Game Thread, Game #-31
by DanUpBaby on Mar 3, 2009 11:00 AM EST
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Garcia
Lohse
It's Spring Training for me, too; to that end, my first gamethread. Up top you'll notice two player headshots, signifying the starting pitchers, and their last names. You'll notice that Freddy Garcia looks a little confused, and Kyle Lohse looks a little like he's about to really enjoy a Pink Floyd album. Down here, you'll notice some superficial analysis. So far, so good.
Today's action can be followed on Gameday (thanks to Liam) or, wonderfully, watched on MLB.TV. 12:10 start time. Your lineup, courtesy Hummel, after the jump.
Meanwhile, I had an experience I don't think I've had to deal with in about six years this morning, upon procuring said lineup. It came here:
Japanese import Kat Maekawa, who has been unscored on in two outings but has walked three in three innings, also could see action.
That's right: I had no idea who a Cardinal was. I've missed his two outings—afternoon games, class, etc.—and his NRI, it turns out, was always linked to the Cardinals inviting two other southpaws in the Brad Furnish class to camp at the same time.
But then I remembered those salad days when it seemed like the Cardinals were about to sign a genuine starting pitcher—if not BEN SHEETS, for that's how he was rendered in those days, Kenshin Kawakami or Koji Uehara. And so it transpired that NPB Tracker teased the Cardinals signing a Japanese pitcher, and then deflated us with the following blurb:
You might remember that Maekawa lost his job in Japan over a hit and run driving incident (and not pitching very well), played in the Domican Winter League, signed a deal with the Nationals, and then finally couldn't get a US work visa. He never actually played in the Nats' system, hopefully he'll get a shot with the Cards.
Ouch. Now that he's going by Kat, rather than Katsuhiro, the 30-year-old ex-Kintetsu Buffalo probably has a better chance of appearing in the next Haruki Murakami novel than he does in the Cardinals bullpen, but I guess stranger things have happened. As for not remembering him, it's been a long three months.
Colby Rasmus cf
Joe Mather 3b
Albert Pujols 1b
Ryan Ludwick rf
Chris Duncan lf
Khalil Greene ss
Allen Craig dh
Jason LaRue c
Joe Thurston 2b
(Kyle Lohse p)
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Big fan of the top 4 in that lineup
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
he's really missing his chance
unless Mather doesn’t stick at 3B… oh well, Mather is probably better at hitting.
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:13 PM EST up reply actions
Well, you know what they say
It’s a long spring training. Spring training a marathon, not a sprint. Freese is just taking it one game at a time.
true
I’m just really excited about baseball this year
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
He's also been
working out over the winter and is in the best shape of his life
(/cliches)
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2009 4:35 AM EST up reply actions
if stranger things happen
one hopes someone explains to him what the numbers on the bullpen wall mean.
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
I guess that the
Murakami novel would be the “Wind-Up” Bird Chronicle?
"Never judge a taco by its price" - Dr. Gonzo
we have a winner
Maekawa’s memoirs will be titled “What I Talk about When I Talk about Hit and Running”
my favorites
are “Sputnik Sweetheart” and “Dance Dance Dance”, but I can’t think of anything of his that I haven’t liked. He might be my favorite living author, non-recluse division.
He makes me wish I could read Japanese
Then again, most translated work gives me that feeling. I read Saramango’s Blindness recently and had the same feeling about Portuguese. And I recall wishing for Spanish when reading Shadow of the Wind by Zafon.
Anyhoo, I just checked, and the libraries here at Wash U only have Dansu, dansu, dansu in the original Japanese. Bummer. Sputnik Sweetheart is in English, though. Maybe I’ll check it out and read it over spring break.
I've only read
“Hardboiled wonderland and the end of the world”.
I read it when travelling in japan two years ago, which gave an added “sense of place”, although I’m not sure I was particularly keen on it. It was certainly interesting, though I felt the dreamy atmosphere of the book didn’t click, somehow.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 3, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions
MLB TV
When I look up MLB-TV it is giving me the Yankees versus Team USA instead of the Cardinals (even though the Cardinals are on the schedule for MLB-TV). Is anyone else getting this?
