5/4 Nationals (Bergmann) @ Cubs (Zambrano) 1:20pm WGN/720

[rynefan]

That was a hit. What the....???? Holy cow.

[RichHillIsABeast]

haha, nice.

[98navigator]

Sori infield hit

[Brian]

wow, Cubs haven't won a season series against the Expos/Nationals since '98 :roll:

[bcruise]

Grr....catch the ball, DaMeatHook. :evil:

[98navigator]

that was not a strike!

[BCVM22]

Aches and pains: Backup catcher Henry Blanco is a little sore. He has a herniated disc in his neck, and had a cortisone shot Thursday.

 

"If we don't have to use him for a day or two, much the better," Piniella said. "He's been playing in some discomfort and pain."

 

Wade Miller, on the disabled list because of back spasms, threw off the mound before Friday's game. He was making progress.

 

S'why Barrett's in there today.

Edited May 4, 2007 by BCVM22

[ChiCubsFan]

Len really likes to pimp his blog.

[Brian]

so outside on the plate isn't a strike, outside off the plate is

[C.C.]

No one has accused Rothschild of being a good pitching coach recently. Do you think he takes naps during games?

 

Although everyone besides Z has been great.

[OleMissCub]

I love Dmitri Young, big ole fat guy from Mississippi who can slug his girlfriend.

 

fixed

 

Haha, nice

[98navigator]

Floyd out 4-3

 

Soriano to 2B

[Chocolate Milk]

It is, however, NOT a dispositive argument in this instance. The initial post concerned one single pitcher, in one single season (month, actually). Therefore, the usual arguments against CERA have no merit.

 

No, they still have merit. Blanco and Barrett were catching for the same pitcher, but they were facing an entirely different collection of hitters. It's impossible to compare them.

[Brian]

DLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[98navigator]

DLee HOMER!!!!

 

2 run jack

[bcruise]

Can we clone him?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

DERREK!!!!!!!

[Chocolate Milk]

WOOOOO! D LEE!

[Exile on Waveland]

I'm not saying that the catcher makes a huge deal, but I'd believe it makes some difference. Whether its enough to justify having personal catchers is highly highly doubtful.

Be prepared to be attacked by the baseball geniuses on here.

 

Do you not have a response to my post about the difference in the number of caught games having an effect on catcher ERA?

 

Barrett catches far more games. That means he's going to be in there for far more badly pitched games than Blanco is. If he's in there catching guys like Glendon Rusch and Les Walrond, while Blanco gets to be Z's personal catcher, who do you think is going to have the better catcher ERA?

 

Yes, and that is a dispositive argument as to why CERA is completely worthless and irrelevant -- catcher's catch different pitchers and different teams.

 

It is, however, NOT a dispositive argument in this instance. The initial post concerned one single pitcher, in one single season (month, actually). Therefore, the usual arguments against CERA have no merit.

 

That said, I'm not sure if there is a correlation, much less a causation. I think catcher's can affect pitcher performance, albeit not significantly. Zambrano's problems go deeper than who is behind the plate -- though that person may have some sort of affect, especially if Zambrano believes it does.

 

Actually, the argument was that if we don't believe that the catcher has an effect on pitching performance we were kidding ourselves. There is no evidence that it does, and I was pointing out that fact. Anyone can believe what they want, and that's fine, but it's certainly not so evident that anyone is "kidding themselves" to believe that it has no impact.

 

Regardless of the "kidding themselves" comment, the entire discussion started with Zambrano's numbers this season while throwing to Barrett and Blanco. Maybe this early into the season isn't sufficient data, but it is eyebrow raising.

 

Second, I'm not sure what evidence could even exist. It would have to be a pitcher rotating starts an entire season between two catchers. Even then, there may be too many variables for conclusive evidence. But the catching half of "pitch and catch" surely must have some minimal affect on the other half.

 

DLEE!!!

[David]

DLEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[imb]

Jesus christ.

 

Literally, he's jesus christ.

[Brian]

should have walked him :D

[RichHillIsABeast]

Guys, I'm worried about Lee's lack of power.

[ChiCubsFan]

Lee is a monster

[TruffleShuffle]

Guys, I'm worried about Lee's lack of power.

 

on pace for 12 now