Open thread: Best infield ever, redux
ByIn case you missed it, this afternoon Mike wrote about the Yankees infield as perhaps the best of the modern era. It was in response to a Bill Conlin column that, quite frankly, isn’t worth a second link. The article has made its arounds, and even Phillies fans don’t think it holds true.
Before Conlin unleashed his column, though, frequent RAB commenter Jamal G. was busily working on a similar article. But, instead of pandering to a fan base, he was legitimately curious as to which team in the modern era had the best infield. You can find his article here. To preview, it involves a lot of Yankees and Reds.
With that, here’s your open thread for the evening. We’ve got a Rangers-Devils bout in New Jersey, Knicks and Nets away games, and plenty of college basketball on ESPN.
232 Comments»
2013 Winter Meetings Coverage
RAB Info
The Founders
Mike Axisa, Ben Kabak, Joe Pawlikowski
Editor-In-Chief
Mike Axisa Archives | Email
Managing Editors
Ben Kabak Archives | E-mail
Joe Pawlikowski Archives | E-mail
Contributing Editor
Matthew Warden (Archives)
Technical Manager
Jay Gordon
Beloved Alumni
Larry Koestler (Archives)
Moshe Mandel (Archives)
Eric Schultz (Archives)
Subscribe to RAB by RSS
Follow @RiverAveBlues
Search RAB
Yankees News from YESNetwork.com
- Brian Cashman discusses state of Yankees outfield
- Nelson Mandela to be honored with plaque in Monument Park
- Torre unanimous selection to Hall of Fame
- Yankees sign outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to seven-year contract
- Yankees announce deal with Kuroda
- A wild Friday for the Yankees
- Report: Yankees sign Beltran to three-year deal
- Report: ND to play in Pinstripe Bowl
- Yankees re-sign Kuroda to one-year deal
- Yankees finalize deal with Kelly Johnson
Banner Design By
Countdown to Spring Training
Just 2 months and 5 days 'til pitchers and catchers report!
I have been waiting for the Open Thread ALL DAY since I saw THIS awesome article that’s been making its way around the intertubes:
http://www.weei.com/sports/bos.....h?page=0,0
Enjoy. Make sure to read Page 2. It’s… special. Hey Theo Epstein, if you weren’t such a nerd, you could get all the ladies like… that guy! (Theo might be my least favorite person associated with the Sox, but he’s a good-looking man. The writer, at least in his tiny picture there, is not.)
Yeah, that’s been busting through Twitter all day. I legitimately thought it was satire.
Sadly, it appears not to be.
And as I do, there’s only one thing I see spoiling the party. One small, nagging turd in the punchbowl, mitigating an otherwise perfect celebration. I’m afraid that if … when … the Sox win it all this year, it will mean total victory has been achieved by that odd, creepy little subculture that lives among us: the Stat Geeks.
Good One Jerry Thornton
Yea, that’s a funny/stupid article.
“the Pedroias, Becketts, Lesters, Papelbons and Youkili … ”
Heh.
Have to give the commenters a ton of credit, they tear him to shreds.
Yeah, but he’s probably in the Shaughnessy crowd. Most Boston fans think of him as a hack. Hopefully they feel the same way about our new favorite man of Boston (with respect to Bill ‘Ali’ Simmons).
Just wow, what a douche.
I would like to point out that bexy is a woman. therefore we have also discovered women, and are hereby on thornton’s level now. well done. neat-o gang
(high fives)
but did you discover beer and sunlight yet, LOSER????
is sun light a beer? we can kill two birds with one stone!
Does anyone else have this problem with the new YES bar?
On the navigation bar, the image right next to ‘shop’ is missing… it is just a blank white space. I refreshed the page, emptied the cache, etc… and it still is missing.
yeah it’s like that for me as well using firefox. not sure about chrome or IE.
It works fine for me on my Mac running Firefox, but it’s all screwy on the iPhone (Safari, I presume).
I’m using Safari, but it doesn’t work on Firefox for me either.
i wouldn’t call it a problem—there’s nothing there. Maybe just a formatting quirk.
If there’s an issue, it’s probably best to send a note to the guys using the Submit A Tip box toward the right.
The issue he is referring to is the white space. It appears as the navigation bar cuts off after “shop” rather than smoothly end with the gray as it does on the left side of the navigation bar. It is an aesthetic problem.
The reason it’s mostly the Yankees and Reds, Jeter and Morgan can be argued to be the best offensive forces ever at their positions. Morgan’s 12-win season is incredible.
I would probably rank Arod as the best hitter at his position ever, and he’s better then Jeter.
Honus Wagner says ‘sup.
From 1994-2003 (the years he was a SS) Arod had a 144 OPS+. Honus Wagner had a career 150 OPS+. His top 3 OPS+ seasons are 205, 187, 186. Arod’s are 176, 173, 162. Honus Wagner was amazing.
