I've not been on much, somewhat due to work but also due to the lack of much to talk about in baseball (in particular with my beloved Orioles).
I will, however, be ambitious. I did a set of MLB Showdown cards based on the 2011 season, and since I have no plans for doing a 2012 sets, save for some rookies, I will start to post them.
Tomorrow: Baltimore Orioles
Thursday: Boston Red Sox
Friday: New York Yankees
Saturday: Tampa Bay Rays
Sunday: Toronto Blue Jays
See you then!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
A three-way trade in baseball
It seems while I was asleep last night the Reds, Indians and Diamondbacks traded a total of 9 players, with each seemingly filling a whole that each organization had. I'll do this by team.
Reds: They did well, trading Drew Stubbs and Didi Gregorious (to Cleveland and Arizona, respectively) and getting back Shin-Soo Choo, Jason Donald and $3.5 million. They plug an offensive whole in CF with Choo, and he'll leave after next year anyways when his contract expires, not getting in the way of Billy Hamilton (who I think will be ready in 2014).
Indians: Retooling and trading vets for prospects is good when the returns are this good. They get Trevor Bauer, who should be a fixture for some time in their rotation, Drew Stubbs who, while he had a bad year last year certainly could bounce back, and two relievers in Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw. he Indians will miss Choo, but he's a vet who's contract runs out next year, and they ain't going anywhere.
Diamondbacks: I'm still perplexed on this side of the equation. The Diamondbacks get Didi from the Reds, but send their top pitching prospect out to Cleveland, and also get throw-ins Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson. I guess they had soured on Bauer, who is something of a free spirit, but this feels like selling pennies on the dollar; if you don't like a player, but other teams do, sell him to them like you still like him.
Reds: They did well, trading Drew Stubbs and Didi Gregorious (to Cleveland and Arizona, respectively) and getting back Shin-Soo Choo, Jason Donald and $3.5 million. They plug an offensive whole in CF with Choo, and he'll leave after next year anyways when his contract expires, not getting in the way of Billy Hamilton (who I think will be ready in 2014).
Indians: Retooling and trading vets for prospects is good when the returns are this good. They get Trevor Bauer, who should be a fixture for some time in their rotation, Drew Stubbs who, while he had a bad year last year certainly could bounce back, and two relievers in Matt Albers and Bryan Shaw. he Indians will miss Choo, but he's a vet who's contract runs out next year, and they ain't going anywhere.
Diamondbacks: I'm still perplexed on this side of the equation. The Diamondbacks get Didi from the Reds, but send their top pitching prospect out to Cleveland, and also get throw-ins Tony Sipp and Lars Anderson. I guess they had soured on Bauer, who is something of a free spirit, but this feels like selling pennies on the dollar; if you don't like a player, but other teams do, sell him to them like you still like him.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
On the Royals' trade
By now most of you have heard about the trade between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals wherein the Royals get James Shields and Wade Davis for Wil Myers, Jake Odorizzi, Mike Montgomery and Patrick Leonard.
For most of the reactions I've seen, you either love the trade or hate the trade for the Royals. They've clearly indicated they are in 'win-now mode' and are hoping they have the pieces to pull it off this year and after.
I'm not seeing it.
Don't get me wrong, getting Shields and having Davis start (thereby bumping Luke Hochevar) is a good thing. I just think the move came a tad premature, and was a drastic overpay. I think they're more than a couple SPs away from contending, especially with gaping wholes at second base and right field (where Myers should have gone). They're counting on their young guys like Hosmer, Moose and Perez to get better, and I think they will. But it might not be right now.
Ervin Santana is a 1-year stopgap. Shields has two years remaining on his deal. If one or both leave after the next two years, they really don't have anyone in the minors to replace them (Odorizzi should be good to come up this year or next; no other pitching prospect as close).
They should have given last year's team, with Myers and Odorizzi, a chance to gel together, play together to see if there were any steps back or leaps forward. Now, last year's team HAS to bounce back hard or they're just treading water.