P.S. Shameless plug: We’ve launched the new website over at Whiteyball yesterday and I’ve got a new post up entitled You can’t handle the truth. I hope you will check it out. Thanks!
Two different things
MLB.tv is on the computer.
MLBN is the MLB Network on cable.
....my quick smells like french toast...
or maybe cyborg superman
mather is regular superman
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions
Bizzaro Superman
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
there's a cyborg superman too
so Bizarro Cyborg Superman
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions
which actually means he's a good guy
if two wrongs make a right
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 2:06 PM EST up reply actions
Guess His Power's Back, Huh?
The newspaper has a quick blurb, and reports the home run traveled 475 feet. I guess those doubting whether he has his power back have an answer, eh?
by JWO on Mar 3, 2009 2:39 PM EST up reply actions
as much as I want to say yes,
let’s see ten more of those first, preferably not all off of freddy garcia. then I’ll feel better.
but nobody’s saying that we shouldn’t have sprung for the $825K right now.
It makes one wonder...
Is he part man, part machine? Just what went on in that operating room? What was this radical new procedure that the young Duncan had?
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 3:02 PM EST up reply actions
Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology.
We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic man. Chris Duncan will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
fragments of the WS trophy were removed.
that’s all i’m saying.
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2009 3:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
he has a metal plate in his neck
he said when was working out in the offseason he put his headphones on and they would shock him.
475 feet is 475 feet off of Jose Jimenez or Pedro circa '99
The power is clearly there, being able to (FJM alert) consistently make solid contact unknown.
Not afraid to nitpick
Consistency is key
I’m not one to make predictions, because you have to play the games, make the plays, hit the pitches. But, if Chris Duncan is healthy and he can continue to generate that kind of power consistently, then he can get into the Cardinal lineup and make it a more consistent run-scoring team. Because it’s a team effort. Everyone has to hit from the leadoff man to the pitcher. And you know that Tony La Russa is going to play the best nine batters, so he can consistently give the team a chance to win night in and night out. The Cardinals have the talent. They just need to put it together consistently on a daily basis.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 4:37 PM EST up reply actions
C'mon
Nothing about bat speed or not having seen any of these guys play?
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Haha
I’m slipping. But, give me a break. There hasn’t been a Sunday Night Baseball in four months. With Phillips added to the crew, there’s a whole new dimension of awfulness to explore this season.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 4:52 PM EST up reply actions
Have you ever read his lawsuit?
Where Joe Morgan was making a phonecall on a payphone in LAX and the police thought he was a drug dealer?
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 4:58 PM EST up reply actions
I have nothing to add to this conversation
except that Dave Concepcion really should be in the HOF.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2009 4:37 AM EST up reply actions
actually i've said that this winter
and so did HL. he even said it a lot better than i did
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
Humperman
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
Haha!
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions
Pinata Humper
oh wait, that doesn’t work…
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:32 PM EST up reply actions
Hehe
I’ve missed game threads
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
Nice!
Wish Gameday could illustrate that :(
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:24 PM EST up reply actions
A 2006-esque Lil' Dunc would be huge for this year's club
Not to open the can of worms that is the “Was 2006 a fluke for Chris Duncan?” debate…
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
I almost forgot he had 2 HR's robbed of him the other day by wind
I think they were given to Barton.
So far it seems Colby is going to be the odd man out
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 1:27 PM EST up reply actions
I agree, so far
But, we still haven’t played a full week of ST games
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
And Colby is traditionally a slow starter
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:29 PM EST up reply actions
hope he still has his apartment in Memphis
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
Colby has more AB's this ST than anyone else in baseball
So no one can say Tony is not giving him a chance
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 1:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That was fast
You at the game or is it on TV somewhere?
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 1:28 PM EST up reply actions
The economy?
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
Mets were valuing their 2nd round pick crazy high so they couldn't sign Hudson?
