As long as we’re discussing fake baseball, which two guys out the following bums would you pick to have as your Utility player and lone bench hitter in a deep league using conventional stats: Adam LaRoche, Angel Pagan, Omar Infante, Ryan Roberts, Zack Cozart, Logan Morrison, Alex Rios, Chase Headley, AJ Pierzynski.
My leagues all use OBP, so I’m not sure who is good as far as average goes, but based on what I know of them, I’d probably go with LaRoche as Utility and Roberts as bench. Roberts should have both 2B and 3B eligibility for a little better flexibility. Cozart might be good if it’s a keeper league since SS are so hard to find.
@ bubblesdachimp:
It seems like the Cubs think his swing has some holes. I’d rather have him somewhere where he might be less challenged by the pitching doing that kind of work, personally. Let him get into a good groove with consistent, fundamentally sound mechanics vs. pitchers he can handle, then promote him.
100%
Rock Y⚾L⚾ Shoulders @RockBigFly24 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Got so many tats, u cant even count’em up, in the shop every week, i cant seem to get enough…. With @javy23baez
this is one of the tamer ones..
But Baez, Gretzky, Rock, Gisantri, and Dunston seem to get around
@ bubblesdachimp:
It’s not puzzling. He was drafted last year and played in like 3 games. There aren’t many high school draft picks who got such little playing time last year that are anywhere other than extended spring training. I could have told you Baez would start out there and I’d have said it at the end of August last year. I probably did say it. It wouldn’t make any sense to send him to a full season league at his age when he’s yet to play any considerable amount of time against professional athletes.
Kerry Wood ————-> Chicago. Cortisone shot for lingering shoulder issues from ST. Which is why he didn’t pitch much in ST, according to Hoyer. In other news, the sun will set in the west tonight.
@ ACT:
Trying to impress his new manager, I’m guessing. That’s definitely not LaHair’s game. This is the problem with emphasizing aggressiveness over smarts.
Big time tactical move there by Sveum to double-switch. Is he really going to leave Dolis out there for multiple innings? Not like the bullpen is gassed or anything.
Of course, any move that gets Byrd out of the game is probably well-considered. Is it too late to make him someone else’s Matt Lawton?
@ Aisle424:
Right, but if there’s an error with two outs and the pitcher shits the bed afterwards, none of those runs are “earned”. I guess I’m just saying that ERA sucks.
MB: Thanks for pointing out how to post a photo. It’s at the Forum. I won’t post all the strange crap I see driving around here, but thought that one was pretty good.
@ Rice Cube:
Not necessarily, that changes how many batters Demp faces and maybe puts more pressure on the Marlins to come from behind. It’s all academic. The Cubs have had nothing but what-if’s this season.
@ josh:
He’s definitely not anything resembling a good pitcher at this point, but dammit, I hope he keeps it up until he’s 60. It’s just so doggone life-affirming having that guy around.
Dempster has 2 unearned runs. I think both should have been earned because it’s literally all his fault that they scored.
Not that it really matters, but it has to be considered unearned because it was an error that resulted in the runs. The distinction between UER and ER is how many runs scored as a result of errors and how many scored as a result of pitching. There really shouldn’t be the distinction. If the game was invented today, I can’t imagine we’d have ERA. I doubt we’d be using FIP and nor do I think we should, but I can’t imagine us calculating pitcher talent based on something as subjective as an error. Run Average is a better stat anyway.
Ironically, ERA originated not in the goal of measuring a pitcher’s worth but to differentiate between runs caused by batting skill (hits) and lack of fielding skill (errors).
@ Rice Cube:
Yes, ERA is terrible in small samples. Over a large sample it’s actually not bad. Here’s a top 10 in ERA+ since 1981 (90% starts, 1500 IP)
Roger Clemens
Roy Halladay
Randy Johnson
Roy Oswalt
Greg Maddux
Tim Hudson
Kevin Brown
Bret Saberhagen
John Tudor
CC Sabathia
@ Rice Cube:
There’s data, and then there’s seeing it. I think he’s effective simply because everyone else throws so hard, it screws up the batters’ timing.
@ ACT:
I mean I know he’s not allowed to use Marshall because he’s The Closer and it wasn’t a save, but there was still Chapman. Oh well. I guess his third lefty was probably the best choice there.
minor league update is ready for you when you want it in the morning MD. It includes a twitter chat with Mrs. Hayden Simpson so you know its extra great.
