I have nothing to add today except a few stupid BCB posts:

Wood and DeRo
For those of you who are lamenting Kerry’s departure, I’m not sold that we should’ve paid $10MM/year for a mediocre closer. He blew 15% of his saves and walked/hit quite a few per 9……he was hardly the real deal. While I realize Gregg is not perfect either, I like the “strategy” of moving Marmol to close and using Gregg as set up while saving some $$$. Spellcheck could also set up Marmol-let’s not forget, if Gregg is a bust.

Additionally, DeRosa had a CAREER year last year and turns 34 before the season starts. I don’t think it’s a bad sell high move, although I can see some “complaints” about the prospects we received in return. I’m holding judgment until we see if these players get packaged in another deal coming. Bottom line, I can see some sound rationale to the trade…
by jballgame on Jan 6, 2009 6:16 PM CST reply   1 recs

Let’s look at Wood’s walks and Gregg’s.
Wood: 66.1 IP, 18 BB, 7 HBP
Gregg: 68.2 IP, 37 BB, 4 HBP

Now, tell me again that Gregg has better control than Wood.

Oh, and Gregg blew 24% of his save opportunities.

“That’s my opinion and if you don’t like it, well, I have others.” ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Jan 6, 2009 8:04 PM CST up reply   0 recs

He never said Gregg was better than Wood.
He was saying Wood is about league average for a closer (and I don’t know if this is true or not)
by GoCubbies34 on Jan 6, 2009 8:43 PM CST up reply   0 recs

No, but he implied Wood walked a lot of people and Gregg doesn’t.
Which isn’t true.

“That’s my opinion and if you don’t like it, well, I have others.” ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Jan 7, 2009 4:41 AM CST up reply   0 recs

Someone needs to explain the difference between imply and infer to Al…

Clip from an Oscar-nominated film

What job is that now?

I didn’t know you had a beard, Maddog.

Al is a gay, racist sexist.

The eye candy thing is just a front.

If so someone should have a word with DLee I mean he did swing at Chris Young
by El Borto on Jan 7, 2009 8:16 AM CST up reply   0 recs

After being provoked.
“That’s my opinion and if you don’t like it, well, I have others.” ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Jan 7, 2009 8:40 AM CST up reply   0 recs

(dying laughing) lol (dying laughing) lol (dying laughing) lol

You’re right, it was a fluke injury. Without excusing the alleged racial remarks (and we’ll probably never know exactly what was said), a bigger man would have just walked away.

“That’s my opinion and if you don’t like it, well, I have others.” ~ Groucho Marx
by Al on Dec 31, 2008 9:04 AM CST up reply   0 recs

DLee is excused for responding violently when provoked

That’s his opninion, but he has others…

Milton Bradley shouldn’t have responded at all….when provoked….

I really hope he gets called out for this hypocrisy.

why do you guys spend so much time worrying about this guy Al?

I don’t think ‘worrying’ is the right word, dbrown. Al is the most entertaining thing in sports blogging right now. He cracks me up every single day (mostly because of how much he pisses people around here off).

why do you guys spend so much time worrying about this guy Al?

Because he is a constant source of unintended comedy.

its the middle of the off season and there isnt that much to talk about

so we talk about Al-Dolf and his crew

Al-Dolf and his crew

Aldolf of Yellingrad.

Gathright and Bradley had better be told that they are on short leashes.

So the black players need to be kept on leashes now? Ouch.

Sweet, JG. I sense a mass-ban coming soon. Al’s pissed about Bradley, pissed because he’s got obvious defectors overt here…mass-ban coming soon.

OK, who’s VaJaMan?

It might be inferred.

I see VaJaMan has been challenging Yellon for a couple of days. And his retorts sound very familiar.  Someone needs to ‘fess up.

What are you implying?

Just that you can surmise the identity of VaJaMan.

Just that you can surmise the identity of VaJaMan.

Sounds like what I inferred.

I wonder what kinds of bandanas and T-shirts the genius RF bleachers will come up with this time.

No matter what they say, I doubt we get a Yellon-led protest this time around.

Can someone give me a link to VaJaMan’s comments you are talking about?