Also:
http://www.baseball-reference......ar01.shtml
The forgotten great shortstop.
I really think he would be remembered if he hadn’t missed those 3 years. Maybe been around 2500 hits?
I actually wasn’t talking about SS, though looking back, I can see how you construed it that way. I was talking about 3rd.
Ah. Yeah, I thought you were talking about SS.
A-Rod is a good choice for 3B. Off the top of my head, so is Mike Schmidt.
A-Rod as a 3B: .300/.401/.567/.968, 152 OPS+
Schmidt, career: .267/.380/.527/.908, 147 OPS+
Schmidt, peak (1974-1987): .274/.387/.546/.933, 153 OPS+
I don’t really see how those two lines compare. A-rod seems far superior.
Allow me to restate the lines. Emphasis mine:
A-Rod as a 3B: .300/.401/.567/.968, 152 OPS+
Schmidt, career: .267/.380/.527/.908, 147 OPS+
Schmidt, peak (1974-1987): .274/.387/.546/.933, 153 OPS+
Retail therapy works, people
Until it leads to oniomania.
For the poorer among us, a tip:
Shoplifting therapy is less effective.
You think we can get a fifth fantasy league going? I keep missing out?
If someone wants to be a commissioner, sure.
I’ll be the commissioner if no one else will. I’ve been the commish of several fantasy baseball leagues on yahoo before so it wouldn’t be a huge deal for me.
You could also potentially join this one: http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-799651
(stands and applauds Jamal G.)
BTW, I love the Chinese Zodiac references, nice touch. And it makes me expect big things from one currently disgraced but soon to triumphantly return Eldrick Tont Woods, because guess what 2010 is?
That’s right… the year of the Tiger. The Yang (male) Metal Tiger, no less.
Eldrick’s coming back HARD, baby!
Eldrick’s coming back HARD, baby!
TWSS.
http://www.theonion.com/conten....._return_to
Still awesome.
That is amazing.
So who wants to give me a ticket to the Big East tourney tomorrow?
How the hell can Thornton write an article bashing Theo’s methods. They went 86 years without a title, have won two with Theo at the helm, yet they question him going forward. I just can’t fathom how little sense that makes.
I’m starting the official bring back Grady Little campaign.
I hear Bill Bavasi is looking for a GM job, any chance Theo gives his job to Bavasi?
I want someone with no GM experience who previously left a bitter taste in the Red Sox mouth.
Oh, and this is the guy writing a column about geeks?
http://www.weei.com/sites/defa.....ure-33.jpg (safe)
SO HOT
(douses bexy with a firehose to sate her raging libido)
“douses bexy with a firehose”
ok tsjc we get it. you’re huge. no need to rub it in our faces. Or bexy’s for that matter
It’s a gift and a curse.
Apparently he’s knee deep in pussy, fine spirits, and classic automobiles.
Meanwhile, Theo has to pay for it.
Does anybody with master Googling skills know the record single season WAR total? I know Ruth has the record for all time.
i think it was ruth with 14.0 at one point. Bonds had 13.9 in 04.
Today in the car I heard Kay talk about possible restructuring on leagues. I said it wasn’t necessary at all but my dad who is a Mets fan says baseball is the most unfair sport with no parity with the Yankees winning “all the time.”
I said that was ridiculous. The Yankees have 27 World Championships in let’s say in at least 110 years. That’s not all the time and smaller market teams are still making the playoffs and different teams are doing this.
So I was proceeded in being called a stupid Yankee fan who doesn’t know anything when the “facts” are in my face. He told me to grow up and to stop acting on a “high horse” when I don’t know anything.
Normally I wouldn’t care but my dad needs to chill.
Well, winning one WS every four years, on average, is kind of insane.
I love it, though.
Which team is he a fan of? The Anything-but-the-Yankees?
1. Mets
2-29. Anyone but the Yankees
30. Evil Empire
email him the RAB url
the Yankees win the World Series and all of a sudden it’s OMG WE HAVE TO RESTRUCTURE THE LEAGUES EVERYTHING IS SO WRONG
1996 seems so long ago.
I know someone here was looking for this the other day (don’t know if they found it. It’s Heywards HR
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com.....id=7182407
Question from Callis’ chat today:
Ryan (Milwaukee)
Prince Fielder for Jesus Montero who says no this summer assuming that the Yanks are in it and the Brewers aren’t?
Jim Callis
(2:13 PM)
That’s a good question. If I’m the Brewers, I want more than one prospect (even an elite prospect) for Fielder. If I’m the Yankees, admittedly money is no object, but Fielder would be locked into DH if I re-signed him. Montero has a chance to play catcher (though I’m dubious he’ll be an asset back there) and might be just as productive as Fielder in time. So while I’m intrigued, I’m not sure either team pulls the trigger on that one.
