http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/newsblog/ All the News That's Fit to Link en jimfurtado@baseballthinkfactory.org Copyright 2013 2013-05-19T14:29:14+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/weiner_the_supreme_court_judge_and_the_curt_flood_case_reenactment#When:14:29:14Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/weiner_the_supreme_court_judge_and_the_curt_flood_case_reenactment Shades of Hairspray!...“It was a time of tradition, a time of values, and a time…to shake things up.” For a journalist, chance encounters at a restaurant or a hair salon can become a major opportunity for advancing a story and in some instances the journalist is in the right place at the right time because he was with his wife. I had a very chance encounter with Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Saturday afternoon in lower Manhattan because my wife happened to have an appointment at a hair salon and the Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor needed a trim. That lead to a nice chat as I said to the Justice Sotomayor, the last time we were together in this neighborhood was in the early spring 1995 not far from the hair salon when she “saved” baseball. And I never did get a chance to talk to you afterwards about your decision. There was a break the ice laugh and then she said she was going to be part of a reenactment of the Curt Flood Supreme Court case in Washington on Thursday (May 23) and I should go. ...On Thursday, Supreme Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor will play a role in the Curt Flood trial reenactment. She isn’t saying who she is playing. The result will not change. Curt Flood will lose, Arthur Goldberg will still present a bad oral argument and that is forever frozen in history. But Judge Sotomayor does plan to remind the participants she is a Yankees fan. She roots for the uniform not necessary the players. She has a central part in baseball labor history. But she cannot change the Flood decision of 1972. It doesn’t matter much now to today’s players. The game that the 1922 Supreme Court described, which never was as baseball was an interstate business in 1922 despite what the Court ruled, is long gone. But on Thursday, at least for a select number of people, the Flood case will come alive for a brief few moments. 2013-05-19T14:29:14+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hold_tight_on_that_moreland_express_dallas_fort_worth_sports_news_sports_ne#When:12:23:17Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hold_tight_on_that_moreland_express_dallas_fort_worth_sports_news_sports_ne Ho-hum. Another night, another Mitch Moreland home run. If you’re scoring along at home, that makes Mitch 10, Internet Trolls and Media Infidels 0. Count me in that latter category, I must confess. I thought the real Mitch Moreland was the one we saw for three years and in the first three weeks of this season — a .264-hitting kind of guy, who couldn’t hit lefties and infrequently drove in an important run. 2013-05-19T12:23:17+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/mlbs_best_and_worst_catchers_at_framing_pitches_bloomberg_sports#When:12:20:43Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/mlbs_best_and_worst_catchers_at_framing_pitches_bloomberg_sports More on pitch framing. 2013-05-19T12:20:43+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hal_steinbrenner_calls_tickets_affordable#When:12:07:28Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hal_steinbrenner_calls_tickets_affordable Qu’ils mangent de la bukkake! Hal Steinbrenner spoke at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. He disagreed with the assessment that tickets are overpriced in the Bronx. This is different point of view than what I generally hear from fans. This is what Hal had to say about ticket prices being too high:   “You hear about that in the media,” Steinbrenner said. “You don’t hear that there are thousands and thousands of affordable seats in the $25 range for every game, not to mention the specials that we do, that we used to do at the old stadium. We have done every year. It is nothing new. We want to make sure that everyone that comes out here to see a Yankee game can get here and see one. There are plenty opportunities.” Fans are going to ballpark less this year. Prior to Saturday, through the first 23 home dates, the attendance was down nearly four grand a game on average—from 41,115 in 2012 compared to 37,461 thus far in ‘13. 