Aug
15
Satuday Night (Open Thread) Fever
ByWho’s idea was it to have a night game on the west coast on a Saturday? They’ve murdered the history and integrity of the game. [/Stark'd]
Use this as your open thread to talk about whatever you like until the game starts. The Red Sox and Rangers are on MLB Network at 8pm, and the Little League World Series is on ESPN. There’s also a bunch of preseason NFL games going on tonight, but I’m not sure if they’re on the tube at all. You can also come hang out with me at MLBTR. Feel free to talk about whatever you like here, just be nice to each other. The regular game thread will be up shortly before first pitch.
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Was fondly remembering Roy White the other day. Thinking “I’d be happy to have someone like him in as a starting outfielder in 2010 and beyond.” Then Melky came to bat, and I noticed his stats, and went looking at the 2′s careers.
Roy’s career is a bit better, but Melky seems to have finally gotten serious and should be heading into his best years. This is B-R’s career averaged over 162 games for each:
stat: Melky__Roy
BA: .270__.271
H: 148__155
2B: 25__26
HR: 11__14
RBI: 64__65
OBP: .331__.360
SLG: .387__.404
OPS: .718__.764
OPS+: 88__121
TB: 212__231
FWIW.
IETCVM, jim p!
Although, I have doubts that Melky will have as long of a career in pinstripes as Mr. White did. If anything, the emergence of AJax might have unforeseen consequences on Melky. Don’t forget Melky enjoys the healthy competiton he has with Brett and even more because he has proven the winner of that duel. What if Austen proves to be better in every way? How will he handle that?
Actually, I think the resurgence of Melky will have an impact on Damon. (See below)
So, Melky is 30 points of OPS+ less good?
They aren’t that comparable, really.
Well, that includes Roy’s prime and the expectation that Melky hasn’t hit it yet.
You have to consider the run scoring environment, though. Melky would have to be like…a 130 OPS+ player for a while to achieve Roy White status. And that’s not going to happen.
This.
Comparing raw numbers across eras is fruitless, due to offensive context, changes in the ball, height of the mound, expansion, segregation/integration, park factors, draft v. amateur free agency, etc etc.
With Melky and Gardner both proving they’re a solid MLB players, I think the Yanks will take a very non-committal approach to re-signing Damon despite the tremendous season he’s had with the bat. I think they’ll make him a decent offer for a year or two, but not for huge money. 1-9 or 2-16 mil, something like that. If he gets more elsewhere, they’ll let him walk. I they’ll have a number they will give him and won’t go past it.
Going into 2010, you have Melky, Gardner, Swisher (and likely A-Jax) all vying for playing time, with possibly a Hinske-type bench player around for some added pop. You could work Damon in as a part time DH/LF next year, with Posada as the other half. If not, Girardi has the flexibility he’s long wanted with the DH spot open, and he can rotate his aging vets (Jeter/Posada/Alex) through it.
While I do like this plan, it has the possibility of turning the OF into a disaster area quickly. Melky and Gardner are both young enough that they can’t be counted on to merely replicate this season’s performance, and Jackson may not be ready at the start of the year.
It’s a lot like the Mets’ situation going into 2009 — they were counting on Tatis to replicate his 2008, and for Murphy to take a step forward. Neither happened, and they wound up trading for Jeff Francoeur (!)
I agree, Damon would provide some veteran insurance. But if he gets a big offer from some team that needs a bat, I bet he walks.
I’m banking on the Rangers placing some hurt on the Roid Sux tonight!! C’mon Texas take your anger of your closer Frankie futility on Brad Penny crappy arsenal!!
Franki says deposit that Penny in the loser slot!
Does anyone feel bad for the Mets? Wright could be out a while after getting hit in the head (though I do not know how serious it was). As bad as that was, it was funny to see Santana try to retaliate back and end up giving up a home run. To add salt to the wounds, K-Rod blew the game for the Mets again.
