January 2010
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
29 Comments
Taro fighting a rearguard action at Mariner Central, trying to point out that Casey Kotchman's -10 runs lost on footspeed ... matters.
The basic reply he's getting: so what? A lot of big slow 1B's don't run well.
.........
One of the things that naturally even out the value of fast players, and big players.... the bases taken after you reach first base. The other bases, the ones not counted in the SLG and OBP.
Fast players takes lots more bases than big ones, but of course the big players hit doubles and homers.With Kotchman, you're talking about a big player, who gives away all those 1st-... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
HQ was as down on the M's arms as they were high on the M's bats ... given a chance to guess HQ's pitchers, JFro and NYM were quick to identify Pineda, Daniel Cortes and Josh Fields (though it was interesting nobody guessed Nick Hill).
Pineda, if he can stay healthy, is about the highest-percentage SP you'll see in the low minors, this side of Felix. Ah'm here to tell you that Pineda is myyyy kinda pitcha.
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=== Maikel Cleto ===
Cleto was one of literally six (6) interesting young players the M's got along with Franklin Gutierrez.
Ezequiel Carrera shows up in HQ's top 15 right now; there... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
16 Comments
=== Win A Free Subscription Dept. ===
In this article, we remarked on the fact that BaseballHQ's very fine Minor League Baseball Analyst had a super-surprise pick in our org top 5. Their top 15, again:
1 Dustin Ackley, 1b/OF
2 Carlos Triunfel, SS (told you they were great)
3 Alex Liddi, 3b (they especially like his ML HR potential)
4 MYSTERY PROSPECT
5 starting pitcher
6 Adam Moore, c
7 Greg Halman, of (an illustration of how good they are even compared to the excellent Sickels)
8 starting pitcher
9 Michael Saunders, of (yeeee-owch)
10 Nick Franklin, ss
11 starting pitcher
12 Ezequiel... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
Mariner Central wants yer on the record as to Ichiro's numbers for 2010.
Boss Ganondorf ... er, Lonnie ... predicts, reasonably, .325/.375/.425 with 30 SB's. Sandy-Raleigh has the same, adding that an All-Star spot is "automatic." I Want Zduriencik's Job wonders if Ichiro doesn't have to have an off year sometime, and predicts 147 hits, total.
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=== HQ ===
The Bearded Prophet is verbally glowing but numerically down about Rose-San, saying that Ichiro is aging "like fine wine" and that "the only concession to aging" was that he ran a bit less in the second half.
However, Shandler... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
7 Comments
=== Ichiro's Future ===
How long will Ichiro be able to play in this second stage of his career, the 320/380/360 stage?
He seriously wants to play until he's 50. I'll bet he can cut down his swing and swat the ball through the hole until he is 45.
Rickey had pretty good years at ages 42 and 43. But Rickey was right handed, and nowhere near the HIT guy that Ichiro is. Ichiro has five completely different swings, and once his reflexes go, he'll have to limit himself to two or three of them, the least-ambitious ones.
I wonder just what kind of a batting average Ichiro could post, if he... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/31/10
6 Comments
=== Colossal Match ===
For 'merkins not yet familiar with the Beautiful Sport, here's another little factoid to catch yer attention ... in Forbes' Top 10, the #1 most valuable sports franchise in the world is Manchester United's soccer team. They're listed at $1.8 billion, and actually sold in 2005 for $1.45 billion. (The Yankees are worth $1.3 billion and, IIRC, next is Boston at $800 mills or so.)
Man U has won, I think, 13 of 19 Premier League championships, Arsenal 3, Chelsea 2 and Blackburn 1. So England's in the middle of a 1930's Yankee-style domination.
Arsenal is at their best... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/30/10
2 Comments
HQ's minors grading system fully explained here. The MLBA annual available here.
1-10 sets their ceiling for a given player, with 1 being "minor league roster filler," 7 being ML average, 9 being All-Star. One player in the book has a 10 grade, "Hall of Famer," that being Stephen Strasburg.
Strasburg at SD State ran a 16.1 DOM, 1.6 CTL and 0.3 HR/9 for a hilarious 322 Base Performance Value.
MLBA says that Strasburg's 94-99 fastball "has late run in on the hands of RH hitters," that his "nasty slider has sharp late downward action" and that he has a quality changeup that he does not... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/29/10
9 Comments
Q. What does HQ have to say on Byrnes at 34?
A. Thusly:
300 PA
10 SB, .250/.300/.425 (yowwch)
Can still run, as indicated by high SB/opp and SB%
Terrible OBP zaps SB value anyway
Static PX (power) and xAVG trends say no rebound in 2010
With a $9 bid and 4.4 runs per game projection.
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Q. Do you agree with that?
A. Actually on this one I'd have to differ with the Bearded Prophet.
I don't buy the argument that Byrnes' career decline is evidenced by a limp-n-lifeless PX trend, simply because in his career 2007 All-Star season, his PX was the same as in 2008 and 2009.
It's a lonnnnng... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/29/10
=== HQ Minor League Baseball Analyst ===
BaseballHQ's major league book, Baseball Forecaster, is SSI's fave yearly. This week we got our HQ minor league book in the mail, that being Minor League Baseball Analyst Yearly.
2010 is the fifth edition. Having plowed through an M's farmhand or thirty, we're pretty blown away by their grasp for even the more obscure minor leaguers.
For lurkers ;- ) we'll ignite your instant respect for the periodical by noting that the author of the previous four editions, Deric McKamey, is not writing this year's because McKamey is now doing his thing for the St... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/29/10
8 Comments
Available here.
... So, for example, MLBA writes an article about a certain group that is their "9E" players -- the dozen minor leaguers who have a slim, but exciting, 10% chance to become MVP candidates in the majors. The M's have two of these of the 12 minor leaguers in this category: Greg Halman and Mystery Prospect above.
.....