2013-05-19T12:07:28+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hochman_dallas_green_still_tells_it_like_it_is#When:11:38:51Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hochman_dallas_green_still_tells_it_like_it_is New Green book looks to be a diamond Dallas page turner. It is a good, lively book and it mirrors Green’s good, lively 6 decades in the game. He rips only three people, Bobby Valentine, Art Mahaffey and Gene Mauch. “Valentine is a phony and that’s what I call him in the book,” Green grumbles, choosing to skip details of the possible backstabbing while Dallas managed the Mets. He reveals that in the minors Mahaffey cared only about his numbers. “He didn’t root for other guys to win, because he thought they might take his job,” Green said. “I told him, if he was good enough, he’d have a job.” And Mauch, manager of that 1964 team that lost 10 in a row down the stretch? “Gene, God bless him, hated pitchers,” Green said softly. “Especially young pitchers. Hey, he traded away Ferguson Jenkins because he didn’t like him. “In ‘64, he went with Bunning and Short because they were veterans. Like Spahn and Sain and pray for rain. Bunning and Short and hold the fort. Except . . . the fort didn’t hold. ...He sees the ranks of Moneyballers increasing, guys who depend on computer readouts of obscure statistics. He’s not happy about it. “Based on the success Oakland had, low payroll, staying in the hunt,” he said, “there are four or five guys who have gone on from there to be general managers. They may not be total Moneyball guys, but they lean on it an awful lot. “Numbers cannot ever tell you, as a scout or an executive, head and heart. And that’s what makes the difference between a player and a great player.” 2013-05-19T11:38:51+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/cafardo_dustin_pedroia_the_best_second_baseman_in_mlb#When:10:55:02Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/cafardo_dustin_pedroia_the_best_second_baseman_in_mlb Sweet spectroscopy! The argument is rolled out again! It’s not surprising to hear what two scouts from each league, who both have watched a lot of the American League this year, say about Dustin Pedroia. “Nobody is playing his position better in baseball right now than Pedroia,” said the AL scout. “He’s playing out of his mind. The plays he’s making — you just don’t see that stuff every day, but you see it with him every day. Honestly, I’m surprised he doesn’t get hurt with the some of the extensions and the ranging he does. That’s special right there.” Pedroia is what he is — a hungry, dirty (as in getting his uniform dirty) ballplayer who would come out of his body if he could to make a play. No team in baseball can boast anyone quite like him. ...Robinson Cano is rightfully considered an MVP-type player both offensively and defensively. But day in and day out on defense, you’re not going to see anyone else do what Pedroia does. “That’s a great debate,” said the NL scout. “Who would you rather have? Cano gives you some power that Pedroia doesn’t. He may hit for a higher average and he’s excellent defensively. He’s an MVP-type guy even though Pedroia’s won that award and Cano hasn’t. I may be crazy, but I’d take Pedroia on my team over Cano. “A lot of people may disagree with me, but when you watch the little things he does, the way he plays the game . . . I’ll tell you this, if you’re a teammate and you don’t emulate his desire and hustle on a baseball field, you don’t have a pulse. This guy is inspiring. And he doesn’t have to say a word to be inspiring. I would take any young kid I had on my team and say, ‘Watch how this guy plays the game.’ ” 2013-05-19T10:55:02+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/omnichatter_for_may_19_2013#When:04:58:08Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/omnichatter_for_may_19_2013 Baseball happens. 2013-05-19T04:58:08+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hardball_times_gems_without_whiffs#When:03:59:47Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/hardball_times_gems_without_whiffs As it turns out, Livan Hernandez gave us the highest pitch count from a single game in the past ten years, throwing 150 pitches against the Florida Marlins back in 2005. A handful of pitchers have rivaled that total since 2002, including Edwin Jackson’s 149 pitch no-hitter, eight-walker from just a few years ago. Hard-nosed, flame-throwing strikeout beasts like Randy Johnson, Jason Schmidt and Kerry Wood all topped 140 pitches at one point or another in the last decade, yet remarkably it was the crafty soft-tossing Livan Hernandez who managed to reach this milestone on four separate occasions since 2002. But something about Livan’s 150-pitch game really intrigued me. We all know that Livan was