Last night was the thrilling end to a great regular season. The Braves and Giants both clinched playoff spots, the Rays won the east and the playoff matchups have been set. Now for your reading pleasure I present to you my officialy unofficial MLB playoff preview. So is everyone out there ready for some playoff baseball with the greatest sports announcer of all time, yes all time Joe Buck.
Let's start with the AL East Champions against the AL West Champions. The first item that should be discussed about this series is the fact that they have to play both games 1 and games 2 of this series during the day. The reason that this is important is that it shows what MLB cares about, money. Yes I know baseball is a business and that this is purely a business decision, but come on, how can you say that you care about fairness and equality when you don't even care enough about the Rays and Rangers to give them one night game during the week. I believe that Rays fans and Ranger fans want to support their respective teams but it's really hard for them to do that while they are at work in a struggling economy. Baseball should have cared about fairness here and given one day game each to each series, but hey that's just my opinion.
Now onto the actual baseball playing side of the playoffs. My prediction for this series is the Rays in 4. The reason for this is that no other team seems to be quite as good at stealing wins. The Rays have an uncanny ability to win games that they shouldn't and games where they are actually outplayed. First let's take a look at the pitching matchup between these two teams. For the Rangers it will be Cliff Lee, Mr. October who has been unbelievable in the postseason the last two years, followed by CJ Wilson and Colby Lewis in game 2 and 3 (they are not sure what order they will pitch in) and Tommy Hunter in game 4 if necessary. For the Rays it will be David Price game 1 and then James Shields, Wade Davis and Matt Garza in games 2,3 and 4 (the order has not yet been decided). For me the Rangers have a better starting rotation. The Rays however have the greater bullpen. Their bullpen looks alot like it did in 2008 when they made their World Series run. They have a young starter who they like a lot in the bullpen have solid setup guys but this year they have a great closer in Rafael Soriano. Overall I will give the pitching advantage to the Rays, the reason being that a lot of funky things can happen in the beginning of a game and so I think the Rays great bullpen and their pretty good starters overall are btter than the Rangers starter and bullpen combination.
Offensively in this series I think that from top to bottom the Rays have a better offense. Everyone in the lineup knows how to handle the bat well and make productive plays happen. For both the Rays and the Rangers their best hitters are coming off injuries. Evan Longoria for the Rays hurt his hamstring but seems to be fine and Josh Hamilton for the Rangers has been sidelined for basically all of September and is still not at 100%. OUt of these two lineups I think that the Rays offense is stronger.
Now onto what I believe is the more intriguing series. My prediction for this series, the Twins against the Yankees, is Minnesota in 5. New York's starting rotation is in shambles right now. Sabathia has pitched great this year but after that the entire rotation is a question mark. Pettitte struggled on Saturday throwing 4 innnings but needing 88 pitches to do so. After that wow! Hughes has not been pitching that well and is over his pitch limit, Ivan Nova has struggled after the fourth or fifth inning, and AJ Burnett is just terrible (the Yankees should not even consider starting him in the playoffs unless they absolutely have to). Minnesota's rotation is much stronger Liriano and Pavano have pitched very well this year. (Number 1 reason for Pavano's resurgence, Pavano's moustache, 100% the reason.) Duensing has been pitching very well also. I will give a slight edge to the Yankees bullpen because of Mr. Mariano Rivera but that advantage is not enough to make up for the Yankees abyssmal starting rotation.
Offensively the Yankees have a slight advantage overall, except for one little fact they can't hit left handed pitching right now. Considering games 1 & 3 and probably 4 they will be facing lefties I think that their offense is going to struggle mightily. On the flip side the Twins do not have a weakness in their lineup. They are solid from top to bottom and have. The Yankees lineup is struggling so I believe the three games against the lefties will be enough for them to be eliminated.
So overall for the two AL Division Series' I have the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins advancing. Tonight or tomorrow I will preview and predict the NL Division Series' and predict how the rest of the playoffs will turn out.
So until next time everyone,
Goodnight and sleep tight and get ready for some postseason baseball!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Friday, July 23, 2010
Why wins are a useless statistic for judging pitchers
Recently my roomate and I have been talking alot about Andy Pettitte and whether or not he is a hall of famer. The number one statistic that my roomate points to is his career and postseason number of wins. This topic got us into the discussion about whether or not wins are a useful statistic when evaluating a pitcher.