Matt Tuiasosopo was outside HQ's top 15, listed as a 6B (!) -- a probable 4th infielder -- and reading their detailed explanation why, it suddenly hit me why the mass hallucination. ... okay, that's another article. :- ) In the meantime, the Tui naysayers... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/29/10
5 Comments
Lists its dimensions as:
335 - LF line
370 - Left-center alley
400 - CF
355 - Right-center alley
340 - RF line
HS Jeff points out that UNC had just changed playing fields -- they'd played in an alternate stadium in 2008 while their home park was being rebuilt. They moved back in, in 2009. Interesting point ...
According to the UNC site, the stadium holds 4,000-5,000, has lighting better than most minor-league parks, a modern batter's eye, padded walls, all that jazz. A bigtime college park.
...................
Obviously 355 to right-center is a little different than Safeco's right-center... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/29/10
9 Comments
High school coach Jeff sez:
Thanks for the lists and comments. I think people against the move forget that Ackley is a talented athlete, played SS in HS and 1B in college. He would have a slight learning curve to get back into the outfield as it is. But to have him replace Lopez after this year would be a delight to watch. True about the hand/eye coordination. There are more future outfielders than hot infield prospects. I am glad that the M's were willing to at least experiment, even if it didn't turn out as planned. Willing to move ahead with a future stud!
Roy Hobbs swinging '... Read More
Posted by Spectator on 01/29/10
8 Comments
Sounds as if they are only going to make one more move, and see if you can guess what Z has in mind:
"We're still looking for a right-handed bat. We'd like to add a right-handed bat, to be somewhere, whether it's at first base, DH, outfield. . . . What we're going to have to end up with is someone that fits our club, someone that has a degree of versatility, someone that offers an element that is an element of need right now. It is a bat. We're open to where it can be. . . . I'd say it would probably be a versatile position. If we end up with that, it would probably be a guy that offers... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/28/10
7 Comments
Thanks to Spec for his usual interesting hookups.
Sitting at the computer today banging through some non-sports work, we had a couple of KIRO's hot stove radio shows on ... one of the shows featured Tom McNamara, who is Zduriencik's version of Bob Fontaine.
McNamara, over the radio, conjures images of Burt Sugar chomping a cigar and scoffing at the latest tomata-can contenda, or maybe Mick from Rocky, or Earl Weaver, or some mosaic of all. He's a dyed-in-the-wool baseball hardcase in the best sense of the word.
As far as individuals, McNamara discussed Nick Franklin and Dustin Ackley... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/28/10
26 Comments
=== Big Three Dept. ===
Again Zduriencik is asked about talent in the organization, and again he pushes three low-minors hitters out there, those being Carlos Triunfel, Alex Liddi and Nick Franklin.*
Slow news day, we know, and it isn't like Capt Jack named them 1-2-3. And today he left Franklin off the list. Still ...
...........
A top-100 came out this week, was it Baseball America's? and they got it right: Ackley, then Triunfel, then Saunders in their top 100. Dropping Triunfel out of baseball's top 100, much less the M's own top three or four prospects, is little more than "out of... Read More
Posted by Spectator on 01/28/10
5 Comments
MLB Network released a list of the Top 50 prospects for 2010, and ESPN's Keith Law simultaneously came out with his Top 100.
MLB: http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100127&content_id=7983130&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
ESPN: http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/columns/story?columnist=law_keith&id=4856310&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dlaw_keith%26id%3d4856310 (must be an ESPN insider to get the scouting reports, but the list is on the right-hand side)
MLB: Ackley... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/27/10
6 Comments
Apparently Damon is getting Abreu'ed. Multiple sources, notably Joel Sherman, indicating that Damon's down to one year, $7m, partially deferred.
If that's the case, it could save the M's offensive bacon this winter.
Quick-ref charts...
Runs created per 27 outs:
6.8 - Damon
7.4 - Ichiro, #1 Mariner
4.9 - Gutierrez, #3
4.7 - Griffey, #4
4.2 - Lopez, #5
Every other Mariner in the starting lineup was below 3.9 per game.
............
Here is our food fight over Damon's range afield.
Matt has seen him more than I have, but my objection is philosophical. The next leadoff hitter I see, who does... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/27/10
10 Comments
We axed G why he thought Robles' LD% was a mere 10% last year ... he jumped out of his shoes at the tater pitch :- )
..........
No, last year it was 6.5% in High Desert (which is how he defeated the park) - it's 10 for his CAREER. :) Nobody smokes a hit on Robles. His HR/F is under 5%, and his IF/F is 21% (!). Guys hit infield popups, cans-of-corn to the OF and weak tappers to short against him, but they can't drive the ball. Robles is a lefty in the low-90s, which is like a righty in the mid-90s, and his curve makes announcers fall out of their seats and batters fall out of the box... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/27/10
13 Comments
Real good article up on him at Lookout Landing. I agree with all of Sullivan's stylistic remarks.
Hill has been the fave sleeper of MC/SSI posters this winter. Here's SABRMatt's Dec. 31 writeup. ... and I've got to admit, I'm very partial to the template Hill offers.
...
(1) First of all, any time a pitcher has a legit plus-plus straight change, he's got my attention. You know how fast I jumped on Doogie Fister's bandwagon.
Ted Williams said that hitting is TIMING, and pitching is upsetting timing. Too many pitchers allow the hitter to predict the velocity, while beating the hitter... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/27/10
3 Comments
=== Jarrod Washburn ===
Rumors persist, even heat up this morning, that Washburn will wind up either in Minnesota or Safeco.
MLBTradeRumors opines that although Washburn declined Minnesota's offer of 1 x $5m, he might take that same deal to pitch in his dream stadium at Safeco.
Boras is a huge believer in "you don't know what your value is until the last second," so no doubt he's stalling to see if the offers rise as the seats are gone in the musical chairs game. But SSI could legitimately imagine no team bumping Minny's offer by much, and then Zduriencik swooping in to nab Washburn for $5... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/26/10
8 Comments
... is the latest on what Beane gave Ben Sheets. Remember that incentives can't be tied to quality of performance -- only to the amount of time spent on the field.
So, Sheets' $3.5m in incentives are going to be tethered to milestones at (say) 150, 170, 190 IP. He makes $13.5m if he can go 30 starts, and is guaranteed $10m if he doesn't make any starts.
