The Red Sox hosted the St. Louis Cardinals for the first two games of the 2004 World Series, because the American League team had won the All-Star Game in July. The Sox had come back from Yankee…
Jeffrey Maier steals homerun ball
October 9, 2012 By
October 9, 1996 – Bernie Williams hit a home run in the 11th inning to give the New York Yankees a 5 – 4 victory over Baltimore in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. The Yankees…
MLB 2012 Regular Season In Review
October 6, 2012 By
As hard as it is to believe, this week marks the conclusion of the 2012 MLB regular season. Without question, it has been one of the craziest seasons in recent memory, with the likes of multiple…
Paralysis By Analysis: A Look At Statistics In Modern Day Baseball
October 6, 2012 By
Mike Trout was the best player in baseball this season. You know, I know it. We know it for a variety of reasons – the least of which is the sabermetric craze.
The big sports media outlets ar…
First-ever MLB League Wild Card Game engulfed in controversy
October 6, 2012 By
The first wild card one-game playoff showdown in Major League Baseball history was held up for about 20 minutes on Oct. 5 when the hometown Atlanta Brave fans showered Turner Field with debris. The fans were reacting to a perceived blown call by the umpires in the eighth inning that may have helped the defending World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals defeat the Braves 6-3.
The drama came when the Braves’ Andrelton Simmons popped up a fly ball into the outfield with runners on first and second base. It should have been a routine catch for St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday, but he had trouble finding the ball. Shortstop Pete Kozma ran into the outfield to help him, but the ball fell in between them.
While the Braves thought they had loaded the bases with a single, Sam Holbrook, the left field umpire, stunned the team and the fans by calling Simmons out due to baseball’s infield fly rule. However, he made a late ruling on the play and it looked to be anything but a routine fly ball. This meant the runners were still at second and third with two out instead of the bases loaded with just one out.
The home fans didn’t take too kindly to Holbrook’s call and the diamond was soon covered in cups, bottles, and all other sorts of easily-throwable items. The game was then delayed while the stadium crew cleaned up the mess. Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez then told the head umpire Jeff Kellogg that the game would be played under official protest. After the game he said he didn’t agree with the infield fly call since the rule says the ball would be caught by a fielder making a normal effort to catch it.
However, Gonzalez, like most fans watching the game, believed the shortstop had to cover a lot of ground to reach the fly ball and it shouldn’t have been considered a normal effort. The rule was put in place to stop the fielders from dropping the ball on purpose when there are men on first and second base or if the bases are loaded with less than two out. If a fielder drops the ball he can then easily generate a double or even triple play. However, since this was a playoff game and would be a logistical nightmare to reschedule etc., Joe Torre of MLB rejected the protest.
Torre said the normal procedure calls for a decision to be made in 24 hours and a written report to be made, but it wasn’t possible in this case. He said he asked Gonzalez and Atlanta general manager Frank Wren what the protest was based on. Torre added that he disallowed the protest since it was a judgement call by the umpire. Once the Braves heard that Torres said it was the umpire’s call, they dropped the official protest.
Holbrook said he thought the shortstop would usually have caught the ball and that’s why he made the ruling. However, the ball was about 90 feet into the outfield when it fell and Holbrook didn’t make the call until a split second before the ball hit the ground. The Braves argued that the umpire didn’t make the call fast enough and the shortstop had to make more than an “ordinary” effort to reach the ball.
The call may have had an impact on the game, but nobody will ever know. It will be debated for years to come, but the Braves weren’t blaming the umpire for the loss. They made three errors in the game and didn’t do enough to win it as they were trailing 6-2 at the time of the incident. But ironically, while the infield fly rule is actually meant to benefit the batting team, the fielding club definitely prospered from this call.
The Beauty Of Fan Loyalty
October 6, 2012 By
Wednesday night marked the last game of the Chicago Cubs regular season. A season that ended with the second most losses in franchise history. Though it’s not in my nature to share personal pr…
St. Louis Cardinals clinch playoff spot: will attempt to defend World Series title
October 4, 2012 By
There have been some big changes in St. Louis since the Cardinals won the World Series last year with slugger Albert Pujols leaving the team as a free agent and manager Tony La Russa retiring. …
Fantasy Baseball Home Stretch: Who plays, who sits?