Not afraid to nitpick
To be fair
I think Castillo will bounce back this year. He has visibly lost a lot of weight and is looking more like his old self in the field. His hitting was down last year, but not THAT down. He’s a decent top-of-the-order hitter usually. Takes a lot of walks. And even last year he stole 17 bases in 19 attempts, which is good for about 90% success.
He’s not going to blown anyone’s mind — he hasn’t been a very good 2B since 2005 (.301/.391/.374, +10.6 UZR), but I expect he’ll be easily good enough to deserve “a job.”
i was going to have a reply, but it looks like he's one of the guys whose value shifted
when they added the double play figures to the fangraphs data. ah well. he’s not a very good fielder, still, just not as appalling as they had previously reckoned him.
Craig Homered?
Gameday is sooooo slow!!!
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:30 PM EST up reply actions
it's because in spring traing..
Gameday shows half innings plays at once
by Brianzaredbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
Ugh, I don't like that
I wish I had money, then I could afford MLB.TV
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
I have the money but the stupid Blackout rule
I don’t want to pay the MLB.TV till I can successfully circumvent the Blackout easily
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 1:36 PM EST up reply actions
I'm lucky in that
No blackout restrictions in my area
by Brianzaredbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:41 PM EST up reply actions
Not sure who Gregatron is but
I do know how to already circumvent MLB.TV but just have not really gone out there to test it. You just need to set up a proxy that is out of the blackout area. Now a proxy won’t be fast enough for video so you switch it off once it starts. Apparently MLB.TV only checks the IP at the beginning of the broadcast.
Now something highly technical doesn’t really bother me but I need to try to make it as simple as possible so my roommate can grasp it.
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 1:56 PM EST up reply actions
So
you know how to do it, but you haven’t actually tried it. Is that what you’re saying? If that’s the case, perhaps a lovely MLB.TV subscriber would be willing to try it for you.
BTW
Blackouts are the same reason I haven’t subscribed to MLB.TV. MLB really shafts the home markets.
I have not done it myself.
I just know the methods exist. I watch most of the games on FSN.
Gregatron is not responsible for any of the crap he just wrote.
nice
I’m wondering once this team comes together how many homers they’d hit in a smaller ballpark. a ton.
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 1:34 PM EST up reply actions
mlb.tv?
Last week I watched the Mets game, today it wants me to pay. I’ve had mlb/tv for 3 years but haven’t paid for 2009 yet. After last week I thought maybe they were letting us watch ST games free. Anyone else see this? I know I’ll end up dishing out the $109 but thought I could wait a few more weeks.
He's donezo
Stick a fork in him
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
Anytime I hear of Freddy Garcia
I think of 2006 when Anthony Reyes outpitched him and still got the loss to the ChiSox. Stupid Jim Thome!
Patiently awaiting the day Colby Rasmus does this: .275/.381/.551/.932, 29HR, in St. Louis...
by RunninRedbird on Mar 3, 2009 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
has Craig had any time at 3B yet?
he seeems to be hitting well, but I only remember him being at 1B or DH.
that's a shame.
it’s only 7 AB(5-7) but Freese is hurt, Wallace is 0-5, and mather is 3-16.
but I guess it’s only 7, 5, & 16 AB so I should just give it time.
I think Mather is pretty much in
And if that’s the case, then he should take as many reps as possible at 3B while Freese is hurt to try to iron out his game there.
Not that I’m advocating Mather being a shoe-in, but that’s just the sense I get.
if you could work in the phrase
“Finger lickin good”, it’d be even awesomer
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
brendan ryan's head popping in from the corner saying,
“shoulder lickin’ good” might do it.
by adiueordie on Mar 4, 2009 3:03 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It was a good AB. With 2 strikes laid off two pitches off the outside corner, then jumped on the one on the corner. Against a lefty nonetheless.
Thanks for the updates
Gameday still stuck on Mather’s first pitch for me…
defy, cards, defy. hey logic --- you suck.
mather strikes out. pujols walks. duncan triples* to right, pujols scores. greene singles to right, duncan scores. craig hits in to fielder’s choice, greene out at second.
