The baseball thread

[bobbob1313]

So he's not the greatest closer of all-time because guys 20 and 30 years ago pitched more innings? I love when the baseball talk picks up, but it was really a rhetorical question. But somehow I knew bobbob would find a way to oppose.

 

Because guys used to be just as dominant while pitching more innings. Mariano Rivera has never had a year like Eck's 1992.

 

Rollie Fingers had a 2.90 ERA while pitching almost 2 innings per appearance. I'd say thats more dominant than 2.33 in barely over on per appearance.

 

But you are right, I'm letting my blind hatred for all things Yankees cloud my judgement (even though I've probably defended Jeter as much as anyone here has).

 

I just like to see people argue things with like, facts and stats and stuff. Because I'd say it's much better than anectdotal evidence. I mean, I can say Ricky Nolasco has the best curveball I've ever seen, and that doesn't make it even remotely true.

[tongue-tied lightning]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Save_(sport)

[cryptique]

I was just saying I'm pretty tired of hearing about it.

This, from the guy who's beaten more baseball topics into the ground than any five other people on this board.

[bobbob1313]

This, from the guy who's beaten more baseball topics into the ground than any five other people on this board.

 

I see you're point. Me talking about baseball things is just like ESPN showing only Red Sox or Yankees games on Wednesdays and Sundays. I see the light now.

[Guest baseball bobblehead]

Can't let this thread fall off the first page?

 

Anyone care to make an argument against Mariano being the greatest closer of all-time ?

he gets a standing O at Fenway every time.

[cryptique]

I see you're point. Me talking about baseball things is just like ESPN showing only Red Sox or Yankees games on Wednesdays and Sundays. I see the light now.

It's "your," but whatever.

 

You're changing the subject. We're not talking about the Red Sox and Yankees always being on TV -- something that pisses me off too. We're talking about the first-ever comeback from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series, which just happened to occur in a series involving the Yankees and Red Sox. If it had happened between the Rockies and Padres, I'd still consider it to be both the most amazing comeback and the most amazing choke in baseball history, and one that is unlikely to be topped in the future.

 

You're only arguing about this because you're sick of the Sox and Yankees and don't want yet another "greatest" honor to be applied to them. Well, get over it.

 

I agree that the media has gone over the top in its treatment of that series, but that's what the media do. Too much hype sucks, but it doesn't change what happened on the field -- which was, simply put, the greatest comeback AND choke in baseball -- no, to be fair, let's say postseason -- history.

[bobbob1313]

OK, it was the greatest comeback in postseason history. I'm just sick of hearing about it.

[Guest baseball bobblehead]

if it is any consolation, i'm sick of it too. I'd like now to see the Royals come back from their 55 games back and take the AL Central Division title.

[bobbob1313]

It's only 30 games. They can do it.

[MrRain422]

We'd probably be done talking about it (at least for now) on this board if you weren't putting up such a fight about it, bobbob. I'm just sayin'.

[bobbob1313]

Sorry. I have this thing where I have to reply to every post in a thread.

[MrRain422]

Me too.

[bobbob1313]

I know.

[Guest baseball bobblehead]

i like that tigers thing where the cat roars and grabs the bat. Do they have hats like that because i would totally wear one.

[caliber66]

So the Braves are only five games back in the wildcard race now. Woo.

[wheelco]

i like that tigers thing where the cat roars and grabs the bat. Do they have hats like that because i would totally wear one.

just not when they beat the Red Sox in the playoffs

[Lammycat]

So the Braves are only five games back in the wildcard race now. Woo.

Yeah, they've had a great offensive July thus far. Chipper Jones is on fire, as is the call-up, Thorman. With the trade deadline looming it'll be interesting to see if they can pick up some solid bullpen help.

Edited July 18, 2006 by Lammycat

[bobbob1313]

Chipper is hitting like .580 in his last 70 at bats. Ridiculous. (and he's on my fantasy team).

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I hate those "most ____" in postseason history stats that are always owned by recent Braves and Yankees players. Well, I don't hate the stats so much as how they're paraded about. It makes it sound as if they have the weight of baseball history behind them, when really it's hard to put them in context without another 20-30 years of a similar playoff structure.

[Lammycat]

Chipper is hitting like .580 in his last 70 at bats. Ridiculous. (and he's on my fantasy team).

He's on one of my two fantasy teams, as well. I was getting a bit nervous there for awhile. He's been a key to my one team's recent (slight) surge of late, though.

[darkstar]

Because guys used to be just as dominant while pitching more innings. Mariano Rivera has never had a year like Eck's 1992.

 

Rollie Fingers had a 2.90 ERA while pitching almost 2 innings per appearance. I'd say thats more dominant than 2.33 in barely over on per appearance.

 

But you are right, I'm letting my blind hatred for all things Yankees cloud my judgement (even though I've probably defended Jeter as much as anyone here has).

 

I just like to see people argue things with like, facts and stats and stuff. Because I'd say it's much better than anectdotal evidence. I mean, I can say Ricky Nolasco has the best curveball I've ever seen, and that doesn't make it even remotely true.

 

 

Talking about stats, I caught a bit of a program that was on this past weekend...I want to say it was on Discovery or something like that. It was all about how stats are now being used instead of "traditional" baseball methods. How the new breed of Sabermetrics guys are re-thinking traditional managerial moves. Was pretty interesting stuff. Of course they highlighted stat geek number one Bill James, whom, of course consults for the BoSox so there's a lot of Terry Francona and Red Sox players interviewed.....anyways it was a pretty interesting show. Wish I could remember what I saw it on.

[bobbob1313]

I'd say the sabermetrics POV is a big reason the A's have had so much success with such relatively little payrolls. They just know their shit.

[watch me fall]

So the Braves are only five games back in the wildcard race now. Woo.

 

 

Might be time for me to start watching baseball again!

[tongue-tied lightning]

Adam Dunn has 30 HR's and only 64 RBI's WTF

[Lammycat]

Talking about stats, I caught a bit of a program that was on this past weekend...I want to say it was on Discovery or something like that. It was all about how stats are now being used instead of "traditional" baseball methods. How the new breed of Sabermetrics guys are re-thinking traditional managerial moves. Was pretty interesting stuff. Of course they highlighted stat geek number one Bill James, whom, of course consults for the BoSox so there's a lot of Terry Francona and Red Sox players interviewed.....anyways it was a pretty interesting show. Wish I could remember what I saw it on.

I didn't see it (I would like to, if you can remember what channel) but I'm currently reading a book on Bill James (The Mind of Bill James, by Scott gray) that is pretty intriqueing. It goes a lot deeper into explaining the use of numbers in an untraditional sense (though I'd posit that it's really becoming more the 'tradition' these days). It's pretty interesting to see how the numbers should be viewed in context and not simply as raw data (for most stats, at least). I've never been an overly stat-oriented fan of the game but the insights into how to truly gauge a player's input is fascinating to me.