Does it make anyone else just puke their guts out to see Dustin Pedroia with a .325 BA and an .862 OPS? Interesting numbers to look at here...
Dustin Pedroia's 2008 Hit Location
Pulled: 175 AB - .457 BA/.794 SLG
Up Middle: 267 AB - .288/.382 SLG
Oppo: 64 AB - .328 BA/.422 SLG
Force this piece of shit to hit the ball to center or go oppo on you. This guy clearly loves to open up and rip everything to left field. He has a combined .298 BA and .390 SLG on balls he wasn't able to pull. DON'T LET THIS LITTLE DIPSHIT PULL THE BALL.
And Robbie...come on. What are you doing leaving the ballpark early to avoid answering questions about the botched DP attempt? Everyone thinks that it's nonchalance, but Cano's style is very smooth so when he screws up it looks nonchalant. Jeter, A-Rod, and Girardi all backed you up in their interviews saying the same things. Why the hell did you run? Once again, just as it looks like he might be heating up and ready to play well the rest of the season, something goes wrong and then to top it off he runs away like a pussy instead of standing there to take the heat like a man. I hope he left for some other reason, but I doubt it. Girardi and Jeter ought to sit him down before tomorrow's game and set him straight.
In other news, Hughes had a good outing the other day, getting back on track in Scranton. 6.1 IP, just 2 ER and 7 K. Back to hitting 93-94 mph on the gun again. I hope we get to see him again before this season's over. At this point, he's not going to learn anything new by pitching at AAA. Bring him up now and let him work on stuff up here. The Yankees aren't going anywhere. Maybe, since Joba will be reactivated soon, have Hughes start a game with an 85 pitch count or something (which hopefully gets him through 5 innings), then have Joba come in to finish the game and go 4 innings.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Done
It's not even worth bitching about how this season sucks anymore. It's not worth putting up numbers and hoping that the law of averages will even everything out (BA w/RISP, Cano's absurdly low BA on line drives, Pettitte's xFIP). It's over. Forget it. Just hope and pray that those cunts don't win another World Series. Posts from now on will be more about the kids in the minors, acquisitions the Yankees should or should not make, etc. 2008 is a lost season, just have to accept it. You can't make the playoffs EVERY year. Look at the cunts. They didn't make it in 2006 and they looked TERRIBLE during and after that 5 game sweep. Look what happened the next year. Just hope and pray that the Rays or Angels can knock them off should they reach the playoffs or that the Twins (even though I don't like them aside from Morneau and Mauer) manage to steal the Wild Card and keep the Red Sox out of the playoffs.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Fucking Fuckity Fuck Fuck FUCK
It's times like these I wish I wasn't a baseball fan, let alone a Yankees fan. Johnny Damon drops 2 routine flyballs, one of which loses the game. What in the name of hell is going on? It's just one freak/sloppy/pathetic loss after another and it's really really fucking annoying.
Even Jose Molina has a .711 batting average on line drives. Derek Jeter? .726. Cano? .611. Fucking dammit. If he had normal luck, he'd have 14 more hits and about 3 more doubles just going by career norms on line drives, which would put him at .295/.331/.433. Anecdotally though, I've seen him robbed of about 6 or 7 doubles (because some of them have been deep/well-hit flyballs on which guys have made absurd catches on and some have been rocket grounders down the lines that have also had great plays made on them) which would put him at something more like .302/.337/.447 for the season.
Kevin Youkilis sucks. The fact that he has a .320/.388/.579 line for the season is a fucking joke. Suddenly at age 29 he goes from being a decent hitter to a monster? Bullshit. You know what his numbers would be if he didn't have hurricanes or massive humidity helping his flyballs out of the park?
.295/.366/.478 with 13 HR
Where do I get those numbers you might ask? Here:
08/19/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Cabrera, Daniel BAL 5 Oriole Park ... PL 425 111.8 34.2 102.6 109 -8 5 0 428 30
08/17/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Marcum, Shaun TOR 4 Fenway Park JE/L 416 103.5 31.5 84.3 84 29 3 0 383 0
08/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Rupe, Josh TEX 5 Fenway Park ND 436 111.9 32.2 96.9 98 10 -1 0 427 29
08/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Francisco, Frank TEX 8 Fenway Park ND 398 108.0 29.9 120.1 81 3 -1 0 396 30
08/02/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS DiNardo, Lenny OAK 8 Fenway Park PL 375 104.4 29.1 125.6 73 1 0 0 374 30
08/02/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Eveland, Dana OAK 1 Fenway Park JE 349 96.3 36.1 124.7 90 5 -1 1 345 16
07/29/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lackey, John LAA 9 Fenway Park ND 371 101.6 35.8 127.6 98 -1 3 0 369 30
