'
Wow, the Yanks are apparently going to sign Travis Lee for $2 million. That's a lot of money for a backup first baseman. But, I guess if money grows on trees, then it's a solid move. It protects them if Giambi gets hurt and allows them to DH Giambi every so often (and give Lofton a day off). I guess Tony the Tiger's Yankee career is over. Oh well, just $750k wasted on him.
You could make a very good argument that Seguignol would have provided just as good offense as Lee, if not better. Of course, Lee is much better with the glove.
It's really hard to evaluate Yankee moves because they're the only team that doesn't seem to have a budget.
I actually think the Padres have a shot at winning the West this year. Yes, they were the worst team in the league last year, but the West is wide open. The DBacks and Dodgers weren't that great last year, and each lost one of the best pitchers in baseball (Schilling and Brown). The Giants are still largely a one-man team, so if Bonds misses significant time or somehow comes back to earth, they could be in trouble. Plus, they lost Cruz and Aurilia (who they're replacing with Neifi Perez).
Here's a very rudimentary look at the NL West offenses based on EQAs from last year for their starters (.260 is average):
Giles .322
Loretta .291
Nevin .289
Klesko .287
Payton .278
Burroughs .275
R.Hernandez .272
K. Greene .232
Total = .281 overall
Bonds .420 (maaaaaan)
Snow .290
Pierzynski .285
Durham .284
Grissom .276
Alfonzo .262
Tucker .253
Neifi .224
Total = .287
LGonz .308
Big Sexy .308
Finley .284
Cintron .280
Hammock .271
Hillenbrand .262
Alomar .250
Bautista .247
Total = .276
Roberts .248
Trammell .270 (2002 #, he played so little last year)
Encarnacion .264
Green .289
Lo Duca .257
Beltre .251
Cora .225
Itzuris .216
Total = .253
Helton .345
Walker .300
Wilson .279
Burnitz .267
Castilla .262
C. Johnson .252
Clayton .225
Aaron Miles .240 (MjEQA based on minor league #s)
Total = .271
To summarize:
Giants .288
Padres .281
DBacks .276
Rockies .271
Dodgers .253
I think the Padres are one of the 2 best offenses in the division, and could wind up the best. Of course, the Giants probably have better pitching, but if the young guys (Peavy, Eaton, Lawrence) have big years and Wells stays healthy, the rotation could surprise. And the bullpen is very solid with Hoffman, Beck, Witasick, Osuna, and Akinori Otsuka.
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Look at me! I'm Peter Gammons! "If Al Leiter and Tom Glavine live out the movie "Cocoon" and get younger, Scott Strickland establishes himself as an dominant closer, Cliff Floyd joins the elite 40/40 club, and Matsui proves himself better than Ichiro and Godzilla combined, the Mets could contend for the NL East. But watch out for the Phillies. And the Braves. The Marlins should be back strong. And the Expos are always pesky. So the Mets might win. Or they might not."
JAMES BALDWIN AND RICKY BOTTALICO? What about Mark Clark and Randy Myers?
JAMES BALDWIN AND RICKY BOTTALICO? What about Mark Clark and Randy Myers?
Monday, February 09, 2004
so BORED!
when is stickball opening day???
when is fantasy draft?????????
when is baseball opening day????
(of course, once baseball season actually starts i am quite prepared to be bored.
is it too much to ask from the mets that we have one starting pitcher where we say, "man! i can't wait to see mr. x pitch!!!" have we ever had a more boring selection of pitchers than last year and now this year??
when is stickball opening day???
when is fantasy draft?????????
when is baseball opening day????
(of course, once baseball season actually starts i am quite prepared to be bored.
is it too much to ask from the mets that we have one starting pitcher where we say, "man! i can't wait to see mr. x pitch!!!" have we ever had a more boring selection of pitchers than last year and now this year??
Sunday, February 08, 2004
New York Post actually wrote about UZR today! They used it to claim that Cameron is the best fielder in baseball.
Friday, February 06, 2004
*
According to Baseball Prospectus's EQA, Seguignol was the best hitter in the minors last year. He didn't have a very good 2002 in Japan. His major league numbers were pretty good until an absolutely horrible 50 ABs in 2001.
