December 2015
Favorite players offer their greetings
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/31/15
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Energy is high as the New Year approaches and both fans and players count down toward preseason festivities. Seattle Sounders players’ spirits were soaring as they wished their fans a Happy New Year with festive greetings on social media. The entire team wishes Seattle fans near and far a safe, happy and healthy New Year in general, too.
Stefan Frei shared an image of fireworks on his Twitter page, wishing his friends, fans and family, “Happy New Year to y’all!” and included the hopeful hashtag #2016. Obafemi Martins gave fans some fun firework emoticons on his status, wishing everyone a... Read More
Seattle wins 2-1
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/31/15
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The Seattle Thunderbirds lost badly against the Chiefs last Sunday in a shutout defeat, but they have since redeemed themselves in one of the most exciting games they have had lately. There were barely any goals scored for the night with a final score of 2-1, but it was an intense game with hard hits, lots of tension and the kind of heart-stopping moments that fans crave at any sporting event—particularly ice hockey.
Perhaps it was because fans in attendance were at an all-time high at the ShoWare Center, with 62,000 people in the arena watching the game. Perhaps it was because the Birds were... Read More
go with the flow, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 12/31/15
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Here is a tag cloud that is taken from the last week's worth of SSI articles. If you just joined us, Tag Clouds represent the emphasis of a speech by giving you larger words for more occurrences. At Wikipedia there's an interesting comparison of State of the Union addresses from Bush and Obama.
The first image below uses alphabetical order. The second image below is from the same text, different image generator; the top three words were "too large" to fit inside the image. :- ) DiPoto was one; I forget what the other two were.
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Articles 1
Articles 2
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It was interesting to compare my... Read More
Plus how the biggest teams wrapped up their 2015
Posted by jschario on 12/31/15
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Gary Neville at Valencia
Former Manchester United legend Gary Neville took over at Valencia earlier this month, with his team sitting in fifth place in La Liga. Not even a month into his tenure, he’s already let his presence be known, and made sure to let everyone know he is focusing on the players he has already in the locker room, not on who could come in the January transfer window.
Still, he has some other questions to answer as he takes over in the south of Spain.
First off, how will he transition to instituting his brand of soccer? Of course Neville is English, and as such is... Read More
Posted by jschario on 12/31/15
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Marshawn Lynch has been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup in Arizona against the Cardinals. It doesn’t mean much as both teams have playoff spots locked up, although seeding will be on the line for both sides.
Lynch’s absence will still be felt Sunday as Saint Louis showed the rest of the league how difficult it can be for the Seahawks to score points without a running attack. For all the excitement that Christine Michael generated in his return to Seattle against the Browns, he was brought back to Earth in Week 16. Although against, that Rams defensive line, not many running backs would be... Read More
does Dr. D's capacity to serve know no bounds?
Posted by jemanji on 12/31/15
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"Any book worth printing is entitled to an index." - some famous guy I can't remember, or the New York Times editor in 1919, maybe. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Jerry DiPoto IS worth printing. Dr. D, however, will go up to 19 bob for an advance copy.
The last five DiPoto acquisitions have been done since the HQ/SSI merger:
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Grab
HQ bumper sticker
SSI in two words
Karns, SP
UP: 200K, 3.25 ERA
Swoooooon
Leonydas, CF
MLB will flush toilet on him. Hard
This thought had occurred to Dr. D also
Gutierrez, #4 OF
"Pure," and I quote, "speculation"
Probably legit LH-basher now
Cano,... Read More
come with Dr. D if you want to live
Posted by jemanji on 12/30/15
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Diderot stated it nicely:
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Walking the Walk? Controlling the zone -- nothing revolutionary here. But certainly someone thought it was newsworthy enough to create a video and blast it to the masses.
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That's the phrase, exactly. Walking the walk, as opposed to talking the talk.
Baseball coaches, at least through Ball Four-type lenses, are notorious for preaching one thing in March but forgetting it by May 1. And the players know this. It becomes like MLB's mandate to keep hitters in the box or I'll Call a Strike on You! You Better Believe I will! The players in ST nod politely and... Read More
who wrote that forward, again?
Posted by jemanji on 12/30/15
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5 Comments
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SABRMatt is having trouble following me, and if he is having trouble with it, everybody is. LOL.
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So let me see if I followed you correctly:
1) C the Z is a platitude with little meaning on its face...one of those "well duh...yes, we need to try to do that" things.
2) You don't believe DiPoto thinks the idea itself is revolutionary, but that he uses it as a focal point for a larger philosophy regarding player acquisition, and instilling mental toughness in his players.
3) You also don't believe the current belief that discipline cannot be tought. You just wonder how much an... Read More
you are saying 1-2 is worse than 2-1, you fuule?
Posted by jemanji on 12/29/15
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Jerry DiPoto and Scott Servais have their work cut out for them, don't they. They are going to teach 150 players, up to and including Franklin Gutierrez, that when the count is 1-1 they are better off climbing to 2-1 than falling to a ball and two strikes. Dr. D is normally not afraid of hard work, but he knows that if you succumb to a blood-pressure stroke when attempting the impossible, you'll be no good to anybody. What say we scale it back a bit from this "1-1 is critical" project?
Couldn't we start with something less radical, like whether 40 homers is a good thing. DiPoto is... Read More
Cross-sports training Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 12/29/15
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Before last year's Super Bowl, Bill Belichick gravely shook his head on TV and pronounced his own doom. "The Seahawks just play at such a high level every single play," he marvelled.
Which is true, as you might have noticed. The Seahawks sometimes lose a game. Sometimes they even look out of synch. But they never look like they don't care, and they never look like they're afraid. All 11 players, all over the field, are giving one-on-one EFFORTS that look like Kurt Russell playing basketball in Escape From New York. We are blessed to watch a football team that has comPlETEd its own... Read More
Dr. D will take the attitude, if nuttin' else
Posted by jemanji on 12/29/15
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WHAT THE QUESTION IS NOT
The question ain't: Can you teach Ichiro how to take pitches like Mike Hargrove.
The question is not: SHOULD you teach Ichiro how to approach an AB like Mike Hargrove did.
The question ain't: Do you think you can add 50 points of OBP to Nori Aoki's slash line, by giving him pregame advice.
The question ain't: Can you draft Jeff Clement and bestow upon him Jim Thome's gift for pitch recognition.
The question ain't anything but: can a baseball team play at a higher level if it has its snake eyes on.
And can you make a difference for a few 20-year-olds if they... Read More
one-offs
Posted by jemanji on 12/29/15
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From a BJOL answer years back:
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Is the contract year phenomenon real? DO players really play better in the final years of their contract?
Asked by: Steve9753
Answered: 7/27/2013
There's a divergence. They play better and worse. Overall about the same, but there are more big years and more absolutely awful years.
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I wonder where that leaves Adam Lind and Chris Iannetta? Actually, come to think of it, Iannetta just DID re-enact this maxim on the downside, didn't he? Who else ya got on the 2016 roster?
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One more archived BJOL thought:
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Hey Bill, I am currently an assistant... Read More
It’s where the Storm magic happens
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/29/15
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When you think of the Key Arena, the Seattle Storm obviously comes to mind at first. After all, the women of the Storm play some serious basketball there for a huge chunk of the year. But the Key Arena is home to even more fun events. In fact, on Instagram it’s described as “Seattle’s premier sports and entertainment venue.”
Sports are a given at the Key Arena. Between the Storm, the Redhawks and the Seahawks, plenty of fans stop by every year. But it also used to be home to the Seattle Thunderbirds—as well as the Supersonics and the Totems. Today it is also home, however, to the Women’s Flat... Read More
Have you ever visited the soccer hub?
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/29/15
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If you are a Rave Green fan living in or near Seattle, odds are that you already know about The Ninety. The Ninety is where so many of Seattle’s biggest fans meet to hang out, discuss all things soccer and celebrate the Seattle Sounders. It is both owned and operated by the Seattle Sounders FC. The gathering place is home to any number of fun activities, from autograph sessions with the players to special speaker series where fans can come and listen to a topic about soccer or the team. They have chalk talks, radio shows, podcasts and all kinds of things for Sounders fans to participate in... Read More
T-Birds sign on Broncos player
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/29/15
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You don’t normally think of big deals going down early on a Sunday morning, particularly after a holiday weekend, but that is exactly what has just happened this week with the Birds. The Swift Current Broncos are saying goodbye to a player as the Seattle Thunderbirds pick him up. Welcome to the team, left wing Andreas Schumacher! Schumacher hails from Stenungsund, Sweden. The left wing stands at 6’4 and weighs 201 pounds. He was born on August 11, 1996 and shoots left.
During the 2014 to 2015 season, Schumacher played in 65 games, scoring 8 goals and making 9 assists. He had scored 17 points... Read More
More teams are vying for the championship this year more than others
Posted by jschario on 12/29/15
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After a break in league action for the Christmas holiday, Spain’s soccer race heats back up to wrap up 2015 with all four top teams in action before the start of the New Year, and January transfer window.
This year’s title race is a bit more crowded than the past few years. For a time it was just Barcelona and Real Madrid battling each other at the top, then came Atlético Madrid to earn them a title and still remain a contender.