SSI always has a lot of fun when the best-informed, most sabr-literate GM's in the game do the opposite of what the internet concludes is correct. :- ) There are a lot of moving parts in real life, and when my or anybody else's best... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
7 Comments
Q. Bottom line: what's the Dr's R/X?
A. Subjectively speaking, I hope the lad does not come here. But objectively speaking, he's an interesting gamble, almost a Sheets-level gamble.
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Q. The internet consensus is that Liriano is underrated, with a FIP much better than his ERA, and is a good #3 starter. Pretty solid starting pitcher find, no?
A. Pretty solid starting pitcher find, no.
"Solid" is the one thing that Liriano isn't.
It is painful to watch this kid pitch. His fastball sits 88 with no life whatsoever, and he does absolutely nothing but nibble with it, hoping for called... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
34 Comments
Q. But an innings eater can help you, right?
A. Sure.
Liriano does fine with his junkball arsenal, assuming he can get away with merely "showing" the fastball.
Think George Sherrill, throwing 87 mph, with less of a slider, as a starting pitcher. He'll get you 7 K's, but baby will it be tough in between the K's.
Liriano, however, also has a third pitch -- his changeup is very effective. At times he looks like he's throwing an Eddie Guardado palm ball. Great arm action and even better, unpredictable, tumbling action out of it.
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Q. How about the chance to bounce back from his TJ... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
6 Comments
Rumors this week have the M's as one of three or four finalists for Sheets. Seismo's out of Fort Brougham are that they're, um, trying to get the $$ worked out.
Which is, of course, one reason that the M's play the budget cards so close to the vest: so that, when sitting at the green felt with agents, they can represent their hand as only bearing a red chip or two.
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Q. How much IS Sheets worth for 2010?
A. If it's 5x5 roto and you have all roster slots filled but one, and you have $4 left in your budget, he's worth $4.
If you have one slot left on your roster, and Sheets is the best... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
19 Comments
Here is our earlier kibitz of John Sickels' top 20. Here are SSI's quick takes on Baseball America's list:
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>
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Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
=== 5 Carlos Triunfel ===
This is kind of like getting Josh Hamilton back into your org, after three years on cocaine, and listing him 8th. Nada. He's 1-2 or he's not on it.
This is just a case of out-of-sight, out-of-mind, kiddies. Triunfel's talent didn't go anywhere during his year off.
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=== 6 Michael Pineda ===
BA "gets" Pineda, too. Here are three SSI articles explaining why we've adopted him as a very possible TOR:
Pineda and Dan Haren - Scouts say that Pineda (throwing 95 mph) "can hit flies at 1,000 yards. Here's a discussion of the implications for Pineda's elbow.
Some guys... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
DL: Talking about the advancement of defensive metrics, Bill James recently said, "The only difference between our ability to evaluate defense and offense, at this point, is confidence." Do you agree with that?
JZ: Well, Bill James is a [whale] of a lot smarter than I am and he’s got an enormous amount more experience than I do, but I’d have to read the entire context of how he said that in order to be able to interpret it exactly.
SSI Kibitz: ::blinks::
We tolja this Zduriencik dude is secure in what he does. Slap me silly. Imagine, say, Mike Hargrove saying what Zduriencik just did... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
1.21.10 BP interview here.
.BP Q: Did you come close to getting Chapman? How good is he?
Cap-O-Vision: He could be huge. He's risky, but you'd love to have him. We didn't want him as much as Cincy did, though.
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BP: Is Barry Bonds a philosophical problem for you?
Cap-O-Vision: No. If he could still hit and didn't cost much, we'd consider it.
SSI Kibitz: I assume that statement is made for the benefit of the potential Bonds vs. MLB lawsuit down the road.
If nothing else, Howard Lincoln would put the kibosh on that, instanter.
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BP Q: Would you pay the price in 2010 wins if it... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
.1.21.10 Baseball Prospectus interview here, for your convenience.
BP Q: C'mon, you are making a major move approximately every other day. You must be thrilled to be in the GM's seat.
Cap-O-Vision Translation 1: No. No. No.
I'm not even thinking about it in the terms you are: Wow, I'm going to make three times the moves of a Billy Beane and really become a high-profile GM.
Making lots of moves is natural to me. I'm not in a race. I'm just not afraid to pull the trigger.
...
SSI Kibitz: Jack might almost be unaware of the reason for his making so many moves. That reason being, he... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/25/10
1.21.10 Baseball Prospectus interview here, for your convenience. As y'know, we live to serve.
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BP Q: Is it fun being a big-league GM?
Psychobabbler jemanji Sez: Note that Laurila would not ask this question of Jim Bowden or Pat Gillick or Walt Jocketty. :- )
Sabermetricians subconsciously see Jack Zduriencik as "one of us," one of the 21st-century crowd of math dweebs who broke into the ranks, gets to use Fangraphs to whup up on opponents, all that jazz.
The 59-year-old Zduriencik is a dyed-in-the-wool field scout, but sabes have affectionately adopted him as a kindred spirit to, say... Read More
Posted by SABR Matt on 01/24/10
12 Comments
My little win calculation below revealed an important flaw in the current defensive scheme that we're supposed to be riding to cover for a weak offense. Our rotation is scary with a lot of potential for sucking chest wounds below SP3 despite a lot of star power at the top. If the "big rotation - 4 releivers - superb defense" game plan is to win us the west, we need a better 4th starter and probably a better third starter. Not only would acquiring another plus arm push Doug Fister and his average-at-best projection into the replacement level substitute bin either as a spot starter or as a... Read More
Posted by SABR Matt on 01/21/10
16 Comments
Let's make some loose estimates for how many wins are on this roster as it stands right now. If we add significant players, we'll update these projections. I'm going to be very conservative with the older players and with unknown quantities (the kids and guys who haven't gotten much of a track record yet). Think of this is a roughly lower-middle-range projection:
CATCHERS: +1.1
Rob Johnson (220 PA) - +0.3
Adam Moore (270 PA) - +0.6
Josh Bard (140 PA) - +0.2
FIRST BASEMEN: +1.2
Casey Kotchman (480 PA) - +1.0
Mike Carp (1B/DH) (250 PA) - +0.4
Tommy Everidge (140 PA) - -0.2
SECOND BASEMEN: +3.0... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/21/10
=== M's Budget ===
I/O: Locals, counting on our fingers, go "Hey! Felix' deal gives us $3m extry, and Gutierrez' gives us $2m more!"