I don't think it's fair to compare him to Zeile because he doesn't play third. In fact, I believe he has a rep for being very bad defensively, and probably limited to 1B. I can understand the rationale for not wanting to waste a roster spot on a bench player who can only play 1B and not well.
On the other hand, I think it's odd that no team would have been willing to give him a shot in spring training, particularly an AL team where he could DH. It's also unclear how much time Piazza's going to spend at 1B. Phillips may have been a bit of a fluke last year. I still think instead of Seguignol, I would have gone with someone who could play third like Branyan, Lamb, or Houston. If we want someone just at 1B, Travis Lee is still out there, and might be pretty cheap.
All that said, I think an argument can be made that the Yankees should've held on to him. He's a nice bat off the bench and insurance in case Giambi gets hurt.
I Cheer Boston:
Game 7 of the American League Championship Series with the Yankees, a Thursday night game that lasted past midnight, drew a bigger TV rating in Boston than the New England Patriots' Super Bowl victory Sunday. The Red Sox-Yankees game had a 53.9 rating compared with 52.2 for the Patriots vs. Carolina.
Great article giving a very personal look at Bonds.
Here are some good quotes from it:
Aurilia says, ''The rest of us play in the major leagues. He's at another level on a planet with a name none of us even know how to pronounce.''
''It's a joke, man,'' catcher Benito Santiago says. ``The rest of us should just spend all our time in the dugout bowing to him.''
And here's a completely unrelated absurd quote:
“Tom Seaver was so good that blind people came out to Shea Stadium just to hear him pitch” – Reggie Jackson
According to Baseball Prospectus's EQA, Seguignol was the best hitter in the minors last year. He didn't have a very good 2002 in Japan. His major league numbers were pretty good until an absolutely horrible 50 ABs in 2001.
I don't think it's fair to compare him to Zeile because he doesn't play third. In fact, I believe he has a rep for being very bad defensively, and probably limited to 1B. I can understand the rationale for not wanting to waste a roster spot on a bench player who can only play 1B and not well.
On the other hand, I think it's odd that no team would have been willing to give him a shot in spring training, particularly an AL team where he could DH. It's also unclear how much time Piazza's going to spend at 1B. Phillips may have been a bit of a fluke last year. I still think instead of Seguignol, I would have gone with someone who could play third like Branyan, Lamb, or Houston. If we want someone just at 1B, Travis Lee is still out there, and might be pretty cheap.
All that said, I think an argument can be made that the Yankees should've held on to him. He's a nice bat off the bench and insurance in case Giambi gets hurt.
I Cheer Boston:
Game 7 of the American League Championship Series with the Yankees, a Thursday night game that lasted past midnight, drew a bigger TV rating in Boston than the New England Patriots' Super Bowl victory Sunday. The Red Sox-Yankees game had a 53.9 rating compared with 52.2 for the Patriots vs. Carolina.
Great article giving a very personal look at Bonds.
Here are some good quotes from it:
Aurilia says, ''The rest of us play in the major leagues. He's at another level on a planet with a name none of us even know how to pronounce.''
''It's a joke, man,'' catcher Benito Santiago says. ``The rest of us should just spend all our time in the dugout bowing to him.''
And here's a completely unrelated absurd quote:
“Tom Seaver was so good that blind people came out to Shea Stadium just to hear him pitch” – Reggie Jackson
Ryan, I assume this guy, who went unclaimed when the Yankees put him on waivers, is also better than Zeile (and probably cheaper)?
Yankees sold the contract of infielder Fernando Seguignol to the Nippon
Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League. The 29-year-old Seguignol hit
341/.401/.624 in 402 AB for Triple-A Columbus last season.
Yankees sold the contract of infielder Fernando Seguignol to the Nippon
Ham Fighters of Japan's Pacific League. The 29-year-old Seguignol hit
341/.401/.624 in 402 AB for Triple-A Columbus last season.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Mets signed RHP Scott Erickson to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
-that sure is worth a shot. Why, just 12 years ago, he was pretty good! Is Teddy Higuera looking for a shot?
about the knicks, I'm in a rooting limbo- if they do well, they'll just embarass themselves in the playoffs, and if they do poorly, they have no draft pick.
