Anthony Rizzo just keeps hitting. He knocked out his 10th HR of the year last night and is now hitting .356. Luis Valbuena is also doing very well but at this point isn't anything but injury insurance. Frank Batista is really struggling in the bullpen since his promotion but is young-ish for the level so maybe he just needs time to adjust.
Kansas native Logan Watkins was about the only thing going on for the offense as he went 3-4. Watkins profiles as a utility IF as he can play 2B/SS. I think you'll see him in the majors by 2014.
Nobody did anything worth writing about. Zach Cates continues to be really really bad as a SP.
Peoria
Kyle(r) Burke put in another decent start working 6.1 innings of 2 ER ball. 1B Paul Hoilman went 2-4 with a triple and has really come on strong as of late. Taiwan Easterling is also finally showing some signs of life at the plate and is now hitting ..233 after a horrid start.
Here’s the video re: my last comment on the previous thread:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=5874075&c_id=mlb
@ Rice Cube:
Lou Piniella did some crazy stuff in 2009 that I enjoyed.
Speaking of defense, has there ever been any research put into platooning defense with the pitcher?
For instance, let’s say you have a low strikeout GB pitcher at the mound. I might be more inclined to put Darwin Barney at 2nd and lose some offense but gain some defense since I know there will be a lot of balls in play. It seems like if managers were to do this, you may be able to create a low BABIP for the pitcher that is real and not luck.
@ WaLi:
I think that would probably be an endgame approach and managers already seem to do that. I think at the beginning of the game you play to get as many runs as possible before you worry about defense, but I don’t have 20+ years of MLB knowledge so that’s just my video game mode talking.
@ Rice Cube:
I was thinking more about starting pitcher pairings, not so much taking out Soriano for Reed Johnson in the 8th inning.
Sure you are always going to keep your best hitters in (Castro, LaHair) but if you were thinking about playing Cardenas or Barney, maybe you go with the better glove instead of the better bat.
BTW, a TOOTBLAN that wasn’t:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=21295905&c_id=pit&partnerId=aw-8090658275007578787-996
The SS had a brain fart on that one.
@ WaLi:
I think there has been some stuff written on it and it makes sense.
Needs more eroticism.
@ WaLi:
I could imagine a manager and his statmonkey running the numbers to see how many runs each “platoon” could score and prevent and then use that information accordingly. If runs against >>>> runs scored then they’d probably use your idea in an ideal situation. I think most managers go for optimal offense though. I’ve also never heard of a pitcher requesting a personal defender other than a catcher, but that’s an interesting idea to explore.
(got myself mixed up there)
I was just cleaning out my gmail account and there must have been at least 300 emails to and from Dreamhost. Unreal.
@ mb21:
You should e-mail them back and suggest they change their name to Nightmarehost.
These…are pancakes.
@ Rice Cube:
I’m not sure if I am supposed to use Maple Syrup or Tartar Sauce
Rice Cube wrote:
Fixed
/Jellyfishopobe
Also, Pancake Cthulhu or GTFO
@ Berselius:
This might be more appropriate given the upcoming election…
Seems you need a certain consistency of pancake as your starting material or else it won’t shape right. I wonder what kind of knife or blade he used.
Hey b
http://www.geekosystem.com/assassins-creed-3-bear/
Mish wrote:
I hope the bear talks, and is from a long line of bear Assassins.
Brad had a FG article about LaHair:
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/bryan-lahair-success-sustainable/
One of the commenters used a pigeonholed sample to compare LaHair to Adam Dunn at the same age.
@ Rice Cube:
Surely he’s not saying he’s going to sustain a .500+ wOBA because that’s just retarded.
@ mb21:
17 batters since 1964 have done so in two year windows, so you never know
@ mb21:
The tone of the article didn’t seem to give a solid conclusion one way or the other, but just that LaHair was an interesting case.
Fuck you NBC
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/entertainment/nbc-makes-drastic-call-veteran-comedies-30-rock-community-and-parks-recreation
@ bubblesdachimp:
It sounds like they’re getting half-seasons. I’d love for the shows to stick around but NBC has every reason to cancel them. They routinely get beaten by Univision or BBt reruns on TBS in the ratings. 13 episodes is also plenty to wrap things up, which would be nice instead of a sudden ending.
That’s just a rumor anyway, now that we’ve heard about it it won’t happen. FWIW none of the Parks/Community-obsessed TV writers I follow have picked this up, and they’re at upfronts right now.
I would love it if Community ended with everyone drinking hemlock, ala Cougarton Abbey (dying laughing)
bubblesdachimp wrote:
Language.
@ Al Yellon:
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
@ Berselius:
how did the office survive?
@ bubblesdachimp:
It didn’t say that it would
bubbles=====>>>> Bubblesdasadchimp
@ bubblesdachimp:
You legally changed your name?
@ bubblesdachimp:
bubbles ====> drunk??
Not yet.. Will be in about 5 hours
Bubbles is still recovering froma broken hand from last fridays bulls game
@ bubblesdachimp:
IS THAT REAL?
@ Berselius:
Metta World Bubbles
@ Rice Cube:
OTOH, that Reynolds comp is interesting. They have somewhat similar MiLB slash lines.
