Leverage and La Russa
by DanUpBaby on Aug 7, 2009 12:00 PM EDT
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PrintWhile I was thinking about looking at this I wasn't sure whether the (relative) fungibility of relief pitching made it more likely to reveal a manager's innermost thoughts and desires—i.e. he can use anybody, and there are lots of candidates for the role, so he can lean toward his older pitchers if he wants—or less, that they were so difficult to predict that when one reliever does well he's as good as any other, age be damned. I'm still not sure. But I thought it would be interesting, now that its inclusion on Baseball Reference makes it the next big stat to be overused by lazy bloggers, to take a look at the leverage index of some ghosts of La Russa Relievers Past, just while we're on the subject and there's no game to talk about.
As our arbitrary object lesson I've chosen 2000, because the personalities are far enough away and the bullpen bad enough to be interesting.
| PITCHER | AGE | G | IP | K | BB | HR | ERA | aLI |
| Dave Veres | 33 | 71 | 75.2 | 67 | 25 | 6 | 2.85 | 1.91 |
| Mike Timlin | 34 | 25 | 29.2 | 26 | 20 | 2 | 3.34 | 1.538 |
| Matt Morris | 25 | 31 | 53.0 | 34 | 17 | 3 | 3.57 | 1.235 |
| Mike Mohler | 31 | 22 | 19.0 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 9.00 | 1.134 |
| Mike James | 32 | 51 | 51.1 | 41 | 24 | 7 | 3.16 | 1.092 |
| H. Slocumb | 34 | 43 | 49.2 | 34 | 24 | 9 | 5.44 | 0.788 |
| M. Thompson | 29 | 20 | 25.0 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 5.04 | 0.703 |
| G. Stechschulte | 26 | 20 | 25.2 | 12 | 17 | 6 | 6.31 | 0.540 |
| Alan Benes | 28 | 30 | 46.0 | 26 | 23 | 7 | 5.67 | 0.441 |
The 2000 Cardinals were a young team, but all that youth was on offense—J.D. Drew, Fernando Tatis, Edgar Renteria, Rick Ankiel... the other four starters ranged from 28 to 32, and the top three relievers, appearance-wise, were between 32 and 34. But really, past the closer, I think La Russa would have preferred all of the pitchers on this list to appear exclusively in blowouts; there's the high-priced bust in Heathcliff Slocumb--who was not only nearly traded with Albert Pujols (Jocketty eventually insisted the Padres take Ben Johnson) but was traded for Carlos Hernandez, the stiff behind the plate when Rick Ankiel, uh, began his career as an outfielder; the flailing LOOGY (eventually replaced by Jason Christiansen, high-priced bust number two); and a cast of several low-leverage non-prospects mopping up after each other. The Mike Timlin trade... was astute.
Keeping that in mind, there are some interesting players here, if you're looking to read La Russa's mind. Matty Mo is the Young Pitcher in this bunch, but given his previous experience as budding ace he didn't exactly have to prove himself all over again. But as a high leverage, multi-inning pitcher he was something of a rare breed, the kind of reliever La Russa probably wouldn't choose to pull out of thin air.
He mopped up in his first appearance, in the end of May, but from then on he was used just about every way except on zero days rest; he mopped up (his lowest LI was 0.06, when he was the first pitcher out of the pen following a 1.2 inning 9 ER beatdown at the hand of the Astros) and he finished one run games, often in back-to-back appearances. He was also used extremely regularly; after his return from the DL there was only one run in which he sat for more than five days at a time. In September his LI rose all the way to 1.72, with only two blowout appearances in seven and four leveraged past 2.0. La Russa could be--can be--flexible both ways. Slocumb's LI falls month-to-month in a neat line until he's traded, moving from 1.11 in April to 0.56 in July.
His capacity for moving relievers around as they wax and wane (much less predictably than the moon) throws his inactivity in the face of Isringhausen's two blow-up years into stark relief, doesn't it? Isringhausen obviously deserved a little more rope than Heathcliff Slocumb, but in 2008 his leverage index was completely unmoored from his ERA; 1.8 in April, 2.12 in May (as his ERA rose, you'll recall, from an even 6.00 to an even 8.00), 1.59 in July (perhaps his best month) until he finally put Izzy on the blowouts-only shelf in July. The same was true in 2006; Wainwright was used increasingly aggressively as the season wore on, moving into high leverage positions more often in the second half, but La Russa's usage of Isringhausen was completely independent of his effectiveness.
