MLB 2012 Season

[Matthew]

Rumor has it that John Henry is shopping the Red Sox.

http://www.foxbusine...test=latestnews

The Liverpool gig is more up his line -- own a team in another country so he doesn't have to deal with anything in person, he can just write his infamous emails to everyone without any human interaction, then trash people as they leave the organization (though, of course the quotes will be from an "anonymous source"). That seems to be his preferred mode of operation.

[Soulstation1]

The flipping Indians have the worst record in the AL

[JSngry]

And last night they snatched one away from the team with the best record in the AL, against a closer who had to that point blown only one save this season. By taking him yard twice, no less!

Feel free to take extreme pleasure in my extreme displeasure in that turn of events!

[Patrick]

While my allegiance to the Tribe remains, life is short so my interest has turned to the National League where the local heroes are doing quite well. I've already attended four Nats games this season (...a 6 minute train ride from the office to the ballyard, and internet ticket sellers certainly help). Little if anything not to like about the Nats (...unless perhaps you're attached to some other NL team). I initially thought the Werth signing was a bit reckless, but he has performed. Bryce Harper hasn't quite lived up to all of the hype (he's not yet LeBron or even Strasburg), but has been a solid contributor. The real explanation is starting pitching. ...such a refreshing change compared to that Cleveland team.

Anyone got tips on where to acquire a New Era fitted cap for less than big $$$? Thinking about the home red with the cursive W. Go Nats! thanks

[JSngry]

http://www.mlbinjurynews.com/2012/09/the-texas-rangers-are-living-through.html

<br><br>I can't/won't agree with the author's conclusion that the Rangers seem "destined" for the Series again ("destiny" usually involves "magic" and all that., of which there's been a notable lack this year, no Bengie Molina cycle or Josh Hamilton capping off Dead Fan week with a walkoff upper deck blast), but this is as good a look as I've yet seen (and outside the local media, the only look I've seen) at what kind of season it's been as far as dealing with injuries, and to which I can only add that the stat-heads and such get all boogedybooped about Ron Washington's decisions and stuff, but hell, Wash has managed this team through all this as well as anybody could, if not better. If it were just about numbers, hell, that's business, not life. Michael Young's fallen off a cliff this year? Yep. Bench Michael Young? No, because you're playing with humans, not statistical simulations. A manager who doesn't have a good read on his team's psyche/intangibles/etc will be named Bobby Valentine &amp; end up likewise.

<br><br>That, and that Jon Daniels is the kind of GM that just makes you want to say "thank you". The young man does his homework and plays his game as well as the players have come to play theirs. Success or failure in the crapshoots be damned, for day-to-day effort/results, what more can you realistically ask for?

Edited September 14, 2012 by JSngry

[Quincy]

Beckett out on the old 9-3.

[JSngry]

Chicken don't fly!

[GA Russell]

Thanks Quincy!

[JSngry]

Yu Darvish pitch sequence from last night:

0-1, he throws this, clocked at 62 mph:

and follows it with this, clocked at 94 mph :

Some people were getting all hyped up and thinking that Darvish would not have a learning curve, and would come directly to MLB and Conquer The World. I was not one of them.

But I was cautiously optimistic that between his talent and his seemingly superior "competitive drive" that he would eventually work/figure it out. Looks like he's in the process of doing just that.

Yay!

Edited September 15, 2012 by JSngry

[Soulstation1]

Just watched ESPN's 30 for 30 about Fernando Valenzuela

The Fernando rookie card was a H O T card

Edited September 16, 2012 by Soulstation1

[PHILLYQ]

Yu Darvish pitch sequence from last night:

0-1, he throws this, clocked at 62 mph:

and follows it with this, clocked at 94 mph :

Some people were getting all hyped up and thinking that Darvish would not have a learning curve, and would come directly to MLB and Conquer The World. I was not one of them.

But I was cautiously optimistic that between his talent and his seemingly superior "competitive drive" that he would eventually work/figure it out. Looks like he's in the process of doing just that.

Yay!

Now THAT is changing speeds!

[JETman]

Yeah, but as I understand it, a pitcher doesn't quite need a 32 mph speed difference in order to have an effective change-up. Despite all his current issues, Johan's still got one of the best, and his differential may be no more than 7 or 8 mph.

[Tim McG]

Hey Jim!

Where do you find all those cool jif animations and jpegs?

[JSngry]

Where do you find all those cool jif animations and jpegs?

There's a Rangers blog called Lone Star Ball that has members who create them and post them. It's certainly not a skill set that I possess, that's for sure! I just link to them here, since they're image formats which the board supports.

The Darvish things, though, were done (or at least posted by) Jeff Sullivan @ Lookout Landing, a Mariners blog that's part of the whole SB Nation family/company/not sure what of sports blogs. Your Giants blog is called McCovey Chronicles.

[JSngry]

Yeah, but as I understand it, a pitcher doesn't quite need a 32 mph speed difference in order to have an effective change-up.

