Random Baseball Musings

[Hairyducked Idiot]

And they don't have to be consistently dominant to spoil our big plans. Something like the Brewers (and they are run much smarter than the Brewers) could poach two division titles in a five or six year span, and that's enough to really knock our playoff math for a loop. Especially when there's also the Cardinals and Reds to worry about.

[TruffleShuffle]

in kyle's version of cubs playoff math, you take their actual probability of making the playoffs and multiply by zero.

[Guest]

in kyle's version of cubs playoff math, you take their actual probability of making the playoffs and multiply by zero.

 

I don't get that impression from his posts at all.

[Tryptamine]

The Oriole's Adam Jones has not taken a walk since May 12 a total of 162 plate appearances ago. For the season he now has a 2.3% BB%. Starlin Castro has a 3.6% BB%.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

in kyle's version of cubs playoff math, you take their actual probability of making the playoffs and multiply by zero.

 

It's yielded accurate results for the entire Epstein era.

[Sammy Sofa]

two seasons, and they still aren't drawing. If they get into the stretch drive and are competing for a playoff berth, I'm sure PNC will be packed, but the attendance numbers don't suggest a fanbase chomping at the bit for a reason to show up.

 

It's getting close to the ASB, they have the best record in baseball and are 22nd in MLB in attendance. One might suggest that is because the fans are being cautious after two hot start/flat finish seasons, but they were 22nd in 2011 and 2012 as well. I recall stretches in recent years where they were packing fans in PNC, but the totals suggest a fanbase that is just as quick to jump off the bandwagon as on it. Maybe they're just jaded by years of being terrible, but I don't think that it's a forgone conclusion that they're sitting on a potential attendance gold mine.

 

The team has been garbage for two decades and collapsed in pathetic fashion the last two seasons. If they actually do anything this year you'll see people come out, and then next year look better, too. The Cubs had tons of seasons where nobody was showing up because the team had been dog [expletive] for a long time.

[TruffleShuffle]

The Oriole's Adam Jones has not taken a walk since May 12 a total of 162 plate appearances ago. For the season he now has a 2.3% BB%. Starlin Castro has a 3.6% BB%.

 

that's pretty impressive, because he's a good hitter with solid power. you'd think that pitchers have to pitch him somewhat carefully. you can understand why juan pierre never walks, but a player like adam jones should draw like 30 walks a year just by accident.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Unless they come back in the bottom of the ninth, this is one of my favorite days of White Sox baseball ever.

[Guest]

Unless they come back in the bottom of the ninth, this is one of my favorite days of White Sox baseball ever.

 

I was at both games. We left after the top of the 9th in Game 2, but it was over before we got to the car. What a completely ridiculous day of baseball.

[Guest]

Unless they come back in the bottom of the ninth, this is one of my favorite days of White Sox baseball ever.

 

Got another "You've gotta be bleepin me" out of Hawk tonight.

 

Besides that, it was a pretty disappointing call in the ninth inning from Hawk. I was expecting a lot better.

[PackLandVA]

Besides that, it was a pretty disappointing call in the ninth inning from Hawk. I was expecting a lot better.

 

I believe Hawk is FINALLY realizing the Sox are not a good team.

[PackLandVA]

Through yesterday's doubleheader, Robin Ventura is 75-87 in his last 162 games as the White Sox manager. Much like the White Sox fielding, base running and generally baseball abilities as a team in 2012, Ventura's success as a manager last season may also have been a FLUKE. Edited June 29, 2013 by PackLandVA

[UMFan83]

Through yesterday's doubleheader, Robin Ventura is 75-87 in his last 162 games as the White Sox manager. Much like the White Sox field, base running and generally baseball abilities as a team in 2012, Ventura's success as a manager last year may also have been a FLUKE.

 

Or the team just isn't very good.

[PackLandVA]

I agree the White Sox are not very good. Actually, not good at all. But often when a team is not fundamentally sound, when a team makes mental errors, base running errors, missing cut offs or throwing to the wrong base, etc......those tend to be directly related to coaching. The team makeup hasn't changed significantly from last year. And yet this year, they seem like a completely different team with essentially the same players. Ozzie was a jackass, but I don't think he accepted lackadaisical play.