Comments
Hyaden Simpson sucked ass tonight
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
bubblesdachimp wrote:
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
yea he is really bad at baseball
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Is he in Daytona? That’s about 3 levels too high. No idea why he was put in a league he’s simply not qualified to be in.
mb21Quote Reply
For anyone who wants to watch baseball, Reds-Cards is the free MLB.tv game.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
It’s just that bad case of mono, MB. It stunted his transformation.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
How many pitches did the Cubs see in that last half? 4? 5? I’m pretty sure Byrd and Dempster made outs on first pitches.
MishQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
My leagues all use OBP, so I’m not sure who is good as far as average goes, but based on what I know of them, I’d probably go with LaRoche as Utility and Roberts as bench. Roberts should have both 2B and 3B eligibility for a little better flexibility. Cozart might be good if it’s a keeper league since SS are so hard to find.
Aisle424Quote Reply
Bonifacio is Spanish for “really fucking fast” right?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Dempster never pays attention to baserunners.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Rice Cube wrote:
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
This is the same reason it is so puzzling why Baez is in EXST
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Thankfully they haven’t gotten home yet.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ bubblesdachimp:
It seems like the Cubs think his swing has some holes. I’d rather have him somewhere where he might be less challenged by the pitching doing that kind of work, personally. Let him get into a good groove with consistent, fundamentally sound mechanics vs. pitchers he can handle, then promote him.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Johnson —> 30 pitches in 3 innings
Something is amiss.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
SNAFU
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Following some of our Exst guys on twitter is a little frustrating
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Johnson just coming right in and challenging Castro.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ bubblesdachimp:
From what DJ was saying, I gather that they are massive shitheads, i.e. 18-20 YO kids with a lot of money and free time.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
I mean he is just murdering the ball there. Which is good. But i would have liked to see him at low A liek Lindor started
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Castro is fast too.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
100%
Rock Y⚾L⚾ Shoulders @RockBigFly24 Reply Retweet Favorite · Open
Got so many tats, u cant even count’em up, in the shop every week, i cant seem to get enough…. With @javy23baez
this is one of the tamer ones..
But Baez, Gretzky, Rock, Gisantri, and Dunston seem to get around
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
More average speed from Castro.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
I mean that is 7-7 right?
Maybe he can steal 30-40?
That would make up for some of the power that isnt there yet
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Mountains grow faster than this team scores runs.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Ian Stewart might be hurting a bit there.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Gameday has the conversation between Z and Soto from across dugouts (dying laughing)
Rice CubeQuote Reply
i hope simpson didnt spend all his bonus in one place
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Dempster wants more money… His offspeed stuff seems dyanmite. The slider and split/change are quite good
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
@ bubblesdachimp:
It’s not puzzling. He was drafted last year and played in like 3 games. There aren’t many high school draft picks who got such little playing time last year that are anywhere other than extended spring training. I could have told you Baez would start out there and I’d have said it at the end of August last year. I probably did say it. It wouldn’t make any sense to send him to a full season league at his age when he’s yet to play any considerable amount of time against professional athletes.
mb21Quote Reply
@ bubblesdachimp:
Shut you right up.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
What the fuck was he doing?
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
(dying laughing) @ Cubs double play
Infante —> dumb
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Byrd —-> off a cliff
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Same is true of Bundy, Lindor, Archie, Josh Bell Austin Hedges etc.
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
@ bubblesdachimp:
He could always submit himself to scientific studies of mono, seeing as he had the most debilitating case of mono ever recorded.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Rice Cube wrote:
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Demp just pulled a Garza.
ACTQuote Reply
FAIL
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Its a way of (L)ife
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
DERP
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
If I had to guess, I would speculate that John Cusak’s portrayal of Edgar Allen Poe is a lot like John Cusak.
GWQuote Reply
Even though it’s an error and technically an unearned run, shouldn’t it be an earned run since it was the pitcher’s dumb fault?
Or is it already considered earned?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Demp is still good at missing bats.
ACTQuote Reply
Brett Jackson triples
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
It is listed as an earned run
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Also good at missing gloves.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Holy meatball. Put it on a tee next time.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Rizzo RBI single
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
WHAT THE FUCK.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Seemed like a bad time to take second
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
TOOTBLAN
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
(dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
How’s this for a TOOTBLAN…
Adrian Cardenas caught off 3B with the bases loaded for the second out.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Still not as good as Koyie Hill getting picked off 3B for the final out. Fundamentals!
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
DPORIANO
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Unreal
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
I have to admit, it’s nice to have someone with some athleticism at third base for a change (Ramirez’ bat is sorely missed, of course).