While Callis is right that the Yankees wouldn’t pull the trigger, I think his reasoning is a little off, in that he says money is not an object for the Yankees. Not only is that not true, but any money spent on Fielder would come from somewhere else. So if Montero, as a DH like Fielder would be, can provide 75% of Fielder’s production at a tiny fraction of the cost, it’s pretty easy to see that Montero+Lee/Beckett/FA pitcher>>>>>>>Fielder
Maybe I’m crazy, but I just don’t want anything to do with Prince Fielder for a long-term contract.
You’re not crazy.
alex gonzalez…. THAT NUTJOB was crazy, but you, Jose, you’re good money.
You might be crazy for other reasons, but I have to agree on the Fielder long term contract issue, especially as a DH. If all he had to do was show up and swing the bat 4 times a game, I can’t imagine his conditioning would improve.
What if he cuts tequila out of his diet?
I completely agree, who wants player that would only be a full time DH in a few more seasons. In a perfect world, the Sox miss out on A-Gon and sign Fielder to a bloated contract.
So if Montero, as a DH like Fielder would be, can provide 75% of Fielder’s production at a tiny fraction of the cost, it’s pretty easy to see that Montero+Lee/Beckett/FA pitcher>>>>>>>Fielder
Repeated for emphasis.
Also, if you think Montero has questions about where he’ll play (or how productive he’ll be) due to body type, wait until we get a load (pun intended) of Prince Fielder.
I’m not really sure I want Lee or Beckett, either.
Still, though:
Montero + Lee/Beckett/the uncommitted financial flexibility to sign a better option once one hits the market >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Prince Fielder all by himself
From Steve in the adjacent thread:
Had the Sox not traded Hanley for Beckett, they presumably would have gone in heavy on the SP free agent market in the winter of 2005-2006 when the deal went down. Whom might they have signed? The headliners of that market, and the contracts they inked:
Kevin Millwood (leaving CLE, going to TEX): 4yr/48M
Kenny Rogers (leaving TEX, going to DET): 2yr/16M
Jarrod Washburn (leaving LAA, going to SEA): 4yr/38M
Esteban Loaiza (leaving WAS, going to OAK): 3yr/21M
Matt Morris (leaving STL, going to SFG): 3yr/27M
and…
A.J. Burnett (leaving FLA, going to TOR): 5yr/55M
I think we have our winner. Had the Sox not traded HanRam for Beckett, they probably would have gone in heavy and outbid J.P. Riccardi for the services of A.J. Burnett.
HanRam and Burnett (and Anibal Sanchez) >>>>>>>>>>>>> Beckett by himself
I can’t imagine HanRam mashing at Fenway. You have to remember Lowell’s contribution. Even though he was a through-in due to money obligations he still brought a lot of value.
Why not?
Ramirez is a right-handed power hitter, which is exactly the kind of player you want in Fenway. He was RoY in 2006, and got downballot MVP support in ’07.
I don’t know who plays 3B for them (Youkilis?), but who cares, when you have someone like that at short.
Maybe they don’t win the ’07 title, but that is a damn good team.
You misunderstand. I can’t imagine not because I don’t think he would be able to, rather that it is a terrifying thought to put someone with his talent anywhere near that hitters park.
Solution:
Move Mark Loretta (whom they also signed that winter) to 3B, move Alex Gonzalez (the incumbent SS) to 2B.
Boom. Just that easy.
….Holy shit, I got Final Jeopardy right and it was a total guess!
Thank you, The Perfect Storm!!!
I’m impressed. I had NO IDEA.
how much did you bet ?
all of it, duh.
Good job
You sharing ?
Torii Hunter pulls a Gary Sheffield:
http://sports.espn.go.com/los-.....id=4983236
“Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?”
Fact: I can be purchased for a bag of chips. Most likely fried plantains.
Maybe him and Ronan Tynon can share a house together.
Meh, what Tynan said and what Sheffield/Hunter said isn’t quite the same.
Sheffield/Hunter are boversimplifying, but there is a shred of truth to their comments: there most certainly are instances where Latino players are exploited/taken advantage of due to their language barrier, status as foreign citizens, and/or desire to leave their island homes and escape poverty. They’re probably wrong when they say that exploitation of young Latino players are somehow linked to discrimination specifically against black players (more likely, it’s Latino foreign nationals v. all American-born citizens regardless of race), but the central underlying premise has merit.
Tynan implying that he didn’t want to live near Jews… that’s much more dubious. He’s not trying to address what he thinks is a racial injustice, he’s just saying he doesn’t like living around Jews.
After re-reading the article, I must admit you are correct.