never feared for his ability to carve through lineups racking up tremendous strikeout totals. He was in many ways the quintessential ‘finesse’ pitcher, relying on pitch-to-contact philosphies—forcing the hitters off-balance, keeping the ball in the park, and handing out no free-passes, etc. [...] Livan threw 150 pitches that evening and only one of them went passed a swinging bat. [...] Since 1988, when pitch count data is first available to Retrosheet, there have been five games where a pitcher threw at least 100 pitches without a swinging strike and did not surrender a run. In three of those bizarre outings, the pitcher went the full nine for a complete game shutout 2013-05-19T03:59:47+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/btbs_kevin_gregg_re-emerges_in_chicago#When:03:54:16Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/btbs_kevin_gregg_re-emerges_in_chicago [A]s of May 16, Kevin Gregg has thrown ten innings without allowing an earned run. Over those 10 frames, he has faced 39 batters surrendering just five hits and four walks and striking out 12 batters. Because it’s just 10 innings, I’m probably making too big a deal out of his success, but remember this is the same pitcher that: *Was released by the Dodgers during Spring Training. The Dodgers’ pen ranks 25th in the Majors in ERA. *Registered a 4.62 ERA, 4.95 FIP, 4.83 xFIP over the last two seasons. He racked up -0.5 fWAR, -0.1 rWAR, and -0.5 WARP over the same time frame. *Earned the nickname “Captain Chaos” for his propensity to turn save opportunities into breathtaking ordeals for his coaches and fans. 2013-05-19T03:54:16+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/murray_chass_are_red_sox_reeling_already#When:03:42:39Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/murray_chass_are_red_sox_reeling_already Shaughnessy is too good to have to invent anything. He neither invented anything in this instance nor accused Ortiz of using steroids and their cousins. What he did was take his skepticism and his curiosity, good traits for a newspaperman to have, and ask Ortiz about steroids. Ortiz’s responses did not indicate anger of being accused of wrong doing. I would compare the Ortiz column to the columns I have written about Mike Piazza and my suspicions about his possible use of steroids. I didn’t accuse him of using steroids, but I was and continue to be skeptical. In the Ortiz case, a person more prominent than the pedestrian bloggers came to the player’s defense. Tom Werner, the Red Sox chairman, posted his own column on Redsox.com last Friday, and it quickly spread to other sites. [...] We are also in a new sports world. When I started in this business more than 50 years ago, we didn’t have anything like steroids to deal with. Before we caught on to widespread use, we were criticized for not paying closer attention and asking relevant, probing questions. Now we are being criticized for paying too much attention and asking relevant, probing questions. The news media are not responsible for asking, in what may be some circumstances, questionable questions. The players created this era and this environment. If players get caught up in being accused with circumstantial evidence, let them complain to Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. [...] The questions Shaughnessy asked Ortiz were based on what we have learned from our belated entry into steroids coverage, certain types of injuries and improved production at an advanced age (see Bonds), for two examples. Shaughnessy could have written his suspicions without talking to Ortiz, but what he did was far more acceptable and correct. When I tried to ask Piazza about his alleged use, he refused to talk about it. When I asked the editor of his recently published book and Piazza’s literary agent before publication if he would write about steroids, they refused to say. “I’m not going to talk to you,” said David Black, the agent, whom I have known for years and who encouraged me to write a book so he could represent me. 2013-05-19T03:42:39+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/brian_cashman_is_keeping_ben_francisco_around_to_piss_everybody_off#When:00:30:04Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/brian_cashman_is_keeping_ben_francisco_around_to_piss_everybody_off The Yankees designated infielder Alberto Gonzalez for assignment this afternoon in order to make room for the newly-acquired Reid Brignac. Some thought that Ben Francisco‘s roster spot could be in jeopardy, as he’s hitting just .114 (5-for-44) in 21 games, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman joked to reporters today that he’s keeping him around for a very important reason. Andy McCullough @McCulloughSL Cashman on Ben Francisco’s roster spot: “Just in terms of your fan comments section, just say I’m holding onto him to piss everybody off.” Thanks to Rolly. 