Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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TV and more ...
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
Blame it on the ISP, baby.
Game chat away, but here's this morning's post:
* * *
A coincidental day after a discussion in the Dodger Thoughts comments about manufacturing runs while on base, Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus explores the issue.
A lot of times you'll hear the case made that OBP undervalues a player like Jose Reyes or Carl Crawford because it doesn't account for their baserunning ability. This is a perfectly reasonable argument. Getting on base, as [reader Mike Mitchell] intimates, is not the goal. Rather, getting on base is a means to an end, that end being scoring runs. But running the bases well is also a means to that end. If Bill Mueller gets on base five percent more often than Scott Podsednik, but Podsednik scores 10 percent more often than Mueller those times that he does reach base, which player is the more valuable run-generator?
Silver described a method to calculate speed-adjusted on-base percentage, or using the term inspired by Mitchell, SOB. Rickey Henderson's 1985 season added .057 to his on-base percentage using this method, for example. The 2005 leader is Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay, whose OBP is .317 but SOB is .343, a .026 difference.
Silver also noted which baserunners have done the most damage to their on-base percentages, and Cesar Izturis and Jason Phillips of the Dodgers make the 2005 Top 10. Izturis has knocked his .306 on-base percentage down to .286, and Phillips falls from .291 to .273.
The formula for SOB, which Silver elaborates upon in the article, is this:
H + BB + HBP + (SB * .366)--CS + (EqBR * 2.27)
------------------------------------------------
PA--SH
* * *
People talk about baseball bloggers increasing their exposure or access at the ballpark, but David Pinto of Baseball Musings almost took it one step further - by getting a call from the bullpen.
My family and I just got back from game 1 of the doubleheader at Norwich. The Navigators were hosting the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the AA affiliate of the Blue Jays. Norwich starter Anthony Moreno was hit hard. He gave up three runs in the third and four more in the fourth before Norwich manager Bob Stanley pulled him with two out and two on. Oscar Montero entered the game and gave up a three-run homer to make the score 10-5 in favor of the Cats. Montero got out of the inning. We were sitting behind home plate, and Stanley walked over to where we were sitting to retrieve the pitching chart from one of his players. After getting the chart, he looks right at me and says, "Can you pitch?"
I replied that I wished I could. In the middle of the seventh, after Montero pitched effectively, Stanley came by and told me he wouldn't need me for the second game. Given that I can't get the ball to the plate, I was quite relieved. :-)
* * *
Speaking of increased exposure, Futility Infielder Jay Jaffe has a piece at Salon on the shadow of steroids:
It's a no-win situation for baseball fans. As one who follows the Yankees, I find a real conflict in rooting for (Jason) Giambi. Earlier this month, ESPN's Buster Olney wrote that Giambi's streak may be fueled by human growth hormone, a naturally occurring substance undetectable in a urine test, and as such outside the scope of MLB's current policy. In his leaked BALCO testimony, Giambi admitted he had used HGH in the past. But even putting that aside, taking pleasure in the slugger's resurgence is tough when I can't dismiss the possibility it's chemically fueled. As his role in the Yankees offense becomes more prominent, rooting for the entire team becomes that much less fun. Giambi is not the only one in purgatory for his transgressions; so are all of us who love the game. ...
Taken together, the only clear picture is that we still can't gauge the total effect of steroids on the game. We can't tell the good guys from the bad guys, and the ambiguity is unsettling. The portrait (Howard) Bryant paints in "Juicing the Game" is that we're all complicit in letting steroids flourish. That goes for the baseball commissioner (merely a tool of the owners), owners (loath to commit financial suicide by acting on suspicions that their players were using the drugs, and too belligerent in bargaining with the union to reach an agreement on testing), union (hiding its juiced-up stars behind rhetoric, while failing to heed the wishes of the marginal players, who are more receptive to testing), writers (afraid of losing access to the locker rooms and unwilling to police the game), and fans (enamored of the long ball and turning out in record numbers despite the game's transgressions). Baseball is mired in purgatory and we're all in it together.
* * *
Peek into the Dodger Stadium nightscene with this visit to the Martini Bar - that's right, the Martini Bar - courtesy of Kevin Bronson of the Times.
"It's friendly, it's clean and people treat it as their home base," says Drew McCourt, the team's director of marketing. "And the bar is a great place to spend the postgame and let the traffic blow over."
I remember years ago, after a day game, I was going to hang out at Dodger Stadium with the newspaper while the traffic blew over - and was told to leave by security 30 minutes after the game ended. Do they still have that time limit out in the seats?
When the sound system is not tuned to the action or the postgame "Dodger Talk" (which originates from the lounge), regular bartender Betty Ward often plugs in her iPod to provide music.
There must be nothing quite like listening to bitter Dodger fans over a martini.
