|
|
1986 Game 6 re-enactment
Sat, Apr 15 2006 10:20AM |  |
|  | | Really, what could be better than watching Game 6 of the 1986 World Series re-enacted on Nintendo's RBI Baseball? |
| Boston Schlemiels
Sat, Oct 8 2005 12:35PM | |
| We have a slogan around here: 'Any group of schlemiels can win once.' We gotta win more than once
-Larry Lucchino, BoSox CEO
Get your schlemiel shirts here | | 1 comment |
| Rodrigo warms-up before the game
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:26AM | |
|  |
|
Jeffrey Maier, 10 years later
Sun, Apr 9 2006 11:36AM | |
|  | In the 1996 ALCS, the Orioles were robbed of a playoff win and quite possibly a trip to the World Series.
As for the Yankees, Jeffrey Maier may be the cheapest MVP they've ever had. The 1996 season marked the beginning of their current psuedo-dynasty and the gradual decline of the Orioles to somewhere between mediocre and a AAAA ball club.
Yes, the Orioles won the division in 1997, but they haven't had a winning record since that season and haven't finished within 20 games of first place since 2000. The Yankees, meanwhile, finished second in 1997 and then went on to win the division every season since 1998, grabbing 4 World Series titles in the process (including 1996).
Jeffrey Maier is now playing collegiate ball for Wesleyan University in Connecticut. His numbers are pretty good and he's 4 hits away from tying the school record. Steinbrenner at least owes the kid a shot in the Yankees' minor league system. And given that the Yankees don't so much develop their talent as buy it, I figure they can trade him to the Orioles for Tejada -- or something equally lopsided (Miggy could play 2B) -- and a few years from now maybe the O's will be back in the postseason and Maier can redeem himself by getting a series-winning hit (preferably against the Yankees).
I can dream, can't I? | | 1 comment |
| Safeco Field 4
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:24AM | |
|  |
| Safeco Field 3
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:23AM | |
|  |
| Safeco Field 2
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:22AM | |
|  |
|
Owning stats
Mon, Jan 16 2006 11:19AM | |
| Why should a Web-based company have to pay to use baseball stats when newspapers and magazines don't?
I'm hoping this case will be DOA thanks to the precedent set in the NBA v. Motorola case, but if it goes in MLB's favor it sets an interesting precedent. Will print publications have to pay fees to print stats? Will MLB be able to (or try to) prosecute bloggers who provide the same data?
Baseball has made a strong recovery since the '94 strike season and though I have no hard evidence to prove it, I'm thinking the increased popularity of Internet-based fantasy leagues probably helped the sport regain its popularity. It'd be a shame to see such a great (free) marketing tool take a hit because of the league's greed. | | 1 comment |
| Safeco Field 1
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:21AM | |
|  |
|
Jailed bird
Tue, Dec 13 2005 06:01PM | |
|  | Now if only he could be jailed for pitching while impared.
His lawyer, Andrew Alperstein, has said Ponson had stayed away from alcohol since his Aug. 25 arrest on a highway in southwest Baltimore.
If by 'alcohol' you mean 'off-season conditioning,' then yes. | | 1 comment |
| Yankees = not so good
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:18AM | |
|  |
| Scoreboard 2
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:17AM | |
|  |
|
Mad Miggy
Fri, Dec 9 2005 09:51AM | |
|  | So Miguel Tejada has finally realized that the Orioles aren't really trying to field a competitive team (and are probably trying to be just slightly better than the Nats, but even that isn't working out).
I say trade him.
The Orioles need pitching talent; their offense is already above-average and with the signing of Roberto Hernandez, Javy should be able to stay healthy and put up numbers closer to his 2003 totals. Yes, Javy and Migs in the same lineup would be ideal, but Tejada is a valuable enough commodity (how many power-hitting shortstops [who actually play SS] have defense like his?) that the O's should be able to get two or three top prospects and maybe a young player with potential for power like a Wily Mo Pena or an Aubrey Huff.
