October 2011
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
12 Comments
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This is one of the great win probability charts you'll ever see in the World Series. You can open a second window-tab and see the right version of it here. (And Fangraphs' robust game charts have gone from "great" to "mind-boggling.")
Take a moment and picture the fans' emotions at various points on the chart:
(1) Down 1-0 in the first, with Andrus and Hamilton on ... St. Louis already faced 5:2 odds against.
But they came back to take a 2-1 lead. From a queasy, sinking feeling to vast relief.
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(2) Napoli bats in Cruz in the 4th to give the Rangers the lead. Cardinal... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
3 Comments
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Took my first look at what the Shot-Callers are saying. Was quite surprised at how serious the groundswell is.
Not surprising at all that Bud Selig -- the man who cried for mercy for 20 years in Milwaukee -- would sympathize with the poor l'il baseball fan in Seattle. Was a little surprised, though, that he slammed down the uncompromising demands that he did.
Was even more surprised to grok that the 30 owners have a clear consensus on it.
And the most surprised that the union is going to rubber-stamp it, without trying to lever the concept into side payments to its... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
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Russian Roulette toy. For Seahawk fans seeking a more feel-good way to pass the time.
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What's triage, you ax? You know, that's the medical tent just off the 50-yard line, in which you de-prioritize the near-DOA's as not being worth the distraction.
...now that you've had a half-week to spit out your chipped teeth, let's talk Whitehurst. ::chuckles::
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Q. Doc, anything redeeming that I've missed?
A. A lot, yeah, but let's start with ...
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Q. A rating of 35.8!! Whitehurst was terrible. End of story.
A. First of all: that was one of the worst offensive performances I'... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
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Q. In Dr. D's world, how much does it matter that Whitehurst had 2 weeks to prepare?
A. Very little.
Game timing is just different, my friends. There is no way to convey that, if you haven't competed against top-flight opponents at game speed.
(Not that Dr. D is Mr. Athlete; he isn't. But, whether it's aikido randori, tourney chess, or 3-on-3 basketball ... two months off and I need all kinds of time to get quick again.)
You can't practice for that kind of speed. Michael Jordan played 9 years in the NBA, took one year off, and needed at least a month of game action to... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
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Q. Two good games, two bad ones. How do you weight them?
A. Wyman's assessment was interesting. In it, he points out that Whitehurst has had 50% good performances and 50% bad ones.
He's had four chances. One was the excellent win at the Meadowlands.* Another was a big win against the Rams last year. He's got two clanks.
For a rusty, "slow" QB to get four games, two good two bad, that does not allow a conclusion. You feel me?
Supposing Whitehurst had a terrible game in Cincy, or a great one, that wouldn't allow a conclusion, either.
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Q. What would allow a conclusion... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
1 Comments
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Q. What does SSI expect out of Whitehurst, realistically? 5-game and 5-year scan?
A. A fairly good dice roll at some day becoming a Plunkett-level quarterback. Maybe.
I ain't saying Whitehurst is good. But on Sunday he was an inexperienced QB trying to spit into a tornado. It's a mulligan to me.
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Am optimistic about his arm, because of the easy flick and weight transfer on downfield throws. Am optimistic about his field presence, in part because of the Giants finish, in part just because of a vibe he gives, the long hair and the cynical, understated answers, and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
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Seedlings to Stars with a writeup of Delabar. We had said that their writeup on Campos was confusingly accurate; the article was as accurate, concise, and to-the-point as if a local had written it up.
Now, second time up, it's even more so. This writeup is the 2nd-best available on Steve Delabar. >:-]
They're either culling the local reports, or their writers are quickly going to be reco'nized as among the best in the bidness. Either way, it makes their site a must-go.
Let's kibitz:
Many popular opinions of pitching prospects are formed from general scouting reports. While... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/11
7 Comments
Spec links us to a Hultzen vid:
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I guess he's back to being "Danny." So there.
Won't cut and paste this time, but the Gameday has all the velo and break info, and it's worth looking at.
3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Came right out of the gate at 94 on his first pitch, and hit 95 by the third batter. Was pretty much 92-94 consistently for three innings.