Matt Stafford just declared for the draft.  Jerry Angelo, please draft this kid. Please. For the love of God. Draft Matt Stafford.

http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2009/1/6/710592/cubs-sign-hothead-to-play#11217265

Maddog, I had no idea you had it in you.

Well, I don’t want to speak for Al… …but my response would be that DLee gets a pass because that incident really appears to be aberration. Derrek really doesn’t have any discernible history of picking fights with other players – provoked or otherwise. And, as has been detailed ad nauseum at this point, we can’t really say that about Milton Bradley.

by dat cubfan daver on Jan 7, 2009 9:36 AM CST up reply   0 recs

Derrek Lee fights - 1
Milton Bradley fights - 0

Matt Stafford just declared for the draft.  Jerry Angelo, please draft this kid. Please. For the love of God. Draft Matt Stafford.

I don’t think Stafford will make it that far, Dr. Trade up for him or Bradford

Exactly. First, trade up in the draft? As if! Second, for a QB? As if-As if!!!

I think Bradford will/would be the best QB to come out of this draft. Stafford has a big arm, but he’s too inconsistent.

Bomar will surprise people, imo. Don’t forget that he was a top recruit and the only reason he’s not leading OU right now is because he was paid to cut grass as a freshman or something.

Has anyone been watching the MLB Network?  Apparently it was heard there, in addition to Phil Rogers, that the Cubs are quietly shopping Soriano.

Say wha?  The MLB Network is on?  And, they’re fabricating rumors?

Rogers mentioned on the radio last evening (from what I’ve read anyway) that of the players the Cubs have under contract beyond 2009 the player they’d most like to trade is Soriano.  Keep in mind that Rogers has been saying this for a long time and there hasn’t been anybody else with credible information about this.  I’m sure the Cubs would like to trade anybody that could free up money beyond 2009 at this point, but for some reason Rogers only points out Soriano.

Rogers mentioned on the radio last evening (from what I’ve read anyway) that of the players the Cubs have under contract beyond 2009 the player they’d most like to trade is Soriano.  Keep in mind that Rogers has been saying this for a long time and there hasn’t been anybody else with credible information about this.  I’m sure the Cubs would like to trade anybody that could free up money beyond 2009 at this point, but for some reason Rogers only points out Soriano.

I think Phil Rogers would like to trade Soriano.

I’m sure the Cubs would like to trade anybody that could free up money beyond 2009 at this point, but for some reason Rogers only points out Soriano.

The only thing about something like this is that Hendry is pretty good at keeping these types of things under the radar.  more than likely Soriano is the easiest to replace while having some value to other teams. People can point to 6/106 but considering many other contracts that’s not too bad.  He seems like a natural fit for the Angels.

Until you have a real solution at leadoff, though, it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to move Soriano

Isn’t Fontenot a decent option in the lead-off spot?

Isn’t Fontenot a decent option in the lead-off spot?

Small sample size, but his career line in the leadoff spot: 28 PA, .143/.143/.214

I think you might be able to put Fukudome there, if he has extricated his head from his ass this season.

My guess is that Soriano would have to bring back a starting pitcher.  Not sure who the Cubs could get for him but I think it’d be a #2-3.  Then sign Dunn or if the new owners are able to make decisions they could land Ramirez.

I’m not a fan of USC players anymore (except Ronnie Lott). Other than Polamalu, they all seem to dissapoint in the NFL. I’d love the 49ers to take Mays and have him pan out at FS, but I bet he busts.

This draft is heavy in OL and DL (especially DE). That’s where the value is in later rounds.

Never trust a big butt and a smile.

is viewed by many as a selfish, one dimensional player (which I think is wrong)

Viewed by many fans and sportswriters as that way.  I mentioned this last night, but I think there is a real disconnect between what organizations think (do, believe, whatever) than what the “average” fan or your typical sportswriter thinks.  Keep in mind that every single teammate I’ve heard talk about Soriano has said he’s a great teammate and one of the hardest working players they’ve been around, not to mention the good spirits he brings to the team.  These are always ignored by the media (and the average fan) just as this similar information is being ignored about Bradley. 