07/19/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Saunders, Joe LAA 2 Angels Stadi... JE/L 417 104.7 33.8 94.5 96 21 2 1 392 1
07/18/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lackey, John LAA 2 Angels Stadi... ND 412 106.7 36.1 126.0 107 15 2 1 394 30
07/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Liz, Radhames BAL 3 Fenway Park PL/L 390 96.9 38.8 109.4 104 38 2 0 351 0
07/09/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Reyes, Dennys MIN 8 Fenway Park ND 407 101.0 42.7 107.4 129 40 6 0 362 2
06/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Parisi, Mike STL 13 Fenway Park PL 384 102.1 41.7 105.9 127 10 2 0 371 10
06/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Pineiro, Joel STL 7 Fenway Park JE/L 343 96.2 51.6 119.1 151 48 1 0 294 0
06/14/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lincoln, Mike CIN 10 Great Americ... PL 408 105.0 36.4 79.3 109 5 6 4 394 14
06/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Sarfate, Dennis BAL 7 Fenway Park PL 359 99.2 37.6 119.4 102 -2 1 1 360 16
05/18/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Torres, Salomon MIL 7 Fenway Park JE/L 362 94.1 34.2 126.8 79 30 -2 0 333 3
05/10/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Perkins, Glen MIN 2 Metrodome PL 383 106.0 27.6 121.7 69 0 0 5 377 30
05/08/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Verlander, Justin DET 5 Comerica Par... JE 362 107.2 42.8 118.6 139 -22 -6 5 386 30
05/07/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Galarraga, Armando DET 6 Comerica Par... JE/L 361 97.0 30.5 118.4 71 16 -2 3 344 3
05/07/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Galarraga, Armando DET 4 Comerica Par... ND 405 106.2 37.7 119.6 114 11 -3 4 393 30
05/05/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Bonderman, Jeremy DET 4 Comerica Par... PL 390 100.7 38.5 121.2 108 22 0 4 365 29
05/04/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Wheeler, Dan TB 7 Fenway Park JE 416 114.4 31.8 89.4 99 -15 -9 0 440 29
04/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Weaver, Jered LAA 5 Fenway Park JE 368 104.4 32.6 113.2 89 -14 -3 1 386 29
04/14/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Betancourt, Rafael CLE 8 Jacobs Field PL 352 97.0 43.0 124.2 118 20 -10 4 338 7
The last 2 numbers are the distance the ball should have gone in normal atmospheric conditions and the number of parks in which the ball would have been a home run around MLB. And as you can see, about 11 of his 24 home runs were helped massively by the weather conditions. That 294 foot flyball that turned into a 343 foot home run is really laughable. So, subtract 11 hits, 11 home runs, from his totals, and there you have it. He's having just about the kind of season you can expect out of him. The lucky homers he's hit this year make all the difference in BA/OBP/SLG. His averages on grounders and liners are normal (.256 and .750 respectively). They are right around where they should be. It's all due to the bullshit home runs. He's such a prick, why does he get to have all the luck on his side? Matsuzaka as far as I know is not a prick, he just sucks and doesn't deserve to have 15 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA because of how terrible his peripherals are.
Ugh, I'm done. I needed to vent, and now I'm just too fucking sick of going over how things keep going wrong. Pricks/players I don't like all getting lucky and having phenomenal seasons and players/teams I do like all sucking. MLB 2008. Welcome to hell if you're a true baseball fan. MLB 2009 better be less full of bullshit so things even out. Hughes, Joba, and IPK are all healthy and pitching the way they're capable of. Cano hits .340 with a .960 OPS. Youkilis has the worst weather conditions ever in every game which causes him to hit .260 with a .710 OPS, changing those "YOOOUUUUUUK!!!!!!!" cheers to "BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!". Matsuzaka gets absolutely shelled and knocked out of games by the 3rd inning every start for the first 3 months next year to the tune of a 7.83 ERA.
Now THAT would be nice.
Even Jose Molina has a .711 batting average on line drives. Derek Jeter? .726. Cano? .611. Fucking dammit. If he had normal luck, he'd have 14 more hits and about 3 more doubles just going by career norms on line drives, which would put him at .295/.331/.433. Anecdotally though, I've seen him robbed of about 6 or 7 doubles (because some of them have been deep/well-hit flyballs on which guys have made absurd catches on and some have been rocket grounders down the lines that have also had great plays made on them) which would put him at something more like .302/.337/.447 for the season.
Kevin Youkilis sucks. The fact that he has a .320/.388/.579 line for the season is a fucking joke. Suddenly at age 29 he goes from being a decent hitter to a monster? Bullshit. You know what his numbers would be if he didn't have hurricanes or massive humidity helping his flyballs out of the park?