For most of the reactions I've seen, you either love the trade or hate the trade for the Royals. They've clearly indicated they are in 'win-now mode' and are hoping they have the pieces to pull it off this year and after.
I'm not seeing it.
Don't get me wrong, getting Shields and having Davis start (thereby bumping Luke Hochevar) is a good thing. I just think the move came a tad premature, and was a drastic overpay. I think they're more than a couple SPs away from contending, especially with gaping wholes at second base and right field (where Myers should have gone). They're counting on their young guys like Hosmer, Moose and Perez to get better, and I think they will. But it might not be right now.
Ervin Santana is a 1-year stopgap. Shields has two years remaining on his deal. If one or both leave after the next two years, they really don't have anyone in the minors to replace them (Odorizzi should be good to come up this year or next; no other pitching prospect as close).
They should have given last year's team, with Myers and Odorizzi, a chance to gel together, play together to see if there were any steps back or leaps forward. Now, last year's team HAS to bounce back hard or they're just treading water.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Making MLB Showdown card formulas (pitchers)
These are for the pitcher cards, which are a bit easier than the batter cards without things like 1B+, speed or defense.
Total Control:
(First, an explanation about what control is. For this formula, it is not the number in the upper-right-hand corner of a pitcher's card, but it is the total number of outs + the number in the upper-right-hand corner. So, taking Pedro Martinez, a +5 control with 17 outs, his total control is 22 (5+17))
WHIP Under 0.8 = 23 (Pitchers like Craig Kimbrel or Billy Wagner)
WHIP 0.8-0.99 = 22
WHIP 1.00-1.15 = 21
WHIP 1.16-1.33 = 20
WHIP 1.34-1.50 = 19
WHIP 1.51-1.65 = 18
WHIP 1.66-1.80 = 17
WHIP 1.81-2.00 = 16
Innings:
Innings/apperances, rounded up or down (6.3 becomes IP 6, 7.55 becomes IP 8)
If they switched between starting and relieving, you can just run the numbers as is or separate starts and relief appearences.
Homers:
If they give up more than one and a half HR per innings (otherwise abbreviated as HR/9), they give up a home run result on their chart.\
If they keep the home-run results low, you may be inclined to also not allow them to give up doubles, but that's your discretion.
Walks (BB):
Per 1.7 BB/9, they get a BB result.
So, if a player allows 2.3 BB/9, I'll round it down to one BB result.
If a player allows 3.5 BB/9, I give him 2 BB results.
etc.
GB/FB results:
I use their GO/FO rate (1.00 is neutral, as many groundballs as flyballs. Higher than 1.00 is grounder-heavy, below 1.00 is flyball-heavy)
Strikeouts:
This one is tough because my attempting to reverse-formulate it didn't quite workj out, so remember these are guidelines...
1-2 SO = below 4.0 K/9
1-3 SO = around 4.5 K/9
1-4 SO = between 5.4 and 6.2 K/9
1-5 SO = around 6.8 K/9
1-6 SO = between 8.5 and 9.2 K/9
1-7 SO = ...this is where the numbers get fudged, sadly.
1-8 SO = around 10 k/9
1-9 SO =
1-10 SO = around and over 12 K/9
1-11 SO = over 14.5 K/9
Total Control:
(First, an explanation about what control is. For this formula, it is not the number in the upper-right-hand corner of a pitcher's card, but it is the total number of outs + the number in the upper-right-hand corner. So, taking Pedro Martinez, a +5 control with 17 outs, his total control is 22 (5+17))
WHIP Under 0.8 = 23 (Pitchers like Craig Kimbrel or Billy Wagner)
WHIP 0.8-0.99 = 22
WHIP 1.00-1.15 = 21
WHIP 1.16-1.33 = 20
WHIP 1.34-1.50 = 19
WHIP 1.51-1.65 = 18
WHIP 1.66-1.80 = 17
WHIP 1.81-2.00 = 16
Innings:
Innings/apperances, rounded up or down (6.3 becomes IP 6, 7.55 becomes IP 8)
If they switched between starting and relieving, you can just run the numbers as is or separate starts and relief appearences.
