tigertowner 68
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 23, 2015 10:25:12 GMT -5
For the Tigers I also have Cobb, Kaline and Greenberg but I only list players that have finished their career. So I have Charlie Gehringer (the Mechanical Man) instead of Miguel Cabrera. If we are including actives, then I guess I toss Charlie for Miggy. I agree with the Dodgers contingent (Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Snider and Drysdale) but it seems odd that the team has been in Los Angeles since 1958 with so many great clubs and there is not one everyday player that began in LA in the mix. The top choices would probably be Steve Garvey (yuck), Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Piazza, Willie Davis and Pedro Guerrero. My favorite in that group is Guerrero but he doesn't crack the 4, i.m.o. Frank Howard is an all-time fave but he did most of his hitting damage as a Washington Senator. For greatest living player I have to go with Mays in a close call over Aaron just because I feel that Mays was a better all-around player when you factor in his overwhelming ability in center field. |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 10:27:29 GMT -5
The film begins with Justin Verlander talking about the first time he threw 100 mph, and musing about how his fastball might have compared to Bob Feller’s. For the next 85 minutes, the subject is fastballs and only fastballs. Hard-core fans will be spellbound. Even casual fans will be enthralled. The filmmakers, in their own words, explore "how the magic of baseball can boil down to the 396 milliseconds it takes a 100 mph fastball to reach home plate." Kevin Costner is the narrator. But current stars, 20 Hall of Famers, writers and even scientists tell the story. The documentary — not surprisingly called, "Fastball" — premieres Monday night at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. I’ll admit to a certain bias — I went to the University of Pennsylvania with the writer and director, Jonathan Hock. But Jon already has won nine Emmys without my endorsement. And you can trust my recommendation on this one, as opposed to say, my preseason picks. Honestly, I can’t pick out out my favorite part of the film. It’s cool to hear Aroldis Chapman, Craig Kimbrel and David Price talk about their art. It’s also cool to hear a panel of five Hall of Famers — George Brett, Al Kaline, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench and the late Tony Gwynn — banter about the toughest pitchers they faced. Rich Gossage, Bob Gibson and Nolan Ryan reflect in great detail about their careers. Derek Jeter and Hank Aaron show more personality than we’re perhaps accustomed to seeing. The rarely interviewed Eddie Murray shares his thoughts, as do fellow Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, Wade Boggs and the late Ernie Banks. I loved not only the rare footage from Sandy Koufax’s perfect game, but also the section about Steve Dalkowski, the Orioles’ hard-throwing minor-league legend; the first manager I covered, the late Cal Ripken Sr., told great stories about Dalkowski, as did many others with the Orioles at the start of my baseball-writing career. The most compelling aspect of the film, though, might be its science. Aaron, Gibson and Verlander talk anecdotally about whether a fastball can rise, and scientists try to explain the phenomenon. Even more intriguing, scientists make corrections on the past measurements of certain greats, and try to determine who threw the fastest pitch of all time. The film, produced by Thomas Tull, a board member of the Hall of Fame, will be screened four times this week at the Tribeca Film Festival. After that, it will hit the festival circuit, and a national release is expected around the time of the World Series. Looking forward to viewing this bigd. Just to hear what they have to say about Steve Dalkowski will be entertaining enough for me. A major "character" during a time frame when the game was full of them. I didn't know that you went to the University of Pennsylvania. Cool. You must be one smart dude to attend an Ivy League school. How did you like Philadelphia? I was there for two conventions for work in the 90's and I loved it. I love Pittsburgh as well. PNC Park is a most intimate and wonderful setting for baseball. My wife wants to move to Pittsburgh if United Airlines ever decides to let residential booking agents like her work from home in PA. Oops. I forgot to give the writer of this piece proper credit. My bad. This is not mine, just a cut and paste job to share here. I myself went to the school of hard knocks, being on my own since 16 and all. |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 10:28:32 GMT -5
Big news today. Going to have to see it in its entirety here soon, but I just can't at work. |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 10:29:35 GMT -5
