19-06-2005 11:36									#211
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Also, the AL era is lower. Given the DH, this means the AL pitching must be better or the NL parks are bandboxes that allow mini-players to hit homers on the scale of Ruth. I think both are somewhat true.

	19-06-2005 13:34									#212
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Take a look at the ESPN RPI (Relative Power Index). The AL Central's top three teams are also the 3 out of the four top teams in the index. Chicago at No. 1, Twins at No. 3 and Cleveland at No. 4.

None of these teams will have an All Star as none of them are on the more fashionable coasts and do not get the press.

	19-06-2005 21:26									#213
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Once again Ned, would you replace A-Rod with anyone on those teams? Soriano? Vlad Guerrero?

I thought we put this dumb argument to bed. Apparently not.

	19-06-2005 22:13									#214
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They will not have All Stars from among their position players, yes, and Imran proves thoroughly why. But Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia, and Jon Garland will all be in the All Star Game, and I would be willing to bet some money that John Garland will be starting for the AL team. Your argument is groundless.

Last edited by DerSchwarzfalke on 20-06-2005 at 00:32

	19-06-2005 23:42									#215
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quote: Originally posted by DerSchwarzfalke They will not have All Stars from among their position players, yes, and Imran proves thoroughly why. But Johan Santana, Freddy Garcia, and John Garland will all be in the All Star Game, and I would be willing to bet some money that John Garland will be starting for the AL team. Your argument is groundless.

Maybe. But I think Santana or Buehrle starts.

As to the bias for Eastern teams, please explain how Tino of the Yanks deserves to start over Konerko or Teixeira? The one guy I have no dispute about is A-Rod.

	20-06-2005 00:30									#216
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He does not, that has to do with fan voting idiocy. It happened last year when a mediocre Giambi got in the All Star Game as starting first base. In a perfect world, Teixera starts first base for the AL.

EDIT: Damn, good point about Buehrle. I did not realize the season he had strung together to date.

	20-06-2005 08:54									#217
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There is no bias for "Eastern teams". It's a bias for Yankees. That's a much different thing. And Teixiera has been climbing in the vote numbers. When you play for a team like the Rangers which hasn't been to the playoffs in years, it's hard to get national recognition.

	20-06-2005 09:00									#218
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui I still don't believe the Nats will hold on. Their hitting is atrocious. They have given up more runs than they've scored. They are supposed to be worse than their record (Pythagoran Record). They'll come back down.

they seem to do well in the clutch, eking out a lot of late inning one run victories. And they do particular well at home.

	20-06-2005 09:11									#219
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They have good pitching, but their hitting will not keep them in their lofty position. "Clutch" hitting is a myth and statistical analysis of the game proves that it doesn't exist (common sense says it is silly to think a player becomes a better hitter when suddenly placed in a pressure packed situation).

	20-06-2005 19:36									#220
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui They have good pitching, but their hitting will not keep them in their lofty position. "Clutch" hitting is a myth and statistical analysis of the game proves that it doesn't exist (common sense says it is silly to think a player becomes a better hitter when suddenly placed in a pressure packed situation).

why would common sense say that? Lots of folks in other walks of life do BETTER in a clutch situation. Focuses the attention and all that. Ill defer to you on the stats though.

	20-06-2005 19:46									#221
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A "curse" is also a statistical 'myth,' but it is currently quite real to Cubs fans. There are certain aspects of baseball unreachable by sabermetrics, the idea of 'clutch' being one of the most obvious.

	20-06-2005 22:54									#222
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quote: Originally posted by lord of the mark why would common sense say that? Lots of folks in other walks of life do BETTER in a clutch situation. Focuses the attention and all that. Ill defer to you on the stats though.

I tend to completely disagree. I've never met anyone that did better in a clutch situation in life. They just THOUGHT they did better.

quote: A "curse" is also a statistical 'myth,' but it is currently quite real to Cubs fans. There are certain aspects of baseball unreachable by sabermetrics, the idea of 'clutch' being one of the most obvious.

Clutch hitters has been shown to be wrong. Such as Joe Carter, considered one of the best 'clutch' players, but actually has horrid postseason stats, he just had some timely hits. Barry Bonds was the ultimate clutch choaker... until the 2002 World Series where he was a God in the batter's box. And the sample size used to determine if someone is 'clutch' is absurdly small. It's a baseball myth that no one had checked up on (along with a lot of things that sabermetrics has shown to be silly).

	21-06-2005 00:11									#223
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Morgan, on ESPN last night, said that teams with hitter-friendly ball parks had a hard time making the playoffs and winning series. Apparently, players alter their swings for their own parks and cannot adjust properly for road games.

