Random Baseball Musings

[Guest]

how many guys were OBP'ing over .400 1998-2003

In 99 and 2000 there were 30+, other years in that range looks like around 15-20 a year.

Yup it's because of the way the strike zone has changed. They put on the computers and trained the umps to call the lower strike it completely changed the game. The strike zone is larger now forcing hitters to swing at pitches they didn't before to protect the zone.

 

citation needed

 

I imagine this is what he's alluding to: www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archi ... ra/379443/

[Vinestal]

how many guys were OBP'ing over .400 1998-2003

In 99 and 2000 there were 30+, other years in that range looks like around 15-20 a year.

Yup it's because of the way the strike zone has changed. They put on the computers and trained the umps to call the lower strike it completely changed the game. The strike zone is larger now forcing hitters to swing at pitches they didn't before to protect the zone.

 

citation needed

 

We'll read this: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/baseball-is-boring-and-this-camera/379443/

 

I don't agree that the game is boring but it has certainly changed.

[Vinestal]

how many guys were OBP'ing over .400 1998-2003

In 99 and 2000 there were 30+, other years in that range looks like around 15-20 a year.

Yup it's because of the way the strike zone has changed. They put on the computers and trained the umps to call the lower strike it completely changed the game. The strike zone is larger now forcing hitters to swing at pitches they didn't before to protect the zone.

 

citation needed

 

I imagine this is what he's alluding to: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/baseball-is-boring-and-this-camera/379443/

Exactly

[Soul]

Using Fangraphs playoff odds, two weeks ago the brewers had 87.9% odds of making the playoffs. After today, those odds are 24.7%, 7th in the NL.

 

Most around here thought it would happen more in July. Then they got to August, people starting getting excited. Boom, all over.

[Cubswin11]

So they tweaked the home plate rule a little bit today, I think it's good?

 

Major League Baseball and the Players Association are nearing an agreement designed to "clarify" confusion over the new home plate collision rules, sources told ESPN on Monday, with an announcement possible as soon as late Monday afternoon.

 

The directive would establish parameters for calling certain plays at the plate, effective immediately. And the late-season agreement is timed in the hope of keeping postseason controversy surrounding the rule to a minimum.

 

Primarily, the clarification of Rule 7:13 would remind umpires that while the intent of the rule was to protect catchers from violent collisions at the plate, the wording was not intended to be interpreted so strictly that it would allow runners to be called safe on a technicality if the throw had beaten them to the plate by a substantial margin.

[SouthSideRyan]

The A's were 72-44 at the end of Aug 9th, with a 4 game lead in the West.(Also 4 games ahead for having the best record in baseball) They've since gone 8-18, are 7 back in the West and only 2 games away from missing the playoffs altogether.

[Clem Fandango]

The A's were 72-44 at the end of Aug 9th, with a 4 game lead in the West.(Also 4 games ahead for having the best record in baseball) They've since gone 8-18, are 7 back in the West and only 2 games away from missing the playoffs altogether.

 

That's upsetting, I really like the A's. Oh well, thanks for Addison. Sorry, Billy. Maybe next year.

[Guest]

http://m.mlb.com/sd/video/v36078567/sdlad-multiple-errors-allow-two-runs-to-score/?tcid=mm_sd_vid&c_id=sd

 

The Dodgers threw the ball away three times on one play and allowed two runs to score on a flyout to shallow center.

[Derwood]

The A's were 72-44 at the end of Aug 9th, with a 4 game lead in the West.(Also 4 games ahead for having the best record in baseball) They've since gone 8-18, are 7 back in the West and only 2 games away from missing the playoffs altogether.

 

See, computers don't win baseball games

[Guest]

Billy Beane's crap just doesn't work in August

[SouthSideRyan]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

[Sammy Sofa]

"He's Fiery, But in a Good Way."

[mul21]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

I've heard it mentioned a few times on either MLBN or Baseball Tonight. Has Gomes been terrible since he took his place?

[Derwood]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

I've heard it mentioned a few times on either MLBN or Baseball Tonight. Has Gomes been terrible since he took his place?

 

Cespedes in Boston:

 

.288/.308/.460, 4 HR, 27 RBI

 

Jonny Gomes in Oakland:

 

.244/.327/.244, 0 HR, 5 RBI

[XZero771679666304]

The A's were 72-44 at the end of Aug 9th, with a 4 game lead in the West.(Also 4 games ahead for having the best record in baseball) They've since gone 8-18, are 7 back in the West and only 2 games away from missing the playoffs altogether.

 

That's upsetting, I really like the A's. Oh well, thanks for Addison. Sorry, Billy. Maybe next year.

 

They won't have Lester next year, and they also won't have Cespedes back. This was the "all in" year, and it appears that Beane may have made one move too many. Though they are still holding onto a spot, and there's plenty of time left to turn things around.

