in the whole tournament. What’s entertaining is watching Roddick play five sets against veteran Lleyton Hewitt, because the outcome was so uncertain. I can’t wait until the days of Federer are over and thrilling runs by unexpected players will no longer be crushed by the Federer Express.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
The Fashion of Baseball
In hockey, a goalie’s equipment is what distinguishes himself from all the other goalies in the league. Not just colors—all their designs are different and usually have some meaning to them. Some college goaltenders have pads that, when put together, they form their team symbols. A hockey goalie is one of the only positions in sports where a regular player can look different from the rest of the team. But there is one other: baseball catchers. And yet, they adorn themselves like their off to some dinner party: plain, conservative designs, one or two colors (max), and several catchers have the exact same equipment! How lame is that? It’s not like Easton or TPX can’t customize their pads for professional catchers. For 
the past few years, Jason Varitek has worn festive equipment on certain holidays: camouflage on Memorial Day, and today, he was decked out in some red white and blue pads with several stars around the neck. He even raffles off his equipment and 
donates the money once he’s used it on that single occasion. I don’t see why he doesn’t wear unique equipment more often. It would add a little something to the sometimes tedious event of watching baseball. He could even change it up depending on the occasion…
“Yankee Hater” when we face NY
A big picture of a clenched fist (knuckles) for Wakefield
“Wally the Green Monster”
A pipe (“right down the pipe!”)
The Earth for Earth Day (April 15)
Georgia Tech logo (his alma mater)
Plus, I know Varitek has been a big help to the Jimmy Fund, raising tons of money through countless fundraisers. What better way to make an everyday statement than to have its slogan “Because it takes more than courage to beat cancer” imprinted right where millions of viewers can see it on an every day basis?
the past few years, Jason Varitek has worn festive equipment on certain holidays: camouflage on Memorial Day, and today, he was decked out in some red white and blue pads with several stars around the neck. He even raffles off his equipment and 
donates the money once he’s used it on that single occasion. I don’t see why he doesn’t wear unique equipment more often. It would add a little something to the sometimes tedious event of watching baseball. He could even change it up depending on the occasion…“Yankee Hater” when we face NY
A big picture of a clenched fist (knuckles) for Wakefield
“Wally the Green Monster”
A pipe (“right down the pipe!”)
The Earth for Earth Day (April 15)
Georgia Tech logo (his alma mater)
Plus, I know Varitek has been a big help to the Jimmy Fund, raising tons of money through countless fundraisers. What better way to make an everyday statement than to have its slogan “Because it takes more than courage to beat cancer” imprinted right where millions of viewers can see it on an every day basis?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Fines for Philanthropy
Here’s a little known fact for you: all that money professional athletes get fined for bad-mouthing refs, on-field violence, obscene gestures, etc. doesn’t just make its way into the pockets of league executives. It goes to charity. Here’s a question for you: what has this world come to that donating a fraction of one’s salary to charity has become a punishment? Let me get this straight, if Chad Ochocinco has to donate $5,000 to charity, he has to make it worth his while and putt the football with the pylon? Now, I understand that taking away a greedy player’s money is one of the only ways to punish the player himself without punishing his whole team (i.e. don’t suspend him). And I guess it makes sense that league officials don’t tell fans where the money is going. Then superstars wouldn’t feel so bad about their poor conduct. (“Yeah, I gave the entire stadium the middle finger, but I did it for UNICEF!”) That’s the last thing we want to hear.
Here’s an idea: make certain fineable acts out to be some sort of contest, and whoever wins—by doing the most creative touchdown dance, by dishing out the best trash talk, whatever—will have the biggest portion of their salary donated to charity. Superstar athletes should be setting aside part of their salary for charity anyway—this is simply a way to make it more public and more interesting. Then, Ochocinco wouldn’t really be viewed as a cocky jerk, out to make himself look good with his post-TD cavorting; we could appreciate his showboating both for its pure entertainment, and because it will end up benefiting some foundation. (Notice that not included in the ways to “win” is who can be most disrespectful to the referees, or who can charge the mound the most often; these acts are either offensive or set a poor example for children who look up to professional athletes as role models.) Now, some might say that excessive celebrations give children the wrong idea about sportsmanship. But I think that, until they actually get to take part in this altruistic competition, it’s up to youth coaches to steer young athletes in the right direction; to explain that, while dancing in the end zone, T.O. wasn’t just expressing himself, he was being the humanitarian all athletes should be; and unless this enthusiastic Pop Warner kid wants to hand over his wallet to his coach so he can drop it off at the local hospital, he better cut out his skylarking. As long as this idea doesn’t interfere with the way the game is played, I don’t see anything wrong with it. Professional sports is entertainment. There’s no disputing that. Wouldn’t this philanthropic play contribute to making watching sports more entertaining?
