March 2011
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The Angels Tommy Tutoned Mike Trout
Sure, you may be one of the two best prospects in baseball, but you still need to pay your dues, rook.
From Kevin Baxter at the LA Times:
“Several times during Monday’s spring training game against Oakland, a message popped up on the right-field scoreboard inviting fans to call “Mike Trout directly with your baseball questions.” Trout’s real cellphone number was included in the...
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Chipper Jones: Not a Fan of Men in Basements
Chipper Jones to Jeff Schultz at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
“I still feel like I have something to offer, and the cynical fan can really kiss my ass. I really don’t care. There’s a bunch of true fans and the people who actually want to take the time to get to know me know who I am. The guy who sits in his mom’s basement and types on his mom’s computer, I couldn’t really care less...
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Watchyourdailyread:
The Kyle Farnsworth-Paul Wilson fight video. What we all need to start the 2011 baseball season right.
The rarest of all rare occurrences: the pitcher fight.
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Dayton Moore's Assault on the Future
For those that love prospects and a good small market baseball team, John Sickels has an in-depth interview with Royals GM Dayton Moore up at Minor League Ball. While many, including myself, have been quick to jump on the “What is Dayton Moore doing?” train following the signings of players like Jose Guillen and Jeff Francouer, it’s not like he had a lot of great options with...
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Call It "The Tom Glavine Effect"
There has been a lot of work done recently (Notably by Garik at Beyond the Boxscore, and Mike Fast at Baseball Prospectus) by guys with big, smart brains that understand things like math, numbers, and “polynomial formulas” to investigate a pitcher’s ability to expand the strike zone.
Today, J-Doug at Beyond the Boxscore added more information to the constantly growing pile,...
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Bryce Harper Makes Jeff Francouer Look Like the...
Seriously, Bryce Harper has about the same amount of patience as a child on Christmas morning who is waiting to tear into his Christmas presents. Harper saw seven pitches in his first two spring training at-bats against the Mets, striking out both times.
On one hand, it’s disconcerting as his only flaw to this point has been his proclivity to swing at anything that comes anywhere near the...
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February 2011
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Anonymous asked: Buehrle, dammit, Buehrle!
Sorry. You always spell it Buerhle and I think it takes a few minutes off my life every time. I am in love with your blog otherwise though.
Sorry. You always spell it Buerhle and I think it takes a few minutes off my life every time. I am in love with your blog otherwise though.
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2011 Opening Day Starters
Most teams haven’t posted their Opening Day starters yet, but here’s the beginning, with the list continuing to be updated through Opening Day. A link will be added to the right side of the page for easy access.
(Last update 3/30/11)
With any updates, please leave a comment or send me an email.
AL EAST:
Baltimore: Jeremy Guthrie
Boston: Jon Lester
New York: CC Sabathia
Tampa...
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“Thank God he wasn’t talking about the club. If Bobby was taking about the...”
– Ozzie Guillen with his latest feelings on Bobby Jenks. The Guillens must love working in Chicago because they are essentially a 1920s crime syndicate. They’ve got the attitude down, now they need the corruption and Tommy guns.
The entire article is essentially Ozzie spewing anger, so if...
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“Open and kind of spongy.”
– Joe Maddon’s description of Manny Ramirez. Maddon elaborated, saying that Ramirez:
“soaks up the king’s countenance, his rewards, his authorities. But such officers do the king best service in the end. He keeps them, like an ape, in the corner of his...
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Justin Duchscherer Sidelined With Hip Soreness →
The only surprising thing is the implication of a time when Duchscherer wasn’t injured.
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“I couldn’t tell you if Derek Jeter is a plus player because I don’t...”
– Mike Scioscia’s hatred of defensive stats.
I’ll readily admit that defensive statistics aren’t an exact science yet, but I really hope Scioscia added an off the record, “You only have to watch Derek Jeter to know he’s not a plus defender.”
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The Hardball Times: The Nickname Game →
When people aren’t merely shortening last names, there remain a few decent nicknames out there, most of them residing on the Giants—the Panda and the Freak are pretty spot on. Still, none of them can compare to the pre-1980s baseball world (known commonly as the modern nickname era). Bruce Markusen takes a look at a few on Chuck Tanner’s White Sox club, with Jay “Moon...
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“We’re gonna kick BC’s ass.”
– Dustin Pedroia, taking the Saturday doubleheader against Boston College and Northeastern very, very seriously.
(h/t BBTF)
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Today is Magical
In less than an hour and a half from now, at 12:05 ET, a bunch of college kids will square off with Major League talent; the terrifyingly named Manatees taking on the Pirates, and the Mocs facing the Tigers. Sure, the Major League squads will be filled with ‘B’ talent and the ‘A’ talent that plays won’t be in the lineup for long, but it’s a beautiful tradition...
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Things Jonny Gomes May or May Not Have Done
When Jonny Gomes is done with his playing days, he should really look into a career with the CIA because no one can figure out just what exactly the man is up to. When news of Adam Wainwright’s “significant injury” first broke out, Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News passed along word that Gomes came into the clubhouse singing, “Wainwright’s gone, Wainwright’s...
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Even Carl Crawford Doesn't Understand the Angels...
Quick, what do you do when you have a large budget, strong core and may only need a few pieces to put yourself in the thick of your division? If you’re the Anaheim Angels (Not the LA Angels, never the LA Angels!), you kick the tires on Adrian Beltre and Carl Crawford, trade your-should-be-starting catcher and take on one of the worst contracts in aging outfielder Vernon Wells. Sportswriters...
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“I like a lot of the guys. I haven’t seen anyone yet that’s annoying...”
– The always fantastic Zack Greinke on his new teammates. Twenty years from now will there even be a difference between Greinke and Larry David?
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Opening Day Starters?
I’m trying to put together a little, updatable list of announced Opening Day starting pitchers. I know I’m a little late with a few already named, and have probably forgotten some, so if could send me the ones you’ve already seen that would be swell. Links included would be double awesome.
Leave answers below, in the comments, or shoot me an email.
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“If you tell a girl she can’t play baseball, what else will she believe she can’t...”
– Justine Siegal, the first woman to throw Major League batting practice. (via elisetricfeel)
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Hang On, I Gotta Dusty Baker the Bathroom
I solemnly promise that the above headline is going to be the hot new phrase sweeping the nation.
Dusty Baker on his final, inglorious days as the Cubs manager in 2006:
“At the very end, somebody took a dump right where I stood in the dugout every day. That was the low point. The grounds crew guy cleaned it up. He said, ‘Oh, I think it’s dog crap.’ I said, ‘No it ain’t. That’s human...
“Quite frankly, when Rick Vaughn calls the bullpen, I’m going to answer - on a...”
– Brian Wilson on his weekend visit with Charlie Sheen. (via tinkersghost)