Now though, Galician side Celta Vigo have positioned themselves to within striking distance of the title, only four points off the lead. If they can steal a win from... Read More
Join the Storm as they count down
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/28/15
2 Comments
Looking for a fun way to count down until the New Year begins (and the 2016 season gets closer)? Join the Seattle Storm as they share some of the top moments of 2015 and count down toward the New Year! Check in with the Storm Twitter page to see each day’s cool fact or memory coupled with a fun Seattle Storm photo.
With four days left of 2015, the Storm featured their fourth cool fact of the day: Sue Bird scoring her 5,000th career point! Today it was also celebrated that Bird made 2,000 career assists. That is pretty amazing, even for Bird, and people expect things from her to be incredible... Read More
Barrett officially signs with another team
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/28/15
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When the Seattle Sounders announced that they were declining several players’ options earlier this month, mouths dropped from fans everywhere, especially when it came to long-time players like Leo Gonzalez, who have been with Rave Green since the start. The first class of free agents in league history has subsequently begun, and one of the players whose options were not picked up was Chad Barrett, who has some exciting news to share with his fans.
As a free agent, Barrett signed up to play for the San Jose Earthquakes next season. The forward just signed a deal with the team on Tuesday and... Read More
Not one point on the board for Seattle
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/28/15
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Well, folks, we had high hopes that the Seattle Thunderbirds would end the year on a high note. And that may still be possible, seeing as they have one more game to go before we kiss 2015 goodbye. But that high note will not include last night’s game against the Spokane Chiefs, because Spokane really took the game. In fact, they played so hard that the Birds did not make a single goal all night long.
The Birds were playing the Chiefs at the Spokane home territory, Veterans Memorial Arena, which is always tougher to begin with. You have fewer fans rooting you on in person, you’re in more... Read More
Was their recent streak just a mirage?
Posted by jschario on 12/28/15
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Divisional play is often a good indicator of a team’s prowess, especially if a team’s division is one with as much talent as the NFC West. Teams within your own division naturally know you better, as they play you twice a year, every year, giving them a more precise game plan. Not only that, but a division opponent often prepares like playoff opponents and creates a similar atmosphere.
That said, anyone who knows the Seahawks, Rams or the NFC West knew that the Rams would prove a tougher test for a red hot Seattle team than any other 6-8 team. And turns out, they have proved too tough a test... Read More
you can't lie to yourSELF ...
Posted by jemanji on 12/27/15
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QUOTABLE
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This was a big headline, Michael Bennett calling Johnny Hecker a coward: "He's just scared," Bennett said of Hekker, a Bothell native. "He ain't nothing. He's soft in my eyes. Anybody who hits somebody when they're not looking – and then he's in a protected position and he wants to hit somebody when they're not looking. So to me, he's just a coward."
So to Dr. D, that's also every MLB starter who ever threw a pitched baseball at a hitter. As well as being Mike Singletary, back in the 1980's when he delivered the helmet-to-helmet KO to a sliding quarterback, and then interviewed... Read More
Highlight your group’s talent
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/27/15
2 Comments
Have you ever wanted to make headlines by singing the National Anthem at a large sporting event? Imagine yourself singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” to the sound of thundering applause before your favorite team starts to play! You could do just that for a Seattle Storm game. Or maybe you have an incredible dance troupe, cheer squad or other athletically-talented group of friends that might like to show off their talent at one of the Storm games. You could put on the halftime show for the crowd, a favorite portion of the game for many spectators. Bring your family and friends and fill the... Read More
Check in tonight to watch the game
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/27/15
2 Comments
As 2015 comes to a close, the Seattle Thunderbirds have much to celebrate—and much to work towards. The amateur team took first place at holiday break after a touch and go series of losses, recovering after defeating the Tri City Americans and banking on their incredible, and multiple series of wins earlier in the season. They took a quick break for the holiday but the athletes are back in the game, with matches tonight, Tuesday night and Thursday night. Ring in the New Year with your T-Bird support!
Tonight’s match is one that is not to miss. The Birds will be playing at Spokane, and the... Read More
Stay tuned for more details
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/27/15
3 Comments
The wait is over! Well, nearly over, at least. The Seattle Sounders announced their preseason details today and there isn’t a whole lot of waiting left. Preseason activities, presented by adidas, begin on January 22, 2016, a Friday less than a month away from now. The season will begin at Starfire Sports at the team’s training facility in Tukwila. Media access windows have not yet been announced but once they are, we will surely hear much more about preseason training.
Camps are going to be held in Tucson and Mt. San Antonio College in Southern California, and the Sounders are set to play in... Read More
if dumpster diving isn't a smartphone game, it should be
Posted by jemanji on 12/26/15
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MLBTradeRumors:
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The Mariners have announced five minor league signings. In addition to the previously reported signing of infielder Ed Lucas, Seattle has invited outfielder Mike Baxter, left-hander Brad Mills, right-hander Casey Coleman and right-hander Blake Parker to Major League Spring Training. Each player has some big league experience, though Baxter and Coleman have the most of the bunch. Baxter split last season with the Cubs and their Triple-A affiliate, logging 66 PAs in the Majors. Coleman saw significant work out of the Cubs’ bullpen and rotation from 2010-12, while Parker has... Read More
St. Louis always plays them tough
Posted by jschario on 12/26/15
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The Seahawks have their playoff fate wrapped up already after the win last week against the Browns, but Pete Carroll has said that the team will be keeping their foot on the gas. After all, there is still playoff seeding to play for. Both the Seahawks and Vikings are 9-5, with Seattle holding the tiebreaker. Although the difference between playing as the five or six seed means playing on the road in either Green Bay (as the six) or in Washington or New York (as the five).
Not to mention, this week’s opponent is the Rams, a team that always gives Seattle fits. Most notably their talented... Read More
The Storm makes it happen
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/25/15
2 Comments
This month, the Judkins Park basketball court was provided with a huge renovation for the Seattle community. The project was made possible by various grants, but also by the talent of the Seattle Storm women. The Seattle Storm made a pact with LifeWise Health Plan of Washington that for every assist the women made during the season, LifeWise would donate $15 to the park. The total amount raised? A whopping $7,500! Way to go, Storm ladies and LifeWise!
The new court has several incredible features that the old one simply lacked. The new court is professionally-sized, giving the youth that play... Read More
Sounders SC vs. Kansas City
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/25/15
1 Comments
Ready to paint your new 2016 calendar in Rave Green? The 2016 opener date was just announced. For the 8th year in a row, the Sounders will be starting its Major Soccer League season at home at the CenturyLink Field. The game will be held on March 6 at 4:00 PM PST. The opponent? Sporting Kansas City. It should be an incredible game to start off the season, and if Sigi Schmid has anything to say, whatever team that visits Seattle is sure to get a good fight with all of the new, young blood springing up in the roster. In 20014, they beat Kansas City 1-0; will 2016 prove that history repeats... Read More
Keegan Kolesar signs on with the team
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/25/15
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It will come to no surprise to fans of the Seattle Thunderbirds that Keegan Kolesar has been selected to play with the big boys. The right winger has landed a three-year entry contract to play in the NHL and the Thunderbirds community could not be more excited for him. Kolesar was the 69th pick overall in the 2015 NHL Draft in Sunrise, Florida. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected him during the third round of the draft. The forward’s new contract details were not revealed, as is the policy; but Kolesar definitely has the skills and attitude that demand recognition from whatever team he joins.... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 12/25/15
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Kenneth Arthur, who is great with a capital G, goes slightly Dr D-psycho in this preview, pronouncing certainties like "Kyle Seager will pull the ball with authority," "Tim Lincecum should be drafted 1-1," and
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If I think there is a 95% chance that the Vikings get the six seed, and a 100% chance they don’t win two playoff games, I’m not going to waste my time on a .01% chance of a game happening. That is all.
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It's a novel thing to see Arthur's readers argue the points; this happens much less often at Field Gulls than it happens at Seattle Sports Insider. :- ) ... for example, one... Read More
Best windup glare since Max Scherzer's college days
Posted by jemanji on 12/25/15
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WHERE WE WERE:
Zych was obviously the pych of a 20-kitten Zduriencik relief litter. We come to find out that Zych blamed his emergence on a fellow pitcher who, in March, gave him a slider typ. Well, yeah, pitchers leap plateaus for reasons, and those reasons are ALWAYS something like that. Grip on the slider, or alteration of the backstroke, or stop ripping the jaw back and forth to start the accel, or whatever.
BEST OF THINK TANK Dept:
This October post contains documented video images of a 3-headed Zothran slider emerging from the Pacific Ocean:
Up in the zone, drawing a garbage swing... Read More
Posted by jschario on 12/25/15
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Tis the season to look back and reflect on the year that was for the Seahawks. Who was naughty, and who was nice in 2015. Back in September, it looked like we could put the entire Seattle Seahawks organization on the naughty list, starting out 2-4. But right now, the nice list could and should be longer than the naughty list.
Without further adieu, let’s start with those that shouldn’t expect anything from Seahawk Santa.