Hope that is answering the concerns of those who didn't think he'd have that kind of velo. And it looks like he knows where it's going most of the time.
Gave up a bunch of singles, but got himself out of it with a double-play ball on a... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
2 Comments
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'round the cyber-block this week, there's a very strong argument that the Mariners need to pick up 200-250 runs (20-25 WAR) in order to be 'serious' about contending in 2012. In other words, that this winter Jack Zduriencik's job is to add 200+ runs to his 2011 edition.
There were many interesting ideas in this article, so Dr. D is gonna mosh off them to slam-dance into his own crunch on the situation...
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Q. Is that true, that WAR predicts playoff teams well?
A. But of course, m'sieur. Any run differential formula does. Team RC/27, team EqA, or you could just use simple run... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
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Q. Okay, each year half the teams make the postseason with about +75 differential. Does this mean that the 2012 Mariners are contenders if they hit +75?
A. No.
For the Mariners, the target is more like +100. Maybe even a bit more.
The AL Wild Card the last five years has been won by Boston, New York and once the Tigers, with run differentials of +140 to +190 runs every cotton-pickin', chicken-pluckin' year. If you want to shoot for the wild card in the American League, you better pencil in 95 wins, bro'.
So the Mariners have to factor in the reality that the Wild Card is a no go... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
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Q. Is there any way to tell how good Texas will be in 2012?
A. They racked up the 2011 bling with pitching, more so than with hitting. Their ERA+ was 118. The Rangers and Yankees were miiiiiiiiillles ahead of the only other two excellent pitching staffs, those being in Oakland and Anaheim.
All 5 of the Rangers' starters went 29-34 games, with great ERAs+ as a group. And every single reliever was great.
If all five Rangers' starters are all unconscious in 2012, sure, you're talking about a +150 differential again, because their offense will hit. But you go through that B-Ref.... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
2 Comments
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Q. Of those teams that did improve by +200 runs in one winter, how did they do it?
A. By getting current players to play better.
We're speaking in general terms, of course. ... still ... Granted it's tough to find one player to contribute +200 runs. :- ) Is it any easier to bring in five players worth +40 runs apiece?
In the AL in 2011, there were only 22 players with more than 40 runs' contribution, of whom the worst were Erick Aybar, David Ortiz and Josh Hamilton. Okay, we only need to get five of those? G'luck mate.
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Q. But we're not talking +40 runs players in the... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
4 Comments
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Yes, that's an, um ... Honda Civic
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Q. Could a GM just make 5-6 great imports, and turn a team around?
A. Pat Gillick could. :- ) I don't know if he's available.
I'm not saying that the Honda Civics Import strategy is unreasonable. Not at all. Some GM's work that way.
But I think James also wrote that this has only been done one time in baseball history, that a GM took over a team, made 6-8 great moves and won the pennant ...
... the 1961 Cincinnati Reds, if I recall correctly. A new GM took a 67-win team, spent the winter wheeling and dealing, and in 1961 the new-look Reds... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
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Q. Under what general conditions could the Mariners add 100, 150 offensive runs?
A. Under the specific conditions that Prince Fielder added his +50, and then five other positions played better by +20 runs apiece.
Fielder replaces not Mike Carp, but Milton Bradley, Michael Saunders, Ryan Langerhans and Greg Halman, because Carp moves to LF in that scenario.
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Q. They would add 20 runs at 3B ... how?
A. At 3B, the M's were -6 runs below RLP on the year. Seager, and/or Liddi, and/or Chone would need to be +1.4 WAR.
What a co-inky-dink. Seager was +0.5 in a third of a season. ... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/11
15 Comments
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Q. Have Prince Fielder deals worked out for the buying team before?
A. Here's a good read at Fangraphs. Eno Sarris riffles through young, super-productive FA's to get a measure of their impact on teams ... that they left, that is.
It's not necessarily a comprehensive "capture" of the history of things, but Sarris looks at the free agency departures of:
Adrian Gonzalez
Miguel Cabrera
Mark Teixeira
Jason Giambi
Mo Vaughn
Rafael Palmeiro
Fred McGriff
The names speak for themselves. It reminds me of the early-90's Braves bringing up a lot of talent but grabbing The Straw That Stirs... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/19/11
2 Comments
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In the picture leading yesterday's article, as well as in the picture here, Campos' lead palm is facing the baseball. The picture posted yesterday conveys a much better impression of Campos' relaxed attitude.
