Rangers 2 - A's 1
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 12:31 AM CDT
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Print2-1. That's a score from today's baseball game and the tally of the overall series.
I missed the game today thanks to the Comcast SportsNet sending a crew to televise the games of this series but apparently deciding today's game wasn't worth their time. Did Comcast SportsNet Bay Area take a day off to go to Six Flags or something?
Ray Fosse: "Want to go to Hurricane Harbor?"
Glen Kuiper: "Heck no. It's not warm enough for that yet!"
Ray Fosse: "What? It's like 90 outside today."
Glen Kuiper: "That's like...air temperature or something. The water is probably still cold."
Ray Fosse: "Fine, want to go to the House of Wax?"
Glen Kuiper: "Ooooh. Yeah! Do you think they have a Wax Pete Rose?"
Ray Fosse: :(
I'm sure it has to do with the actual TV contract, by why even send a crew if you're not going to broadcast all of the games. Anyhow, because I live in Oakland, somehow, I was supposed to be able to go to the game in Texas as the Rangers' broadcast of the game was blacked out on MLB.tv.
However, once the game was archived on MLB.tv, I watched the whole damn thing so I could sweat out a sweet win like everyone here.
Some thoughts on a nice series win and a two game division lead for the Texas Rangers:
- I'm not sure exactly why Josh Donaldson is afraid of home plate, but he made two routine looking plays at the plate much more vague for the umpire to call. In fact, upon watching the replay of Ian Kinsler's attempt to come home, I'm pretty sure Donaldson didn't actually apply the tag until Ian was sitting on the plate.
- C.J. Wilson is now the guy I'm most confident of when I check out who is starting the game that night. I think back to just about every time he was called into a ballgame from the bullpen the past few seasons and the groans of contempt that was heard from a large contingent of every faction of Rangers fans and I am amazed that C.J. is doing what he is doing.
He's walking too many batters and he isn't striking out very many, and eventually he's going to give up home runs, but even as he regresses, I'm confident that he is a much better starter than I thought he would be. This experiment is becoming a revelation.
- Gio Gonzalez is a funny when he is unhappy:
- The O'Day chant needs to become canon at the Ballpark. It has become one of those natural, not forced, special things about the Rangers and the Rangers fans that doesn't come along very often. The chant needs to continue to be cultivated and nurtured so that when the Rangers are fighting off foes late in meaningful games in September, the entire 45K+ crowd is hollering their 'O'Days' in a way that transfixes the opponent and becomes a part of the legacy.
- Speaking of O'Day, he might not get the opportunity to pitch late in meaningful September games if Ron Washington continues to show a lack of know-how on how to use him. It was 7-0 Rangers in the 7th inning yesterday when Ron Washington inexplicably put O'Day in a game he had no business seeing. At other times, we've seen O'Day come in for only one or two batters.
O'Day has been the Rangers third most effective reliever behind Neftali Feliz and Darren Oliver. He shouldn't be coming into a game as a mop up guy. That's what Doug Mathis is here for. And even though Doug Mathis did come in the next inning, pitching O'Day in that game just didn't make any sense. O'Day would have been very useful in the game today but, because of last night, he was all but unavailable. I just don't think Ron Washington knows what he has in Darren O'Day.
- Back on April 28th I mentioned a trend of Ron Washington lead baseball teams and how once they get themselves out of the two week funk of the last half of April, they tend to have a solid May. I was hoping for the Rangers to go 10-5 over the next 15 games played from that date. They've gone 10-4 since then. Regardless of tomorrow night's game in Toronto, the Rangers are meeting expectations.
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Colby's become the pitcher I'm most confident in.
But I agree, while I expect quite a bit of regression from Ceej, I’ve become quite confident he’s going to be better than I ever expected him to be.
CJ is who AJM and I are most confident in
but Colby is right there as well. I seem to always miss a lot of his games, but it seems like he gets into early trouble the times I have seen him.
Because they are the same person?
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Aye
I’m at the point where I’m bracing myself for a regression start when CJ takes the hill these days.
A bit of the same with Colby too, really, but he misses more bats so hopefully his regression start won’t be as bad.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
I'm at that point between is games.
But during them, I get wrapped up in his low-ERA goodness and don’t think about it.