My prediction: a multi-team deal that sends Miggy to Boston, ships ManRam somewhere warm(Peter Angelos is too stingy to do a one-for-one), and lands a couple of pitching prospects and a Pena- or Huff-like caliber player in the Orioles' dugout. Leo Mazzone will take care of the pitching, and the new offensive cog should be able to adapt to a lineup with Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora, Javy, Jay Gibbons, and Eric Byrnes (and if he does well enough in the spring, add Jeff Fiorentino to that list). |
| Scoreboard 1
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:14AM | |
|  |
| Swarmed at 2nd (2 of 2)
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:14AM | |
|  | | 90 comments |
| Swarmed at 2nd (1 of 2)
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:13AM | |
|  |
|
O's get a real pitching coach
Thu, Oct 20 2005 05:22AM | |
|  | Leo Mazzone has agreed to a 3-year deal with the Orioles.
At the very least, if his name doesn't enable them to sign a reputable arm or two, Mike Flanagan has failed as a GM. I'm not saying the O's will roll-off 15 division titles beacuse of it, but I'll bet they finish higher than the Blues Jays in '06. | | 3 comments |
| Field of Dreams 3
Sun, Jun 26 2005 03:53PM | |
|  |
| Field of Dreams 2
Sun, Jun 26 2005 03:51PM | |
|  | | The Kinsella's house. |
|
October baseball
Sun, Oct 2 2005 08:12PM | |
|  | On Tuesday, the best part of the year officially begins: MLB playoffs. Can the Red Sox repeat? Will the White Sox break out of their futility and win their first post-season series since 1917? Has George Steinbrenner bought himself another winning team? Or will the Padres go unbeaten and win it all in 11 games?
I say none of the above. And I'm sticking with my original prediction (see linked post) of the Braves over the Red Sox in 6. That's not to say that I'm rooting for the Braves, it's just my gut. And I'll stick my neck out farther and give the WS MVP to Rafael Furcal.
Not that anyone cares, but this is my blog, dammit, and this is what I'd like to see happen:
ChiSox swept by BoSox in ALDS because I can't stand Ozzie Guillen
Angels over Yankees in 4
Cardinals over Padres in 4
Astros over Braves in 5
Angels over BoSox in 6
Astros over Cardinals in 7
Astros over Angels in 5, giving long-deserved rings to Biggio and Bagwell; Morgan Ensberg as series MVP | | 1 comment |
| Mora makes contact
Mon, May 30 2005 08:57AM | |
|  | | Not bad for an upper deck shot... |
| |
This one goes to 19
Sat, Aug 20 2005 10:15PM | |
|  | The Royals ended their 19-game streak of futility tonight with a 2-1 victory against Oakland (and Barry Zito, no less). If they had managed 2 more losses, they would have matched Baltimore's record of 21-straight (the first 21 games of the 1988 season).
I was hoping for 22-straight to remove that distinction from my team's record, but I really should know better by now. But they could still acheive new levels of futility...If they manage to lose the rest of their road games this season they'll surpass the Philadelphia A's 1916 record of 64 road losses; if they manage to finish the season going 3-38 they'll lose 120, topping(?) the AL mark set by Detroit in 2003 and tie the mark set by the Amazin's in 1962. However they finish the season, they seem likely to lose more than the 105 games they lost last year.
Meanwhile...wouldn't it be interesting if the ChiSox continue their free-fall and found themselves in a wild card race instead of running away with the division? | | 5 comments |
| Predictions
Sun, Apr 3 2005 04:27PM | |
| My predictions for the 2005 season:
AL East - Red Sox
AL Central - Twins
AL West - Angels
AL Wild Card - A's
NL East - Marlins
NL Central - Cardinals
NL West - Padres
NL Wild Card - Braves
World Series: Braves over Red Sox in 6 |
| Make Opening Day a holiday
Sun, Apr 3 2005 02:01PM | |
| | Make Opening Day a holiday! Sign the petition here. |
|
Yankees fan
Wed, Aug 10 2005 06:02AM | |
| Ok, so I understand that the Yankees aren't playing up to their payroll's expectations, but isn't this kind of desperation on the part of fans a little premature? I mean, c'mon! There are 51 games left!