Naughty
Cary Williams – Back on Monday Night Football against the Detroit Lions, I thought Williams had gotten it. I thought he caught his stride within the Seattle... Read More
What you need to know
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/24/15
2 Comments
Think you will go into Seattle Thunderbird withdrawals over the holidays? It is true that the box office will be closed for a few days, but the break will be over before you know it. The box office will be closed from December 24 to the 27th to ensure that employees get to celebrate the season along with the T-Birds themselves during the break. The box office will also close on December 31 at noon and remain closed during the New Year’s Day celebration, opening again on January 2nd.
The next game that the Birds will be playing will be at Spokane. That game will be happening this Saturday,... Read More
One of yer all-time great 0.0 WAR performances
Posted by jemanji on 12/24/15
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Q. Does SSI like Vidal Nuno more than does the general consensus? or less?
A. Quite a bit less. Fans and GMs alike see Nuno as a valuable lefty reliever with decent-ish swing man potential. Y t'ain't gonna git that kinda recommendation here, padna.
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Q. What's the best thing about Nuno?
A. He's one of about five or six pitchers in the big leagues who throw very few fastballs. The pitchers who throw a legit 33% type fastball game -- you have to count the cut fastballs, here -- Zach Putnam who throws mostly (60% plus) splitfingers (!), Sergio Romo who throws 60% sliders, Huston Street... Read More
Plus, an American on FC Barcelona
Posted by jschario on 12/24/15
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With the MLS in it’s offseason, many Americans players are surely enjoying a little Christmas vacation. That isn’t the case with their compatriots abroad, with the youngsters in Germany enjoying success against some of the biggest German clubs.
However even in their offseason there has been significant movement among top U.S. players with big stars starting new adventures outside the U.S.
National team player Omar Gonzalez recently was sold by the LA Galaxy after an extremely successful seven years in Los Angeles. Gonzalez was sold to Mexican side Pachuca, but per MLS policy details of the... Read More
Along with a few being snubbed
Posted by jschario on 12/24/15
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The players selected for the Pro Bowl were announced yesterday, with seven Seahawks picked to play in the game – that is if the Hawks don’t make it to the Super Bowl. Although seven ties a team record, this year was no different with there being some controversy as to who was and was not selected.
2015 was the third time as many as seven were selected, with five coming from the defense. And even though as a unit the defense is putting up numbers that are on par with past years for this generation of Seahawks, many of the Pro Bowlers selected had sub par years - by their standards anyway.... Read More
Meet the Storm’s leader
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/23/15
2 Comments
She is the fourth coach in the history of the Seattle Storm. Jenny Boucek was born on December 20, 1973 in Nashville, Tennessee. She played pro for the Cleveland Rockets in 1997, playing for two years during the first season of the WNBA before she decided to take the plunge as a coach to guide a team in the brand new franchise instead. Her decision was largely influenced by a severe back injury that left her unable to play any longer. Nonetheless, Boucek was voted the best player on the Iceland team when she played in the country in 1998, averaging 23 points per game.
Boucek is really... Read More
Leo is back with CS Herediano
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/23/15
2 Comments
Rave Green fans had to say goodbye to longtime fan favorite Leo Gonzalez when the player, who has been with the Seattle Sounders since the team’s beginning in 2009, had his options declined by the club. Social media and fans everywhere are declaring, “Once a Sounder, always a Sounder” as they wave goodbye to the man who always played with a full heart both on and off the field. Now Gonzalez is returning to his country of birth, Costa Rica, and rejoining the team he originally played for before joining on with the Seattle Sounders: CS Herediano.
Gonzalez was the third most active player in the... Read More
Seattle had a comeback on Saturday
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/23/15
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Seattle Thunderbirds fans from all over the Emerald City fist pumped on Saturday night when the Birds finally broke their streak of losses and made a comeback over the Tri City Americans at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. The game ended with a solid T-Bird win, with a score of 6-3 after the final period. Wouldn’t you have loved to have been a fly on the wall as the Birds discussed strategy and motivation prior to that game? They had to have wanted this win so bad before the first half of the season ended—not just to end it on a high note, but to take back the lead they were carrying before... Read More
Paxton reaching for the Stars... and scrubs, that is
Posted by jemanji on 12/23/15
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2 Comments
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If you consider that the 1-30 starters are #1's, the #31-60 starters are #2's, etc ... the M's rotation, per this golf/tennis rankings system, is:
Solid vet #1
Elite vet #2
Average vet #2
Solid young #4 with #1 upside
Lower young #4 with 200K upside, per Shandler
Top prospect with ML experience
Adding Miley and then happening into Iwakuma gave the M's --- > a super-solid TOR, and --- > an electric BOR. Pretty ideal sitch, no? You'll take three veterans in MLB's top 50, and then three more young guns with 200-strikeout potential? Ultimate Stars & Scrubs, baby ...
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In the... Read More
adding Miley and Karns didn't hurt us none
Posted by jemanji on 12/23/15
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14 Comments
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Last April 30th, James came up with the idea to score 30 rotations using his Starting Pitcher rankings. Brilliant! :: guinness :: That's the kind of 30,000-foot view that he invented Win Shares for: how do you judge a trade like [Ken Caminiti, Steve Findley and 4! other guys] for [Phil Plantier, Derek Bell, and 4 other guys]. Was that trade more of a net loss than developing a single good SP? How do you proportion it?
Nowadays we have WAR to make those calculations pretty simple, but WAR is just a refinement of Win Shares. The point is, you back the camera up, and up again, and up... Read More
Dr. D's good cheer knows no holiday bounds ...
Posted by jemanji on 12/23/15
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4 Comments
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THE Q GOING INTO 2016 IS:
SABRMatt marvels at the way DiPoto's offseason cake wound up decorated. He sums up his own feeling about it:
I would say that JeDi (yep...I went there) was paying a premium from time to time in trade for the privilege of NOT paying an even bigger premium in the open market for the same returns so that he could fill the holes.
Kicking the soccer ball downfield a few yards from there ... another DiPoto grand theme is, "BUY LOW." Nate Karns, 12 months from now, might easily rate as an SP you'd give a 4/$75M deal to -- but he'll cost 4/$nothing. DiPoto wanted Miller... Read More
Craven and Miller sign on with the Sounders
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/22/15
1 Comments
Guess who’s back? Andy Craven! Craven just re-signed on with the Sounders for a second year on the First Team. Craven came from the Sounders FC 2 team originally, so it is great to see him continue to advance in his career with another year on the First Team. In fact, he was the first player to join the First Team from the FC 2 company. Craven, a striker on the team, was overjoyed with the news, announcing on his Twitter page, “A big thank you to everyone! I'm so excited to be staying in Seattle and repping he 99 in rave green again #soundertillidie.” He also used a hashtag with the donut... Read More
Barcelona wrap up dream 2015
Posted by jschario on 12/22/15
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International soccer is back in the headlines for the wrong reasons this week. Of course FIFA president Sepp Blatter and UEFA president Michel Platini were handed eight year bans from the sport for their role in the ongoing corruption scandal rocking the soccer world.
Corruption scandals haven’t avoided Spain either as former Sevilla FC president José María del Nido was sentenced to twenty-seven months in prison for a transgression outside soccer. Rather for overcharging for unperformed construction services.
Still European soccer’s integrity is in jeopardy just ahead of the 2016 edition of... Read More
Side note: are our receivers too wide open?
Posted by jschario on 12/21/15
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The Seahawks are winning with such ease and brilliance lately that it's almost boring. While it's fun to watch Russell Wilson sling it all over the field like he's at a 7-on-7 passing camp, the Seattle sports fan in me just feels like something negative is on the horizon. I won't even try to explore what may be, instead let's focus on what we saw against the Browns that bodes well now that we are prepping for Playoff football.
The Perfect Running Back Formula
Granted, with the passing game executing at the quality it is, anyone with legs can carve out some yards on the ground. But what... Read More
The Americans win, 3-2
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/21/15
2 Comments
What is in the ice at the ShoWare Center? The Seattle Thunderbirds seem to be on a losing streak lately and it just keeps getting longer. After what proved to be such a strong streak of wins not only once but twice this season, they are back in the red. Last weekend, on Friday, December 18, the Birds lost to the Tri City Americans in a an exciting 3-2 game. The good news is that, while the Birds lost, it was by a narrow margin, giving fans hope that this string of losses will fray and end soon.
The victory, in fact, occurred during overtime while fans waited with bated breath to find out the... Read More
Browns were not soft, but they definitely got sat on
Posted by jemanji on 12/21/15
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JOHNNY MANZIEL
Looked so good yesterday - in context now - that it made me wonder whether the Browns' current admin has been picking on him. For example, Manziel showed an ability to go through his progressions, and slide-step around the pocket, that RGIII and Kaepernick could never dream of.
Dr. D is hardly a partier himself, but Joe Namath was, and a few other guys were, and .... let's just say Manziel looked MILES better than we'd been hearing that he was. It's an ancient tradition in football, sliming players over because they're not deferential enough to a domineering head coach. (... Read More
nature's perfect #3 hitting second baseman?
Posted by jemanji on 12/21/15
Posted to blog
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THE Q GOING INTO 2016 IS:
Cano had spent ages 26-31 with an OPS+ of 140-145, and the best kind of 145 at that ... a certified .300 hitter with a .370 OBP and 25-30 homers a year. At age 31 in Safeco, his debut year, he hit .315/.380/.450, racking up another 145 score.