-that sure is worth a shot. Why, just 12 years ago, he was pretty good! Is Teddy Higuera looking for a shot?
about the knicks, I'm in a rooting limbo- if they do well, they'll just embarass themselves in the playoffs, and if they do poorly, they have no draft pick.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Mike Lamb is a solid pickup for the Yanks. He and Houston are both probably slightly below average hitters; either one would form a decent LH part of a platoon. The problem is that neither of them is very good defensively from what I hear, which is more of a problem because of the rest of the Yankees' infield defense. They'll probably get someone else, but this is nice insurance in case they don't.
And I think either of those guys would have made more sense for the Mets than Zeile because they signed minor league deals, are cheaper, and are lefthanded (better able to sub for our righthanded 3B and 1B).
And I think I'd take Villone over Erickson or Baldwin. I wouldn't give any of them a guaranteed deal, but I guess it couldn't hurt to bring one of them into spring training to battle it out with Heilman, Griffiths, Yates, and Roberts. Argh, why didn't we sign Batista?
And I think either of those guys would have made more sense for the Mets than Zeile because they signed minor league deals, are cheaper, and are lefthanded (better able to sub for our righthanded 3B and 1B).
And I think I'd take Villone over Erickson or Baldwin. I wouldn't give any of them a guaranteed deal, but I guess it couldn't hurt to bring one of them into spring training to battle it out with Heilman, Griffiths, Yates, and Roberts. Argh, why didn't we sign Batista?
the only problem the yanks have is that they are gay.
yo, the past few years have made me a very bitter sports fan.
even with marbury, i still avidly cheer against the knicks now.
and this year, i will be more in anticipation of when giambi suffers a knee blowout at first this year than i will be in anticipation for a mets game.
at least the isles are 8 points clear of the 'gers.........bro.
yo, the past few years have made me a very bitter sports fan.
even with marbury, i still avidly cheer against the knicks now.
and this year, i will be more in anticipation of when giambi suffers a knee blowout at first this year than i will be in anticipation for a mets game.
at least the isles are 8 points clear of the 'gers.........bro.
The Mets have been exchanging parameters with Scott Erickson's agents on a
minor league deal and believe they are getting close to signing the right-hander.
The Mets are also looking at Ron Villone and James Baldwin as candidates to
become their fifth starter.
Oh, sweet, that's a nice batch to choose from. I hear Rook's available...
minor league deal and believe they are getting close to signing the right-hander.
The Mets are also looking at Ron Villone and James Baldwin as candidates to
become their fifth starter.
Oh, sweet, that's a nice batch to choose from. I hear Rook's available...
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
according to espn, bill beli-chick is a big fan of sabermetrics and almost never goes for two because, according to the percentages, of its poor ramifications for score differential the rest of the game.
while a proponent of the two simply because its more fun, john fox's decision to go for 2 with 12.5 minutes remaining was quite dubious, showed a lack of faith in his offense's ability to get in the end zone again. many have said it, the better coach usually wins the super bowl. but for real, fuck the 2-point try, casey's kick, we all know, did them in. what a disaster. so frustrating.
it seems like this year especially, beginning with the gints disaster in san fran, kickers have ruined many a team. the saints for instance, the giants all season, and now the cats. ouch. that's why kickers are so stupid, they're not really part of the team, they practice seperately, wear different helmets, and then they ruin the real work of the rest of the team by fucking up one of the most basic rules, DON'T KICK OUT OF BOUNDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOURTH QUARTER!!!!!! -sigh- let them try and run it back, who cares, but don't spot them at the 40, gah- so frustrating.
while a proponent of the two simply because its more fun, john fox's decision to go for 2 with 12.5 minutes remaining was quite dubious, showed a lack of faith in his offense's ability to get in the end zone again. many have said it, the better coach usually wins the super bowl. but for real, fuck the 2-point try, casey's kick, we all know, did them in. what a disaster. so frustrating.
it seems like this year especially, beginning with the gints disaster in san fran, kickers have ruined many a team. the saints for instance, the giants all season, and now the cats. ouch. that's why kickers are so stupid, they're not really part of the team, they practice seperately, wear different helmets, and then they ruin the real work of the rest of the team by fucking up one of the most basic rules, DON'T KICK OUT OF BOUNDS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FOURTH QUARTER!!!!!! -sigh- let them try and run it back, who cares, but don't spot them at the 40, gah- so frustrating.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)