This is added to the $10m or so that we presumed was available in the budget.
I/O: National rumors sites consistently quote external baseball sources as saying the M's don't have much money left. This occurred again today on MLB Trade Rumors, which quoted a source saying that the M's have "a little, not much" left to spend.
I/O: Prospect Insider forecasts at least one, very possibly two, more impact adds.
I/O: Zduriencik, asked about it by a local... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/21/10
29 Comments
Graham at LL with a typically fine job of breaking down Kotchman's results per sector of strike zone.
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I/O: Kotchman is okay on pitches out-and-over the plate -- the higher the better, and the more outside the better. Down-and-in is the big problemo.
SSI Crunch: This is what you expect of a stiff, mechanical hitter.
This would also be the case for any random AA or AAA hitter that you brought up to the American League -- he would get his best results on waist-high pitches where he could extend his arms.
As to adapting, moving the barrel of the bathead around the zone and actually... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/21/10
Posted to blog
=== Let's! Go To! the Vid E O Tape! ===
OBF asked where he could check highlights from the Arsenal-Bolton game. Nay verily, on Arsenal's or the Barclay's site. They charge for everything up to and including a vid replay. :- )
Fortunately on Fox Soccer Channel they run Sky Sports News about twice a day, this being the British version of SportsCenter, as well as a couple of different American reviews of Premier League play. Surf the Comcast menu a bit and you'll be able to DVR two-three minutes' worth of game footage, mate.
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=== Bolton Physical Early ===
OBF wondered if Arsenal came... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/21/10
=== Now We've Got a Contest ===
Bolton at Arsenal is what, a 15:1 bet on Arsenal to lose, but the first goal in soccer is important.
Now Bolton pulled all of its players back into its penalty box ... think in terms of an NCAA basketball team before the shot clock, up 15 points early, and refusing to attempt offensive rebounds. It lines four players up at the perimeter, gingerly shoots, and then sprints back to defend its goal.
Bolton literally had all 11 players "below the ball" -- Arsenal would have the ball at the 25- or 30-yard line of Bolton and there was a full football team of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/21/10
8 Comments
=== Fabregas Controversy ===
About 10 minutes into the second half, Arsenal center back William Gallas went for a 50-50 ball just outside the Bolton goal box. The Wanderer slid in and Gallas trode directly on the opponent's ankle in a scary mis-step.
As the Wanderers stood around screaming for a foul and a yellow card, moments later the ball came to Cesc Fabregas at the elbow of the goal box right side. He spectacularly dribbled the ball through four Wanderers, seeming to be in the box for ages, and then found an impossible angle from the right side -- about three yards off the touch line... Read More
Posted by OBF on 01/21/10
2 Comments
I just got done reading a very nice little interview that David Laurila did with Jack Zduriencik (I had to check the spelling on that three times!). Check it out here.
Dr. D did a break down of another Jack Z interview a few months ago (here and here), and came away with a fairly poor impression of Jack's interviewing skills opining at the end:
"I can understand the reasons for not wanting to talk to the fans, but then why give an interview? :- ), Dr. D."
And after rereading that interview I can see why Doc got that impression. This interview, though, Jack seems much more open and... Read More
Posted by SABR Matt on 01/19/10
5 Comments
Sign Felix Hernandez long term. CHECK
Add a legitimate #2 starter to back the King. CHECK
Upgrade the bullpen and add depth. CHECK
Upgrade the infield defense. CHECK
Find your shortstop. CHECK
Acquire a thumper for the MOTO. NOT CHECK
Replace Branyan at first. CHECK...ISH
Ditch Silva's bad contract if possible. CHECK!
Keep one of Griffey and Sweeney to keep the clubhouse vibes positive. CHECK
Replace Beltre. CHECK
Add starting pitching depth. NOT CHECK...YET
That's a lot of stuff Z had to do this winter to make his plan work and he has managed to do almost all of it!
Felix Hernandez is signed... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/18/10
10 Comments
=== Bringing Guns to Gunfights ===
As y'know, MLB Trade Rumors is reporting a Felix extension.
Jack sure had me faked out of my jock. That first 4/$50 offer, or whatever it was, had me thinking that the M's wanted to include Felix in the egg-flipping frenzy. But fortunately, Alan Nero was nonplussed, said "it'll work out."
This undoubtedly reflected the fact that Felix had directed him to fix his spot in Seattle. More early returns on the enjoyable clubhouse that was set up by Zduriencik, Wakamatsu, and Griffey.
Pro sports history is littered with clubhouses that were obviously... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/18/10
3 Comments
If you're fancying joining me in watching the Arsenal-Bolton game this Wednesday on Fox Soccer Channel, here's a primer as to the majesty you'll be witnessing :- )
I only ever watched hockey during one era -- the Gretzky Oilers, with Jari Kurri, Mark Messier & the crowd. Arsenal has a similar juggernaut of goal-scoring going on this season, with scores coming from all over the pitch. It's a little like the Magic Johnson Lakers showtime at the Emirates Stadium these days.
Even better, Arsenal is probably the world's top ball-control team, so their passing and playmaking is coherent and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/18/10
Robin van Persie is Arsenal's striker (their designated shooter), the best Dutch player, and Arsenal manager Wenger controversially accused van Persie of being the EPL's best striker -- despite the fact that Chelsea's Didier Drogba, Man U's Wayne Rooney, and Liverpool's Fernando Torres are all among the 15 best players in the world.
Drogba commented on Wenger's assessment by scoring two goals to beat Arsenal in their own stadium...
van Persie is the quintessential Arsenal player: delicately artistic, offense-minded, and out for the season with a sprained ankle. Wenger likes lightweight,... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/18/10
All apologies to our soccer-native SSI readers :- ) but my wife and son, finally exasperated with my Arsenal addiction, decided 'if you can't beat 'em, join em' and asked for a primer.
