The Rivalry
The Boston Red Sox just swept three games from the New York Yankees, coming from behind each night.
Displaying a complete lack of unprofessionalism.
The Boston Red Sox just swept three games from the New York Yankees, coming from behind each night.
In this entry: Anakin Skywalker, Decline of the Evil Empire, Red Sox vs Yankees
The Pirates lead the league in ERA! Wow!
And look at the staff they're doing it with: "Ace" Paul Maholm, Zach Duke, Ian Snell, Jeff Karstens, and Ross Ohlendorf. So, the lesson is, even with a bunch of below average pitching talent, if you just try enough times, eventually your staff will be good? Not even close.
Strike out to walk ratio is a pretty good gauge of how a team's pitching over all. The League-Leading Pirates staff? 77/52, or 1.48.
Here's the K/BB ratio for the rest of the top 10 ERA teams:
Mariners, 109/50, 2.18
Royals, 120/48, 2.5
Dodgers, 113/50, 2.26
Marlins, 112/58, 1.93
Cardinals, 97/47, 2.06
Padres, 100/54, 1.85
Cubs, 118/57, 2.07
Blue Jays, 125/53, 2.36
A's, 92/62, 1.48
So it takes until the 10th team to find another team with a comparable ratio to the Pirates. This means they're getting lucky. I'm sure they're better than last year, but still lucky so far.
What IS encouraging is that we've only given up 10 home runs in 9 games. This is tied for 6th best in the league, with the Phillies (29 HR allowed!!) and Indians (24 HR allowed) hanging out at the other end of the spectrum, with their ERAs suffering as a result.
However, at least the Phillies have a great K/BB ratio (97/40 or 2.43) so you'd have to think they are getting unlucky and their ERA will be knocked down over the next couple months.
The Indians, on the other hand, have a ratio of 93/67 (1.39). Yeesh!! The pitching will not be pretty this year for the Tribe, as that is the worst K/BB ratio and HR allowed combo in the league, unless they have an unbelievable defense.
In this entry: era, indians pitchers, k/bb, pirates pitchers
Ladies and gentlemen please allow me to me to introduce myself. I am mr. midge man, die hard Cleveland sports fan. While I know I am doomed for heartache for the rest of my natural sporting life I keep in good spirts by reminding myself that no matter how bad my Indians are we are at least still better than the Pirates. Even if our record may not show it.
I leave now for my morning class but I have one quick little point to make. While the Indians did lose last night two zip verses the lowly Royals I found this game to be the surest sign of a team turnaround yet. In all honestly how often do you think this team is going to be shut out? And if we continue to see a turnaround in the likes of Cliff Lee and Pavano... Be afraid, be very afriad.
Amazingly, the Pirates lead the league in shutouts and stopped the "red-hot" Marlins last night. The season is enjoyable so far. I'm still expecting to break the record for seasons under .500 for all major North American sports. FOR SURE.
I'll be listening to the day game later this week at work, and I plan on going to one or two AAA games this weekend because the Pirates AAA team is in town here in Columbus Thursday-Sunday.
I'm watching my first game at the new Yankee Stadium right now, and let me tell you, I like what I see.
What a sad day it is for Phillies fans.
Our beloved Harry Kalas has passed away... and watching or listening to a Phils' game will never be the same. He was our broadcaster for 38 years and will forever be known as "the voice" of the Phillies.
Growing up during the summer months I'd watch the Phillies games every day. I had created a little field and had index cards cut up to make little name cards that I'd move around the bases and put on the field for our defense. I kept track of the line-ups for each game in a little notebook.
And I lived to hear Harry's legendary: "Fly ball... deep to left field... watch that baby waaaaaaaaay outta here!! Home run Von Hayes!!" Von... or Michael Jack... or John Kruk... or Lenny Dykstra... or Ryan Howard... or Chase Utley.
For years I've been plugging into MLB.com just to watch the highlights and hear Harry's voice announce brilliant plays.