The palms-connected-by-a-string motion creates --- > a "dynamic spiral" within the plane of Campos' shoulder turn. His shoulders, arms and hands are in harmony with the single intent of his mind.
Other examples ... the two-handed SpockPunch, or any golf swing, or watch a tennis player "gather" his groundstroke with his lead arm.
The alternative would be to have the glove... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/18/11
9 Comments
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I/O: Tarvaris Jackson was 'lightly throwing the ball around' and 'has a chance to play' against the Browns.
CRUNCH: My son and daughter were distraught at this news: I THOUGHT YOU SAID WHITEHURST WAS GOING TO PLAY! SOME DAD YOU ARE! REMEMBER HOMER, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND EAST BY STARING AT THE SUN! was the least offensive of it.
My initial reaction was puzzled: "Well, hang on, what does 'throwing the ball around' mean?" I mean, I can flip a ball with my forearm if I have a ripped labrum...
Still, I'm counting on you G-Money for at least 4x Charlie Whitehurst starts. We know... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/18/11
6 Comments
I/O: Matthew Heuett says The Run Is Back. He does a nice job with some game pics, showing that zone run blocking
.... in its simplest form calls for the o-line to turn and run to one side or the other, as though they were cars on a railroad track, and any defenders who try to move across that track are blocked and taken along for the ride. The farther the o-line is able to push the defense sideways, the more likely the run is going to be successful. (Just so you have a point of reference, by the time the running back crosses the line of scrimmage, the zone block should have pushed the... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/18/11
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I/O: Field Gulls likes this "gigantic" 6'4", 250-lb K.J. Wright guy. Obviously, so does Pete Carroll, because he powerflushed Aaron Curry so fast that you never even saw his wrist flip on the handle.
CRUNCH: Again, Dr. D hasn't kept up with football much lately, but having watched five games this year... he does know enough to assure you that the Seahawks have plus defensive players at:
Free safety
Strong safety
Weakside linebacker
Pass-rushing DE
Let's try that again. Did anybody ever play Strat-O-Matic football? Every defensive player would be rated 4, 5, or 6 ... when the... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/18/11
6 Comments
Just discovered the Seedlings To Stars site, and it looks pretty kewl at first glance.
I'm always a bit taken aback to see a national site write up a local prospect and sound pretty much like the locals would on that kid. As mentioned, Seedlings to Stars isn't based in Seattle as far as I know, but they've ranked Jose Campos #82 in baseball. Campos is the only Northwest Leaguer to make their top 100. Like we said, they must be completely brilliant, eh.
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I don't think there is any question that Paxton, Taijuan, and Danny Hultzen rank even higher than Campos does, whether you are... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/18/11
9 Comments
Congrats to Taro, our resident NPB expert, who had a real fantasy baseball season in 2011. That is, he had the fantasy baseball season of everybody's fantasies.
He took on an imposing 12-team AL league including Sandy, SABRMatt, many-time DOV champion Justin Smith, Rick the editor of Caffeinated Confines, Jon Wells editor of Grand Salami, as well as Dr. D and others. In a double-round robin he ran the table, going out 11-0 on the front nine and coming back 11-0 on the back nine:
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As you can see, his points margin was also vast. He threw in a playoff sweep for good measure and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/13/11
16 Comments
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=== Calling Dr. Grumpy ===
... or G-Moneyball, or whoever can answer...
This interesting Field Gulls comments thread shows a general sentiment that Jackson is probably out weeks-to-months.
From my heartless standpoint, this would suddenly create the possibility of a dynamic Seahawks season. Throwing the ball 15+ yards downfield has been an important part of the NFL game, since approximately Norm van Brocklin or so. The player, not the coach.
I haven't seen the study on Hardball Times, but the tendency to throw forward passes appears to have increased with the introduction of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/11/11
10 Comments
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Q. Your 80% represents Hultzen's chances of what? Of becoming the best pitcher in baseball?