Organizations that make these decisions aren’t going to ignore that information and almost certainly have a very different opinion of Soriano than the average fan does.  I’d say that’s true about every player in the game.  They actually know these guys whereas the average fan is basing their opinions on their biases (like Chuck) or their ignorance (like Al) and information they get from the sportswriters (the average fan).  These people don’t actually know these guys or really anything about them.  Their point of view is considerably different than that of the people in the organizations who are actually making decisions.

What we know is that Hendry would like to add Peavy and that he either needs to free up money in order to do so or have new ownership approval in adding his contract.  It appears that 2009 isn’t an issue, but beyond that.  We also know the Cubs have several players under contract beyond 2009 and I’d bet that Hendry has entertained trading any of them if he really thinks that Peavy is that much of an improvement or necessity for this team.  The obvious exception would be Dempster who he just re-signed as well as Carlos Zambrano. 

When I say “this is what we know” what I mean is that this is what has been told to us in some way or another.

Viewed by many fans and sportswriters as that way.  I mentioned this last night, but I think there is a real disconnect between what organizations think (do, believe, whatever) than what the “average” fan or your typical sportswriter thinks.

My guess is that teams feel the need to talk-down to reporters/fans because there has been so much backlash against statistically minded decisions. 
one reason soriano might be on the table is due to his injuries.  They talked his health up when they signed him.  Now that he has some leg issues they may view him as being better off on an AL team that can DH to give him rest and keep him on the field.  Yes I do believe teams think about players and what’s best for them as well as the team.

I think Florida will beat OU.

I hope they do, and I hope they do it by fewer than 10 points (on a neutral field).

Raiders will draft Tebow in the 1st round.  As I said, they’re only 5 or 10 years and the death of an owner away from being a good team again.

My guess is that Soriano would have to bring back a starting pitcher.  Not sure who the Cubs could get for him but I think it’d be a #2-3.  Then sign Dunn or if the new owners are able to make decisions they could land Ramirez.

Speaking of Ramirez, if the Dodger’s lose out on the Ramirez sweepstakes they could be a candidate for a trade, probably Soriano.  Clayton Kershaw would be a nice piece to pick up.  Not that I would want to trade Soriano, but they’ll be looking to make a move for a slugger if they can’t sign Manny.

I could declare my eligibility for the NFL draft and I’m relatively certain the Raiders would draft me in the 1st round.

Only if you had a good combine.

Who gets the higher 1st-round pick wasted on them:

Sanchez. He looked great against a good Penn. St. defense. I don’t know how anyone can look at Tebow and see a pro QB…except maybe MIA with their wildcat shit.

I bet Matt Sanchez can be a serviceable QB in the NFL.  He has a good arm and pocket presence, especially from what I saw in their Bowl.

Tim Tebow…that’s a tough one.  He never is used under center and is more of a very athletic and powerful fullback when running the ball.  He doesn’t translate well to the NFL, unless he can show that he’s a pocket QB or move to TE.

This article is speaking directly to you, Maddog: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/33994

He doesn’t translate well to the NFL, unless he can show that he’s a pocket QB or move to TE.

which is why the Raiders will draft him and immediately move him to long snapper.

I bet Matt Sanchez can be a serviceable QB in the NFL.  He has a good arm and pocket presence, especially from what I saw in their Bowl.

Maybe, but that’s his ceiling, IMO. He reminds me of Rob Johnson.

I could send them a picture of a 700 pound man claiming to be me and I’m 85% sure they’d draft me and sign me to a guaranteed contract of 37 years and $900 million.

You have a $900 million offer on the table and you’re not taking it?

You could have made those throws.

Thanks.

You have a $900 million offer on the table and you’re not taking it?

i would, but i know I’ll be considered selfish the rest of my life by every fan and every sportswriter so I’ve decided to decline it and play for the league minimum so fans really really like me.

I’ll be considered selfish the rest of my life by every fan and every sportswriter

So you’re hispanic?

I don’t want Braden Looper or Tim Redding, or Randy Wolf for that matter.

All white.