2015's first half was a tragedy, leaving us all wondering whether we'd purchased the last nine years of an early diver.
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HQ SEZ:
GOOD - Skills-wise, the tale of the two halves is rooted in BABIP and HR/F. The strength of that 2H recovery means he's still an elite 2B option. He may even be undervalued if bidders remember... Read More
a rather genteel exit interview
Posted by jemanji on 12/21/15
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The last week, they've been showcasing Jack Zduriencik on MLB Network. Jack Z did a really good job in analysis, and gave off a more "I'm OK, You're OK" vibe than Tony Blengino seems to have experienced.
....
At the end of the week, Brian Denny .... no, it's Kenny. did a "fireside chat" with him on two opposing stools and politely did an "exit interview" with him. You know, "Make your case for your next GM job." Kenny started with, "How important are analytics?" Jack Z lit up. The 10-man meetings were all kinds of fun. The Seattle saber team would present absolutely everything it had... Read More
Former Seattle defender DeAndre Yedlin also in the running
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/19/15
2 Comments
Did you think it would be Obafemi Martins after so many honors he has received this year? Nope. The honor of a Seattle Sounders nomination for Male Player of the Year in 2015 U. S. Soccer is none other than Clint Dempsey! Only five players in the nation are nominated for the coveted award, making is a huge honor. Dempsey is definitely deserving of the nomination. The forward played a great season, starting in 20 games, scoring a team-high of nine goals and making another 10 assists. With a hat trick in his win over Cuba (his first one in his career) and a total of 48 goals in his MLS history... Read More
Cast your vote for Jewell Loyd
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/19/15
3 Comments
You already know that Jewell Loyd was Rookie of the Year. A member of the Seattle Storm, Loyd was chastised for leaving college early to follow her dream of playing in the WNBA and is already making a name for herself. Now she is one of the talented female athletes up for nomination for the honor of winning SCC Female Sports Star of the Year Award. Considering Loyd’s athletic abilities and fan support, she is a huge contender for the award.
Loyd was fourth in rebounding for the year. She made 3.5 per game on average during the season. For the year, she ended up with a 90.4 percent average,... Read More
Get your little one started on Rave Green
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/18/15
3 Comments
Looking for something fun for your kids, nieces or nephews to do over their winter vacation? Choose something constructive over simple childcare for the best experience and bang for your buck—like a session of Winter Camp with the Seattle Sounders! The Sounders have a long history of helping out with the community, and one of the cool ways that they help empower the youth of Seattle is through their annual Winter Break Camp. The camp is also co-sponsored by several corporations, including McDonalds, Zaw Artisan Bake-at-Home Pizza, EA Sports and Xbox One.
Camps run from December 28 through 30... Read More
Enjoy your favorite 2015 moments
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/18/15
2 Comments
Any Seattle Storm fan knows that 2015 was not the team’s most glorious year. That said, there was still plenty to celebrate and enjoy, especially when it comes to your favorite Storm players. That is why it is always a good time to sit back and remember the various player highlights from the year. Over the season, the Storm women have released compilations of their most memorable moments in highlight reels and recaps to do just that.
This week, the Storm paid tribute to Jenna O’Hea’s year at the Storm website. Of her career, O’Hea said, “I’ve been known as just a three-point shooter and I... Read More
Plus the match ups to watch against the Browns
Posted by jschario on 12/18/15
Posted to blog
Injuries are a part of the game, that’s a fact. Every team in the league has the motto of “next man up” to signal that there’s no excuse for missing a beat, not wanting to even utter the possibility that there will be a slight step back in production.
While that mentality may be admirable, there inevitably will be a drop off anytime a starter falls victim to the injury bug. In years past the Seahawks have had to deal with their own players being sidelined – whether it be due to injury or otherwise – and have been able to remarkably not miss a beat.
In 2013, they lost Brandon Browner to... Read More
and reunites Dr. D with his fave Mariner
Posted by jemanji on 12/18/15
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24 Comments
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Jeff: "Mariners pulled off a miracle."
Cindy: "Nice for the Mariners. Nicer for you."
Jeff: "Thanks for the lead."
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THE Q GOING INTO 2016 WAS:
Could there be any possible way the Mariners could botch the re-signing of Hisashi Iwakuma. Given that he'd publicly announced that his #1 goal was to finish his career with the M's.
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HOW *MUCH* CREDIT DO THE M'S GET FOR ROLLING THE CAR OFF THE CLIFF AND SEEING IT LAND ON ITS WHEELS
The experience is much like a SportsCenter highlight in which your center fielder breaks two steps left, then one in toward the infield, and then rrrraces into the... Read More
The tables have turned for both
Posted by jschario on 12/17/15
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For years Madrid’s top two soccer teams, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, have found themselves in different positions on the success ladder, and this season is no different. Though this year there’s a difference in which of the two is reaping the rewards.
Normally the narrative is that the team that plays its games in Chamartin (Real Madrid) cruises through league play and battles Barcelona for the top spot, sweeping aside their little brother Atlético in the Madrid derby every year.
However since former Atlético player Diego Simeone took over as manager at the Vicente Calderon, the boys on... Read More
this is an LA team you'd be snacking on, too
Posted by jemanji on 12/17/15
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8 Comments
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The SWOOOOOOP! Yeah baby! The English League finally begins its cultural migration! It's like the Men In Blazers say: soccer is the sport of the future in America. As it has been for the last 40 years.
Bat571 reminds us of a famous bit of 116-win lore. Aaron Sele, in 1999, was coming off a couple of 200-IP seasons for Texas, with 19-11 and 18-9 won loss records. I don't care how xFIPpy you are; whoever has won 37 games the last two years is somebody you talk about.
Sele's velocity was down a bit, and the imaging on his shoulder was less than pristine. Baltimore had offered Sele a... Read More
question ye Dr. D at your peril, good denizens
Posted by jemanji on 12/16/15
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14 Comments
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Two doors down the Great Hall of Wisdom, a toga'ed SSI rhetor wears an OBF slash across his chest. He reasons in most spirited fashion that Leonys Martin has quite reasonable chances of climbing the Safeco Mt. Olympus of 3+ WAR. He argues, in the main, that Martin has in fact done this before, and also that Martin may have been hampered in doing so because of 2015's broken hamate bone.
These arguments are (1) perfectly feasible and (2) the first two things Jerry DiPoto SAID after acquiring said glove magician, making the arguments (3) perfectly feasible.
.....
Good citizens, panic not at... Read More
St. George sweeps the ShoWare Center on Tuesday
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/16/15
2 Comments
Whelp, the Seattle Thunderbirds suffered another loss on Tuesday night when the St. George Cougars came to town. It was a pretty heavy win with a 6-2 score. There are only two games left before the Birds take a break for the holidays, so hopefully the guys can get it together and get two wins under their belts to end the period on a positive note.
The Cougars outshot the Birds 11-10 during the first period but it only got worse from there. Jared Bethune scored the first goal of the evening, and Ethan Bear made an effort to take the game back, tying it with a goal during the same period when... Read More
He wins either way!
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/16/15
2 Comments
It’s come down to two goals now for the Seattle Sounders 2015 Goal of the Year. The final two goals were scored by Obafemi Martins… and Obafemi Martins! Not much of a drum roll there when either way, Martins wins. But let’s take a look at both goals. Then you can post below to say which goal you think should win.
The first goal scored was versus Houston Dynamo. The pirouette that Martins completed before scoring was pretty amazing to behold. Let’s face it: a lot of us would fall on our faces attempting a similar move! Fans lost their minds watching that incredible move, ending in three goals... Read More
The Seattle Storm gives fans holiday wishes
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/16/15
2 Comments
Missing the Storm these days? It looks like the team is missing Seattle fans, too. In fact, the Seattle Storm has posted a Happy Holidays card for fans on the team’s Facebook page! You can click the link to find out what holiday message the team has sent out for fans to enjoy this season. Spoiler alert: one of your favorite players is going to walk in on her mom singing you a holiday tune! See the faces of many other players and hear their holiday wishes while snow falls gently when you click the video. They’ve also promised the fans a present that cannot be unwrapped until April… Can you... Read More
Posted by jschario on 12/16/15
Posted to blog
It’s that time of the year when the best teams are the one winning the NFL’s annual war of attrition. We hear it every year, all year; injuries are a part of the game.
Every championship contender has key injuries to their roster. The Patriots just lost Lagarrette Blount, Carolina has been without Calvin Benjamin all year, Green Bay has had to make due without Jordi Nelson since the preseason, the list goes on.
Since Halloween the Seahawks have had their own key players fall victim to injury, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham and it seems whatever is cursing Baltimore also got Thomas Rawls’ ankle... Read More
Guti hits starting blocks toward 15 HR in 200 AB
Posted by jemanji on 12/16/15
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3 Comments
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This was a thrilling HQ issue for Dr. D.
If you take these 12 pitchers plus Evan Scribner, then HQ and SSI saw eye-to-eye on only 3 of them. Those three being Wade Miley, Taijuan Walker and Joaquin Benoit. By "seeing eye-to-eye" we don't mean that SSI had Steve Cishek as minus-minus and HQ had him at plus-plus; we mean that on all 10 pitchers, HQ had 1-to-4 very interesting observations that might (or might not) turn around your projection for the season. Slap me silly, I feel like running 20 HQ projections in one article.
