Friday, July 18, 2003
On Pace
During the All-Star game Fox asked viewers to vote who would break Hank Aaron's record for most career home runs: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, or someone else. Afterwards, they displayed a chart that showed Alex Rodriguez is on pace to blow away Aaron's record.
It remains a mystery why analysts are so obsessed with "on pace?" Today's case and point, Ken Griffey, Jr., who for years was also on pace to blow away Aaron’s record, but is now on pace to find a nice comfy recliner on Lido Deck of U.S.S. Irrelevant.
On pace can never factor in a degenerative hip injury, or degradation of skills, or divorce, or getting a face full of shotgun pellets from the gun of a jealous husband while riding the backseat of your uncle’s car in Gary, Indiana.
In the case of Ken Griffey, Jr., on pace could never account for a ruptured ankle tendon, a separated shoulder, a torn right patellar tendon, a torn right hamstring, a torn left hamstring, tendonitis in the right knee, and again, a torn left hamstring. This is all since the 2000 season.
In the case of someone getting close to Aaron’s mark: wake me when a player is within 50 of Hammerin’ Hank. Until then, I’m just not that interested.
During the All-Star game Fox asked viewers to vote who would break Hank Aaron's record for most career home runs: Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, or someone else. Afterwards, they displayed a chart that showed Alex Rodriguez is on pace to blow away Aaron's record.
It remains a mystery why analysts are so obsessed with "on pace?" Today's case and point, Ken Griffey, Jr., who for years was also on pace to blow away Aaron’s record, but is now on pace to find a nice comfy recliner on Lido Deck of U.S.S. Irrelevant.
On pace can never factor in a degenerative hip injury, or degradation of skills, or divorce, or getting a face full of shotgun pellets from the gun of a jealous husband while riding the backseat of your uncle’s car in Gary, Indiana.
In the case of Ken Griffey, Jr., on pace could never account for a ruptured ankle tendon, a separated shoulder, a torn right patellar tendon, a torn right hamstring, a torn left hamstring, tendonitis in the right knee, and again, a torn left hamstring. This is all since the 2000 season.
In the case of someone getting close to Aaron’s mark: wake me when a player is within 50 of Hammerin’ Hank. Until then, I’m just not that interested.
Thursday, July 17, 2003
A's moves
-The Rich Harden era begins next Monday. He's being called up to start in Kansas City.
-Could the Bobby Kielty era also start Monday? Beane is apparently very interested in trading Ted Lilly to his good buddy J.P. Riccardi for Kielty. Q: was Stewart really an upgrade for Kielty?
-The Rich Harden era begins next Monday. He's being called up to start in Kansas City.
-Could the Bobby Kielty era also start Monday? Beane is apparently very interested in trading Ted Lilly to his good buddy J.P. Riccardi for Kielty. Q: was Stewart really an upgrade for Kielty?
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
Zitogate
So, is it:
-an obvious directive of Fox Sports trying to juice the ratings by including Clemens
-a slam on Zito by the A's management who may or may not actually put his personal goals and glory in front of team based on this boxscore.
-a sloppily handled poorly communicated situation by both the A's and MLB.
Please vote.
So, is it:
-an obvious directive of Fox Sports trying to juice the ratings by including Clemens
-a slam on Zito by the A's management who may or may not actually put his personal goals and glory in front of team based on this boxscore.
-a sloppily handled poorly communicated situation by both the A's and MLB.
Please vote.
Monday, July 14, 2003
Breaking It Down
-Are the Giants very good or very lucky? Hard to tell. They won't win the west with a rotation of Schmidt, Williams and a bunch of guys who suck, will they? Brian Sabean has to earn his money and get someone who can get six inning at Pac Bell.
-The White Sox go out and get Carl Everett and the fastly shrinking Robby Alomar and suddenly the team goes in the tank worse than when Willie Harris and Lazy Jimenez were manning the positions for the Pale Hose. Ken Williams for mayor!
-Are the Marlins really in the Wild Card race? The Ugueth Urbina deal makes it seem like the team thinks they are. At the break they're 4.5 games behind the Phillies, which doesn't seem so bad until you realize there are just as many teams ahead of them in the race than below them for the slot.
-Oakland by every stretch of the imagination had a horrible first half. They had problems scoring runs, Erubial Durazo first half performance proved Bob Brenley a genius for only playing him part time, Jermaine Dye went from bad to broken...twice, and the bullpen was not so hot. All that and the club is 54-29, one game behind Boston for the WC and only four behind Seattle for the division lead. Gotta love that starting pitching. No team needs an outfield bat more than the A's.
-If Mike Sweeney is healthy the Royals blow away the White Sox and Twins. Which is pretty much what they've done in the first half. Dontrelle Willis of the second half: Zack Greinke?
-Does anyone want to win the NL Central? Anyone? Anyone? If the leading Astros were in any other division in baseball, they'd be at least in second place. If they were in the NL East, they'd be looking at an 11 game deficit.
-Second half MVP? If the last week is any indication, I wouldn't bet against Sammy Sosa. Or Barry Bonds. Or Albert Pujols.
-Are the Giants very good or very lucky? Hard to tell. They won't win the west with a rotation of Schmidt, Williams and a bunch of guys who suck, will they? Brian Sabean has to earn his money and get someone who can get six inning at Pac Bell.
-The White Sox go out and get Carl Everett and the fastly shrinking Robby Alomar and suddenly the team goes in the tank worse than when Willie Harris and Lazy Jimenez were manning the positions for the Pale Hose. Ken Williams for mayor!
-Are the Marlins really in the Wild Card race? The Ugueth Urbina deal makes it seem like the team thinks they are. At the break they're 4.5 games behind the Phillies, which doesn't seem so bad until you realize there are just as many teams ahead of them in the race than below them for the slot.
-Oakland by every stretch of the imagination had a horrible first half. They had problems scoring runs, Erubial Durazo first half performance proved Bob Brenley a genius for only playing him part time, Jermaine Dye went from bad to broken...twice, and the bullpen was not so hot. All that and the club is 54-29, one game behind Boston for the WC and only four behind Seattle for the division lead. Gotta love that starting pitching. No team needs an outfield bat more than the A's.
-If Mike Sweeney is healthy the Royals blow away the White Sox and Twins. Which is pretty much what they've done in the first half. Dontrelle Willis of the second half: Zack Greinke?
-Does anyone want to win the NL Central? Anyone? Anyone? If the leading Astros were in any other division in baseball, they'd be at least in second place. If they were in the NL East, they'd be looking at an 11 game deficit.
-Second half MVP? If the last week is any indication, I wouldn't bet against Sammy Sosa. Or Barry Bonds. Or Albert Pujols.
