Warning: Taking Seriously May Be Harmful To Your (Mental) Health
by Nico on Nov 20, 2009 8:16 PM PST
3 comments
First and foremost, all day Saturday (9am-5pm), I'm in front of the CVS at Shattuck/Rose in Berkeley, supervising student volunteers who will be guilt-tripping encouraging shoppers to donate canned foods and Robert Parishibles to the Alameda County Community Food Bank. OptimistPrime and 67MARQUEZ have promised to stop by at some point, and not just because I informed them that if they did stop by I would match all the canned food donations but if they didn't stop by I would take cans out of the barrel and hurl them at frightened kittens. Gigglingone is still thinking about how she feels about animal brutality and is listed as a "definite maybe."
Please stop by and say "hi" if you can. (I don't mean if you can say "hi" -- I mean if you can stop by.) By doing so, you will be helping the hungry (because if you don't stop by, I will see to it that my student volunteers starve). Oh yes, of course, you can bring canned foods too -- terrific idea, excellent point. But mostly, stop by and entertain me. And please don't use excuses like "I live on the East Coast" or "I have to go to work," because we both know that you can still buy a plane ticket and arrive before 5pm, or you can quit your job in order to come entertain me.
So be a team player -- show some grit and intangible leadership and tell the world, "I will make this a canned food drive, not a can't food drive." You were going to come until I said that, weren't you? Dang.
In other news, I'm excited to see some of baseball's metrics now being applied to other sports, as it shows how baseball is really at the forefront of complex statistical analysis.
Baseball fans are familiar with FIP, a pitching metric that only looks at "fielding independent" results such as walks, HRs, and HBP. The NBA has announced they will soon begin using a similar metric known as DIS. DIS stands for Defense Independent Shooting, and will look only at free throws, breakaway layups, and shots defended by Steve Nash. They are also trying to incorporate "line drive rate" into the metric, but so far only Shaq's free throws would be affected anyway.
I really don't get what takes so long about these Staturday posts -- I whipped that one out in less than 15 minutes. What do you mean? That's what who said? Oh, heh.
Finally, John Sickels interviewed Billy Beane yesterday. (I don't mean "He should have interviewed Billy a long time ago!" or "In his last act before dying, Sickels interviewed the A's GM. I mean this information is also the last item in this post.) The interview went kind of like this.
See you tomorrow for a cartoon and a real post -- or see you later today if you care at all about kittens.
3 comments | 0 recs
What To Expect From 2010
by baseballgirl on Nov 20, 2009 8:51 AM PST
129 comments
Nothing like articles like this to start your Friday off right! (But Happy Friday, almost holiday, everyone!)
From The Hot Stove Blog on Wednesday:
In his most definitive comments to date about his offseason plans, A's GM Billy Beane on Tuesday -- two days before the free-agency frenzy kicks off in earnest -- suggested that whatever money is available to upgrade the team's talent might stay in the coffers unless it's used to pay the salaries of young players brought in via trade.
Beane, now more than ever, is committed to going young. If he doesn't think a current need -- third base, first base, shortstop and left field are unsettled -- can be filled by a prospect from within the organization, he'll be looking for swap partners.
Ideally, top prospects such as third baseman Brett Wallace and first baseman/outfielder Chris Carter will quickly blossom into the positional equivalent of A's closer Andrew Bailey, who on Monday was named the AL Rookie of the Year.
"We're going to look at young players to fill spots, first and foremost," Beane said. "If those players we'd like to acquire aren't obtainable, we'll consider bringing in guys who can hold the positions down. We're going to stay disciplined and try to do everything we can to fill those spots with young players.
Are we really going to say goodbye to free agent fun and speculations this off-season? From this report, it looks like the A's are holding steady with the group of youngsters they already have in the system (or trading them for other young players who play different positions). I also thought the "positional equivalent of Andrew Bailey" was an interesting choice of words; we aren't really banking on this, are we? I'm all for positive thinking, but Andrew Bailey was almost the pitching equivalent of Mariano Rivera and Joe Nathan this season. I can make the reasonable assumption that Wallace and Carter will not be A-rod and Pujols.