September 7, 2012 By
I recently had a reader ask me about which player he should play over the course of a week. The two players are Nationals’ teammates Michael Morse and Bryce Harper. We ultimately decided that Harper is the way to go, as he is more likely to steal a base if he reaches. As this is the playoffs in a head-to-head league, that’s an important distinction.
But it got me to thinking about something else. Let’s say that someone else is in a similar quandary, and Harper’s extra steal potential was not a factor. What would he do?
After giving it some thought, I arrived at a scenario: It depends on how you see yourself. Let’s take a deeper look.
Scenario 1: You’re the favorite
This is a little easier to determine in a roto league. If you’re being chased, you’re the favorite. In a head-to-head league, you can look at the standings, but they don’t necessarily tell a complete story. In that case, if you don’t trust yourself to make an accurate assessment of whether you’re the favorite or underdog, as someone you trust for their take. Heck, ask one of us, we’ll give you an honest take.
Because if you’re the favorite, Morse is your guy. Of course all of this depends on health, but as Morse started on Tuesday, I am assuming that’s no longer an issue. While Morse is not familiar with being in a playoff race, he’s not a rookie either, which is an important distinction this time of the year.
You see, rookies often fade a little bit at this time of the year, especially if they’ve been up with the big club for most of the regular season, as Harper has. They’re just not accustomed to playing this many games.
Morse is a steadier option because he’s been there before. So, if you’re in this dilemma and see yourself as the one that should prevail, go with the safe bet. Your opponents need to do something extraordinary to beat you, so go with the reliable option and make that option.
Scenario 2: You’re the underdog
Since I’m writing about this issue, you probably figured out that there are different answers to the two scenarios. So, I’ll end any suspense and say that if you shouldn’t win, Harper is your guy.
In this spot, you have to be willing to take a chance. Sure, if you’re in second place, maybe you drop to third or fourth, but this is also your best chance to win the whole thing.
It’s quite simple, really. Ask anyone who follows the game who the more talented player between Harper and Morse is, and the answer will be Harper. Ask them who will be the better player five years from now, or even one year from now, and the answer’s Harper. Harper has one of the highest ceilings I have ever seen from a baseball player.
So, in that spot, you gamble. You go with the guy who’s more talented. Yes, between Harper and Morse, Harper is the more likely person to collapse down the stretch, but he’s also the more likely candidate to do something phenomenal. Heck, as we said earlier, he’s even more likely to steal a few bases. He already has more than double Morse’s career stolen bases (Harper 13, Morse 6), and Morse has played in more than four times the amount of games.
Yes, in addition to having a higher ceiling, Harper also has a lower floor, but what does that matter? You’re already in a spot where you shouldn’t win.
Think of this like a golf tournament. If you’re facing the second shot on the par-five 18th hole over water, how are you going to play it?
If you’re nursing a one-shot lead, you’ll probably lay it up and take the water out of play. Sure, you won’t make an eagle and your chances of making birdie are greatly diminished, but you’re taking the bogey out of play, as well.
If you’re trailing, you go for it. Maybe you bring bogey or worse into play, but if you execute that shot, a birdie is nearly in the bag and you have a chance at an eagle. So, maybe you risk falling out of second place, but that’s not what you’re playing for, is it?
So, if you have more to lose than to gain, take the veteran player. In this case, that’s Morse.
If you have nothing to lose and potentially everything to gain, take the gamble. In this case, that’s Harper.
The post Fantasy Baseball Home Stretch: Who plays, who sits? appeared first on Fantasy Baseball Crackerjacks.
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Jimmy Rollins Notches 2,000th Hit; Will He Be Around Long Enough to Break Team Record?
September 7, 2012 By
It’s been an interesting 10 days for Jimmy Rollins. Rollins hosted the Ugandan little league team at Citizens Bank Park last week. Rollins had visited Uganda in the offseason, bringing them equipment to play with and donating $10,000 to help them make it to the Little League World Series this year. A day later Rollins was benched for failing to run out a pop up during a Mets game. Last night, Rollins became the 4th Philadelphia Phillies player to notch 2,000 hits.