I may need one after back-to-back home runs here.
August 18, 1977
Don Sutton came within four outs of a no-hitter, but had to settle for a one-hit shutout as the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants, 7-0 before a crowd of 15,955 at Dodger Stadium, The Dodgers were now 73-47 and 12 games ahead of the second-place Cincinnati Reds. The small crowd was a result of a day game start after the Dodgers and Giants had a Wednesday night game postponed by the rarest of events, an August rainout at Dodger Stadium.
Sutton struck out seven and walked four and didn't allow a hit until Giants catcher Marc Hill hit a clean single to left. The one-hitter was the fifth of Sutton's career and it was also his 46th shutout. It was also Sutton's 187th win as a Dodger, which tied him with Don Drysdale for the Los Angeles record. Sutton finished his Hall of Fame career with a 324-256 record and a 3.26 ERA. He threw 58 shutouts in his career. Sutton had lost his last seven decisions and had tore up part of the Dodgers clubhouse in his last loss when he gave up a grand slam home run to Atlanta shortstop Rod Gilbreath.
The Dodgers got Sutton the only runs he would need in the second inning when Davey Lopes hit a 3-run home run off of Giants starter Jim Barr. Reggie Smith homered in the fourth to make it 4-0 Dodgers. Sutton got an RBI single on a squeeze play in the fifth that knocked Barr out of the game in favor of Dave Heaverlo. The Dodgers concluded their scoring in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Rick Monday and an RBI double from Dusty Baker.
1977 was a wonderful year for Dodgers fans. It was the first full year as manager for Tommy Lasorda and the enthusiastic Pennsylvanian led the Dodgers to a 98-64 record and a 10-game edge in the National League West.
The Dodgers had one of the most powerful lineups in Los Angeles history. The team hit 191 home runs and for the first time in major league history, four teammates would hit 30 home runs in a season. Steve Garvey hit 33, Smith hit 32 and Ron Cey and Baker would hit 30. Even the Dodgers pitchers hit five home runs, three by Rick Rhoden. Smith led the team in batting average at .307 and led the National League in OBP at .427.
Tommy John continued his incredible comeback from the elbow surgery that would later bear his name. He went 20-7 with a 2.78 ERA. Sutton was 14-8 with a 3.18 ERA. Burt Hooton was 12-7 and 2.62. Rhoden was 16-10 with a 3.74 ERA and Doug Rau was 14-8 and 3.43.
Charlie Hough led the team in saves with 22, but also went 6-12. Mike Garman contributed 12 saves. Veteran Al Downing was released on July 21, ending a 7-year career with the Dodgers. But Downing would never really leave.
The Dodgers also had Boog Powell on the team, but he was released on August 31 to make room for catcher Jerry Grote. The day before Sutton's one-hitter, the Dodgers picked up another veteran in Vic Davalillo, who would play a key role in the postseason. The 38-year old Davalillo was batting .392 for Aquascalientes in the Mexican League at the time.
The Philadelphia Phillies were the Dodgers' opponent in the NLCS. The Phillies scored twice in the 9th at Dodger Stadium to win Game 1, 7-5. In Game 2, a Dusty Baker grand slam led to a 7-1 win over the Phillies.
Game 3 would be one of the most dramatic comebacks in Dodgers history. The Dodgers trailed 5-3 with two outs in the ninth and no one on against Gene Garber. Davalillo came up to pinch-hit for Steve Yeager and reached on a drag bunt single. Manny Mota batted for Lance Rautzhan and doubled off of Greg Luzinksi's glove to score Davalillo and he went to third when Ted Sizemore let Luzinski's throw get past him. Davey Lopes then bounced a ball off the Astroturf that hit Mike Schmidt in the leg and caromed to Larry Bowa who threw too late to first and Mota scored the tying run. Garber appeared to have Lopes picked off, but his throw got past Richie Hebner and Lopes went to second. Bill Russell singled home Lopes to make it 6-5. Garman closed out the game.
Game 4 was played in a steady rain, but play was never halted and the Dodgers won 4-1 behind a strong performance from John.
The World Series would be Yankees vs. Dodgers, part 9. The Yankees had won 6 of the previous 8 contests between the two and they would make it 7 out of 9 with a six-game win. The Dodgers lost Game 1 in 12 innings, 4-3, but beat the Yankees 6-1 in Game 2 to tie the Series with four home runs.
Going back to Los Angeles, the Yankees took Games 3 and 4 with Mike Torrez beating John in Game 3, 5-3 and then the Yankees took advantage of an injured Doug Rau in Game 4 with four early runs for a 4-2 win.
In Game 5, Sutton kept the Dodgers season going with a 10-4 win, but he did give up a home run to Reggie Jackson in the 8th. In Game 6, Jackson's power barrage continued as he belted three home runs to give the Yankees an 8-4 win. Jackson hit 5 home runs overall in the World Series.