Quite honestly, I fear for our offense. All signs indicate that the pitching will be stronger, as our young pitchers continue to develop, but if we thought the 2009 offense was bad (even with Matt Holliday), what can we expect from 2010? What will our lineup look like?
Give me a reason to be optimistic, because "holding positions down" does not mean "putting good players in positions". The 2010 season screams "rebuilding" right now, and it would take nothing short of a miracle season for the A's to be competitive.
Who do you want to see make the team in 2010? Do you think we'll pick up any extra help? Who is going to break out this season? Who is the rookie you are most excited to see?
129 comments | 0 recs |
Skinny Guy with Stringy Hair Who Pitches for That Team Wins 2nd Straight Cy
by 67MARQUEZ on Nov 19, 2009 11:13 AM PST
163 comments
Also known as Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants. He's the major's first repeat winner since Randy Johnson won the award four straight seasons from 1999-2002.
And they say marijuana isn't a performance-enhancer.
Oh I kid.
Discuss here.
163 comments | 0 recs
Are We Seeing A Shift Away from Win/Loss?
by baseballgirl on Nov 18, 2009 10:03 AM PST
28 comments
And the awards continue...
For all of my complaining in recent years about how the baseball writers ignore even the most basic of stats (ERA, WHIP) in favor of Win/Loss records and team standings, I think they got it right this year with Zack Greinke's Cy. It's not like I made up the bias out of thin air; I'm pretty sure the 2005 voting jaded me on these awards. Bartolo Colon's 21 wins overshadowed both Johan Santana's (who placed third!) and Mariano Rivera's seasons, despite Colon's deficit in all other categories.
But this year was something different. Greinke won the SB Nation voting by a landslide, but I figured that was a blogger thing, and we haven't yet bridged the gap to the baseball world. I was wrong.
Zack Greinke was voted the Cy Young award winner yesterday by a similar landslide; and he did it all with a W/L record of 16/8, on a very (VERY) bad team. Maybe that's why the sixteen wins were so impressive? But more importantly, he beat out a pitcher with 19 wins. Would it have been the same vote had Felix managed to secure the magic 20th win? I'd like to think so, but again, see 2005.
Today's awards will be the Managers of the Year. I've already written in Scioscia; adversity and all that jazz. But as many have pointed out, how hard is it to win the AL West, really? Jim Tracy should take the NL. And the people who probably care most about this award are the ones who think managers make a significant difference overall in the season. [Update] Both Scioscia and Tracy have won their respective awards.
So, are we seeing a shift in the way baseball pitchers are evaulated in MLB itself? And what are the qualities of a winning manager?
Today's award results will be announced in about an hour. Let's pretend that Bailey wins the ROY again!
28 comments | 0 recs |
Billy Ball, Revisited
by Flashfire on Nov 17, 2009 10:30 AM PST
26 comments
Chris Jaffe over at The Hardball Times has a book coming out soon titled "Evaluating Baseball's Managers" that stretches back into baseball's history for what looks like a comprehensive look at managing over about a 130-year period.
(Harry Pavlidis also has a piece up today on Andrew Bailey, but this post is going to be about Billy Martin.)
In the excerpt Jaffe shares today he summarizes all of what made Martin the manager he was, detailing the ways he got each of his teams to play along with the short life span he had with each of them. If there was ever a manager who ran things his own way, Martin was that guy.
Highlights of the excerpt include making an immediate impact with the Minnesota Twins in aggressively stealing home to not only instill a specific mentality in his team, but also to make his opponents play wondering what they'd do next. In one game, both Cesar Tovar and Rod Carew stole home in the same inning and Martin had a penchant for trying the triple steal. At one point they basically made the A's look silly in an early July series that moved the Twins into first place to stay, his style helping cause the A's to also beat themselves with mistakes. Jaffe compares Martin to Hernan Cortes.