No, that’s not what happened. Tynan simply referred to some women whose names he didn’t know, that he only knew as “the Jewish ladies” by a previous RE Broker. The previous broker said they were very fussy and wouldn’t want to live near a singer who’s practicing all day long. That was the “scary” part. If you read his account, they matched up well with the one the press ran with and it was pretty clear the whole thing was just a misunderstanding. Tynan also apologized profusely, worked with the ADL, and even Abe Foxman was satisfied with his efforts.
Hunter basically told everyone to go fuck themselves today, that he did nothing wrong (which he did) and owes nobody an apology. There’s really no comparison whatsoever.
Okay, perhaps I was too hard on Tynan.
You’re way too hard on Hunter, though. What he said and what you just said he said are not remotely close.
To be fair, I’m going on what I heard driving home today. I got home about a half hour ago. I’ll check into it further and see if it was being sensationalized. But the stuff I heard was being read verbatim, in the context of the article written.
By all previous accounts, Hunter is one of the not just good, but nicest guys in all of baseball. Could be he has a blind spot, or could be these stories are true. I’ll check into it further.
OK, Just read the ESPN and USA Today stories. Now it all matches up. He did clarify his remarks in the ESPN story, which was quoted from this blog piece:
http://toriihunter.mlblogs.com/
But he still should throw in an apology for anyone who was offended. He admits it was a poor choice of words. That’s his fault, not Bob Nightengales. It’s just the right thing to do.
Oh, sure, of course.
I just want the highest quality of competition possible — that means new markets (like Jamaica, or Bolivia, if you have your way), and more American kids — whether they’re from suburban Connecticut or Compton.
The problem with his statement* is that IFA signings for impact players are usually more costly than signing a player a team has drafted.
*(Well, one of many problems)
And he better watch out talking smack about Boras. Next time he’s up to bat, Boras will be right behind him. Watching. Waiting.
Next time he’s up to bat, Boras will be right behind him. Watching. Waiting.
http://ckelly.typepad.com/.a/6.....970c-500wi (safe)
that was my favorite part of all the playoff games in Anaheim
Here’s 2 candidates for best infield ever
1997 Indians
1B-Jim Thome
2B-Tony Fernandez
SS-Omar Vizquel
3B-Matt Williams
C-Sandy Alomar
1938 Yankees
1B-Lou Gehrig (HOF)
2B-Joe Gordon (HOF)
SS-Frank Crosetti
3B-Red Rolfe
C-Bill Dickey (HOF)
http://www.baseball-reference......1938.shtml
I love that 38 team. Going player by player with the 09 Yanks I’d guess they have the 09 team beat by a small margin at 3 of the 5 positions (Gehrig/Gordon/Dickey). But 38 gets beat at SS and destroyed at 3B, so 09 may still take it. Good one to kick around, though.
I think the ’82 Brewers were better than the ’38 Yankees.
Jamal will be posting an update later, because the 82 Brewers actually out-WAR the discussed clubs. However, they didnt match up in the other metrics he used, which is why they are not on his list. Still, a great infield plus catcher.
Interesting. Great job doing the research guys.
It was all Jamal. All I did was post it and mention those Brewers. That’s it.
That’s a really good one.
1B-Cecil Cooper
2B-Ron Gantner
SS-Robin Yount
3B-Paul Molitor
C-Ted Simmons
http://www.baseball-reference......82+Brewers
Cooper OPS+ 142, Yount 166. I’m going to post this over at TYU for Jamal.
They even had a backup catcher nearly as good as their starter.
Why the ’97 Indians? They have three guys (Williams, Fernandez, Vizquel) who have offensive issues. No, that’s the infield of a good/great team, but best of all time?
Yeah, seconded. The 1997 Indians team falls far, far short of the elite grouping.
(Now, the 1995 Indians entire lineup top-to-bottom, that may be one of the best starting 9′s in baseball history, but that’s a separate convo.)
http://www.baseball-reference......1995.shtml
If only the ’31 Yankees had a DH.
No doubt.
hahahhaa Manny batting seventh. I know this was young Manny, but that still makes me laugh.
Albert Bell is such a fucking HOFer it’s not even funny. I don’t care who he pissed off in the media, and it’s silly that even is a factor. He had 8 or 9 of the best seasons of his era.
From 1991-2000, Albert Belle averaged 77 extra-base hits per year.
You know all the shit that was written about Jim Rice and “fear”? Well, if he was half as scary as Albert Belle . . .
or played in Fenway.
From the “Stat Geeks Will Inherit The Earth” traveshamockery of an article:
Hang on a sec, lemme get this straight:
A) In the epic House Un-American Activities Committee/Joe McCarthy/SWG v. Dalton Trumbo, Paul Robeson, Lillian Hellman et. al battle, the blacklisted “Communists” were the bad guys and the HUAC/McCarthy/SWG were the good guys? Um… yeah, maybe not.