Rollins has cemented his legacy over the past month. He recently overtook Larry Bowa’s record of most games played by a Phillies shortstop and will now look to overtake him on the Phillies all time hits list.
Jimmy Rollins ability isn’t the only legacy he’s cemented over the past month though. Unfortunately, the long time shortstop has also run afoul of manager Charlie Manuel a couple of times this month for breaking one of the team’s golden rules…Twice. “Be on time and hustle” has been the Phillies’ mantra under Manuel, and Rollins has twice been guilty of breaking that mantra, resulting in a benching last week.
I had mixed emotions in bringing Rollins back to the team when Ruben Amaro Jr. re-signed Rollins in the offseason. On one hand, Rollins’ approach at the plate has come to define what has been wrong with this team over the past couple of seasons. On the other hand, it’s hard to cast off a player who has been the catalyst for one of the greatest eras in Phillies baseball.
I have a hard time watching Rollins give lackluster effort, but at the same time, when Rollins is on, he is still one of the best shortstops in the game. It will be interesting to see whether Rollins sticks around as the Phillies look to make their team over. There were trade rumors around deadline time, and you have to think that there are at least a couple of people in the organization that aren’t happy with how he conducts himself at times.
Will Jimmy Rollins get the chance to become the team’s all time hits leader?
Similar Posts:
- Phillies Avoid Sweep Behind Kendrick, Rollins BENCHED
- Are Trades A Wake Up Call for Phillies’ Core?
- Should Charlie Manuel be in the Phillies Plan for 2013?
- The Phillies win in extra innings as Eric Kratz is the hero again
- Losing and Character flaws, Rollins and Phillies walking to the end of the season
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Buck Ball
September 6, 2012 By
Here we sit on September 4. The baseball season is in its 6th and final month. And look who’s hanging around.
This is one of the most (fill in superlative) years in baseball we’ve ever seen. Unusual is probably the word to use, or unexpected. Phillies are buried, Red Sox are a dumpster fire, Angels can’t get off the ground, Tigers are looking up in the standings, the new-look Marlins looked old in a hurry, and free-spending Dodgers are getting further behind. Those teams are all among the highest payrolls in baseball. Meanwhile, look out for the Orioles, Athletics, Rays, Reds, Nationals, and Pirates!
The most amazing story is the Orioles. And also the weirdest. This entire season has been filled with “O’s are off to a hot start but they won’t maintain it.” “Buck has done a good job but they will fall back to earth.” “Orioles are in second place but they’ll fade to the bottom soon enough.” “Baltimore is a pleasant surprise but they can’t keep up with the big dogs.” Guess what: they are! Not only that, but they are in position to win the AL BEast! How are they doing it?
They certainly aren’t doing it the conventional way. Here are some strange but true facts about the Baltimore Orioles this season (and actually, a lot of these numbers have improved lately!):
- 13th (out of 14 AL teams) in on-base-percentage
- most errors and worst fielding percentage
- last in stolen bases and worst stolen base percentage
- 3rd-most strikeouts
- 3rd-most grounded into double plays
- Fewest occasions with runners in scoring position
- Tied for worst with only 1 complete game pitched
- Only one starter remaining from Opening Day pitching rotation (a rookie, the #5 starter)
- Only team with a winning record that has a negative run differential
Buck Showalter’s team is certainly doing it against the customary way to win: great starting pitching, small ball to score runs, play good defense. But you know what, they keep winning, and this morning they are 1 little game behind the first place Yankees.
Here is their current starting rotation: Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, Joe Saunders, and Zach Britton. Who?
The most amazing stat, and the one that is doing it for them, is this: 24-7 in one-run games, and a miraculous 12-2 in extra innings.
“It will catch up to them.” Oh really? They just beat the Bronx Bombers 2 out of 3 in New York, and that was right after winning 3 of 4 from the first place White Sox.
I’m a huge Yankees fan but I can’t deny it: I am rooting for the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.
Article by William Zeltman
MTRBaseball.com
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