I loved listening to him and Whitey going back and forth... bantering... enjoying the game... just like two old friends should be doing. The difference was that millions of households were privy to their game-time conversations.
Sigh.
Admittedly... the voice of Harry Kalas has the ability to make me leap out of my seat and can also bring me to tears. It's the voice of memories. The voice of my childhood. And it will always be the voice of the Philadelphia Phillies.
It's a horribly sad day.
All the talk on the airwaves is about Josh Beckett's "altercation" with Bobby Abreu. Here's a video. Beckett was trying to hold Chone Figgin's on. Abreu called time after Beckett was already motioning to the plate. Beckett threw a pitch anyway, and it went up by Abreu's head. He didn't hit him. It was close though. I don't know if it was intentional or if Beckett was trying to stop and it slipped out of his hand.
I'm not gonna say much else about this, but it'll be interesting to see how this plays out the next time the two teams are in town. Abreu got his revenge his next at bat, as the link above will show you. I don't know if Californ...I mean Ana...um....whatever they're called now is satisfied with it though.
In this entry: Abreu, Angels, Josh Beckett
Reds runners at first and second run on the pitch, soft hit into the shallow outfield, Jack Wilson backs up, makes the catch, throws to Sanchez at second who throws to LaRoche at first... the easiest triple-play I've ever seen. Congrats to the first Pirates who were involved in the play, Pittsburgh's first since 1993.
Click here to see the play.
I'll be listening to today's game at work today.
In this entry: pirates, triple play
We're 2 or so days into the season already, but I'm going to deliver my regular season predictions a little late anyway. But DON'T WORRY. I'm not going to let the current standings influence my predictions WHATSOEVER.
American League
I think the Twins, Angels, A's and Mariners will all go about .500.
I predict that the Tigers, Royals, Indians, Rays and Yankees will all go winless, 0-162.
I predict that the Blue Jays, Orioles, Red Sox, White Sox, and Rangers will all go undefeated, 162-0.
Amazingly, Boston will miss the postseason despite going undefeated and having beaten the undefeated Blue Jays and Orioles several times each.
Toronto, Chicago and Texas win the divisions. Baltimore wins the wild card.
National League
I predict that the Cubs, Astros, Pirates, Cardinals, Padres, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, and Rockies will all win about half their games.
I predict the Phillies, Nationals, Reds, and Brewers will all go winless.
The Braves, Marlins, Mets, and Giants will all go undefeated.
Braves, Pirates and Giants win their divisions. Marlins win the wild card.
Once again, let me stress that although these picks are late, I did not cheat by using the first 1 or 2 games as a gauge for the picks.
In this entry: 100% honest and legit predictions
The Red Sox are now on pace to shatter the Major League record and go an unheard of 173-0.
I just figured out that Pirate games are blacked out in Columbus on MLB.TV.
WHHHAAAAAAT????!?!?!?!?!?!?!!??!!!!!!!!!#%^#%^#$%^@$^@%^@%^@$%^@$%^@%
WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY?
For the small price of $15/month, any of you can watch all the Pirate games. But I literally have no way to watch a single Pirate game this season. No Nationally televised games. No FSN Pittsburgh in this area. We are far from Pittsburgh. My only option would be to get a really expensive satellite package with FSN Pittsburgh.
In this entry: mlb.tv
I hereby pledge to post regularly on this blog, at least for a couple months, starting at the beginning of the regular season.
After much deliberation and research, Jessie and I have decided not to get cable. On the flip side, I am going to buy MLB.TV (at least for a few months). It's only $15 a month and I can watch any game at any time on my computuer. That includes every Pirates game.
Therefore, I should have some things to say. I'll try to do a daily "lunchtime" post on the issues of the day over my lunch break.
I'm gonna invite a couple people to write alongside us too, to inject some life into this place.
In this entry: mlb.tv
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