Mish wrote:
The guy just said he’s legally changing his name to bubblesdachimp and you’re wondering whether or not the NBC comedies comment is for real?
@ mb21:
No reason, just a funny picture.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Just got around to reading the article.
I find it very hard to believe that a player’s BABIP doesn’t go down at the MLB level. If you start with the MiLB BABIP you have to take something off at the big league level. What we’d really want to do is regress his BABIP back to .300 or so based on the few PA he has. What we’d end up with is something like .302. xBABIP is the expected BABIP based on the events so far. It’s not the expected future BABIP.
BABIP at the MLB level is .290 for batters. It’s .328 in the PCL so far this year. I don’t know what the disparity is and whether or not you should just subtract X amount to estimate future BABIP, but there’s absolutely no way you can take minor league BABIP and act as if it will be the same at the big league level.
My guess is that BABIP decreases as you move up the system.
@ mb21:
Yeah, there’s holes in the analysis. And even if you stick with FG numbers, if you regress LaHair’s numbers, you get league average, or a bit below. Making the adjustments you suggest would make me take real caution in my expectations for LaHair going forward.
LaHair has a better ISO right now than Albert Pujols has ever posted in a single season. Surely sustainable for a 30 YO career minor-leaguer.
@ mb21:
bubbles and all other foreigners can call themselves whatever the F they want. (dying laughing)
This is new:
http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/05/10/mlb-to-ban-the-fake-to-third-pickoff-play/
I know it’s not a balk but I shout “BALK” anyway. It never seems to rattle the pitcher though.
Here’s LaHair’s MLE’s, weighted for league and team, based on his best MiLB season (2011): 523 PA, 67 R, 128 H, 30 2B, 28 HR, 80 RBI, 45 BB, 120 K, .238/.298/.451
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
As I mentioned yesterday, I’m fairly certain he’s a good ballplayer. I wouldn’t bet a lot of money on it, but based on what we know at this point I think it’s safe to say that. I also think it’s safe to be cautious about our expectations as you are.
@ mb21:
Yeah, I think he’s at least a league-average 1B. But he’s nowhere near as good as he looks now. I really want to see how he adjusts once the league adjusts. It looked like the Braves had a plan, and they got him to chase some bad pitches and get himself out.
@ Mercurial Outfielder:
Against the Braves LaHair had 11 PA (9 AB), 3 H, 2 BB, 1 HR, 2 RBI
If that’s the plan against him, I’ll take it.
http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/9974/lahair-takes-a-step-outside
WaLi wrote:
He’s learnding.
@ WaLi:
Delgado had a lot of success pitching LaHair away.
So says Sullivan:
He’s looking at you, Woody.
@ Aisle424:
Kasper’s on the Score saying the same thing. Getting out the message?
@ Aisle424:
Kasper confirmed Sullivan is the one that pissed off Wood. Sully stirring shit. At least he’s being equal opportunity about it.
@ Aisle424:
Should all e-mail Sully a question and tell him how long we’ve been Cubs fans.
flaherty leadoff homer off colbyashi. .185/.207/.296 in very limited at bats
Berselius wrote:
He’s looking at you, B.
Rice Cube wrote:
(dying laughing)
(dying laughing)
MB, did your post ever run on ChicagoSide?
@ Aisle424:
No. I had actually forgotten about that until today and checked over there and it’s still not up. It was supposedly going to run sometime this week. If it doesn’t I’ll publish it over here. I’ve got another article I’m going to work on for here, but I was wanting that article to be published first.
@ Mish:
Showing my age here:
“Some days, you just can’t get rid of a bomb.”
Or words of that nature.
@ Rice Cube:
Honestly, I’m fine with this. That move is annoying as hell.
@ ACT:
Agreed. I hate it almost as much as bunts.
@ ACT:
It became annoying in 1986 and it always amazes me that there are still some runners who get caught on that move.
Eduardo Nunez sure sucks at fielding.
@ ACT:
Is Jeter the DH again?
@ Rice Cube:
A-Rod is. Nunez played third and made 2 errors.
@ ACT:
At least he had the range to actually make those errors
/silver lining
re: the new balk rule, the announcers of the Yanks-Rays game say the fake-to-third is being outlawed because it’s unfair to southpaws. That is, it’s a balk if lefties fake to first, but not righties. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I don’t find this justification convincing. Lefties have a huge advantage in holding baserunners, why take a small one away from righties?
@ ACT:
That was talked about in one of the comments in the HBT blog as well as the BLS blog.
Wow, Josh Beckett got rocked.
Berselius wrote:
jellyfish are the most terrifying thing ever. i’m not really sure why. i’ve been stung a few times and it doesn’t even really hurt.
Colby Lewis got 12 strikeouts but allowed 5 home runs.
Josh Hamilton now has 15 home runs.
Steve Strasburg has better hitting numbers than Bryce Harper.
Anyone read Extra Innings yet? Just started tonight.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/mock-draft/2012/2613371.html
jim callis’ first 2012 mock draft
Because Ryno isn’t here to do it:
dj’s minor league shit: http://t.co/uDjcEwfH