Snobs vs. Slobs

Conventional wisdom in baseball has taught us for a long time that a guy who steals a lot of bases is good for his team, and more specifically, that a guy who steals bases is good to have at the top of the lineup.

I have always wondered how the extra bases created by a high-steal player really helps their numbers. After all, a stolen base effectively turns a single into a double, or in some cases, a double into a triple. A stolen base adds more value to a player who is otherwise a singles hitter, because he can effectively turn that single (or double) into a double (or triple). On the other hand, there is an inherent risk in stealing a base. If a player is caught, it effectively turns that hit or walk into an out. With all the discussion recently of Juan Pierre and his future in Chicago (either with the Cubs or Sox), and media types and fans alike gushing about him being the NL hits leader and near the top of the leaderboard in stolen bases, I thought now was as good of a time as any to explore this. (more…)

The Sox are officially out of the playofs, thanks to the wonderful pitching of Jon Garland. In addition to giving up 12 runs (eight earned) in just over five innings, he had this choice quote: (more…)

The Sox finally won two in a row, splitting a series with the top-notch club known as the Seattle Mariners. While U.S.S Mariner is the a great blog, the M’s are pretty crapp-, er, snappy. The team is a big, steaming pile of snap. (more…)

Nobody seems to be denying the reports coming out of Miami that there’s “zero” chance that Joe Girardi will return as Marlins skipper next year. With Dusty Baker on the hot seat in Chicago, the stars seem to be aligning for Girardi to return to his home state to manage.

I haven’t had a chance to read any local media reaction to this story, but I have had the chance to talk to a lot of fans, and the fan consensus seems to be that Girardi will help the Cubs because he has had success managing young players. Unfortunately, I don’t think this will actually be the case. Indeed, the one factor that might make one think that Girardi really will be a better manager than Dusty Baker is the fact that he is not Dusty Baker. (more…)

The last few weeks, summed up in a pretty revealing quote from the Quote Machine:

‘’Embarrassed,’’ Guillen said afterward. ‘’I feel embarrassed, and my team should feel embarrassed. People pay good money to watch us play, and that was pathetic. If we keep playing like that, they should start packing today. I’m not going to take that.’‘

If this sort of thing (managers and “leadership”), I’d suggest Ozzie try this nonsense last week, when he was still putting the tailspin on himself. You know, not after getting pasted by a team going nowhere.

Well, at least no one got hit in the head. Oh, wait…

This weekend was bittersweet for me, as one of my favorite players totally buried my favorite team’s playoff chances. Frank Thomas will end up on a lot of MVP ballots after this weekend, as he put a Big Hurt 2006 special on the Sox: 3-12 with two HR and seven (!) RBI. The Sox’ playoff chances are down to six percent, as they’re four back with 12 games to play. (more…)

Boy, off-days are a bitch to beat writers, aren’t they?

Mark Gonzalez, Tribune Sox beat writer, probably spent yesterday traveling. I could imagine he saw this off day in the schedule, wrote a non-time-sensitive piece and turned it into his editors as a “use on the off-day, because I’ll be playing golf.” Of course, this is wild speculation, but I can that’s what I’d do.

This particular piece is a steaming pile of dung. (more…)

Taft and I were talking last week about the common statistics TV broadcasters like to throw out during a game. His complaint was that the “So-and-so has a record of 14-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 23 starts against Opposing Team X” is a faulty stat. My main complaint about said stat is sample size (it’s usually culled from five starts or less). Buut, the main reason it’s a fradulent stat is that team turnover is so much that most of the guys that started on Opposing Team X when So-and-so first came into the league have changed teams. (more…)

One of the many awards MLB gives out every year is the Comeback Player of the Year award. It is voted on by the fans, through MLB.com. Like the All-Star voting, you can vote up to 25 times. Unlike the All-Star voting, you cannot vote at stadia. (more…)

As I did last week, let’s take a look at the Sox transaction report from Sept. 10.

Purchased the contract of 3B Josh Fields from Triple-A Charlotte, returned OF Jerry Owens from his rehabilitation assignment to Charlotte and reinstated him from the 15-day disabled list, and recalled RHP Sean Tracey from Charlotte.

We’re (about) halfway through the September callup period and the Sox have three more guys to drink their proverbial cups of coffee. Again, let’s break ‘em down, player-by-player. (more…)