Thanks to the Los Angeles Times, BaseballReference.com and Retrosheet
Weaver seemed to like us offline.
1. Thomson looked like crap, i would have been disappointed had we not rocked him
2. Still no Choi
3. Izturis needs to be put in a semi-platoon at SS. He still hits lefties very well (.311 BA) and Robles hitting LH helps it make sense. I'm not talking a straight platoon, just an extra day off a week at the least. Oh yeah, and Izturis needs to be moved to the 8 spot as much as I need to stop spending so much time at the computer.
The Padres lost
The Giants lost
The DBacks are ahead of the Cardinals 3-2 in the 4th.
I'm guessing all that BBQ talk yesterday had something to do with gumming up the server.
Anyway, I feel better now.
1st inning - bases loaded, 1 out, popped up
3rd inning - none on, 0 out, homered
5th inning - one on, 0 out, GIDP
They didn't have any Priuses in at the dealership. So I'm officially on the waiting list. And since I'm going to pay cash for it, they will keep me in my mind.
As for Weaver, he couldn't lose to Lowe could he? The homer race between them will be very tight, and could go all the way to the finish
The Padres were shut out for the 12th time this season. The Dodgers have been shut out six times.
I now drive a 1997 Geo with 44K miles on it.
It could be ... Carrara...
Four back.
I am still in acceptance.
I am still in acceptance.
I am still in acceptance.
Just listen!
I have no idea what that is supposed to mean.
Me neither. It would go hand in hand, however, with `I can't watch!'
Yet we still talk to each other.
Except on Saturdays from September through November.
One more game and I can be a diehard again.
Tonight I will practice my Pacino/Godfather impression.
All this time, as wrong and illogical as it seemed, I've been rooting for the Dbacks to win because I wanted SOMEBODY to put some pressure on the Pads. Well, after today's win I find myself finally rooting against the Dbacks. Denial, here I am.
And yes, I felt lost when DT was down.
Lowe: 163.1 IP, 177 H, 25 HR, 36 BB, 107 K
Weaver: 165.1 IP, 171 H, 26 HR, 34 BB, 111 K
This is in the Cardinals-DBacks game chat on BTF
I really, honestly can't believe he did this tonight. They gave Reyes his big-league debut just so Marquis could get an extra day of rest! What was the point if you're going to frag him for his next two starts in a row? Now, you didn't even get a good one from him today, and next time is ####, too, because he threw more than 115 pitches. So yeah, Marquis sucks, but his ERA is about to be 4.40 instead of more like 4.00 because of LaRussa's bone-headed genius managing this season.
"More Nady ranting. OK, I see the heavy shift to LHB, but why not put Jackson at SS and Nady at 3B? Bochy treats Nady and 3B as if a player hits a ball to Nady at 3B MLB will deduct 10 wins from the Padres record.
I don't mind resting [Randa], but in a game that is most likely going to be low scoring, get your best AB to HR hitter in there. Bochy drives me nuts sometimes."
i've seen terrible pitchers turn things around by adding a pitch such as a change up.
i've never liked sanchez, i've allways thought he was garbage, and he has been garbage, but after seeing him pitch for the first time since adding the change up, i'm open minded about him.
and ever since he has added the change up he has pitched well, i've just never gotten a chance to see him on t.v. till now.
where i live i don't see very many dodger games, but i listen to all of them that are not on t.v. on mlb gameday.
his change up might just turn him around, i'm rooting for that to happen.
--Joni Mitchell on Dodger Thoughts being down for the day.
(Note: perfect opening for Steve: "At least Beltre hit something. . ."
Stupid Red Sox.
BTW: I can take credit for the Dodgers resurgence. I attended my first two games at DS in over twenty years this past weekend. And what happened? Bottom of the 10th walk-off homer for Dioner and 8th inning two-run bomb to end a no-no for Ped-woe.
You're welcome.
On second thought, make that my E-string. Don't want anybody to get the wrong idea.
The Dodgers won the last time I saw them at Dodger Stadium. They beat the Giants 5-4 on the day the ump blew the check swing call on Jason Phillips.
I'll be back on the 24th when the Dodgers face the Rockies.
The Dodgers have six home games left with the Rockies!
Baserunning!
Martinis!
Or not.
The Dodgers have only one trip left to Denver.
At least Beltre hit something... :)
The genre is alterately known as glam rock or hair metal.
There's not much in the way of haggling when it comes to these.
Rex just said that the Red Sox have scored 5 runs or more in an inning 23 times this year. That's amazing. I would guess the Dodgers have scored 5 runs in an inning less than 7 times, including tonight. Hell it seems like the Dodgers haven't scored 5 runs in a game 23 times this season.
