Random baseball thoughts

by **karn** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 13:17:35

No team is even in the same ballpark of bad as the Nationals... they have 16 wins and the next lowest win total is a couple at 27... wack

Sent from my iPhone

by **jerseyhoya** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 23:16:15

Has anyone posted the interview with Joe Poz, Bill James and smitty yet?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/06/15/james.pitchcounts/1.html

by **kruker** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 23:26:52

On a side note, what happened to Poz's website?

by **kruker** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 00:02:23

A comment on DePo's blog:

I don't recall the first time the Padres signed a Cuban defector.
Are the Padres interested in Noel Arguellez and Jose Iglesias?

Please surprise us by signing Miguel Angel Sano. I know so much about this kid, it feels like I have him on Facebook. One thing is for sure, I would love to hire his agent to sell my home, the man can sure sell "I would say he has a Hanley Ramirez body and the possible upside of an Albert Pujols-type bat."

ok.

by **smitty** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 17:24:17

Bill James does a Monday blog on his website now. In his latest, he talks about some work he's done regarding RBI men. Is there such a thing? He says yes:

http://www.billjamesonline.net/ArticleC ... James01001

It's after the Heath Bell save stuff.

by **Trent Steele** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 17:29:47

The Phillies have half as many wild pitches (7) as they team with the next fewest wild pitches in the NL (14). The Dodgers have 35.

Chooch is balls.

by **VFB** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 17:38:47

4+ guaranteed tonight

by **philliesphhan** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 17:50:26

smitty wrote:Bill James does a Monday blog on his website now. In his latest, he talks about some work he's done regarding RBI men. Is there such a thing? He says yes:

http://www.billjamesonline.net/ArticleC ... James01001

It's after the Heath Bell save stuff.

Any particular quotes? Not about to buy a subscription

by **smitty** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 18:11:03

philliesphhan wrote:
smitty wrote:Bill James does a Monday blog on his website now. In his latest, he talks about some work he's done regarding RBI men. Is there such a thing? He says yes:

http://www.billjamesonline.net/ArticleC ... James01001

It's after the Heath Bell save stuff.

Any particular quotes? Not about to buy a subscription

Here ya go:

What are “RBI opportunities”? RBI Opportunities are the total of actual RBI, plus missed RBI opportunities.

OK then, what are missed RBI opportunities?

Batters are charged with missed RBI as follows:
1.00 for a runner left on third base with less than 2 out,
0.70 for a runner left on second base or left on third base with 2 out,
0.40 for a runner left on first base,
0.10 for an out made with the bases empty, and
1.00 for grounding into a double play.

No missed opportunity is charged to a player who does not make an out, and no opportunity is charged to a player who records a successful sacrifice bunt.

We have actual data now, and I have to say: It is really good data. This thing works. Most of the people who would traditionally bat in the middle of the order have good RBI percentages; most of the people who wouldn’t, don’t. We have actually developed here a meaningful way of distinguishing RBI ability from RBI position. We have a way of measuring—not perfectly I suppose, but accurately—to what extent a player drives in 100 runs because he’s a good RBI man, and to what extent he drives in 100 runs because he has a lot of chances to drive in runs. This opens up to us questions that were more difficult to answer before, questions about lineup construction, for example. Dustin Pedroia last year hit .326 with 54 doubles and 17 homers. If given the chance, would he be just as good an RBI man as Jason Bay or Kevin Youkilis?

No, he wouldn’t. Pedroia’s RBI percentage last year was .331, which is OK but middle-of-the-pack, far below Youkilis’ .449, Jason Bay’s .391, or even David Ortiz, having a poor season in 2008, still at .415.

Ryan Howard led the majors in RBI Opportunities, but he got that position on merit; his .446 production percentage was one of the best in the majors. One can’t say the same about Garrett Atkins or James Loney. Those guys had huge numbers of opportunities to produce runs, and by and large, didn’t. Loney drove in 90 runs, Atkins 99. Those numbers look good. They’re not good. Both men were below average as RBI producers, given the number of chances they had.

(I'm not trying to bust your chops or anything but a subscription is only $3.00 a month. The statistics section is really pretty interesting (Dewan's +/- for example). Some of the articles are really good and there's the Hey Bill section where James cracks wise on unsuspecting folks who ask him questions. Something to consider maybe.)

by **jp_chips** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 18:55:18

Smoltz to debut on June 25. Francona will go with a 6 man rotation.

by **BigEd76** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:45:41

2001 Atlanta (40-41) is the only team in the last 45 years to make the playoffs with a losing record at home...

by 1 » Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:47:59

jp_chips wrote:Smoltz to debut on June 25. Francona will go with a 6 man rotation.

the man is a genass

by **Werthless** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:34:27

I wonder what they want for Buchholz, since they pass over him at every opportunity. I'd give them a couple of our best prospects for him.

by **Trent Steele** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 13:31:11

Ryan Howard has 1 BB in his last 50 PA

Jimmy Rollins has 0 BB in last 81 PA

WTF

by **jp_chips** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 13:46:07

Bring back the walk song

by **Trent Steele** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 13:46:16

Jimmy Rollins has not led off the 1st inning with a BB this year in 54 chances. He has a .204 OBP leading off the 1st inning.

by **BigEd76** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 13:58:46

jp_chips wrote:Bring back the walk song

I GOT A NEW WAY TO WALK...

by **philliesphhan** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 14:19:21

Trent Steele wrote:Ryan Howard has 1 BB in his last 50 PA

Jimmy Rollins has 0 BB in last 81 PA

WTF

Stairs only has 50 PA total and has 10 walks

by **bleh** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 15:18:07

Stairs should lead off

by **smitty** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 15:24:03

bleh wrote:Stairs should lead off

Followed by Ruiz.

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