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I could have hooked you up with my noose guy. He does good work. He can get them wholesale.

Bob Timmermann, Eyewitness to History!

The Dodgers have won only one World Series final game at home ever, that was back in 1963.

1955 - Yankee Stadium
1959 - Comiskey Park
1965 - Metropolitan Stadium
1981 - Yankee Stadium
1988 - Oakland Coliseum

While waiting around, we saw Roy White and Ed Figueroa getting ready for a night on the town. Those leisure suits they had on were sweet!

I broke Penny's fastballs in 2008 down by velocity:

<88 6
88 27
89 36
90 45
91 68
92 108
93 128
94 160
95 151
96 91
97 42
98 6

I then broke them down into four groups: a) less than 92 (182 pitches), b) 92+ and less than 94 (236), c) 94+ and less than 96 (311), and 96+ (139).

The six numbers below are average velocity, %balls, %batted, wOBA on batted balls, singles per batted ball, and isolated power.
a) 90.33, 38.5%, 17.0%, .225, .161, .065
b) 93.09, 39.4%, 15.7%, .414, .243, .216
c) 94.99, 34.4%, 21.9%, .343, .309, .074
d) 96.81, 40.3%, 21.6%, .559, .267, .400

Sample size caveats should be peppered throughout any analysis like this, obviously. It would seem that his slowest fastballs (presumably these are mostly split finger) have been very effective. This feeds the "hitters are sitting on (non-splitter) fastballs" hypothesis. The fastballs that have been have been slower have been hammered and also have missed the zone more. The fastballs in his typical range (94-95) appear to have the best command (by ball%) and have not been hit hard power-wise (.074 ISO) but have been slapped for a ton of singles. The fastest fastballs have been hammered when hit (both in terms of power and singles) and have missed the zone quite a bit. If you check out the plot (http://tinyurl.com/3tefym), he just does not seem to have good command on the fastest fastballs (though a) sample size and b) I don't know the general spread): the hits have all been out over the middle of the plate and, except for two that were kept down, have been in the upper half of the zone without being in the upper sixth or so of the strike zone.

Taking a look at the strikes that weren't put into play, here are the percentages of called strikes, swinging strikes, and fouls in that order:
a) 51.9, 9.9, 38.3
b) 45.3, 9.4, 45.3
c) 25.7, 15.4, 58.8
d) 30.2, 13.2, 56.6

Including ALL pitches (not just strikes), the swings per pitch are a) .385, b) .403, c) .543, d) .482. So it seems that hitters have laid off of or have been deceived by the slower fastballs (again, hitters that can differentiate them seem to be laying off the splitter, bolstering its success) and batters are not having too much difficulty getting the bat on the higher velocity FB's. Balls in play per strike shows a) .306, b) .279, c) .362, and d) .311, so it really does seem that hitters are waiting for a typical Penny fastball and slapping them for singles.

So the data seems to back up Eric's hypothesis very well - well done!

Hey, it's Junior! (aka the "other guy" from FJM)

This is so obvious that I hesitate to even mention it, but clearly the best Office character to be the central focus of a spinoff would be Creed.

(Not really.)

The subtleties of his character in his actions, expressions, comments are brilliant. Every time I see in any another role, I immediately think of Scott, I can't imagine anyone possibly playing the roll as well as carrell does..so I'm just not sure it'll stack against my favorite comedy show of all time

but thats just me

Ansari was hilarious on Flight of the Conchords.

Yep, I remember Finley wanted Vida Blue to change his first name to "True." But Vida balked. :-)

I will now have to avoid Bill Simmons for the rest of 2008.

The people behind the show are more important than having a supporitng cast member join the show.

The real world is incredibly overrated.

"It's 23 days since the last save for closer Takashi Saito"

He's just not pitching very well this year.

http://tinyurl.com/6g99ko

http://tinyurl.com/5cabxe

- 2004 Lakers vs. Pistons
- 1998 UCLA vs. Miami
- 1997 Dodgers swept by Giants
- 1996 Dodgers swept by Padres and Braves
- 1995 Dodgers swept by Reds
- 1993 Kings vs. Canadiens
- 1992 My HS baseball team blows a 10-run lead in the last inning of a playoff game
- 1991 Dodgers blow a 9.5-game lead to the Braves
- 1991 Magic announces he has HIV
- 1985 Dodgers vs. Cardinals and Jack Clark.

I have no doubt that "2008 Lakers vs. Celtics" will now take its place on that list. How's this for torture: I work in the same building in Manhattan where the flagship NBA Store is located. I will now get to see "Celtics 2008 Champions" crap every single day for the rest of the summer. Wonderful.

Well, at least Boston fans are known for being classy and gracious winners, so at least they won't be insufferably obnoxious about this for the next 20 years.

