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Kareem Abdul-Jablog
2008-02-12 07:50
by Jon Weisman

Kareem Abdul-Jabaar has begun blogging for the Times (link via Kevin Roderick at L.A. Observed). I know he has more important things to talk about, but so far, my favorite part is, "Click here to listen to what a skyhook sounds like."

Update: Here, Abdul-Jabaar comments on each of his Sports Illustrated cover appearances. (Thanks to Eric Stephen for the link.)

Comments
2008-02-12 08:08:43
1.   cargill06
can't figure out how to look it up anywhere, but who had the most 2 out hits last year?
2008-02-12 08:27:22
2.   Eric Stephen
1
I haven't found all 2 out situations, but ESPN has sortable stats by 2 outs in scoring position:

http://tinyurl.com/ypk823

2008-02-12 08:36:16
3.   Eric Stephen
From a link on Kareem's blog, there is an overview of every SI cover Kareem was ever on, with his commentary.

http://tinyurl.com/2z64bz

Very cool.

2008-02-12 08:42:26
4.   Eric Stephen
1
I found that MLB.com has sortable stats that include 2 out hits.

Here are the 2007 NL hit leaders (led by Aaron Rowand):
http://tinyurl.com/2xw29e

Here are the 2007 AL hit leaders (led by Magglio and Delmon Young):
http://tinyurl.com/yonyaw

2008-02-12 08:43:41
5.   Marty
Josh Wilker has a good post up at Cardboard Gods.
2008-02-12 08:44:22
6.   Eric Stephen
I'm going to repeat my request for projections for the 2008 Dodgers. I'll compile all the data. Please project the BA/OBP/SLG for the 10 "starters" (including Ethier/Pierre and Nomar/LaRoche). Also, if you want to include pitchers please predict ERA/WHIP for the starters and key bullpen members.
2008-02-12 08:48:36
7.   ToyCannon
5
Isn't that a given at this point.
2008-02-12 08:53:59
8.   Marty
7 Yes, but it's still worth promoting.
2008-02-12 09:06:40
9.   underdog
I like how TJ Simers is quite affronted that David Beckham can't find time to do an interview with him. Perhaps Beckham's gotten word that Simers is a bit of a dunderhead.
2008-02-12 09:16:09
10.   old dodger fan
Martin 280/370/475
Loney 300/370/500
Kent 280/340/460
Furcal 300/370/440
LaRoche 280/340/500
Nomar 290/350/450
Ethier 290/350/480
Jones 260/360/540
Kemp 310/350/520
Pierre 290/330/360

My numbers for Kent look awfully good for a 40 year old.

2008-02-12 09:19:47
11.   cargill06
2 , 4 thanks
2008-02-12 09:23:10
12.   ToyCannon
8
He's just amazing but his last series was off the charts.
2008-02-12 09:24:26
13.   Ken Noe
I sat next to Kareem once at a book signing in Nashville. He had perhaps 200 people lined up to buy his latest. I had exactly three. Gosh, he was nice to me though. What a good guy.
2008-02-12 09:25:07
14.   cargill06
ok i'm really going to test you, what about 2 strike hits last year?
2008-02-12 09:34:38
15.   cargill06
but mom, everyone else is doing it...

furcal .286/.351/.458
martin .292/.368/ .466
loney .322/.388/.519
jones .252/.361/ .582
kent .284/ .357/.502
kemp .281/.322/.524
laroche .277/.354/.472
pierre .294/.348/.373

penny 14-10 3.77
lowe 16-7 3.54
c billz 14-8 3.42
kuroda 15-11 3.91
loazia/schmidt 12-14 4.54

blanton 5-0 2.61

2008-02-12 09:35:05
16.   cargill06
15 ha jk about my last name, everyone calm down
2008-02-12 09:38:20
17.   cargill06
wow i guess i have andruw hitting 55 hr this year, let me lower that number to like .555
2008-02-12 09:40:46
18.   ToyCannon
15
You are an optimistic Dodger fan. If we do those slug% we will be flying some kind of a banner.
2008-02-12 09:44:26
19.   Eric Stephen
15
Thanks for the projections. Do you have one for Ethier and Nomar?

Also, do you have a projection for the WHIP for each of the pitchers? Also, I'm not counting the Loaiza/Schmidt projection unless it's separated out.

2008-02-12 09:46:41
20.   Jon Weisman
12 - The same could be said for this guy.

http://www.truebluela.com/story/2008/2/12/121755/494

2008-02-12 09:52:37
21.   Eric Stephen
14
I can't find sortable 2-strike stats, but on the MLB.com link you can sort by ahead or behind in the count.

You can find individual splits for players -- including with 2 strikes -- using Baseball-Reference.com, and clicking on the "splits" drop-down menu on each player page.

For instance, go here -- http://tinyurl.com/335z9l -- to find Ethier's 2007 splits. He hit .218/.265/.376 in 213 PA with 2 strikes.

The entire NL -- http://tinyurl.com/2ul464 -- hit .187/.258/.290 in such situations in 2007.