.295/.366/.478 with 13 HR
Where do I get those numbers you might ask? Here:
08/19/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Cabrera, Daniel BAL 5 Oriole Park ... PL 425 111.8 34.2 102.6 109 -8 5 0 428 30
08/17/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Marcum, Shaun TOR 4 Fenway Park JE/L 416 103.5 31.5 84.3 84 29 3 0 383 0
08/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Rupe, Josh TEX 5 Fenway Park ND 436 111.9 32.2 96.9 98 10 -1 0 427 29
08/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Francisco, Frank TEX 8 Fenway Park ND 398 108.0 29.9 120.1 81 3 -1 0 396 30
08/02/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS DiNardo, Lenny OAK 8 Fenway Park PL 375 104.4 29.1 125.6 73 1 0 0 374 30
08/02/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Eveland, Dana OAK 1 Fenway Park JE 349 96.3 36.1 124.7 90 5 -1 1 345 16
07/29/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lackey, John LAA 9 Fenway Park ND 371 101.6 35.8 127.6 98 -1 3 0 369 30
07/19/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Saunders, Joe LAA 2 Angels Stadi... JE/L 417 104.7 33.8 94.5 96 21 2 1 392 1
07/18/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lackey, John LAA 2 Angels Stadi... ND 412 106.7 36.1 126.0 107 15 2 1 394 30
07/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Liz, Radhames BAL 3 Fenway Park PL/L 390 96.9 38.8 109.4 104 38 2 0 351 0
07/09/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Reyes, Dennys MIN 8 Fenway Park ND 407 101.0 42.7 107.4 129 40 6 0 362 2
06/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Parisi, Mike STL 13 Fenway Park PL 384 102.1 41.7 105.9 127 10 2 0 371 10
06/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Pineiro, Joel STL 7 Fenway Park JE/L 343 96.2 51.6 119.1 151 48 1 0 294 0
06/14/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Lincoln, Mike CIN 10 Great Americ... PL 408 105.0 36.4 79.3 109 5 6 4 394 14
06/12/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Sarfate, Dennis BAL 7 Fenway Park PL 359 99.2 37.6 119.4 102 -2 1 1 360 16
05/18/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Torres, Salomon MIL 7 Fenway Park JE/L 362 94.1 34.2 126.8 79 30 -2 0 333 3
05/10/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Perkins, Glen MIN 2 Metrodome PL 383 106.0 27.6 121.7 69 0 0 5 377 30
05/08/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Verlander, Justin DET 5 Comerica Par... JE 362 107.2 42.8 118.6 139 -22 -6 5 386 30
05/07/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Galarraga, Armando DET 6 Comerica Par... JE/L 361 97.0 30.5 118.4 71 16 -2 3 344 3
05/07/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Galarraga, Armando DET 4 Comerica Par... ND 405 106.2 37.7 119.6 114 11 -3 4 393 30
05/05/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Bonderman, Jeremy DET 4 Comerica Par... PL 390 100.7 38.5 121.2 108 22 0 4 365 29
05/04/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Wheeler, Dan TB 7 Fenway Park JE 416 114.4 31.8 89.4 99 -15 -9 0 440 29
04/22/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Weaver, Jered LAA 5 Fenway Park JE 368 104.4 32.6 113.2 89 -14 -3 1 386 29
04/14/08 Video View Youkilis, Kevin BOS Betancourt, Rafael CLE 8 Jacobs Field PL 352 97.0 43.0 124.2 118 20 -10 4 338 7
The last 2 numbers are the distance the ball should have gone in normal atmospheric conditions and the number of parks in which the ball would have been a home run around MLB. And as you can see, about 11 of his 24 home runs were helped massively by the weather conditions. That 294 foot flyball that turned into a 343 foot home run is really laughable. So, subtract 11 hits, 11 home runs, from his totals, and there you have it. He's having just about the kind of season you can expect out of him. The lucky homers he's hit this year make all the difference in BA/OBP/SLG. His averages on grounders and liners are normal (.256 and .750 respectively). They are right around where they should be. It's all due to the bullshit home runs. He's such a prick, why does he get to have all the luck on his side? Matsuzaka as far as I know is not a prick, he just sucks and doesn't deserve to have 15 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA because of how terrible his peripherals are.
Ugh, I'm done. I needed to vent, and now I'm just too fucking sick of going over how things keep going wrong. Pricks/players I don't like all getting lucky and having phenomenal seasons and players/teams I do like all sucking. MLB 2008. Welcome to hell if you're a true baseball fan. MLB 2009 better be less full of bullshit so things even out. Hughes, Joba, and IPK are all healthy and pitching the way they're capable of. Cano hits .340 with a .960 OPS. Youkilis has the worst weather conditions ever in every game which causes him to hit .260 with a .710 OPS, changing those "YOOOUUUUUUK!!!!!!!" cheers to "BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!". Matsuzaka gets absolutely shelled and knocked out of games by the 3rd inning every start for the first 3 months next year to the tune of a 7.83 ERA.
Now THAT would be nice.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
What I want to do right now...
The baseball gods, the hideous AJ Burnett, Daisuke Matsuzaka (who once again got away with putting 11 men on base in 5 innings), that little fucking piece of shit Marco Scutaro (who joined in with the baseball gods to rob Cano of another double), and everybody I hate (which just about includes everyone on the planet) are in the line of fire...
Die you motherfuckers.
(I'm not an angry person...)
Die you motherfuckers.
(I'm not an angry person...)
Friday, August 15, 2008
Unfortunately the baseball gods didn't die in that nuclear blast...
As I've already written, the Yankees season has been insanely frustrating. Underperformance, bad luck, injuries, etc. Nothing going their way. On the other hand, Daisuke Matsuzaka once again gets away with murder. His line from last night:
7 IP
5:5 K/BB
6 H
0 ER
HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING? HIS STUFF FUCKING SUCKS. He walks the ballpark and doesn't strike out that many people to go along with it. He allows a lot of fly balls, too. He pitches in Fenway Park. How on earth does he have a 1998-2003 Pedro Martinez-like ERA? Pedro was legitimately unhittable. He struck out like 20/9 IP and never walked anybody. Matsuzaka SUCKS. If he had enough innings to qualify, he would have the 5th worst xFIP in the AL, right nearby his knuckleball-throwing buddy. Seriously, why are those 2 guys getting away with not being very good? Baseball gods, can you please explain to me why just about everything has to go right for the Red Sox but everything has to go wrong for the Yankees? Can you? And don't give me David Ortiz and his wrist. Blowell, Pukelis, and Petunia all hit way over their heads while he was out or sucking. And Manny wasn't too shabby either before they traded him. Fuck Youkilis. Hitting .322 with a .963 OPS. Are you kidding? Since when did he become mid-80s Don Mattingly? And also...why are you pricks making my favorite player hit .260 and OPS under .700? I wouldn't care if it was Pat Kelly doing what Cano is doing right now. It's the expectation of .300+, .840+ OPS, .850 ZR and he is underperforming in all aspects right now. For the longest time he wasn't letting his offensive struggles bother his defense, now it is.