Great stuff :- )
.......
Those 12-13 pitchers, HQ talked past... Read More
we sort it so you don' have ta
Posted by jemanji on 12/16/15
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2 Comments
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FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS - they've got the Seahawks easily #1 in "weighted DVOA". That stat is a sort of intersection between "WAR" and "Bill James #1 Starting Pitcher." It attempts to capture the power of a team at it stands at this particular moment.
WAS, NYG and PHIL are #14, #17, and #18, respectively. Not often you draw a true .500 team in the playoffs. Sa Weet.
....
Speaking of ... BJOL has Wade Miley as the #46 starting pitcher in both leagues, so, by definition a staff #2 starter. A few notches above him are Samardzija and, LOL, Garrett Richards; Iwakuma is #35. A few notches below... Read More
the SSI camera angle ain't all it's cracked up to be
Posted by jemanji on 12/16/15
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1 Comments
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Jerry DiPoto has made four changes on offense:
He switched the catcher, which anybody would have done (but credit to him for being networked with Ianetta)
He switched the 1B; good move there
He changed Brad Miller / Austin Jackson out for a no-hit glove specialist, and
He swapped Mark Trumbo out for Nori Aoki.
...
We'll call the 2015 Mariners the "Trumbo Offense" and the 2016 Mariners the "Aoki Offense." Is that a fair characterization? Sure, it is; more on that another time. In this read, let's just ponder the state of our own existences. Are we glad to have cashed in the Trumbo'ing... Read More
Which one of the three is likely to win?
Posted by jschario on 12/15/15
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One thing is for sure about this year’s Ballon D’Or winner whomever it is, and that is that he plays his club ball in Spain. Other than that, no one can say that any of the three candidates; Messi, Neymar or Ronaldo is head and shoulders above the rest.
A case can be made for each player, Ronaldo has scored more goals this year than the other two, Messi and Neymar both have won three trophies with Barcelona this year to Ronaldo’s zero, Messi advanced to the Copa America title game and Neymar has carried Barcelona for the start of this season while Messi was injured.
Diving deeper however, we... Read More
Everett wins 4-1
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/15/15
2 Comments
The Birds just haven’t had the greatest luck this season when it comes to playing against the Silvertips. This last beating was perhaps the most brutal of the season. Everett took the game with a score of 4-1, and this time it was even on their home turf at the ShoWare Center. The game took place last Saturday night, on December 12. Even though the Birds scored the first goal of the evening with Turner Ottenbreit’s second goal this year, they simply could not keep up after that first period score. The Silvertips started off behind but increased their momentum throughout the entire evening,... Read More
brevity is the essence of wit, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 12/15/15
Posted to blog
15 Comments
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con·cise
[kənˈsīs]
ADJECTIVE
giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words; brief but comprehensive:
"a concise account of the country's history"
synonyms: succinct · pithy · incisive · brief · short and to the point · [more]
SLAP ME SILLY do I hate "concise." Not for you. For me.
Remember when USA Today used to put out a pre-draft roto value table for every player in baseball? That reporter with the "baseball beard" had to sum every player up in six words. Now THAT is heroic.
No reason we can't attempt the same, I guess. Satire or Summary? You be the... Read More
you get one great inning. pick the right one
Posted by jemanji on 12/15/15
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2 Comments
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In October of 2012, Bill James felt like the landscape had cooled. Ten years on, he was able to comment on the 2003 "Closer By Committee" fiasco in Boston. Here's an Exec Sum for you. As y'know, we live to serve.
Bill James was hired by the Red Sox about Christmas 2002.
In 2003, the Red Sox (NOT James) decided to save $$$ in the bullpen and get hitters, as Jerry DiPoto has done.
In early 2003, the Red Sox bullpen blew SIX saves on their first road trip. 6 of 'em before they ever got to Fenway.
Those in the press who hated James tried to hang the "failed" Closer By Committee concept on... Read More
The Playoffs just got a lot harder
Posted by jschario on 12/14/15
Posted to blog
Seahawks look good, but their playoff odds take a hit… literally
Everyone is gushing over the Seahawks’ recent streak, and the performances of Doug Baldwin and Russell Wilson in particular. And while their chemistry on the field often goes overlooked, it is paying dividends that should get Baldwin elected to his first Pro Bowl this year.
But I’m not here to gush, as fun as that would be, I’m here for a reality check. This week Seattle’s reality check hit hard, and Thomas Rawls specifically. After looking like he was in for another big day, Rawls got tangled up and broke his ankle, ending his... Read More
one man's "intangibles" are another man's "derivations of the measurable"
Posted by jemanji on 12/14/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
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Casey Stengel once sourly pulled a young catcher from the lineup, because the backstop insisted on "pitching backwards." Called way too many breaking pitches on 0-0 and 1-0. "He can't hit the curve, so he doesn't think anybody else can, either," groused Casey. And therein lies a Zen koan, somewhere. Don't let Casey's quip slide by you too quick. There was a certain Zen monk who had a WAR table and couldn't figure out why you would trade Wil Myers for James Shields ....
:- )
Jerry DiPoto's relief career left much to be desired. He couldn't stifle an opposing lineup for one inning, so... Read More
how Seattle could accomplish the 'nearly impossible'
Posted by jemanji on 12/14/15
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23 Comments
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This Jan. 2015 article from Sports Cheat Sheet leads off with a nicely-balanced mix of truisms: "Winning on the road in the NFL is one thing; winning three consecutive times on the road and then on a neutral site is almost impossible." Then the article goes on to list 6 teams that have done the impossible over the last 35 years - 17.1% of the winners. Now, granted, Dr. D is still learning his craft, but he would know better than to start with "For all intents and purposes, a Major League pitcher cannot strike out a Major League hitter" when the actual strikeout rate is 17%. :- )
Well,... Read More
siiiighhhhhhh
Posted by jemanji on 12/12/15
Posted to blog
4 Comments
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Q. Is Cishek a "strong addition" to the bullpen, as DiPoto characterized it?
A. If we were talking about somebody other than Jerry DiPoto and the Mariner "closer" -- let's say we were talking about Minnesota and Kyle Gibson. Then you would look at the below and say,
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Season
K
BB
HR
FB remark
SL remark
2013
9.6
2.8
0.4
Crisp velo, location
vicious
2014
11.6
2.9
0.4
" "
" "
2015
7.8
4.4
0.7
90 MPH, wild
mushier
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... and you'd say, Well, sure. His shoulder is going out. What's the confusion? Why are we even talking about this?
Cishek has thrown 5 hard years as a late-inning closer,... Read More
The Real Madrid star does not rule out a future move to Barcelona
Posted by jschario on 12/12/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
Cristiano Ronaldo has never been one to discard any possibilities, maintaining throughout his time at Real Madrid that he could leave the club. Normally pundits suggest that CR7 is most likely destined for his former club Manchester United or a David Beckam style move to the MLS to spend the twilight of his career.
This season however a couple new contenders for Ronaldo’s signature have appeared. Paris Saint-Germain have emerged as a possible destination, and now Madrid’s bitter rival Barcelona has been mentioned as a possibility.
In an interview with the Associated Press Thursday, the... Read More
What you need to know
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/12/15
2 Comments
Do you have a charity, nonprofit organization or worthy cause for the Seattle Thunderbirds to support? The team has a long history of helping the community raise money for charitable causes, donating to help fundraising events and making sure the Seattle community is the best that it can be. Interested in getting the T-Birds on board with your project? Whether you are sponsoring a corporate event, childrne’s charity or other nonprofit activity, here is what you need to know.
The Birds offer nonprofit organizations help in a variety of ways. For auction and charity events, you may be... Read More
Sounders giving in the community
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/12/15
2 Comments
The Seattle Sounders are known for their generosity and caring for the local community in many different ways. One of these ways is for the Boys & Girls Club. The Boys & Girls Clubs of King County and Bellevue has been working with the local community for over 65 years now, providing services to over 30,000 youths ages two to 18. The goal is to help these children “o realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.”
Not only do the Seattle Sounders help provide mentoring services for the many children in the program, but they also help give them match day... Read More
Find out how to win
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/11/15
2 Comments
Have you always wanted to unleash the thunder for free? Who wouldn’t want to win two free ticket to Seattle Thunderbirds games with no questions asked? All you need to do is download a Digital Game Day Program. Then, click on the graphic that says, “Enter to Win.” One person will be drawn at random to get two free tickets to the next home game in every digital game guide.
Some tips: Be sure to enter with your email address since that is how the winners are notified. Every email address is limited to just one entry so keep that in mind to avoid becoming disqualified. The same limit applies to... Read More
Pappa pulled from re-entry draft at last minute
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/11/15
3 Comments
Yet another Seattle Sounders player will not be back to play next season. Guatemalan player Marco Pappa is being traded to play for the Colorado Rapids. His name was pulled from the MLS Re-Entry Draft without any comments from Pappa or the Sounders management. The pull occurred only minutes before the draft, raising more than a few eyebrows. As it often does, however, money came to be a factor.