- should have been a double, pujols and duncan taking an extra base on fielding error by right fielder.
maybe the scorer just figures that anybody who can score from second on an
infield grounder is definitely going to score on a double, and duncan would make third on the throw anyway?
has dunc ever hit a triple?
i realized that. first to home on a double still isn't a huge stretch for an
aggressive baserunner like pujols. that’s what i meant.
That's still not a triple
That’s runner advancing on the throw.
So says, Titus Pullo (formerly The Dude)
Yes he has
I was poring over his peak numbers yesterday. I know he has at least two…
(checks FanGraphs)
…he has three, all in 2006.
Back in 1998
John Olerud, who was truly as slow as molasses, finished the season with 4 triples, which twice as many as any other season for him. When asked by reporter at the end of the season why he had so many triples that year as compared to years past, Olerud replied along the lines of, “If you watch the tape on all those triples, I think you’ll see an outfielder sprawled on the ground” Thought that was hilarious.
There was Gibson in the Reds' dugout, visibly manhandling about three Reds and tossing them bodily out of the dugout and onto the field...He was the toughest athlete mentally I ever saw, and the greatest competitor. JACK BUCK
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2009 7:38 PM EST up reply actions
Man
I wish we could edit these posts after we post! Hate not bothering to preview, only to realize I shoulda.
There was Gibson in the Reds' dugout, visibly manhandling about three Reds and tossing them bodily out of the dugout and onto the field...He was the toughest athlete mentally I ever saw, and the greatest competitor. JACK BUCK
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2009 7:39 PM EST up reply actions
true dat, are you listening SBNation? we need an EDIT button
please?
that Ricky story about him & Olerud is classic too. even if it’s not true.
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
I like not having an EDIT button.
Typos are one thing and we can get past them. But if you’ve got something to say and you said it, then stand by it. No second guesses. If you’re wrong or say something out of line, then own up to it.
Getting two tickets to an execution is like getting two tickets to NASCAR, except you KNOW Jeff Gordon's gonna die.
typos are the only reason i want one,
i have never thought about someone being wrong or out of line & then trying to get out of it. i’ve only thought about the typos & messed up sentences which i do a lot
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
+1
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 4, 2009 12:47 AM EST up reply actions
hope so
but it just might mean the mets are throwing us meatloafs today
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 2:07 PM EST up reply actions
there's a bat outta hell joke somewhere in here too
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
I haven't heard much talk of how Khalil Greene looks so far
That sounded like solid contact on the RBI single there, and he certainly has a respectable average in his minimal at-bats so far. Anyone know how he’s looking at the plate, or what commentators/pundits are saying about him?
The single was a bit of a blopper. On the plus side, in the several ABs I have seen, it does not look like he is swinging for the fences (unlike last year).
it sounds like he was trying to carry the pads offense last year himself
and utterly failed
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 2:31 PM EST up reply actions
He had a seriously weird year last year
It wasn’t even that he was just bad, he was bad in strange ways. He was better at home (PETCO!) than away. He was worse against lefties than righties. Just a strange, strange year for him.
in an interview
he stated that he was trying to pull the ball all the time, aiming for the one short wall in petco
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 4:08 PM EST up reply actions
he should have done what Albert does & just aim for the western metal roof
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
What is Pujols OBP this spring?
.750? It seems like he either walks or gets a hit every time up. Is there any place to get spring training stats?
he was 0-3 yesterday
but yeah, other than that, it’s what you said
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 2:08 PM EST up reply actions
I wonder...
Does Albert get more walks in Spring Training? Teams care less about the results, and players trying to make the team may want to avoid a “tape measure” shot that loses them their job.
by JWO on Mar 3, 2009 2:57 PM EST up reply actions
I doubt they're walking him intentionally
I think that pitchers are probably being careful with him, but they just don’t have the command. Maybe they’re pressing their pitches (“I need to throw a good curveball here!”) and comprimising command against him?
I don’t know if you heard, but Pujols has godly command of the strike zone, so he’s not going to chase. Pujols prides himself on taking walks (I remember a quote from him once saying that he really wanted to take 100 BBs in a season).