For the Tigers I also have Cobb, Kaline and Greenberg but I only list players that have finished their career. So I have Charlie Gehringer (the Mechanical Man) instead of Miguel Cabrera. If we are including actives, then I guess I toss Charlie for Miggy. I agree with the Dodgers contingent (Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Snider and Drysdale) but it seems odd that the team has been in Los Angeles since 1958 with so many great clubs and there is not one everyday player that began in LA in the mix. The top choices would probably be Steve Garvey (yuck), Ron Cey, Davey Lopes, Piazza, Willie Davis and Pedro Guerrero. My favorite in that group is Guerrero but he doesn't crack the 4, i.m.o. Frank Howard is an all-time fave but he did most of his hitting damage as a Washington Senator. For greatest living player I have to go with Mays in a close call over Aaron just because I feel that Mays was a better all-around player when you factor in his overwhelming ability in center field. I like this whole idea, even if it starts more debates and discussions than it ends. |
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tigertowner 68
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 23, 2015 11:02:31 GMT -5
Looking forward to viewing this bigd. Just to hear what they have to say about Steve Dalkowski will be entertaining enough for me. A major "character" during a time frame when the game was full of them. I didn't know that you went to the University of Pennsylvania. Cool. You must be one smart dude to attend an Ivy League school. How did you like Philadelphia? I was there for two conventions for work in the 90's and I loved it. I love Pittsburgh as well. PNC Park is a most intimate and wonderful setting for baseball. My wife wants to move to Pittsburgh if United Airlines ever decides to let residential booking agents like her work from home in PA. Oops. I forgot to give the writer of this piece proper credit. My bad. This is not mine, just a cut and paste job to share here. I myself went to the school of hard knocks, being on my own since 16 and all. No problem d...good luck at work today and don't work too hard. |
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tigertowner 68
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 23, 2015 11:04:09 GMT -5
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Post by itsgot2bdashooz on Apr 23, 2015 11:09:01 GMT -5
I have to agree with the Reds 4, although many fans have Frank Robinson instead of Barry. I agree with Towner on Mays, as greatest living player. |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 13:37:24 GMT -5
lol.
Oh, and just so you know, there is no prize for passing 10,000. I was told there was, but, alas.......
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 13:40:59 GMT -5
I have to agree with the Reds 4, although many fans have Frank Robinson instead of Barry. I agree with Towner on Mays, as greatest living player. The Robinson / Larkin choice is tough. Robinson played 10 years for the Reds, with all but 2 being very good. However, Larkin is a Reds lifer, and, was most more of the face of the franchise than Robinson was ( mostly due to media, but still ). I'll go with the organizations take as I see it, with Larkin getting a 30 ft likeness at the entry of their spring yard, with Robinson being nowhere to be found. |
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 23, 2015 18:32:23 GMT -5
I have to agree with the Reds 4, although many fans have Frank Robinson instead of Barry. I agree with Towner on Mays, as greatest living player. The Robinson / Larkin choice is tough. Robinson played 10 years for the Reds, with all but 2 being very good. However, Larkin is a Reds lifer, and, was most more of the face of the franchise than Robinson was ( mostly due to media, but still ). I'll go with the organizations take as I see it, with Larkin getting a 30 ft likeness at the entry of their spring yard, with Robinson being nowhere to be found. Larkin was a great player and a HOF'er. But it is a damned disgrace that Frank Robinson was traded for f--king Milt Pappas by imbecile GM Bill DeWitt and called an "old 30" at the time. That "old 30" won the AL MVP, posted a triple crown and led the Orioles to the championship in '66. If I had lived in Cincy and was a fan then, I don't know how I'd have gotten over that. I guess it would have took 'til 1970 and the birth of the "Big Red Machine" Edition I with Lee May and not Joe Morgan (Edition II)... |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 23, 2015 18:56:46 GMT -5
The Robinson / Larkin choice is tough. Robinson played 10 years for the Reds, with all but 2 being very good. However, Larkin is a Reds lifer, and, was most more of the face of the franchise than Robinson was ( mostly due to media, but still ). I'll go with the organizations take as I see it, with Larkin getting a 30 ft likeness at the entry of their spring yard, with Robinson being nowhere to be found. Larkin was a great player and a HOF'er. But it is a damned disgrace that Frank Robinson was traded for f--king Milt Pappas by imbecile GM Bill DeWitt and called an "old 30" at the time. That "old 30" won the AL MVP, posted a triple crown and led the Orioles to the championship in '66. If I had lived in Cincy and was a fan then, I don't know how I'd have gotten over that. I guess it would have took 'til 1970 and the birth of the "Big Red Machine" Edition I with Lee May and not Joe Morgan (Edition II)... It worked out so poorly for the Reds, that I do not think I've heard the "old 30" expression ever again. |
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tigertowner 68
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 23, 2015 19:03:36 GMT -5
lol.