As Yankees fans we're spoiled, yes. But this is not about feeling entitled to make the playoffs or win the World Series every year. This is about players who should be good all either underperforming or getting hurt and players who suck playing way over their heads. Of course, that happens in every year. But it's the number of players it's happening to. If you look at last year, nobody was DRASTICALLY under their xFIP. And most people who were under it by a close to a run had some other factor in there contributing to it. Carmona was about a run below, but he had a psycho GB% (and even then, it was 3.99 xFIP to 3.06 ERA, he was still good regardless). Shit like that. Brian Bannister was the only one who appeared to get really lucky (3.87 ERA vs. 5.14 xFIP) and guess what, his ERA is 5.36 this year. It caught up to him. This year, Matsuzaka, Saunders, Jackson, Wakefield, Duchscherer, and to some extent Garza are all WAY overperforming.
I wish I could believe that things will even out, but it's been a couple months and things still haven't evened out. Oh well, I guess I'll get through today's work and then go watch the Yankees strand 20 runners tonight. Who knows, maybe the law of averages will overtake Murphy's Law. That would be nice.
7 IP
5:5 K/BB
6 H
0 ER
HOW DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING? HIS STUFF FUCKING SUCKS. He walks the ballpark and doesn't strike out that many people to go along with it. He allows a lot of fly balls, too. He pitches in Fenway Park. How on earth does he have a 1998-2003 Pedro Martinez-like ERA? Pedro was legitimately unhittable. He struck out like 20/9 IP and never walked anybody. Matsuzaka SUCKS. If he had enough innings to qualify, he would have the 5th worst xFIP in the AL, right nearby his knuckleball-throwing buddy. Seriously, why are those 2 guys getting away with not being very good? Baseball gods, can you please explain to me why just about everything has to go right for the Red Sox but everything has to go wrong for the Yankees? Can you? And don't give me David Ortiz and his wrist. Blowell, Pukelis, and Petunia all hit way over their heads while he was out or sucking. And Manny wasn't too shabby either before they traded him. Fuck Youkilis. Hitting .322 with a .963 OPS. Are you kidding? Since when did he become mid-80s Don Mattingly? And also...why are you pricks making my favorite player hit .260 and OPS under .700? I wouldn't care if it was Pat Kelly doing what Cano is doing right now. It's the expectation of .300+, .840+ OPS, .850 ZR and he is underperforming in all aspects right now. For the longest time he wasn't letting his offensive struggles bother his defense, now it is.
As Yankees fans we're spoiled, yes. But this is not about feeling entitled to make the playoffs or win the World Series every year. This is about players who should be good all either underperforming or getting hurt and players who suck playing way over their heads. Of course, that happens in every year. But it's the number of players it's happening to. If you look at last year, nobody was DRASTICALLY under their xFIP. And most people who were under it by a close to a run had some other factor in there contributing to it. Carmona was about a run below, but he had a psycho GB% (and even then, it was 3.99 xFIP to 3.06 ERA, he was still good regardless). Shit like that. Brian Bannister was the only one who appeared to get really lucky (3.87 ERA vs. 5.14 xFIP) and guess what, his ERA is 5.36 this year. It caught up to him. This year, Matsuzaka, Saunders, Jackson, Wakefield, Duchscherer, and to some extent Garza are all WAY overperforming.
I wish I could believe that things will even out, but it's been a couple months and things still haven't evened out. Oh well, I guess I'll get through today's work and then go watch the Yankees strand 20 runners tonight. Who knows, maybe the law of averages will overtake Murphy's Law. That would be nice.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Ambivalence
Hard to say how I feel about yesterday. Mussina pitched great, again. Mariano blows his first save of the year, although it didn't really feel like it was his first blown game of the year. He's been off the charts awesome this year, but that sucked...badly. And Girardi, stop overusing Damaso Marte. He's good but I personally don't think he's better than Veras or Edwar.
If I have to listen to Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling babble incessantly about the importance of "ABC" ball I will kill someone. Yesterday, the Twins pick up 2 cheap runs on a single, a bloop double and 2 sac flies. Next thing you hear is, "That's how they do it! They play ABC ball so well! The Yankees don't do that. That's why they're struggling so much and leaving so many men on base."
Now, I'm furious with the Yankees and their inability to ever get runners home. And have expressed it rather irrationally before. However, while it's partially their fault, a LOT of it is due to bad luck. Hitting w/RISP better than how you hit overall is not a repeatable skill. Just take a look:
NYY team batting
2002
w/RISP: .289/.385/.478, 60 HR
overall: .275/.354/.455, 223 HR
Better
2003
w/RISP: .263/.364/.430, 54 HR
overall: .271/.356/.453, 230 HR
Worse
2004
w/RISP: .272/.369/.454, 55 HR
overall: .268/.353/.458, 242 HR
Same
2005
w/RISP: .272/.360/.458, 67 HR
overall: .276/.355/.450, 229 HR
Same
2006
w/RISP: .286/.386/.479, 67 HR
overall: .285/.363/.461, 210 HR
Better
2007
w/RISP: .293/.378/.451, 49 HR
overall: .290/.366/.463, 201 HR
Same
2008
w/RISP: .259/.348/.382, 22 HR
overall: .272/.344/.425, 125 HR
A lot worse
As far as all of MLB goes:
2007
w/RISP: .272/.357/.423
overall: .268/.336/.423
2008
w/RISP: .265/.354/.411
overall: .263/.332/.414
You basically hit the same with runners on as you do with nobody on. OBP is always higher with RISP but that is not a function of offensive ability. In MLB this year, there have been 925 IBBs handed out w/RISP and 1 with nobody on. There's the difference. But batting and slugging averages are virtually the same all over the league w/RISP and overall. The Yankees, while definitely struggling, have also been really unlucky this year. However...