Here’s an idea: make certain fineable acts out to be some sort of contest, and whoever wins—by doing the most creative touchdown dance, by dishing out the best trash talk, whatever—will have the biggest portion of their salary donated to charity. Superstar athletes should be setting aside part of their salary for charity anyway—this is simply a way to make it more public and more interesting. Then, Ochocinco wouldn’t really be viewed as a cocky jerk, out to make himself look good with his post-TD cavorting; we could appreciate his showboating both for its pure entertainment, and because it will end up benefiting some foundation. (Notice that not included in the ways to “win” is who can be most disrespectful to the referees, or who can charge the mound the most often; these acts are either offensive or set a poor example for children who look up to professional athletes as role models.) Now, some might say that excessive celebrations give children the wrong idea about sportsmanship. But I think that, until they actually get to take part in this altruistic competition, it’s up to youth coaches to steer young athletes in the right direction; to explain that, while dancing in the end zone, T.O. wasn’t just expressing himself, he was being the humanitarian all athletes should be; and unless this enthusiastic Pop Warner kid wants to hand over his wallet to his coach so he can drop it off at the local hospital, he better cut out his skylarking. As long as this idea doesn’t interfere with the way the game is played, I don’t see anything wrong with it. Professional sports is entertainment. There’s no disputing that. Wouldn’t this philanthropic play contribute to making watching sports more entertaining?
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Which Laker I Could See In Beantown
The LA Lakers claim that they will not resign Trevor Ariza, now that free agent signing season has begun. The Celtics ought to take a look at this guy. Out of UCLA, he's only 24 years old, and can give the Celtic's defense a huge boost. His offensive game has room for improvement, but with his athleticism and Boston's phenomenal supporting cast, it wouldn't be unheard of for him to score 12+ points a game. In the 2009 playoffs, he shot almost 50% in FG% and from three point range, allthewhile scoring over 11 points per game. It would be new for him to be able to actually carry some responsibility on offense after playing with Kobe for the past two seasons. After suffering a broken foot in the 2007-2008 season, he played all 82 games for the Lakers last year, and after last year, we need some reliable starters. It doesn't look like Leon Powe will return with the Celtics, and with Cleveland's acquisition of Shaq, Jason Kidd going to Orlando, and the Piston's offseason overhaul, the Celts must be looking for a possible deal this offseason. Other big(ger) names that are being thrown around are Rasheed Wallace and Amare Stoudemire. While these would be great pickups, they'd probably cost the Celtics a lot more than an unproven Trevor Ariza. Plus, there would be no better way to stick it to the Lakers next season than beating them with a player they were too cheap and potential-blind to sign.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Marian Hossa Leaves Hockeytown
Today, NHL star Marian Hossa decided not to resign with the 2009 Stanley Cup runner-ups, the Detroit Red Wings. Instead, he will play for the Chicago Blackhawks, who better prepare themselves to be Stanley Cup runer-ups--the past two seasons, Hossa has led his team to the Stanley Cup finals, but both times, he has lost. Since 2004, Hossa has been a journeyman, playing on four teams: during the 2004-2005 NHL lockout, he played in Europe for Slovakia; from 2005-2007, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers; at the trade deadline of 2008, he was traded to the Stanley Cup-ready Pittsburgh Penguins, with whom he finsihed the season by losing in the Stanley Cup finals to the Red Wings; then, a free agent at the end of the 2008 season, he signed a one-year deal with Detroit, only to be defeated once again in the Stanley Cup finals, this time by his former team, ending consecutive seasons as the 2nd place team. Now, he hopes that his new team, the Chicago Blackhawks will be the team that gets him his first Stanley Cup victory. And if Chicago doesn't perform, he can just about forget about ever hoisting that silver trophy over his head. He signed a 12-year deal worth $62.8 million with the Blackhawks today. It will be weird seeing Hossa with one team for such a long time! (A twelve year contract may seem ridiculously long: if he gets hurt, then what? Well, like the NFL, if a player is unable to play, the franchise does not have to pay his salary. This is different from professional baseball, where 100% of a player's contract is guarenteed.) Nevertheless,