Just sayin’.

sanchez will get drafted higher, by far

i couldn’t find the post that started the discussion, but I was watching the new MLB network a couple nights ago.  they were discussing Bradley - harold reynolds and mitch williams liked the deal. some guy at the end of table who i couldn’t place said he liked it, then out of nowhere says that it allows them flexibility to dump soriano.  hadn’t heard that anywhere - everyone on the stage was doing a doubletake.

if the cubs thought this was likely they wouldn’t have moved derosa, but I have a difficult time listening to arguments saying that that money can’t be better spent elsewhere over the next half decade (as long as it gets spent).  he is going to be a fossil in 2 or 3 years, and an albatross on the payroll, especially when whoever buys this team is stretched incredibly thin by the cash component they need to put into the deal.

personally i don’t care for his game (free swinging, will never hit in the postseason), but i’m mindful enough that his stats are truly exceptional, he’s better than his detractors give him credit for, and he absolutely gets you to the playoffs which is the goal of the season.  That said, If you could trade him with prospects for matt cain?  or beltran?  you do it before the phone gets hung up.  I wouldn’t dump him, especially because they are banking on the next 2 years, but trade him?  absolutely in the right deal.  I feel dumb if rogers agrees.

i know the part about saying he will never hit in the playoffs will draw great ire here - small sample size, the fact that he has a long track record of not just having poor numbers but looking ridiculous while doing so doesn’t matter, etc.  i buy stats like the next guy, but i feel real comfortable saying this guy will never have a big postseason - when you face the best pitchers, and every out counts, he will substantially underperform his career numbers.  Maddog made the case last time i said that that pitchers always concentrate and that it was ridiculous to assert that professional athletes aren’t always focused - I disagree with that.  He prays on poor pitching.  I know he had a couple knocks against good pitchers - he’s not theriot at the plate against good pitching.  but the playoffs are different, and i don’t get the argument that suggests otherwise.

This is a pretty cool story.  check out the video if you have time.

Fucking Ohio State fans… I hate ‘em: http://www.aroundtheoval.com/2008/12/14/691968/how-can-buck-s-take-on-tex

I’d trade anybody if it improves the team and I’m positive hendry agrees.  The question is whether or not you could improve your team by trading Soriano.  Considering the economy right now, I think it’s very difficult to imagine that happening.  you’ve got a few outfielders (Ibanez, Abreu, dunn) who would have gone for 5 years and $75 million a year ago who are now taking $10 million per year over fewer years.  you’re not going to get anything back for soriano simply because nobody takes on a large contract AND gives up anything in return.  That’s part of the problem in dealing for Peavy.  if the cubs are going to take on all of that contract, they absolutely should not be giving up that much to get him.

Check out the comments in Al’s review of the MLB network.  Someone has called him out as being racist and sexist and the lemmings are rallying to his defense.

That HAS to be a plant.  We’ve tried it several times with some HJE SBoxers before—to infiltrate the BCB inpenatrable walls of dictatorship.

Mr. Yellon, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL!  Or, don’t, because your site sucks donkey meat curtains.

oh i believe we have several active plants within the BCB community at the moment

oh i believe we have several active plants within the BCB community at the moment

Outstanding.  Out-fucking-standing.

I think Gordon Whittenmeyer speculated that the Cubs could have interest in those guys if the Cubs weren’t able to renew talks for Jake Peavy.  Lowe and Sheets were also included.

Originally I was on board with the Cubs pursuing Lowe, but at this point it just doesn’t seem necessary.  I’m almost to the point where I feel the same about Sheets.  The Cubs needs aren’t in starting pitching, it would be awesome if the Cubs landed a difference maker like Peavy, even though they don’t really need him.  I wonder if Hendry thinks he needs another starter with the way all the rumors are flying around.

will never hit in the postseason
False.

call me in 2011 when he calcifies.  we can look back on the previous 2 or 3 years and make the call.

vlad,
Why be fair to Al?

TheVan suggested I’ve flown off the handle to him in the past and now I’m trying to be nothing but sweetness and light to people on the internet

Originally I was on board with the Cubs pursuing Lowe, but at this point it just doesn’t seem necessary.

That and he’s asking for waaaaayyyy too damn much.

When will the Vlad/TheVan peace accords start?

Never! I shall drive TheVan into the sea!

To be fair, I think that Al’s use of “well-spoken” isn’t connected to race at all. He also used it to describe Joe Magrane and Al Leiter. Which shows he doesn’t know what “well-spoken” means, but still.