MIN team batting
w/RISP: .313/.387/.461, 23 HR
overall: .276/.335/.408, 84 HR
Yeah, their success is all due to "ABC" ball. It has nothing to do with the fact that they've been extremely lucky and are hitting way over their heads with RISP. John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman aren't very good at broadcasting, and probably aren't good at anything. Except maybe this...
Speaking of that...
LAA team batting (2008)
w/RISP: .293/.371/.441, 28 HR
overall: .266/.328/.409, 116 HR
as opposed to 2007
w/RISP: .284/.355/.397, 24 HR
overall: .284/.345/.417, 123 HR
Annnnnnd...
Joe Saunders
IP: 152.2
ERA: 3.07
and yet...
xFIP: 4.70
BABIP: .248
K/9 IP: 4.48
GB/FB: 1.25
The Angels have already won 9 more games than their run differential would indicate they should have. Add in the fact that they've also been very lucky w/RISP and that Joe Saunders who fucking sucks is pitching like he's an ace (seriously, he and Matsuzaka are the biggest jokes ever this year) and you have a largely unimpressive team. They have the lowest line drive percentage of any team in the AL as well. As I said the other day, I HATE watching Angels' games. It's the like the seeing-eye single and bloop double derby.
Seriously, God hates the Yankees. Not only have they not hit w/RISP, but:
Chien-Ming Wang: tears tendon in foot RUNNING THE BASES, gone for season
Phil Hughes: fractured rib, gone for most of season
Joba Chamberlain: begins emerging as dominant starter and then...shoulder tendinitis
Alex Rodriguez: hurt for a few weeks, and after last year's unbelievable, off-the-charts performance with runners on base and in close & late situations, he can't do anything in them this year (though he homered last night, which was pretty sick)
Jorge Posada: hurt for most of season and failed to outdo my 65 year old father on the radar gun
Hideki Matsui: hurt for a lot of season, had been one of best hitters, especially with runners on (who cares if it's luck, at this point I'd rather be lucky than good)
Johnny Damon: hurt for a while, had also been one of best hitters, league leading hitter going into today, of course it had to happen on a Kevin Pukelis flyball. Man do I loathe that guy...
Robinson Cano: PrBA and PrOPS virtually same this year versus last year (.296/.764 vs. .283/.770) but hitting .264 with .698 OPS versus last year's .306 with .841 OPS. Granted, he hasn't been knocking the cover off the ball for the whole season. He was hitting like a girl for the better part of the first half, but over the last month or two he's been vicitmized by a lot of at-him balls and I wonder if this is starting to get into his head. His defense is faltering and he's been making some bonehead plays. He might just need a day or two on the bench.
Andy Pettitte: better K/9 IP and BB/9 IP than last year, same LD%, higher GB% yet just 13 GIDPs in 156.1 IP versus 34 in 215.1 IP last year and a higher ERA than last year
NOTE #1: I didn't include Jeter in there because he has legitimately been sucking and it's mostly his fault. Even if he is hurt, he should take a few days off and let Betemit play short. Betemit is a middle infielder and, unlike Jeter, is a threat to hit it out of the ballpark, so you don't lose much offensively.
There's still time, but anecdotally and statistically, very little has gone the Yankees' way this year. And yet they are STILL in the Wild Card race, somehow. Come on, God. Seriously, can you at least let the Yankees have NORMAL LUCK?! They haven't been hitting all that well to start with (just look at the offensive drop from last year, BA around .270, OPS well under .800), but you're going to also make sure all of their hits come with nobody on base?! That's just cruel and unusual punishment.
NOTE #2: I am not blaming the Yankees's season solely on luck, I am just saying that it certainly hasn't been on their side to go along with their mediocrity. It's infuriating, but I don't think you can berate the team for not hitting with runners on when there is no conclusive evidence to show that "clutch" hitting is an ability. And when you are a hitter like Cano, you're bound to have a year like this because you're very much a "feel" hitter (a lot of moving parts, don't walk much, make a lot of contact) and your value is so tied up in BA. He'll probably finish around .280 with .750 OPS this year, but he'll hit .340 with .920 OPS another year. His true talent probably lies somewhere around .310/.850 like last year. And injuries happen to everybody, no doubt. As a GM, you need to be prepared for that. But there's NO way the Yankees haven't been unlucky when it comes to health this year. Wang rounding the bases? Damon crashing into the wall? Hughes a cracked rib? Give me a break.
I hate this baseball season.
If I have to listen to Suzyn Waldman and John Sterling babble incessantly about the importance of "ABC" ball I will kill someone. Yesterday, the Twins pick up 2 cheap runs on a single, a bloop double and 2 sac flies. Next thing you hear is, "That's how they do it! They play ABC ball so well! The Yankees don't do that. That's why they're struggling so much and leaving so many men on base."
