BtBS: Home Runs and Horizontal Exit Angles

Introduction - The day I found Hit Tracker (now-named ESPN Home Run Tracker) was a life-changing experience for me. At first I perused the site as normal people are wont to do, looking at the longest homers, finding hitters who are getting a little lucky, and reading about the physics of pokes.

Then I started to, well, do my thing. The first research I did on this data set was to create the Home Run Damage statistic, which I still feature on my personal blog, Steal of Home. Next, I confirmed ...

NY Times: Doubted by Scouts, A College Ace Rises Quickly

Michael Roth pitched his first game above rookie ball on April 9, working five innings for the Class AA Arkansas Travelers. Three nights later, after a game in Frisco, Tex., Roth was called into an office with Manager Tim Bogar and the pitching coach, Mike Hampton. He had no reason to expect what was coming.

“I kind of thought I was in trouble,” Roth said over the phone last week. “I was like, ‘Oh, God, what did I do?’ ”

Roth had done enough in that game — and had enough rest ...

NY Times: Thrown for a Curve in Rhode Island

It may be hard to understand how all of this happened without understanding the ancient, one-sided rivalry that exists between Rhode Island, a state of just 1,000 square miles, and Massachusetts, which squeezes Rhode Island on two sides like a vise. Massachusetts is the land of the Red Sox and the Kennedys; Rhode Island makes do with the Red Sox’ Class AAA affiliate in Pawtucket and has a history of rampant political corruption.

Going back to the 1980s, Massachusetts developed a high-tech ...

ESPN: Nationals DL Zimmerman - Call Up Anthony Rendon from AA.

The Washington Nationals are putting third baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left hamstring and promoting prized prospect Anthony Rendon from Double-A for his big league debut.

Earlier than the Nationals would prefer, but it worked out OK for that Harper kid.

FCC Has No Issue With David Ortiz’s Pregame Speech, Says He “Spoke From the Heart”

Even Grandpa Al Lewis is in shock.

David Ortiz encapsulated all of the emotion and passion that was present in Saturday’s pregame ceremonies at Fenway Park when he took to the microphone.

In Ortiz’s first game back, he thanked the city and law enforcement, and also dropped the f-bomb stating, “This is our [expletive] city.” Red Sox nation didn’t seem to have a problem with the sentiment, and neither did the Federal Communications Commission.

Julius Genachowski, the chairman of ...

Wife of Willie Mays, Mae Louise Allen Mays, dies at 74

Baseball legend Willie Mays and the San Francisco Giants announced that Mae Louise Allen Mays, Willie’s wife of 41 years, passed away peacefully in her sleep Friday morning in the couple’s Bay Area home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was 74-years-old.

Mae and Willie were married in November, 1971. Late in life, Mae waged a 16-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She remained in their family home with Willie until her death.

“Mae died peacefully and without pain,” ...

Baer: Ruben Amaro can’t believe the Phillies aren’t drawing walks

Ruben: Handbook of the Elementary.

GM Ruben Amaro is shocked — shocked! — that his team isn’t drawing walks.

Via Kevin Tresolini:

  “I think it’s ridiculous that we’ve had no walks in three days,” general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. said. “I cannot believe it. More importantly, it’s about not just walks, but producing, and we haven’t done that. We haven’t gotten hits, period. We haven’t gotten hits with runners in scoring position, we haven’t gotten hits to lead off ...

Schoenfield: Hall of Famers without their home parks?

Home was not home
Your room was home
A corner was home
The place they weren’t, that was home

We now know you

Jim Rice
When Jim Rice hit the Hall of Fame ballot after his 16-year career with the Red Sox, the debates got ugly. Rice was feared, argued his supporters; Rice was overrated, a beneficiary of Fenway Park, argued his detractors. During most of Rice’s career in Boston, Fenway was a terrific hitter’s park, the traditional Fenway of “no lead is safe” lore. Overall, Rice hit .320 with ...

TSL: The Yankees Long-Term Problem: There’s No New Jeter In Sight

In the playoffs, Jeter’s absence — while not as extreme — had the same damaging psychological effect on the Yankees as Biggie’s death had on Junior Mafia. The group slowly fell out of relevance without its heart to pump greatness into everyone else.

... Robinson Cano is the future face of the Yankees and is going to get blessed with a Jeter-type mega-deal at year’s end. The Yankees are hoping he can hold the fort down better than Lil’ Cease did when B.I.G. left.

While the injury ...

GIF: Brewers’ Jean Segura steals first base

Jean Segura, born of Germany? Who knew?