That's why it was so infuriating, why so much of what La Russa does--even when it's effective, as it often is--is infuriating. He often displays a finely tuned, intuitive sense of a reliever's abilities and weaknesses. When one falls behind another, considerably moreso than in the rotation, he is likely to recognize it and act accordingly, even when it's a Kyle McClellan or an Adam Wainwright. But he doesn't seem to make any connection between the arbitrary and fickle world of the bullpen and his anointed closer.
I don't doubt that he has some reason for this behavior--maybe it's the baseball equivalent of that old "shooters keep shooting" trope in basketball--but I do doubt its usefulness. If a closer needs to be looked after, mentally, in such a way that it becomes detrimental to the team, he's cut out for high leverage innings anyway, is he?
This is something to watch should Franklin--who, to his credit, has now had two seasons with this brilliant command out of three--regress. He's not the most typical of La Russa closers; he's old, yes, but he began the season behind two youngsters on the depth chart and has already faded badly once before. If somebody can prove himself reliable behind Franklin, and I am not holding my breath, I'll be interested to see how the ninth inning falls.
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My god man, DAVE VERES?
Did you have to bring him up? I used to cringe watching him on TV.
Also, what does “traded WITH Albert Pujols” mean? Is there some possible trade I didn’t know about?
The Cringy....
Veres was at least a useful reliever, for a bit; Heathcliff Slocumb, on the udder hoof – yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeshh!
:=8P
He hadn’t been useful since 1996. If anyone was cringe-worthy in that 2000 ’pen it was he. Perhaps we should institute a new yearly award, the Cringy, bestowed upon the reliever who produces the moost gray hairs and tossed nachos out of the bullpen.
;=8)
I hate Jason Marquis!
:=8O
At the trading deadline in 2000,
The Cardinals traded Heathcliff Slocumb and a PTBNL to the Padres for Carlos Hernandez and Nate Tebbs. Supposedly the PTBNL was a choice between Albert Pujols, who had just completed his first stint in A ball at the time, and Ben Johnson who was nearing the end of his first season in A-ball. The rumor is that the Pads wanted Pujols but Jocketty talked them into taking Johnson who was actually thought of as a better talent in baseball circles at the time (the Cards took him out of HS in the 4th round of the ‘99 draft, Pujols went in the 13th round of that draft out of community college). Scouts weren’t sure if Pujols’ body was going to play well at the big league level, proving once again that scouts don’t know everything.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
by fourstick on Aug 7, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
One wonders what the Mirror Universe Cardinals look like today.
In that reality, Albert never wears a goatee. And the Cardinals just let go of their old 1B, Dmitri Young. Or something.
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "~6 WAR" years.
by mattybobo on Aug 7, 2009 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Wow
Mirror Universe…goatee…I am going to sit and applaud!
"Ludwick, I could kiss you on the nuts!" - the red baron 7-29-09
* sarcasm might be involved in this comment
almost?
i saw a pre-game interview with kevin towers several years after the trade. he indicated that he asked for pujols as an opening bid and tried several times to get him included but jocketty wouldnt budge. at no point did he indicate that pujols was almost included. everything he said indicated the exact opposite.
Well,
I’ve heard that story from Towers too, and I think he’s full of shit — anyone would want to say that they “really wanted Albert Pujols” now, but if that’s the case, why didn’t you draft him the year before when you had THIRTEEN CHANCES TO DO SO KEVIN?
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
I don't think Rick Ankiel was on offense yet, in 2000.
In fact, I think he was still good at pitching.
Pretty much FML any time -Todd Wellemeyer touches a baseball.- Joe Thurston runs the bases.
I noticed that too
He did follow it up with “the other four starters ranged from 28 to 32” so I think it was just a list of young players that ran together with his thought about most being on O.
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
if it wasn't relievers we were talking about
I’d say Milt
Positronic Upgraded Juggernaut Optimized for Logical Sabotage
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Aug 7, 2009 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Milt Thompson.