Now, I'm furious with the Yankees and their inability to ever get runners home. And have expressed it rather irrationally before. However, while it's partially their fault, a LOT of it is due to bad luck. Hitting w/RISP better than how you hit overall is not a repeatable skill. Just take a look:
NYY team batting
2002
w/RISP: .289/.385/.478, 60 HR
overall: .275/.354/.455, 223 HR
Better
2003
w/RISP: .263/.364/.430, 54 HR
overall: .271/.356/.453, 230 HR
Worse
2004
w/RISP: .272/.369/.454, 55 HR
overall: .268/.353/.458, 242 HR
Same
2005
w/RISP: .272/.360/.458, 67 HR
overall: .276/.355/.450, 229 HR
Same
2006
w/RISP: .286/.386/.479, 67 HR
overall: .285/.363/.461, 210 HR
Better
2007
w/RISP: .293/.378/.451, 49 HR
overall: .290/.366/.463, 201 HR
Same
2008
w/RISP: .259/.348/.382, 22 HR
overall: .272/.344/.425, 125 HR
A lot worse
As far as all of MLB goes:
2007
w/RISP: .272/.357/.423
overall: .268/.336/.423
2008
w/RISP: .265/.354/.411
overall: .263/.332/.414
You basically hit the same with runners on as you do with nobody on. OBP is always higher with RISP but that is not a function of offensive ability. In MLB this year, there have been 925 IBBs handed out w/RISP and 1 with nobody on. There's the difference. But batting and slugging averages are virtually the same all over the league w/RISP and overall. The Yankees, while definitely struggling, have also been really unlucky this year. However...
MIN team batting
w/RISP: .313/.387/.461, 23 HR
overall: .276/.335/.408, 84 HR
Yeah, their success is all due to "ABC" ball. It has nothing to do with the fact that they've been extremely lucky and are hitting way over their heads with RISP. John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman aren't very good at broadcasting, and probably aren't good at anything. Except maybe this...
Speaking of that...
LAA team batting (2008)
w/RISP: .293/.371/.441, 28 HR
overall: .266/.328/.409, 116 HR
as opposed to 2007
w/RISP: .284/.355/.397, 24 HR
overall: .284/.345/.417, 123 HR
Annnnnnd...
Joe Saunders
IP: 152.2
ERA: 3.07
and yet...
xFIP: 4.70
BABIP: .248
K/9 IP: 4.48
GB/FB: 1.25
The Angels have already won 9 more games than their run differential would indicate they should have. Add in the fact that they've also been very lucky w/RISP and that Joe Saunders who fucking sucks is pitching like he's an ace (seriously, he and Matsuzaka are the biggest jokes ever this year) and you have a largely unimpressive team. They have the lowest line drive percentage of any team in the AL as well. As I said the other day, I HATE watching Angels' games. It's the like the seeing-eye single and bloop double derby.
Seriously, God hates the Yankees. Not only have they not hit w/RISP, but:
Chien-Ming Wang: tears tendon in foot RUNNING THE BASES, gone for season
Phil Hughes: fractured rib, gone for most of season
Joba Chamberlain: begins emerging as dominant starter and then...shoulder tendinitis
Alex Rodriguez: hurt for a few weeks, and after last year's unbelievable, off-the-charts performance with runners on base and in close & late situations, he can't do anything in them this year (though he homered last night, which was pretty sick)
Jorge Posada: hurt for most of season and failed to outdo my 65 year old father on the radar gun
Hideki Matsui: hurt for a lot of season, had been one of best hitters, especially with runners on (who cares if it's luck, at this point I'd rather be lucky than good)
Johnny Damon: hurt for a while, had also been one of best hitters, league leading hitter going into today, of course it had to happen on a Kevin Pukelis flyball. Man do I loathe that guy...
Robinson Cano: PrBA and PrOPS virtually same this year versus last year (.296/.764 vs. .283/.770) but hitting .264 with .698 OPS versus last year's .306 with .841 OPS. Granted, he hasn't been knocking the cover off the ball for the whole season. He was hitting like a girl for the better part of the first half, but over the last month or two he's been vicitmized by a lot of at-him balls and I wonder if this is starting to get into his head. His defense is faltering and he's been making some bonehead plays. He might just need a day or two on the bench.
Andy Pettitte: better K/9 IP and BB/9 IP than last year, same LD%, higher GB% yet just 13 GIDPs in 156.1 IP versus 34 in 215.1 IP last year and a higher ERA than last year
NOTE #1: I didn't include Jeter in there because he has legitimately been sucking and it's mostly his fault. Even if he is hurt, he should take a few days off and let Betemit play short. Betemit is a middle infielder and, unlike Jeter, is a threat to hit it out of the ballpark, so you don't lose much offensively.
There's still time, but anecdotally and statistically, very little has gone the Yankees' way this year. And yet they are STILL in the Wild Card race, somehow. Come on, God. Seriously, can you at least let the Yankees have NORMAL LUCK?! They haven't been hitting all that well to start with (just look at the offensive drop from last year, BA around .270, OPS well under .800), but you're going to also make sure all of their hits come with nobody on base?! That's just cruel and unusual punishment.
NOTE #2: I am not blaming the Yankees's season solely on luck, I am just saying that it certainly hasn't been on their side to go along with their mediocrity. It's infuriating, but I don't think you can berate the team for not hitting with runners on when there is no conclusive evidence to show that "clutch" hitting is an ability. And when you are a hitter like Cano, you're bound to have a year like this because you're very much a "feel" hitter (a lot of moving parts, don't walk much, make a lot of contact) and your value is so tied up in BA. He'll probably finish around .280 with .750 OPS this year, but he'll hit .340 with .920 OPS another year. His true talent probably lies somewhere around .310/.850 like last year. And injuries happen to everybody, no doubt. As a GM, you need to be prepared for that. But there's NO way the Yankees haven't been unlucky when it comes to health this year. Wang rounding the bases? Damon crashing into the wall? Hughes a cracked rib? Give me a break.
