Whelp...

I have been slavishly writing here for years and years trying not to miss a day. I have written through travel days and business meetings and long trips. I started every vacation day sitting here making sure I didn't miss a day and fulfilling some inner goal.<br /><br />So, my first day of vacation is here and I slept late. And instead of immediately starting my vacation day plan, I sat here (late) and said, "I have to write my post!" Actually...no, I don't. I am on vacation!<br /><br />And so, my friends, I am taking a holiday. I will not be writing until July 7. I apologize to my regulars. But I am not apologizing to myself. It's time of a holiday and I am going to enjoy it.<br /><br />I'll see you in eighteen days.

Whelp...

I have been slavishly writing here for years and years trying not to miss a day. I have written through travel days and business meetings an...

+ Read more »

MLB Game Picks - Tuesday: April 7, 2015

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Well...I'm not off to a great start this season. It seems like we must have broken a record for Opening Day shutouts. There were a bunch of them! <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colonba01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colonba01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Bartolo Colon</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendrky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendrky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kyle Kendrick</a></strong> made me eat my words. And I guess I deserved that comeuppance.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But onward we go. Tuesday's picks:</span></div><ul style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Marlins</strong> over the Braves</span>: I have no real feel for this one. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/latosma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/latosma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Mat Latos</a></strong> verses <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodal02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodal02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Alex Wood</a></strong> seems like a wash to me. I'll go with the Marlins as the home team. But I was wrong yesterday...</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Orioles over the Bay <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Rays</strong></span>: The Rays and Yankees might be the two worst offensive teams in the AL East. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chenwe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chenwe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Wei-Yin Chen</a></strong> has a proven track record and Nathan Karns is a bit of a package we are waiting to open to see what's inside.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Cardinals over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Cubs</strong></span>: The Cubbies looked pretty awful on Sunday night. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arrieja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arrieja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jake Arrieta</a></strong> gives them a fighting chance. But I don't think the Cubs will hit <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lynnla01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lynnla01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Lance Lynn</a></strong>. We've got ten more days of this, Cubs fans.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Brewers</strong> over the Rockies</span>: This pick could not have been more wrong yesterday. Wow, what a slaughter. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garzama01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garzama01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Matt Garza</a></strong> does not thrill me. But then again, neither does <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lylesjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lylesjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jordan Lyles</a></strong>. The Brewers might be a bad team...</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Giants over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Diamondbacks</strong></span>: I've never had a lot of confidence in <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vogelry01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vogelry01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Ryan Vogelsong</a></strong>. But there he is year after year with the Giants. My mouth still has a sour taste for <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/delarru01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/delarru01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Rubby De La Rosa</a></strong> after his season a year ago.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Athletics</strong> over the Rangers</span>: Jesse "Chaka" Hahn was a good luck charm last year, so I have to go with him. Lucky charms aside, I'll take him any day over <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lewisco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lewisco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Colby Lewis</a></strong>.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Mariners</strong> over the Angels</span>: The M's made a pretty good opening statement yesterday and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paxtoja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paxtoja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">James Paxton</a></strong> is another great arm. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilsocj01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilsocj01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">C.J. Wilson</a></strong> has caught a lot of grief this spring for a guy who has been successful in Los Angeles of Anaheim or something or other.</span></li></ul><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the Pick of the Day</span></div><ul style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dodgers over the Padres: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rossty01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rossty01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Tyson Ross</a></strong> is good. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/greinza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/greinza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Zack Greinke</a></strong> is better.</span></li></ul><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday: 7-7, Season: 8-7, Picks of the Day: 0-1</span></div>

MLB Game Picks - Tuesday: April 7, 2015

Well...I'm not off to a great start this season. It seems like we must have broken a record for Opening Day shutouts. There were a bunch...

+ Read more »