In my opinion wins are a useless statistic for judging pitchers performances. A win(or loss) is much more of a team statistic than an individual statistic. Wins measure whether or not your team scored more runs than you gave up. When trying to figure out whether or not we should use wins to judge a pitcher statistically we need to look at what the purpose of statistics are.
The purpose of a statistic is to evaluate a players performance, either in an individual game or over an entire season or career. Let's use ERA as an example. If pitcher A gives up 3 runs over 9 innings he has a 3.0 era; whereas, if pitcher B gives up 5 runs over 9 innings he has a 5.0 era. Looking at how many runs each pitcher gave up, an outside observer can tell that the pitcher who has a 3.0 era pitched better than the pitcher with a 5.0 era. Now lets look at the same two pitchers. Pitcher A who gave up three runs got a loss and pitcher B who gave up 5 runs got a win. Which pitcher had a better game? Which pitcher had a worse game? By just looking at who got the win or loss you would assume that the pitcher who got the win had the better game and the pitcher who got the loss had a worse game; however, you would be completely wrong. This example shows why wins and losses should not be used to judge a pitcher statistically.
The other major reason why wins and losses should not be used to judge pitchers is that the bullpen has a major effect on the second half of the game. Once a pitcher exits the game while the game is still in progress they no longer have any control over the outcome. If the pitcher leaves with his team winning and then the bullpen blows the lead, the pitcher is no longer credited with the win. On the flip side if a pitcher leaves the game with his team losing, his team makes a comeback and his team wins the original pitcher is no longer credited with a loss. This would cause pitchers who have pitched a bad game to look better and not get a loss and pitchers who have pitched a good game to look worse and not get a win.
In my opinion wins are a useless statistic for judging pitchers performances. A win(or loss) is much more of a team statistic than an individual statistic. Wins measure whether or not your team scored more runs than you gave up. When trying to figure out whether or not we should use wins to judge a pitcher statistically we need to look at what the purpose of statistics are.
The purpose of a statistic is to evaluate a players performance, either in an individual game or over an entire season or career. Let's use ERA as an example. If pitcher A gives up 3 runs over 9 innings he has a 3.0 era; whereas, if pitcher B gives up 5 runs over 9 innings he has a 5.0 era. Looking at how many runs each pitcher gave up, an outside observer can tell that the pitcher who has a 3.0 era pitched better than the pitcher with a 5.0 era. Now lets look at the same two pitchers. Pitcher A who gave up three runs got a loss and pitcher B who gave up 5 runs got a win. Which pitcher had a better game? Which pitcher had a worse game? By just looking at who got the win or loss you would assume that the pitcher who got the win had the better game and the pitcher who got the loss had a worse game; however, you would be completely wrong. This example shows why wins and losses should not be used to judge a pitcher statistically.
The other major reason why wins and losses should not be used to judge pitchers is that the bullpen has a major effect on the second half of the game. Once a pitcher exits the game while the game is still in progress they no longer have any control over the outcome. If the pitcher leaves with his team winning and then the bullpen blows the lead, the pitcher is no longer credited with the win. On the flip side if a pitcher leaves the game with his team losing, his team makes a comeback and his team wins the original pitcher is no longer credited with a loss. This would cause pitchers who have pitched a bad game to look better and not get a loss and pitchers who have pitched a good game to look worse and not get a win.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Why Lebron James made the right "Decision"
Today at work, my coworkers and I were discussing the always entertaining topic of Lebron James. They claimed that LBJ joining the Miami Heat with Dwayne Wade was a copout and that LBJ could no longer be viewed as "the man". LBJ, according to them, is now Scottie Pippen to Wade's Jordan. In many ways I agree with them that Lebron is playing Robin to Wade's Batman, but I do not believe that that decision is the wrong decision.
In Cleveland Lebron tried desperately to win a championship. He played incredibly and was the best basketball player in league but was unsuccessful in trying to, by himself, bring the Cavaliers a championship. Lebron was sick of losing, why stay with a terrible franchise and an owner and general manager who have no idea how to put a championship team together.
On July 8th Lebron James became a free agent. Now for the first time instead of hoping and wishing that the Cleveland Cavaliers would put together a championship team Lebron looked for a better option. That option was join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and play under one of the smartest people in basketball at putting together championship teams Pat Riley.
Here's the question I pose to anyway who thinks that Lebron James took the easy way out by going to the Heat to play with Dwayne Wade. What is the difference between having a championship team built around you and going to build yourself a championship team somewhere else?
