Play Ball! the 2013 Baseball Thread

[Leferd]

 

No they don't. In 2012, the Giants only had the 5th best pitching staff in the NL by ERA. When you factor in park affects and other factors, Giants pitching staff ranked 20th in the Majors.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2012.shtml

 

Did you watch the 2012 playoffs? I watched every pitch, and there was no staff better than the Giants. They embarrassed the Triple Crown winner at the plate.

When it comes to baseball I trust the numbers more than the eyeball test.

 

And yes. I watched. The Giants were lucky.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Leferd

[Hurlshort]

 

 

No they don't. In 2012, the Giants only had the 5th best pitching staff in the NL by ERA. When you factor in park affects and other factors, Giants pitching staff ranked 20th in the Majors.http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/MLB/2012.shtml

Did you watch the 2012 playoffs? I watched every pitch, and there was no staff better than the Giants. They embarrassed the Triple Crown winner at the plate.

When it comes to baseball I trust the numbers more than the eyeball test.

 

And yes. I watched.

 

 

The most important number is 2, the number of championships they've won.

[Leferd]

Yeah. Good for the Giants. That still doesn't take away that they got lucky. They won more than their share of the coin flips.

[Hurlshort]

That adage about pitching wins in the playoffs has been debunked so many times by Bill James it's a broken record. This isn't the 1990's anymore.

 

It's about scoring more runs than the other team. That doesn't mean go for all power and no pitching and defense. It means having a lineup and pitching staff that will allow your team to score more runs than the other team.

 

Neither the Giants nor the Cardinals are power hitting teams, and they've won the last 3 championships.  I'm not sure what else you need to see.

[Leferd]

In 2012 the Cards were second in the NL in runs scored. This year they lead the NL in runs. Your point?

[Hurlshort]

In 2012 the Cards were second in the NL in runs scored. This year they lead the NL in runs. Your point?

 

Huh, I just looked it up.  Weird, I thought Pujols was their only real power guy.  

 

 

So why didn't they beat the Giants n 2012 again? Bad luck?

 

 

I guess I'll take luck like the Giants over power.

[Leferd]

The Giants were compelling. They were literally a team of destiny. It was a fun and wild ride, especially in 2010. Only thing you could do is down a few shots and enjoy these two teams for what they were:

 

Lucky underdog basterds that fans will talk about as some of the flukiest non back to back champions of all time.

[Hurlshort]

That's way too dismissive of their pitching.  

[Leferd]

Nah. They have decent pitching and three former or present CY young types. I'm dismissive of their hitting.

[ManifestedISO]

So I went to a home in Rancho Santa Fe, here in San Diego County, walked through the doorway, looked left and saw a gold flagpole trophy. Turns out, it belongs to a Giant named Aubrey Huff. I was suitably impressed to see it in person, as well as with Aubrey's personality--he gave me a fist-bump, and I'm a nobody. 

[Leferd]

I'd be impressed if he showed you his wife's panties. Lol. (2010 Giants lore)

[Hurlshort]

Buster Posey won the MVP and Sandoval hit 3 home runs in a World Series game.  They aren't completely devoid of hitting.  I will concede that 2010 was a below average hitting team that got just enough to win tight games, but the 2012 squad was much improved.  Heck, the only reason they aren't 15 games behind is because their hitting won a lot of games early on when the pitching was struggling.  

 

 

Aubrey Huff is pretty awesome.  

[Leferd]

Buster Posey won the MVP and Sandoval hit 3 home runs in a World Series game. They aren't completely devoid of hitting. I will concede that 2010 was a below average hitting team that got just enough to win tight games, but the 2012 squad was much improved. Heck, the only reason they aren't 15 games behind is because their hitting won a lot of games early on when the pitching was struggling.

 

 

Aubrey Huff is pretty awesome.

The 2012 squad hit 103 home runs. Next closest team were the Dodgers with 116. 5 other teams hit more than 200.

 

Posey is legit. Sabaen needs to surround him with better hitters. It's not like he doesn't have a budget to work with.

 

Spending $42 million combined on Lincecum and Zito for this year doesn't help. Considering that's almost the entirety of the A's budget for 40 players. How are the Giants neighbors doing this year?

Edited July 6, 2013 by Leferd

[Hurlshort]

The A's are doing great.  They are built on good pitching as well.

[Leferd]

Sorry, I'm reliving 2001 again (pre Moneyball era) with tonight's exchange. Hahaha!