2013-05-19T00:30:04+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/draft_features_rarest_of_prospects_redheads#When:22:18:30Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/draft_features_rarest_of_prospects_redheads The issue of redheadedness and athletic performance took center stage before the 2011 NFL draft, when Sports Illustrated’s Peter King interviewed an anonymous head coach who questioned Texas Christian University product Andy Dalton’s ability to lead a team from the quarterback spot. The scout’s objections were based less on Dalton’s arm strength, pocket presence and his Wonderlic score than his hair color. “Has there ever been a redheaded quarterback in the NFL who’s really done well?” the coach said. “It sounds idiotic, but is there any way that could be a factor? We’ve wondered.” The coach may not have heard of Sonny Jurgensen, who made the Hall of Fame in 1983, or Archie Manning, Carson Palmer or Jeff Garcia, who carved out successful NFL careers in spite of their inherent gingerness. 2013-05-18T22:18:30+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/phil_wood_its_time_for_baseball_to_use_technology_to_make_sure_umps_get_it#When:21:46:30Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/phil_wood_its_time_for_baseball_to_use_technology_to_make_sure_umps_get_it Phil Wood’s still honking…who knew? This brings us back to balls and strikes, and the case of minor league ump—and big league fill-in—John Tumpane. Tumpane was behind the plate May 12 when the Nationals played the Cubs. Tumpane is a Triple-A guy who’s called up when a regular ump has a day off. He started getting major league assignments in 2010 when he was only 27 and apparently believes that close enough is good enough. When a pitch is so far off the plate that the catcher makes no attempt to frame it in the strike zone, it’s clearly a ball. In the bottom of the third last Sunday with two outs, Ian Desmond took a full-count pitch that Chicago receiver Dioner Navarro had to reach into the lefthanded batter’s box to catch. Desmond took one step toward first before Tumpane punched him out. Strike three. Desmond made a face but didn’t say anything. Later, Kurt Suzuki struck out in the ninth on a called third strike, again a pitch the Cubs’ catcher had to reach outside for. Suzuki squawked and was ejected. There has to be a greater effort made to call the rule-book strike zone. No individual interpretations of that should be permitted. This includes you, John. 2013-05-18T21:46:30+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/soe_megdal_its_time_to_finally_believe_in_the_orioles#When:18:42:44Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/soe_megdal_its_time_to_finally_believe_in_the_orioles Primer’s own Mr. Megdal takes a break from his contractually obligated ball-busting of the Wilpons to point out that Serious You Guys, the Orioles really are a pretty solid team now:BALTIMORE—A pair of diametrically opposed views exists about the Baltimore Orioles, 2012’s winner of 93 games and a playoff spot, off to another strong start in 2013. Outside the Baltimore area, skeptics abound. Sure, the Orioles won 93 games, but their Pythagorean record—a measure of expected wins and losses based on runs scored and runs allowed—had them at 82 wins, barely breaking even. Then the Orioles did little this winter to add any talent. Thus came the belief that the Orioles are simply some kind of team of destiny, not talent, and not a real contender. Or as ESPN’s Keith Law put it last September: “There’s literally nothing that the Orioles can do to convince me that they are a good team. They’re like the eighth best team in the American League.” Well then. But for a team living on destiny and despite the certainty of Keith Law, these Orioles are playing pretty well. This season, even after a pair of losses to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday and Wednesday, they are 23-17, just two games out of first place in the AL East, and tied for one of the wild card spots. And their underlying performance supports the record: their Pythagorean record is also 23-17. Ask the Orioles, or many of their fans, whether they are still waiting for the bottom to drop from under this baseball season, and you’ll get a series of blank stares. The Orioles have played like contenders for 200 games now. Isn’t that enough? 