MLB Game Picks - Monday: April 6, 2015

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy Opening Day! The first game last night from Wrigley Field was fairly entertaining. I couldn't help thinking about what <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bryant001kri&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bryant001kri&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kris Bryant</a></strong> might have brought to the Cubs' offense that just wasn't long enough to push all those runners home. But that's what the Cubs' decision does. But wait, I let the first happy sentence get muddled up in the second sadder one. Again, Happy Opening Day--which should be a National Holiday!</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here are Monday's picks:</span></div><ul style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Blue Jays over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Yankees</strong></span>: The Blue Jays had long had a bugaboo about playing in Yankee Stadium and their losing streak there carried for a couple of years. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hutchdr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hutchdr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Drew Hutchison</a></strong> pitched and lost in some of those. But once the streak was broken, it was broken in a big way. I'm not sure where <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Masahiro Tanaka</a></strong> is with his stuff right now. The Jays can hit!</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Tigers</strong> over the Twins</span>: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">David Price</a></strong> is going to have a big year. I'm not sure it will be enough for the Tigers. But it should be enough for tonight as long as the bullpen doesn't blow the game. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hugheph01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hugheph01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Phil Hughes</a></strong> was terrific last year, but we'll see what this year brings.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Brewers</strong> over the Rockies</span>: What does it tell you about these two teams' pitching when the Opening Day pitching match-up is <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lohseky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lohseky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kyle Lohse</a></strong> against <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendrky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kendrky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kyle Kendrick</a></strong>. Yeesh. That's the best you got!? I am going with Lohse at home.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Phillies</strong> over the Red Sox</span>: The Red Sox sure wanted <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamelco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hamelco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Cole Hamels</a></strong>. The Phillies sure wanted way too much for him. Now Hamels will beat the Red Sox for sore measure. No DH for the Red Sox. I don't know where <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buchhcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buchhcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Clay Buchholz</a></strong> is any more.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Orioles over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Rays</strong></span>: At least this game won't be snowed out. I am concerned about the Orioles' offense. But they will be better than the Rays. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/archech01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/archech01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Chris Archer</a></strong> is good. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tillmch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tillmch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Chris Tillman</a></strong> should have an easier time of it though.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Marlins</strong> over the Braves</span>: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarhe01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarhe01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Henderson Alvarez</a></strong> was very good for the Fish last season. His FIP did not match his ERA, and he doesn't blow people away. But the guy can pitch. The Braves will have a vagabond-like offense this year though. So, no matter. The only way the Braves win is if <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/teherju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/teherju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Julio Teheran</a></strong> is lights out.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Royals</strong> over the White Sox</span>: Now that <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/ventuyo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/ventuyo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Yordano Ventura</a></strong> is the Royals' Opening Day starter, can we call him, "Ace Ventura?" I think he and the Royals persevere here because I have serious concerns about <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samarje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/samarje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jeff Samardzija</a></strong>. He's looked very hitable for quite some time now.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Mariners</strong> over the Angels</span>: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernafe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernafe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Felix Hernandez</a></strong> is entering his eleventh season and is 29-years-old. Think about that for a second. I seriously think about him breaking down sooner or later. Think Sabathia. But he should be okay tonight against the tough Angels because he is better than <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weaveje02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weaveje02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jered Weaver</a></strong> who throws like 84 MPH now.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Pirates over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Reds</strong></span>: Everyone keeps talking about the Reds as a .500 or better team. I don't see it. Yeah, <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cuetojo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cuetojo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Johnny Cueto</a></strong>, who pitches tonight, is very good. The Pirates seem like a much better team. I'm going with <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/liriafr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/liriafr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Francisco Liriano</a></strong> to shut down the Reds.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Dodgers</strong> over the Padres</span>: There is a lot of talk about <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shielja02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shielja02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">James Shields</a></strong> changing the culture on teams he plays for. But he is facing <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Clayton Kershaw</a></strong>. Advantage, Dodgers.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Indians over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Astros</strong></span>: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/klubeco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/klubeco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Corey Kluber</a></strong> just got paid. Now, the big thing is whether he can repeat what he did last year. He was elite last year. Was it a one year thing? We'll find out. He should have no trouble with the Astros. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keuchda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keuchda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Dallas Keuchel</a></strong> goes for that team.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Rangers over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Athletics</strong></span>: This a total hunch pick. I think <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gallayo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gallayo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Yovani Gallardo</a></strong> was a great pickup for the Rangers over the off season. He should have a good night in the Coliseum. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayso01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayso01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Sonny Gray</a></strong> has always been my good luck charm though.</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: underline;">The Giants over the <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Diamondbacks</strong></span>: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collmjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collmjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Josh Collmenter</a></strong> had a good year for the D-Backs last year and I might pick him at home except that he is facing <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bumgama01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bumgama01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Madison Bumgarner</a></strong>. I am a little worried about Bumgarner after last year's post season heroics though.</span></li></ul><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And the Pick of the Day</span></div><ul style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style: square; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">Nationals</strong> over the Mets: Why is <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colonba01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colonba01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Bartolo Colon</a></strong> the Opening Day starter for the Mets? I don't get it. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" rel="nofollow" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Max Scherzer</a></strong> should have no problem getting his first win with his new team an league.</span></li></ul><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday: 1-0, Season 1-0</span></div>

MLB Game Picks - Monday: April 6, 2015

Happy Opening Day! The first game last night from Wrigley Field was fairly entertaining. I couldn't help thinking about what  Kris Bryan...