"That was the only exciting thing that happened today," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said after Chicago's 2-1 victory. | | 1 comment |
|
Another Joe Morgan critic
Tue, Aug 9 2005 06:10PM | |
| http://firejoemorgan.blogspot.com/
The title says it all. It's more of an anti-ESPN blog, though he makes valid arguments about Joe Morgan's (in)abilities. In his criticism of Kruk I think he over does it. Does anyone really think his role on BBTN is for anything other than a Madden-esque rambling commentary? |
|
Kenny Rogers reinstated
Tue, Aug 9 2005 06:03PM | |
|  | So Kenny Rogers' suspension was reduced from 20 to 13 games.
This is beyond stupid. Apparently Don Fehr doesn't use logic when deciding which player suspensions the Players' Union should appeal. For once I actually agree with Bud Selig. | | 1 comment |
| |
Mazzilli canned
Thu, Aug 4 2005 05:16PM | |
|  | So the Orioles fired Lee Mazzilli today. I guess somebody had to get the axe, and there were rumors of acrimony between Mazzilli and Angelos, but it's not Mazzilli's fault that Beattie and Flanagan couldn't add another pitcher to the rotation before the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, the O's beat the Angels today for their fourth win since the All-Star break. I expect they'll hover somewhere within 10 games of .500 for the rest of the season under Sam Perlozzo's guidance. As for an eventual replacement..who knows? It shouldn't take much to persuade Lou Piniella to leave Tampa Bay; maybe they'll give Dempsey a shot; and whatever happened to Cito Gaston? |
| |
Disappointed
Mon, Aug 1 2005 04:42PM | |
|  | Well, I didn't think the Orioles post-All Star break could get any worse...pitchers hit by batted balls on consecutive days, starting pitchers not lasting past the 5th inning, suffering a 4-game sweep to the ChiSox (in Baltimore), and now Raffy goes from icon to every sports journalists' doormat (and probably with good reason).
I hate being an Orioles fan. And I still blame Jeffrey Mayer for all of this, and for making Jeter seem better than he really is. The O's collapse was inevitable, but the could've at least made the stretch run a little more interesting than the usual NYY-BoSox love-in. Their only hope now is a mid-season transfer to the NL West and maybe seeing if Eric Byrnes can pitch.
To hell with the O's. I'm pulling for an Oakland-Houston World Series (and for the ChiSox to get swept in the ALCS). |
| |
ManRam
Sun, Jul 31 2005 11:50AM | |
|  | I don't get it.
Now Manny wants to stay in Boston?
The Red Sox needed another OF, and Jose Cruz, Jr. should be a good fit hitting 6th or 7th behind Varitek or Millar. And it gives the Sox the chance to use Manny as a DH more often while improving their defense in the outfield.
In the meantime, it's sad that the Orioles haven't managed to add another arm to their pitching staff. Trading Bigbie for Byrnes achieves nothing. If they lose more than 3 games this week their chances at making the playoffs are essentially dead (esp. with the way the Yankees and A's have been playing after the break). | | 2 comments |
| |
Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe
Fri, Jul 29 2005 05:40PM | |
|  | Oooh, look! A can of worms!
So this guy is proposing an alternative to enshrining the two most famous (and disputed) non-Hall-of-Famers. Once you get over the fact that his rambling is a cheap knock-off of Terence Mann in Field of Dreams, he's basically proposing a glorified roadside stand/shrine.
It's been several years since I've been to Cooperstown, but I can't imagine this type of attraction would really fit in with the surrounding area. And could it actually make these two ballplayers seem more pathetic - i.e., would it have more of a heads-of-traitors-on-London-Bridge effect rather than the desired nostalgic effect?
I don't think Rose should be enshrined, but there's a compelling argument for Jackson... | | 2 comments |
| |
Raffy's 3000th
Sat, Jul 16 2005 12:08AM | |
|  | We went to Safeco Field tonight and saw Rafael Palmeiro get his 3000th career hit - an uncharacteristic double down the LEFT field line. In this shot you can actually see the ball (a blur just above the 3rd baseline over the warning track in front of the dugout). If you haven't already heard, he's the 26th player to reach the 3000 hit mark (only needs 1256 more to catch Rose) and only the 4th player to reach 3000 hits and 500+ home runs (joining Aaron, Mays, and Murray).