I actually agree, vlad, or at least that it wasn’t an intentional use in the way that one of the readers took it to be.  Still, it’s a cliche often used to refer to minorities who surprise people in their intelligence.  Al is overly sensitive to anything that offends him in any way and wants his site to be recognized as a legitimate source for information, but says the same offensive shit he cries about over and over.  it’s funny.

call me in 2011 when he calcifies.  we can look back on the previous 2 or 3 years and make the call.

30 or so plate appearances is good enough to come to a conclusion that someone CANNOT hit?  Seriously? 

there is no reason whatsoever that baseball in October is different than baseball any other time of the year.  If you can hit in april, which you even acknowledged Soriano can, how can he not hit in october?

there is no reason whatsoever that baseball in October is different than baseball any other time of the year.  If you can hit in april, which you even acknowledged Soriano can, how can he not hit in october?

Exactly. It’s the law of large numbers. Over a large enough sample, the empirical probability is almost equal to the theoretical probability.

Of course, these are major league baseball players, so maybe this is actually an appropriate use according to Rock.

I wouldn’t disagree with that as I think the average IQ of a ballplayer is less than 40.

all i can say i that I want Soriano on my team

you can tell that santos guy at BCB wants to say NIGGER really badly.

He is always the first one to try and wet-towel these types of discussions.

I want Soriano on my team as well, dj.  I want a lot of players on my team, but I’d consider anything if it improved the team.  That’s one reason why i really liked the idea of trading Carlos Marmol this offseason.  The dude’s value is through the roof and makes next to nothing in a climate that sees players being paid half what they would normally would have been paid.  i can’t imagine how much the Cubs could get for him.  It would be a lot as almost all teams overvalue relievers, especially closers.

Or if you’re comparing said person to Devon Hester.

Which is ironic, seeing as you misspelled his name.

its spelled

DeVon Hester

ACB>BCB

Why? Because at ACB you can say nigger and call Al Yellon a racist at the same time.

Soriano gave a hint of what was to come this year during the 2001 postseason. His two-run, ninth-inning blast sank the Mariners in Game 4 of the ALCS. During the Fall Classic he won Game 5 with a 12th-inning RBI single and put New York ahead, 2-1, in Game 7 with a home run off Curt Schilling in the eighth inning before the Diamondbacks rallied for a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the ninth.

Why? Because at ACB you can say nigger and call Al Yellon a racist at the same time.

And sexist.

Soriano gave a hint of what was to come this year during the 2001 postseason. His two-run, ninth-inning blast sank the Mariners in Game 4 of the ALCS. During the Fall Classic he won Game 5 with a 12th-inning RBI single and put New York ahead, 2-1, in Game 7 with a home run off Curt Schilling in the eighth inning before the Diamondbacks rallied for a come-from-behind victory in the bottom of the ninth.

Never happened. Prove me wrong.

Because at ACB you can post things like ‘nigger’ and and call Al Yellon a sexist racist at the same time.

Someone actually said that Harold Reynolds was the best part of Baseball Tonight.  He’s obviously wrong because the best part of Baseball Tonight was Web Gems and the spontaneous updates and the little tune that played before the spontaneous updates.

Someone actually said that Harold Reynolds was the best part of Baseball Tonight.

He was until he sent pictures of his dong to co-workers. Or was that someone else? Maybe Reynolds was the one that hugged just a little too long.

all of that said, his value to getting your team to the postseason is awfully high, and i do not advocate dumping the guy if you aren’t spending the money elsewhere or getting something back.

couldn’t agree more on marmol - i love watching him but he is a 2 pitch guy and when the fastball isn’t getting over the plate you sit slider and crush him.  i would absolutely move him for the right deal.  the blue jays announcers were going nuts about it this yr - they didn’t understand how you don’t sit slider on him/.

He was until he sent pictures of his dong to co-workers. Or was that someone else? Maybe Reynolds was the one that hugged just a little too long.

Sean Salisbury, the white former QB who still has his job, was the dong photog; Reynolds, the African-American guy who lost his job, was the hugger.