ACTQuote Reply
Aramis is also off to one of his patented slow-as-hell starts.
ACTQuote Reply
Just think, if Dempster could play defense, he’d be in line for the win right now.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Kerry Wood ————-> Chicago. Cortisone shot for lingering shoulder issues from ST. Which is why he didn’t pitch much in ST, according to Hoyer. In other news, the sun will set in the west tonight.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ ACT:
He’s just biding his time until it doesn’t count.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Ian Stewart is terrifically mediocre.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Clevenger smoked that
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Clevenger can hit.
MishQuote Reply
Nice hit Bryan
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
Clevenger is in a good groove right now.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Should LaHair have gone to 2B?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Bubbles loves MLBTV.. 4 games at once is so awesome
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
Jesus Christ…TOOTBLAN again.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Why would LaHair run? Ever?
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Because his IQ is 40.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I’m guessing it’s a failed hit-and-run, actually.
ACTQuote Reply
Clevenger’s MLE’s, based on his career numbers: .262/.315/.352
MLE’s based on his best MiLB season: .264/.318/.379
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Right, but it sounded like LaHair ran before Johnson even got into the pitching motion, so that was an easy CS there.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
This team’s baserunning is fucking horrendous.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
So what is the Cubs TOOTBLAN count up to?
LouisQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Trying to impress his new manager, I’m guessing. That’s definitely not LaHair’s game. This is the problem with emphasizing aggressiveness over smarts.
joshQuote Reply
Dempster has 2 unearned runs. I think both should have been earned because it’s literally all his fault that they scored.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ ACT:
2nd in as many games. Maybe next ST they have a baserunning game.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Rusin is getting roughed up.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube wrote:
ERA is supposed to be a measure of a player’s pitching ability. It isn’t designed to measure whose fault it is that a run scored.
Aisle424Quote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Right this. It obscures the stat even further if one were to do that.
MishQuote Reply
Big time tactical move there by Sveum to double-switch. Is he really going to leave Dolis out there for multiple innings? Not like the bullpen is gassed or anything.
Of course, any move that gets Byrd out of the game is probably well-considered. Is it too late to make him someone else’s Matt Lawton?
uncle daveQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Right, but if there’s an error with two outs and the pitcher shits the bed afterwards, none of those runs are “earned”. I guess I’m just saying that ERA sucks.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I guess he is staying in. Never mind.
uncle daveQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
DERPDERPDERP
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
The Cubs cant run, can’t hit for power, can’t get on base, and can’t field. (dying laughing).
MishQuote Reply
Ah, the 1990’s Cubs. Back again.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mish:
It’s a way of (L)ife.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
The Rangers are pretty good at scoring, I think.
ACTQuote Reply
There goes the sculpture.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Well, we get to the The Thing
Aisle424Quote Reply
Well, he didn’t walk him.
joshQuote Reply
Just so, so, so bad.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
So the Cubs best reliever looks like he won’t factor in this one
LouisQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Ah the Dark Times are back.
@ Mish:
And can’t manage?
joshQuote Reply
@ Louis:
They traded him to Cincinnati, so no.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
I guess I should qualify that by saying that I would have made the trade, but thought it would be amusing to say it anyway.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Here comes the Rod Beck wannabe. I really dislike Heath Bell.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
MB: Thanks for pointing out how to post a photo. It’s at the Forum. I won’t post all the strange crap I see driving around here, but thought that one was pretty good.
SkipVBQuote Reply
Moyer has gone 5.1 innings without allowing a run. Or a strikeout.
ACTQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Got the job done, I guess.
What was dempster’s error? I missed the first half of the game.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
He pulled a Garza.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Re: Fake Baseball–
My opponent in this weeks Head to Head has both starters in the Cinci/StL game. This is a bad night for a pitchers’ duel.
SkipVBQuote Reply
That was the first entire Cubs game I’ve watched since about this time last season. They looked as bad as they did then too. (dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ josh:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20693725&c_id=mlb
ACTQuote Reply
So it goes.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
josh wrote:
re-signing with the cubs
GWQuote Reply
Moyer struck someone out! And swinging, no less. Someone actually tried to hit a Moyer pitch and failed!
ACTQuote Reply
Those Blue Jays are feisty.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ ACT:
I wonder if he’ll last the year or retire midyear.
joshQuote Reply
What’s sad in retrospect is that even if Dempster hadn’t made that error the Cubs still would have lost.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Ugh. We’re not winning any gold gloves this year.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
I’d honestly never bet against the guy. He’s the Engergizer Bunny of pitchers.