2013-05-18T18:42:44+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/holmes_where_does_miguel_cabrera_rank_among_tiger_greats#When:12:14:36Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/holmes_where_does_miguel_cabrera_rank_among_tiger_greats Bah! No mention of Em Lindbeck...he was an on-base machine (.000/.500/.000)! However, and I know this will irk the legion of Kaline fans out there, Cabrera is a better hitter than #6. He has more power, he pulls the ball better, he goes to the opposite field better, and he is a better RBI man than Al was. It’s not a knock on Kaline, because Cabrera is one of the best hitters to ever play the game. He has a career .320 batting average and his slugging marks are among the best of the last 25 years. Kaline had 3-4 seasons that were really good, but he was always getting hurt for three or four or five weeks a season, which kept his numbers down a bit. Cabrera has missed a grand total of 18 games in his six seasons as a Tiger. He’s in the lineup every day mashing. The Tigers have several other Hall of Fame greats who starred in their lineup: Charlie Gehringer, Sam Crawford, Harry Heilmann, and George Kell among them. But Cabrera has already established himself as a better offensive player than those fellas. Which is why it’s a dead-certain lock that Miguel will have his mug on a plaque in Cooperstown some day. There’s one more player I’d put ahead of Cabby as of now, and he’s the former Tiger who is most similar to the current Detroit star. Hank Greenberg was a powerful slugger who played first base, hit mammoth home runs, and drive in runs like it was a bodily function. What matches him well with Cabrera is the fact that Hank also hit for a high average. Baseball history has been filled with sluggers who could smack home runs and drive in runs. But the ability to do that and also hit for a high average is rare. Very rare. That’s why there have been so few Triple Crown winners. That’s why the list of guys who have even won an unnatural Triple Crown (led the league in HR, RBI, batting at any time in their career) is short too. Given his fantastic season so far and his stellar career numbers to this point, Miguel Cabrera is already one of the four greatest Tigers to ever wear the uniform. Give him another 5-6 seasons and he’ll move up that list. 2013-05-18T12:14:36+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/townsend_troy_tulowitzki_denies_accusing_madison_bumgarner_of_doctoring_bas#When:11:21:11Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/townsend_troy_tulowitzki_denies_accusing_madison_bumgarner_of_doctoring_bas That brings us to Coors Field on Friday night. For a few seconds it seemed like we may have been headed towards that inevitable flare up. It happened in the third inning with Troy Tulowitzki running on first base, D.J. LeMahieu at the plate, and Madison Bumgarner pitching. As it’s being reported, Tulowitzki asked first base umpire Tim McClelland to check the baseball. McClelland complied, stopping play to give it a once over before tossing it out of play. Bumgarner had the outward reaction you’d expect. He didn’t appear pleased by the stoppage or the insinuation, and even directed some words in Tulowitzki’s direction, but it didn’t go beyond those words. That left many of us wondering what exactly the situation was. Had Tulowitzki played the gamesmanship card himself? Did he think something shady was going on? What did McClelland find, if anything? Andrew Baggerly of Comcast Sports Net San Francisco has some of the answers. At least the ones straight from the players.   “I wasn’t accusing him at all,” Tulowitzki said. “I have too much respect for him to do something like that. I didn’t think they were cheating.”   Tulowitzki said he noticed the mark and pointed it out to umpire Tim McClelland, only to suggest that they put a fresh one into play.   “You respect the game and there’s something on the baseball, so let’s get rid of it and move on,” Tulowitzki said. “You respect guys who compete. I have respect for him and hopefully he has the same for me.” 2013-05-18T11:21:11+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/pressbox_boog_powell_meat_of_the_order#When:10:39:01Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/pressbox_boog_powell_meat_of_the_order Eeeww, grotle. Now I’m touch and go on pulling out the Blüd Sausage EP. Ever since Powell entered the major leagues in 1961, Orioles fans have known him as an affable giant, whose Popeye-esque muscles and robust 6-foot-4 frame stood in stark contrast with his easy smile and kind-hearted demeanor. For 14 years, Powell readily accommodated the Baltimore aficionados, signing autographs