Oh, and just so you know, there is no prize for passing 10,000. I was told there was, but, alas.......
Heck dude, you have almost as many likes as I have posts. What a slacker I am.... |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 24, 2015 9:56:33 GMT -5
lol.
Oh, and just so you know, there is no prize for passing 10,000. I was told there was, but, alas.......
Heck dude, you have almost as many likes as I have posts. What a slacker I am.... 1) You have a real life. Me, not so much.
2) You I'm sure do a lot of work at work. Me, again,..... Barring sick days, I'm pretty much on here M-F 8-5 pacific, and not much else. Gotta kill an otherwise boring work day some way, and, I kind of like this way.
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Apr 24, 2015 11:29:37 GMT -5
Heck dude, you have almost as many likes as I have posts. What a slacker I am.... 1) You have a real life. Me, not so much.
2) You I'm sure do a lot of work at work. Me, again,..... Barring sick days, I'm pretty much on here M-F 8-5 pacific, and not much else. Gotta kill an otherwise boring work day some way, and, I kind of like this way.
So does most anybody that reads and posts on here |
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Post by bigddude on Apr 27, 2015 14:06:20 GMT -5
Josh Hamilton has been spotted at the Rangers' Globe Life Park.
Which presumably means the trade sending him from Anaheim to Texas has been completed and will be formally announced on Monday afternoon. The Angels are reportedly going to eat $68 million of the $80 million owed to Hamilton. His deal will also now reportedly carry an opt-out clause for after the 2016 season. Hamilton is due back from shoulder surgery in mid-May. It's a pretty great deal for Texas if the 33-year-old outfielder can stay on the straight and narrow.
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Post by nynasty on Apr 27, 2015 15:51:52 GMT -5
Los Angeles is expected to pay most of the remaining $80.2 million Hamilton is owed: $20,234,973 this year and $30 million in each of the final two seasons. As part of the trade, Hamilton agreed to give up some of the money he was due, a person familiar with the trade said.
Bullshit if this is permitted. ARod tried to do the same thing when he was trying to get himself traded to Boston and the union wouldn't allow it.
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Post by bigddude on Apr 27, 2015 16:19:08 GMT -5
Los Angeles is expected to pay most of the remaining $80.2 million Hamilton is owed: $20,234,973 this year and $30 million in each of the final two seasons. As part of the trade, Hamilton agreed to give up some of the money he was due, a person familiar with the trade said. Bullshit if this is permitted. ARod tried to do the same thing when he was trying to get himself traded to Boston and the union wouldn't allow it. I'm with you on this being bullshit initially. However, that said, there may be language in Hamilton contract that somehow gives the Angels this out on him specially and specifically.
Maybe we will find out once this is all said, done, and over?
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Post by bigddude on Jun 3, 2015 12:09:44 GMT -5
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Post by randy on Jul 11, 2015 17:28:02 GMT -5
What are the yankees chances to win the al east?
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Post by bigddude on Oct 5, 2015 15:00:25 GMT -5
Time to make an appearance here again. As the season has now ended, and, as folks move on to football and other sports, I just wanted to say that I will still be around, even if I do not post much here. Just know that I will be on the lookout to respond to any post left here, from those to whom baseball is not over yet, or ever over really at all.
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Post by bigddude on Oct 5, 2015 15:30:03 GMT -5
While Kershaw may not win the N.L Cy, and while K's are not the end all, be all stats, consider these.
Kershaw struck out 301 guys this year. Keep that in mind, as, it may be a long time before anyone but him does it again. And, also keep in mind that his K-per 9 was more than 11, which only happens a few times every few years. This year, Chris Sale not only did it, but, his numbers were in fact slightly better.
