Around Baseball 2015

[Abomination]

Yeah, hitting Stanton is a one way ticket out of Miami. Case in point:

 

 

Don't tell Haren that

[43211234]

I guess minorleaguecentral only has data from the last 4 seasons, which makes sense given how they acquire their numbers.

 

 

Edit: The game tracker at the top of this page has games on it. Baseball is back.

[NorthOf49]

I guess minorleaguecentral only has data from the last 4 seasons, which makes sense given how they acquire their numbers.

 

 

Edit: The game tracker at the top of this page has games on it. Baseball is back.

What Minor League Central has is good but yeah only four seasons is a critical limitation. Thanks though. I'll probably try using the Baseball Prospectus custom reports. They have a CSV download button which is nice.

[Angrioter]

ZiPS is now live on FanGraphs. You can find it on player pages, under the projections tab, and mixed with Steamer in the Depth Charts.

 

Great!!

[LTR]

Mike Trout 3.3 WAR over next highest LOL

 

Josh Donaldson 6th in MLB in WAR (5.4)...

[HERPDERP]

lol Yankees

 

[burlingtonbandit]

Jonah Keri did a pretty good piece about all 30 teams even if a few of the rankings seem a bit odd.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-30-offseason-mlb-nationals-dodgers-mariners/

 

Has the Blue Jays in 7th!

[Deadpool]

Jonah Keri did a pretty good piece about all 30 teams even if a few of the rankings seem a bit odd.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/the-30-offseason-mlb-nationals-dodgers-mariners/

 

Has the Blue Jays in 7th!

 

More important than that, highest in the ALE...

[jaysfan2014]

More important than that, highest in the ALE...

 

And they're neutral on Boston, which is fair. There's no telling if Victorino and HanRam will stay healthy (doubtful), Pedroia continuing to decline (and forcing Betts into the OF because of that contract Pedroia got last year), how Sandoval will adjust to the AL, and that weak pitching staff of #3-#4 starters, many who were either from big ballparks or coming off awful seasons in 2014. And the biggest question--how much does Ortiz have left? If he declines badly, Boston will not contend, as he is the most important piece on the team (only 30/100 threat on the team.)

[NorthOf49]

What do people think about Trout's flaw (the high fastball)? I don't know how to think about it. He can't really hit the pitch at all and pitchers have clued into that yet he still managed to be superlatively productive last season.

 

It was talked about a lot in August/September and Jeff Sullivan wrote a good piece about it last week: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-nature-of-mike-trouts-problem/

[Nafro]

What do people think about Trout's flaw (the high fastball)? I don't know how to think about it. He can't really hit the pitch at all and pitchers have clued into that yet he still managed to be superlatively productive last season.

 

It was talked about a lot in August/September and Jeff Sullivan wrote a good piece about it last week: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-nature-of-mike-trouts-problem/

 

I think its a fairly common problem that hitters who have early success experience. You start to think you can hit anything and teams and pitchers start to "climb the ladder" in their game plans and pitch execution. The question this year will be whether he can make that adjustment to lay off the strike at the very top of the strike zone and above.

 

The key is to be able to do so without giving up some of your aggressiveness that makes the great hitter you are. He may sacrifice 5-8 homeruns by doing so, but also likely cut down 30-50 strikeouts. If anyone can figure it out, it is someone who has his talent. The fact he has recognized and acknowledged this is what he needs to do, makes it more likely he will be able to.

[jaysfan2014]

Ubaldo Jimenez of the O's is in prime form right now.. already 4 runs given up vs. the Tigers. Gausman looks like he's a roster spot locked up.. just imagine if the O's hadn't blown that money. They could've kept Cruz or Markakis, or brought someone decent in with that sunk cost Jimenez is.

[BTS]

Let's all take this opportunity to laugh at the Rockies together:

 

•The Rockies pursued utilityman Daniel Descalso not only because he would offer a versatile bench option, but because of his big-game experience, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. Skipper Walt Weiss explained that the former Cardinals infielder brought an underappreciated element to the squad. “All of that factored in quite a bit,” said Weiss. “I think we sometimes underestimate the value of that — guys that have played in big games, pennant races, and have won a World Series. Those types of players are valuable, and that’s a big reason why we brought Danny in here.”

[Angrioter]

Let's all take this opportunity to laugh at the Rockies together:

 

•The Rockies pursued utilityman Daniel Descalso not only because he would offer a versatile bench option, but because of his big-game experience, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. Skipper Walt Weiss explained that the former Cardinals infielder brought an underappreciated element to the squad. “All of that factored in quite a bit,” said Weiss. “I think we sometimes underestimate the value of that — guys that have played in big games, pennant races, and have won a World Series. Those types of players are valuable, and that’s a big reason why we brought Danny in here.”

