In a new poll, Florida voters are overwhelmingly against spending tax dollars for new sports facilities.
Respondents opposed using tax money to help pay for sports venues in general by a 76-22 percent margin and each of those three projects by an even wider margin, according to a poll conducted by Quinnipiac University.
I’m glad voters are [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:49 pm | Stadiums | Permalink | No Comments
February 28, 2005
Free Plug
Baseball Info Solutions has player projections for 2005 available for download. The cost is $9.95.
Posted by David Pinto at 9:43 pm | Fantasy Baseball | Permalink | No Comments
February 28, 2005
Following the Coach
Matt Clement believes that Toronto pitching coach Brad Arnsberg will help bring talent to the Blue Jays.
Matt Clement says the call to Toronto Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg was “one of the hardest phone calls I’ve ever had to make.”
That’s the measure of respect he has for Arnsberg — the only reason, frankly, that [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:33 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | 1 Comment
February 28, 2005
When the Going Gets Tough…
Studes has an excellent study at The Hardball Times on which relief pitchers are used in the toughest situations. Not surpisingly, middle relievers are being inserted when the game is on line much more often than closers. And closers aren’t even used in the most important situations. Well worth the read.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:51 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
February 28, 2005
Vin and Sandy
Jay Jaffe at Futility Infielder links to an MP3 of Vin Scully calling the 9th inning of Sandy Koufax’s perfect game.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:34 pm | Broadcasts | Permalink | 2 Comments
February 28, 2005
Pictures of Pitchers
Batgirl continues her series of pictures from an insider at the Twins’ camp. I love the shot of four pitchers throwing off the long mound.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:26 pm | Spring Training | Permalink | No Comments
February 28, 2005
Abstract Interview
Rich Lederer went back and read all the Bill James Baseball Abstracts, then sat down with Bill for an interview. Part one is here. Bill doesn’t believe there should be any tension between sabermetricians and scouts:
RL: … On that subject, in the 1981 Baseball Abstract, you said “good sabermetrics respects the validity of [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 1:22 pm | Interviews | Permalink | 2 Comments
February 28, 2005
Right-Center
J.D. Drew and Milton Bradley have worked out their outfield assignments for the Dodgers.
“He was telling me he’s not trying to step on any toes,” Bradley told the Los Angeles Times. “We are in agreement that we want what’s best for the team. We want everybody to fulfill his potential.
“I’m more comfortable in center field; [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 12:43 pm | Defense | Permalink | 6 Comments
February 28, 2005
Black and White (Sox)
Jay Maxwell has started a new blog about the White Sox, Black Sox Blog. Jay’s mixing writing about today’s team with history lessons about the franchise. Stop by and say hi!
Posted by David Pinto at 8:55 am | Blogs | Permalink | No Comments
February 28, 2005
From Queens to the Bronx
New York Magazine looks at the upcoming baseball season, profiling Omar Minaya of the Mets and speaking to three experts about the Yankees. On Minaya, I thought this paragraph the most interesting:
More intriguing, though, is that Minaya envisions a new model for building a team that?s neither purely intuitive nor coldly rooted in [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:36 am | Team Evaluation | Permalink | 6 Comments
February 27, 2005
On Mended Knee
Barry Bonds’ knees seem to be coming along quite nicely. I wonder how much this has to do with it:
While other players can relax in the afternoon, Bonds has been straining through an hour of water exercises designed to improve his strength and wind after the surgery. But that’s fine with Bonds as long [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:26 pm | Injuries | Permalink | 2 Comments
February 27, 2005
Krash Kendall
There’s a great Jason Kendall story over at Athletics Nation.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:19 pm | Players | Permalink | No Comments
February 27, 2005
Head Brewer
Mark Attanasio addressed the Brewers yesterday and stressed the importance of teamwork.
As he began formulating his remarks, he hit upon the idea of talking about how teamwork helped him overcome rough times in the financial industry – the interest-rate increase in 1994, the Russian currency crisis in 1998 and the recession that hit the U.S. [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:23 am | Management | Permalink | No Comments
February 26, 2005
Oldest Outfield
Ira Berkow of the NY Times notes that the Giants will have the oldest starting outfield ever.
And how do the pitchers feel with an outfield for the ages? Looking for the silver lining, that’s how.
“Experience is everything,” Schmidt said. “They’re still in the game for a reason. Happy to have them on my team.”
And Felipe [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:55 am | Defense | Permalink | 3 Comments
February 26, 2005
Attitude and Adjustment
Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News sees Ryan Drese’s success as a combination of attitude:
Soft pitchers do not have a mound presence. Slump-shouldered and defeated pitchers do not have a mound presence.