Despite this, Skip Bayless is a chode and says Raffy's not a first-ballot Hall of Famer. I think his arguments are crap, but then again I'm biased. | | 4 comments |
| |
Boo Sheff
Tue, Jul 12 2005 02:01PM | |
|  | Gary Sheffield says he won't play in the World Baseball Classic because:
"My season is when I get paid...I'm not doing that. ... I'm not sacrificing my body or taking a chance on an injury for something that's made up."
This is ridiculous. The Classic is a good idea because it will help to internationalize the sport and raise its profile in the States. Propagating the notion that all pro athletes are just in it for the money doesn't help the sport.
Sure there's the risk of getting injured, but athletes 'risking' themselves to represent their country isn't without precedent (see: World Cup). Consider also that the minimum number of games a team would play is 3, and the maximum is 8. | | 6 comments |
| |
10th Anniversary of The Streak
Thu, Jul 7 2005 10:59PM | |
|  | A little less than two months from now marks the 10th anniversary of Cal Ripken, Jr. breaking Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played (September 6th).
To commemorate the event, the Ripken Foundation is selling wrist bands at $2 each with all proceeds benefiting the Cal Sr. Foundation and the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
On a related note, it pisses me off that MLB has latched on to these charity wristbands as a "collectible craze" and sells them for profit in most team's colors. Tacky.
I noticed that there were no Orioles' wristbands on MLB's site, but I think I've seen them...can't be sure though. | | 4 comments |
| |
Joe Morgan hates Moneyball
Wed, Jul 6 2005 04:09PM | |
|  | This article in SF Weekly takes Joe Morgan to task for dismissing the school of Sabermetric thought. I hadn't really noticed Morgan's disdain for Moneyball, Billy Beane, etc., but then again I haven't been able to watch a ballgame on ESPN for about a month now.
I think my favorite quote from the article is this one that comments on Morgan's broadcasting (in)ability:
"there were things he'd say that were completely counter to the way he played the game. It was the way he'd combine certain ideas. He'll make a reasonable statement, then combine it with a totally outlandish statement that makes no sense whatsoever." ... "His logic takes this leap. It's kind of ingenious in its own way." (Surprisingly, Carminati enjoys the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts. "You have to be in the right frame of mind," he says. "It's like watching Reefer Madness.")
I've always seen (and appreciated) baseball as a stats-centered game. I don't understand why Morgan can't/won't give some credence to the argument that Moneyball is a valid approach to team building (as opposed to, say, the Steinbrenner approach of buying all the big names).
Is Morgan simply failing to adapt to a new age of baseball appreciation? In the age of the Internet, Sportscenter and ESPNNews, Moneyball, Bill James, and SABR seem to be more valuable than weathered scouts and crusty veterans.
Am I making too much of baseball statistically? Or is Morgan in the minority? | | 7 comments |
| |
|
Field of Dreams 1
Sun, Jun 26 2005 03:07PM | |
|  | | The Field of Dreams. Unfortunately, the corn wasn't nearly high enough, so there were no ghost players. | | 1 comment |
| |
Mecca
Mon, May 30 2005 08:54AM | |
|  | Oriole Park at Camden Yards on a perfect Memorial Day weekend.
Perfect until the O's lost anyway... | | 1 comment |
| |
Yankee problems
Wed, May 4 2005 07:49AM | |
|  | Just a few observations about the Yankees' miserable start:
In innings 1-6 they're batting .292 with an OPS of .823, in innings 7+ they're batting .231 with an OPS of .676.
Pitching staff has a WHIP of 1.52.
Opposing hitters are teeing off on Yankee pitching to the tune of a .303 average (that's the worst BAA in MLB), that inflates to .324 with runners on base, and .385 when the bases are loaded.
The bullpen has blown 5 of 8 save opportunities.
Opponents are batting .380 against Kevin Brown.