I have never seen this before. Jean Segura of the Brewers was on second base, then he stole first base against the Cubs on Friday night. Here, look:

Ryan Braun, who was originally at first base, was called out at second and Segura was allowed to remain at first. He was on second base and he stole first. That’s a real thing that happened.

Not only that, but Segura tried to steal second base after that play and was thrown out. He stole second base ...

4-20-2013 OMNICHATTER

Submitting this a bit early… but, anyway, it’s Saturday. It’ll be the first game at Fenway since the Marathon and Friday’s drama, and the day will also see a LAD-BAL doubleheader, Scott Kazmir’s return, and Posey catching Lincecum.

FanGraphs: Cameron: CC Sabathia and Pitching to the Score

Debugging Hugging Harold Reynolds

In that segment, Harold Reynolds cites CC Sabathia as an example of a pitcher who pitches to the score, noting that he performs differently when the game is on the line than when he’s just trying to get outs and has some runs to give up. While one will never be able to definitively prove or disprove the intent of a pitcher, given that we are left to only measure what they do rather than what they are thinking, Reynolds’ claim is testable. If Sabathia ...

Todd Frazier Goes Yard On Request From Bat Boy Teddy Kremer

The Reds’ honorary bat boy last night was Teddy Kremer, who has Down syndrome and a wealth of enthusiasm for the team. He asked Frazier to hit a home run for him before the third baseman stepped to the plate in the sixth, the Reds already up on the Marlins 9-1. So Frazier did. Simple, right?

Perry: Tim Hudson, 200 wins and the Hall of Fame

On Friday night against the Pirates, Braves right-hander Tim Hudson will make his first attempt at earning career win number 200. While I have no use for pitcher wins and losses as a measure of value, this is still a relevant career benchmark. It also raises the question of whether Hudson is cobbling together a case for the Hall of Fame.

In addition to being on the brink of 200 victories, the 37-year-old right-hander also boasts a .657 career winning percentage (21st all-time), a 126 ERA+ ...

MLB Now debates pitcher wins

Brian Kenny to Harold Reynolds…“I’m puzzled to how you even think that way.”

Keown: What the MLB committee will find

The committee members need to see the industry of youth baseball for what it has become: A business enterprise designed to exclude those without the means and mobility to participate. Over the past 15 to 20 years, the proliferation of pay-for-play teams in youth baseball—and the parallel proliferation of parents willing to pay for them and coaches willing to cash their checks—has had more of an impact on African-American participation than anything another sport has to offer.

It’s become ...

Great Moments in Triple-A: Buffalo beats Syracuse 27-9

Was gonna say that ten-run seventh was the problem, but losing 17-9 ain’t exactly great.

Eight RBI for Luis Jimenez. Lots of fun stuff from players who have hung around major league rosters on-and-off.  Minor League Baseball: it’s FAN-tastic.

Other fun stuff in the box score:

Every player in the lineup for both teams had a hit.
*Josh Thole was the only player for Buffalo who did not score.
*Mauro Gomez was the only player for Buffalo without an RBI.
*Moises Sierra was 6-6 with 5 ...

Bess: Why A Jumbotron At Wrigley Field Is A Super-Sized Mistake

Madlock to Spurlock…Don’t Super Size Me!

Jumbotron? Just Say ‘No!’

The main problem is not the rooftop owners, or at least it shouldn’t be. It’s great to have fans watching games from the rooftops across the street—a historic practice to which the Cubs have never objected—but outrageous that rooftop owners veto improvements to Wrigley on the basis of projected “lost revenues.” These “revenues” must be understood for what they are: a theft of the Cubs’ product, to not one ...

McCoy: What’s wrong with Votto? ‘NOTHING’

Baker tracer alert!

The thing about Votto is that he still is on base more than half the time he goes to the plate, a .521 on-base average with 22 walks. It is difficult to hit when pitchers nibble at the plate, refusing to offer tantalizing pitches to hit.

“That’s what I used to do,” said manager Dusty Baker. “We’d get 18 hits and I’d get none, then we’d get six hits and I’d have four.”

ABOUT VOTTO’S batting average, Baker said, “I’m not really worried. It’s only ...

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 4-19-2013

Milwaukee Journal, April 19, 1913:

[Baseball and football] Coach Dennis Grady of Northwestern university today applauded the efforts of Miss Irene Blanchard, dean of women, to stop tango dancing and turkey trotting.

“The exertion an athlete puts in in one evening dancing the new dances is equivalent to the energy he expends in a hard afternoon’s practice on the football field,” said Grady. “It saps his energy.”