B) Ronald Reagan lead the great Hollywood Blacklist of the 1950s? He’s the one who “kicked the pinkos back to Moscow and Harvard Square”? Really?
Really? He wasn’t just a relatively mid-level player in the whole affair, using his presidency of SAG to harrass people and providing testimony to Congress but ultimately serving as just one of Rep. Hart/Sen. McCarthy’s many lapdogs?
Yeah… no.
i just love anything that mocks intelligence. always funny. “kicked the pinkos back to Moscow and Harvard Square”
Those damn Harvard students! Trying to use all there damn brains on us! Trying to get us to change! Geeks! Go to a gym!
also the way he talks about women in that article is laughably sophomoric for a middle-aged man. It would not surprise me if 95% of all human contact he ever has outside of work is with men, and probably pretty “greasy” geeky men too
Oh you didn’t hear? Joe McCarthy is actually quite the popular fellow these days.
http://www.rightwingnews.com/i.....oulter.php
http://www.prospect.org/cs/art.....g_mccarthy
I’m afraid to click any link that has anncoulter in it.
Ha, fair enough. I guess you don’t even need to bother reading that stuff to know how a certain segment of the country feels about McCarthyism, what with the whole “Al-Qaeda 7″ issue in the news lately.
The second link I listed above won’t liquify your brain, btw. It’s an article by Josh Marshall. It’s a bit old, but relevant.
/boversimplified
And, dare I say it:
/SSS’d
For anyone else that wants to join a fantasy league I am starting one up. It is 20 teams (five filled) and roto. Here is the site to the page.
http://baseball.fantasysports......0/settings
League Number: 411990
Password: Yankees28
I would be willing change up the stats and the settings and be the commish of the fifth league aswell.
Those Reds’ teams were absolutely ridiculous though. And Joe Morgan might be one of the most underrated players ever–there really isn’t a way to overrate him. If only he weren’t such an awful analyst.
I remember one time on the JoeChat or whatever, someone asked Joe Morgan if Chase Utley was the greatest second baseman of all time. My reaction was OH SHIT!.
Joe Morgan really was a totally insane player.
Usually when you are asking whether someone is the best at their position and they are only halfway through their career is stupid, but COME ON!!!
Joe Morgan really was a totally insane player.
The lowest OBP he put up in a full season was .351.
Imagine that production at 2B. You could play Brett Gardner at 1B and still be fine.
In the three year stretch from 1974-1976, Morgan lead the league in OBP each year, walked a total of 366 times and stole 185 bases.
Yeah, somebody posted that in one season he stole more bases than he struck out, which is insane. Talk about productive.
He actually stole more bases than he struck out in four separate seasons: ’72, ’73, ’75, ’76.
His vital-line over that 5 year peak from ’72-’76:
.303/.431/.499 (163+).
From second base.
:: head explodes ::
Joe Morgan really was a totally insane player.
No, Joe Morgan was actually a very sane player. He’s a totally insane analyst, though.
Oh ha, ha.
heh, well done. (twss)
The numbers he put up between age 28-32 is just ridiculous. Also, his power speed numbers for his position and era are stunning no wonder he was in the top five of the MVP race for five consecutive years.
A 2.5 BB/K ratio? Absurd.
For a pitcher? Meh…
Oh holy fuck, you mean he did that as a batter?!
*goes to baseball-reference*
*stares incredulously*
So when did this whole Nomar-on-steroids thing start? Was I totally ignorant of this?
I think people just assumed because of the Sports Illustrated cover and the injuries he had throughout his career. Plus, I think he said something like “I didn’t take the steroid test out of VALIANT PROTEST but I am on the list because I didn’t take the test,” which is a BS excuse.
But I don’t think he’s any more or less guilty than anyone else.
Interesting.
Whatevs. I’m way over the whole ‘roids thing.
One thing is for sure, though: He didn’t start using until after he left the Red Sox. That’s 100% certain. Book it. There’s simply no way steroids would have been allowed in that Red Sox clubhouse; the team leaders care about the game way too much to let that happen.
For Diamond Cutters, I’m Peter Gammons, ESPN.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=2055896
I think this is from 2005, based on various comments throughout the article. Anyway, heh. At one point, does he imply MOOSE was on steroids? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think anyone is beyond suspicion, but don’t just be like “hey look at the New York player that wasn’t throwing as hard early.”
Boston’s “big three” of Arroyo, Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement started the year 11-1.
I am so awful, but I am actually laughing at that.
Nomar never actually said that. He said there were some players who did that, but Im pretty sure he didnt actually say that he was one of them.