All the Mets are missing is Pavano.
My Mom’s a big Mets fan, so yeah.
Does anyone remember how everyone was hollering about K-Rod being better than Rivera? Yeah, those talks quickly dissipated after that Castillo misscue. I’m sick of repeating this scientific fact to the world but here it is –>
“Until Mo is retired he is the best- case closed!
And no I don’t feel bad for the Mess because last year when we suffered devestating injuries and failures, they didn’t treat us with any mercy or kindness.
He has a concussion, and after how they messed up handling Church’s concussion I think they’ll put Wright right on the DL.
Ironically, this happened days after Francoeur said that the new helmets that offer protection up to 100mph (the current ones only protect to 70mph) looks too bad to wear in public.
The funny thing is, Wright said in the same article that he’d wear anything that would “protect [his] melon”, meaning that he would wear the new helmet.
WHOA, the largest salary has the worst record and the smallest salary has the best? I’LL TAKE IT!!!!!
Here are the records of all games started by our 4
Sabathia 14-11
Pettitte 16-8
Burnett 16-7
Chamberlain 16-6
Chamberlain’s 16-6 says as much about our bullpen as it does him. He’s had a lot of 5 inning performances, wheras CC goes deep into games all the time. CC’s been more valuable this year to me, and W/L is a very incomplete way to look at this stuff.
Oh, obviously there is no doubt that “ZZ” is in a different level than “Jobber.” I was merely posting an observation, not taking sides.
It’s like beating ‘you-know-who’ big.
I can’t help it but I’m getting very cocky about this team. I’m at a 10 lately.
Oh ye of little faith. I’ve been at a 9 all season, since Spring Training. I can’t ever be a 10 until they change the playoff format, which I think is grossly unfair to the team with the best record in each league.
I fully endorse this response.
Oh I’ve been voting 9 all along. I upgraded to 10 though.
I just read something that left me in shock, courtesy of one Jim Callis:
Ryan (Burlington, MA
Hughes or Buchholz?
Jim Callis (3:18 PM)
Hughes.
I am in complete agreement, but I never thought he would say it.
I would agree with that too. Both have great potential, no doubt, and Buchholz can be great, but he gets afraid in situations that end up hurting the Sox.
He’s also 25, wheras Phil Phranchise just turned 23.
Hmm.
On the one hand, Buchholz is actually starting, and getting solid results. On the other hand, those results mask subpar peripherals (at least in regards to K/BB rate and ratio. He is generating lots of groundballs, but those are up from his AAA rate (52% at AAA, 60% in the majors), so maybe we shouldn’t expect that trend to contine).
While Hughes is dominating out of the pen, it’s still the pen, and there’s still questions about his starting ability. (Ability to maintain velocity, secondary pitches)
I’ve long preferred Hughes, mainly due to age and being a homer, but time will tell.
(I do bet that in 5 years, BP’s “Better than Joba” caption for Buchholz will be laughable)
I said yesterday how Im not expecting much from Kyle Orton and that he got booed during his first scrimmage of training camp because of all the mistakes he was making. Well, his start got even worse as he threw 3 picks in his 1st 3 drives of the preseason games yesterday. I miss Cutler already (even though he is a jerk but oh well).
Blasphemy.
http://johnsterling.blogspot.c.....s-new.html
Unless he’s related to Mo or something
When I saw that earlier today, the first thing I thought was that he HAS be Mo’s nephew. But now, I think he’s not related to Mo but is being mentored by him.
Serious reply:
Since it’s been revealed that Melvin isn’t really a prospect, but just a guy, are we going to relax on the jokes?
Another chat gem brought to you by my favorite ESPN employee Keith Law:
Paul (NYC)
New drinking game. Everytime KLaw makes a sarcastic comment, drink. I dare you to get through a chat.
Keith Law (2:35 PM)
Red Sox fans would have the hardest time. They start every game drunk.
Alcohol poisoning, here we come!