Bob Schaefer may have quite optimisic that 30-yr old SS Angel Berroa could regain 2003 form, but a 36-year pitcher with declining velocity? Wow. Of course, as 64 points out, the only risk was taken by Ned when he claimed Loaiza in the first place.

Apparently.

http://tinyurl.com/4aevqv

I found this bit: Wednesday, July 01, 1970
Parker Turns Shy at the Plate
When exotic dancer Morganna Roberts came running out of the stands to kiss Los Angeles Dodgers Wes Parker when he came to the plate Tuesday night, Parker turned shy and headed for centerfield. Parker got as far as the infield dirt when Houston Astros third baseman Doug Rader (2) joined Miss Roberts' chase and held Parker while she planted a kiss on his cheek. Parker blushed and returned to the plate while Miss Roberts was escorted off the field....

http://tinyurl.com/6q8kow

I hear you, DL. This is one of the most painful days in LA Sports history. I suppose the Lakers could come back, but they aren't showing the heart to take charge and keep charge. Kobe as a leader... possibly overrated.

1) Last Night
2) Vince Young Rose Bowl, Jan 2006
3) The Tuck Rule Game, Jan 2002
4) Niedenfuer to Jack Clark, Oct 1985
5) Brian Johnson Grand Slam Game, Sep 1997
6) Bills 51, Bo-Less Raiders 3, Jan 1991

Losing the division in 1991 and 1996 was tough too, but I can't think of any specific games that stuck (that final weekend of 1996 was too weird).

The Celtics shot 28 fts and the Lakers 29. Even, yes? Not quite.

In the first quarter, the Lakers shot 11 fts and the Celtics only 2. One can argue that the C's got extra calls during their comeback. However, I contend that it was called evenly all night. The loss is squarely on the LA, for choking like never before.

And, no, the Lakers are not down 3-1 because of the refs.

The James Forest game, 1992

That made me mad just to type right now. Maybe it should be higher.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed shortstop Rafael Furcal to a four-year contract extension worth $72m. Said Ned Colleti, "It's clear now more ever that we need Furcal's bat in the lineup. When he heals up, which should be soon, he'll bring stability to a struggling offense. Until then, we have former Rookie of the Year Angel Berroa, and, on June 25th--ta da!--fan favorite Nomar Garciaparra. In the interim, I'm still looking for ways to improve the shortstop position. I have several waiver claims in, and we should be getting some answers soon. I also want to take this opportunity to thank Esteban Loaiza, who helped with the development of our younger pitchers."

{still fake}

Reached for comment, Joe Torre said, "The thing about Raffy is, the game slows down for him. It doesn't speed up."

Happy Father's Day, everybody!

Which felt worse?

The Lakers blowing the 1984 Finals

or

The Lakers, essentially, blowing this year's Finals?

I suppose you could go either way on this

The 1984 Lakers were better than the 1984 Celtics.

Dodgers' Starters' Totals vs. Detroit:
6 GS, 41 IP, 26 H, 18/35 BB/K, 1.76 ERA

Derek Lowe career vs. Det: 7-1, 94 IP, 1.82 ERA
Brad Penny career vs. Det: 0-1, 7 IP, 2.57 ERA (2 of 4 runs were unearned in his lone start)

None of the three Tigers starters this weekend have ever faced the Dodgers.

NPUT.

In that 1984 series, the Lakers were an errant Worthy pass away from going up 2-0 in Boston (Gerald Henderson, whose son is a Dukie). Plus they lost Game 4 in OT, the McHale/Rambis clothesline game. A series the Lakers could have conceivably swept, they ended up losing in 7. In the final game, a Laker comeback fell short as Magic had two late turnovers down two in the final minute.

Dodgers-
-Clark and Ozzie Smith (I treat them as one game)
-Reggie Jackson's thigh
-The Joe Morgan game
-can't pick out a single game, but the 91 stretch drive stunk

Lakers
-the game in the 84 finals where Worthy threw the ball away
-the Sampson shot in the first round (was that 86?)

Cal (this could get long)
beating Southern Miss by only 10 in 2004
1990 Big Game (though I contend this game didn't actually happen)
2004 USC
2006 USC
2006 Arizona
Pick a game from the second half of 07 (Oregon State ferinstance)
1994 NCAA tournament first round loss to Wisc-Green Bay
1994 hoops loss to OSU on the last day of the season to blow conference title
1991 or 2 hoops loss to USC at home, leading by 5 with less than 30 seconds to play
1993 hoops loss at home to WSU, leading by 20 in the second half

Special category, Cubs
2003 Bartman game - I'm not really much of a Cubs fan, but that one weighed on me, mostly because my dad was crushed.

Last night's Laker game was brutal to be sure, but my interest in the Lakers is so diminished from earlier in the decade, that it just didn't get to me emotionally.