You’re right:
http://www.nesn.com/2009/07/ne.....tions.html
“There were literally guys who said, ‘I’m not taking it. Go ahead and put me positive because I want the number to be above [the requirement to warrant steroid testing in baseball],’ because they wanted steroid testing,” he said.
I think I only saw the quote in the quote and thought he was talking about himself.
Marion Jones, disgraced track star is going to the WNBA.
The bigger shock is that WNBA still exists, but still.
http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba.....id=4982240
The saddest part of the story: a disgraced track star joining the WNBA is easily the best thing to ever happen to the WNBA.
Lisa Leslie was pretty cool.
Who?
(semi-kidding)
I don’t think it will make too much of a splash unless you are a WNBA fan or in the Tulsa area for whom she signed for. Women’s basketball is getting more coverage the last three years, which is good for the sport, but I don’t know if it is good for the average fan. Personally, I would rather see a sport like American and International soccer get more coverage.
The most I have heard about womens ball was when that 6’8” girl connected on that haymaker.
So, I’ve been weighing for a while if it’s worth it to play fantasy baseball. I’m crazy detail-oriented and very competitive, and I’m the kind of person who tends to procrastinate too much, so I’ve stayed away from it. But is there a way to put together a decent fantasy team without going overboard with it, or do you guys think that I should just give up on the whole concept?
In the time it took you to write that comment, you could have made the necessary adjustments to your team. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but if you have 10 minutes a day, that is all you need. All of the statistics and research is so easily accessible and sortable that even that does not take that long.
You could always buy a book that does the rankings for you and then you should good for the most part. All you do is decide who you want to draft in what round, etc.
If you’re in a league of casual fans, you can compete with only checking the league once or twice a week just to set your pitching roster. If you happen to play in a competitive league where owners are checking everyday and on top of the waiver wire, it may be harder to keep up.
Question for the B-Jobbers of the world.
When he hits FA in 4 years why is it assumed he will re-sign with the Yankees to be “Mo’s heir” if he is given the opportunity to start somewhere else?
Hopefully, four years from now this whole mess will be done with. Joba will either be a definitive starter or reliever. Another four years of this might kill me.
And hopefully during that time Mike Francesa suffers a massive aneurysm while berating a caller and while the surgeons are able to save his life and allow him to live to a normal age with no ill-effects, they accidentally nick a nerve that controls his larynx function, rendering him mute and ending his radio career but entitling him to a hefty malpractice settlement so that he doesn’t lose any income.
(I’m kidding… maybe.)
Sheesh, you’re no Sean Penn.
Your a big fan of his, I can tell. lol
I tend not to not care for public figures with large, far-reaching media platforms who actively and repeatedly make their listening/reading audience markedly stupider, whether they’re doing it intentionally or not.
I feel the same way and I will include the Hollywood folks in there too.
Anyone think Strasburg will pitch in the majors this year?
I think he’s ready, but the Nats might wanna delay his FA clock by keeping him in the minors until May. Some more seasoning at AAA would also help Strasburg a bit more.
Of course he will, just not right away.
Yes. 100% unless he gets injured. However, I don’t think it will be until May. My guess though is he gets at least 100 IP in the majors in 2010.
Alright I drafted him in the late rounds since he was available. Thanks everyone.
Yup. June, right after his arb clock is pushed back a year. By the July, their rotation should be Lannan-Marquis-Olsen-Strasburg-Stammen, with Wang ready to take Stammen’s spot sometime post-ASB.
It will probably depend on performance and/or usage limitations, but my guess is that he will pitch some major league innings (probably so the team can make some money).
QUESTION TO THOSE WHO WENT TO SPRING TRAINING BEFORE
I’m acutally going to spring training for the first time in my life next week. The question is, will the players stay after the game to work out or something?
Every day, they pick a name and let everyone who has that name come hang out with them in the clubhouse all day.
Tuesday is “Ed” day.
lol hahas, good one dude.
No, they’ll get out of there like the stadium is on fire. Get there early, that’s when they get their work in.
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/new.....100310-akd
Can’t wait for those unsalted fries.
I was rereading Jon Heyman’s MVP and etc. ballot from 2009 and I would just like to remind everyone of one of his votes for Rookie of the Year:
3. Andrew Bailey, A’s: Big-time numbers, but let’s face it: He’s a closer on a loser.
Wowwwwww
Par for the course with Jon. His career is based on being Scott Boras’ water boy, not his analysis.
Who was his #1 vote?
Porcello
Became rare 20-year-old to win at least 14 games (Dwight Gooden was another) and pitched beautifully in the deciding game at the Metrodome. Plus, whipped Youkilis.
The last sentence fragment there is the best part of the entire article.
http://guyism.com/2009/08/rick.....kilis.html
Kevin forgot his purse, so he used his helmet instead.