One of the earlier Captain Grit nominees. I loved that guy.
Baseball's only fun if you're playing it, watching it, or thinking about it.
Other names on the 2000 roster, just for fun
Eric Davis
Craig Paquette
Shawon Dunston
Jesse Orosco
Scott Radinsky
Garrett Stephenson
Heathcliff Slocumb
Gene Stechschulte
Nostalgia is fun!
Oops, Slocumb and Stechschulte were in the article. I see my error and raise you Thomas Howard and Eli Marrero.
OT: Twins get Pavano
The Twins made a waiver wire deal, sending a PTBNL to the Indians for Carl Pavano.
I know he’s been bandied about as a FA target this offseason as a cheap arm because when he’s effective he fits the Duncan profile, but wouldn’t it have made sense to try and add him this year? I would guess the Twins probably would have claimed him anyway, but it makes me wonder what the Indians are getting in return.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Here is a question for Dave Duncan
Why can’t John Smoltz get LHB out? He still has decent velocity 90-92 on this fastball with decent command and good movement on his breaking pitches
So what the hell is going on?
by Hardcore Legend on Aug 7, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
From the little I watched last night
his command didn’t look great and he was leaving breaking pitches (changeup?) in the middle of the zone.
His slider is flatter than a board
that’s why. He used to be able to bury that down and in to lefties to get swinging strikes — now he can’t get it there and it’s hanging over the inside corner of the plate and getting hammered.
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
but I watched his every pitch
and he did throw a few that had decent action. Although he didn’t look good at all on the whole, he didn’t look like a total waste to me either. there is a fine line between getting shelled and getting outs.
Wainwright in 2006
Wainwright did a great job for the Cardinals out of the bullpen in the regular season as mostly a setup guy for Isringhausen. Wainwright was incredible in the postseason that year pitching 9.2 scoreless innings and saving 4 games. He’s been used exclusively as a starter since then, but in that one postseason Wainwright looked better than even the great Mariano Rivera.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
not to knock Wainwright exactly
because I really like him… but, while he did seem to pitch out of a lot of jams that offseason, they were jams that he got himself into. I don’t think his performance really compares to Rivera.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Cardinals' middle relief corps.
Rivera
I can’t believe how well Rivera has done over the course of his career in postseason play. I did see that he has a career postseason WHIP of only 0.75. Wainwright’s WHIP in the 2006 postseason was 0.931. I suppose I remember the precious few bad times Rivera has had in postseason play such as giving up a homer to Sandy Alomar, Jr. in the 1997 ALDS and losing game 7 of the 2001 World Series. Overall, Mariano has been outstanding in postseason.
With Wainwright, I was amazed how well he was able to pitch as a young pitcher in such pressure packed situations. He bent but didn’t break and exceeded my expectations. When Rivera gets the job done, you don’t think much about it because he has done it so often. In retrospect, he may not have been as good as Rivera in that postseason, but he was just as effective in getting the end result his club desired.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
wow
I just realized I said offseason instead of postseason.
I have a love/hate relationship with the Cardinals' middle relief corps.
Pirates sign an 8th rounder for $1M
And watch Bud Selig’s slotting system die
"Come test me every day if you want," says Pujols, "Everything I ever made in this game I would give back to the Cardinals if I got caught."
I find it ironic that....
many who prescribe to the theory that you should always play/pitch your best player/pitcher based on his historic true talent level (i.e. big sample size) because the short term is fickle and unpredictable (i.e. you cannot predict the end or beginning of a hot streak or cold streak) are also the same people who kill TLR for playing “his favorites” even when they’re (temporarily) slumping (like Izzy was, until he slumped so long it was decided that he just couldn’t play anymore). TLR is damned if he does or if he doesn’t.
Of course, there’s always the injury card to be speculated about and played by the person who damns TLR (and always by someone who just “deduces” an injury based on a slump) even if the player claims he’s healthy and the medical staff clears him to play.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Aug 7, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions
that's just a question of how long
The slump or underperformance lasts. A 40-50 PA is a slump of no particular significance. A 150-200 pa slump starts to obtain significance. So todd wellemeyer who turned in crap performance for month after month should have been pulled by mid-June or so. Chris Duncan played well in April then began to struggle. By late June it was pretty clear he was not just having a bad luck struggle.