If those 3 continue to suck Moz needs to sign Ohman
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 2:15 PM EST up reply actions
I bet we could sign Ohman for $1M
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 3:29 PM EST up reply actions
if we do that
how dumb would it have looked to make a big trade for him at the deadline last season
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 4:07 PM EST up reply actions
Those three are all worse than Ron Villone.
Just sayin’.
Because chicks dig the intentional base on balls.
by Felonius_Monk on Mar 4, 2009 4:44 AM EST up reply actions
suddenly I want a taco
nt
"But listen, and understand: more Molinas are out there. They can't be bargained with. They can't be reasoned with. They don't feel pity, or remorse, or fear." - THT
if "runs" makes you think "taco", you need to start getting your tacos at a new place.
by tom s. on Mar 3, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
i think it was tuesday that made him think taco
cause all i know is, after softball tonight its off to el toritos….
All I know
Is I’m going to the Blues game tonight and on my drive in I’m stopping at Jack in the Box for some of those lovely borderline-edible-but-unbelievable 49.5 cent tacos.
Not afraid to nitpick
You owe your digestive system an apology
Scratch that, 1500 apologies.
(This post is in no way critical of JitB tacos, by the way.)
Jack in the Box is the reason I got fat
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 3:11 PM EST up reply actions
There has never been a better drunk food
I’ve spent much of the last decade sampling foods to eat while drunk and have never come across anything better than Jack in the Box tacos.
Waffle House hash browns covered and chunked
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
Amen!
I go smothered, covered, and chunked.
Also, Real Chili if you ever get Milwaukee way.
I have discovered in twenty years of moving around a ball park, that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats. ~Bill Veeck
Man
those are good too. I’m now officially really hungry.
how could you forget about Whitey's Sliders?
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
This is my favorite thing before a Cards game!!!
with a side of bacon cheddar potato wedges
"All baseball fans can be divided into two groups: those who come to batting practice and the others. Only those in the first category have much chance of amounting to anything."--Thomas Boswell
quarter drinks in spring training?
Chuck Norris hit a Home Run
with his beard
by bearcatcardfan on Mar 3, 2009 3:30 PM EST up reply actions
All a guessing game to his health
If he’s right then .475 is awfully low, if he’s not then it’s awfully high. This analysis brought to you by Tim McCarver.
Not afraid to nitpick
So Gameday
doesn’t keep up with the action during ST? It just dumps half an inning of baseball on you at once?
Yeah it sucks
It’s basically unwatchable. I just check back in every 15 minutes or so to see how things have been going.
ludwick already has at least 2 HBPs this spring
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 2:29 PM EST up reply actions
The rest of the league doesn't like him when he isn't injured
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
by jd is legend on Mar 3, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I think the Mets may be matching our 7-run outburst
Gameday hasn’t updated in a week, it seems like
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
It is still 13-0
Todd is pitching now
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions
Colby just got an error
And let a run score on Todd
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 3:05 PM EST up reply actions
cmon razzums
you can do better than that
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 3:12 PM EST up reply actions
That's at least his second error this spring
He bobbled a ground ball and let a runner advance in the game that was on MLB Network last week.
WTF THIS GUY SUX
This one he knocked the ball out of Stav's glove
Stat Whore
by FlimtotheFlam on Mar 3, 2009 3:43 PM EST up reply actions
Maybe they called the mercy rule
And the players went into the clubhouse for a cold one.
by JWO on Mar 3, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions
alot of defensive changes in the bottom of the fifth
i guess they’re behind figuring all that out.
craig is at first, hoffpauir at second, t. greene at short, thurtson moved to third, barton is in right, and pagnozzi is catching
and if you look, gameday's previous innings were all screwed up. they missed a step in there.
maybe they’re fixing an old problem.
Pitcher Batting Second?
Is there any particular reason that the Mets batted Garcia second? Are they trying to out-crazy LaRussa?
