Wednesday, September 28, 2016

(I am, I am) I am Superman and I know what's happening

.. and I can do anything!

Pillar diving catch of Jonathan Schoop liner with none on and two out in the 8th.

Superman cape fans rock it for their god.
MLB screenshot Tuesday, September 27, 2016 via: http://m.mlb.com/video/v1191324883/baltor-pillar-lays-out-to-snag-schoops-liner/?game_pk=449212

I am #Spartacus! 


R.E.M - Superman




MLB 09/27/16 Pillar's diving grab in center | http://m.mlb.com/video/v1191324883/?game_pk=449212



mh

Gibbons comes into his own

WINK



everything worked



mh

Sanchez can't pitch into October ... ?

Sanchez's 10 K's in 10 seconds

09/27/16 | 00:10

Watch all 10 of Aaron Sanchez's strikeouts against the Orioles in 10 seconds



mlb.com/video - Sanchez's 10 K's in 10 seconds | http://m.mlb.com/video/v1191573383/?game_pk=449212



mh

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Is there a bias against knuckleballers within the baseball craft practitioners cult?


I always rant that RA Dickey (all knuckleballers) get short shifted in a MLB dominated by fast throwing pitchers - that knuckleballers get pulled before it is necessary based on a set of metrics in which they are by definition, outliers.

I did so again last night as Toronto Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons pulled Dickey after facing 2 batters in the bottom of the 6th in a 2-0 game.

My friend argued that Gibby takes him out not based on pitch count (or in other words - not based on metrics that can't be applied across the board to every sort of pitcher - and especially to knuckleballers) - but rather when he is no longer effective.

His point I think, was that in the 6th inning Dickey allowed 2 consecutive base hits ... so Gibby pulled him (and brought in Biagini - who bent but did not break):
Dickey gets pulled in favour of Biagini in the 6th inning - espn boxscore play-by-play TOR at LAA Sept 16 2016 - http://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay?gameId=360916103


My rejoinder was that great pitchers bend - but they do not break ... but with knuckleballers, managers always assume the light throwing pitchers are about to get slammed - so they replace them before they can prove that they can bend and not break.

My interlocutor responded that Gibby pulls him in high leverage situations with the game on the line because Dickey leads the leagues in Home Runs allowed - in other words - Gibby pulled Dickey because he was no longer effective in the specific situation last night.

Hmmm ... could he be right?

So I looked it up - and according to TeamRankings.com, my friend was correct (almost):

R.A. Dickey has allowed the 8th most Home Runs by a 2016 MLB Starting Pitcher. Dickey is 67th of 76 Starting Pitchers in Runs Allowed as of September 17, 2016.

Image via TeamRankings MLB 2016, Starting Pitchers, Home Runs Allowed - retrieved Sept 17, 2016 | https://www.teamrankings.com/mlb/player-stat/home-runs-allowed

I'm still convinced there is a bias in the baseball craft practitioners cult against knuckleballers - but I'm going to have to refine my thinking on it ... because I have a baseball friend who constantly contradicts my 'knowledge' with deep reasoned arguments!

They killed Kenny! 

You Bastards!

:/



mh

Toronto Manager John Gibbons Trying Desperately to Hone a Team


As per my last post about how this team is not a team ... there is evidence the manager sees the same thing - not using the 40-man roster at all ... even when it would seem to be an obvious situation.

And tonight it worked...

Gibby leaves Russell Martin on the base paths after his double - to hobble around the base-paths for the insurance run ...

espn mlb Play-by-Play Sept 16 2016 Toronto Blue Jays at LA Angels - http://www.espn.com/mlb/playbyplay?gameId=360916103


.. despite having one of the fastest Triple-A runners in the league (Dalton Pompey) on the bench:

espn mlb Roster Sept 16 2016 Toronto Blue Jays at LA Angels - http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/roster/_/name/tor


But it all worked out ...

espn mlb Box Score Sept 16 2016 Toronto Blue Jays at LA Angels - http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=360916103


The dream continues.

That is all.



mh

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Carrera PH Pop Celebration Makes It Intensely Obvious - This Team Is *Trying* To Believe


The 'salsa' between Carrera and Encarnacion in the dugout tries to get joined by Michael Saunders and Ryan Goins - to bad effect.


This team is 3-7 in the last 10 games - we need more than a one-off to turn this around.

Luckily the Jay's have two more bad teams in front of them after this one:

http://www.espn.com/mlb/team/schedule/_/name/tor

..expect that 3-7 to turn around to 7-3.

If not you may check the wildcard standings and find that this team is out of it.

Also ...

The fact that the right fielder and the third basemen are not in the line-up, and that their defensive replacements late were more 2nd-teamers ... plus Mark Shapiro's statement last week that, "All the Free Agents will go to market"


... tells this sage old fan that this team is rebuilding; and will not take on old contractual agreements - in other words - another round of corporate governance saying to team management, "You have a 5-year budget - spend it any way you wish" - so Shapiro is going to Re-set - and win or lose on his terms ... another downside of letting the great Blue Jays General Manager Alex Anthopoulos go.

So this team is not trying to win ... even though they are likely to go the playoff for the second year in a row.

_________________

Also ...

On the dust-up at the end (which I leave out of the pov above):

Souza Jr. on confrontation - www.mlb.com/video 09/12/16 | 00:01:12



Boxscore/Video: http://m.mlb.com/gameday/rays-vs-blue-jays/2016/09/12/449019#game_tab=box,game=449019,game_state=final



mh

Liriano is great again in Jays' win against Rays


Toronto Blue Jays
Pitchers        IP       H       R      ER      BB      SO      HR      PC-ST   ERA
Liriano         6.1      3       2      2       1       6       2       72-51   4.06





mh

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Jump Off The @BlueJays Bandwagon NOW!


I counted 8 'weird' plays tonight.

I have notes.
  1. LF Upton 1st
  2. C  Navarro 3rd
  3. 1B Encarnacion 3rd
  4. LF Upton 3rd
  5. C  Navaro 4th
  6. LF Upton 6th
  7. 2B Travis booted DP ball
  8. 1B Encanacion dropped ball

I'll leave it here.



mh