Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
The recent Manny Ramirez for National League Most Valuable Player talk is ludicrous. I almost don't feel that statement needs supporting evidence, but in case you do, here's Jay Jaffe of Baseball Prospectus to help explain why.
… at a time when Ramirez's name is beginning to surface in NL MVP discussions, what the numbers show is that his streak is hardly unprecedented this year. It's been matched or bettered by three guys who can make solid MVP cases of their own, particularly with regards to (Albert) Pujols and (Lance) Berkman, whose teams have remained in the hunt into the season's final two weeks. And that's not even considering the body of good work that lies beyond their hottest stretches of the year. The MVP is ostensibly about taking a full season of play into account, and by that token, it's tough to consider Manny's shortened National League resume on par with those of Pujols and company.
This isn't to take anything away from Ramirez's unbelievable work as a Dodger - .478 on-base percentage, .743 slugging percentage, 19th in the league in Value Over Replacement Player – but to see him trailing 10 players who are on playoff contenders and 18 overall in that category shows that there are people who have been in the NL all year who will deserve the award more. (And remember, this doesn't take defense into account.)
Ramirez might be the best player in the NL this minute. But he is not the 2008 NL MVP.
* * *
Though I try not to show it so much, I'm as capable of panic as the next guy. A shutout loss in Colorado? A weak top of the first in Pittsburgh, followed by Hiroki Kuroda allowing hits to the first two batters? Sure, I had "Oh no" thoughts.
But I braced myself, and before long, the Dodgers were cruising to victory Monday. It doesn't mean that anything's locked up. Bad times could still be around the corner. But I'm not letting that possibility spoil the good times. I feel I'm appreciating every good moment that's happening.
I respect Eric's hatred of the Broncos but he loses me with the senseless attacks on kittens and cat-kind. May you find a hairball on your pillow, sir, and a purring beast on your neck one evening.
--
Btw, Rob Neyer chat on ESPN.com right now, if you feel like asking him a Dodger question.
This one didn't excite me very much:
Jesse (Los Angeles, CA): I know the Dodgers are playing teams with records under .500, but can they ride this wave into the World Series?
SportsNation Rob Neyer: (12:09 PM ET ) Anything might happen in October, but the Dodgers will be heavy underdogs if they have to play the Cubs.
"The chemistry was worse the year before," Donnelly said, noting the 2006 team made the playoffs. "Chemistry? I'd rather have mathematics, like a three-run homer."
http://www.pe.com/sports/baseball/dodgers/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_dodgers_notes_16.209e7a9.html
"(Christine) Lund currently runs a small general store in Baranof Warm Springs, Alaska. She's the only resident who lives there year round."
Christine Lund is becoming Ruth-Anne Miller.
Then, to see the Dodgers win 8-2 in the same manner (a momentary update) and that Kuroda hadn't given up a run was another pleasing sense. I even missed (until a second look) that Saito had pitched a good inning.
Being too close can be anxious-making, no?
Maybe I've just had bad experiences with cats, but I don't trust them and their beady little eyes. They are a shifty lot (no offense, Jon).
My sister had a cat that would pounce on you at any moment. It was especially annoying trying to play pinball and have a cat jumping and trying to bite your hands.
vr, Xei
Since Chad can pitch on the road as well as at home I'd like our 1st game matchup. Lowe and Kuroda have huge home/road splits and ideally we would want them to pitch games 3 and 4 at home. Who should pitch game 2 on the road?
Throw Maddux out there and just hope he gives you 5 innings and 3 runs with the bullpen ready to pitch the final 4?
In Webb's last four starts, including 8 shutout innings Friday, he has a 7.89 ERA.
vr, Xei
9 As long as he doesn't hit any more of those... home run thinggies... we should be okay. Apocalypse averted.
I have a cat that likes to bite. You learn to deal with it.
Lowe does have a 2.25 ERA at Citizen Bank and an excellent record at Wrigley.
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This is a week old, but Cubs fans are rooting for the Dodgers because they'll be "easy."
http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2008/9/8/609917/go-dodgers
Fine with me. Though I'd rather not play the Cubs first round, that's for sure.
If that is the case, I hope Southwest.com has reasonable last-minute rates.
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
Silly man, cats only bite those who have views that are found to be at odds with the universe. Like being a USC and Raider fan. Sometimes being only one can be negated but when they are a combination it is a cats duty to bite and maim. In their eyes you are just a Peter Pettigrew.
I never mentioned a tie-breaker game. I said I wanted them to waste them on Sunday, the last day of the season.
A playoff game would only be played to determine a single playoff spot. If both the Mets and Phillies are assured playoff spots, tiebreakers will be used to determine which one is the division winner and wild card.
The first tiebreaker is head-to-head, and the Mets won the season series, 11-7.
They would need the Brewers to be in the mix to waste Hamels and Santana on the final day.
SportsNation Rob Neyer: (12:16 PM ET ) My guess? They make a trade for one of the Rangers' young catchers. They also try to re-sign Captain Tek, but some other team trying to emulate the Sox makes him an offer he can't refuse.