[Cubswin11]

Through yesterday's doubleheader, Robin Ventura is 75-87 in his last 162 games as the White Sox manager. Much like the White Sox fielding, base running and generally baseball abilities as a team in 2012, Ventura's success as a manager last season may also have been a FLUKE.

Or managers, typically, have very little influence on a teams w/l record and his team just [expletive] sucks this year and way over performed last year.

[PackLandVA]

The White Sox played pretty good fundamental baseball last year. They were also one of the top fielding teams in baseball last year. While there's not much a manager can do about talent, it is often referenced that a team's fundamentals can be directly related to coaching. The Sox are very poor in this area in 2013. I would tend to think this has to be at least partially the responsibility of the coaching given the fact that it's basically the same team from a year ago.

 

My assertion is not that Ventura is a poor manager, but rather, he's just an average manager through 1 1/2 seasons.

[Sosa21MVP]

The Pirates have the best record in baseball? :shock: Maybe this is not news but I kind of don't follow the standings very much when the Cubs are bad.

[ctcf]

Duck Dynasty Star, Willie Robertson to speak post-game

Stick around for Christian Day at the Ballpark for a post-game program featuring Cardinals players, and keynote speaker Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander and star of A&E's Duck Dynasty

 

You've outdone yourselves, Cardinals.

[SouthSideRyan]

Duck Dynasty Star, Willie Robertson to speak post-game

Stick around for Christian Day at the Ballpark for a post-game program featuring Cardinals players, and keynote speaker Willie Robertson, CEO of Duck Commander and star of A&E's Duck Dynasty

 

You've outdone yourselves, Cardinals.

 

This was talked about IN THIS THREAD 2 pages ago

[NewUserName]

Are the White Sox in the worst position in MLB? Bad, getting worse, no immediate help, no apparent plan for the future

[TruffleShuffle]

Are the White Sox in the worst position in MLB? Bad, getting worse, no immediate help, no apparent plan for the future

 

i don't think so. at least they have money, which is really important. they have some bad contracts into next season, but then by 2015 the only bad contracts are danks (if he doesn't bounce back from injury) and alexei ramirez (if he doesn't remember how to hit). they should definitely be able to spend. and the AL central has been pretty bad in recent years.

 

i'd still rather be the white sox than the brewers (not much young talent, bad minor league system, pretty small market) and the padres (decent farm and some young talent, but market is tiny compared to the dodgers and to a lesser extent the giants). the royals kind of suck too, especially if hosmer and moustakos don't turn into good ballplayers and they don't make much out of the shields acquisition. definitely wouldn't like to be the marlins either, because their owner is satan and they REALLY don't have any fans.

[TruffleShuffle]

bartolo colon has had a pretty fascinating career. went from a power pitcher with high walk and strikeout rates, to a guy who looked like he was pitching and eating his way out of the league, and now has turned into an effective control artist. derek lowe was another guy who went through some wild ups and downs - plus throw in an all-star year as a closer - but it looks like he's hit the end of the road finally.

[hawkeyecub]

Not sure if this was posted but I just saw this on Posnanski's blog regarding Yuni Betancourt. The opportunities this guy gets are incredible: http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-his-yuni-verse.html

[Cubswin11]

Not sure if this was posted but I just saw this on Posnanski's blog regarding Yuni Betancourt. The opportunities this guy gets are incredible: http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2013/06/its-his-yuni-verse.html

Ha, that was a good read.

 

Meanest of all, his body agest unnaturally fast. At 25, he was still a pretty decent player for all his failings. By 27, he was one of the worst every day players in baseball.

 

Makes me wonder if he lied about his age when he initially signed, I know he's terrible and never took walks in his life but if he was really 3-5 years older than he said that could be a explanation for being a above average guys for a few years to becoming bascially a A/AA player.

[bukie]

3 pitchers so far this season have pitched multiple shutouts. Who are they?