 

Luis Polonia-esque

[Sammy225]

Let's all take this opportunity to laugh at the Rockies together:

 

•The Rockies pursued utilityman Daniel Descalso not only because he would offer a versatile bench option, but because of his big-game experience, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. Skipper Walt Weiss explained that the former Cardinals infielder brought an underappreciated element to the squad. “All of that factored in quite a bit,” said Weiss. “I think we sometimes underestimate the value of that — guys that have played in big games, pennant races, and have won a World Series. Those types of players are valuable, and that’s a big reason why we brought Danny in here.”

 

Seems legit.... Thats how i should build my DDL... With guys that have been to the DDL championship and know how to win such matchups. Stupid Weiss is a genius.

[jaysfan2014]

Potential oblique injury for Castillo.. good news for Betts!

 

[TheHurl]

Judge Judy's extension brings her to 6 years $280 Million. Can she be worth that contract? Can you run a regression model on someone who is already 100?

[King]

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/post/_/id/98046/daniel-murphy-offers-view-on-beans-visit

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- On the day Billy Bean, MLB's ambassador of inclusion, visited the Mets at Sandy Alderson's invitation, Daniel Murphy found himself offering a perspective based on his religious beliefs.

 

Bean hid his homosexuality during his playing career and came out later. He discussed his story with Mets players Tuesday morning.

 

"I disagree with his lifestyle," Murphy told NJ.com. "I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn't mean I can't still invest in him and get to know him. I don't think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect. Getting to know him. That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent."

 

Murphy added to the newspaper: "Maybe, as a Christian, ... we haven't been as articulate enough in describing what our actual stance is on homosexuality. We love the people. We disagree the lifestyle. That's the way I would describe it for me. It's the same way that there are aspects of my life that I'm trying to surrender to Christ in my own life. There's a great deal of many things, like my pride. I just think that as a believer trying to articulate it in a way that says just because I disagree with the lifestyle doesn't mean I'm just never going to speak to Billy Bean every time he walks through the door. That's not love. That's not love at all."

 

Asked earlier in the day about how his message is received by those who espouse similar beliefs, Bean said: "What's important is that if we have one or two people on a team that we might have exposed them to something they hadn't thought about before. I'm not here to change anybody or tell them that they're wrong. This is our country. We're allowed to be who and what we want. But I think the important thing is understanding the big picture -- that if you are a player on the Mets or in a big-league uniform, there's a huge responsibility that goes with that. And I think they can understand that regardless of what their personal opinion is of me. I can't be everybody's best friend."

[BTS]

Christ almighty Murphy is stupid

[BTS]

Also, misspelling Beane's name is shameful for a site like ESPN. Fail all-around.

[King]

Also, misspelling Beane's name is shameful for a site like ESPN. Fail all-around.

 

Different Bean.

[GD]

Christ almighty Murphy is stupid

 

It might be stupid but it's fantastic to at least see him being kind and respectful despite disagreeing with his beliefs. That's actually a massive improvement against the Torii Hunters of the world and it's great to see someone respectfully disagreeing for once.

[GD]

Also, misspelling Beane's name is shameful for a site like ESPN. Fail all-around.

 

o wow ur dumn

[Laika]

"I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual."

 

So Murphy thinks that Beane is lying, and that he's actually straight. Hmm.

[King]

"I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual."

 

So Murphy thinks that Beane is lying, and that he's actually straight. Hmm.

 

Bean

[TheHurl]

Christ almighty Murphy is stupid

 

He has worded it better than many Christians athletes have in the past...and he still came off sounding like a complete idiot.

[Laika]

It might be stupid but it's fantastic to at least see him being kind and respectful despite disagreeing with his beliefs. That's actually a massive improvement against the Torii Hunters of the world and it's great to see someone respectfully disagreeing for once.

 

Yup. IMO we should throw Daniel Murphy a cookie.... before we make him eat s***, of course.

[Laika]

***"I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual."

 

So Murphy thinks that Bean is lying, and that he's actually straight. Hmm.

[BTS]

It might be stupid but it's fantastic to at least see him being kind and respectful despite disagreeing with his beliefs. That's actually a massive improvement against the Torii Hunters of the world and it's great to see someone respectfully disagreeing for once.

 

Replace 'gay' with 'black', re-read the comments, and tell me Murphy was being kind and respectful.

[Laika]

There probably isn't a more passive-aggressive stance existent than "I love you because I'm a Christian but I disagree with your lifestyle".