In Cleveland Lebron tried desperately to win a championship. He played incredibly and was the best basketball player in league but was unsuccessful in trying to, by himself, bring the Cavaliers a championship. Lebron was sick of losing, why stay with a terrible franchise and an owner and general manager who have no idea how to put a championship team together.
On July 8th Lebron James became a free agent. Now for the first time instead of hoping and wishing that the Cleveland Cavaliers would put together a championship team Lebron looked for a better option. That option was join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami and play under one of the smartest people in basketball at putting together championship teams Pat Riley.
Here's the question I pose to anyway who thinks that Lebron James took the easy way out by going to the Heat to play with Dwayne Wade. What is the difference between having a championship team built around you and going to build yourself a championship team somewhere else?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Hockey - The most exciting sport of them all?
I used to be a casual New York Rangers fan. Besides the 1993-1994 season when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup, the only other good thing about hockey for me was NHL 94. The NHL was fifth on my list of major sports in the United States. Number 1 was the MLB, number 2 was the NBA, number 3 was the NFL and number 4 was NASCAR.
Then 5 years ago something changed. I began my freshman year at St. Mary's College with the no interest in watching hockey because my New York Rangers were basically never on and I could have cared less about any other hockey team. Slowly, I started to watch San Jose Sharks games every now and then and I started to like the NHL more and more each day. 3 years later during my junior year something magical happened.
It was game 6 of the NHL playoffs that pitted the San Jose Sharks against the Dallas Stars. The game was exciting from the beginning and at the end of regulation the teams were tied 1-1. For the first time since that 1994 season I was hooked on hockey again. Sudden death overtime the most exciting way to end a sporting event that there is. Three overtimes later the score was still 1-1. I was on the edge of my seat, I couldn't stop watching, no one could have scripted a more thrilling and exciting sporting event. Finally but sadly (by that point, during that one game, I had become a diehard Sharks fan), Brendan Morrow scored the game winning goal for the Dallas Stars. Thus crushing the dreams of all the Sharks fans who had expected a Stanley Cup appearance for their team.
Fast forward to 2010. The NHL playoffs have now become my nightly must watch sporting event. They have constant action, incredible intensity, violence, and lots and lots of drams. If that is not the perfect combination of attributes for a sporting event to have, then I have no idea what is.
Then 5 years ago something changed. I began my freshman year at St. Mary's College with the no interest in watching hockey because my New York Rangers were basically never on and I could have cared less about any other hockey team. Slowly, I started to watch San Jose Sharks games every now and then and I started to like the NHL more and more each day. 3 years later during my junior year something magical happened.
It was game 6 of the NHL playoffs that pitted the San Jose Sharks against the Dallas Stars. The game was exciting from the beginning and at the end of regulation the teams were tied 1-1. For the first time since that 1994 season I was hooked on hockey again. Sudden death overtime the most exciting way to end a sporting event that there is. Three overtimes later the score was still 1-1. I was on the edge of my seat, I couldn't stop watching, no one could have scripted a more thrilling and exciting sporting event. Finally but sadly (by that point, during that one game, I had become a diehard Sharks fan), Brendan Morrow scored the game winning goal for the Dallas Stars. Thus crushing the dreams of all the Sharks fans who had expected a Stanley Cup appearance for their team.
Fast forward to 2010. The NHL playoffs have now become my nightly must watch sporting event. They have constant action, incredible intensity, violence, and lots and lots of drams. If that is not the perfect combination of attributes for a sporting event to have, then I have no idea what is.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The blog is back!
The blog is back everybody. It's been a while but since I am currently watching the greatest sports network, that not nearly enough people are watching, I felt obligated to tell the world about it.
For those of you who have yet to experience the greatness of the MLB Network, you are missing out. I turned on the MLB Network about 5 minutes ago, after watching the end of the NY Mets game. My MLB Network viewing started with the highlights of the Mets game I had just watched (which was probably being shown on every highlight shown). After watching Ike Davis' awesome catch, the MLB Network then switched to the end of the Chicago Cubs - Florida Marlins game. Once the 9th out was recorded they then went live to the A's - Rangers game, where the A's made a 9th inning comeback.
It's the year 2010, my question is why did it take us so long to have live game look-ins. We have the technology but it has never happened before. If you love baseball and I know many out there do, you must and I repeat, must, watch MLB Network's MLB Tonight Live whenever you want to know and watch what is going on that day in baseball.