What people object to is the use of very small sample sizes to justify decisions – someone who is 18 for 30 is not likely showing a true skill. Someone who is 3 for 30 is not likely showing true skill. The sample size is key. I don’t think generally we have turned against guys based on SSS.
the truth can't hurt you, it's just like the dark/ it scares you witless, but in time you see things clear and stark -- macmanus
by tom s. on Aug 7, 2009 2:36 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
30 pa's total or against 1 guy?
if it’s against 1 pitcher, then I would say that pretty indicitive of what the hitter is capable of against that pitcher. (IMO)
Definitely far too small of a sample!
We can likely never definitively say that a certain hitter “owns” a pitcher or whatever because hundreds of PAs are necessary to get any reliable data. For instance, take two hitters:
A: .250/.330/.400/.730
B: .283/.363/.466/.830
There is a pretty staggering difference between those two guys, but the difference in those statlines over 30 ABs is one double.
"I'll be glad to have Ryan [Braun] help if he wants to. I'll give him a badge and he can be my deputy." - Doug Melvin
well neither of those lines, alone, would make me think
that one guy owned the pitcher and the other didn’t. Obviously more would need to be factored in deciding who played. (defense, current numbers, health, ect…)
in tom s.‘s example batting .600 against somebody in 30 pa’s is materially greater than somebody batting .100 in 30 pa’s
Just like to say
I love things like that that illustrate how the numbers shake out sometimes.
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "~6 WAR" years.
and, they aren't "the same people"
that’s a pretty egregious straw man.
it's Clydesdales vs Goats. Actually sums up Cards vs. Cubs quite nicely. -all4tookie
OT: I have found the reason Tony is in love with Rick Ankiel
Pitcher turned outfielder notwithstanding, it seems that his work with dogs might tickle TLR’s fancy
OT: Who's starting for the Cards tonite?
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 Aug 7, 2009 3:29 PM EDT reply actions
Tonight lineup via FSN/BJRains tweet
Lugo 2B
Ankiel CF
Pujols 1B
Holliday LF
Ludwick RF
DeRosa 3B
Molina C
Ryan SS
Carpenter P
....my quick smells like french toast...
FSN said
that Ryan will play if healthy and I got a tweet saying Ryan is playing tonight. Not confirmed anywhere else but by that yet though.
....my quick smells like french toast...
Where is Rasmus????
I’m sick of everyone saying he’s struggling….he’s struggling because Tony is burying him by not playing him….sure Ank is hitting well, but Raz needs more time and ABs.
well
rasmus either needs to play, or be DL’d. One or the other. If he’s healthy and is not going to play here, he should be playing in AAA. If he’s NOT healthy, he needs to figure out wtf is causing it and fix it.
it's Clydesdales vs Goats. Actually sums up Cards vs. Cubs quite nicely. -all4tookie
Oh please.
He’s struggling because he has a heel injury bad enough that he needs injections in and and he’s recovering from a stomach ailment that has caused him to shed some serious poundage (keep in mind, Colby = not fat. Therefore, weight loss = not good).
THE SKIP IS LEGIT!!
Then shouldnt
they have dl’ed him a while ago? Wasting space on the bench that could be used as a late inning pinch hitter (Craig?) is not very smart IMHO
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby
Why is it wasting space on the bench if he can pinch hit and be a defensive sub?
Who is a better pinch hitter or defensive sub? If no one, what’s the point of putting him on the DL? Why do you assume that putting someone on the DL magically makes them heal faster than just being available to pinch hit/defensive sub?
Also, I don’t think we should assume that if someone is available to pinch hit/defensive sub, then he can start.
by Willie McGee's Twin on Aug 7, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions
I know wins are just as important in April as August
but tony needs to put his best chance at winning at this point, and as long as Ankiel is hitting, he’s the better choice right now. I agree with those who have said Rasmus should be put on the DL, get his energy and strength back, maybe even do a rehab stint in memphis, and then be ready for september.
or his bolemia?