A. No, they reflect his chances of becoming an impact starting pitcher of any type. And it's probably more like 90%. We just have to reel back the titles for the lurkers. ;- )
... that fixation on "We Gotta Draft the Next Pedro Martinez" is for the 10-year-olds who are playing roto for the first time. They spend their winter debating whether Albert Pujols or Justin Verlander should be the first player taken. Hours and hours and hours, spent pleasantly mulling over the plusses and... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/11/11
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Q. So. How have "reasonable 1-1 slot college pitchers" done, as far as ML success?
A. Feel free to correct me where I'm wrong, as far as constructing this little list. Likely, I've missed a few pitchers who could have, on draft day, made somebody happy at 1-1.
2009: Stephen Strasburg. No other pitcher taken before #5.
2008: Nobody taken in top 3. Brian Matusz not what I think of as a best-player-in-draft.
2007: David Price. The other high pick spent on a pitcher... the laughingstock Pirates took Danny Moskos #4 overall. Moskos was a reliever the Pirates tried to convert to... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/11/11
6 Comments
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Draft review, continued
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2002: The laughingstock Pirates took Bryan Bullington 1-1, Bullington signed for a discounted bonus, and then the next several pitchers taken were HS kids -- no other college pitcher could even argue to be a 1-1.
It's hard to say whether to dismiss Pirate picks... it was a tricky draft. All of the first 5 picks disappointed.
Still, Bullington was a (RHP) 3-pitch guy with a great K/BB in college. We'll include him, since he was fairly comparable then to where Hultzen is now.
For those who just joined us, Bullington injured his shoulder and, like Brad... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/11/11
2 Comments
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Q. Is Hultzen better, or worse, than the NCAA field here?
A. I would firmly argue that Hultzen has a better chance than the field of becoming an ML All-Star in at least one season .... but maybe a worse chance than the field of becoming a Cy Young winner.
Hultzen's LH change-speed game is tailor-made for the bigs. Being lefty itself is an advantage; only Andrew Miller has failed, and he's wild.
On the other hand, a boatload of these star college SP's had 97 mph to their names -- Strasburg, Price, Morrow, Verlander, if not others.
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Q. Is that good or bad, that Hultzen is a... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/09/11
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Steen comes with the safety blitz into the pro-set of Pete Carroll's long-term vision:
I notice you didn't list a QB as transforming the offense.
And, at the risk of sounding like a bad fan, the downside if the winning is the prospect of perpetual mediocrity. Not bad enough to get an elite QB prospect, not good enough to win anything of consequence.
Personally, I think its almost impossible to win without an elite QB, and the odds in snaring the next Rodgers looks long, the chances of aligning the stars to win with 2000 Ravens defense-esque looks even longer to me.
What would you... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/09/11
1 Comments
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But Chuck Knox used to go on his TV show and, after losses, complain "Well!, I don't know where you go to GET the premium quarterback. Growf. If somebody has one, they're not giving him up." Knox' teams always made the playoffs, so he wasn't going to get a 1-1 pick. He was frustrated by the paradox of his own 10-6 success...
Problem was, Chuck Knox wouldn't have known how to groom a Brett Favre, Matt Hasselbeck, Joe Montana or Tom Brady if his life depended on it... I always wanted to yell through the TV, "You GROOM the premium quarterback!"
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=== Draft Position: No Absolutes... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/09/11
12 Comments
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Q. Wow, 8 receptions, 136 yards, unfriendly environment, money game.
A. Reminds me of Steve Largent as a rookie. No pre-hype, no special emphasis towards him in the playbook. Just catches all over the field, from game one, and "who is this guy?"
One bona fide Doug Fister find, if it's out of nowhere, can take an org several yards forward. Doug Baldwin is making a whale of a difference for the 2011 Seahawks.
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Q. Were the Seahawks just lucky to get Doug Baldwin?
A. A team brings a great college football coach into the NFL, it gains one huge advantage: that coach is a... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/08/11
9 Comments
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RockiesJeff sez,
Is that what makes baseball fun to watch? Who would have guessed when the Phillies signed Lee that they would get a longer vacation? Maybe go on a short getaway with the Yankees? It makes it fun to wonder what player will go from a Baldwin into Boardwalk, especially when you know many will go the other route.