by day, swatting homers by night. So beloved was Powell that even after he went to Cleveland in 1975, toward the end of his career, he didn’t leave Orioles fans’ hearts. No, he didn’t have Hall of Fame numbers like Brooks Robinson’s, Frank Robinson’s or Jim Palmer’s, but Powell was an icon, as much for his 339 home runs and steady play at first base as for his unbridled joy on the diamond. About 18 years after Powell left the Orioles as a player, he returned as a restaurateur by opening Boog’s in conjunction with the christening of Camden Yards. Save for a few select occasions and a stint with colon cancer in 1997—he spent part of his recovery period concocting new hot-sauce recipes—Powell’ been there ever since. He’s a living, breathing, tangible legend who’ll strike up a conversation with random passersby and listen intently to stories he’s heard 200 times before. Although he often loses track, Powell estimated that he signs anywhere from 300 to 500 autographs during the 45 minutes or so leading up to game time. With the barbecue stand humming in the background, he perches himself on a high stool with a Miller Lite umbrella and welcomes folks in like a grandfather at Christmas. “It took me a while to get used to being with the fans every day,” Powell said, “but I’ve come to the realization that my mission is more or less to make them feel good about being there. I especially enjoy the young people, and I’ve got young people coming now that have pictures they took with me 20 years ago. Thing is, they’re not little kids anymore—they’ adults. They say, ‘God I remember going to see you when I was 5 years old, and you were so much fun and it was cool that you did that for me.’ So I think I give people a good impression, sort of lift them up.” ...But considering how much Powell has given to Baltimore, sometimes it seems as if he gets lost among the other Orioles greats. There is no statue of Powell in Orioles Legends Park, which houses statues of the ballclub’s six Hall of Famers; he doesn’t have a television presence, à la former Baltimore catcher Rick Dempsey; and he isn’t one to give speeches during special anniversary days. 2013-05-18T10:39:01+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/can_the_2013_cubs_channel_the_turnaround_artists_of_1967#When:10:21:47Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/can_the_2013_cubs_channel_the_turnaround_artists_of_1967 Could always ask…Rich Nye the Quantum Chronophysics Guy. Indeed, scanning the 2013 roster, only an optimist of Ernie Banksian dimensions would find four future Hall-of-Famers. I only count two position players who have even made the All-Star team as Cubs: Starlin Castro (2011, 2012), Alfonso Soriano (2007, 2008). Castro is still a work in progress and The Fonz can only hope for lasting recognition if his outfield hop turns into a Gangnam style YouTube sensation. Getting more granular, here’s what the 2013 Cubs, position by position, would need to hit if they were to equal their ’67 counterparts, who rallied so heartily. 1B: Anthony Rizzo, BA: 276; HR: 23; RBI: 95 (Banks’s record) 2B: Darwin Barney, .280; 5; 40 (Beckert) SS: Starlin Castro, .231; 0; 42 (Kessinger) 3B: Luis Valbuena, .300; 31; 98 (Santo) RF: Nate Schierholtz, .218; 5; 33 (Ted Savage, part time, replacing Browne) CF: David DeJesus, .268; 17; 70 (Phillips) LF: Alfonso Soriano, .278; 28; 84 (Williams) C: Welington Castillo, .267; 14; 60 (Hundley) If you could make your pact with the devil, would you take those numbers right now? I would (a shame about the demise of Castro, but Javier Baez is on deck). Do you believe the 2013 team will come close those results? If so, I’d like to talk to you about a great deal on a slightly pre-driven relief pitcher named Carlos Marmol. 2013-05-18T10:21:47+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/bradford_could_this_be_the_smartest_red_sox_team_since_07#When:09:47:42Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/bradford_could_this_be_the_smartest_red_sox_team_since_07 Using the Bradford–Binet Intelligence Test…uhh, no. The Gomes persona might offer the best evidence of an ‘07 dynamic within these Red Sox. There might be some frustration for fans who choose to define success and failure by pure numbers with the outfielder hitting .183 with a .643 OPS. Intangibles aside, it certainly would behoove the Red Sox to get Gomes’ digits up a bit. But something as simple of managing to hit a ball in the air when his team needed it the most, as was the case in 10th inning against the Twins, goes a lot way to leaving a favorable impression. Remember, none of the aforementioned ‘07 bench players had