I hate this baseball season.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Awful
Joe Girardi: Hmmmm, here's the pitcher we're facing tonight. He's left-handed. Hitters have a .302/.345/.466 line off this guy. And lefties hit like .360 with an .800+ OPS off him. What should I do?
(thinks with that great engineer mind of his)
Joe Girardi: Sit two of our best hitters (Damon, Giambi) for two of our worst hitters (Christian, Sexson). And I'll bat one of those worst hitters leadoff.
OK, I can maybe understand sitting Damon because of the turf and the shoulder. You want to keep him fresh. But WHY, GIRARDI?! WHY?! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SIT JASON GIAMBI AGAINST LEFTIES, ESPECIALLY LEFTIES HE WOULD EAT FOR LUNCH?!
Jason Giambi (2008 vs. lefties)
.247/.402/.517
And for those of you who want to claim it's an aberration...
Jason Giambi (career vs. lefties)
.270/.385/.473
JASON GIAMBI CAN HIT LEFTIES!!! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SIT HIM AGAINST LEFTIES? ESPECIALLY A LEFTY LIKE PERKINS?!
Jason Giambi vs.
Mark Buehrle: .368/.500/.789
Nate Robertson: .538/.563/.846
Brian Burres: .500/.500/1.000
Casey Fossum: .419/.514/.581
See a pattern here? Lefthanders, particularly those who rely on guile and control, do not bother Giambi. If anything, he LOVES facing them. Jason Giambi crushes finesse pitchers regardless of whether or not they throw with their right or left arms. Why is it so hard for Joe Girardi to grasp this?
Derek Jeter is worthless at the plate, and if it weren't for his defensive resurgence he'd be completely useless. He tried to prove me wrong with those last couple games in Texas, but he's not breaking out of the funk he's been in practically the whole year. It's just not going to happen. His approach sucks and his pop is gone. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for players like Jeter to lose it around this age. I'm hoping that it's just a bad season and that he bounces back next year.
Sexson's numbers off lefties this year are likely just fluky. He sucks. If you want to get him in there against lefties, fine. Just stop putting him in at the expense of Giambi's .910 OPS.
Robinson Cano needs to have more nights like he did last night. 13 pitches in his 3 plate appearances. Bad luck aside, this year he's made too much contact with pitches out of the strike zone. Even though he's swinging outside the strike zone less frequently than last year (28% vs. 34%) he's making a lot more contact with those pitches (80% vs. 69%). A guy who hits like he does with a lot of moving parts and is very much reliant on feel, when off, needs to just take more pitches and make pitchers come to him.
Melky Cabrera is a much better player than this. But he fell in love with his HR stroke after his great stretch to begin the season. Melky, you are not a home run hitter. Shorten up your swing and hit through the ball, not under it. Last year, he had that 90 game stretch in which he hit .325 with an .846 OPS IIRC. When he hits the way he should, he's a groundball-line drive type hitter who every now and then gets under one of those liners and gets enough on it for it to get out of the ballpark. I still think he's capable of hitting .290-.300 with 15 homers, maybe 20 in a good year, and put up a good .360-.370 OBP, but he's not going to do that if he keeps his current approach at the plate.
Ugh, this team is not as bad as they've played. Come on, stop underachieving dammit...
(thinks with that great engineer mind of his)
Joe Girardi: Sit two of our best hitters (Damon, Giambi) for two of our worst hitters (Christian, Sexson). And I'll bat one of those worst hitters leadoff.
OK, I can maybe understand sitting Damon because of the turf and the shoulder. You want to keep him fresh. But WHY, GIRARDI?! WHY?! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SIT JASON GIAMBI AGAINST LEFTIES, ESPECIALLY LEFTIES HE WOULD EAT FOR LUNCH?!
Jason Giambi (2008 vs. lefties)
.247/.402/.517
And for those of you who want to claim it's an aberration...
Jason Giambi (career vs. lefties)
.270/.385/.473
JASON GIAMBI CAN HIT LEFTIES!!! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SIT HIM AGAINST LEFTIES? ESPECIALLY A LEFTY LIKE PERKINS?!
Jason Giambi vs.
Mark Buehrle: .368/.500/.789
Nate Robertson: .538/.563/.846
Brian Burres: .500/.500/1.000
Casey Fossum: .419/.514/.581
See a pattern here? Lefthanders, particularly those who rely on guile and control, do not bother Giambi. If anything, he LOVES facing them. Jason Giambi crushes finesse pitchers regardless of whether or not they throw with their right or left arms. Why is it so hard for Joe Girardi to grasp this?
Derek Jeter is worthless at the plate, and if it weren't for his defensive resurgence he'd be completely useless. He tried to prove me wrong with those last couple games in Texas, but he's not breaking out of the funk he's been in practically the whole year. It's just not going to happen. His approach sucks and his pop is gone. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for players like Jeter to lose it around this age. I'm hoping that it's just a bad season and that he bounces back next year.
Sexson's numbers off lefties this year are likely just fluky. He sucks. If you want to get him in there against lefties, fine. Just stop putting him in at the expense of Giambi's .910 OPS.