Positronic Upgraded Juggernaut Optimized for Logical Sabotage
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Aug 7, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions
In other news, who wants a former steroid user who can't hit his way out of a wet paper bag?
A’s release Giambi. Seems pretty likely that’s the end of his career.
Probably right
He’s having a truly dreadful season and he’s a DH only at this point. The guy is old and can’t really run anymore. He’s also seen a depressed HR/FB rate, which isn’t surprising going from Old Yankee Stadium to McAfee Coliseum, as well as suggesting there may be some un-luck going on, but I’m sure that no one is terribly interested in finding out.
VivaElBirdos...Scoring less, but more frequently since approximately 1903.
by redbirdnation8206 on Aug 7, 2009 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
drunken ladies attacking the wheelchair usher
Positronic Upgraded Juggernaut Optimized for Logical Sabotage
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Aug 7, 2009 4:17 PM EDT reply actions
Wow. Drunken lady who also happens to be a middle school teacher at a Catholic school in town
(or at least she was before usher harshed her buzz).
Lots of booze-fueled mayhem in St. Louis this week – from a link on that page, “Man gets DUI riding lawnmower for beer.”
by BTown Birds fan on Aug 7, 2009 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions
awesome. lawnmower dui!
Positronic Upgraded Juggernaut Optimized for Logical Sabotage
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Aug 7, 2009 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Heathcliff, Heathcliff, no one should
Terrorize the neighborhood
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "~6 WAR" years.
by mattybobo on Aug 7, 2009 4:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
are you going to VEB day?
Positronic Upgraded Juggernaut Optimized for Logical Sabotage
by Cards Fan in Chitown on Aug 7, 2009 4:38 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably not
There’s a chance I’ll end up going on that day as a coincidence, but I wasn’t planning on it.
For some reason that theme song has become stuck in my brain, permanently.
Albert Pujols does not have "down" years. He has "~6 WAR" years.
I think Heathcliff Huxtable
would have been a better pitching choice.
by Tom_Lawless_Bat_Flip on Aug 7, 2009 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
AVENGE BOOG!!!
I haven’t the skills… but someone should photoshop the picture from Red Dawn where the dad tells the kids to “Avenge me boys. Avenge me!!” And stick Boog’s face on the old man.
TLR to Boog:
I was hard on you when you was growin’ up. I did things that made you hate me. Now, you can see why I did. I don’t want no more tears shed for me, ya hear? I’m not gonna be there for you now, you gotta look out for each other…
I'm not sure I'm down with 'boogerines'
But I bet Boog would love it.
AVENGE BOOG
"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
yep...
he looks done… Same with Jason Giambi.
In crazier news, somebody put in a claim on Alex Rios.
I’ll bet 5 internet dollars it was the Yankees. What other team would go 5/60 for Rios right now?
Please take this comment in the spirit it was intended.
dude...
that’s crazy talk. You can’t have a right fielder who struggles to post an 800 ops…
Please take this comment in the spirit it was intended.
WAR for the last three years
3.3
4.6
5.5
he looks to be having a down year w/ both the glove and the bat, but i suspect that his glove will rebound to the VERY good levels he has proven to be, as long as no injury that i’m not aware of has happened.
use the money saved over Holliday to address the other needs of this team and use the picks to help reseed the now barren field that is our minor system
it wont happen but whatever….
Bullpen help from Smoltzy?
Any chance Boston would eat another salary? I’m fairly sure that as an 8th inning guy he could help our club. One would think that just the thought of him will scare some NL hitters and from what I’ve seen he does still have SOME good stuff.
I know he’s old and falling apart, but for some reason I feel better about him in our bullpen and think Boston may have given up on him too quickly. At the very least he could be a nice mentor for applesauce.
NorCal CARDS FAN
He's DFAed - Boston has to eat his salary, right?
If I’m not mistaken, whoever picks him up just has to pay pro-rated league minimum, and Boston pays the rest.
by BTown Birds fan on Aug 7, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions
So league minimum for a Smoltz experiment????
As long as he hasn’t admitted he’s still hurt, sounds like a win-win. Who wouldn’t trade his spot with Welle’s?
NorCal CARDS FAN
I wouldn't.