If you're a Yank who fancies a bit of offseason freshness in your sports diet, why not join Dr. D in rooting the Gunners ... most weeks they are on Fox Sports Channel, 401 in Pierce County. This Wednesday they are on again, home against Bolton in a makeup game.
A quick recap of last Sunday's match at Bolton:
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=== Bolton Starts Hot ===
In the first 90 seconds of the game on Bolton's home pitch, the... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/17/10
Q. What happened to Washburn's pitching in Detroit last year?
A. Absolutely nothing. Check this article.
Nick Steiner takes an electron microscope to Washburn's pitches in two 5-start samples:
SAMPLE A - 5 best starts of 2009 in Seattle (0.47 runs per game)
SAMPLE B - 5 worst starts of 2009 in Detroit (10.2 runs per game).
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Q. I don't feel like plowing through the HBT article. How much was Washburn's velocity down in his bad starts?
A. Not an inch.
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Q. How much was Washburn's location off, in his bad starts?
A. Not an inch. His location was no worse in his bad starts. It may have... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/17/10
2 Comments
Q. So you think Washburn's pretty good.
A. Washburn is what he is.
He's an average-solid "pitch to contact" American League pitcher ... with extreme reliability.
Washburn is below-average in front of a lousy team, like Mike Hargrove's, and above-average in front of a good one, like Don Wakamatsu's.
Wash's REL has a ton of value. As James says, "most of a player's value is in being average."
One of the key differences between real GM's, and those outside the game, is that GM's understand the high value of a very predictable, league-average player.
GM's understand the concept of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/15/10
5 Comments
Q. Could Tommy Everidge platoon with Casey Kotchman in 2010?
A. Geoff Baker took this possibility seriously. Zduriencik has said that the M's are "not done," so presumably Everidge is a stoploss idea.
Sure, Everidge could have a big spring and break camp with the club:
Wakamatsu is open-minded about March competitions. Remember Mike Wilson and Matt Tuiasosopo last year? Mike Sweeney?
If the M's don't acquire a 1B, obviously the roster spot is open.
Everidge has some talent.
Whether the M's should be using Everidge as a stoploss, when they have Mike Carp and Mike Saunders and umpteen... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/15/10
=== Jack Hannahan, SS ===
Lookout Landing with a great op-ed on Hannahan's ability to play shortstop. LL's essential position seems to be that if Hannahan had to play 30 or 45 games in a row at short, it would be nothing to throw ourselves off the view balcony over. In this view, they seem to coincide with Zduriencik's and Wakamatsu's.
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=== Dumb Question Dept. ===
Before I lay out a cheap rebuttal, let me begin by saying if Hannahan can back up at shortstop, why not Matt Tuiasosopo? Or Jose Lopez? Lopez actually was a shortstop when he first came up, in 2004, playing 57 of his 58 games... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/15/10
15 Comments
=== I had you at hello, but take this with you Dept. ===
Consider, in proportion, that Yuniesky Betancourt would be a better SS, both offensively and defensively, than Shannahan.
If it's okay for 30 games, it's okay for 150.
None of this would matter, IFF Shannahan had some other reason for existing on the M's roster. If you were saying, hey, Mark McLemore is our super-sub and okay, he's below par at short but the total package is a winner, that would be fine.
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=== Whiz Kid Dept. ===
Matt Tuiasosopo could play short, sure, and undoubtedly much better than Jack Hannahan could.
Back in... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/14/10
=== And How Much Traffic Does YOUR Blog Get, Dept. ===
John Sickels with his ‘preliminary’ top 20 for the Mariners. Great read. Always one of the winter’s most anticipated articles.
The first thing I ever remember reading in a Bill James player handbook: “If you live in Minneapolis, you’re going to know more about the Twins players than I do. My job is to tell you about the players in other cities.”
There isn’t a way in the world we know more about Orioles minor leaguers than Justynius who lives in Baltimore – and we almost certainly don’t know more about O’s minor leaguers than Sickels,... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/14/10
9 Comments
I/O: Sickels with 1 Mariner, Ackley, in his top 100.
CRUNCH: And Ackley don't count. He's a North Carolina Mariner. In no way, shape, or form is Dustin Ackley an M's org product.
The fact is, that national analysts believe M’s prospects when they see them. Hit .300 in the bigs.
I ain't defensive about M's farmhands. I'm just delivering da truth. There's a bias against them. :shrug: Don't bother me, but take it into consideration.
What did national analysts think of Adam Jones before he crushed AAA? Of Jose Lopez before he made the AL All-Star team? Of Mark Lowe before he... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/14/10
23 Comments
=== Adam LaRoche ===
As we discussed here, LaRoche is a pretty good comp for Raul Ibanez -- a certified #5 hitter now, who probably has a career 130-140 OPS+ year or two ahead of him. He's getting a ONE year deal? No wonder Branyan felt like "98%" of the players out there were getting one-year deals.
Charles O. Finley, who in the 1970's was sort of MLB's cross between Mark Cuban and Al Davis, used to growl "make 'em all free agents every year." Apparently, that's what the owners have decided to do.
Wisely, they are driving a wedge between union players by offering wonderful contracts to... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/14/10
1 Comments
=== You'd to be Three Sheets Dept. ===
MLB Trade Rumors dot com gingerly identifies the Sheets frontrunner as... the Mariners. Given Zduriencik's creeping aversion to National League Central ballplayers, I can't see this one happening, can youse?
January is our HQ month, and although it's not going to be year-round, during the dead time we're amusing ourselves by moshing off his takes. On Sheets, Roto Yippie sez:
Skills as elite as ever
Health as much a grade "F" as ever
We'll split the difference and bid $10 for 2010 (based on 100 innings)
That'll do for us too. You're going... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/14/10
=== It's All In the Wrist Dept. ===
My own body type, at least when I was 27 :- ) was a lot like Aaron Harang's, as is my throwing motion (primarily as a flag-football QB)...