And I'm not expecting much negative regression from Lewis.
The walks could stand to be lower, but I’m just not seeing much reason to expect it other than lack of track record.
Yeah...
Colby’s predictive stats are nearly the same as his actual stats. If nothing else, as you said, he will probably regress just because that’s what most pitchers do over the year, but for now, Colby is actually pitching as well as it looks like he is.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Woah. Are you gay for Colby or something?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:05 AM CDT up reply actions
Lol is this really how the Japanese see him? Ridiculous.
and maybe slightly racist?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Hmn?
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
The only thing that really worries me about Colby
Is the Rangers pushing him to hard in the first half because of the Nolan/Maddux edict and having him eventually flame out a bit in the second half.
Otherwise I expect him to be our #1 starter going into 2011.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
I'm shocked...
you’re bracing yourself for something negative?
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
And someone explain the O'Day usage patterns to me.
Is it just randomly putting pitchers in at random moments or do some people in the organization have no confidence in him? And who are these people and why?
Two Words
Ron Washington.
You know this, man.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
he do what he do
(Wife) "So what do you want to watch on the T.V.? UFC or porn?"
(Husband) "Hmm... well, porn, I guess."
I just really don't understand why the team would collect players but allow the manager to form his own opinion of their abilities.
Especially if they feel those opinions are incorrect, which surely they must with O’Day.
so you're saying
your saying you want to see him in more high-leverage situations?
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
yes...
…. or at least less mop up situations
by blueballlefty on May 14, 2010 12:57 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not.
But, yes, absolutely. I want him to be the #3 in the bullpen, at lest until Frankie shows he can have that stuff he had today consistently.
the question mark made it weird
i was agreeing with you
You said he’s your number three. What’s your the order of your top 5 relievers?
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Probably Feliz > Oliver > O'Day > Frankie > Nippert
Mathis and Nippert are kind of hard for me to pick between, but I’ll go with the one who misses more bats, both this year and last. He seems to have a better reputation, too.
Both I actually think will become closer to passable as the season goes on. Chris Ray is the only one in the bullpen who I don’t have confidence to at least become useful going forward.
Actually, I'm second guessing Mathis and Nippert.
The walk and fly ball differences give me some pause.
Couple reasons.
More experience, more track record and then there xFIPs the last three years.
Oliver: 2.60, 3.92, 4.15
O’Day: 4.64, 3.85, 4.33
O’Day has pitched fewer innings, has lower K rates and allows the ball to go in to the air more often.
He does have a better swinging strike rate, though, which is some yummy goodness from a reliever and instills whole bunches of confidence in him with me.
Is that all data over 3 years?
I watched a video about how Maddux just changed O’days positioning on the rubber for right handed batters after his first outing in Toronto and it revolutionized his game. At least, that was his claim and I’m sure the data would bear that out to some extent?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:28 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not entirely sure what you're asking.
But the Toronto outing should have little effect on the season total.
Yes.
But, he faced one batter and did not induce a true outcome, so it probably doesn’t make much of a difference.
No no
I’m saying that you have to view him as two different pitchers. Pre-Toronto O’day and Post-Toronto O’day. That game is just the line of demarcation.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Lol so the question is
if you compare the two pitchers again using only Post Toronto O’day how does it look?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:02 AM CDT up reply actions
Well, I really don't think it would make much of a difference.
You’re talking about throwing out the first of those seasons and a small part of O’Day’s last season, right? I’m not seeing how it would make a substantial difference.
I’m also not saying Oliver is blowing him out of the water, either. This is 2A and 2B.
I think you would be surprised at the difference
I’ve been on the O’day bandwagon for a hot minute. His explanation was that when he always stood on the left side of the rubber right handers could see the ball well the whole way. Once he slid to the right that all changed. I might have all the lefts and rights backwards, but that video is out there somewhere. I completely buy this story though and think the stats must bear it out.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:12 AM CDT up reply actions
But the thing is, he was good before that shift.
Just one walk, a couple strikeouts and not a single home run before coming to the Rangers. The Mets were psychotic to let him go. I was wondering what they could possibly have seen when I looked at his numbers after we claimed him and turns out it was probably just Omar.
