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Treasure Chest for the Baseball Category
Jul142010
An ode to FireJoeMorgan.com…
…At the expense of Kelly Thesier at MLB.com
I’m quite sure no one has ever frequented the now-defunct website www.firejoemorgan.com, but in it’s heyday it was the best website in the universe. However, many of you might know one of the authors of the site, Ken Tremendous, as being the pseudonym for ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Recreation’ writer/producer Michael Schur. Maybe of more importance, Schur also played Mose Schrute, Dwight’s beet farming cousin.
Anyways, over at FireJoeMorgan they would routinely dissect baseball articles written by such luminaries as Bill Plaschke and Richard Justice, as well as rip apart anything that would come out of Joe Morgan’s mouth, both on-air and during his now infamous Joe Chats on ESPN.com. It was fucking awesome. You can read the archives all you want.
On to this ridiculous article over at mlb.com…
The problem with delivering a season like Joe Mauer did in 2009, when he batted .365 with a career-high 28 home runs while leading the Majors in average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, is that expectations are raised.
Expectations? Maybe. I’m not quite sure anyone thought Joe Mauer would top his 1.031 OPS. Most smart baseball minds realized it was a pretty luck-driven, anomaly of a year, especially for Mauer’s power. We’ll touch on that.
…there are many questions being asked about what might be wrong with the reigning American League MVP. According to his manager Ron Gardenhire, the answer is nothing.
You, Mr.Gardenhire, are correct. There is nothing wrong with Joe Mauer. There is only statistical, luck-based corrections. Now if only the article ended here, I wouldn’t have to spend all this time talking about it.
When Mauer returned from a back injury that kept him out for all of April last season, he got off to a very hot start. It’s the kind of start that certainly would seem difficult to replicate, and that’s been the case so far this year for Mauer.
Well, here is one good reason why Joe Mauer is having a down year. Unfortunately for us, neither Kelly Thesier, or any of the Twins coaching staff have any real idea WHY Joe Mauer is having trouble replicating his 2009 MVP season. Don’t fret TCM readers, the only thing Warbucks enjoys more than drop-kicking premature babies is advanced baseball statistics.
So what has been the reason that Mauer’s numbers so far this season have gone down so drastically?
I’m glad you asked that question, Ms. Thesier. But, I don’t want to impede on your article, so why don’t we give others a crack at figuring out what’s wrong with Joe Mauer, shall we?
Mauer’s lack of power so far this season seems to be the most glaring difference from a year ago, as witnessed by his decrease in slugging percentage.
Well, a decrease in slugging percentage isn’t the REASON for his lack of power, that’s more of a correlation than a causation. If you aren’t hitting home runs, your slugging percentage will go down. That isn’t very insightful, Kelly.
Perhaps a reason for that is the change in Mauer’s home ballpark. With the Twins’ move into Target Field, all of the club’s players have needed to adapt to the new dimensions and particularly the fact that the ball isn’t traveling as well to the gaps like it did at the Metrodome.
Well, this just tickles my fancy. Try googling Park Factors, just try it. Don’t want to? Okay, I’ll do it.
The Metrodome ranked DEAD LAST in offensive production. That means it was completely and totally pitching friendly, behind even Petco Park and Oakland Coliseum. So far in 2010, Target Field’s inaugural season, it ranks 18thin park factor, showing slight favoritism to pitchers. I don’t think that’s why Mauer is struggling to hit home runs. Let’s see if Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra has any idea…
He’s still getting used to the ballpark, “Twins hitting coach Joe Vavra said of Mauer. “The Metrodome was very comfortable for him. He trusted the backdrop and all that stuff. He needs to learn to trust the new ballpark and what he can do with it. It’s going to take a little while, maybe a little longer than he thought, to figure it out.”
Interesting concept, Vavra suggests that Mauer isn’t seeing the ball as well, therefore can’t stroke the ball as much as he’d like. Lucky for us there’s two very useful statistics to measure Mauer’s ability to see the ball and make contact.
Mauer’s eye level (his ability to differentiate between balls and strikes) in 2010 is 1.20. This is extremely elite. Mauer’s eye levels the passed three years were as follows: 1.12, 1.68, 1.21. So, it looks like Joe Mauer’s is seeing the ball just fine. (On a side note, a 1.68 eye level is FUCKING RIDICULOUS). Maybe Joe Mauer is seeing the ball well, but is having trouble making contact? So what is Joe Mauer’s contact percentage in 2010? 90%. That’s just fine.
Thesier goes on to quote Mauer’s line drive percentage (which I dig) and his habit of swinging at more balls outside of the strike zone (up from 20.4 to 23.6 this year). Thesier also interviews Justin Morneau, as well as Vavra, and they both seem to skim the surface of Mauer not having balls drop in for hits. Although this has NOTHING to do with his lack of home runs, it would have been nice if Thesier touched on his BABIP (batting average on balls in play). Last year, when Mauer hit .365 his BABIP was .373. That is amazingly absurd. This year it’s down to .320, which falls more in line with 3-year average.