an OPS of greater than .714. “I think I can help a ball club win a lot more than just my numbers,” Gomes said. “I can take guys aside with baserunning, look at video, tell somebody if somebody is tipping pitches and they go out there and get the hits. I’ve played against guys so I can help with scouting reports. Also, when you’re a part-time player you can’t look at numbers. The only time you can look at my numbers are at the very end. But just because I’m not in the lineup doesn’t mean I’m not contributing “A lot of people won’t know what it’s like to go year to year. I do that every year. Every year of my life is on the line. Even tomorrow is not a guarantee. The time is now for me.” ...to become a full-time coach. 2013-05-18T09:47:42+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/omnichatter_for_may_18_2013#When:04:12:12Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/omnichatter_for_may_18_2013 All 30 Major League teams play today. Hey, it’s different than saying it’s a full slate of 15 games. 2013-05-18T04:12:12+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/pinstriped_bible_albin_is_ichiro_done#When:22:27:53Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/pinstriped_bible_albin_is_ichiro_done The Yankees are only a month and a half into Ichiro’s new contract, and it already looks like they will rue the day the two sides reached a deal. Well, perhaps the business side of the organization is pleased, but I digress. Ichiro is hitting .239/.280/.328 through 145 plate appearances, and finally broke a 22 at-bat hitless skid last night. At this point, it is hard to be optimistic about him going forward. It shouldn’t be a surprise that Ichiro is scuffling. From 2011 through 2012, Ichiro hit .277/.308/.361 in 1,384 plate appearances. That’s good (bad, really) for a 84 wRC+ in his age 37 and 38 seasons. With this in mind, I can’t imagine a scenario in which the organization’s baseball ops department expected him to revert back to his previous performance. Ichiro was a beast last September (.362/.376/.486 in 112 plate appearances), but sample sizes do not justify a two year, $13M deal for a guy pushing 40 that has barely hit since he turned 37. This isn’t groundbreaking stuff here, but it sure is frustrating. Now, the Yankees are stuck with an overpaid fourth outfielder, who will probably get more playing time than deserved based on reputation alone. ...Ichiro’s contact and batted ball stats further the notion that his BABIP hasn’t been subject to bad luck. Keeping in mind that contact rate and line drive rate stabilize at 100 and 150 plate appearances respectively, there are legitimate reasons to be concerned about Ichiro going forward. Remember, he’s had 145 plate appearances, so we can rely on his contact rate and just about trust his line drive rate thus far. Compared to last season, Ichiro is putting the bat on the ball 5.4% less often, while 3.6% below his lifetime percentage*. His line drive rate, while not officially stable yet but pretty close, stands 9.2% less than last year and 5% worse than his stateside career*. These discrepancies tell a clear story of a guy not being able to put good wood on the ball, a classic indication of age overcoming a once great hitter. But then again, this isn’t a surprise for anyone who has been aware of his performance the past two years. Thanks to Los. 2013-05-17T22:27:53+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/mlb_talking_past_present_and_future_with_ryne_sandberg#When:21:49:40Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/mlb_talking_past_present_and_future_with_ryne_sandberg Per Sandberg: Self-Appointed Chairman of the Committee on HOF Justice. #norynonoryno MLB.com: During your Hall of Fame acceptance speech in 2005, you spoke a lot about playing the game the right way. What was your take on the most recent voting? Sandberg: Well, first of all, the voting is in the hands of the sportswriters who follow the game, and I think that the writers once again sent a strong message to baseball that illegal drugs and all that is not and should not be a part of baseball. I think it was very loud and clear. I think that’s a strong stance, and it’s good for the future of the game. MLB.com: So basically, if you had a vote, that’s the way you would vote. Sandberg: I’m not a sportswriter. I don’t get to vote. I don’t get the ballot in the mail, so it’s out of my hands either way. I can say that in the history of the Hall of Fame, there are no suspicions about guys who are in the Hall of Fame. It’s an elite group. And once you’re in the Hall, you’re in the Hall. Up until now, I think the voting system has