The games threads this year, for as long as we do them anyway, are going to be abbreviated compared to the past. Stephen Strasburg gets the ball for the Nationals and Ryan Dempster gets his 2nd consecutive opening day start. Let's hope it goes better than the last one. Opening Day hasn't gone well for Cubs starters since 2005. They've thrown 35 innings, allowed 40 hits and 25 runs (all earned). They've walked 24, struckout 33 and allowed 9 home runs.
Pretty sure that kind of performance will get a loss against Strasburg.
Most of the games this year we're just going to be using the comments for game threads, but once in awhile we'll be using the chat room. Today is one of them. You can still use the comments here of course. Or the forum. You can find the chat room here.
EDIT: That chat room was crashing our server. Let's try this instead
Comments
I was thinking this year it might be fun to record the hits that an individual batter makes compared to his at-bats and develop some ratios based on his batting performance. I will call it the Batting Performance Ratio Number, or Baper-Ratnum.
joshQuote Reply
Newt Gingrich goes broke. No more US States will be banished. http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/05/11036798-gingrich-group-files-for-bankruptcy
PezcoreQuote Reply
I like that chat.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Same chat room, but not in an iframe: http://obstructedview.net/ovchat/
mb21Quote Reply
We’re discredited again.
mb21Quote Reply
Well that was fun.
MishQuote Reply
Maybe we can look into using one of those coveritlive chats like fangraphs uses
BerseliusQuote Reply
Haha is there a real chance Soriano could be our best offensive player this year? (dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
That’s a good idea, b. You got time to look into that? If not I can do it later on.
I’m out for a few hours.
mb21Quote Reply
TOOTBLAN!
MishQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
mb21Quote Reply
ugh
GWQuote Reply
I thought he made it.
BerseliusQuote Reply
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
GBTSQuote Reply
Byrd!
BerseliusQuote Reply
damn, that was nearly 2 more runs
BerseliusQuote Reply
Did we give up on the chat?
joshQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Stealing 3rd. Is it ever a good idea?
joshQuote Reply
CUBS SCORE, WORLD IMPLODES.
MishQuote Reply
@ josh:
Yeah, it’s donezo. I’m looking for another chat optoin
BerseliusQuote Reply
Did anyone else notice Pat double-clutch on his opening day CCBIOTA?
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I was still on for some reason.
joshQuote Reply
Another nice inning by Demp.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
It’s like flirting with your friend’s mom. Damn, you better be sure.
GBTSQuote Reply
I set up a new chat, embedded in the main post
BerseliusQuote Reply
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCiS0jxzlFk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
oogQuote Reply
@ oog:
I didn’t think I would like that when I first saw it, but then I really REALLY did.
joshQuote Reply
is bill murray drunk?
aaronQuote Reply
Holy shit, Dempster. What a start.
mb21Quote Reply
I guess we see why Theo didn’t want to resign Wood before RIcketts went over his head.
NateQuote Reply
Nice pointless slide by DeRosa.
ACTQuote Reply
Next year is here, right guys???
PFDQuote Reply
It’s a way of (L)ife.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
I don’t think I like this new “pitch to contact” Marmol.
ACTQuote Reply
I’m not bothered by the Mather TOOTBLAN. I think he was out either way, that ball was hit pretty hard right at the 3b
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ ACT:
No, that’s not going to work.
joshQuote Reply
To be fair, Marm looked (to my eyes) to have good stuff. His velocity was good, his control was decent, and his slider had a lot of movement. He just didn’t get those swinging strikes.
ACTQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Couldn’t see it, but I’ll take your word. Still a disappointing ending all around.
joshQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Ditto. There’s nothing wrong with having the runner go on contact in that situation. I suspect most managers would do the same. That was just plain bad luck.
ACTQuote Reply
That said, the play looked ugly as sin.
ACTQuote Reply
Yeah I don’t really consider that a TOOTBLAN. He’s going on contact, and it was a laser right at a drawn in 3rd basemen. Maybe he was thrown out like a nincompoop, but the decision to go wasn’t.
