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After the three error ball game versus Atlanta a week ago, my confidence in David Wright at the hot corner has diminished dramatically. Every ball hit his way, I’m find myself praying that he can corral the ball, never-mind throwing accurately to first-base. The disturbing thing is that it’s a problem that can’t be fixed in the practice field, the only way to correct these mistakes is getting over the mental lapse and having confidence again in his ability. During warm-ups the team cannot duplicate the screaming shots coming towards Wright at third base. It’s not like popping up balls for the outfielders to catch or the slow rollers the other infielders get. Sure you can practice on charging the slow grounders or the bunts, but you can’t reenact the line shots that go down the third-base line.
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Long Ass Thread Thursday
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Editorial, MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, Playoffs, Rumors,
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears… actually, your eyes and fingers.
Every Thursday, I’d like to get as many comments as possible on this “Long Ass Thread Thursday” post talking about sports, primarily, since this IS a sports blog, but if you want to talk books, movies, or the merits of Velcro, let’s do it!
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END blatant butt-kissing of my boss.
So, let’s do this people! And because I’m such a nice guy, let me throw out some topics:
- Barry Bonds… he’s getting closer to the Babe and he looks like he’s in pain doing it.
- Brett Favre… FINALLY he decides to bring his ball and play again.
- NBA Playoffs… who are you guys liking?
- NFL Draft… Reggie Bush, Mario Williams, Mario Cantone. Who will be the first overall pick?
- NHL Playoffs… educate me.
Let’s make this successful so that my boss doesn’t fire me for introducing this wacky idea!
I’m Just Writin’…
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Editorial, Fantasy, Front Office, Kudos, MLB, NBA, NFL,
Welcome to the first edition of I’m Just Writin’… here on Endscore. This will be my weekly column where I will take a look back at the past week in sports with a dash of pop culture because who doesn’t like pop culture? I mean, besides anarchists and Ferris Bueller’s Economics teacher.
So, just like that one uncle in your family that asks you to pull his finger, let’s let ‘em rip!
Click to continue reading I’m Just Writin’…
Nomar Garciaparra helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the game in the ninth inning with a grand slam against Houston Astros closer Brad Lidge. This was Nomar’s second game played this season after coming off the disabled list. We will keep an eye out for closer Brad Lidge and make sure this blown save doesn’t shake his confidence. Lidge famously blew a save in last year’s NLCS by serving up a homer to Albert Pujols against the St. Louis Cardinals. Hopefully for Astro fans, Lidge doesn’t succumb to the dreaded Mark Wolhers disease. Wohlers is a former Atlanta Braves closer who gave up a dramatic homer in the late innings versus the New York Yankees in the 1996 World Series, and he wasn’t never the same player after that.
If you walk Barry Bonds, this guy will make you pay. Moises Alou has that crazy look in his eye in the on-deck circle and in the batters box. Bonds continues to instill fear into opposing managers (even if the pitchers might not agree), and will keep giving the sign for the intentional walk. Alou still has some pop left in his bat even at the age of 39. Not only is Alou great at throwing a temper tantrum at Steve Bartman, but Alou can also knock in RBI’s. I still have questions about the San Fransisco Giants outfield defense, but if Alou continues to give good protection in the fifth spot, the Giants should be in the race come October.
Just Another Metric Monday: On Base Percentage (OBP)
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Editorial, MLB,
A few years ago, Michael Lewis’ Moneyball became one of the most talked about books about baseball and seemed to divide the way people in baseball looked at players into two factions. On one side, you had the old school scouts who looked at physical attributes, broken down into the golden five tools - hit for average, hit for power, running speed, arm strength, and fielding ability.
On the other side, you have the statheads AKA sabermetricians. I must say that I put myself in this group, although I personally do not assess players strictly on numbers. I like to look at things such as movement on a pitcher’s fastball, the angle or a batter’s swing, and other physical tools outside of the basic five tools listed above.
That all said, I’d like to spread the word of sabermetrics and provide the readers of Endscore a glossary of terms and concepts used by us statheads when looking at the numbers. Each Monday, I’ll provide a definition to a sabermetric term or two and hopefully allay any fear of all those acronyms and formulas to the casual baseball fan.
For the first edition of It’s Just Another Metric Monday, I’ll take a look at the concept made popular by Lewis’ Moneyball - On Base Percentage (OBP). On Base Percentage is basically the percentage of time a batter gets… well… on base. Batting Average (BA) gives you the percentage of time a batter reaches base safely by getting a hit. On Base Percentage adds into the formula the number walks or bases on balls (BB) and hit by pitch(es)(HBP) in addition to the normal BA formula.