Put him in the ‘pen, sure, but he can’t get LHs out at all.
"I usually don’t read other peoples sigs." -Cuttah
As for getting lefty's out...
I have to think he can still do it. It seems like we’re using an incredibly small sample size and with Boston of all places (refers to Renteria’s HOF potential article on front page). Yes, he’s old, but he’s pitching in Boston and trying to be Curt Shilling circa ’06; not exactly a way to ease back into pitching after surgery.
I’m in agreement that he hasn’t looked good yet, but call me a wishful thinker (better than calling me Shirley)- ending his career with the BOB and hopefully helping our bullpen, which currently appears to be held together with duct tape and windex, seems like a low risk high reward move.
NorCal CARDS FAN
Lefties have had 101 PAs against him this year and are hitting .440
with an OBP of .490 and SLG of .758. Granted, they also have an insane BABIP (.466). But that’s not a tiny sample size, and he’s getting them out barely half the time. He’s still been fairly good against righties though.
by BTown Birds fan on Aug 7, 2009 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
So he is a
prime example of a ROOGY?
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby
How is 101 plate appearances not a small sample size?
Yeah, the stats are bad thus far, but I regress, if we’re calling sample sizes like 101 PA’s (large) than I don’t think we’ll have an intelligent conversation. I think I’d take my chances with John Smoltz (in the bullpen throwing at max one inning, not starting) at league minimum over Todd Wellemeyer, which was my point.
NorCal CARDS FAN
No one said it was a large sample size
I said it wasn’t a “tiny” sample size – or, to use your words, an “incredibly small” sample size. If you want to quibble over what’s “small” vs. “incredibly small” vs. “tiny,” I can guarantee we’re not going to have an intelligent conversation. Obviously it could be bigger, and obviously you’re free to reserve judgment if you don’t find the numbers convincing, but I think most people would look at 100+ PAs and those awful numbers and have some pretty serious concerns about his ability to get lefties out; and it seems pretty clear to me that they’d be right to do so. I’d be happy to see him in the bullpen as well, but I’d want him to be used as a ROOGy, like Alxfritz and stlwcards pointed out.
by BTown Birds fan on Aug 7, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Yup
and considering he has experience coming out of the pen, I think this could be a good situation for the Cardinals, although one wonders why Boston didn’t try that?
"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller
Boston has 10 days to try to trade him, first.
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 Aug 7, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
do you think..
boston would trade him and pay his salary too, i mean we gotta have an extra bag of balls laying around and throw in Mo’s golf cart and clubs and let’s see smoltz instead of Colonel. at least he used to be somebody and nobody can take that away from him
we could pick him up in time for Atlanta, right?
we could at least see if Duncan can fix him
AVENGE BOOG
"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
OT: price-watching on stubhub
Just glancing at minimum ticket prices. ’Stros, Reds, and Padres on the weekend bottom out at $5. But the weekend of the Washington Nationals is low at $15. Is something happening that weekend?
AVENGE BOOG
"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
Nats ticket prices
If you go up about an hour to an hour and a half before the game they sell tickets for $5 and you can pretty much sit wherever you want once your in there
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby
i'm just wondering why
I know it’ll go down, I’m just surprised no one’s selling —
oh, wait. no one’s bought any to sell?
AVENGE BOOG
"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
Well the thing about
those is that you have to go in as soon as you buy them, even though none of the security guards enforce that rule. It’s really too bad the team is so awful because the park is very nice
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby
I'm talking about Busch Stadium tickets to the Nats game.
AVENGE BOOG
"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 should have known that
Sorry
"People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring" -Rogers Hornsby
that sunday *is* adam wainwright bobblehead night.
AVENGE BOOG
"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
IT'S BEEN SO LONG
so ready for some cardinal baseball
Of course, hope means being cut down on some street corner, as you run like mad, by a random bullet.
Heathcliff Slocumb...
Was the guy I was thinking of, who like Motte, was terrible when used 2 days in a row, but pretty good otherwise.
Gawd - just go on. Has Carp been sitting near Welly and Lohse? Contagion??
An optimist is a man who upon discovering that a rose smells better than a cabbage concludes it will make better soup.
HL Mencken
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