handled things very well. And like I said before, there are no suspicions in the Hall of Fame. MLB.com: But in your speech, you did say that Andre Dawson should be in. You said, “He did it the right way, the natural way.” So you have voiced your opinion, even though you don’t have a vote. Sandberg: But that wasn’t about drugs. That was about a player whose numbers, I thought, were being dwarfed by those put up in that era. I played with the guy and against him for most of my career. I saw most of his career. For a number of years, he was overshadowed by the guys who hit 60 or 70 home runs. Those numbers were astronomical and were numbers I could not relate to. I thought he was a Hall of Famer and had had a Hall of Fame career. That’s why I voiced my opinion on that, and I was very happy to see him go in. 2013-05-17T21:49:40+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/powerball_odds_juan_pierres_homers_are_long_shots_too#When:21:11:53Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/powerball_odds_juan_pierres_homers_are_long_shots_too Odds of being attacked by a shark marlin: 1 in 11.5 million. Pierre’s clout came leading off the bottom of the first for the Miami Marlins against the Cincinnati Reds. Pierre’s homer was his first since June 23. He whooped when the ball went over the fence down the right-field line. “I don’t know how to react to those things, so it’s just a spur-of-the-m deal,” Pierre told reporters of his homer reaction. “That’s about the only time you’ll see me smiling on the baseball field.” Pierre’s four-bagger came against Cincinnati starter Mat Latos,. “Juan Pierre hit a home run off me—just my luck,” Latos said after the game. “I looked at him when he was running the bases and said, ‘What the heck happened?’” ...While Pierre’s power numbers are among the puniest in baseball history since the end of the deadball era, the 35-year-old Mobile native has stolen 603 bases to rank 18th on the all-time list. 2013-05-17T21:11:53+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/girardi_still_believes_as_injuries_mount#When:17:20:03Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/girardi_still_believes_as_injuries_mount “Things stay fresh in my mind,” Girardi said. “I’ve seen Hafner hit home runs to left-center in big parks; I’ve seen him pull balls; I’ve seen him work counts. I’ve seen Lyle be a double monster his whole career and play great defense at first base. I remember saying, ‘Oh, my goodness, can you believe how close he’s playing to second base?’ I remember seeing Vernon hit balls out on us. I remember Youk taking Mo deep. “So I believe in these guys. I believe they can still do it. I don’t think that because you’re older, you can’t do it anymore. Sometimes it just means maybe you can’t play as many games as you used to.” 2013-05-17T17:20:03+00:00 http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/dunson_the_campaign_for_mariano_rivera_to_start_the_all_star_game_is_a_back#When:16:54:42Z http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/newsstand/discussion/dunson_the_campaign_for_mariano_rivera_to_start_the_all_star_game_is_a_back Has the BBC decided to pick up the filler-filled “Mariano Rivera’s Grand Tour” yet? Even as the career saves leader, and a five-time World Series champion, Rivera catches shade from critics who point out that he benefitted from longevity because of this era’s relief pitching specialization. Pitching prejudice is always swimming beneath the surface. Rivera has no Cy Young Awards in his war chest, but this is a life lesson. Play your position. Rivera was built for the bright lights of the ninth inning in New York. It’s a thankless job. If a closer collects three outs without surrendering a lead, it’s not like draining a game winner. You shake the catcher’s hand, pack up your glove and walk to the clubhouse. However, if they fumble a lead away, closers face the wrath of an entire city and perhaps the clubhouse. Like all athletes, some pitchers get clammy hands and lose partial control of their limbs in those pressure situations. Rivera is the Rock of Gibraltar in the Yankees rotation. He’s obliterated the most dangerous hitters in the game and has raised the standard for closers. Besides, if Rivera starts, who will the AL manager trust in the ninth inning with World Series home field advantage on the line? For 19 seasons, Rivera’s cutter has been slicing up strike zones, cracking bats and leaving hitters dumbfounded. Starting him as an ill-conceived honor, after he spent two decades validating the role of closers, would be like Diddy on Downton Abbey—it’s a joke.   2013-05-17T16:54:42+00:00