 

Heated arguments with my my more traditionalist friends. Things were new and sites like Baseball Prospectus and Baseball Primer were at their infancy and lots of research and peer reviewed material was shared:

 

(OBP = life, Runs Created, WARP, Win Shares, k/bb, k/9, BA = overrated, W-L = overrated, 1 run strategies, fallacies of small ball, Ken Phelps All Stars, and playoffs are a crapshoot, Earl Weaver is God and Billy Beane is his prophet, and how could anyone in their right mind actually think that Junior Griffey was actually better than Barry Bonds??? Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics)

 

I was a Giants fan secretly worshipping at the feet of Billy Beane and just furious at Sabaen for not constructing a team that would take full advantage of Barry Bond's talent.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Leferd

[Guard Dog]

Watching the Rays/White Sox game on Fox. I wish they would drop the 70's "fauxback" uniforms. It's one thing for the Sox to do it. They actually existed in the 70's. The Rays should wear the old Class A Tampa Tarpons uniforms like they used to do on throwback night. So far Matt More and Chris Sale have both been sharp. Longoria made a hell of a play in the 3rd with an unassisted double play.

[Guard Dog]

So the giants let Lincecum back in the rotation and all he does is throw a no-hitter. Nice to see him get back on track! And how about the Rays, all they have done is won 9 of the last 10. And the Marlins have a 24-16 record over their last 40 games. Who would have thought? 

[Leferd]

Good to see Lincecum have a great outing like that. But...148 pitches??? He doesn't have the most robust frame to begin with....hope his arm doesn't fall off. Then again he is the "Freak."

[Guard Dog]

How about them Rays! 17 wins in their last 19 games. Look behind you Red Sox. Now they are playing in Boston starting tonight. Must See TV!

Edited July 22, 2013 by Guard Dog

[Hurlshort]

I'm going to the Giants/Reds doubleheader tomorrow, pretty stoked!

 

I'm also a bit grateful that the ticket prices were pretty low thanks to the Giants having a terrible last month.

[kgambit]

First head to roll:  Ryan Braun suspended for rest of season (65 games) without pay.    Braun's suspension falls under the commissioner's powers of discipline for "just cause" rather than the JDA, which relates to failed drug tests.  Braun did not appeal the suspension and will begin serving it immediately.
 

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20130722/ryan-braun-biogenesis-mlb-suspension/?sct=hp_t11_a7&eref=sihp

[Volourn]

"Braun's suspension falls under the commissioner's powers of discipline for "just cause""
 

Talk about a stupid rule. 'Just cause'. That could literally be used for anything. As a player, I'd push to see him use that on me then i'd sue for abuse of power.

 

 

As for the drug suspension, meh, the witch hunt over such things as annoy me. Big deal. Someone sued drugs.  it hurts nobody else and does not make someone a better player. if it did, there wouldn't have been that yahoo who was suspended twice who who beyond horrible. Such a waste of resources, time, and money.

[Hurlshort]

So Volourn is a full on supporter of steroids, I didn't see that coming.  You are usually pretty aggro about people who cheat and do things illegally.

 

Is your argument really that performance enhancing drugs don't enhance performance?

 

I think the federal government chasing retired athletes around is ridiculous, but MLB dealing with current players who are cheating seems like a no brainer.

 

Volourn, it doesn't bother you that Ryan Braun lied through his teeth to everyone about this?  

Edited July 23, 2013 by Hurlshot

[Volourn]

"So Volourn is a full on supporter of steroids, I didn't see that coming.  You are usually pretty aggro about people who cheat and do things illegally."
 

I'm not against people 'breaking the law'. I'm against people who do immoral thuings. I don't think steroids  is any more cheating then pumping up a player full of pain killers so they cna play through painful injuries that they otherwise couldn't do. I don't supports just ebcause they are laws. I support legit laws and rules. ie. piracy is theft and when you commit it you are stealing and hurting someone else. That is not the case of steroids.

 

 

 

 

"Is your argument really that performance enhancing drugs don't enhance performance?"

 

My argument is that it doesn't make a player better substantially if at all. Look at all the players who have been caught taking them. Sure, you have guys like Rodriguez 9one of the best players in the last 2 decades not coutning the last couple of seasons) but you have a crap load of subpar or even outright horrible players being cauight like the guy i mentioned in my last post.

 

I also don't like the 'holier than thou attitude' MLB has now since they highly encouraged players to take the steroids, and relished all the money and hype they got from players taking it.  The so called 'Steroid Era' is one of baseball's most successful and popular eras and now they want to throw the players who made them even richer in the garbage yet Bud Selig is allowed to go on his merry way.

 

For every top player who has atken steroids and been successful there are probably 100s who have taken it and haven't done or gone anywhere for it to matter. This idea that Alex Rodriguez is as good as he because of steroids is plain stupid.

[Hurlshort]

You are really ok with players sacrificing their long term health to get an edge in a game?  For someone who typically champions player's rights, you seem awfully willing to jeopardize their health for some better stats.