Turns out the new Yankee Stadium isn’t a wind tunnel after all.
http://www.sny.tv/news/article.....38;vkey=10
Salfino reviews an extensive study done by Alan Nathan from the Department of Physics of the University of Illinois. Long story short, it aint the wind.
Yeah…it’s the fact the the wall is two feet shorter, and that it’s several feet closer in the RF gap.
Only in RF, but that’s where most of the HRs are going according to HitTracker. In Left its the same and in CF it’s actually a bit deeper.
http://www.theyankeeuniverse.com/?p=6573
Here, there’s 2 graphs showing what I’m talking about on a piece I did about it this morning.
The study was interesting, but didn’t necessarily address the underlying issue: that the ball carries better at YSIII than it did across the street. Since there are no games being played across the street this year, we’ll likely never be able to know if that perception is correct, or merely due to observer bias/shorter fences/better hitting.
Marte was excused from the team for “personal reasons”
Wow, link?
Nevermind, its on LoHud
“UPDATE, 7:43 p.m.: Damaso Marte’s 30-day injury rehab assignment ended yesterday. The Yankees today announced that he has been indefinitely excused from the team for “personal reasons.”
This comes 24 hours after Joe Girardi said that Marte wasn’t ready to pitch in the majors because of erratic velocity. The Yankees did not specify what those personal reasons were, but it’s likely those will serve to keep him off the roster.”
On Pete Abraham’s blog.
“UPDATE, 7:43 p.m.: Damaso Marte’s 30-day injury rehab assignment ended yesterday. The Yankees today announced that he has been indefinitely excused from the team for “personal reasons.”
This comes 24 hours after Joe Girardi said that Marte wasn’t ready to pitch in the majors because of erratic velocity. The Yankees did not specify what those personal reasons were, but it’s likely those will serve to keep him off the roster.”
Is that a shot at Girardi?
what means “excused”? what are repercussions?
so we get to enjoy a potential red sox loss and a yankee win tonight on televsion? me likes.
“Kasten wouldn’t reveal the exact amount of Washington’s offer nor would he say what, if any, counteroffer Boras had made. But Kasten characterized Boras’ approach as “advocating a new methodology for evaluating draft picks” — changing the way a draft pick’s worth is determined.
“This kid is so impressive. We have nothing but the highest regard for him. If he wants to come and begin his career right now — and do so with the largest contract ever given to any drafted player in the history of Major League Baseball — we can help him accomplish that,” Kasten told the AP. “But if this is more about changing the whole way an industry does business, then we won’t be able to reach a deal.”
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=4401500
Not buying it. Boras makes a lot of noise, but he’ll sign. Just like what happened with Dice-K.
I’m not as sure about that as you are. Suppose Kasten’s offer is just slightly ahead of the past record of $10.5 million. Do you think Boras would let him sign for $12-13 Million?
It’s not Boras’ decision. Strasburg will have the final word.
Yes. Boras said he wanted 100 mil for Dice-K alone, regardless of the posting fee. He got half that for his client.
You have to remember who has the leverage here. It’s not Boras. Pitching is very fragile and he knows it. Strasburg’s value will never, ever be higher than it is today. The stuff about him going back to college or Japan is silly. The smart financiual move is to sign right now, for as much as you can get. Boras is smart, he knows this.
Are you Steve S. over at TheYankeeUniverse.com?
Me? Hell no! That guy is NUTS!
IETCVM
and he’s wrong about EVERYTHING!
http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-533252
I think you’re being too hard on him…huh huh…I said hard on.
I am fed up with ESPN. Over 90% of their columnist stories are Insider articles that i refuse to pay for. I’ll just go to blogs like this one and SI.com.
Yeah, seems like everything is behind that wall these days. I refuse to pay, too. Its not like there isn’t a ton of opinion pieces out there, that what they have is so unique. News always leaks out, and I can live w/o the columns.