Seriously, the Martini Bar story sounds like another case of young Drew being trying to impress upon us how cool it is to hang out with him. If only one can afford it.
I'd rather hear from him his ideas on how to make DS a better experience for the general fan. You know, the unwashed horde :)
The SOB is a great stat! Don't know if I'll ever look at OBP the same again.
Not when oil is sixty bucks a barrel.
I always see a prius available on ebay motors and the seller is usually a dealership in Long beach. The car is available right away.every other dealer ship puts you on a waiting list if you walk in to the dealership. It shouldn't be long for you though, less than 30 days depending on the extra's you want.
Sat Penny vs Scuffy
Sun Lowe vs Vargas
Mon Perez(?) vs Willis
Jim every person I spoke to in the dugout seats were there on someone else's dime. it was all "Our partner in the law firm has these tickets" or some story like that. I asked a ton of people(20+) and not one person had paid to be there. all were given the tickets.
I'm not in a huge hurry to buy the car, so I'm willing to wait.
The dealer I'm using says they sell a lot of Priuses and the guy there knew a lot about them.
They had one on the lot, but it had too many options for me. I don't need a car with a GPS. I have a Thomas Guide.
friday game is tough. too bad that is not the game that isn't televised. still can't believe sat's game isn't on t.v.
Not that that isn't the ticket to fame and riches; just never liked gimmick bands.
you are fine then. usually people have to wait for the right option pkg. you'll be at the top of the list if you don't need much added.
vr, Xei
That's what we want Drew, people sitting in the bar getting liquored up, downing martinis, before the drive home. With a marketing campaign like that I wouldn't expect MADD to be coming out to the ballpark.
Just as long as they stay away from skyboxes. I feel about skyboxes as Bob feels about Russ Nixon.
Russ Nixon? I have no opinion about him.
I have a brother who is about the same size as me and he hasn't complained about it.
I figure that since the majority of my driving is stop and go, that it would actually be useful for me.
I'm the same size as LAT and I fit into my sister-in-law's Mini quite easily.
I drove a Mazda 323 for years.
There's going to be a whole lot of home runs in that one.
When my uncle retired from McDonnell Douglas in the 70's, he and a partner built a couple of prototype electric cars, incorporated as `Lectra Car'. They promptly sold the company, and it went the way of the L.A. electric steet car.
Brad Hennessey vs. Chris Carpenter in St. Louis.
I once sat third row at a Wishbone Ash/Camel concert at the old Long Beach Auditorium. Kiss was inserted as the second act at the last minute. At the end of their set, the crowd was going crazy, and I was facing away from the stage, yelling at them all to shut up.
Tilting at windmills, that.
I think it's only a matter of time before we are all driving personal aircraft. Have any you guys heard about the NASA Space highway program? basically NASA has software that will create corridors and you'll just get in the personal craft and the computer on board will keep you in your corridor and NASA satellites act as the air craft controllers. This software has led to a lot of research into personal aircraft.
vr, Xei
The head of Toyota was also interested in introducing a range of affordable aircraft.
I'm all for it. I've wanted to fly in the worst way since I was a kid. Waited too long. It's just too damn expensive now.
vr, Xei
vr, Xei
http://tinyurl.com/bpn5a
vr, Xei
A friend of mine has a bet with somebody on that. He bet someone $10,000 that hovercraft will be available for consumer purchase by 2007, and that he'll be driving around in one.
He's a Phillies fan. That probably explains it.
Martinis!"
I think you've stumbled upon Izturis' secret.
vr, Xei
100% rumor at this point.
http://www.redreporter.com/story/2005/8/18/121748/328
vr, Xei
http://ussmariner.com/?p=2895
Take a look. The link's on Jon's sidebar. It's in "News, Notes, and Quotes (August 19, 2005)."
My best friend has a Civic Hybrid.. and it's really cool...
As for me, I have a regular Civic. I actually got my Civic because I realized that I would be able to fit in it (I'm Gagne sized.. 6'3, somewhere in the 235-250 range).
I couldn't stomach spending the extra $6,000 on a hybrid. My Civic doesn't get the same gas mileage as his, but I doubt that during the life of my car that I'm going to spend $6,000 more in gas.
Hybrids are really cool though. If I were to by an Accord or something like that right now, I wouldn't hesitate. I just couldn't see spending the extra money on my car (including fincance charges, but you don't have to worry about that with cash) when I already get a really good MPG without a hybrid.
BTW, I totally love my car, hybrid or not.
I knew Izzy and Phillips were SOBs but I never thought they would be top 10 SOBs in the league.
Also, anyone heard about the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (their SUV built on a Camry base)?
Eric,when did your friend make that bet? 2007 might be tough but your friend might only be a few years off.
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