So says, Titus Pullo (formerly The Dude)
they did this the other day, so the starter could get an AB in the bottom of the first.
they want to make sure their pitchers are ready to hit this season.
they want to ensure their starters get an at bat
i don’t think one at bat every five days is going to make these guys any better though.
I'm not sure I like it either
Is the benefit going to be large enough that it’s more important than giving those ABs to actual position players? Kinda doubt it.
"jack el dongerino"
if we aren’t into the whole brevity thing
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
Eschew
obfuscation.
There was Gibson in the Reds' dugout, visibly manhandling about three Reds and tossing them bodily out of the dugout and onto the field...He was the toughest athlete mentally I ever saw, and the greatest competitor. JACK BUCK
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2009 7:48 PM EST up reply actions
i say, man
Let’s think the unthinkable, let’s do the undoable, let’s prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
I would be saddened by such a ban
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 3:56 PM EST up reply actions
what would i call Lud when he goes deep?
BEN MOTHERHUSHYOURMOUTH SHEETS
ManRam
I'm going to go try to find a puppy and kick it. - Brad Thompson AND THAT'S A WINNER!
Did someone say my name??
can i use that as my avatar?
Get that cheese out my kitchen.
by colbyjackscheese on Mar 3, 2009 3:33 PM EST up reply actions
I'd leave out the cheese
“Colby Jack” works just as well — is more literal to the action that occurred on the field, plus the “cheese” part will be taken care of by the picture.
DON’T OVERDO IT MAN, YOU’RE OVERDOING IT MAN LOL
Ah, Spring Training.
"Just gotta get out there, get the feel for the pitches, get some reps in ya know"
Not afraid to nitpick
So everyone is on board with "Thirsty" as a nickname, right?
Because I’m calling him that whether you guys do or not.
But then it's just a shortening of his name
Gotta make sure we have beverage associations from our readers.
Thurston Howell the Third
There was Gibson in the Reds' dugout, visibly manhandling about three Reds and tossing them bodily out of the dugout and onto the field...He was the toughest athlete mentally I ever saw, and the greatest competitor. JACK BUCK
by ISawGodInGibby'sRightArm on Mar 3, 2009 7:49 PM EST up reply actions
just noticed that Duncan had a triple
guess he must be pretty well healed
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 3:12 PM EST reply actions
it was a double
took third on fielding error by right fielder. the scorer wasn’t paying attention, apparently.
that makes more sense
I was just pictured Duncan hustling like he was being chased by a pack of wolves or something.
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 3:57 PM EST up reply actions
you know, even in ST, if a guy has a single, a triple, and a homer, I just don't
think it’s cool to pull him and put nick stavinoha in. if you’re three-fourths of the way to the cycle, you should stay in. even in ST. how many times do you get that shot?
yeah
we all know that Stav isn’t going to make the team… I hope
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 3:58 PM EST up reply actions
yeah. blurb about it a couple weeks back.
u guys see this on espn?
not sure how old it is but kinda neat, plus i love reily…http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3915217
I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punch and judy hitter-major league 2
Footnote
As annoying as his writing is, can someone please tell ESPN that he has a face made for writing articles? His on screen personality reminds me of Tom Arnold (everything is forced and he thinks it funnier than it really is), and Tom Arnold is at least funny OCCASIONALLY. Reilly hasn’t had one funny joke yet since joining ESPN’s on screen talent. He makes John Kruk seem professional by comparison, and he can’t even figure out which camera to look at half the time.
I mean you can airbrush the s*** out of those photos they put next to your columns in the mag and on ESPN.com, but they airbrush your TV segments to make you seem like less of a douche.
I swear, if Reilly makes more bucks than Bill Simmons, something is seriously wrong with the compensation packages at the WorldWide Leader — not that this would surprise me at all.
/end soapbox
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Rick Reilly makes more money than all of us.
phony-as-tofurkey
he cheated worse than Rosie Ruiz
he was into more juice than Jack LaLanne
ripped you off worse than Bernie Madoff
If he wasn’t cheating, I’m the Queen Mother.
I just threw up all over my keyboard.
well i happened to liek the article
i guess naything that gives props to albert im in..