1913 was not Lima Time, apparently.

Lemke: Berardino’s face insured in Indians’ contract

Priddy boy makes good.

While it was likely done more for the publicity than in a serious vein, when Cleveland Indians owner Bill Veeck acquired John Berardino from the St. Louis Browns in the 1948 pre-season, Berardino’s contract called for Veeck to pay for a $100,000 insurance policy protecting the player in the event of significant facial injury as a result of playing baseball.

Berardino had played for St. Louis in the 1947 season, then been traded to the Washington Senators for Gerry ...

4-19-2013 OMNICHATTER

The Red Sox return home for their first game at Fenway since the Marathon Bombings. Meanwhile, Strasburg faces Harvey, the Dodgers and Orioles have the day’s Interleague game and the 13-2 Braves head to Pittsburgh.

Oh, and let us again remind everyone that Mat Latos has a cat named Cat Latos.

Former Major Leaguer Matt Lawton of Gulfport jailed with no bond

Former professional baseball player Matt Lawton of Gulfport is held with no bond in a pending court case involving an apparent family matter.

Lawton, 41, was arrested April 11 and remained in custody Thursday morning at the Harrison County jail.

He is held for an appearance in Harrison County Chancery Court in Gulfport. The case is sealed. The complaint was filed in a court division that handles family disputes, child support and child custody issues.

Lawton has a daughter and son, both ...

Walder: Rex Ryan rants against Baltimore Orioles over season opener

Rex, brothers!

The Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens can’t open the season at home because the Orioles play a game on September 5, when the season opener is scheduled to be played, and the two teams share a parking lot. While there was talk of the Orioles potentially moving their game to another time, Ryan proposed something more ridiculous—moving its location—during a rant against the Baltimore baseball team.

“Well who really cares, you’ve got 81 at home, maybe you could have done ...

Mitch Williams: Matt Harvey looks like NL Cy Young material

“It is all over his face.” (psst…don’t tell Murray Chass)

When I look at players who have been surprises, the one that jumps out at me the most. I can’t really even say it is that big of a surprise. What Matt Harvey is doing for the Mets is phenomenal! I say it’s not that big of a surprise because of what I saw out of him last year. I said he is the closest thing I’ve seen to Roger Clemens come along. Not just his stuff. But more importantly the way he carries himself on the mound. That ...

Jeter makes unscheduled doctor’s visit in Tampa

Update: From Andy McCullough ‏...“Derek Jeter has a small crack in the area of the previous injury, per a CT scan. Cashman says he won’t be back until after All-Star Break.”

Reports are coming out that Derek Jeter did not make his work out today, and is instead making an unscheduled doctor’s visit in Tampa. This is not looking good. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News asked Girardi about this:

Mark Feinsand    

Asked if something happened during Wednesday’s workout that prompted ...

Reddit: I am Jose Canseco, famed steroid user and former MLB player. Ask me anything.

Q: How meaningful was it when Jim Carrey screamed “I’m Jose Canseco!” in Liar Liar?

He could have screamed many other names when he thought of playing baseball with his kid.

A: hes a big fan of mine plus we had a threesome together

Castrovince: Lester, Buchholz Re-emerge With Guidance From Farrell, Nieves

This was the best hope among Red Sox fans regarding the team’s fortunes in 2013: that 2012 would be an outlier for the starting rotation; that the return of John Farrell would mean the return of performance from Lester and Buchholz to their former peak; and that any projections that included any influence of 2012 would be assessing the rotation too negatively. While it’s less than one month, it’s fun to see that hope be fulfilled to date.

Justice: Changing skippers won’t solve Angels’ woes

“You Ought To Say Me A Prayer”

There may be dumber ideas than firing Mike Scioscia, but I can’t think of any. I understand why it’s a topic of conversation, and Scioscia does, too. When a team begins a season with high expectations and then falls on its face out of the gate, someone has to be held accountable.

That someone usually is the skipper. Never mind the circumstances or personnel. Never mind fairness. Competent managers get fired every season. It usually happens when management has ...

Mets prospect Travis d’Arnaud has fracture in left foot

Jeez…Travis Bickle spent more time playing a Sport than Travis d’Arnaud.

Mets prospect Travis d’Arnaud has a non-displaced fracture in the first metatarsal of his left foot and is currently in a walking boot, Mets reporters (including Marc Carig) were told Thursday in Colorado. The highly-touted catcher is heading back to New York to be further examined.

D’Arnaud, 24, missed the last few months of the season with a torn PCL in his knee last season, holding him to only 67 games.

In those 67 ...