It's good to be back and there will be more to come.
P.S. This is for those of you who watch lost and follow baseball but do not religiously read and listen to Bill Simmons articles/podcasts, I give you this little tidbit from Bill Simmons. Justin Smoak the rookie sensation who was recently called up to the majors may have stumbled into the greatness nickname/cultural reference combination possibly ever. Justin Smoak for now and forever will be known as the Smoak Monster. What a perfect nickname!
For those of you who have yet to experience the greatness of the MLB Network, you are missing out. I turned on the MLB Network about 5 minutes ago, after watching the end of the NY Mets game. My MLB Network viewing started with the highlights of the Mets game I had just watched (which was probably being shown on every highlight shown). After watching Ike Davis' awesome catch, the MLB Network then switched to the end of the Chicago Cubs - Florida Marlins game. Once the 9th out was recorded they then went live to the A's - Rangers game, where the A's made a 9th inning comeback.
It's the year 2010, my question is why did it take us so long to have live game look-ins. We have the technology but it has never happened before. If you love baseball and I know many out there do, you must and I repeat, must, watch MLB Network's MLB Tonight Live whenever you want to know and watch what is going on that day in baseball.
It's good to be back and there will be more to come.
P.S. This is for those of you who watch lost and follow baseball but do not religiously read and listen to Bill Simmons articles/podcasts, I give you this little tidbit from Bill Simmons. Justin Smoak the rookie sensation who was recently called up to the majors may have stumbled into the greatness nickname/cultural reference combination possibly ever. Justin Smoak for now and forever will be known as the Smoak Monster. What a perfect nickname!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Derek Jeter's playoffs heroics and Cole Hamels pitching woes
After watching the first round of the MLB playoffs I was incredibly irritated. Not only did the umpires get every other call wrong, but the players made way too many mental mistakes. There were many baserunning mistakes including Colby Rasmus trying to take third, Molina getting thrown out trying to take third on a groundball to short, and Nick Punto getting thrown out because he took to big of a turn at third base. I've been trying to figure out why so many "professional" baseball players seem to making terrible baserunning mistakes that little leaguers know not make. I figured out my answer when looking at Derek Jeter's flip against the A's in 2001. Yes the play was amazing, it was a perfect flip to Posada but there is one major problem with it; Jeter was completely out of position. On that play Jeter is supposed to be covering second base so that if Terrance Long tries to take third base and goes to far he will be caught in a rundown. But, like many plays these days Jeter moves completely out of position to field the overthrow and flip it to Posada. Yes the play worked but this is not a smart baseball play. This play shows perfectly why baseball players make so many silly mistakes. The players want to make the highlight reel, they want to be the star and make the game winning play. However, baseball is won by smart baseball not bad/lucky baseball which is what the Jeter play was.
This is not to take anything away from the fact that Jeter made an amazing, perfect flip to Posada, but if he is 1/2 a second slower or it is an inch farther from Posada then it will not be looked at as a sensational play. Everyone would have been talking about how Jeter was out of position
This is not to take anything away from the fact that Jeter made an amazing, perfect flip to Posada, but if he is 1/2 a second slower or it is an inch farther from Posada then it will not be looked at as a sensational play. Everyone would have been talking about how Jeter was out of position
Thursday, September 10, 2009
NFL Blacking Out Games
Big news of the day is that NFL blacks out NFL games in local markets if the game does not sell out 72 hours in advance. Both Cincinnati and Arizona are in danger of having this happen to them. This rule of blacking out games if the games do not sell out is absolutely ridiculous. The NFL is basically saying that they don't care about any of the fans who want to watch their team on television but can't afford to go to see them play live. So they force their fans to have to buy tickets or else the fans won't get to see their hometown football team's game live. The fans will have to wait for the replay on live television.
The NFL needs to change this rule. In an economy like this it's unfair to try to blackmail fans into buying tickets by telling the fans that they need to sell out the game or else they won't get to see their favorite teams. This is a heartless ridiculous rule by the NFL and absolutely needs to be changed.
The NFL needs to change this rule. In an economy like this it's unfair to try to blackmail fans into buying tickets by telling the fans that they need to sell out the game or else they won't get to see their favorite teams. This is a heartless ridiculous rule by the NFL and absolutely needs to be changed.
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