I despise ESPN insider… its amazing that people actually pay for it.
ESPN.com Insider must have some substantial readership base because they have had the Insider for years and keep INCREASING the amount of articles that you can read ony by being a member. I tried the free 30 trial membership and did not feel it was worth it. Web sites have tried to charge (the Boston Globe is threatening to charge) but most have failed.
I know it is fun to speculate on how many games we’ll win this year, and I enjoyed the article from the other day. However, I think the time has come to put the kabash on these predictions. We are starting to sound like Sox fans.
I predict that the Sox will win fewer than 115 games in the regular season. LOL.
I predict the knicks will win more than 30 games this year!
(I hope)
Who wins more?
CC+AJ or Knicks
Hughes or Detroit Lions
Tiger Woods or Jets
I posted this yesterday but I say it again. Rangers ballpark at Arlington is a great piece of architecture. It’s eclectic with a great mixture of design elements from different eras that somehow all hang together well.
i cant believe i benched kinsler.
That’s what we call a rookie mistake.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-.....5d80ada5a8
Hooray Rangers up on the red sox 2-0. Too bad MLB network is using the NESN telecast. I do miss hearing Mitch Williams analysis on MLB network televised games ;(
I just found this out this morning. John Sterling’s real name is Harold (Harry) Moscowitz.
i had read that too but a few years ago.
IETC
IETM–> playing Johhny Cash’s “ring of fire” at the Rangers game
That was good!
gotta love the man in black
Gritty Pedroia just made an error. I enjoyed that a lot.
again, why are david murphy and marlon bryd hitting 3 and 4 respectively when they have hamilton and kinsler. hell, micheal young would do a fine job there. imagine if joe girardi moved melky to cleanup after his cylce. this place would be calling for his head.
Kinsler has gone from trying to hit for average to hit for power and as such his average has fallen off a cliff+he got hurt. Hamilton is just overrated, good but not as good as people make him out to be.
Hamilton knows how to party.
josh hamilton has been on fire as of late and kinsler can hit do a lot more damage with his power than either david murphy and bryd (ops of 796 for both).
Brad Penny, another pitcher from Theo Epstien’s “Cash for Clunkers” program.
I’m not surprised at his production, but I am SHOCKED that he hasn’t gone on the DL yet. I thought for sure that no matter how Smoltz/Penny produced, they would both be in for an extended 2nd half DL trip.
I’m still waiting for that, and for Beckett’s shoulder to go kablooey like it did last year.
Shoulder, elbow, quad, oblique, fingernail…I’ll take anything to derail this guy right now.
Hey River Avenue,
Any opinion on Matt Cain tipping of the cap gesture at the Mets faithful after he left the game? Was it wrong for him to do that? Everyone was making a big fuss in the fox telecast & I didn’t think much of it.Cain was booed heavily after the HBP of Wright and I thought the fans went a little too hard on him. Perhaps that was a fair response to their treatment.Thoughts?
Did he do it as a gesture to the crowd to try and convince them that he didn’t throw at Wright intentionally? Or was it more of an up-yours, sarcastic gesture?
these baseball players are just too smart for us.
To be honest Tank, I believe a little bit of both. The Met fans definitely took it too seriously and I don’t blame Cain for his gesture.
That reminds me of the first BoSox/Yankees game of 2005 at Fenway. The Sox got their WS rings and when Mo was introduced he was loudly cheered by Sox Fans (for contributing to that awful series loss). He tipped his cap as I recall. I have no problem with what Cain did.
But that was money because Mo was just showing the crowd it didn’t bother him. It was sarcastic cheering, not booing because you hit someone in the head. This is totally different. Cain looked pretty worried about Wright when it happened, I’m surprised he did what he did.
Thanks for the feedback gentlemen. Although, I can understand the Giants & Cain’s frustration.