Still, no one touches on the real reason why Joe Mauer hasn’t been hitting any home runs: His hr/fb% was crazy inflated last year. In his previous 4 seasons, before his 2009 campaign, his home run-to-fly ball percentage was 9%, 11%, 7% and 7%. His home run totals for those 4 seasons were 9, 13, 7 and 9, respectively. What was Joe Mauer’s hr/fb % in 2009 when he hit 28 home runs? TWENTY PERCENT.
Batters, as a whole, tend to regress to their 3-year mean levels. So, is it any surprise Mauer’s percentage this year is below 10%? Not at all.
There’s your reason, Kelly Thesier. An inflated home run to fly ball percentage.
Jul22010
Get off your fucking phone, douchebag.
Has anyone seen this bit of delight that’s making the rounds on ESPN? This fucking asshole on his phone gets smacked right in the face with a baseball. I love when people suck at life and cry like pussies, especially at baseball games.
On a side note, it took me way too long to find this video. Fuck you MLB and your copyrights.
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Jun82010
Albert Pujols makes 12-year old cry.
I’m sure everyone know who Albert Pujols is, but if you don’t, then allow me to recap: Albert Pujols is a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, and Albert Pujols may also be a cyborg. Results are inconclusive.
He went yard last night, and this 12-year old pussy tried to catch his home run, missed, and got rocked right in the chest. If that wasn’t fucking funny enough, he starts to cry. Pujols felt bad, and ended up sending the kid a signed bat while he was still watching the game. Now he gets to tell all his friends at school that he doesn’t have about his cool new signed bat. If I were one of his class mates, I would routinely ask him if he received the bat before or after he cried like a little bitch.
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May182010
Hypocrisy in American Sports.
I feel as if I’m the only one in the world that finds the sports media and it’s various avenues of propaganda full of fucking hypocrites. Sports talk radio hosts, television anchors, baseball analysts and marketing executives all have their heads up their asses.
This whole Brian Cushing thing has got me so god damn confused I can’t even think rationally enough to type this god damn post. I’m having trouble coming up with the world ‘rationally’ and ‘propaganda’. If I were on the radio right now, you’d hear the spit hitting the microphone. Read this entire post like I’m yelling it.
Mark McGwire, Manny Ramirez, Brian Cushing and HCG.
Manny Ramirez tested positive for the same exact thing that Brian Cushing did, and people in baseball were spouting out the usual nonsense. “He’s a cheater!” “There should be an asterix next to his stats” “He wont get my hall of fame vote!”. Bill Plaschke wanted the Dodgers to RELEASE Manny at the end of the suspension. But, here’s Brian Cushing, testing positive for HCG and the media goes “ehh what the hell? He was still a good rookie!” and re-voted him the defensive Rookie of the Year. So let’s go over this: Manny tests positive, gets suspended and is forever deemed a cheater. Brian Cushing tests positive, gets suspended and is handed an award. What. the. fuck.
Tiger Woods, Gatorade and Shawn Merriman.
Gatorade, the world’s leading sports drink manufacturer and who’s companies name is plastered all over every sporting event ever, ended Tiger Woods’ endorsement contract because he cheated on his wife. Tiger Woods has probably made Gatorade more money than anyone but Michael Jordon (who interestingly enough was always linked to other women). But a guy like Shawn Merriman can be featured in Powerade commercials, because, clearly there’s nothing wrong with this: Shawn Merriman is the outstanding gentleman and defensive end for the San Diego Chargers who beat up Tila Tequila. Shawn Merriman made a fucking pro bowl the same season he was suspended 4 games for testing positive for STEROIDS. Not just a banned substance, the dude was taking 100%, Grade A Anabolic Steroids!
How does this happen? How are athletes crucified for their misgivings as human beings and dropped from sponsorships and endorsements? How are baseball players being suspended and forever labeled as a cheater because they tested positive for a banned substance? Yet NFL stars are sent to the Pro Bowl and re-awarded the Defensive Rookie of the Year after taking hcg, steroids and beating up alien-looking reality stars?
May112010
What the fuck is going on at Citizens Bank Ballpark?
Alright, so I’m sure you’ve all seen the video and and read the news (today, oh boy…) about 17 year old Steve Consalvi getting fucked up by a taser (did you know sometimes getting tasered can make you shit your pants?). I was going to write about how fucking funny this is, until I realized that Philadelphia fans, although always known as douchebags, are stepping it up a notch this year. Frankly, I blame the city itself.
On top of the retard that is Steve Consalvi (welcome to 5 grand in fines and public humiliation, fuckface) there are 2 other complete tools that have infested the Phillies stadium this year.