All of you are probably Yankees fans or extremely dumb. If you are the first, then you are the latter, as well. You’re totally biased with everything you’re saying and aren’t able to realize that Porcello’s a huge pussy that can only speak through his pitches and that it just looks like Youk lost the fight because of that shitty ass “HD” picture
Go Sox
Hahaha LOVE this in the comments too:
mutual takedown
signed,
peter gammons
I stopped reading him altogether a few weeks back. The constant “I can’t believe the Yankees showed 0 interest in clutch Johnny Damon” nonsense was the last straw.
God (Heaven)
Jesus Montero or me? Your deification of yet another overhyped Yankees prospect is troubling: beware the worshipping of false idols.
Jim Callis(2:28 PM)
Yeah you know me, Yankees fans are always complaining about how I overhype their prospects. Heyward and Montero are easily the two best all-around hitters (average, power, OBP) in the minors.
I laughed.
I just pray he can stick behind the plate.
Even if he can’t, they’ll still hold on to him.
/dead horse’d
Joe Morgan only got 81.8% of the HOF vote. Wow.
Yet what’s worse than that is Lou Whitaker being his #1 similar player on B-Ref, and he didn’t even stick on the ballot. These writers are just so beyond stupid it’s not even funny.
Lou Whitaker’s career WAR is 69.5, good for 55th all time.
Higher than Brooks Robinson, Luke Appling, Tony Gwynn, Duke Snider, Carlton Fisk, Barry Larkin, Eddie Murray, Gary Carter, Willie McCovey, Craig Biggio, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Mark McGwire, Ernie Banks, and (for the moment) Derek Jeter.
http://www.baseballprojection.com/war/top500.htm
And can’t get 5%???????
I wish Charlie Hustle could be in the HOF.
I think it’ll happen.
Posthumously, though.
Hey guys,
I’m about to start my fantasy baseball draft in the next 10 minutes..I have the 4th pick. Any thoughts? Utley? Braun? Arod (if available?) This is my first fantasy baseball go-around…so if anyone has any pointers on what a good approach is to drafting, I would greatly appreciate it!
Utley, if available, for sure.
Thats what I was thinking. What’s your advice on drafting pitchers? Do you find your number one guy…then wait for bargains at the late round?
Draft them later on. Like 6th or 7th pick. Stock up on hitters first. There’s plenty of pitching available afterward.
Thanks.
Are there any guys that you think will be major sleepers this year?
Joba, Price, Buchholz, Sheets, Carlos Quentin, and Geovany Soto at the top of my head.
A-Rod or Utley. Braun will (likely) put up better numbers than Utley, but due to his position holds a lot more value.
So my midterm today was open book. Best surprise ever.
Did you study for it as if it wasn’t going to be open-book, though? That can make it a pleasant but annoying surprise.
Yeah, I did, so the book was more of a crutch than anything else.
Funny open book story: My sophomore year at UConn, I showed up for a final quite early–about 20 minutes–to find most of my classmates there, with their books in hand. I was unaware it was an open book test. So (and UConn people will appreciate this because they’ll know the distance) I ran–in slippers, mind you–from CLAS (English Dept. Building) to Alumni and back just in time to start the test.
Heh, I was always mad when I studied diligently only to come to class and be told the test is open book.
That rules but as Mondesi said, if you didn’t know it was open-book and studied for it, it can be frustrating. I’m sure you’ll take the frustration though.
I always enjoyed when we were allowed to take “one piece of paper” in with us to take a test, and everyone wrote in the tiniest handwriting ever to cram everything on the paper. Heh.
An open book test? That is such crap. I never had one of those.
If y’all haven’t been reading Sports Pickle’s “previews” of the various teams, you really should. Here’s an example:
http://www.sportspickle.com/ar.....10-preview
STARTING PITCHING … Ace Johan Santana is as good as there is. But after Santana in the rotation it’s Mike Pelfrey (5.03 ERA, 1.51 WHIP), John Maine (4.43 ERA), and Oliver Perez (6.82 ERA, 1.92 WHIP). And that’s it. Many have called the Mets rotation hopeless. But obviously New York’s brass sees something in these guys because there is absolutely no one else. And I mean nowhere. Not in the bullpen. Not in the minors. Nowhere. Not a Plan-B. Not a safety net. Not an experimental option. Nothing. Zero. These are legitimately the four best guys the Mets can possibly put on the mound at the start of a game. Really. Mets management must be extremely confident in them. That’s the only explanation. Right?
Woo!
Seriously, Jerry and Omar, turn Mejia into a reliever. It can only help that lack of SP depth.
but he’s the next Mariano Rivera!!!
Ahhh, sports pickle gold.
@GordonEdes 2 HRs for Ellsbury today, and it’s only the 4th
I can’t believe that Tacoby was able to hit 2 HR’s by the 4TH inning. What an amazing player! The first time in history that a player has hit 2 home runs by the……What?……..that’s not true?