26 comments | 0 recs
Bailey wins ROY!!!!
by skigurl on Nov 16, 2009 11:16 AM PST
358 comments
Note by baseballgirl: I LOVE this pick. I thought the voting was really reminiscent of when Street won, but I was worried about Andrus. Bailey took the award with 13 first place votes, 6 second place votes, and 5 third place votes. He won with 88, Andrus finished second with 65, and Porcello took third with 64. Didn't think it would be such a big gap.
I LOVE IT!!!!!! CONGRATULATIONS ANDREW BAILEY! (Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, and it's nice to see the A's get a little recognition.)
From the A's press release:
A’s reliever Andrew Bailey was named the American League Rookie of the Year on Monday, becoming the third A’s player in the last six years to earn the honor. Bailey, 25, posted an Oakland rookie-record 26 saves in 30 chances and a 6-3 record with a 1.84 ERA in his first full season as a closer. Named to the All-Star team in July, Bailey also delivered a 0.88 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) and 91 strikeouts against 24 walks in 83 1/3 innings over 68 appearances. Bailey, who was transformed from a starter to a closer in the summer of 2008, follows in the footsteps of A’s winners Huston Street (2005) and Bobby Crosby (2004) among the seven Oakland A’s to have won the award.
The A's and ESPN.com are reporting that Andrew Bailey has won the AL Rookie of the Year award. Woot! At least someone has been watching our boy(s). Way to go, Drew!!
Heard a rumor to this effect and tried to find it on MLB.tv but they weren't posting results yet. Just saw it on Facebook and Twitter, though, so it must be true! More words needed: OK, let's say it again: Way to go, Bailey! Awesome way to finish your season. Can't wait to see more next season.
358 comments | 7 recs |
The Art & Science Of Well-Timed Acquisitions And Trades
by Nico on Nov 15, 2009 7:00 AM PST
406 comments
Here's how a conversation generally goes with a passionate A's fan unclear on the concept:
2008: "We should get J.J. Hardy; he's really good."
"No way -- we'd have to give up so much to get him!!!111"
2009: "We should 'buy low' on J.J. Hardy."
"No way -- now I'm worried that he sucks!!!111"
2008: "We should sign Russell Branyan; he'll be really cheap."
"No way -- he's not that good!!!111"
2009: "We should sign Russell Branyan; he's proven himself now."
"No way -- now he's overvalued!!!111"
"Hasn't proven he's any good yet!!!111"
"On the decline!!!111"
"Too injury prone!!!111"
"Too good; we can't afford him!!!111"
"Not good enough; we don't want him!!!111"
Thing is...If you stay away from players who just showed how bad they can be, and stay away from players who might have just shown the best they'll ever show, stay away from players who are risks for decline and injury, and don't even think about those really pricey players who are good, established, healthy, and in their prime...Who exactly is left?
406 comments | 2 recs |
"Manager Of The Year" -- Not For Whom To Vote, But How?
by Nico on Nov 14, 2009 10:36 AM PST
74 comments
There are two things we could do today that we won't do -- three if you include doing the dishes -- and they are to debate whether managers are important, i.e., impactful enough to be worth analyzing, and to debate who should win the coveted "The votes for these awards are always made by the wrong people for the wrong reasons" award for 2009.
If you find yourself venturing into either of these two conversations, then you have to do the dishes and make it a trifecta. Today we're going to look at the "how" -- if intelligent people voted intelligently (sorry, Rafael Palmeiro: NO GOLD GLOVE FOR YOU!), what would form the basis for assessing the Manager of the Year?
74 comments | 0 recs |
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AL West Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles
|
97 | 65 | .598 | 0 | Lost 1 |
|
Texas
|
87 | 75 | .537 | 10 | Lost 2 |
|
Seattle
|
85 | 77 | .524 | 12 | Won 2 |
|
Oakland
|
75 | 87 | .462 | 22 | Lost 7 |
(updated 11.20.2009 at 8:35 PM PST)
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
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