+ Read more »

Swimming against the strikeout tide

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Never in the history of Major League Baseball has the strikeout been as prevalent as it is in today's game. The rate has risen every year and 2014 stands to break another record as the average strikeout rate in baseball is 7.73 strikeouts per nine. Even so, there are a few throwbacks to a bygone era whose current strikeout rates would not have been league average unless they pitched way back in 1981.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are currently six pitchers who have pitched at least 50 innings who have a strikeout per nine rate less than 5.0 per nine. They are: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maholpa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maholpa01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Paul Maholm</a></strong> (3.96), <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martini01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martini01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Nick Martinez</a></strong> (4.22), <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kevin Correia</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=youngch03,youngch04&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=youngch03,youngch04&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Chris Young</a></strong> (4.48), <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arroybr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arroybr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Bronson Arroyo</a></strong> (4.92) and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gibsoky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gibsoky01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kyle Gibson</a></strong> (4.93). Two of those pitch for the Twins.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It gets worse for the Twins from there. There are eighteen pitchers who have logged twenty innings or more this season with less than five strikeouts per nine innings and five of them are Twins. And <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guerrma02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guerrma02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Matt Guerrier</a></strong> would be on the list too if he had two more innings pitched. Throw them strikes, boys, and let them hit the ball!</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The K/9 rate might not actually be the best way to look at strikeouts and pitchers. There is also strikeout percentage, which is all about the percentage of strikeouts per plate appearance rather than by inning. It might be a truer picture.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There are 21 pitchers whose strikeout percentage is less than 15% and who have pitched at least 50 innings. There are 55 who have done the trick with 20 innings or more. Just to give you some perspective, 20.3% is the Major League average. So these guys really are swimming against the strikeout tide.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Only one pitcher is averaging less than 10% for a strikeout rate with 50 or more innings and that is/was Paul Maholm. If you go to twenty innings or more, there are four: <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pelfrmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pelfrmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Mike Pelfrey</a></strong> (8.4% [!]), <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hawkila01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hawkila01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">LaTroy Hawkins</a></strong>--otherwise known as Methuselah--(9.8%), <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carrosc02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carrosc02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Scott Carroll</a></strong> and Maholm at 9.7%.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For those who are close to Maholm with more than 50 innings, there is Nick Martinez at 10.7% in 59+ innings whose home ballpark is in Texas--not a good combination. Kevin Correia comes in at 11.3% followed by Chris Young at 12.2% and then by <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stulter01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stulter01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Eric Stults</a></strong> at 12.5%. These guys are fighting the tide and only Chris Young is somewhat succeeding with his offerings.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last year, there were only five qualified starters who finished with less than 15% for a strikeout rate. The bottom two were <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guthrje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guthrje01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jeremy Guthrie</a></strong> and Kevin Correia. So far this year there are twelve. I don't know if that means there are more exceptions to the rule this year than last or that injuries have forced teams to go with more pitchers who do not fit today's pitching mold.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What I do know is that ten years ago (2005) there were 42 qualifying pitchers that finished with a strikeout percentage of less than 15%. While to this point, twelve is more than the two from last year, we can easily see that this is a dying breed.</span></div>

Swimming against the strikeout tide

Never in the history of Major League Baseball has the strikeout been as prevalent as it is in today's game. The rate has risen every yea...

+ Read more »

How MLB.tv and stat signs turned me into a pessimist

I used to follow baseball with optimism, but lately, I am just one big negative Nelly. Why did it change? How did I become a pessimist?<br /><br /><a href="http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2014/06/25/how-mlb-tv-and-stat-sites-turned-me-into-a-pessimist/" target="_blank">Read all about it</a> at <i>It's About the Money, Stupid</i>.

How MLB.tv and stat signs turned me into a pessimist

I used to follow baseball with optimism, but lately, I am just one big negative Nelly. Why did it change? How did I become a pessimist? Read...

+ Read more »