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=22448
Who else are trying to emulate the Red Sox besides the Dodgers?
A strong Penny would make a great #4 for the playoffs. A long shot, but one can dream!
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080912&content_id=3461424&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Like being a USC and Raider fan
I expect bad things to happen to Huggie Bear, Jr., as other USC/Raider combos have not ended well:
1) Todd Marinovich
2) Darrell Russell
3) Cole Ford
Exactly, the last day of the season will hopefully be very interesting for the rest of the league while we are starting James McDonald and Russel Martin is getting three days of whirlpool treatments.
I agree, I'd skip Kershaw's and let Penny/McDonald do a rotation spot. We need to find out right now if Penny can help the postseason roster and pitching one inning every 4 days is not going to cut it.
Since I have to travel from SD, I'll be able to see Games 3 & 4 in round 1 (Sat/Sun).
I'll be rooting for the wild card team in the other series so the Dodgers will have home field in the NLCS (home games Thu/Fri/Fri/Sat).
World Series home games will be Sat/Sun/Mon. This is working out good for my schedule.
The final possible World Series home game is Game 5, which is scheduled for October 27. That happens to be my mom's birthday. My mom passed away in February. That sounds like a sign to me!
I would assume the Angels would use a playoff rotation of Lackey, Santana, and Garland and use the schedule with the extra day off and skip Saunders.
If the Angels were to play Boston, who would be the Game 1 starter: Beckett, Matsuzaka, or Lester? The Rays could start Kazmir, but he might be running out of gas. I would think the Rays would hope to be able to get by with just Kazmir, Shields, and Garza.
But don't be surprised if Price ends up on the playoff roster.
vr, Xei
Baseball America did a redraft of 2006 with 20/20 hindsight. Apparently, we would end up with Travis Snider
I don't want to end up like a lot of my Mets fan friends, who were walking around in a drooling stupor after the end of last season. (Although that's often a normal state for them any time of year.)
Mets and Phillies play tiebreaker for NL East crown. Loser plays Milwaukee to settle the wild card the next day.
I'm not overly sanguine about the chances of either of the top two teams in the NL East moving past the first round of the playoffs. They both have a lot of pitching problems.
Baranof Warm Springs is a very small community, having only one year round resident.
I grew up watching Lund, so thanks for passing that along.
I like our chances tonight.
Lowe vs Karstens
Cain vs Haren
We just need to win one of them.
After that game, Dodger starters had a 16-31 record, a 4.56 ERA, and a 1.42 WHIP. They had a BB/K per 9 ratio of 3.5/6.45.
Since that day (starting with 4 shutout innings in the rain by Kershaw), Dodger starters are 36-21, with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, and a BB/K ratio of 2.49/7.15 per 9.
Molly Knight
Inside Baseball
68elcamino427
Ken Noe
MrCourt123
trainwreck
Bob Hendley
CodyS
All of those people predicted a 91-71 record.
I'm already starting to plot the Freeway Series. Think ESPN will be as crazy about that as they were the Subway Series? Yeah, me neither.
Who cares about ESPN, this town will be jacked.
Abel is definitely better at sacrificing.
After the aforementioned Kershaw start on June 15 (a Chan Ho Park relief loss to Detroit), the Dodgers were 31-38. Here are the NL records since that date:
NY 50-31
Hou 47-32
LA 47-34
Mil 47-34
Chi 45-33
Phi 42-37
Fla 40-40
Col 40-42
SF 38-42
StL 36-42
Ari 36-43
Cin 35-43
Atl 33-47
Pit 29-51
Was 28-51
SD 27-53
Or a hitter named Adam, to raise a Cain pitch into the seats. D'oh!
Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday round me out.
So we have been better then the Cubs over the last 81 games but we don't stand a chance against them. Go figure.
I remember Joey P burying us the day Furcal went down and I probably thought he was right. Hard to see how this team was going to win without him and an outfield of Kemp/Jones/Pierre and a struggling DeWitt at 3rd base. Yet here we are having premature Playoff Thoughts.
Meanwhile, Arizona prepares for a premature evacuation of their season.
http://tinyurl.com/maurywills
"You know things are going right for the Dodgers. Hiroki Kuroda won a road game. Juan Pierre hits a homer. Takaishi Saito came back from a hurt elbow and pitched a scoreless inning again. The only thing missing was an Arizona loss. No matter, with the win the Dodgers magic number is now nine. Kuroda pitched seven innings giving up three hits and no runs (in only 83 pitches!) Manny continued to fuel the Dodgers with a two-run double and James Loney had three RBIs. Plus, and we cant stress this enough... JUAN PIERRE HIT A HOMER."
Only 4,000 seems like a bargain. Dodger Stadium Ushers could use them to shred beach balls and pester annoying fans.
vr, Xei
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3590026
Maybe we can take that problem off their hands?
I'd still gladly take him off the Yankees hands, but before this year I probably would have traded anyone in the organization for him.
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