2008-02-12 09:54:26
22.   old dodger fan
13 Civil War battles not named Gettysburg don't draw much interest.
2008-02-12 10:02:00
23.   neuroboy002
Kareem's daughter and I went to the same university. I never saw her and didn't even realize she was a student until graduation day. Kareem was in the audience and as expected, he was head and shoulders above everyone in the crowd. My adviser took a candid picture of him from behind and it was very picturesque - a tall, slender man in a black suit and hat, standing amongst those seemingly half his size. It was like seeing rolling hills approaching the base of a mountain. It happened to be a calm, clear day with no clouds.
2008-02-12 10:03:21
24.   Eric Stephen
12 ,20
What a great story, ToyCannon!
2008-02-12 10:09:30
25.   Brent Knapp
Furcal 300/355/440
Kemp 285/340/480
Loney 315/380/510
Jones 260/340/470
Kent 290/350/470
Martin 295/360/480
Ethier 290/360/465
LaRoche 280/370/470
Pierre 295/350/350
Nomar 290/340/400
2008-02-12 10:15:57
26.   kinbote
Is it just me :) or do I detect a bit of irrational exuberance with regard to Juan Pierre's projected numbers? Frankly, I see a lot of predictions that look rather palatable to the naked eye, to mix sensory metaphors.
2008-02-12 10:16:01
27.   LogikReader
3

What a great link. I particularly liked the cover that showed the "tradition of Laker centers." Kareem is right too: why wasn't Wilt on that cover?

And it points out the continuing tradition of Laker Centers:

Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq.... Bynum?

The Dodgers have a similar tradition at a particular position, do you know which one it is? =)

2008-02-12 10:18:28
28.   Eric Stephen
27
Also abbreviated "C" of course!
2008-02-12 10:19:03
29.   cargill06
26 my JP numbers are based on batting 8th and getting a few more "charity" walks
2008-02-12 10:20:50
30.   regfairfield
26 These predictions have taught me that yes, I really do hate the Dodgers.
2008-02-12 10:22:21
31.   Eric Stephen
30
Or you are a shining beacon of reality! :)
2008-02-12 10:26:37
32.   cargill06
where's gurnicks weekly mailbag??? doesn't he usually post it on monday night?
2008-02-12 10:27:13
33.   Bob Timmermann
What team in the majors has a long and distinguished history at any one position except perhaps the Red Sox in leftfield?
2008-02-12 10:27:34
34.   Eric Stephen
Looking back at some NBA All-Star highlights, I think it would be cool if the all-stars would wear uniforms resembling the home and road of the host team.
2008-02-12 10:28:33
35.   Eric Stephen
33
The Yankees had a decent run in CF.
2008-02-12 10:31:55
36.   regfairfield
27 Our shortstops have been pretty terrible since we came to LA, does that count?
2008-02-12 10:36:16
37.   Eric Stephen
36
Here's the list:
http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/4n4c
2008-02-12 10:37:01
38.   Josh Wilker
33 : Yankee catchers? (You could argue that Dickey, Berra, Howard, Munson, Posada approach Williams, Yaz, Rice, Greenwell (?), Manny)
2008-02-12 10:38:48
39.   Eric Stephen
Padres' SS have been pretty bad too. Khalil Greene is the only SD SS to put up a 100+ OPS (he did it in 2004 & 2007).
2008-02-12 10:39:35
40.   Jon Weisman
Diamond Leung says the Mack Daddy Sweeney deal is now official, pending the physical.
2008-02-12 10:44:27
41.   Bob Timmermann
It's hard to build up a "tradition" at a position in baseball because there are:
1) more positions
2) more games
3) no one position can dominate EVERY game like a center in basketball can.
2008-02-12 10:44:30
42.   Eric Stephen
38
Yankee catchers have been great. Since 1928 (Dickey's 1st year), NY has had 37 catchers put up a 120+ OPS+. (26 from 1949 on).

The Dodgers have had 22 such seasons in the same time period (19 from 1949 on).

I picked 1949 because that was Campanella's first year.

2008-02-12 10:45:05
43.   Eric Stephen
40
Oh great, now there's a Mack Sweeney?
2008-02-12 10:48:41
44.   Eric Stephen
The Lakers' center tradition is truly unique because if you look at the top centers in NBA history, the top 5 almost have to be (in alphabetical order):

Kareem
Wilt
Mikan
Shaq
Russell

The Lakers have had 4 of those 5 for significant parts of their careers, and in fact have not won a title without one of those players manning the middle.

2008-02-12 10:49:07
45.   Jon Weisman
43 - Mack Daddy.

New post up top.

2008-02-12 10:49:39
46.   bhsportsguy
40 No one is crying for them but for guys like Leung and Tony Jackson, tomorrow starts a 7-8 month grind with not much time off and trying to write something fresh everyday.
2008-02-12 11:01:16
47.   Jon Weisman
46 - It starts today.
2008-02-12 11:02:10
48.   Jon Weisman
47 - Never mind.
2008-02-12 11:12:31
49.   Eric Enders
The Dodgers at pitcher and catcher. (Over the last 60 years, anyway.)

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