Teams and players that are really slow

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I read with interest David Brown's <a data-mce-href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/mlb-tells-dodgers-to-pick-up-pace-143856942.html" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/mlb-tells-dodgers-to-pick-up-pace-143856942.html" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">reporting</a><span style="font-size: small;"> of a warning the Dodgers received from Major League Baseball about their pitchers being too slow delivering pitches. The piece interested me because the pace of some players (or lack of it to put it properly) is a pet peeve of mine. As soon as I read the piece, I thought of </span><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beckejo02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beckejo02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Josh Beckett</a></strong><span style="font-size: small;"> because he has always been slow. But he isn't the main culprit. And if the truth is told, the Dodgers are baseball's biggest time problem.</span></span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As Brown points out, the Dodgers are the third slowest team when it comes to a nine-inning game behind the Rays and the Yankees. One would hope that the two teams ahead of the Dodgers received the same warnings. But as usual, nothing will become of any of it. Brown also pointed out the fines issued for slow play are a mere pittance and will cause no significant behavior modifications.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you do a custom search on Fangraphs.com's leaderboard to add pace to the mix, the Dodgers have two slow starters in the top 25 slowest pitchers to the plate. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/greinza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/greinza01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Zack Greinke</a></strong> is thirteenth and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kershcl01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Clayton Kershaw</a></strong> is 23rd. Both of those pitchers make a gazillion dollars and neither is going to worry about a $5,000 fine. Heck, they probably spend that once a week taking teammates out to eat.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But the Yankees have two in the top ten in <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Masahiro Tanaka</a></strong> (ninth) and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kurodhi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kurodhi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Hiroki Kuroda</a></strong> (fourth). The Rays hold the top three spots as <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/archech01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/archech01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Chris Archer</a></strong>, <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bedarer01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bedarer01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Erik Bedard</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">David Price</a></strong> ALL average over 26 seconds to the plate. That is ridiculous.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't watch a lot of Rays' games, but I do watch the Yankees every day and those two Yankee pitchers are ball rubbers (boy, that sounds bad). And since the game has changed drastically in my lifetime and a baseball is replaced if someone sneezes, the pitchers are always getting new balls.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Both Tanaka and Kuroda throw the splitter and put a lot of balls in the dirt. So they are always getting new balls. They always rub the baseballs when receiving a new one. That adds to the time. I don't know how you fix that except by reverting back to the days when a baseball had to be nearly cover-less before it was replaced.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rays as a team are the slowest staff in baseball. The entire team averages 26.6 seconds to deliver the ball on average. The closest team to them is the Giants at 24.6 seconds. That is a major difference. I have always respected the pitching coach for the Rays, but face it, the Rays aren't pitching all that well this year and their fielders are not fielding that well either. Maybe they should speed it up a little. At this point, it couldn't hurt.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whereas the Dodgers' starters aren't as slow as the Yankees' or the Rays' starters, the bullpen is slower than death. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/howeljp01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/howeljp01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">J.P. Howell</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/withrch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/withrch01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Chris Withrow</a></strong> (may his elbow rest in peace) both averaged over 28 seconds and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/janseke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/janseke01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Kenley Jansen</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wrighja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wrighja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jamey Wright</a></strong> both average well over 26 seconds. Those are numbers that used to be reached only by <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valvejo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valvejo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jose Valverde</a></strong> and now we have an entire bullpen that slow. Come on now.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We shouldn't focus on just the pitching. Batters determine pace too. Every batter in baseball seems to have to adjust their batting gloves, body armor and the like to hit a baseball after every pitch. It has gotten terrible. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeterde01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeterde01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Derek Jeter</a></strong> has gotten slower as he ages and has become a culprit as well. Are you old enough to remember Jeter making fun of <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcino01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcino01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Nomar Garciaparra</a></strong> at the All Star Game? Now he is just as bad as Nomar ever was averaging over 25 seconds in between pitches and he is the 14th slowest in baseball.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tulowtr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tulowtr01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Troy Tulowitzki</a></strong>, who wears the Number 2 on his back because of Jeter is currently the slowest batter as far as pace goes. He is over 27 seconds, which is terrible. He is one of three over the 27 second threshold. There is also <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramirha01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ramirha01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Hanley Ramirez</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/espinda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/espinda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Danny Espinosa</a></strong>. The Dodgers have three in the top twenty with <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puigya01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puigya01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Yasiel Puig</a></strong> at Number 7 and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kempma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kempma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Matt Kemp</a></strong> at Number 16.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dodgers' batters are the slowest as a group followed by a tie of the Rockies and Brewers. The quickest team to step into the box is the Toronto Blue Jays at 22 seconds. And the way they are hitting shows that you don't need all that extra time to get the job done.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It is no wonder why we like guys like </span><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buehrma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/buehrma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Mark Buehrle</a></strong><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>so much. Get the ball and fire. That's the way it should be. It is up to baseball to stop all the walking around out of the batters' box in between pitches and all the walks around the mound. It is in MLB's purview to enforce its own rules and starting handing out balls for not delivering the ball on time. And forcing guys into the batters' box. But MLB doesn't have the gumption to do so. And little gnat sting fines are not going to change anything.</span></div>

Teams and players that are really slow

I read with interest David Brown's  reporting  of a warning the Dodgers received from Major League Baseball about their pitchers being t...

+ Read more »