MishQuote Reply
Not a lot of runs being scored today.
ACTQuote Reply
I guess that’s what happens when teams use their best pitchers in weather not conducive to hitting.
ACTQuote Reply
If Sori doesn’t get caught stealing 3rd, Bryd’s hit might have been worth 2.
joshQuote Reply
Your 2012 Chicago Cubs
TOOTBLANS > Runs
Can you feel it?
srbutch5Quote Reply
Also, replays showed Sori was safe at third.
ACTQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
I’m not particularly bothered it by it just like I wasn’t bothered by Soriano’s either. Most of the time I don’t mind the baserunning mistakes the Cubs have made. Some of them you can’t help. Some of them were dumb. That happens for all teams. The problem I have is that it just happens all the time.
mb21Quote Reply
There have been zero home runs hit so far in the National League.
ACTQuote Reply
@ mb21:
Yeah, I’m not upset if that happens once in a while, but the carryover from Spring obviously makes it seem more important/acute. I guess what more bothers me about Soriano stealing is the chance to reinjure his legs.
joshQuote Reply
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/04/05/and-now-the-top-20-jerseys-sold/
*starts reading through list, nodding head*
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Have there been any hit in America yet?
MishQuote Reply
Nevermind, I see Hannahan and Bautista have gone yard.
MishQuote Reply
@ Mish:
Or on Earth?
joshQuote Reply
It’s obvious there is a power outage in the National League. Teams will be scrambling to make trades.
joshQuote Reply
@ Mish:
Jose Bautista hit one. So did Jack Hannahan.
ACTQuote Reply
Wanna see if this works…
Source: FanGraphs
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Darn, it didn’t embed.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Ian Stewart murdered that ball.
So mad. Demps was awesome. Kerry was worse then hanie. Marmol got unlucky.
bubblesdachimpQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Weird. I’m wondering if more Phillies jerseys have been sold overall. 3 of the top 11 are Phillies jerseys.
mb21Quote Reply
4 of the top 11. Can’t count.
mb21Quote Reply
Well, that was a giant kick in the nuts.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
Does that make I-Stu the WPA all-star for the day?
joshQuote Reply
It would be nice to have 8th and 9th inning pitchers who have control for those days when that’s all you need.
Suburban kidQuote Reply
Audio of Williams telling Saints defenders to injure players by hitting their heads: http://theusof.com/
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
Jays are making a nice comeback.
ACTQuote Reply
@ josh:
I think Ian Desmond was. Dempster was the best pitcher in the game by WPA.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Holy Samardzija. One of the players just decided to record that at random? Or he’d heard it enough times that he was sick of it?
joshQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
I meant of the Cubs. Going just by single plays though, Ian Stewart definitely had the biggest hit. Too bad it missed the basket.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
A documentary filmmaker who was given access to the team meetings to film a documentary about the NFL made the recording because he realized that even after the NFL warned the Saints to stop the bounty program in 2010, that Williams was still running it. The Saints have known all along he had the tape, but they expected he would not release it.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Ah okay.
joshQuote Reply
1st game and all so I doubt it means much, but Marmol’s max velocity today was 93.6. In 2010 his average fastball was 94.1. Last year it dropped to 91.8. Last year in his first appearance his max speed was similar to today, but in 2010 it was over 97.
As I said though, I wouldn’t put any weight in these numbers. It’s one game and it’s the first one of the season. Just noticed it.
mb21Quote Reply
I’d almost want to hear a recording of another random team’s defensive meeting, for comparison. I bet there is some talk about putting the hurt on specific guys. But the “work the head when you’re in the pile” comment was pretty shocking. I’m really glad I was a shitty athlete about now.
joshQuote Reply
Sveum told Kasper that he’s not going to play double-play depth or position guys at the corners to “guard the lines” because he feels they leave to defense too vulnerable to big innings.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ josh:
Yeah, that and telling his guys to tear Crabtree’s ACL and to hit Gore even when he’s not on the field.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Suburban kid:
Cubs can’t have nice things.
mb21Quote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Good stuff. And the “We thought we saw in you a certain type of player” or whatever he said at the beginning.
joshQuote Reply
@ josh:
Yeah. Gregg Williams is a piece of shit.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ mb21:
You sure about that? I remember watching his opening-day start last year and wondering why his fastball was only 90 and his slider 80 (I also remember he struck out the side and the Pirates were hitting, I think).