.....Dr. D has always pushed the big rotations in October, but I've got to admit that the 2011 season was a beanball. Under the earflap, that is.
Bill James, maestro of the 30,000-foot historical view, once said "Baseball history is woven on the tapestry of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
2 Comments
... and pardon the thread re-boot. But chat threads can get fishing-reel-snargled with you guys. All y'all's "comments" are more like Articles of the Week and by the time they interweave back and forth about 200 times, Jonah Hill his ownself would be confused...
Also please pardon the fact that statements are re-phrased as questions. If you think I'm barging in here, check me in the line at an Old Country sometime.
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Q Malcontent: Is that a reasonable scenario, the 1H 2012 in which Zduriencik has imported a 3B?! Can you see it happen?
PTI Jemanji: Yes.
Game Theory dictates that... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
4 Comments
Q Mal: Is the 3B free agent market really so grim?
PTI Jemanji: Nobody on this list I'd rather have than, say, Kyle Seager.
Except of course for Omar Vizquel. I'd position little O at the halfway point, 45 feet from the batter's box, let him catch the batted balls with chopsticks and change the flow of the game.
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Q Mal: Do you feeeeeel like we doooo? Could Mark "Nature's Ultimate TTO Hitter" Reynolds play for your ballclub?
PTI Jemanji: As Gene Hackman once said, "takes a lot to scare me. I love the sensation!"
I love Three True Outcomes hitters with high K, BB and HR. But... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
5 Comments
Q Mal + Sandy: Is Kyle Seager underwhelming offensively?
PTI Jemanji: If Seager hits near .300, with walks and gap power, that's 5-6 runs per 27 outs and there is no such thing as a bench player with 5-6 RC/27. You hit like that, you play 155, end of story.
But to be fair to Mal, there is every possibility that Seager will hit less than [.300 with walks and gap power]. His hot roll in the last few weeks of 0H 2012 came against fairly sloppy pitching. There's no guarantee that Haren and Weaver won't find holes in his swing.
Seager, in the UP scenario, can certainly hit well enough to... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
4 Comments
Q DaddyO: To what extent would 4x youngsters, in the lineup together, risk another Deadball-Era offense in 2012?
PTI Jemanji: (1) Would Carp and Ackley count as two of those youngsters? In Dr. Frankenstein's lab, Dustin Ackley and Mike Carp offer the same kinds of probabilities for 2012 that (say) Michael Young and Paul Konerko do.
(2) Baker Live! bangs the drum nightly about the big FA bat. That would be the hedge we all want.
(3) Stars & Scrubs does offer the risk hedge that you can swap players in and out....
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Q Tacoma Rain: We have 10 OF's for 4-5 spots, 15 RP's for 7 spots... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
16 Comments
Q Rockies Jeff: I've seen a lot of Reynolds and seen everything on Stewart. Pass-a-deena.
PTI Jemanji ::noted::
The free agent market is thin at 3B this year, and a lot of the cheap options look too flawed. The takeaway point: Go big or go home. There isn't a lot of point, bringing lukewarm veteran 3B's into this young, dynamic roster in flux.
If you can go after a David Wright magnitude option, fine -- else the in-house options, short-term and long-term, are the way to go.
Zduriencik's job becomes more Stars & Scrubs as he goes along: his job is to either to (1) convert quantity... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
7 Comments
Great Gazoo, eat your heart out
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Q Moe, Mal: What about Nick Franklin?
PTI Jemanji: And Capt Jack advertises Franklin coming to camp to compete for a 1H 2012 job! :: I'm runnin' down a dream ... that never would come to me... ::
What would Dr. D do, if a middlegame suddenly spiderwebbed way out of his control? ... take a walk, come back, and sit down...
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Okay. If Nick Franklin is ready to go, if he rips up spring training in 2012 and shows the ability to hit offspeed and jam pitches and all that, then he has priority. In that event, Alex Liddi just has to go find something... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
4 Comments
Q Spectator: David Wright and Andre Ethier are trade targets.