ACTQuote Reply
Rice Cube wrote:
Which is league average.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Not necessarily, that changes how many batters Demp faces and maybe puts more pressure on the Marlins to come from behind. It’s all academic. The Cubs have had nothing but what-if’s this season.
joshQuote Reply
@ Louis:
I think we forgot to keep count though it would be easy enough to figure it out. Give me a few minutes.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Unfortunately, managers tend to be former players.
ACTQuote Reply
@ josh:
It’s depressing but I’m pretty sure they would have lost anyway. It’s a way of (L)ife.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ ACT:
His last couple of seasons where he actually pitched were poor, but sometimes guys have a surge after TJS.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
He’s definitely not anything resembling a good pitcher at this point, but dammit, I hope he keeps it up until he’s 60. It’s just so doggone life-affirming having that guy around.
ACTQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
If they were better, they might have won.
joshQuote Reply
Rice Cube wrote:
Not that it really matters, but it has to be considered unearned because it was an error that resulted in the runs. The distinction between UER and ER is how many runs scored as a result of errors and how many scored as a result of pitching. There really shouldn’t be the distinction. If the game was invented today, I can’t imagine we’d have ERA. I doubt we’d be using FIP and nor do I think we should, but I can’t imagine us calculating pitcher talent based on something as subjective as an error. Run Average is a better stat anyway.
mb21Quote Reply
@ josh:
Oh, indeed.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Aisle424:
Exactly. ERA was only meant to be a measure of performance based on the stats available at the time. Nothing more.
mb21Quote Reply
Just a note about ERA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Chadwick_%28writer%29
ACTQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Yes, ERA is terrible in small samples. Over a large sample it’s actually not bad. Here’s a top 10 in ERA+ since 1981 (90% starts, 1500 IP)
Roger Clemens
Roy Halladay
Randy Johnson
Roy Oswalt
Greg Maddux
Tim Hudson
Kevin Brown
Bret Saberhagen
John Tudor
CC Sabathia
mb21Quote Reply
God, leaving Moyer in in the 7th was incredibly stupid. I could have told the manager that before he made a mess of things.
ACTQuote Reply
@ GW:
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
Who?
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Jamie Moyer
mb21Quote Reply
Looks like sleeping through this game was a great decision.
BerseliusQuote Reply
I admit, I had to look up John Tudor.
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
King of England?
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
No, Methodist minister: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tudor_%28minister%29
Not sure how he wound up on a baseball-related list.
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Yeah, I wouldn’t let batters get a third look at Moyer.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
It’s probably too late for that since they have like 30 years of data on him.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
There’s data, and then there’s seeing it. I think he’s effective simply because everyone else throws so hard, it screws up the batters’ timing.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Think it’s like hitting a knuckleballer?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Yeah, basically. He uses a couple of different speeds to make up for the lack of knuckleball movement weirdness.
joshQuote Reply
Wow, Evan Longoria made 3 errors.
ACTQuote Reply
Hell of a catch (watch the guy in the lower right corner).
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=20684071&topic_id=&c_id=mlb&tcid=vpp_copy_20684071&v=3
joshQuote Reply
@ ACT:
They should bench him for Steve Clevenger.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ ACT:
There’s no difference in replacing him with Jeff Baker.
BerseliusQuote Reply
Are Chapman and Marshall both unavailable tonight? I question Dusty Baker’s bullpen usage.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
He lets the save rule do the thinking for him.
ACTQuote Reply
@ ACT:
I mean I know he’s not allowed to use Marshall because he’s The Closer and it wasn’t a save, but there was still Chapman. Oh well. I guess his third lefty was probably the best choice there.
GBTSQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
He was playing for the 13th inning. Obviously you don’t think far enough ahe—oh, wait.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ GBTS:
You should go poop in the dugout where he usually stands.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
minor league update is ready for you when you want it in the morning MD. It includes a twitter chat with Mrs. Hayden Simpson so you know its extra great.
dylanjQuote Reply
http://twitter.com/#!/jazayerli/status/192448307136696320
GWQuote Reply
Mish, I see you’re writing product reviews on Amazon now
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000KKNQBK/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Answer: Shit, shit and more shit.
.
.
.
.Question:
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
DO NOT PUT ON KNOB AND BOLLOCKS.
MishQuote Reply
Suburban kid wrote:
What is the Cubs bullpen?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Minor league update up
http://obstructedview.net/minor-leagues/the-children-are-the-future-cubs-minor-league-update-sponsored-by-phillip-morris.html
BerseliusQuote Reply