ACTQuote Reply
Kasper just used “smallball” to describe the Cubs offense. I want to stab that term.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
OVBlog guys, I think I posted a picture on your facebook wall but I don’t see it. Wanna check?
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
I see it. (dying laughing)
MishQuote Reply
@ ACT:
Last year he had an average of 91.6 so it was down considerably from the year before. Max of 92.2.
I don’t know what any of this means and I’m tempted to say it means absolutely nothing. Here’s the pfx game in question from 2011: http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?s_type=3&sp_type=1&batterX=0&year=2011&month=4&day=2&pitchSel=461791.xml&game=gid_2011_04_02_pitmlb_chnmlb_1%2f&prevGame=gid_2011_04_02_pitmlb_chnmlb_1%2f
mb21Quote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
It looks like it’s showing up
BerseliusQuote Reply
MishQuote Reply
mb, can you make a TOOTBLAN counter or something?
jtsunamiQuote Reply
Holy shit, Charlie Hough.
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
He’s just trying to rationalize how bad the team will be and help set expectations. He knows as well as most people that this is going to be a long season. If you can pretend sucking is a strategy, you lend some excitement to it.
joshQuote Reply
I will go on record as saying that I will be extremely disappointed if you do not work this into the game thread on Sunday.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
josh wrote:
(dying laughing) (dying laughing) (dying laughing)
Mercurial OutfielderQuote Reply
mb21 wrote:
Marmol’s throwing a 2-seamer instead of a 4-seamer this year, from the sounds of it. There was a link in a facepalm the other day that he was working on it, and I know at one point Zonk mentioned that Marmol was throwing a 2-seamer today as well.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ jtsunami:
Like this?
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
This is nice. I also would have suggested The Count from Sesame Street.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Sad
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/4/5/2928781/stephen-gant-high-school-pitcher-found-dead
MishQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
According to pfx he threw 8 4-seamers and 7 sliders today.
mb21Quote Reply
@ mb21:
FWIW, their algorithm does a shitty job of recognizing new pitches since it does AI learning based on past history of that pitcher. I wonder what hp’s classifier gives.
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
According to this he hadn’t thrown one in a game before March 21st: http://mlb.mlb.com/news/print.jsp?ymd=20120321&content_id=27473030&vkey=perspectives&c_id=mlb
I obviously don’t know, but I doubt he’s become comfortable enough with it since then to use it exclusively today. I don’t really don’t what a 2 seamer is going to accomplish anyway. He already keeps the ball in the park. Throwing more strikes would be nice, but he’ll lose some velocity too. The difference in the velocity between the fastball and slider would be smaller and presumably make it less effective.
mb21Quote Reply
The argument for the move to the two-seamer was that it had more movement than his four-seamer
BerseliusQuote Reply
Nice of the Jays and Indians to kill their bullpens in the first game of the season.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
@ Rice Cube:
At least they have an off-day tomorrow
BerseliusQuote Reply
@ Berselius:
Aren’t 4-seamers thrown for strikes more often than 2-seamers? Maybe I’m imagining that.
mb21Quote Reply
Is anyone else not able to view the TOR-CLE as the free game? They keep trying to get me to pay for their “free game of the day”
Recalcitrant Blogger NateQuote Reply
@ Recalcitrant Blogger Nate:
Works fine for me.
ACTQuote Reply
Speaking of which, Rajai Davis is going to bed without dinner tonight.
ACTQuote Reply
Arencibia!
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Sean Marshall 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.
Man, I wish the Cubs had a guy like this.
ACTQuote Reply
new shit: http://obstructedview.net/news-and-rumors/cubs-start-season-on-left-foot.html
mb21Quote Reply