At least for a while. It’s looking more and more like the Red Sox should have spent the money on A-Rod. At least Nomar gets to spend more time with his bride!
Mark Bellhorn will take over at 2nd base as Pokey Reese moves to SS. Bellhorn is the kind of player I’d [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:39 pm | Injuries | Permalink | 7 Comments
March 31, 2004
Prior Later
Looks like Mark Prior is going to be out a while. Luckily for the Cubs, they have a deep staff, and if they take advantage of days off, they would only need a fifth starter three times in April.
Meanwhile, Jason Steffens has some harsh criticism for Jack McDowell and Fox Sports.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:01 pm | Injuries | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2004
Split Series
I guess the Devil Rays are back to being the Washington Generals.
In two games now, the DRays have seen 214 pitches in 17 innings, and only drawn three walks. That’s 12 1/2 pitches per inning. If they want to get into the soft underbelly of their opponents bullpens, they are going to have [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:19 am | Games | Permalink | 3 Comments
March 31, 2004
Strat-o Memories
Steve Treder offers up his memories of Strat-o-Matic baseball at the Hardball Times. I started playing the game in college, where I was a proud member of the Thirteenth Floor Strat-o-Matic League. Later, I joined the Sombilla, and participated in two seven-game World Series (I lost both, you can read the summaries here [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:14 am | Simulations | Permalink | 6 Comments
March 31, 2004
Spirit in the Night
I’m not sure that this really fits in the category, but
The Yankees were so embarrassed by their showing, they refused to participate in the spirit award, which usually goes to a member of the losing team. And it’s probably safe to assume principal owner George Steinbrenner didn’t go right back to bed in Tampa after [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:54 am | Baseball Jerks | Permalink | 9 Comments
March 31, 2004
Both Sides Now
Jorge Posada just hit his 2nd three-run homerun of the game. He’s also homered from both sides of the plate. The ESPN research in me wonders if anyone has hit three-run homers lefty and righty in the same game before.
Update: From David Vincent at SABR:
Most RBI in SHHR Game
Chili Davis [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:12 am | Sluggers | Permalink | 5 Comments
March 31, 2004
Contrast In Control
Kevin Brown is pitching a good game today. Through four innings, he’s given up five hits, but no walks, and he’s striking out a batter through inning. He’s only thrown 50 pitches, 31 for strikes, a good ratio. He’s getting ground balls, but I can’t tell from the written play-by-plays if the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:41 am | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2004
Godzilla Delivers
Just got up and am listening to the game on MLB audio. With Jeter on, Hideki Matsui just delivered a two-run HR to send the crowd into a tizzy. Godzilla also drove in the Yankees first run in the third. It’s 5-1 Yankees in the 5th.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:30 am | Sluggers | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Motivation
I’m working at the home office of Baseball Information Solutions, preparing for the new season. I had lunch with Steve Moyer today. Steve is the president of the company and an old friend from my STATS, Inc. days. Steve has been traveling around spring training sites, speaking to clubs, trying to see [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:34 pm | Team Evaluation | Permalink | 2 Comments
March 30, 2004
All-Baseball Down
Mark McClusky asked me to post this:
“We were down almost all day yesterday due to problems with our host, so we
moved the site to a new hosting provider this morning. The switch of the
domain will take a little while, but we’re hoping to be back and posting by
tomorrow. We’re sorry for the inconvenience and the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:49 pm | Blogs | Permalink | 12 Comments
March 30, 2004
Professional Blogging
NJ.com is looking for a new Mets blogger, as the old one has moved on to greener pastures. It pays $50 a month.
Posted by David Pinto at 4:35 pm | Blogs | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 30, 2004
Clinic Building
Beyond the Score has an interesting post on the Devil Rays capturing young Japanese fans by holding clinics for children on their far eastern trip.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:38 pm | Demographics | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
DRays Win!
A great win for Tampa Bay. A fine start by Zambrano, three 1 hit innings by the bullpen, and fifteen hit attack by the offense. I still think Tampa’s aggressive swinging is going to hurt them in the long run (the Yankees only threw 112 pitches over 8 innings, 14 per inning). [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:04 am | Opening Day | Permalink | 9 Comments
March 30, 2004
Top of the Ninth
Tampa Bay is just three outs away from first place in the AL East. It’s 8-3 DRays heading into the top of the 9th.