[fromthestretch]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

I've heard it mentioned a few times on either MLBN or Baseball Tonight. Has Gomes been terrible since he took his place?

 

Cespedes in Boston:

 

.288/.308/.460, 4 HR, 27 RBI

 

Jonny Gomes in Oakland:

 

.244/.327/.244, 0 HR, 5 RBI

 

Gomes has had only 49 plate appearances in Oakland, while Cespedes has had 146 in Boston. Gentry, Moss, and Fuld have all played LF since Cespedes' departure, with Vogt filling in at 1B if Moss is in the OF. Someone with more time than me can slice and dice the numbers, but I don't believe there has been a huge drop off in offensive production from LF since his departure. Eyeballing it, it looks like the power production has been a little lower, with higher OBP.

[XZero771679666304]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

I've heard it mentioned a few times on either MLBN or Baseball Tonight. Has Gomes been terrible since he took his place?

 

Cespedes in Boston:

 

.288/.308/.460, 4 HR, 27 RBI

 

Jonny Gomes in Oakland:

 

.244/.327/.244, 0 HR, 5 RBI

 

Gomes has had only 49 plate appearances in Oakland, while Cespedes has had 146 in Boston. Gentry, Moss, and Fuld have all played LF since Cespedes' departure, with Vogt filling in at 1B if Moss is in the OF. Someone with more time than me can slice and dice the numbers, but I don't believe there has been a huge drop off in offensive production from LF since his departure. Eyeballing it, it looks like the power production has been a little lower, with higher OBP.

 

Well, Cespedes has been worth 1.2 fWAR over the last 30 days. Over that same period, Oakland's LF have produced 0.4 fWAR, and just about all of that because is of Sam Fuld's defense. A quick eyeballing of the numbers says Cespedes' OPS has been about .150 higher than the combined Oakland LFs over that time frame.

[fromthestretch]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

I've heard it mentioned a few times on either MLBN or Baseball Tonight. Has Gomes been terrible since he took his place?

 

Cespedes in Boston:

 

.288/.308/.460, 4 HR, 27 RBI

 

Jonny Gomes in Oakland:

 

.244/.327/.244, 0 HR, 5 RBI

 

Gomes has had only 49 plate appearances in Oakland, while Cespedes has had 146 in Boston. Gentry, Moss, and Fuld have all played LF since Cespedes' departure, with Vogt filling in at 1B if Moss is in the OF. Someone with more time than me can slice and dice the numbers, but I don't believe there has been a huge drop off in offensive production from LF since his departure. Eyeballing it, it looks like the power production has been a little lower, with higher OBP.

 

Well, Cespedes has been worth 1.2 fWAR over the last 30 days. Over that same period, Oakland's LF have produced 0.4 fWAR, and just about all of that because is of Sam Fuld's defense. A quick eyeballing of the numbers says Cespedes' OPS has been about .150 higher than the combined Oakland LFs over that time frame.

 

Well there you go.

 

Just curious, where did you get those numbers? I admittedly didn't dig too deep, but I couldn't find an easy way to get splits by position AND date.

[Sammys Boombox]

On 8/30 KC drew 9 BB and lost 3-2 to CLE. Since then they have gone 5-2 (plus are trailing a suspended game 4-2 in the 10th) drawing a grand total of 9 BB. 4 of those BB came in Saturday's loss to NYY and 2 came in Monday's loss to DET.

 

Alex Gordon has drawn 5 of the 9 BB.

[XZero771679666304]

Just curious, where did you get those numbers? I admittedly didn't dig too deep, but I couldn't find an easy way to get splits by position AND date.

 

Fangraphs has an impressive array of split options.

[fromthestretch]

Just curious, where did you get those numbers? I admittedly didn't dig too deep, but I couldn't find an easy way to get splits by position AND date.

 

Fangraphs has an impressive array of split options.

 

Looking at the numbers, it's worse than I thought. Looking at LF production only probably isn't the best, since Moss would have played regardless (just most likely at a different position). Replace his horrible production the past 30 days with Vogt's production (since he's been playing more with the departure of Cespedes), and it improves...just by a tiny amount though.

 

As a team, they've slashed .225/.290/.342 over the past 30 days (they're at .246/.321/.390 for the year). No one has really been hitting for them.

[Guest]

14-22 since acquiring Lester. Has there been much talk about how losing Cespedes is what led to the cold streak? Seems like a ready made article to be written over and over again.

 

People out here are acting as if the A's traded away Barry Bonds in his prime.

[Smack]

I just got two tickets off StubHub behind the Brewers dugout for $27 total to see Giancarlo Stanton tonight. Brewers fans have completely abandoned ship.

[Tangled Up in Plaid]

who ended up replacing Cespedes in the A's lineup?

[Sammy Sofa]

Multiple people, but mostly Gomes.