He was until he sent pictures of his dong to co-workers. Or was that someone else? Maybe Reynolds was the one that hugged just a little too long.

I think that was the guy who now works for the NFL Network…Rich Eisen?

Edit:  Nevermind, Truth P. Loco set me straight.

i think arguing that you don’t face better than average pitchers in the playoffs is a pretty weak stance.  and you can’t argue that you don’t face the best guys on those staffs for every at bat.

Not that I’m going to argue. I’m just saying. A lot of times there are teams that make the playoffs that just make you scratch your head. Some teams luck out like that, they’re few and far in between though.

Best news I’ve heard all day, IAN.

they didn’t understand how you don’t sit slider on him/.

I’m sure most hitters do sit slider on him, but come on!  That’s a sick slider.  It’s filthy.  Guy’s that are sitting on that slider are also ducking out of the way of called strikes.

Ryno, I need a name to go with that face so I can crash google later.  My wife’s gonna be pissed.

OK.

Made you look.

Ryno, I need a name to go with that face so I can crash google later.

I don’t care about names. And I honestly don’t know.

Al will stop by to say this is NOT happening in 5, 4, 3, 2….

by SignedSealed&Delivered;on Jan 7, 2009 9:54 AM PST reply actions   0 recs

the natives are restless!

What about 1 year of Andy Pettitte?  I’m not sold on the fact that he’d even come to Chicago, but he’d be a nice 5th starter. 1 year 12-13 should do it. Might be an alternative, I can’t imagine he’d be 11 million dollars better than Sean Marshall but better is better if you have money to spend.

What about 1 year of Andy Pettitte?

All over it, 2883. Love the idea.

i think arguing that you don’t face better than average pitchers in the playoffs is a pretty weak stance.  and you can’t argue that you don’t face the best guys on those staffs for every at bat.

Sure, that’s true, but what people seem to forget when they say things like this is that the better hitters are facing the better pitchers.  Nobody can expect a player to hit like he has over his career if he only faces the best teams, or the best players, but you’re arguing that it turns a very good player into a ridiculously bad player that could not even make a AAA or AA roster.  if that were true, dbrown, imagine how poorly a guy like David Eckstein would hit in the playoffs.  yet he somehow won the MVP award, didn’t he?  If the opposition is better, performance will decline for everyone.

i think pettitte is spent.  i would bet given the same opportunity marshall outpitches him this year.

Al =

We need someone to study Soriano like someone did Biggio… how he found out Biggio was significantly worse than the avg. hitter against the good pitchers and significantly better than the avg. hitter against bad pitchers.

Purely anecdotally: Soriano has five career home runs against CC Sabathia, more than any other pitcher. He has four against Tim Wakefield and Jamie Moyer. He has a .333 average against CC. .429 against Chris Carpenter. .417 against Tom Glavine. .407 against Mark Mulder. .278 against John Smoltz. .600 against Kevin Brown. This year he hit home runs against Brett Myers, Jason Isringhausen, Brandon Backe (2), Jake Peavy, Derek Lowe, CC (2), Glavine and Johnny Cueto (2), among others.

Dude if someone called me eye candy I’d kiss them.

by sue369 on Jan 7, 2009 11:50 AM CST up reply   0 recs

and spread more stupid into the world. nice.

I assume you are also saying that if he hits .100 for the next 5 yrs in the playoffs it’s irrelevant because its still not half a season of ABs?  I just don’t agree.

I’m saying what he does in the postseason is irrelevant even if he somehow gets 18,000 plate appearances.  if he had that many in October, he’d have a million plate appearances in the regular season.  What’s more valuable?  What he did in those million or what he did in FAR FEWER plate appearances? 

This is really a probability issue.  If you flip a coin 5 times and it lands on heads 4 of them, are you going to argue with me that that particular coin will lands on heads 80% of the time because of those 5 flips?  Or will you argue with me that it will land on heads 50% of the time because over thousands and thousands of flips the number of times it lands on heads will become as close to equal as possible as the number of times it lands on tails? 

This is exactly what we’re talking about here.  Same thing.  You’re arguing a coin that lands on heads 5, 6 or 7 times in a row on a Monday means that coin will always land on heads on Mondays, but land 50/50 heads/tails the other 6 days.  This is what you’re arguing.