Sounders GM and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey did say that he had hoped that the team could work something out to keep Pappa on the team, but it sounds like they either were not willing to... Read More
John Schneider is a full-blown GM now
Posted by jschario on 12/11/15
Posted to blog
New player misses
The biggest challenge for the Seahawks moving forward is going to be keeping the core together. That means getting the core paid, and we’ve already seen how hard it can be to keep everyone happy. Marshawn Lynch had money issues before last year’s training camp, Bruce Irvin and Michael Bennett griped before this year’s camp and of course Kam Chancellor held out.
The Seahawks can’t afford to miss on free agents from here on out. That means if someone like Cary Williams comes in for nearly $5 million, he better work out because that’s $5 million that could have gone to any or... Read More
Get to know #7
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/10/15
2 Comments
She wears the number seven jersey and hails from Japan. Ramu Tokashiki is a Forward for the Seattle Storm. She was born on June 11, 1991 and is one of the tallest players on the team, standing at 6’3. Tokashiki weighs 176 pounds. She is the WNBA’s third Japanese player in the history of the league and averages 8 points per game.
Tokashiki speaks through interpreters and told the press during her rookie season that “I want to prove that the Japanese player could do well in a world-class league.” She had already proven her skills on the courts in Japan for five years prior to joining the storm... Read More
Verhelst led the Spokane team to victory
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/10/15
2 Comments
The Seattle Thunderbirds lost to the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday night. The score was 4-2 with Tyson Verhelst protecting the Chiefs’ goal at all costs. Say what you will but he was on fire that night. It seems like the T-Birds play best when they are at home at the ShoWare Center; this was an away game at the Veterans Memorial Arena.
It was one of those nights like the presidential election of 2000. While the T-Birds may have made more shots and won the popular vote, the Chiefs simply blocked more of them and won the Electoral College. Something like that. They were leading on shots after two... Read More
The midfielder has been picked up by Colorado
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/10/15
3 Comments
As fans now know, Micheal Azira was surprisingly sent to the MLS Elysian Fields—otherwise known as the waiver zone. Being waived is not a player death sentence, but a lot of players have a tough time being picked up during the MLS Waiver Draft. Luckily Azira isn’t one of those players. It’s hard to go to the Sounders roster page these days because it’s so empty and missing so many great players, but Rave Green’s got to do what they think is best for a strong season, right? It’s also hard to see players go with the budget listed as a reason why they are cut, which was the case with Lamar... Read More
you WILL repeat this splash trade. Our papers are in order
Posted by jemanji on 12/09/15
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22 Comments
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In the grand tradition of The Donald, welcome to another pompous self-interview. ... No :- ) the Q-and-A format is purportedly an attempt to make the page more scannable and to service the giant ticker tape that is the SSI Shout Box.
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Q. Is the Adam Lind move a game-changer on the SSI DiPoto watch?
A. It is a game-changer, yes. Picking from a long list of Dr. D howls about the previous moves, the first howl was that --- >
--- > DiPoto seemed to exaggerate his own "kind" of player (tough AB's with low OPS's, good gloves, and safe pitchers). He seemed to exaggerate them far, far... Read More
Yanks holding their own
Posted by jschario on 12/09/15
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2 Comments
Major League Soccer has maybe not always been viewed as one of the stronger leagues around the world, but that does not mean that the world views our homegrown players as lesser quality. Many of our players have gone abroad to play for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, a la Clint Dempsey or Michael Bradley.
Despite many like Dempsey and Bradley returning to the MLS in recent seasons many top players remain abroad and are highly coveted by their clubs. Still, US Men’s National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann has preached that players get better by playing in Europe rather than MLS, and has... Read More
Meet player #22
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/09/15
2 Comments
Today’s player was born in San Antonio, Texas on July 15, 1988. She is an American basketball player and stands at 5’10 tall. Monica Wright is a guard for the Seattle Storm. She weighs 178 pounds and wears the number 22 jersey. Her basketball career began at Forest Park, her high school in Woodbridge, Virginia. Wright was ranked the number two guard in the country while playing for the team, winning the Gatorade Virginia Player of the Year award. She was also the 11th player overall in national ranks.
In college, Wright played as a Cavalier for the University of Virginia. She earned several... Read More
the entire offseason slides in ahead of Dr. D's tag
Posted by jemanji on 12/09/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
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Q. Does SSI like Adam Lind more, or less, than does the general consensus?
A. It likes him more. The 'Adam Bomb' batted cleanup for the Brew, but even so, this guy is underrated by fans and by sabes. Not by GM's any more, apparently.
Lind's RC/27 the last three years, as he aged from 29 to 31, were 5.9, 6.8, and 6.2. This means that a lineup full of Adam Linds would have scored you 6.3 runs per game. That is FAR more than Kyle Seager's BEST year of 5.3 runs per game and those figures include Lind's AB's vs left hand pitchers!
You get into the 6+ runs territory, a hitter of Lind's... Read More
as usual, Dr. D waffles back and forth
Posted by jemanji on 12/09/15
Posted to blog
43 Comments
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This article contains my opinions on a hot social topic. If you don't want to read these, you know where your browser buttons are. :- )
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Chapman is now persona non grata to many, if not most, MLB clubs. Without a doubt that would include Seattle's MLB club. This is an injustice. But the practical ramifications are clear: no Chapman closing for the Mariners in any scenario.
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WHAT A BULLY NEEDS IS A GOOD KNUCKLE SANDWICH
If I were king, and a man punched a woman, I'd have him horsewhipped in public. I'm talking about the kind of whipping that puts you in the hospital. And if I see... Read More
Dr. D likey
Posted by jemanji on 12/08/15
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1 Comments
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Q. Do you like the move?
A. A lot. Assuming we didn't give up Paxton, Montero, or Taijuan for him.
My idea of a PTBNL is more like Leon Landry than "Take your pick of anybody not on our 40-man roster" but that's just me. Will be watching for the PTBNL announcement through slits in my fingers.
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Q. What's the bottom line out of Oakland?
A. 90% of A's fans say "good riddance, hope we got $50,000 for him" and the more alert 10% are, apologetically, "It always felt like he was one tweak away from being lights out." Dr. D is more with the 10% than he is with the 90%.
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Q. What's the deal... Read More
Why a 200 inning man is worth something.
Posted by mojician on 12/08/15
9 Comments
Hernandez
201.666
Walker
169.666
Iwakuma
129.666
Elias
115.3333
Happ
108.6666
Montgomery
90
Nuno
74.666
Smith
70
Paxton
67
Wilhelmsen
62
Farquhar
51
Rodney
50.6666
Beimel
47.3333
Other
225.3333
Total
1462.997
Here are the inning totals for 2015. Notice, the lack of workhorseness from pitchers not named Felix.
In 2015, the league average OPS against for pitchers was .723.
The only guys who beat that were Felix, Iwakuma, Walker and Paxton for the rotation, and Furbush, Smith, Zych, Kensing and Wilhelmsen for the bullpen. The good relievers only pitched 161.333 innings. The good starters... Read More
DiPoto chews the Ackleys and Bloomquists of the roster
Posted by jemanji on 12/08/15
Posted to blog
4 Comments
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One cubicle to the left, you have The Counselor's golfclap following DiPoto's putt that hit the "Stabilization" cup dead center. Dr. D golfclaps the Counselor's golfclap:
James was the first to point out, "Most of a player's value is in being average."
...
The Mariners had 25 (!!) different players combine for -9.1 WAR last year. -5.2 hitting and -3.9 pitching. Replace those 25 guys with 'worthless' 0.0 players and the M's go from 76 wins to 85 wins without doing anything else.
The following players' 2015 WAR totals are at far right. Can you believe TWENTY-FIVE of these dudes! ... Read More
Plus Torres recovers from injury
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/08/15
2 Comments
We all issued a fond farewell to Lamar Neagle when the news was announced that he would be leaving the Seattle Sounders to play for D. C. United. While he will definitely still be missed by fans as well as family and friends, there is still a bright side to Neagle’s move to Washington. That bright side is Neagle himself.
For starters, the player is only 28 years old. He still has a long life of being a professional athlete ahead of him in Washington. He is also a really healthy man, which is crucial in this career. D. C. is considering him a replacement player for their own injured Chris... Read More
Get to know the new right winger
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/08/15
2 Comments
It is midseason and we all know what that means: fresh blood. Teams are making new deals and trading players to increase their chances of a better second half of the season and the T-Birds are no different. Just days ago they told fans that Luke Ormsby is joining the team. Now the Seattle Thunderbirds just announced that they are signing on Josh Uhrich to the team. The announcement came in on December 7, 2015. Ulrich, who shoots right, is a right winger and comes from the Saskatoon Blades. He stands at 6’1 and weighs 197 pounds. Uhrich was born on February 3, 1996 in Rosetown, SK.
Uhrich... Read More
it ain't like he can't pitch
Posted by jemanji on 12/08/15
Posted to blog
5 Comments
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Cool Papa Bell sez, in a comments thread,
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[The Elias-Smith trade] is extremely incrongruent with how Dipoto handled Iwakuma. With Iwakuma he was both very spendthrift and very patient. He obviously wasn't just looking to save a penny but was perfectly happy to take as much time as necessary to break Iwakuma down. But the moment Iwakuma signs elsewhere, Dipoto rushes to make a deal with Boston and pays a huge premium to do so. It really looks like Dipoto was embarrassed and felt he had to immediately do something to reclaim some dignity. That may be not be fair, but Miley sure doesn't look... Read More
Get to know #4
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/07/15
2 Comments
Jenna O’Hea is an Australian basketball player who wears the #4 jersey for the Seattle Storm. O’Hea was born on June 6, 1987. She stands at 6’1 and weighs 174 pounds. She was born in Traralgon, Victoria, Australia but grew up in Melbourne, where she started with the national team in 2009. O’Hea plays both guard and forward positions.
