Sunday, March 01, 2009

PICASNER'S GOT TO GET A LIFE

***...AND SO DO SOME SPORTSWRITERS***
Baseball has always been about numbers and statistics and statistics is just stirring up numbers in a bowl. For the last few years, writers and sports nuts have been trying to use numbers to measure every aspect of the game. They have come up with stats to quantify everything: the value of stolen bases, on base pct. (OBP), walks + hits per inning (WHIP), etc. They have even tried to measure the effect ballparks have. Now, Peter Keating has tried to put a number on the ACTUAL value of relief pitchers, called the Kay-BR (strikeouts per baserunner). I read his article and explanation and I still have no idea how that translates into the value of a reliever. You know it's bulls**t when half the article is spent explaining all the oddities and abnormalities that don't fit your original thesis. Peter, take off your shoes, put your feet up, have a beer and turn on a spring training game. Trust me, the headache will go away.

***WATCH THIS GUY***
Destined to be a first round draft pick, this San Diego State pitcher has some amazing credentials. In his last game, he struck out 16 hitters in 6 2/3 innings. According to the radar gun, his fastball reached 102 mph...7 times! His name is Stephen Strasburg. Could be great...and we don't even know what his Kay-BR is.

***OZZIE HAS A SENSE OF HUMOR***
When the White Sox played the Cubs in an inter-league game at Wrigley last summer, Ozzie was unhappy that he couldn't use a DH. So when they met up for a spring training game, Cubs manager, Lou Piniella told Ozzie, "What do you want. We'll try to accommodate you." Ozzie replied, "Can I have a couple of your players?" You'll need 'em, Ozzie.

***AH, CURT SCHILLING - THE MOUTH THAT ROARED***
Since he is now a free agent, he was quoted as saying, "I would love to play, but only for a team that is a playoff contender, like the Rays or the Cubs." Uh, didn't you just blow a shot at the Red Sox? Why don't you and Manny start your own team?

***ANYONE REMEMBER OIL CAN BOYD?***
Former Red Sox pitcher who hasn't pitched in 17 years with a career record of 78-77, has recently stated he's ready for a comeback at age 49. According to Kevin Gleason of the Middletown Times, Oil Can says he still has a "12-to-6" curveball. Kevin says, "I assume he means it leaves his hand at 12 and reaches home at 6."

***YA GOTTA LOVE SCOTT OSTLER***
"What's the hardest thing to do in sports? Most people say it's hitting a baseball. I say it's justifying Bud Selig's salary."

***LAST, BUT NOT LEAST - MANNY***
" ---------------------------" No, that's not an x-ray of Manny's head, there's just nothing to report.

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