Let’s get to the least reported, yet utterly disgusting one:
Meet Matthew Clemmens
This fat motherfucker pulled some serious shit. At a Phillies game in early April, Sir Fat Fuck decided it would be a good idea if he PUKED on an 11-year old girl. Now, I can’t quite figure out how much puke there was, but he’s fat and was drunk, so let’s just assume this was some serious Lard-Ass-from-Stand-By-Me type of puke. I’m sure you can guess why he has a black eye: the girls dad was an off-duty police officer, and he got knocked the fuck out. Mr. Clemmens here was charged with disorderly conduct, simple assault (simple? there’s nothing simple about this), reckless endangerment, harassment and related offenses. Congratulations!
On to tool bag number 2.
Thomas Betz decided to copy Steve Consalvi to ‘prove a point’ that you don’t need to taser anyone when they jump onto the field. What? Good old Tommy boy is an ‘aspiring’ DJ who calls himself ”Thorobred”. Dude, once you’re 34, you can’t aspire to do anything but lose that gut and get some new shorts. He somehow got charged with drug possession in the midst of all this.
So, my question to all this is: what the fuck is going on in Citizens Bank Ballpark?
Apr272010
The Phillies sign Ryan Howard to a bad contract.
The Philadelphia Phillies announced today that they have reached an agreement on a contract extension with Ryan Howard (their first baseman…not The Office character) worth $125 million over 5 years. This now makes him the 2nd highest paid player in the majors, which is funny because he’s not even a top 5 first baseman.
I would love to just write “HAHAHA” all over this post, but that wouldn’t be too informative. Instead I will proceed to trash Ryan Howard, vicariously trashing Ruben Amaro.
This is a decision they are going to regret, and here’s why:
Age
Ryan Howard is 30 years old this year, and the contract will end when he’s 36 (it kicks in after his current deal is done). Not many players age gracefully into their mid 30′s. Some point to his durability, arguing that his healthy track record should alleviate concerns that he’ll break down when he’s 34, 35 or 36. I can’t help but wonder if this will eventually put too many miles on his odometer. Yes, he has never had a serious injury, but when you go on the 15-day DL for a calf strain, you’re also letting every other part of your body heal.
One of the greatest inventions time wasters ever is baseball-reference’s Similarity Scores list . It’s a 15 year old stat invented by Bill James (read about it here) that compares a certain players career to that of another players in order to find ‘similar careers’ . Do you know what players compare to Ryan Howard at the age of 29? Mo Vaughn, Cecil Fielder and Richie Sexson. Gross.
Fielding
Ryan Howard is an average first baseman. His UZR over the passed 4 seasons has been downright pedestrian (-1.1, -1.5, 1.9, 2.1) If you don’t care to learn about UZR, know this: it’s rated on runs. So last year his defense saved 2.1 runs. Which is better than giving up runs, but not by much. This can only get worse, and there’s no way to hide his defense in the National League. There’s no DH here like there was for David Ortiz’s WHOLE career. But, his inability to DH won’t really matter much, because…
Hitting
Even now, in his prime, I wonder how Ryan Howard possibly gets balls to hit. His contact rate (the ability to make contact with pitches) has been bad for 4 years (69%, 62%, 67%, 70%). Where does this rank with the rest of the first base elite? Albert Pujols’ contact percentage in 2009 was 89 percent! Mark Teixeira? 81 percent. Miguel Cabrera? 82 percent. Prince Fielder? 77 percent. Where does this go as his eyes get worse with age? What happens when his bat speed slows down? All downhill.
Everyone knows Ryan Howard strikes out way too much, this is not a secret. What’s is disconcerting is that he is now walking much less. His walk totals have been dropping consistently since 2006 (108, 107, 81, 75).
Another concern with Howard is that he can’t hit lefties at all. Not one bit. He hit a paltry .207 against left handed pitchers in 2009, with 6 HR’s and a .356 SLG %. That’s Adam Everett territory! This is essentially going to take an at-bat per game out of Ryan Howard’s hands. No manager will bring in a right handed pitcher to face him, and he’ll end up seeing a steady stream of left handed pitchers out of the bullpen.
This was a bad, bad deal.
A big thumbs up to the Philadelphia Phillies!
Apr72010
Your Annual Baseball Salaries
Both team and individual player salaries, as published by USA Today. I always peruse this for entirely too long (3 hours), seeking information that I will NEVER, ever need in my daily life. Especially since strippers don’t usually enjoy baseball.
A couple of bullet points, cause everyone knows bullet points are fucking serious to Warbucks.
- The Yankees starting infield is making $85 million in 2010, more than 17 teams, and more than San Diego and Pittsburgh combined.
- Barry Zito is the 15th highest paid player in the league. So good job, San Francisco!
- Does the average baseball fan know who Hiroki Kuroda is? Well, he’s the 25th highest paid player in the league!
- The explosion of salaries is evident through the 2000′s. The Yankees, still at that time the highest spending team in the league, topped the list at $92 million.
- The last season in which the Yankees didn’t top the charts was in 1998, when they only spent $63 million.
- Three of the top five teams in terms of salary didn’t make the playoffs in 2009 (Detroit Tigers, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs).
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