With a questionable CG transfer (because not light on my feet), but specializing in nose-to-leather finish and accuracy, the stress all goes to the elbow and, especially, forearm.
With command like Harang's, the hard muscle load goes to the ends of the fingers. It's hard to describe how hard your wrist and fingers are working when you throw like that.
When you're a big guy with an, ahem, feather touch, the verrrrry,... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/13/10
2 Comments
=== A UT Who Can Hit? Vot Next? ===
Tatis has been a Willie Bloomquist, play-every-position type, except that Tatis can hit.
In 2008, Tatis hit 300/370/480 (!) in 300 AB's, and after a slower start last year, hit 310/350/500 again down the stretch.
He's got significant pop, an all-around game and he's been giving you about 5 runs created per 27 outs the last few years, as he's had more AB's. That's a little bit the Russ Branyan story -- gets a chance and starts rounding the bases at breakneck speed.
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=== You and I Could Write a Bad Bro-Mance Dept. ===
The knock on Tatis is his defense. ... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/13/10
=== Bad "Hair" Days dept. ===
You could dissect Harang's pitch velocities and movements a dozen ways off fangraphs. The problem is, a year's data "smooths" the two Harangs into one composite, and you'll fail to understand the "A Game" Harang and the "B Game" Harang.
Understanding Harang is a question of understanding how good he is, or isn't, when he has his A stuff, and of estimating his chances to have that A stuff -- that is, a fresh arm -- in 2010-11.
Some games he has the hair on his fastball, and some he doesn't...
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=== B Stuff ===
Meet Aaron Harang with a heavy, lifeless arm. Here... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/13/10
6 Comments
Part 1
=== "A" Game ===
Now don't forget, in 2008-09 we're talking mostly about a guy whose arm wasn't as fresh as it could have been. He missed time on the DL with a forearm strain, a la John Lackey.
Meet the "A Game" Aaron Harang, the way he was in 2005-07 when he was one of the 5-6 best pitchers in the National League:
August 9 vs San Francisco
Here, in the second half of the vid, you see Harang not only painting with his fastball, but also getting late explosion on it.
You see him not only commanding his slider, but throwing it 83-84 mph (not 79-80) and getting a big, late, biting swerve... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/13/10
Q. What is the best argument that the Grade B version will show up in 2010?
A. Many, many, many, MANY pitchers, Commandant Lassard, threw 211-234-231 innings in consecutive years, and just flat burned out.
We remember when Ismael Valdes was the M's #1 trade target for Randy Johnson. The Dodgers backed out at the last second, and we got Freddy and Carlos Guillen instead.
Valdes fired a scorching 2.65 ERA in 1997, right before the Unit trade, but burned out right after that. He was a smoke-and-mirrors innings eater the rest of his career.
If Harang just got too much wear-and-tear in 2005-... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/12/10
7 Comments
=== Ryan Garko ===
A lot of Mariner Central threads are meaty, but this one even more than most.
It seems every time a job-specific bench opportunity comes up, the howls start afres h about how feebleminded it is to have an Ichi-tickler on the team. I wonder if anybody watched 2009, when Junior and Mike Sweeney ran the entire marathon with the M's.
Look, kiddies. Don Wakamatsu is willing to take the extra effort to make a specialized bench work. It's not a problemo.
........
I've always had a fascination with guys who murder LHP's. If I can get a guy who hits .300/.400/.600, in 20% of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/12/10
1 Comments
Last year, in 2009, Jo-El came up with a new* pitch. This pitch is an 88-90 mph two-seam screwball.
Jo-El son of Kal-El used to get a good solid -1.5 runs per 100 pitches on his fastballs, meaning that if he threw 100 fastballs in a row (not really!) you would expect his ERA to be 1.5 runs worse than league average.
Actually if he did this, threw 100 fastballs in a row, he'd have given up 23 runs in a game, but you know what I mean. His ERA on fastballs -- assuming he mixed them in and threw them 55% of the time -- was about 6.00. As you can imagine, pitchers like this are "smoke and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/12/10
1 Comments
=== Dr's Prognosis ===
Good Jo-El. I have no idea whether Jo-El's screwball will move like a monkey in 2010. No idea whatsoever. There's a good 40% chance that it will, IMHO.
If it does move like that, and he comes over to the AL, well... he gets the benefit of the novelty again.
And Jo-El's two-seam movement isn't his only weapon. This guy throws five pitches, can hump up to 92-93, and throws a ball into a teacup. If he's got the +1 to +2 run value on the fastball also, he'll star for another year or two.
....
Bad Jo-El. Supposing that Jo-El loses the magical movement on his two-... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/11/10
8 Comments
Next up, a POTD or four on the best available athl... er, best available player from the NL Central...
The Reds have been trying to offload Harang's player* option for a while now, and after laying out the serious jack on Aroldis Chapman, you've got to figure they're feeling the heat from the beancounters. Harang makes like $12m this year and has an (IIRC) player "mutual" option of about $14m in 2011. For the Reds, that's like 62% of their payroll, and his W/L's are 3-19 the last two years.
................
Zduriencik doesn't seem to have much against players from his old NL Central, and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/11/10
1 Comments
=== Dead Cat's Bounce ===
As M-Pops pointed bout, DCB has a sterling writeup on Bard.
Among Gomez' several excellent, um, catches, here are a couple:
The knock on Bard is his CS%, BUT... after you adjust for pitchers like Tim Wakefield, Bard is fine. So, yeah, remove that negative. :nods:
...
Bard gets on top of the ball well, hits lots of line drives and ground balls ... and yep, he had an unlucky BABIP in 2008 and 2009. "Adjust" Bard for "normal" luck, and Bard's established level of performance is 280/350/440.
Gomez, thath high-quality H20. :crooked grin, blinks:
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=== The Long... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/11/10
9 Comments
Are sportswriters performing a public service, in slapping their Scarlet S onto guys like McGwire?
Or are they being hypocritical in sliding into 'roid users with spikes high, while discreetly looking away from ballplayers who abuse alcohol, cheat on their wives, and cheat by stealing signs and stepping in front of the rubber to pitch?