O’Hea went to college at Caulfield Grammar in Melbourne. Her pro career began in 2003 when she joined the Australian Institute of Sport. She played for the Institute from 2003 to 2005. From 2005 to 2007, she played for the Dandenong Rangers. She played for Arras... Read More
Enjoy a night with the T-Birds
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/07/15
3 Comments
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to enjoy one of the most fun nights of the year at the ShoWare Center: Pub Night! Grab your friends, family and anyone else you know and get ready for an exciting game with the Seattle Thunderbirds. It is coming up on Friday, December 11, so be sure to order your tickets as soon as you can.
Pub Night begins at 7:35. You and your group will be rooting on the Birds as they take on the Spokane Chiefs in what is sure to be an epic battle on the ice. Tickets for the event are just $20 per person when you order them in packs of 10 (which is the minimum order), and... Read More
Good luck with D. C. United
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/07/15
2 Comments
It has happened. The Seattle Sounders announced today that they are trading Lamar Neagle, this past summer’s “Prince of the Pitch,” and contender for Goal of the Year, to D. C. United. The trade is not happening between players, but funds. In exchange for Neagle, the Seattle Sounders will receive both general allocation money and targeted allocation money. Neagle has been with the team for three seasons, playing a total of 93 games for the club.
Neagle offered a heartfelt goodbye letter to the team, fans and Seattle on his website on Monday. He told a story about how, as a child, he had the... Read More
Like Z, our new GM has nothing against Funky-Lookin
Posted by jemanji on 12/07/15
Posted to blog
16 Comments
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Enough of the dirge. Here's a Missile Command-style Wiki stub on Wade Miley. Before the 2015 season -- during which Miley pitched as he always has pitched -- BaseballHQ summed up his 2014 season:
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From 2012 to 2014, his ERA eroded while his xERA improved. What do you believe? Skills, of course.
FpK (first pitch strike % - Dr. D) gives hope that Ctl (walk rate - Dr. D) will rebound (from 3.4 back to 2.9, which it did, exactly - Dr. D).
1st half woes were caused by poor S% and hr/f, which corrected in the 2nd half and should stabilize.
In the end, this is a league-average pitcher.... Read More
Dr. D rues his fate as a sports fan
Posted by jemanji on 12/07/15
Posted to blog
17 Comments
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It's Dr. D's curious fate that he is a fan of the Seattle Mariners and also a fan of the Arsenal Gunners. These organizations are as alike in personality as are Chuck Armstrong and Howard Lincoln. The Mariners and Gunners apparatuses are chillingly competent and chillingly focused on year-to-year cash flow. In the context of their budgets, they both provide the minimum on-field success required to accomplish the business goals.
Why me? Why couldn't I have been a Manchester City fan and a Red Sox fan? (Especially after the Carson Smith trade.)
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From about 2005-2011, Cesc Fabregas... Read More
a magical era while it lasted
Posted by jemanji on 12/07/15
Posted to blog
7 Comments
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DaddyO has a motion on the floor, that we hereafter cease and desist all use of the term JeDi. Dr. D offers a solid "Second!" of the motion. The M's might very well win 100 games next year, but Beane Jr. will always be DiPoto to me. Well, come to think of it, he might become Beane Jr. or something.
Lot of shtick going on today. SSI responds with a Missile-Command first person shooter approach. Stream of consciousness on each of the 5-to-10 incoming MIRV warheads falling upon the souls of the Mariner faithful. We pay a heavy price in terms of POTD detail, but gain in the ability to... Read More
Meet player #23
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/06/15
2 Comments
She wears the #23 jersey for the Seattle Storm. Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis is a forward on the WNBA team. She stands at 5’11 and weighs 180 pounds. Mosqueda-Davis was born on November 3, 1993 in Pomona, California. She attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where she was captain of her high school team and played for the Connecticut Huskies in college. She was selected to play for the Seattle Storm during the 2015 WNBA Draft as the third overall choice during the first round of draft picks. It’s pretty obvious that she started playing basketball when she was in the third grade (... Read More
Real Madrid is quickly unraveling at the top
Posted by jschario on 12/06/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
It has been a week long nightmare for Real Madrid. After seeming to have recovered from their devastating loss to Barcelona over two weeks ago, with consecutive wins in the Champions League and La Liga, the week started out business as usual.
Los Merengues opened play for their domestic cup, the Copa del Rey, against third division club Cádiz on Wednesday. As expected, Madrid won handily 3-1, with Isco slotting home two goals.
However, it would prove to be a controversial win as the man who scored their opening goal, Denis Cheryshev, was actually ineligible. Last season while on loan at... Read More
Find out more about #24
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/05/15
3 Comments
Today’s player of the day is guard Jewell Loyd. Loyd wears the #24 jersey for the team. She was born on October 5, 1993 in Chicago, IL. She stands at 5’10 and weighs 148 pounds. Loyd attended Niles West High School and later Notre Dame college. She was drafted to play for the Seattle Storm in 2015. She was drafted at #1 during the 2015 WNBA Draft.
Loyd is a rookie but she is also a serious player, forgoing her senior season at Notre Dame in order to get into the WNBA Draft a year early. Although a lot of people gave Loyd looks of disapproval over leaving the team, with even Notre Dame’s... Read More
New player fulfills a childhood dream
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/05/15
3 Comments
The Seattle Thunderbirds are welcoming a new player to the team next season. Luke Ormsby was born on February 14, 1999 in Port Angeles, but he grew up in Bellingham and Everett. He has played minor league hockey with the Sno-King Hockey Association from the time he was eight years old until he was 12. The forward stands at 5’11 and weighs 170 pounds. In the 2013 to 2014 season Ormsby played for the Tier 1 LA Jr. Kings 99, playing in four games and scoring one goal. He made no assists during that first year, earning one point for the season.
From 2014 to 2015, he played for the Tier 1 Midget... Read More
Posted by jschario on 12/05/15
Posted to blog
If you have to play or pick up any Seahawks for your fantasy team this week, you have more than a few decent choices to plug in, especially at tight end. By now, probably the second tier tight ends many didn’t see coming have already been picked up, a la Tyler Eifert and Kyle Rudolph. And with the injuries to Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski last week, a lot of you are probably looking for replacements.
On the Seahawks, because of Jimmy Graham’s injury, we should see some other players step up and earn you some fantasy points. A couple of these could even fly under the radar, especially if you... Read More
More news about next season
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/05/15
2 Comments
Sigi Schmid is calling this the most eventful offseason in the history of Major League Soccer. If the actions of the Seattle Sounders are to be counted, so far he is making good on the prediction.
Schmid also said that it will likely be a very challenging year for the Sounders overall. They will be playing with many new players and the entire league seems to be leaning on newer, fresher options all around. He said, “What you’re going to see with a lot of teams is it’s going to be a group of players supported by a lot of young players underneath.” And while he spoke of the change for the... Read More
SSI denizens return to the white board
Posted by jemanji on 12/05/15
Posted to blog
6 Comments
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Our last White Board update was on Nov. 18th. Wow, a lot of things have solidified. By "a lot of things" we mean everything in the bottom half of the inning. Except that Jerry DiPoto is threatening to scrounge a cheap 1B.
No, actually last time 'round we kidded that Leonys Marteen was the Designated Athlete, being as he was all we had to show for a Grand Philosophical Sea Change. But! A glance at the white board will reveal that the M's have now also swapped Mark Trumbo out for Norichika Aoki. Now, THAT's athleticism that even Dr. D cannot gainsay. Maybe the New M's can't take the... Read More
Facebook is just the beginning…
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/04/15
3 Comments
So you’re following the Seattle Thunderbirds on Facebook. Maybe you’re even keeping up with them on Twitter. But did you know that the team has a presence all over the web?
Maybe you thought Pinterest was just for crafty people. It’s true that the site has tons of cool crafts, handyman projects and even recipes to make, but it’s also a great place to organize your Thunderbird news and links. Don’t believe it? Just check out the Thunnderbirds’ Pinterest page to see Cool Bird quotes, game day recipes, news, scouting information, and even photos of fans in the Seattle streets. You can even pin... Read More
Get something for everyone on your list
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/04/15
3 Comments
Whether you come from a big family of Sounders fans or you just want to get all of your friends on board the Seattle train, you can get something for everyone on your holiday shopping list at the Seattle Sounders store. At the official store you can find gifts for men, gifts for women and even gifts for children at a wide variety of prices.