True enough. But Darvish has also been displaying a change up that is more typical (i.e. - 85 mph or so). So the uncertainty factor for the hitter is just multiplied that much more. If you see one change-up enough, a good hitter can time it and do something with it (even if it's just fouling it off to stay alive in the count). But now you're looking at a guy who is becoming even more unpredictable in both what pitch he will throw and what speed he will throw it. Timing gets a little bit more complicated now, especially when you throw in some of those "gotta be an optical illusion" breaking balls he can throw.

Darvish's big issue this year has been control, way too many walks, way to much falling behind in the count, way too much nibbling instead of going for the jugular. His last 5 starts or so, have seen a dramatic (and consistent) improvement in all of that, so it looks like he might have begun to get around that learning curve, in which case...really good things might be in store.

Time will tell.

[Tim McG]

Where do you find all those cool jif animations and jpegs?

There's a Rangers blog called Lone Star Ball that has members who create them and post them. It's certainly not a skill set that I possess, that's for sure! I just link to them here, since they're image formats which the board supports.

The Darvish things, though, were done (or at least posted by) Jeff Sullivan @ Lookout Landing, a Mariners blog that's part of the whole SB Nation family/company/not sure what of sports blogs. Your Giants blog is called McCovey Chronicles.

Thanks, Jim.

I'll check it out.

[JSngry]

You might enjoy it. Many of those SB Nation blogs are pretty good to read, run by people who know the game and the team really well. Some...not so much.

[BERIGAN]

Yeah, but as I understand it, a pitcher doesn't quite need a 32 mph speed difference in order to have an effective change-up.

True enough. But Darvish has also been displaying a change up that is more typical (i.e. - 85 mph or so). So the uncertainty factor for the hitter is just multiplied that much more. If you see one change-up enough, a good hitter can time it and do something with it (even if it's just fouling it off to stay alive in the count). But now you're looking at a guy who is becoming even more unpredictable in both what pitch he will throw and what speed he will throw it. Timing gets a little bit more complicated now, especially when you throw in some of those "gotta be an optical illusion" breaking balls he can throw.

Darvish's big issue this year has been control, way too many walks, way to much falling behind in the count, way too much nibbling instead of going for the jugular. His last 5 starts or so, have seen a dramatic (and consistent) improvement in all of that, so it looks like he might have begun to get around that learning curve, in which case...really good things might be in store.

Time will tell.

I don't have any facts to back it up(but why should that stop me? ) but I wonder if hitters in Japan are more the "hacker" type of hitter than hitters in the U.S. ? Just seems like a lot of Japanese starters seem to have issues with walks(Daisuke Matsuzaka, and , well, thought Kenshin Kawakami walked a lot with the braves, not true, just not all that good)

While my allegiance to the Tribe remains, life is short so my interest has turned to the National League where the local heroes are doing quite well. I've already attended four Nats games this season (...a 6 minute train ride from the office to the ballyard, and internet ticket sellers certainly help). Little if anything not to like about the Nats (...unless perhaps you're attached to some other NL team). I initially thought the Werth signing was a bit reckless, but he has performed. Bryce Harper hasn't quite lived up to all of the hype (he's not yet LeBron or even Strasburg), but has been a solid contributor. The real explanation is starting pitching. ...such a refreshing change compared to that Cleveland team.

Anyone got tips on where to acquire a New Era fitted cap for less than big $$$? Thinking about the home red with the cursive W. Go Nats! thanks

Everyone remember me totally predicting the Braves sweeping the best team in the NL(Nats) after the braves were swept by the Brewers? No matter how long you watch this game, you just can't figure it out...

And it's nice to see Chipper finally get a fair bit of press, at the very end of his career. I remember checking out the Red Sox blog, The Sons of Sam Horn just a few years ago(the place where Dan would seem quite calm in comparison ) and someone asked if Chipper was a HOF'er . And almost to a fan, no one thought he was. He's had a quiet career for a guy who was on so many division winners....3rd most Homers by a switch hitter, most RBIs of players who mainly played 3rd, and a .304 career B.A.

Edited September 17, 2012 by BERIGAN

[JSngry]

Colby Lewis gets a contract extension for 2013, in spite of getting elbow surgery this year that will keep him out until at least the middle on 2013 & in spite of being a free agent at the end of this year. Loyalty/good faith/whatever rewarded by and for both player and organization, nice to see that.

http://www.lonestarball.com/2012/9/17/3347750/rangers-colby-lewis-agree-on-contract-extension-for-2013#comments

[Tim McG]

Magic Number is 9

[Neal Pomea]

What? Chipper Jones should be a first ballot Hall of Famer! No contest.

He's getting some nice send offs and prizes around the league on his final tour!

Hoping we bounce back this week against the Dodgers. Going to the next Monday day game against Milwaukee.

Edited September 17, 2012 by Neal Pomea

[Tim McG]

Hoping we bounce back this week against the Dodgers.

Strangely enough...so am I

[JSngry]

He got by with this for the entire game?

Edited September 18, 2012 by JSngry

[paul secor]

He got by with this for the entire game?

Made it through the game, but he's out for the next three. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/toronto-blue-jays-yunel-escobar-suspended-three-games-for-homophobic-slur-on-eye-black-091812

Edited September 18, 2012 by paul secor

[JSngry]

I gotta wonder who tipped it off...