As well, hitter-friendly fields have a tendency to wear down pitching staffs.

The combined effect is hard on teams. This could help explain why the Cubs and, until last year, the Red Sox had a hard time even making the playoffs.

The White Sox have a similar problem with their field (perhaps until this year). The Sox have one of the highest BA differentials home and away historically because of that ballpark, Cellular Field.

The AL went +4 yesterday against the NL. That makes it +36 on the year.

	22-06-2005 19:51									#224
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That amazing Yankees comeback last night, with the 13 run 8th inning? Yeah, I was there

It was the most electric I have ever seen any crowd in any sporting event. Very few people left the game early in spite of the makings of an embarassing blowout, so there were people in the stands to go nuts when the game just opened up.

I still do not understand why Lou Piniella left that kid in for so long. It looked like he was ready to cry from where we were sitting.

	22-06-2005 22:11									#225
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It's kind of sad when the Yankees are estatic after coming back against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays . How the mighty have fallen .

	23-06-2005 04:26									#226
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What's funny is how each time the yanks have something like this, they've "turned the corner" etc etc. Only to fall again the next day or go into another prolonged slump. I think this is the fourth time this season I've seen headlines like that for them.

	23-06-2005 04:38									#227
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the only good broadcasters are Joe Morgan and Jon Miller.

McCarver and Buck are idiots, and say retarted things, and who splooge all over the yanks and the cards.
sterling and his braying need to be put out into the pasture.

	23-06-2005 04:45									#228
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2B dustin pedroia got promoted to AAA Pawtucket. he is the only guy in the eastern league with more extra base hits then strikeouts. he is rated the #6 prospect in the sox organization, and has a .401 OBP (good for 5th in the eastern league)

he is 5'7''

	23-06-2005 05:29									#229
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It wasn't just like they came back against the D-Rays, it is that they punished them for all the ills they have been growing through. But do not bring it down; a comeback from an eight run deficit against any team is something to cheer about, and celebrate Yankee Stadium certainly did.

And you're just jealous you weren't there

As for that prospect, I hope he stays in AAA Pawtucket. Mark Bellhorn is the best Yankee in red socks there is

	23-06-2005 05:42									#230
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david wells is the best yankee in red socks

i kinda liked that three run homer in game six of the ALCS. dont know about you . . .

	23-06-2005 09:03									#231
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Detroit Tigers?

35-33.


Repent. The end is nigh.

	23-06-2005 12:05									#232
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quote: Originally posted by DerSchwarzfalke You clearly have never heard Sterling call an entire game. He's one of the best, imo. And "The Yankees Win" grows on you.

Like hell it does. Although it's happening so rarely this year, it's barely noticeable.

	23-06-2005 12:07									#233
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui It's kind of sad when the Yankees are estatic after coming back against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays . How the mighty have fallen .

Especially when the MFY can't back it up the next day. How much is whiny Steiny paying in luxury tax for this season, and for this result?

	23-06-2005 13:21									#234
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arod is a pretty boy. varitek owns him.

	23-06-2005 19:51									#235
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Time to bring back slappy:

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This has been downloaded 18 time(s).

	23-06-2005 22:58									#236
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quote: Originally posted by Lawrence of Arabia the only good broadcasters are Joe Morgan and Jon Miller.

Naw. Joe Morgan sucks as well.

Btw, even though both aren't doing well, Renteria is doing far better than Cabrera this go around. That part came true .

And I wouldn't knock A-Rod, he's got a far higher OPS than any Red Sox. 50 points higher than David Ortiz. The man is EARNING his cash this year.

	23-06-2005 23:03									#237
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david ortiz gets paid $6 million a year. arod's salary is 4 times as much. to earn his cash, he had better produce 4 times as much as ortiz does.

	23-06-2005 23:10									#238
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By that logic, Ortiz isn't earning his cash because he isn't producing 12 times as much as Adam Dunn (who makes $500,000 a year).

	23-06-2005 23:13									#239
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of course he is, because being clutch cannot be quantified.

	23-06-2005 23:19									#240
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Clutch hitters are a myth. They don't exist. Jeter is not the greatest 'clutch' hitter of all time. His team just makes it deep in the playoffs.

By your logic, I hear how 'clutch' Jeter is and therefore he should be getting paid $50m a year, at least.

That is if I believed something like a clutch hitter actually existed.

And if we are making unsupported contentions, then I'd just say that Adam Dunn would be the most clutch player of all time if he had a decent team that could bring him to the playoffs .