Homers:
If they give up more than one and a half HR per innings (otherwise abbreviated as HR/9), they give up a home run result on their chart.\
If they keep the home-run results low, you may be inclined to also not allow them to give up doubles, but that's your discretion.
Walks (BB):
Per 1.7 BB/9, they get a BB result.
So, if a player allows 2.3 BB/9, I'll round it down to one BB result.
If a player allows 3.5 BB/9, I give him 2 BB results.
etc.
GB/FB results:
I use their GO/FO rate (1.00 is neutral, as many groundballs as flyballs. Higher than 1.00 is grounder-heavy, below 1.00 is flyball-heavy)
Strikeouts:
This one is tough because my attempting to reverse-formulate it didn't quite workj out, so remember these are guidelines...
1-2 SO = below 4.0 K/9
1-3 SO = around 4.5 K/9
1-4 SO = between 5.4 and 6.2 K/9
1-5 SO = around 6.8 K/9
1-6 SO = between 8.5 and 9.2 K/9
1-7 SO = ...this is where the numbers get fudged, sadly.
1-8 SO = around 10 k/9
1-9 SO =
1-10 SO = around and over 12 K/9
1-11 SO = over 14.5 K/9
Thursday, November 29, 2012
JL8, a web comic
I was pointed out to this webcomic a couple days ago, and I find it to be adorable. The premise is that DC Comics heroes (Batman, Superman, etc.) are 8-year-olds in elementary school. It's cute, but also plays well having personalities bounce off one another.
This is the main Tumblr account
This is the archives to better view it in order
I hope you get some joy from these too!
This is the main Tumblr account
This is the archives to better view it in order
I hope you get some joy from these too!
The Centerfield Market
Things are starting to heat up on the Hot Stove this week for the Centerfield market.
The Atlanta Braves just finalized a 5 year $75 million deal with BJ Upton. Looking at the numbers, Upton is not actually that far overpaid, I think (the kneejerk reaction is that he is), and I think he'll end up being cheaper contrat-wise than Michael Bourn, Atlanta's recent CF.
Last night, the Washington Nationals stole Denard Span from the Minnesota Twins. He's a speedster like Bourn, but a whole lot cheaper than Bourn will be ($21 million for the next three years). He's a true CF, which allows the Nats to put Werth and Harper at more natural defensive positions.
Both teams improved, but I think Washington will be happier with the price-tag. The biggest winner may be Bourn, since with two contenders out of the market, he becomes a bit more valuable being ON the market.
The Atlanta Braves just finalized a 5 year $75 million deal with BJ Upton. Looking at the numbers, Upton is not actually that far overpaid, I think (the kneejerk reaction is that he is), and I think he'll end up being cheaper contrat-wise than Michael Bourn, Atlanta's recent CF.
Last night, the Washington Nationals stole Denard Span from the Minnesota Twins. He's a speedster like Bourn, but a whole lot cheaper than Bourn will be ($21 million for the next three years). He's a true CF, which allows the Nats to put Werth and Harper at more natural defensive positions.
Both teams improved, but I think Washington will be happier with the price-tag. The biggest winner may be Bourn, since with two contenders out of the market, he becomes a bit more valuable being ON the market.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Update
Sorry to be out for so long, work got in the way, and I start a new job next week.
I was rooting for the Tigers, but oh well. Now the baseball offseason is in session, and I'm curious as to how it will shake out, because there is a deep set of starting pitchers... and not much else!
I was rooting for the Tigers, but oh well. Now the baseball offseason is in session, and I'm curious as to how it will shake out, because there is a deep set of starting pitchers... and not much else!
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