Yeah that is a great point.
and I can never truly hate the Mets because they gave us such a great gift. Plus I was at Shea for the slip and slide game when their fans were chanting for our team. I get goosebumps thinking about that shit. Thanks Mets!
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:21 AM CDT up reply actions
ODay
See im not that worried about it actually. He doesn’t get used in extended stints often if ever, and he strikes me as the type that could go out 5 days a week for one inning or a partial inning and do the job. Sure days like Wednesday when we are up big theres no need for him but I don’t think it will actually affect him over the long haul.
Bryan Smith (12:17:17 PM PT): Justin Smoak and Josh Hamilton. The AL West might just have found their Bash Brothers, v. 2.0.
That's not what concerns me.
Using him in low leverage situations and going to lesser relievers in high leverage is what concerns me.
You're...
Pete Rose-ing my Ray Fosse, man.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 12:58 AM CDT up reply actions
Do you think I could get Fosse to sign my Pete Rose autographed picture of the event?
I was at the Rose-Fosse game when I was a kid.
I believe there are thousands of these pictures but this is the actual angle I had from my seat.
Ray Fosse...
was a good player, but is a horrible announcer.
I hate hate hate listening to him call games.
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
O'Day
you’re so right about the chant. I was there Wednesday for it and it was just plain cool. Bully to the fans for picking up on this and making it ours.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
hey goET
not to be one of those people, but i think you meant “Ron Washington – LED baseball teams…”
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
O'Day
he had 64 appearances last year allowing only 12 runs and has 16 appearances already this year while only allowing 1 unearned run. So as a Ranger he has appeared in 80 games while only allowing 13 total and 12 earned runs. He actually has a decent split facing lefties (although he probably hasn’t faced many elite LH hitters) while actually having a higher K rate against lefties. This guy is not just a solid bullpen arm for us, he is one of the best relievers in the game and needs to be used as such
15-6 since April 22
The team’s talent has overcome several bullpen meltdowns, defensive gaffes, manager WTF’s, and a complete lack of production from catcher and CF while two of its biggest weapons spent significant time on the DL.
Colby, CJ, Elvis, and don’t look now, but Josh Hamilton has a .384 wOBA, nearly identical to 2008.
Despite the defensive gaffes, the team is on pace to allow only 667 runs this year, which would be 73 runs better than last year, 300 runs better than 2008, and their best season total since 1983.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
by t ball on May 14, 2010 1:02 AM CDT reply actions 5 recs
That was like...
you were making love to my ears.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:05 AM CDT up reply actions
or eyes, unless he read it to you?
but yes my eyes loved that whole post
by blueballlefty on May 14, 2010 1:11 AM CDT up reply actions
sloppy seconds
Team ERA+ is 118 which would be the best since 1983.
Best K per 9 pace since 1989
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
where do you get this stuff?
and rec, btw
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Baseball Reference
Click on the team name on the home page
And lest we forget: on pace for 92.6 wins, best since 1999.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
It would be...
the second best ever.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:27 AM CDT up reply actions
we do see a lot more of
TB, NYY, BOS, MIN, DET, LAA in the second half though.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
If we got rid of the Gut
by how many wins do you think this team would realistically be improved. I know that is not a good metric, but as I see them continue to win in spite of him, I am starting to get pretty damn excited.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:34 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not sure I understand the logic.
this team is 5 games over .500 after 35 and sits in first place.
If we fired our Manager today and brought in the skipper of your choice, where would be realistically be after the next 35?
Wouldn’t you take 40-30 with a 3 game lead? Because, that’s what we’re on pace for.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Well I can't back up the feeling
that we are winning in spite of his managing on a regular basis with stats so its hard to argue about it. I’ve never been a big fan of his but I’m not sure I want to shake up the clubhouse like that right now. Just pretend its an alternate reality where we have a different manager. You don’t see us being better?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:47 AM CDT up reply actions
I see it being easy to say
“If Wash had brought in this guy” or “Wash hadn’t bunted with so-and-so…” and equating those things to would-be wins. But quantifying those things is impossible because events didn’t happen that way. I just think it’s a flawed way of thinking.