fWAR Games

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am not a good writer to talk about numbers. I love the new stats and trying to figure out what they are telling me. But just don't ask me how they are calculated or to dig much deeper than that. I am probably a cross between Murray Chass and Dave Cameron. I like the numbers, but I don't always get them. I do know that WAR is an attempt to try to give us a value of a player that can be used to compare the player to others and a league replacement. Knowing only as much as that, sometimes what I find makes me scratch my head (hence, some of my Chass DNA). *</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">*<em style="border: none; line-height: 1.5;">Shameless Posnanski Asterisk: If you are too young to get the reference of this post, I apologize.</em></span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The first thing that set me off in this questioning mode was the fWAR (the "f" stands for Fangraphs.com) was looking at where <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tanakma01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Masahiro Tanaka</a></strong> stood among his fellow starters. I was surprised to find him tied for fourth behind <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lestejo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lestejo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jon Lester</a></strong>, <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernafe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernafe02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Felix Hernandez</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/klubeco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/klubeco01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Corey Kluber</a></strong> (if you can believe it). He is tied with <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=fernajo01,fernajo02,fernan015jos,fernan018jos,fernan014jos,fernan008jos&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=fernajo01,fernajo02,fernan015jos,fernan018jos,fernan014jos,fernan008jos&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jose Fernandez</a></strong> of the Marlins who will be out the rest of the season and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Justin Verlander</a></strong>. How can this be?</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He has a better xFIP than all of them. He has a better K/BB ratio. He has the best LOB percentage. And, as meaningless as the stat is, he is 6-0 and the Yankees would be in a whup of trouble without him. The only thing I can see is that his home run rate is higher than the rest of him. Should that account for having more than a half a win WAR than Jon Lester? I don't buy that. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cuetojo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cuetojo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Johnny Cueto</a></strong> and <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/priceda01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">David Price</a></strong> have the same problem and David Price leads all of baseball with his K/BB ratio.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, let's look at <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heywaja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heywaja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jason Heyward</a></strong>. Heyward currently sports an inglorious 78 wRC+ and a .284 wOBA. The latter figure is not one you want to be less than .320, never mind .300. A wRC+ of 100 is league average. He is 22 points less than league average. He has an OPS of .619. I am not writing this to pick on Jason Heyward. He is obviously having a tough time at the plate and doesn't need me to pile on. His .248 BABIP suggest better days are ahead.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I point out Heyward's numbers because according to fWAR, Heyward is tied for sixteenth place among "position players" for fWAR. How can that be? Well, it seems that he has been Superman in the field. In just 37 games, Heyward is given credit for 10.9 runs of value for his defense. That accounts for about a win and two-thirds of his total 1.5 fWAR.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just to put that in perspective, <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/simmoan01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/simmoan01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Andrelton Simmons</a></strong> had just about the greatest fielding season ever last year and totaled 31.6 runs of defense in his 157 games. And he is a shortstop, the most valuable position on the field (you could argue for the catcher too). Simmons' runs for defense divided by his games comes to .201 runs per game. Heyward is currently sitting at .295 runs per game for his defense.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will not dispute that Jason Heyward is a great fielder. But that great that he has been worth more per game than Simmons was last year? Call me dubious. And that is Mr. Dubious to those I don't know.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I could be wrong, but I think I heard somewhere that shifts in the infield are not even counted by the fielding stats because they are too confusing.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay, one more. <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/ellsbja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/ellsbja01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Jacoby Ellsbury</a></strong> currently sports a .339 wOBA compared to last year's .343. That is a difference of .004. Minuscule right? His wRC+ last year was 113 and it is 111 so far this year. So how come last year, his offensive runs came to .0322 runs per plate appearance and this year, they come to .0185 per plate appearance? It doesn't make sense and it affects his fWAR.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then you look at his defense. Last year, his defense (which affects fWAR) was worth 12.0 runs for the season. He is currently sitting at -2 this season. Seriously? I know this sounds awfully close to a certain Boston Globe's writer, but I have watched every game he has played this season. He has been terrific. -2? I don't understand.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Look, I know numbers are not perfect. For an example by a good writer, check </span><a data-mce-href="http://www.purplerow.com/2014/5/15/5712224/the-numbers-are-lying" href="http://www.purplerow.com/2014/5/15/5712224/the-numbers-are-lying" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">this piece</a><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>out. But it's hard for me because I am not learned enough to figure out why these numbers do not make sense to me. I risk looking stupid--which really isn't a risk because I already look stupid--because something doesn't feel right to me. I sense a problem without knowing enough to know if it is or not.</span></div>

fWAR Games

I am not a good writer to talk about numbers. I love the new stats and trying to figure out what they are telling me. But just don't ask...

+ Read more »