To be clear, what you are saying can be summed up as follows:

Flip a coin on Monday 4 times and it lands on heads each time.  Flip that same coin 4 times each of the rest of the days and it comes up 12 heads and 12 tails, or 10 heads and 14 tails, (close to 50/50).  You’re saying that those flips on Monday have special value and that on Mondays from this point forward the coin will always land on heads.  You’ve ignored the other data (6 days worth, or a majority).  Same thing with soriano.  you’re taking a set of data over 1 month and ignoring the others (6 months, or a majority).

I don’t think we can say Soriano will never be a good hitter in the postseason, but he will always struggle against junk ballers like Lowe and Webb - they will throw breaking stuff away and he will have trouble laying off of it. As long as he runs into those types in the playoffs, at this point in his career, he will struggle.

I agree, MHC.  Lowe and Webb are likely to confuse the hell out of Soriano simply because they keep the ball down.

I’d post that if I could, but it’s a guaranteed banning.  It might be more fun just to fuck with him as JMan has been doing.

TV, do you really think pitchers are just throwing cookies up there during the regular season waiting to be knocked around?  Think about what they have on the line during the regular season:  winning (most important thing to 99.9% of athletes), and money (future contracts). 

No, not purposefully.  But it may have something to do with the average talent level.  What’s the difference between an average pitcher and an above average pitcher when they’re operating on the same scouting report?  Perhaps the difference between low and in (in the dirt) and low and in (at the ankles where Soriano likes it)?  That’s all I’m saying.  Besides I already admitted I was wrong and declared my opinion not up for debate.

new thread up

but I’d argue that if you and I can figure out where Soriano likes the ball that people who are paid to figure it out are all on the same page along with some additional information that we probably didn’t even realize.

You would definately think so.  It just seems that when Soriano blasts one of those at-the-ankle pitches he gets one of those puzzled looks from the pitcher as he asks his catcher, “What the fuck! I thought you said low and in?!”, to which the catcher gives him a look that says, “low and in THE DIRT, retard!”.

I’m merely arguing that in the playoffs he’s less likely to face a pitcher that makes that kind of mistake, not that during the season they’re just lobbing him batting practice to pad his stats.

Again, these are merely my observations and opinions and I’m not stating them to be facts.  They are not supported by statistical data.

what you are basically saying is all postseason numbers are completely irrelevant.  what i am saying is that may be true, but when pitchers hit their spots against soriano, they have an outsized amount of success than vs other hitters that make $18mm/year.  And the pitchers that pitch in october hit their spots more often than the pitchers that soriano see over 162 (or 120 in his case).

But it’s not just Soriano as you are acting.  When pitchers hit their spots, they’re good pitchers.  If nobody missed their spots, they’d give up very few, if any, runs.  once again, you’re trying to argue that the distance between spots missed in October is so drastically different than it is the rest of the year.  I’d agree that the pitches are more consistent in hitting their spots.  They’re better pitchers, but in all honest, dbrown, in order to argue that Soriano is in fact that bad in the postseason and always will be, you’re talking about a difference that is similar to a league average pitcher (4.35 ERA) and the best in history (1.00 ERA).  Are pitchers that good in the postseason?  is Soriano still not one of the better hitters even in the postseason? 

the numbers don’t match up.  the pitching isn’t THAT much better.  it’s better for sure, but not that much.

well what if the difference between a playoff pitcher and an average pitcher from a non-playoff caliber team is not as large as once thought? I mean, we all know the old saying about the difference between a .280 hitter and a .300 one.

Great players are generally more of a matter of record than something you can legitimately see with your eyes. 

The most reliable and favored pitching metrics are things like K/BB, HR/9, k/9 etc… stats that generally don’t wow in a single game setting. If a hitter goes 1-3, 2B with a walk in the post season it’s not going to make headlines. even though a .333/.500/.666 line is magnificent.

Also, not only are Soriano’s post season stats skewed by sample size, but cross reference his post-season appearances with his actual stats that year.  He had a crappy 2001 with the yankees and had 58 at bats in the PS.

He only had 28 at-bats with the cubs in the PS, which is terribly small.