After Santana threw behind Kung Fu Panda, the umpire warned both teams & then Santana hit Molina & didn’t get thrown out! Can’t blame the Giants & Cain for being peeved at the hypocritical treatment they were getting from the umpires & the negativity from the met faithful.
Yeah that was crap, he warns him then hits the very next batter after a HR. Jerry Manuel did take him out after the HBP but he still should have been thrown out
Those Mets Fans Need Something to cheer for, no matter who it is.
Bottom-half of Boston’s order:
Ortiz, Varitek (Tek), Brett Anderson (?), Gonzalez.
Bwahahahahahaha!
Brian Anderson was the former 1st round pick for the White Sox, who said “I need to play every day and be an everyday big-leaguer, I have more to offer. If it’s not with the White Sox, then maybe it really is time for a change.”
But really he just sucks
He gave up ona flyball over his head in tonight’s game and let Elssbury get it. Total lack of hustle.
He’s not GRITTY!1!!!11
Aahhh I remember him. I must have totally missed that they picked him up.
He just struck out (second one tonight) with two runners on. He really sucks.
Brian Anderson
I’m watching the Little League world series… A kid from Oregon says his favorite player is Jed Lowrie… I’m not sure anyone from Boston’s favorite player is Jed Lowrie… are kids from Oregon this dumb?
Lowrie’s from Oregon…probably from the same town.
That makes sense. Lowrie was born in Salem, OR.
I would be ashamed.
ietc
Shit Jason Bay seems to be coming back to life.
Just pitch him low and outside… all of his homeruns since his recent revival have been up and in, or middle in.
His home run tonight was down and in.
More like middle in. I wouldn’t call that down.
Fenway and the Rangers Ballpark are both hitters parks. Let’s see Bay hit one out in Comerica.
There have been a shit-ton of Red Sox fans at this series. It just goes to show you how mainstream they’ve become. I lived in Texas for many years. They’re one of those states that doesn’t cheer for anyone outside of Texas and especially dislikes the Northeast.
I give credit to Red Sox Nation. They do show up in numbers at a lot of out of town games – especially Baltimore. I hate to say it but they seem to do a better job of it than Yankee fans (although we do show up in good numbers at away games).
Those aren’t fans, those are the people on the bandwagon praying it isn’t going to crash.
ietcvm
Yankees were 1st in road attendance, now trail Boston by 200 per game. And I doubt its because fans are showing up to see the Orioles, Indians and Athletics
TEH UNDERDOGS!!1!
Those number are skewed because there is a 10K discrepancy between Yankee Stadium and Fenway, hence the Red Sox “Draw more fans” in NY that the NYY do in Boston.
IETCVVM
lol the baserunning againts the sox
God I hope Gardy comes back for the Sox series so we can embarrass them on the bases. We really should send anyone who gets on base with any sort of speed in that series.
God I hope Gardy comes back for the Sox series so we can embarrass them on the bases. We really should send
anyone who gets on base with any sort of speedeveryone but godzilla and jorgie in that series.Fixed
Man, Andrus hits a single and then manufactures himself a triple…
Six stolen bases for Texas and it’s only the fourth inning. They are running all over Penny & Varitek. Keep going Rangers.
this is hilarious. they have one more year of captain tek, right?
Penny with 95 pitches through 4 innings. Who does he think he is, Joba Chamberlain?
Giggitty!
It’s great how Hamilton and Young have 0 hits and Texas has scored 4 runs on Boston already.
Does anyone have that “America Runs on Varitek” picture handy because it’s very true tonight
I got this…http://www.nomaas.org/images/v.....again1.jpg
Not what I was looking for but thanks for an image I won’t be able to unsee
who is this asshole on NESN?
i have no idea
Frank Viola – Twins pitcher
nothing worse than retired players who missed out on their payday ranting about players making too much money and their lack of respect for the game. the history of baseball is a lot murkier than what frank viola or bob costas, for that matter, thinks it is.
Manny DelCarmen could close for 36 other teams
/Peter Gammons