The obvious choice for the special person on your list is a Seattle Sounders adidas Rave Green Replica Jersey. You can get one with any player’s name that you want for $71.99 while they are on sale (regular price $84.99). For a bit more you can nab an... Read More
Discover more about player #1
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/04/15
2 Comments
She wears the #1 jersey for the Seattle Storm. Crystal Langhorne is a forward player who was the very first Maryland basketball player to ever have her jersey raised while she was still active in the sport. Langhorne stands at 6’2 and weighs 185 pounds. She was born on October 27, 1986 in Queens, New York. She graduated from Willingboro High School in Willingboro, New Jersey. She attended college in Maryland, taking the Terrapins to the NCCA Championship and becoming the first player on the team to score 2,000 points.
In the 2008 WNBA Draft, Langhorne was the sixth overall pick. She was... Read More
let's talk real deal on "culture change," shall we
Posted by jemanji on 12/03/15
Posted to blog
21 Comments
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Dr. Detecto may be acquiring a reputation as being anti-DiPoto this week. Let's put "PAID" to that check right here and now.
Merrillific linked us to Jerry DiPoto's rationale for his most recent moves:
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"We're going to rotate the outfield. The one thing for certain is that Nori will play regularly. Franklin will get his at-bats against left-handed pitching, and Seth Smith will get his versus right, but we will use the two corners and the DH role as an opportunity to make sure that all those players are getting their playing time. Nelson is going to play RF, he's going to DH. Seth and... Read More
Keep up with your favorite team’s latest news
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/03/15
3 Comments
Think you know where to find the latest, freshest Seattle Thunderbirds news? If you are not following the Birds on Facebook, you must be mistaken. When you follow the Birds’ page by “liking” it on Facebook, you will receive up-to-date announcements, including by the hour Thunderbird news. Coach Konowalchuk is talking on a radio show? The page covers it. The Birds are hosting a special fundraiser or other event? You’ll find it there. It’s an absolute must-follow on Facebook.
Follow the page for sports interviews, photos, game recaps and much more. You can also use the page’s apps for more T-... Read More
A fond farewell to two fan favorites
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/03/15
2 Comments
Since the Seattle Sounders have been in existence, Leo Gonzalez and Zach Scott have called the team home. There’s never been a season without either of the 35-year-old defenders present on the field and representing the Sounders, but the team just announced that they are declining their options for the next season. Fans will certainly be missing two of their most beloved players in the upcoming year.
In addition to Leo and Scott, midfielder Marco Pappa, goalie Troy Perkins, international player Gonzalo Pineda, and midfielder Tomas were declined. Other players who will be up for grabs during... Read More
Posted by jschario on 12/03/15
Posted to blog
Tony Dungy called the Seahawks an "offensive team" the other day, and while they have shown vast improvement the past couple weeks, I'm not sure we can start calling them that just yet.
We have to keep the past two games in perspective, their offensive outbursts have come against the 3-8 San Francisco 49ers and a Pittsburgh Steelers team that ranks in the bottom third in terms of stopping the pass. The experts on TV and radio like to say any win in the NFL is a good win, but that simply isn't true. No doubt victories are earned, but not all teams are created equal. If they were then we wouldn... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 12/03/15
Posted to blog
17 Comments
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THINK TANK PLAYER OF THE DAY
Delicious to have a geniuine player controversy already. When's the last time we had a 40-comment firefight on a Dr. D player evaluation?! Told you this DiPoto guy would pay off :- )
M'man Cool Papa Bell is having way too much fun in the Shout Box and Comments. He's pointing out that it's tough to trade "a setup reliever" for "three years of "a proven, starting major league regular."
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If that is what we are getting -- a center fielder who can bat 80-90 OPS+ and win a Gold Glove in center field -- then the trade is a good one, no argument. Says here that'... Read More
Congratulations to Matthew Barzal
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/02/15
3 Comments
The WHL selected one of Seattle’s own for their Player of the Month for November 2015. Matthew Barzal won the honor of the award this past month on the heels of a great month of achievements on his part as well as that of the T-Birds overall. It is a great accomplishment for the 18-year-old player from Coquitlam, British Columbia.
Barzal is the current T-Bird lead in points. In 22 games, he has already scored 40 points. Broken down, they are split between seven goals and 33 assists. The Player of the Month distinction came after several other honors that Barzal received, including three... Read More
Find out more about #29
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/02/15
2 Comments
Today’s player of the day is the Seattle Sounders defender Roman Torres. His first name is pronounced “roe MAHN” and he wears the #29 jersey. Torres was born on March 20, 1986 in Panama City, Panama, which is also his hometown. He stands at 6’2 and weighs 195 pounds. The Sounders picked Torres up this year, on August 12, 2015 as a Discovery Signing using Targeted Allocation Money.
So far, Torres has played four games with the Sounders. He has started in each of these games, accumulating a total of 315 minutes on the field. He has taken two shots, scoring no goals but making one assist. Torres... Read More
Find out the info on #3
Posted by InsideSeattleBa... on 12/02/15
2 Comments
Today’s player at SSI Basketball is the Seattle Storm’s own Angel Goodrich. Goodrich is a guard for the Storm. She wears the #3 jersey. She was born on February 24, 1990 and is from Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She was born, however, in Arizona and is the highest drafted Native American woman in the WNBA. Goodrich stands at 5’4 and weighs 127 pounds.
As a teen, Goodrich played for her high school team at Sequoyah High School in the Cherokee Nation. While on the team, Goodrich helped her team achieve many goals, including making it to the state championship not once but four times. Goodrich also took... Read More
Texas deal was a lemon WHEREVER it goes from here
Posted by jemanji on 12/02/15
Posted to blog
43 Comments
So the deal was: Leonys Martin, platoon CF, and Anthony Bass, #12 pitcher on the staff, for
James Jones, CF who may be as good as Martin, Tom Wilhelmsen, CL/SU/Long, AND ... Patrick Kivlehan, #5 org prospect.
The stated idea: a "more usable" roster. (This shortly followed a swipe that DiPoto couldn't outline the differences between himself and Zduriencik because that would 'give away our advantage.' You get it? And it would give away Zduriencik's disadvantage. Talk about over-promise under-deliver.)
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#5 ORG PROSPECT
I was never Patrick Kivlehan's biggest fan. I'm not in the least... Read More
well, not that lite
Posted by jemanji on 12/02/15
Posted to blog
Q. Can a player stay in the big leagues if he has no ISO? If he only hits singles and doesn't scare the pitcher?
A. He can, yes. Let's get these two ideas straight, pardner.
TRUE: a hitter of ordinary talent / mortal stature can NOT become a star with a low ISO. They'll refuse to walk him.
FALSE: a hitter of ordinary talent / mortal stature can NOT stay in the bigs with a low ISO and a 100 OPS+.
Dr. D pointed out the TRUE version of this idea back when the Mariners traded John Jaso's .394 OBP to the Oakland A's for Mike Morse. The idea had traction with the Think Tank, ex-specially... Read More
not that he's earned a honeymoon to the Caymans, yet
Posted by jemanji on 12/02/15
Posted to blog
1 Comments
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The Shout Box is getting to be like a Google Glasses hybrid car or something. Drives itself. And, with a perfect operational record. Not much for Dr. D to do any more, is there? :: sob ::
One thing, though. The thought was floated that DiPoto is making trades just to make trades, and that only the Karns deal did anything to improve us. Okay, Dr. D occasionally may return to the role of snapping amigos back to reality.
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NATE KARNS
Stipulated by the amigos.
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JOAQUIN BENOIT
Forgotten by the amigos, apparently.
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THE CATCHER POSITION
Chris Iannetta was one of those "flip the coin and... Read More
#21 hails from Yardley, Pennsylvania
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 12/01/15
2 Comments
He wears the #21 uniform for the Seattle Sounders soccer club. Jimmy Ockford was born on June 10, 1992 in Yardley, Pennsylvania, a town that he still considers his hometown. He is 6’1 and weighs 185 pounds. He is a defender for the Sounders.
Prior to becoming a Sounder, Ockford played with several other clubs. While playing in high school at Pennsbury HS, we won a letter each year and served as captain during his senior year. His youth career began in 2010 when he played for the Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers, his alma mater. He played for the Mountaineers from 2010 to 2012, a total of... Read More
How do you like the new player?
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 12/01/15
3 Comments
Seattle Thunderbirds fans said so long to Kaden Elder this fall. Elder is being trade to the Swift Current Broncos in exchange for right wing Owen Seidel as part of the sixth round of the 2016 Bantam Draft. The manager of the Birds, Russ Farwell, says that the team thinks that Seidel has great potential on the ice, and that he will be a good two-way player based on the stats that the player racked up during his midget experience. The trade was announced on November 10.
Farwell said that he also hopes that Elder gets a fresh start out of the trade as well as “a chance to earn more of an... Read More
setting our goals a little light, ain't we
Posted by jemanji on 12/01/15
Posted to blog
7 Comments
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Q. Deal Trumbo AND Morrison BEFORE you inload your next 1B off the dock? meaning what?
A. The depth chart off the M's own website is bemusing:
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M's depth chart
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Jesus Montero is currently both the 1B and the DH. Which would be okay with Dr. D. But it shows you what kind of confidence we are dealing with here. BAM there goes Logan Morrison BOOM there goes Mark Trumbo :: rubs hands together so fast they burst into flame :: OK, guys, where's the checkmate? I know it's here somewhere ...
Dr. D is excited about DiPoto's arrogance. Either LAA marginalized this guy for a blinkin' good... Read More