So, here’s the OBP formula: Hits+BB+HBP/At Bats+BB+HBP+SF (Sacrafice Fly).
Why is this stat so important? Well, it’s a better indicator to the potential of a batter getting on base and scoring a run, which we all know, is the ultimate stat in determining who wins a game – score more than the other team and you win! So, ideally, teams will want to get as many people to reach base safely.
Here’s a strict hypothetical. Ichiro Suzuki and Adam Dunn both step up to the plate 650 times. Ichiro gets 200 hits and 50 walks while Dunn gets 170 hits and 120 walks. Neither gets hit by a pitch and for the sake of this argument, neither have a sacrifice fly eitehr. Since most people readily recognize batting average, let’s look at them – Ichiro is hitting .308, while Dunn is hitting .257. Obviously, Ichiro’s average looks a lot better. But, now let’s check their OBP. Ichiro has a .357 OBP and therefore a 35.7% chance of reaching base safely and potentially scoring a run. Dunn has a .376 OBP and therefore a 37.6% chance of reaching base safely and potentially scoring a run. That’s a significant increase in percentage for Dunn when you add in the walks.
So, if someone asks you if you’d rather have the .308 BA hitter or the .257 BA hitter, remember the answer isn’t always so cut and dry.
Next week, I’ll tackle the new stat darling – OPS, which is On Base Percentage (defined above) Plus Slugging Percentage (which I’ll define next time as well to give you an overall understanding). Catch you all next week… I am now taking off my SABR hat.
Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee suffered a broken wrist by colliding with Los Angeles Dodger SS Rafael Furcal, as he was running down the first base-line. This move will take the punch out of the Chicago Cubs line-up. After watching the Red Sox and White Sox get over their respective championship drought “curses”, many Cubs fans thought 2006 was their turn but it doesn’t look like it is the Chicago Cubs’ year. Lee is expected to miss at least six weeks.
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Atlanta Braves Take Two of Three from the New York Mets
Posted by Jeff Chan Categories: Athletes, MLB, Scoreboard,
In a classic pitchers duel, Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine gave the fans a treat on a Wednesday afternoon game. The demise of the Atlanta Braves has been highly exaggerated, despite playing without Edgar Renteria, Chipper Jones and Marcus Giles. Hudson pitched a complete game, and the Braves won the rubber game of the three game series. The game was full of great defense on the Braves side, an outfield assist by LF Matt Diaz and a nifty web gem by SS Tony Pena Jr. (wow that makes me feel old). Andrew Jones homered again, his fourth in three games which broke the scoreless tie, who excels in picking up his game in Chipper Jones’ absence. An outstanding game and a treat for everyone playing hooky from work.
Mets Take First Game And Pedro Martinez Gets Number 200
Posted by Dennis Velasco Categories: Athletes, Editorial, MLB,
In the first game of a big series against division rival, Atlanta Braves, Pedro Martinez helped lead the New York Mets to a 4-3 win Monday night. It’s hard to determine which was sweeter for Martinez - winning number 200 for his career or defeating the Braves, winners of 14 consecutive division titles. The Braves are to the Mets what the Detroit Pistons were to the Chicago Bulls in the late 80’s/early 90’s - that “hump” team that they needed to get over to once and for all diminish any sort of cloud over them. Even in 2000 when the Mets made it to the World Series, their path didn’t go through the Braves, but the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Division Championships. Whether or not this win is indicative of the Mets finally “getting over” the Braves, Monday night was an important start to the process.
Martinez joins Greg Maddux (320), Tom Glavine (277), Randy Johnson (265), David Wells (227), Mike Mussina (225), and Jamie Moyer (205) as the only active pitchers with 200 or more wins. Martinez (70.4%) owns the highest career winning percentage with a minimum of 200 wins, followed by Whitey Ford (236-106; 69.0%), Lefty Grove (300-141; 68.0%), Christy Mathewson (373-188; 66.5%), Roger Clemens (341-172; 66.5%), and Randy Johnson (265-137; 65.9%).
Geoff Jenkins is starting to remind me of someone, but I couldn’t put my finger on it immediately. Now that the Brewers have been playing better this season, their best ball since the Ronald Reagan administration, the Brew Crew has something to be excited about. Jenkins is a player I’ll admit I haven’t given much attention to. He’s always been the decent slugger on a bad team, so I didn’t give a second look. Now that Jenkins is sporting the new facial beard, the lefty slugger is looking and hopefully will continue playing like another Jeff - Jeff Bagwell.
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