I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punch and judy hitter-major league 2
Indeed.
Pujols is the best, regardless of Reilly using puns that are cheesier than Colby Rasmus.
by sluggerbird on Mar 3, 2009 4:44 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
In a drunken stupor last weekend
I bet a friend $10 that the Cards would win 90+ games, and another $10 that they’d make the post season. I still haven’t come to regret those bets. Huh.
Testicle-exploding shit storm, circa 7/12/08 - We will never forget!
said the man in MARCH
I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punch and judy hitter-major league 2
well
if they win 90+, you probably won $20
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Mar 3, 2009 5:16 PM EST up reply actions
Your faith in our team is much higher than mine
Of course, among my friends, I’m notoriously pessimistic and superstitious. If you ask me before any Auburn football game, I always say we lose by three, because I hate having a really positive view going into the game.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
As an Iowa State alum
You’ll be losing by a lot more than three in the future. Enjoy Mr. Chizek.
I'd be lying to you if I told you I was excited when we hired him
In fact, I was downright pissed. However, I think he’s assembled one hell of a staff, and now my tune is a little different. What I tell everyone is that I hope he just stays out of the way of his staff’s potential.
I think Chizik’s success at Iowa State will fully be determined in the next couple of years. His line about the 5-19 record in Ames is that he was building for the future, and played alot of freshmen. We’ll see how the Cyclones progress, and we’ll see how my Tigers do the next couple of years.
I do know that his staff will recruit well, so worst-case scenario would be that we suffer on the field while we load up on talent, then a few years down the road we fire Chizik and bring in a guy who is a proven head coach, with the cupboard stocked. Similar to what happened at Ole Miss with Ed Orgeron. And like I said, this is WORST-case.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
He did do a good job of upgrading the talent
We didn’t have much when he got there and the talent level was a lot higher when he left. It hadn’t quite translated into wins yet. I can’t complain there.
My only concern would be his character – he was very shady in the way that he left in terms of the promises that he made and behind the scenes actions. Hopefully it was a one time thing and you won’t have any problems. But once somebody acts the way he did I always have that little thought in the back of my mind…
It was a little greasy the way he left y'all
Maybe we should schedule a series in a couple of years
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
Chizik
JD, your concerns shouldn’t be about the staff he’s assembled or the talent he can recruit, it’s whether he can coach. I’ve never seen a coaching staff as unprepared and unorganized as the one he led here at Iowa State, and I’ve seen teams led by Jim Walden, so that’s saying something. I can’t even count the number of time-outs that were burned because they couldn’t get the play in to the QB on time or the number of delay of game penalties on special teams because he couldn’t make a decision of whether to go for it. Yah, our talent was better since he arrived, but his predecessor recruited JUCO after JUCO the previous two years to try and keep his job, and he had twice as much money to spend on recruiting trips and staff. So why did we constantly look outclassed by better coaches with teams that had similar talent levels — like Baylor?
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
glad to see Another Clone around
Way too many mizzou fans on here, Lets Hope Coach Rhoads brings some success this year. Got to love the staff he’s assembled, and glad its baseball season cause basketball season was rough. On a side note, up above their talking about the best drunk food I don’t think any of those place have anything on the Gyro stand in Ames.
Did we dodge a bullet?
<a href=“"Looper”:http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090303&content_id=3910546&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb" target="new">
Ignore me
I was trying to learn something new and I failed EPICALLY!
Maybe
An oblique problem. These are trick. In fact, it’s his left oblique:
Looper was scratched from his Brewers debut on Saturday because of tightness in his left oblique muscle. He has improved in the days since, but club medical officials nonetheless decided to shut down Looper for the next two weeks, meaning he will be starting again from scratch about a month after the start of Spring Training.
Reminds me of Woody Williams…
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 4:48 PM EST up reply actions
We are good at hopping off the overachieving vet bandwagon, aren't we?
Suppan, Williams, Weaver, Morris, and now maybe Looper.
If only we’d hopped off with Joe-L. And Mulder.
Okay, maybe we aren’t THAT good at it.