Robinson Cano needs to have more nights like he did last night. 13 pitches in his 3 plate appearances. Bad luck aside, this year he's made too much contact with pitches out of the strike zone. Even though he's swinging outside the strike zone less frequently than last year (28% vs. 34%) he's making a lot more contact with those pitches (80% vs. 69%). A guy who hits like he does with a lot of moving parts and is very much reliant on feel, when off, needs to just take more pitches and make pitchers come to him.
Melky Cabrera is a much better player than this. But he fell in love with his HR stroke after his great stretch to begin the season. Melky, you are not a home run hitter. Shorten up your swing and hit through the ball, not under it. Last year, he had that 90 game stretch in which he hit .325 with an .846 OPS IIRC. When he hits the way he should, he's a groundball-line drive type hitter who every now and then gets under one of those liners and gets enough on it for it to get out of the ballpark. I still think he's capable of hitting .290-.300 with 15 homers, maybe 20 in a good year, and put up a good .360-.370 OBP, but he's not going to do that if he keeps his current approach at the plate.
Ugh, this team is not as bad as they've played. Come on, stop underachieving dammit...
Sunday, August 10, 2008
I agree
It's not even worth going through all the bullshit of this weekend series against those fucking pains in the asses. At least not right now when I'm furious. A-Rod trying to steal third. Whatever the hell Cano was thinking when Figgins hit that groundball (seriously, what the hell has been up with his defense the last 2 weeks? And of course he flew out to the track today AGAIN, as once again NOTHING will go right). Girardi not having Mariano START the 9th, instead bringing him in to face that little fucking rodent with 2 men on. Ugghhh. And of course having to watch all of it on FAMILY DAY!!!!!!!! The Daddy Show as I like to call it.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!!!!!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
What should happen to the baseball gods that keep screwing Robinson Cano out of hits
Seriously, what the hell is up with this crap? Cano lines out like 10 times every fucking week. If he had NORMAL luck he'd be hitting like .290 right now. Chone Figgins's groundballs always find a fucking hole in the infield but Cano hits line drives up the middle that always manage to get knocked down and deflect right to the second baseman or shortstop.
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Not loving it
Shut down by Matt Harrison.
Owned by Marlon Byrd.
How is this team 9 games over .500? They look like the goddamn Mariners.
Derek Jeter, kill yourself.
Bases loaded, one out, 15th inning of World Series Game 7. Your bullpen is empty. You have to win now. Mediocre flyball will win the game with the outfielders playing in. Due up: Captain Clutch
Derek Jeter: Alright, here we go.
(first pitch outside, Ball one)
Derek Jeter: Sweet, maybe he'll walk me in. 1-0 count, baby.
(second pitch high, Ball two)
Derek Jeter: Alright, 2-0. 2-0, bases loaded, one run and they go home, I think I'm going to see a meatball here.
(third pitch comes in, it's a meatball)
Derek Jeter: Ooooo, meatball baby! Hmmm, should I take a real swing and drive the ball in the air to win the game??? Nah, what's the fun in that...let me try and inside out it through the right side of the infield.
(groundball to second base, flips to second for one, back to first, double play)
Derek Jeter: Hmmm, that's the 41st GIDP for me this year if you include the playoffs. Maybe I should try hitting differently...nah. It's just been 2 years worth of bad luck.
Derek Jeter refuses to ever put a good swing on a ball, especially in hitter's counts. Derek, home runs are good. They help the team. So do doubles over the outfielders' heads. Can you ever, like, try that approach instead? You know, the "not suck and make 2 outs every time I swing" approach?
Derek Jeter: Nah, you know what my struggling means? I need to try and slap the ball to right field even more. Whenever a right handed hitter is struggling, the answer always is...slap it to right field, hit a lot of ground balls, and don't keep your weight back.
Owned by Marlon Byrd.
How is this team 9 games over .500? They look like the goddamn Mariners.
Derek Jeter, kill yourself.
Bases loaded, one out, 15th inning of World Series Game 7. Your bullpen is empty. You have to win now. Mediocre flyball will win the game with the outfielders playing in. Due up: Captain Clutch
Derek Jeter: Alright, here we go.
(first pitch outside, Ball one)
Derek Jeter: Sweet, maybe he'll walk me in. 1-0 count, baby.
(second pitch high, Ball two)
Derek Jeter: Alright, 2-0. 2-0, bases loaded, one run and they go home, I think I'm going to see a meatball here.
(third pitch comes in, it's a meatball)
Derek Jeter: Ooooo, meatball baby! Hmmm, should I take a real swing and drive the ball in the air to win the game??? Nah, what's the fun in that...let me try and inside out it through the right side of the infield.
(groundball to second base, flips to second for one, back to first, double play)
Derek Jeter: Hmmm, that's the 41st GIDP for me this year if you include the playoffs. Maybe I should try hitting differently...nah. It's just been 2 years worth of bad luck.
Derek Jeter refuses to ever put a good swing on a ball, especially in hitter's counts. Derek, home runs are good. They help the team. So do doubles over the outfielders' heads. Can you ever, like, try that approach instead? You know, the "not suck and make 2 outs every time I swing" approach?
Derek Jeter: Nah, you know what my struggling means? I need to try and slap the ball to right field even more. Whenever a right handed hitter is struggling, the answer always is...slap it to right field, hit a lot of ground balls, and don't keep your weight back.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Loving it
Josh Beckett
132.1 IP
4.15 ERA (107 ERA+)
16 HR allowed (1 fewer than last year in 68.1 fewer IP)
I love when I'm right.
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