The best and worst bullpens thus far

<div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Measuring how a team's bullpen is doing can be tricky business. You really can't go by WAR like in other positions because, for example, the Red Sox' bullpen leads baseball in WAR. But that may be because they are pitching more innings than other teams' bullpens. The Red Sox' bullpen is actually doing extremely well, but is it the best as the WAR seems to indicate? One thing is for certain: If your team is not doing well in the bullpen, you are quite aware of that fact as it gets ugly.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So how then should we measure bullpens? We can look at FIP, which is probably better than looking at ERA. We can look at WPA. We can look at which teams have better success with inherited runners scoring. We can look at strikeout to walk ratios. We can look at a lot of different things. Let's look at the top and bottom five in each of these categories and see what we can see.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">FIP</span></strong></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The top five teams in FIP are:</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Braves - 2.32</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Royals - 2.88</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Athletics - 2.93</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Red Sox - 2.96</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Padres - 3.02</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst five teams in FIP</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Astros - 4.70</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Reds - 4.65</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rays - 4.61</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Phillies - 4.60</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The White Sox - 4.38</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">WPA</span></strong></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Padres - 3.87</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Giants - 3.52</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Brewers - 3.35</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Red Sox - 2.38</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Braves - 1.61</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bottom five:</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Astros: -2.51</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cubs: -2.22</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Marlins: -1.62</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Reds: -1.61</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Blue Jays: -1.52</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Inherited Runners:</span></strong></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Pirates - 84%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Giants - 83.8%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Padres - 80.7%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Brewers - 79.6%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Nationals - 78.6%</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst five:</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cardinals - 66.3%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Tigers - 66.8%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Astros - 67.5%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Royals - 68.7%</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rangers and Yankees: 68.8%</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;">K/BB Ratio</strong>:</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Brewers: 3.53</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Braves: 3.47</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Cardinals: 3.20</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Giants: 3.19</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Tigers: 3.14</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The White Sox: 1.21</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Reds: 1.68</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rays: 1.81</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mets: 1.90</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Dodgers: 1.96</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">WAR</span></strong></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Red Sox: 2.4</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Braves and Royals: 2.1</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Athletics 2.0</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two tied with 1.99</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The worst:</span></div><ol style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0px 0px 24px 1.5em; padding: 0px;"><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Mets: -1.3</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Rays: -1.0</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Astros and Reds: -0.7</span></li><li style="line-height: 1.5; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Phillies and Angels: -0.4</span></li></ol><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So have we seen any sort of patterns here? It is hard to pick on the Reds because they went most of the season thus far without <strong style="color: black; line-height: 1.5;"><a data-mce-href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chapmar01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chapmar01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" style="color: #743399; line-height: 1.5;" target="_blank">Aroldis Chapman</a></strong>. But the worst bullpens appear to be (from appearances at the bottom of the most categories) the Mets, the Astros, the Rays and the Reds. The Yankees have made a run for the worst lately.</span></div><div style="color: #444444; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 24px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As for the best bullpens, thus far, the Braves, Red Sox, Padres and the Brewers appear to have the best bullpens in baseball followed closely by the A's and the Royals.</span></div>

The best and worst bullpens thus far

Measuring how a team's bullpen is doing can be tricky business. You really can't go by WAR like in other positions because, for exam...

+ Read more »

Complaints about replay are stupid

<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will give <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=farrejo03,farrejo02,farrel010joh&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" target="_blank">John Farrell</a></strong> some slack here as he was frustrated about losing three of four to the Yankees. But his complaints about the new instant replay system fall flat on my ears. By my count, there have been two calls that the replay system has gotten incorrect. The one happened in the Red Sox - Yankees series where <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/annade01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.flagrantfan.com" target="_blank">Dean Anna</a></strong> did lift his foot off the base and should have been called out. MLB stated the call should have been reversed. That was one of the two. Big deal.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On MLB Network's <i>Intentional Talk</i> program, it was mentioned that thus far 32 calls have been reversed with the replay system and 34 had been upheld. The time factor has not been that big of a deal and the only irritant is when the manager hangs around to wait to see if his people give him the thumbs up or not on whether to challenge the play. How is this slowing the game down when most of those plays would have been arguments between the manager and umpires anyway? The arguments take longer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So the time is not a problem. Then what is? Yes, two have been botched. You would think with the system they have set up there would be no missed calls. But okay, two calls have been missed. But 32 have been overturned. That is 32 incorrect calls that would have stood if the replay system was not in place.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Two incorrect versus 32? Wouldn't that be a success under any kind of accounting? The bottom line here is that 32 calls would have been umpire goofs without the system. Is that preferable to Mr. Farrell or anyone else? I would not think so.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The entire idea of instant replay is to get the calls correct on the field. We are closer than ever before of making that happen with a margin of error of two calls. The instant replay is a big hit for me because the correct calls in games are what I want. I do not want games decided by a bad umpire decision. Now all we need is robot balls and strikes and I will be a complete happy camper. Good job, MLB. Keep it up.</span></div>

Complaints about replay are stupid

I will give John Farrell some slack here as he was frustrated about losing three of four to the Yankees. But his complaints about the new i...