Are writers on solid ground, in their HOF-righteous-indignation script against athletes who set bad examples for young players? Or are they casting about for something to stand for, considering that they're the first ones to defend Lady GaGa and and Quentin... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/11/10
3 Comments
=== The Players' Union ===
As pointed out at LL, the aggrieved parties in steroids are the players who do not use steroids. No doubts there. Which raises the question, if they don't object, why should we as onlookers?
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=== We Are the World Dept. ===
In the real world, I don't buy the idea that any of my son's football teammates used steroids because pro athletes do. I give these kids credit for intelligence. I think that a 17-year-old high school star knows everything that is at stake, and chooses clear-headedly.
It's a little different with (say) movies and songs selling... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/09/10
21 Comments
=== Two Impact Players? ===
In the non-subscription portion of Jason's Prospect Insider article, his teaser suggests the M's would still like to add two more impact players.
Which reminds me of the cheap shot that writers used to take at the ca.-1990 Mariners -- they only need two players and they're right in it. Those two players being Christy Mathewson and Lou Gehrig. Ba-dump-bump.
This team certainly does need two players, both of them with lumber in their hands.
(Nice to see Jason's career blossoming, with the ESPN work and the subscription base. Always cool to see independent... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/09/10
5 Comments
=== Ryan Rowland-Smith ===
Hardball Times last week ran an article, Thinking Outside the Strikeout, that recommends a handful of low-K pitchers for fantasy owners to consider. Rowland-Smith heads the list.
As HBT notes, RRS has a 4.78 xFIP in 253 career innings -- but a 3.62 ERA. HBT expects RRS to continue to beat his xFIP by wide margins, because he's a LH flyball pitcher, throwing in an airport, with a very fast OF defense.
That's true, assuming Rowland-Smith continues to be a low-strikeout pitcher (he was at 5.0 last year). It's comforting for M's fans that, due to low walks (only 2.... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/08/10
6 Comments
=== SABRMatt===
... raises a fun point:
I must admit, our top 6 in the bullpen now looks SCARY good assuming Fields or Hill lights the mound on fire in ST (and I think one of them will).
Here's your three closers and the guy who is nominally the closer (LOL) bullpen plus two good rubber-armed middle relievers plus lots of interchangeable parts style world-beating bullpen.
The 2001 Mariners' bullpen would be jealous of this one.
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=== Style Points, Dept. ===
Jeff Nelson is the ONE guy I think of, over the last 25 years, who was most painful for righties to face one time late in the... Read More
Posted by Spectator on 01/08/10
7 Comments
Kotch=====
Baker has a lengthy explanation (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2010737969_casey_kotchman_will_get_the_sh.html ) of how Kotchman's mother almost died during the 08 season and has had a long rehab, and that Z apparently thinks this, together with bouncing around among teams with parks that didn't suit him, is what kept the "real" (i.e, 2007) Kotchman from showing up.
In that regard, it's what we've come to see as a classic Z move. They think they see something everyone else is missing. (Obviously, they think that about League, too.) The 07 Kotch was 37 doubles... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/07/10
8 Comments
There's a lot of confusion over what League's hellacious offspeed pitch is.
My own confustion? is because if you watch him on video, the arm action and diving trajectory look like he's throwing a forkball. However, if you google the images on him, they often show him with a change grip.
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=== Brandon's Tale ===
ESPN radio had League on, not long ago. League explained it.
What happened was that League used to throw a straight change, but "because of my arm strength it came in too hard."
He'd been dabbling with a splitfinger since 2006, but only in 2009 did League get the feel for it, he... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/06/10
12 Comments
=== Jemanji Was a Major Leaguer in a Past Life ===
Larry Stone ran a few "teammate chains" recently. I hadn't realized that b-ref.com had a section called "Frivolities." Kewl!
This allowed me, narcissistically, to determine which MLB player died just before I was born. Dick Hoblitzel passed away about a day-and-a-half before little Jemanji had his 0th birthday. I just knew that my MLB ancestor-body would gallavant around the majors as a fine ballplayer.
I don't believe in reincarnation any more than I do in astrology, in Poseidon's son Percy or in Casey Kotchman's ability to help the M'... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/06/10
21 Comments
Just joshin' with the title there. Don't storm the castle. :- )
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=== Johnny Damon's Jumps and Routes ===
One of our good amigos, who lives in New York IIRC, accused Caveman of terrible routes and "horrible" range, even in LF.
I always think the same thought, when baseball fans tell me that a given ML outfielder runs terrible routes. I don't mean this pejoratively; I mean it literally. How would a non-ballplayer know what a good route, or a bad route, is? ;- )
I've played OF in slo-pitch leagues, am no CA or Sully or TopCat, but know a fair amount about jumps and positioning for a... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/06/10
12 Comments
Rumor du jour, Johnny Damon. Some M's fans wonder if he can help?
.........
Take Carl Crawford, subtract some speed, add 30 walks, and offensively you've got Johnny Damon. And how psyched would M's fans be about a Crawford deal?
Damon isn't an MVP candidate or anything, but he is an impact offensive player.
Last year he averaged 6.8 runs created per 27 outs, as he did the year before.
Runs created per 27 outs:
6.8 - Damon
7.4 - Ichiro, #1 Mariner
6.5 - Branyan, #2 (not a Mariner)
4.9 - Gutierrez, #3
4.7 - Griffey, #4
4.2 - Lopez, #5
Every other Mariner in the starting lineup was below... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
5 Comments
The one I remember best -- he's in the minors with Montreal. The other bench is riding him hard and, after striking out the last man of an inning, stomps over and stands on the top step of the enemy dugout.
Challenges the entire bench to fight him 25-on-1. "I'LL TAKE YOUR LIFE!!" Johnson screams.
Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson weren't fakes out there. In other lives, they'd have been Huns. No team fielding either of those two pitchers was ever laughed at.
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Cindy and I remember at the Dome once, when the young Johnson (about 1994) was destroying the Red Sox. Like, one of those 14-K... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
=== HOF Monitor ===
With 100 points being a "likely Hall of Famer," the Big Unit amassed 331 points. In essence, Johnson had three HOF careers.