PTI Jemanji: Both names that, as fans, we'd love to see the M's get involved with ... whether they would be good moves in the cold light of reality is another question. One we'd love to debate :- )
Here, just quickly, Bud Hot Seat style:
WRIGHT PRO: You are talking about a 29-year-old player who has posted 7.1 and 8.9 WAR (!) seasons. In 2007-08, Wright was as valuable then, as Jose Bautista, Albert Pujols and Alex Rodriguez are now. Maybe more. Possible buy low.
WRIGHT CON: Presents a Sexson-like situation ... as... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
8 Comments
Q Mojician: Wouldn't you rather have a 100-RBI import who doesn't cost $140,000,000 and weigh 285 lbs?
PTI Jemanji: If you believe that Prince Fielder weighs a biscuit less than 325, then I suggest a tighter voir dire process there, my friend.
This is neither here nor there, ... but wouldn't you like to see the debate if Babe Ruth came onto the FA market after the 1925 season? :- ) Age 31, coming off a 98-game injury season and a mere 137 OPS+ ... and listed at 215 lbs. Heh.
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Q Paracorto: Wouldn't it be a higher priority to solve C and CF?
PTI Jemanji: Ah, now you got me there. I'... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/07/11
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Q M-Pops: Bring Back Bedard!
PTI Jemanji: Speaking of thread continuity ... I can think of no idea I'd rather see in a Liddi-Seager thread, can you? But we promised to interrupt every single idea in Malcontent's fine thread, and in this household we keep our promises, young lady.
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The sportswriters can't stand the thought, but at an incentive deal ... what exactly is the downside for us, the Mariner fan? If Bedard is injured half the year and doesn't get paid, so what?
Chris Chambliss, he of six Yankee rings, said that the 1H 2011 was the best rotation he had ever seen,... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/11
PREGAME: We feared that Atlanta was capable of coming out of the gate looking like 13-3. And of winning the game by a 42-7 score.
POSTGAME: Atlanta bullied its way to a 24-7 halftime lead, leaving its win probability at 96% after thirty minutes.
True, the Seahawks did come back to a 30-28 score, and Jackson wound up throwing for more yardage than Ryan, by a 319-291 yard margin.
However, the two teams weren't really as close as the final score might have indicated. The Falcons had 40 minutes of possession, and Ryan's "success rate" on passing attempts was 62% compared to Jackson's... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/11
PREGAME: We'd written up Travesty as "being below Replacement Level."
POSTGAME: I unsay the words. Siiiiigggghhhhhh. :- ) If there was anybody out there wondering about whether I was a football amateur, now you know we weren't just eating humble pie.
The main reason that we retract, based on a single game, was because ---- > the basis for my article was my belief that Jackson can't see an NFL secondary.
In this game, however, Jackson completed 5 passes to Doug Baldwin, 3 passes to Sidney Rice, 3 passes to Mike Williams, 3 passes to Zach Miller, and 3 passes to Ben Obamanu.
On... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/11
1 Comments
PREGAME. While allowing that Carroll is a great coach, SSI has deplored Carroll's craven mistake-avoidance orientation. We got plenty too much of this in the Knox years, and Carroll seems to out-Knox even Knox.
POSTGAME. Pete Carroll, in the third quarter, outcoached Mike Smith the way that --- > Mike Holmgren used to come out after halftime and restore order.
I don't know why Carroll has to have a gun to his head before he starts playing 21st-century football. But on the other hand, it's interesting to observe that he is perfectly capable of playing it.
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I loooaaaaathe... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/11
PREGAME: We opined that the home crowd itself was a palpable third participant in the game. ... that CLink fans would affect the game was not news, but SSI put the Seahawks' chances at a diamond-hard 40% because of the stadium.
80-90% of Vegas bettors flocked to Atlanta at -4.5 points, but this was a serious misjudgment on their part, crunched SSI.
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POSTGAME: Bill James once "solved" the mystery of baseball strike politics for me by pointing out that there is a three-team dynamic in every strike-negotiation game.
It's not owners vs. players. It's players vs. big-market owners vs.... Read More