+ Read more »

A photo quiz for a quiet holiday evening

My wife, Jayne, drew this in pencil in 1992. I love the piece to pieces!<br /><br />Here is my quiz for you.  Can you guess the player who was the model for the art work?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOsdegclWAhyphenhyphenMRxl09D_QyQxThRRlx_otNxUMSZgI-iAAIfX_QOOPkzEsWO3lghbgovDBjyNEd0TZrv5c1wsUqviJdzmh91O3Y-G_AlZ9YvvRU3YiMr9yDyXEVfQfljl2vqesYjRPfJs/s1600/071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOsdegclWAhyphenhyphenMRxl09D_QyQxThRRlx_otNxUMSZgI-iAAIfX_QOOPkzEsWO3lghbgovDBjyNEd0TZrv5c1wsUqviJdzmh91O3Y-G_AlZ9YvvRU3YiMr9yDyXEVfQfljl2vqesYjRPfJs/s640/071.JPG" width="419" /></a></div><br />

A photo quiz for a quiet holiday evening

My wife, Jayne, drew this in pencil in 1992. I love the piece to pieces! Here is my quiz for you.  Can you guess the player who was the mode...

+ Read more »

American League Manager of the Year - Terry Francona

<div style="text-align: justify;">Selecting one Major League manager over another is truly a subjective enterprise. How do you measure managers? I have tried over the course of this site's history to try to figure out such a system. It does not work. I have looked at Pythagorean Win-Loss figures. I have looked at other models and methods of measuring a manager. Nothing solid comes from the exercises. How can <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=farrejo03,farrejo02,farrel010joh&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">John Farrell</a></strong> be a terrible manager in Toronto and then great in Boston? Were the Yankees lucky to win as many games with their talent or did <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/girarjo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Joe Girardi</a></strong> do a masterful job? There really is no way to quantify it. And yet, there is this award given to managers every year. So our job as baseball writers is to figure it out...somehow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are no shortage of candidates in the American League. You have the aforementioned Girardi and Farrell. You have <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/francte01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Terry Francona</a></strong>, who, in his first year, got the Indians into the post season and won 92 games. You have <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/melvibo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Bob Melvin</a></strong> of the Oakland A's. You have <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maddojo99.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Joe Maddon</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/washiro01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Ron Washington</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leylaji99.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Jim Leyland</a></strong>. All of these managers had teams that performed admirably and most at least gave their teams a shot at the post season.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have pluses and minuses for each one. Jim Leyland, for example, refuses to join the 21st Century game and only finished a game above the Indians, a team they thrashed in head-to-head competition. Joe Girardi did seem to get the most out of his awful, injury-riddled and aging team. He is the master of bullpen manipulation. But at the same time, he stuck with guys too long like <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wellsve01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Vernon Wells</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/overbly01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Lyle Overbay</a></strong>. Some will argue that he had nobody else. There is always somebody else.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Francona's team was terrible against the Tigers. Joe Maddon is the master of the metrics and for motivating his team (or so we are told). But he gets too cute at times and moves too many players around too often. Ron Washington gets criticized often for his love of the bunt and other on-field decisions. The Red Sox should have won even more than 97 games with their run differential. There are hardly clear-cut answers here. But somebody has to win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have boiled down my three choices to Terry Francona, John Farrell and Bob Melvin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Melvin's team, the A's, proved that last year was not a fluke. They finished dead on with their run differential. They should have won 96 games and they won 96 games. They also had three awful teams in their division that they played nineteen times a piece in the Mariners, Angels and Astros.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Melvin got the nod last year because his team was considered a surprise. They were not a surprise this year. Does that rule him out? It shouldn't.  But again, I am rattled a bit by the competition in his division. Even the Rangers were not as strong as past years.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">John Farrell certainly got rid of the bad mojo left behind by <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valenbo02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Bobby Valentine</a></strong>. With a few exceptions, his team performed brilliantly and stayed relatively healthy. He caught a break when his first two choices for closers came up lame and Uehara became the best relief pitcher in the American League. I cannot get beyond the fact that with the Red Sox scoring so much and pitching so well, their Pythagorean win-loss record was 100 wins and they won 97. And how could he go from being so terrible in Toronto to being so good in Boston?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There was that record against the Tigers. But Francona did finish one game behind the Tigers and won 92 games. According to their run differential, they should have won 90. So that is a plus. Then, Francona also had 38 games against the Twins and the White Sox which was a similar argument against Melvin.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But my choice comes down to Francona. Again, I would not argue if any of these guys won because it is so subjective. My final reason for picking Terry Francona is that he won 92 games despite an offense that finished eighth out of fifteen AL teams in OPS and seventh in pitching ERA. In other words, his team won with less talent than the Red Sox, the A's and the Tigers. And unlike Farrell, Francona's track record speaks for itself.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is my final (yes, subjective) list (I would fire the last six):</div><ol><li style="text-align: justify;">Terry Francona</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Bob Melvin</li><li style="text-align: justify;">John Farrell</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Joe Girardi</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Joe Maddon</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Jim Leyland</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/showabu99.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Buck Showalter</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;">Ron Washington</li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/portebo03.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Bo Porter</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yostne01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Ned Yost</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sciosmi01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Mike Scioscia</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gardero01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Ron Gardenhire</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wedgeer01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Eric Wedge</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gibbojo02.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">John Gibbons</a></strong></li><li style="text-align: justify;"><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/venturo01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">Robin Ventura</a></strong></li></ol><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>

American League Manager of the Year - Terry Francona

Selecting one Major League manager over another is truly a subjective enterprise. How do you measure managers? I have tried over the course ...