Posted by David Pinto at 7:48 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Look For It
Tino Martinez has made a great play at first to rob Wilson of a double. He’s 2 for 2 with a walk and two runs scored. I can’t wait to see the first story on how the Yankees shouldn’t have let him go.
Update: Giambi just let a pickoff throw go through his [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:15 am | Players | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 30, 2004
The Other Junior
Jose Cruz Jr. takes Mussina deep to tie the game at three. He knocked out a light with the ball. Mussina is not looking good. He was able to take advantage of Tampa’s aggressiveness early, but he hasn’t been sharp, and the Rays are catching up to him.
Update: Three extra base hits [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:59 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
A Little Bit of Luck
Gary Sheffield puts the Yankees ahead with a hit to right. Behind 0-2 in the count, Zambrano throws a high waste pitch. Sheffield is turns his head away and takes a short defensive swing, and ends up with a double down the right-field line to drive in Rodriguez.
Zambrano gets out of the inning [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:54 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Two Bases
A-Rod leads off the 6th with a line-drive double down the right field line for his first hit as a Yankee.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:45 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Second to Third
For the 2nd time in the game, a Devil Ray went from 2nd to 3rd on a fly ball to Kenny Lofton.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:40 am | Defense | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
A-Rod’s Defense
I’ve seen A-Rod have three chances at third, and he’s looked very good to me so far. He just stopped a ball from going down the line, but failed to get the runner at 2nd (Sanchez was running on the play). I did get a flashback of Nettles watching that play, and I [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:38 am | Defense | Permalink | 3 Comments
March 30, 2004
New Rey
It seems to be a tradition now to replace Rey Ordonez with Rey Sanchez. I guess going from the worst offensive player in the game to the 2nd worst offensive player in the game is considered an upgrade. Sanchez has his second hit of the game, meaning his offense is all down hill from [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:34 am | Players | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 30, 2004
Zambrano Settles Down
Victor Zambrano is pitching a pretty good game. He just retired Lofton, Jeter and Matsui in order in the 5th. Unfortunately, he’s already thrown over 70 pitches, so it’s not going to be long before the Yankees get into the Tampa Bay bullpen.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:31 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Patience Pays
Cruz and Martinez are selective with Mussina, draw two walks, and score on a Toby Hall single. The game is tied 2-2 after four. Mussina is not striking people out, only one through four innings.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:22 am | Opening Day | Permalink | 2 Comments
March 30, 2004
First Pitch Swinging
Tampa Bay seems to have decided that they should swing at Mussina’s first pitch. Sanchez singled leading off the inning, but Crawford and Rolls just fell behind in the count for a pop out and a ground out. Rolls’ roller was A-Rod’s first play at third. He ranged far to his left [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:59 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Two K’s
Although Victor Zambrano wears 47, he appears to have A-Rod’s number today, striking him out for the 2nd time in the game, both looking.
Update: Zambrano has a 1-2-3 inning in the third. Zambrano has put up four K through 3 innings with nary a walk in sight.
Posted by David Pinto at 5:52 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Just Wondering
Does anyone know of any Japanese Baseball blogs?
Posted by David Pinto at 5:50 am | Blogs | Permalink | 2 Comments
March 30, 2004
In a Huff
Aubrey Huff lines Mussina’s first pitch off the right field wall for a single, Tampa’s first hit of the 2004 season.
Update: Tino Martinez singles against his old club. Lugo flies out to center, and Huff takes advantage of Lofton’s arm and takes third base easily.
Update: Hall grounds out to Jeter to end the threat. [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:42 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Lofton Ninth
According to the announcers, Lofton isn’t happy about batting 9th. He seems to be channeling the anger well, lining a shot down the third base line. Lofton was running full out from the start, and when Crawford had trouble picking up the ball, Lofton went to third for a triple.
Update: Zambrano comes back [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:37 am | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Mussina Sharp
A bunt out, a ground out, and a strikeout of Baldelli on a wicked curve ball gives Mussina a 1-2-3 inning. It’s 2-0 Yankees. Ten pitches, seven for strikes.
Posted by David Pinto at 5:31 am | Games | Permalink | No Comments
March 30, 2004
Little Ball
Carl Crawford tries bunting his way on with Mussina’s first pitch. Posada throws him out.
Posted by David Pinto at 5:27 am | Opening Day | Permalink | 1 Comment
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