Kevin Brown is getting paid $15.7 million this season :-) | | 8 comments |
| |
Why the Dodgers will falter
Wed, Apr 20 2005 09:37AM | |
|  | The Los Angeles Dodgers currently hold the best record in baseball and are riding a 7-game win streak. They've done it against teams with a combined 25-29 record (SF, SD, Arizona, and Milwaukee). Their schedule stays soft with their next 14 games against SD, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington. Then comes a 16 game stretch (with no off days) against Cincinnati, St. Louis, Atlanta, Florida, and the Angels.
With Wilson Alvarez and Brad Penny on the DL, Scott Erickson and Elmer Dessens have taken the 4 and 5 spots in the rotation. Erickson's career has been riddled with injuries in recent years and Dessens is a middle-reliever turned starter until Alvarez or Penny is healthy enough to pitch. Also, consider that Erickson, Penny, and Alvarez have struggled with injuries and chronic ailments and Wilson Alvarez (currently on the DL) hasn't won more than 10 games since 1997. With pitching this shaky, the current win streak has got to be close to an end.
That's not to say there aren't bright spots to the rotation. Derek Lowe should win 15 this season (esp. since he's out of Fenway) and Weaver could do the same if he has the offense to back him. But Gagne's nursing a sore elbow and Yhency Brazoban is probably too young and inexperienced at this point to fill the closer void left by Gagne. Once hitters see Brazoban a few times he'll get knocked around more (this will be problematic in upcoming series with SD and Arizona if Gagne isn't healthy by then). When Penny comes back, his elbow is a liability too and management may limit his pitch count, putting more pressure on the bullpen.
The bullpen has only one lefty, Kelly Wunsch, who pitched all of 2 innings last season and hasn't pitched more than 60 since 2000. Unless they acquire a new southpaw or bring someone up from the farm system, the Dodgers will undoubtedly face bullpen problems by the All-Star break.
Offensively, the Dodgers are reliant on Kent and Bradley. JD Drew, to date, has under-produced and batting before Kent you'd think he'd be getting more opportunities to hit, he may yet improve, but he had better protection last year in the Braves' lineup with the likes of Marcus Giles, Chipper, and Johnny Estrada. Batting after a rookie like Repko or a mediocre 1B like Choi doesn't help much.
I'm thinking the Dodgers will do a little better than .500 over the next 14 games (9-5) and then fade over the following 16. Look for San Francisco to move up over the next month with 12 games against Pittsburgh and Colorado. |
| |
|
Parity?
Fri, Apr 15 2005 07:51AM | |
|  | Of the 6 teams currently leading their divisions, only Seattle and Los Angeles (NL) have payrolls in the top half of the entire league. The other four, Toronto, Milwaukee, Washington, and Minnesota have a combined payroll of ~$190.5 million. That's about $15.5 million less than the total payroll of the Yankees.
Maybe a mid-market team other than Minnesota, Florida, or Oakland will contend for a playoff spot this season. San Diego? Texas if they manage to piece together a pitching consistency?
I see the Brewers falling back to earth now that they don't play Pittsburgh for a while...the Blue Jays could surprise though... |
| |
Foolish optimism
Tue, Apr 5 2005 08:54AM | |
|  | Orioles? Lack of pitching? Nonsense.
They'll contend for the wild card until a spectacular collapse in mid-September; you read it here first. |
| |
Dirty Sanchez
Mon, Apr 4 2005 07:26AM | |
|  | So MLB's new steroid policy nabs its first victim.
Alex Sanchez? The guy has 4 career home runs and 95 RBI. He has more stolen bases than RBI for chrissakes. Manny Ramirez has that many home runs by week two of the season and that many RBI by the All-star break. Fans won't buy the new policy until it catches someone big: a Bonds, Sosa, Sheffield, or Thomas.
It's good that MLB is actually serious about implementing this plan, but depending on how Sanchez' appeal goes, the league could end up with egg on its face.
To quote Monty Python, "How do you know she's a witch?" | | 1 comment |
| |
Rites of spring
Sun, Apr 3 2005 01:57PM | |
|  | | Today is a holy day. Observe it by watching the Yankees and Sox at 8. Failure to do so will anger the baseball gods. | | 13 comments |
| |
|
Snee
Baseball pics, thoughts, rants, etc.