the Blackhawks better hope Hossa keeps scoring goals and stays healthy, or else this could go down as one of the biggest flops in the history of hockey. Keep in mind, he did go down after suffering a neck injury this March (motionless for several minutes), and who knows whether anything is still lingering. At the same time, Hossa better hope that the Blackhawks continue to progress as a team: Chicago has improved its 2005-2006 record from 26-43 to 2008-2009's 46-24, which culminated in a Western Conference finals appearance. Although the Blackhawks have the longest active Stanley Cup draught in all of hockey (48 years), its next several years seem awfully promising, and Hossa seems to be in a good situation. Chicago's 2006 and 2007 first round draft picks, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were each finalists for the 2007 rookie of the year award, and are sure to improve over the next few years. Toews is 21 and Kane is only 20. In all likelihood, Detroit probably probably made the decision for him, lacking salary cap space after giving Henrik Zetterburg a 12 year contract extension this offseason, however, I think Hossa will find that Chicago will actually be the better team in years to come, and will once and for all get that Stanley Cup that has eluded him since his debut with the Ottawa Senators eleven years ago. He will be 42 years old when his contract expires, and probably won't land another deal at that age, so this is it for Hossa. He's really putting all his eggs into one basket, a basket that might someday become a heavy silver one with his name engraved on the side.
Captain Jason
Last night, the Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles, who are last place in the AL East, with a record of 35-42. The loss itself isn't so dissapointing as how we lost. John Smoltz made his second start of the season and went 4 innings, giving up just one run. Then, the rains came. and I'm not being metaphorical. A 71-minute rain delay took Smoltz out of the game earlier than expected. No problem, right? Bosten lead the O's 9-1 at this point, and the Sox bullpen leads the MLB with a combined ERA of under 2.90. However, something happened when play resumed that didn't seem too significant at the time: it wasn't the early departure of Smoltz; but instead, with the game seemingly in the hands of the Red Sox, backup catcher George Kottaras replaced Jason Varitek. 'Tek had to wait over an hour between innings, something catchers aren't accustomed to doing. He had fallen out of rhythm, and Kottaras's BA is basically identical to the Captain's, so it wouldn't be too bad to put the 26-year-old in the game, right? However, Jason Varitek knows the game of baseball better than anyone on the team, and calls the best game behind the plate in all of baseball. So, how did Baltimore become the the first last place team to come back from a 9-run deficit in the 7th inning to defeat a first place team? George Kottaras isn't Jason Varitek. No catcher is. Varitek has caught more no-hitters (4) than any catcher who has ever played the game of baseball, and that's not because he's caught for Cy Young-winning pitchers. Let's look at the no-hitters he's called: Hideo Nomo's, Derek Lowe's, Clay Buchholz', and Jon Lester's. Other than Lester, none of these pitchers have really gone on to have that much success in the Major Leagues. Pitchers get better with Varitek behind the plate. It's that simple. Our bullpen has average stuff, and without Varitek calling their game, they would be average (at best) pitchers. When Kottaras replaced Varitek after the rain delay last night, they became below average pitchers. Masterson, Okajima, and Saito gave up a total of 10 runs in two innings. That never happens! It seems totally out of whack for what we have come to expect out of our spectacular bullpen. The fact of the matter is, they're spectacular when Jason Varitek calls their game. When Varitek retires and is no longer calling games for the Red Sox, we're going to need a panacea of epic proportions to keep keep the team afloat. So, when 'Tek retires from playing catcher, Boston shouldn't let him retire from baseball alltogether. They should bring him back as some sort of coach--bench coach, catching coach, manager, it doesn't matter. Although his numbers might not show it, and although his number might not get retired by the Red Sox, and although he won't be inducted to the Hall of Fame, Jason Varitek is the most valuable player on the Red Sox roster.
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