Next you’re going to tell me someone hit 2 HR in an inning.
Gordon Edes has the early makings of THE greatest fan ever.
Does anyone remember a batter hitting two home runs in an inning off the same pitcher? Or did that not happen.
I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic, but if you’re not:
http://www.baseball-reference......4230.shtml
That’s the all-time record for RBI in an inning, IIRC.
Thanks. Yeah I totally blanked.
yw. Did I mention that the “the cocaine snorting of the Keith Hernandezes and Doc Goodens has been replaced by the injuries of the Jose Reyeses and Carlos Beltrans” line STILL makes me randomly think of it and laugh like four days later?
Even better, it was two grand slams in the same inning by Fernando Tatis off of the one and only Chan Ho Park.
Thanks. It just wasn’t coming to me.
DFA plz.
How many times has Edwar given up multiple grand slams in an inning?
That’s right.
Too bad it’s spring training, he was on pace to at least tie the major league record for HR’s in a game, and likely would have beaten it.
However, as we have learned this offseason, Tacoby simply falls short of Mike Cameron in everything he does.
a. holy crap
b. yeah well did Cameron steal home against the Yankees? no? he sucks then.
He was close to hitting 5. He was hit in the 7th by a pitch, and in the 9th he hit a deep line drive to right but it wasn’t enough.
They were all solo. He’s simply not a run producer. Jason Bay had 119 RBI last year, that can’t be replaced.
/95% of Red Sox Nation
Mike Cameron is selfish. He should have just gotten on base and allowed someone else to get the RBIs.
You’re half right. He should have gotten on base by way of a base hit. Had he gotten on base by a walk, it would not have helped his batting average, therefore it would not have been productive.
http://riveraveblues.com/2010/.....ent-799595
Re-posting my comment from an earlier thread.
I have no idea to say other than very good luck and obviously a lot of skill in the position as well.
As of 10 minutes ago, I left the last comment on the “stat geek” article. I had to type quick because I was leaving my parents’ basement to go to my girlfriend’s parents’ basement (haha I know). But I thought I’d ask the mass-community of people who hate the Sox and the idiots who cover them what they think. If you get a sec, read and critique.
Well done. You didn’t need to say you were a Yankee fan though, the use of full sentences, commas and periods gave it away (your name too, I guess).
So bexy, you said if an article stupid enough to be FJM’d was written, you’d consider FJM’ing it for mystique and aura, does Thornton’s article qualify?
Heh. I was actually contemplating that, but it means I would have to defend the Red Sox and Theo Epstein. I do not want to do that. (cries)
But I still might because I just reread the second page and holy shit my inner sort-of-feminist just punched something really hard.
Agreed on the defending Theo part. I seriously just did that yesterday to a friend of mine who brought up Cameron’s average, and how it’s no better than Alex Gonzalez’ was……
For the betterment of the baseball universe, these things need to be explained.
Does anyone here watch Psych? What the hell just happened at the end with that picture
No. Flipping. Idea.
I think the photo was Yang and Shawn when he was a kid. I don’t think they gave us a hint on who Yin is.
Tommie
Re your mock yest.
Kindle doesnt fit the Giants. Exact same play as Sintim who would probably need to play the weakside where boley is entrenched.
Sergio Kindle >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
…
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Clint Stintim
(… that’s probably not enough >’s. But my finger got tired.)
once again i guess well have to agree to disagree. OLB isnt as much of a need as MLB so why take Kindle when you can take Weatherspoon or Spikes in the 2nd? They could a RB like Spiller or Iupati with 15, instead of Kindle who translates to more of a 4-3 pass rusher anyway
meant DE not pass rusher
Kindle profiles as an excellent 4-3 OLB. He’s not a 4-3 DE at all. And he’s far better than Michael Boley, who isn’t “entrenched” in anything, since he looks woefully overmatched and a borderline bust FA signing.
Giants LB’s, both inside and outside:
Michael Boley
Danny Clark
Clint Sintim
Jonathan Goff
Gerris Wilkinson
Chase Blackburn
Number of those players who are solid NFL starters and don’t need to be upgraded: 0
ILB and OLB are equal areas of need. There’s no playmakers there at all. Kindle is an impact OLB and fits both a 3-4 or 4-3 OLB role equally well. He’s a very solid selection.
The article has made its arounds, and even Phillies fans don’t think it holds true.
Did you ever help them out with that VORP and WAR data they were looking for?
Knicks on tv? Nets on tonight? Big whoop. Don’t cheapen the Bombers by ever including those long-time losers in the same story. We’re intelligent enough to figure out what’s on, and there’re enough program selections so we’re not bored to death from sub-mediocrity. Close out with a “knock-knock” joke if you’re hurting for words.