Just saying.
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Post by bigddude on Oct 5, 2015 15:41:00 GMT -5
Some numbers from this season that you may not otherwise have seen or known.
Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman threw the 62 fastest pitches in the big leagues this season, according to Major League Baseball's new Statcast computer system.
Chapman's fastest pitches ranged from 103.92 mph to 102.36 mph, MLB said after Sunday's regular-season finales. His fastest was fouled off by Minnesota's Brian Dozier on June 29.
Nathan Eovaldi of the New York Yankees had the 63rd-fastest pitch at 102.35 mph, which Dozier took for a ball on Aug. 19.
Chapman had the highest average velocity for his fastball at 99.98 mph, followed by Miami's Erik Cordier (98.39), Kansas City's Kelvin Herrera (98.37), St. Louis' Trevor Rosenthal (98.35) and Pittsburgh's Arquimedes Caminero (98.25).
Kansas City's Yordano Ventura had the highest velocity among starting pitchers who qualified for the ERA title at 96.79 mph. The Cardinals' Carlos Martinez was next at 96.36 mph, followed by the New York Mets' Matt Harvey (96.18), Chis Sale of the Chicago White Sox (96.14) and Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole (95.98).
Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs hit the longest home run, a 495-foot drive off Arizona's Rubby De La Rosa at Wrigley Field on Sept. 6. Washington's Michael Taylor was second with a 492-footer against Colorado's Yohan Flande at Coors Field on Aug. 20. The distance is what the ball would have traveled had it landed at field level.
Miami's Giancarlo Stanton had the three highest launch speeds of balls off the bat, ranging from 120.3 mph to 119.2 mph.
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Post by Canuck eh? on Oct 5, 2015 18:53:09 GMT -5
What are the yankees chances to win the al east? Not very good.  |
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Post by bigddude on Oct 5, 2015 18:55:30 GMT -5
What are the yankees chances to win the al east? Not very good. I left this place vacant for far too long...... |
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Oct 6, 2015 11:44:52 GMT -5
While Kershaw may not win the N.L Cy, and while K's are not the end all, be all stats, consider these. Kershaw struck out 301 guys this year. Keep that in mind, as, it may be a long time before anyone but him does it again. And, also keep in mind that his K-per 9 was more than 11, which only happens a few times every few years. This year, Chris Sale not only did it, but, his numbers were in fact slightly better. Just saying. Kershaw is so dominant that he has got to be in the conversation every year. Strikeouts aren't everything though, as Chris Sale proved. He had a poor supporting cast but at least four times this season I witnessed his lack of composure help him get beat. I go with Keuchel for AL Cy, the NL is another matter. I could go Arrieta, Greinke or Kershaw here. I have never seen anybody garner less attention from a 1.66 ERA than Greinke. Part of it has to do with how nearly unhittable his teammate and Arrieta have been since the break. On the overall body of work, I guess I'll take Arrieta on 22-6, 1.77. |
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Post by bigddude on Oct 6, 2015 12:06:28 GMT -5
While Kershaw may not win the N.L Cy, and while K's are not the end all, be all stats, consider these. Kershaw struck out 301 guys this year. Keep that in mind, as, it may be a long time before anyone but him does it again. And, also keep in mind that his K-per 9 was more than 11, which only happens a few times every few years. This year, Chris Sale not only did it, but, his numbers were in fact slightly better. Just saying. Kershaw is so dominant that he has got to be in the conversation every year. Strikeouts aren't everything though, as Chris Sale proved. He had a poor supporting cast but at least four times this season I witnessed his lack of composure help him get beat. I go with Keuchel for AL Cy, the NL is another matter. I could go Arrieta, Greinke or Kershaw here. I have never seen anybody garner less attention from a 1.66 ERA than Greinke. Part of it has to do with how nearly unhittable his teammate and Arrieta have been since the break. On the overall body of work, I guess I'll take Arrieta on 22-6, 1.77. And I think Arrieta will be the choice. Not that I fully agree, but, it is hard to argue against a guy who just pulled off the best 2nd half for a pitcher in the games history. |
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Oct 6, 2015 12:09:34 GMT -5
Kershaw is so dominant that he has got to be in the conversation every year. Strikeouts aren't everything though, as Chris Sale proved. He had a poor supporting cast but at least four times this season I witnessed his lack of composure help him get beat. I go with Keuchel for AL Cy, the NL is another matter. I could go Arrieta, Greinke or Kershaw here. I have never seen anybody garner less attention from a 1.66 ERA than Greinke. Part of it has to do with how nearly unhittable his teammate and Arrieta have been since the break. On the overall body of work, I guess I'll take Arrieta on 22-6, 1.77. And I think Arrieta will be the choice. Not that I fully agree, but, it is hard to argue against a guy who just pulled off the best 2nd half for a pitcher in the games history. What is your gut feeling about Greinke? Do you think he will stay with the Dodgers? |
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Post by bigddude on Oct 6, 2015 12:13:13 GMT -5
And I think Arrieta will be the choice. Not that I fully agree, but, it is hard to argue against a guy who just pulled off the best 2nd half for a pitcher in the games history. What is your gut feeling about Greinke? Do you think he will stay with the Dodgers? I do. When looking at the win/winning now teams, I see 3 teams above the rest. Those being, the Dodgers, the Royals, & the Cards.