5 out of 7
That’s a .714 batting average.
Getting two tickets to an execution is like getting two tickets to NASCAR, except you KNOW Jeff Gordon's gonna die.
Just saw the HR on Sportscenter
That was DEEP. That looked like an Adam Dunn shot, without the arc.
I’m not on any bandwagon in the first week of ST.
The artist formerly known as...
Mr Redbird @ Viva El Birdos
PowerOfDixieland @ Track Em Tigers, other SEC blogs
I jumped on in '06 and haven't left,
but there’s PLENTY of room…
"Them Cubbies can kiss my ass" -Dizzy Dean
I've been a Duncan supporter since '06
And I’ve even posted defenses of his glove work in the outfield. He could be a .900 OPS guy in the outfield, if he is healthy and gets his swing back. Two big “if’s,” I know.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 8:35 PM EST up reply actions
Wow
I just checked out Duncan’s projections over at the glorious Fangraphs site and that comment reflects my Cardinal Kool Aid consumption, doesn’t it…
For the record, I based my hopeful .900 OPS on a healthy Duncan recapturing 2006/2007 form.
"I'm gonna throw the nastiest curveball I have ever thrown...if he hits it, I'll tip my cap, but if not we're going to the Series."
--Adam Wainwright on the final pitch of the 2006 NLCS
by bgh on Mar 3, 2009 8:39 PM EST up reply actions
i think those projections obviously incorporate the year he spent injured.
it’s pretty likely that he’s either going to ops more than .850 or less than .750 – he’ll either be healthy or not. not much middle ground.
Why?
Save for that one great half season in 06 he has never been a .850 + guy in the minors or the majors.
vivaelbeñsheets
he had a .927 ops before the break in 07, then got injured (hernia)
and crashed after the break. So he has four half-seasons — late 06, early 07, late 07, early 08. the first two half seasons he had a .900+ ops. the last two half-seasons, he had OPS’s of .678 and .711.
That’s a pretty compelling split. I think he’s either still injured or he’ll come back to form.
wow people
its march im excited too but really..
I can't believe i gave up a homerun to that punch and judy hitter-major league 2
His first half in 2007
came with a .342 BABIP. Do you really think that he could do that over the course of a full season? Regress that back to the norm, and you have an .800 – .850 OPS guy
vivaelbeñsheets
by vivaelpujols on Mar 3, 2009 10:32 PM EST up reply actions
.879, actually (.269/.364/.515)
assuming that a .300 BABIP is “expected” for this player, and assuming all the “lucky” hits were singles. For a guy who hits a lot of balls that bounce off the wall, that’s probably not a good assumption.
He’s probably closer to a .320 BABIP true talent, making him a .896 OPS player (.278/.372/.524) when “regressed back to the norm” (sic).
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
btw the difference between a .342 and a .300 babip
in 236 AB’s is 6 hits, for a guy who hits 16 HR and k’s 68 times.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
You're right
I was being lazy with the calculations. But why do you think that his true talent level is a .320 BABIP? His career LD rate is pretty good at just over 20%, however he also hits a lot of ground balls for a slugger and he doesn’t have the speed to beat them out.
vivaelbeñsheets
by vivaelpujols on Mar 4, 2009 12:38 AM EST up reply actions
it's got a lot more to do
with hitting relatively few infield fly balls, which are always outs, and the fact that he has such great power. The odds of him hitting a ground ball through the infield are much higher than, say, cesar izturis, he bounces a lot of balls off the walls, and outfielders have to play deep, so a few balls a year will land in front of them.
Mostly, though, I looked at his historic BABIP and saw that he managed a .299 last year, when he curled up in a ball in front of home plate after every swing.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
Cardinals Top 5 Prospects
Prospect Project has posted their Cardinals Top 5 Prospects List (with honorable mentions).
Getting two tickets to an execution is like getting two tickets to NASCAR, except you KNOW Jeff Gordon's gonna die.
that has to be the most unflattering picture of The Walrus ever taken.
"i have a feeling the answers are bigger than the questions" -Dr Heyward Floyd
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