Mean pitchers, in the most complimentary sense of the term, have a mound presence. They are as prickly as Barry Bonds on a [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:29 am | Pitchers | Permalink | 1 Comment
February 25, 2005
Northern Stars
Congratulations to Steve Rogers and Dave Stieb. Both pitchers have been selected to the Canadian Hall Of Fame.
Posted by David Pinto at 7:23 pm | All-Time Greats | Permalink | No Comments
February 25, 2005
Government Waste
It looks like the US House of Representatives will hold hearings on the steroid issue.
The players and owners are working toward a solution to the problem. The union has taken the unprecedented step of altering the CBA midstream. But if a few politicians can get face time on the networks, they’ll have hearings. [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:58 pm | Cheating | Permalink | 5 Comments
February 25, 2005
The Jeter Center
I love this story. Someone won an auction to name the Fleet Center in Boston for a night, and wants them to call it the Derek Jeter Center.
The winning bid for Tuesday’s naming rights was made by a New York attorney. Kerry Konrad bid $2,300 on eBay. He wants the arena to be known [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:47 pm | Other | Permalink | 20 Comments
February 25, 2005
Putting the Cards in Order
As a follow up to this theory at The Birdwatch, CurveBlog had James Click run some simulations of different Cardinals lineups. The lineup with Walker, Pujols, Edmonds and Rolen 1-2-3-4 does very well.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:34 pm | Strategy | Permalink | 1 Comment
February 25, 2005
Closer To You
Throws Like a Girl wants to know what your theme song would be if you were a closer.
I guess I’d have to pick Twilight Zone by Golden Earring.
(Hat Tip: The Birdwatch)
Posted by David Pinto at 3:27 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | 6 Comments
February 25, 2005
Frank’s Pranks
I never realized Frank Robinson was just a prankster. He always seemed so serious to me.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:23 pm | Management | Permalink | 1 Comment
February 25, 2005
Ignoring Sosa
Ivy Chat has some advice for the Cubs concerning Sammy Sosa:
When Sammy said, “They lie. I understand they want to move forward and they feel they have a competitive team, but I don’t think nobody can replace me. They can say whatever they want to say, but it is going to be hard, my friend, [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:41 am | Trades | Permalink | 3 Comments
February 25, 2005
Yankees Roundup
Bronx Banter has a link rich roundup of Yankees news.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:37 am | Spring Training | Permalink | No Comments
February 25, 2005
Teeny Boppers
The Baseball Crank looks at what a great decade the nineteen teens were for developing young talent.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:34 am | History | Permalink | No Comments
February 25, 2005
And in this Corner…
A bit of fun from the NY Times on Canseco’s proposed polygraph test.
I continue to be amazed that anyone bothers with lie detectors anymore. As far as I can tell, the polygraph experts read whatever they want into the results. You don’t need a machine, you need an expert in micro-expressions.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:42 am | Cheating | Permalink | 4 Comments
February 24, 2005
Canseco vs. Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro is considering taking Jose Canseco to court over Jose’s steroid charges.
Palmeiro issued a statement last month in which he denied he ever used steroids, and he emphatically backed up that assertion Thursday after his first practice of spring training. Palmeiro also said he’s considered hiring the law firm of Orioles owner Peter Angelos [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:15 pm | Cheating | Permalink | 8 Comments
February 24, 2005
More Lineups
James Click continues his research on lineup construction. (My original comments and link here.) Interestingly, his research is showing a tendancy toward the classic lineup being the best; two table setters followed by three sluggers. The differences between the lineups are small, but this type of configuration keeps coming out on top.
Posted by David Pinto at 2:29 pm | Strategy | Permalink | 2 Comments
February 24, 2005
Moving West
Phil Allard has an interview with new Dodger radio and TV announcer Charley Steiner. Charley was always fun to chat with at ESPN. I thought this was an interesting quote from the interview:
PHIL ALLARD: You were quoted earlier this winter (and I am paraphrasing here) that you felt that the Yankees didn?t show [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 1:49 pm | Interviews | Permalink | 13 Comments
February 24, 2005
Baseball Card Day
Ever wonder when all those baseball card pictures get taken? Marc Lancaster has the scoop.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:07 pm | Spring Training | Permalink | 2 Comments
February 24, 2005
Move Along
Are the Athletics going to play little ball this year?
Today’s first full-squad workout at Papago Park will have a different slant from past springs — one that reflects the A’s relative lack of power this year.
For the next four to six days, instead of spending all their on-field hitting time taking batting practice against pitchers, [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:42 am | Offense | Permalink | 4 Comments
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