He has done the Royals before, and, I do not think he will return. And, I don't see the Cards going after him, as they have so many young arms, that paying top $$ for Greinke makes less sense to them than it would to other teams.
Hence, welcome back Zach.
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Post by tigertowner 68 on Oct 6, 2015 14:13:26 GMT -5
I am amazed by some of the just completed season team statistics for this season as they pertain to the Detroit Tigers.
Not a bit surprised that the Tigers were 28th in ERA and K's by team. This is what you get when you let Max Scherzer go and replace him with Alfredo Simon. Daniel Norris is promising but can't compare with the departed David Price. Justin Verlander finally got back on track but it took until mid August.
What is crazy though, is that Tigers' batters led the major leagues in hits, batting average and OPS, and were second in OBP. The notoriously slow afoot team even managed middle of the pack 16th in steals.
But this all added up to them being tied for a mere 15th in runs scored (the most important statistic)!
Looking back now, what I recall from seeing 24 games at the ball park and probably parts of more than 135 games on TV was that the team grounded into tons of DPs. Sure enough, they led MLB with 152 GIDPs (four more than the Braves) all while just ranking 24th in total ground outs! What timing! They also were 21st in sacrifice flies and 27th in sacrifice bunts, even with a catcher James McCann (of all things) leading his position in them and tying Jose Iglesias for the team lead. 12 teams in MLB left more runners on base.
If you look at enough team statistics it can befuddle you at times. Other times it galvanizes what you felt you had already known and seen.
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Post by bigddude on Oct 6, 2015 14:30:30 GMT -5
I am amazed by some of the just completed season team statistics for this season as they pertain to the Detroit Tigers. Not a bit surprised that the Tigers were 28th in ERA and K's by team. This is what you get when you let Max Scherzer go and replace him with Alfredo Simon. Daniel Norris is promising but can't compare with the departed David Price. Justin Verlander finally got back on track but it took until mid August. What is crazy though, is that Tigers' batters led the major leagues in hits, batting average and OPS, and were second in OBP. The notoriously slow afoot team even managed middle of the pack 16th in steals. But this all added up to them being tied for a mere 15th in runs scored (the most important statistic)! Looking back now, what I recall from seeing 24 games at the ball park and probably parts of more than 135 games on TV was that the team grounded into tons of DPs. Sure enough, they led MLB with 152 GIDPs (four more than the Braves) all while just ranking 24th in total ground outs! What timing! They also were 21st in sacrifice flies and 27th in sacrifice bunts, even with a catcher James McCann (of all things) leading his position in them and tying Jose Iglesias for the team lead. 12 teams in MLB left more runners on base. If you look at enough team statistics it can befuddle you at times. Other times it galvanizes what you felt you had already known and seen. Once again, you leave me with only - I agree.
Not surprisingly though, I tend not to do this with the Dodgers, or, MLB. I did come in Monday morning, and go over the team logs of all of my fantasy teams.
And, like you state above, the info there can be very telling, and help you understand who and where you went wrong with, and who and where you went right.
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