He's 3rd among all-time pitchers (Walter Johnson, Roger Clemens).
Johnson had more HOF Monitor points than Cy Young, who had >500 wins. He had more than double the HOF points that Juan Marichal had.
...........
Randy and Lefty Grove were the two best left-hand starters who ever lived, and even there, Randy has 331 HOF points to Grove's 232. A nice even C-note more HOF points than the man who was, for 50 years, baseball's best LHP.
With 331... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
8 Comments
=== Fearless Forecast Dept. ===
The word out of San Diego is that the Padres want to see what they have, in 2010, before moving Gonzalez for 1.7 years before free agency.
Supposing that you're in Capt Jack's shoes, and you've talked with the Pads about AGone, the Brew about Fielder, etc. And the GM's just haven't been willing to deal, not in any sort of reasonable scenario.
Suppose again that you do forecast that the Pads (or whoever) are going to have a rough ride in April and May -- maybe June at the latest. And that those teams, with 1+ years before FA, will then deal.
It would be... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
10 Comments
Q. OK Doc, you get the first question.
A. Thank you kindly. I have one (1).
WHAT DID YOU ACQUIRE MIKE CARP FOR.
Do not proceed before answering.
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.
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.
.
.
.
.
.
You traded for the guy.
You gave him the precious AAA 1B developmental airtime. (There are only a few AAA at-bats you have available to invest at 1B and LF.)
You watched him come up and show otherworldly poise and plenty of talent.
Now you're going to go out and cover-your-backside with one of the worst 1B's in the major leagues. What was the PLAN on Mike Carp?
/rant1
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Q. Only one question?
A. Fine. From MLB Street: are... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
10 Comments
.
Part 1
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Q. There must be some silver lining here.
A. Kotchman was 26 last year. Nick Johnson had a lifetime OPS+ not much over 100, when he sort of jelled, posted a soft 130+ OPS in small AB's at ages 26 and 27.
It's not unpossible that Kotchman could "figure out" MLB pitching and decide to get under a few balls, maybe lower his grounder rate to 9000:1 or something.
I imagine this would be Capt Jack's reasoning -- that Kotchman is about to jell, as it were, the way that Johnson kind of did at 26. If that isn't the reasoning, then I have no idea what the reasoning would be. They'd... Read More
Posted by anonymous (not verified) on 01/05/10
3 Comments
I figured Randy Johnson might hang it up rather than try to go after 5,000 strikeouts in 2010, and now he's made it official. There's not a great deal to say except thanks: I think whatever hard feelings lingered from the Big Unit leaving in '98 have gone by now, and we'll be left with his amazing '95, the no-hitter, all those strikeouts, and a huge amount of talent to remember. Now we just have to see if Felix will continue to make a run at Randy and supplant him as the most memorable pitcher in Mariners history.
Posted by jemanji on 01/05/10
8 Comments
Q. Is SSI a Franklin Gutierrez fan? To what extent?
A. I'm a huge Gutierrez fan, both in terms of his performance and in terms of his persona. This is the guy you want to build around.
A sensei of ours once pointed out, "If you want to force somebody else to take an extreme position, take an extreme position yourself." Zen-like wisdom on his part.
Ever since then, we've watched the world go by, watched this happen. People claim that the Earth is as fragile as porcelain, that it would end in literally 5 years due to greenhouse gasses... and then watch those who disagree argue by, um... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/04/10
2 Comments
===Weee Arrrrr SPARta ===
POTD Brandon League
POTD Shawn Kelley
POTD David Aardsma
Those 2.5 short men, along with Lowe, comprise the pennant-race-worthy Honor Guard in 2010.
=== HQ Dept. ===
You can order Shandler's book here.
Remember what the HQ idea is ... Shandler stays focused on component "skills," especially DOM, CMD, CTL, mistake avoidance (HR/9) and stamina IP). Tracking these "skills" across a series of years, he looks for patterns in the growth or dropoff, and looks at the way these relate to each other.
On Ian Snell this year, for example, Shandler picks out the DOM trend... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/03/10
11 Comments
In the Mariner Central 10 Questions post that Lonnie is putting up this week, he asked us,
Q2 - Who is most likely to fail in 2010?
SSI Answer - David Aardsma we've talked about ... I like Shandler's argument that Saunders isn't ready yet. Jack Wilson hasn't proven he can defend himself against AL pitching. Ian Snell is at a crossroads and at no time in 2009 did he show what he needed to show, IMHO.
..........
MtGrizzly pointed out this article by Baseball Daily Digest's David Golebiewski, which follows on this BP article and this one by Baseball Prospectus' Eric Seidman.
These articles... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/02/10
10 Comments
Grumpy pointed out this YouTube vid, in which a swordsman cuts a flying BB in half. Drawing from the scabbard, no less.
For those of you who play airsoft, you're aware that over a distance of 50 feet, the flight of a BB varies up-and-down by a foot or more, and it's curving quite a bit at the end, in unpredictable directions (no rifling of the barrel).
Am sure it took the swordsman quite a few takes :- ) but I could do that for a year and never come close...
...............
Heard of some NPB star who used to hang a piece of paper, or somesuch, from the ceiling and then practice hitting the... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 01/01/10
2 Comments
At his 1995mariners.com site, Arne has a tremendous "Casey At the Bat" paraphrase on Edgar's behalf.
They should make a wall poster out of that poem.
Posted by jemanji on 01/01/10
13 Comments
Dr. Naka points out that Ichiro has 200 (!) HOF Monitor points -- after only 9 seasons. Had no idea he was THAT high so soon.
About 2003, D-O-V began asserting that Ichiro was one of the top 50 players of all time. We thought we were being a little aggressive with that, to make a point. Guess not.
...............
What is your estimate of Ichiro's HOF Monitor points if he had come to America at age 22, Dr. Naka?
Of his final HOF Monitor total?
................
James was once asked, at a convention, "Is Rickey Henderson a Hall of Famer?" Bill's reply, "If you cut Rickey in half, you'd... Read More