+ Read more »

Pirates the latest on the bandwagon phenomenon

<div style="text-align: justify;">The Pittsburgh Pirates clinched at least a shot to get deep into the post season and the Wild Card Play-in Game. They are two behind the Cardinals for the division lead and with six games on the schedule, still have a slight chance to skip the play-in altogether. This is a great story of course after the Pirates have gone since 1992 since last making it to the post season. Such a story is great for baseball. But it has also become the latest example of the bandwagon phenomenon.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bandwagon phenomenon happens when a perennially bad team suddenly becomes good and reaches the playoffs after a long drought. The "loyal" Pirate fans who have supported the team through thick and thin scoff and feel superior to what they consider "bandwagon" fans who have hopped on that bandwagon simply because the Pirates are suddenly good.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pittsburgh is not the first to do this sort of thing. So these "loyals" can be forgiven for exhibiting the kind of human behavior that has happened time and time again. But what is behind it all? Why do human beings do this? First, I need to show you a few Twitter examples of what I am talking about:</div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Also I'm sorry, all you <a href="https://twitter.com/Pirates">@Pirates</a> bandwagon fans <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23STFD&src=hash">#STFD</a> no you can't even ✋<br />— Ashley (@amikulan) <a href="https://twitter.com/amikulan/statuses/382348421442830337">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Those loyal <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23pirates&src=hash">#pirates</a> fans who never jumped off bandwagon had to enjoy this moment<br />— Bob Pompeani (@KDPomp) <a href="https://twitter.com/KDPomp/statuses/382363742291628032">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">And so the holier than thou Pirates tweets begin. Explicitly say you've always loved them, or run the risk of being called a bandwagon fan.<br />— Jennifer Zysk (@JenniferZysk) <a href="https://twitter.com/JenniferZysk/statuses/382344653112352768">September 24, 2013</a></blockquote><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script> <br /><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">CONCLUSION -- Bandwagon <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Pirates&src=hash">#Pirates</a> fans: fine. Bandwagon fans that overreact to every at-bat: go back to chasing autographs in Latrobe.<br />— James Santelli (@JamesSantelli) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamesSantelli/statuses/231939388324593665">August 5, 2012</a></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Again, why does this happen? My feeling is that human beings are always looking to set up pecking orders. The caste system, except for a few "unenlightened" countries, is always there. It is why prejudice happens. It is why a society becomes either male or female dominated. We have this ingrained ability to set ourselves higher up on the food chain at the slightest provocation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you first read J.R.R. Tolkien in the sixties (like I did), then you own Tolkien and are infinitely superior to those who have just discovered the writer. I saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show when it happened, so therefore, I am superior to any Beatle fans that have come since. The only "caste" that trumps me are those that were actually IN the Ed Sullivan Theater.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have lived in northern Maine since 1990. That is twenty-three years. But I will never be a "native." In what is truly fascinating, this area of the country did not have minority populations so the Acadian French became the lower caste citizens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And thus, the bandwagon phenomenon occurs. I have been a fan through the lean times so I am a better fan than someone who just jumped on board. What do you want, a badge of honor?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frankly, we all need to get a grip. As a team like the Pirates explodes out of its proverbial decades-long funk, what is better at the games, twelve-thousand loyals going crazy with their loyalty badges on or forty-thousand raucous fans creating a roar that can be heard all over Pennsylvania? Yeah, the latter seems more exciting to me too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And how long did you have to watch the Pirates and wear their caps before you qualify? Five years? Ten years? Twenty? "I became a fan of the Pirates in 1993, after Bonds left. I am the best Pirates fan."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Come on, now. The more the merrier. The boost in attendance and sales of team wear from these new fans will help the team. Payroll for players will be a bit easier. Keeping young players will be easier. Welcoming back <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burnea.01.shtml?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-www.blogger.com" target="_blank">A.J. Burnett</a></strong> will not have to break the bank. There are more options for the team next year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When network television shows a Pirates game for the first time in twenty years, does it not represent your team better if that stadium is full rather than filled with just those core fans? Sure it is.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you look at it this way and embrace these new fans, there are more people to share in your joy. The entire city and community can pull together in the joy of the moment. Embrace it people!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you have suffered for years as a fan of the Pirates, God bless you. You have been through a lot. Just consider the full stadium and the riotous cheering and take it all in and smile. You waited a long time for this. Just smile and enjoy it along with your new brothers and sisters.</div><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>

Pirates the latest on the bandwagon phenomenon

The Pittsburgh Pirates clinched at least a shot to get deep into the post season and the Wild Card Play-in Game. They are two behind the Car...

+ Read more »