As for future results, yeah, we would benefit from more, lets say ‘traditional’ baseball management. But in terms a sheer number of wins produced by a club, doesn’t that have to come down to the quality and the play of the team?
Look at me; I sound like a hypocrite, Just today I wanted to do unspeakable things to Wash’s freshly made corpse. I don’t mean to contradict: I think Washington is incapable and should not be managing a big-league team, especially my big-league team. But I also don’t think you just plug in another manager and you add 4 or 5 or 6 wins to this current team’s total.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Yeah thats why I qualified by saying it was a bad metric
Is there something that could better measure the net difference of having a better manager?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:10 AM CDT up reply actions
i'm no stathead
I know there’s optimal lineup generators which can tell you an approximate run value, positive or negative, for each lineup a manager puts together. Outside of that, I don’t know of much.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
So for instance, we could use that to show
that pinch hitting Garko for the Smoak-monster really is a brilliant idea (good work Ron)? I know it is SSS but please dump that piece of shit. I could hit LHP better than that assclown.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:18 AM CDT up reply actions
I love C.J. Wilson
I never thought I would say that. Oh and I love O’day.
OdaaaaaaayOdaaaayodayoday
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:11 AM CDT reply actions
I love Lamp
is the name of the team that beat us at trivia last night. Fuckers.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Two Charlie's in Denton
great place on Sunset if anyone’s ever by there.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
My dad got his ass kicked there when I was like 8, back when it was Sunset Grill....
Some college kid put something in my mom’s breast pocket, touching her boobies.
My dad punched the dude in the nose, the college kid then beat up my drunk dad.
I wasn’t there, but never knew the full story til my parents got divorced, I just remember my dad wearing sunglasses for a week…..they were similar to the sunglasses Marion Cobretti fashioned in “Cobra”
True story.
"Sometimes you just want to sit back and watch somebody throw 100." - Jeff Passan on Neftali Feliz
"Baseball's all that's real" - JB
heh, good one
loved Sunset. My dad would take us there when my mom wasn’t with us, because she thought it was a dive. Where she ever got that idea, i’ll never know…
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Yeah, that signing is looking real good right now
and I love that he and Vlad aren’t doing what they do for the Angels.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
And i'm glad the other guy they lost to our division is really struggling
making both teams worse thus far.
I did not.
I just leech such facts and understanding from the legit FanGraph prodigies such as yourself. Too lazy/busy to delve that deep into the stats so I greatly appreciate when you legit amateur sabrematricians put that shit out there. First, I need to actually understand what FIP means, me thinks.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:26 AM CDT up reply actions
No I understand what it stand for
but that does not mean I really get it. You know. Like I don’t know how to use the numbers to truly gain a better understanding. It truly is appreciative when you help those of us who are just as passionate about the team but not as knowledgeable about the game rather than shitting on us for our (maybe just my) stupidity.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:30 AM CDT up reply actions
wow. terrible grammar. sorry.
I know what it stands for*
appreciated*
i should probably just go to bed.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:32 AM CDT up reply actions
Just look at it the way you would ERA.
If a pitcher was in front of a neutral defense with neutral luck, it’s how many runs he’d allow per 9 innings, basically. It is not (at least in its usually-cited form) park-adjusted.
BTW, that is slightly different because FIP is scaled to look like ERA.
(A process I disagree with.)
So it’s not exactly in line with runs allowed so that it can look like ERA, but just use it like ERA.
Do they think people are too stupid to observe the relative value of it
or is just because everyone is so in love with ERA?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Yes.
It is because they are marketing it and think people are too stupid to buy it as simply RA not exactly comparable to ERA.
They do the same thing to wOBA, and I buy them doing it to wOBA a little better, but I really wish they wouldn’t. It makes converting wOBA to total runs more difficult and makes it more of a “score” than an actual representation of something.
wait, what?
how is it scaled to look like ERA? you mean, just because it tells you runs allowed per 9 innings?
What is your opinion on it?
I understand the reasoning, I just really, really don’t like it. I wish I could at least easily un-do it.
FIP is actually one of the more easy to understand things out there, I think.
ab03 summed it up just fine.
Here’s some deeper stuff if you want to understand the weights: Link A and Link B.
xFIP just normalizes fly ball rates, assuming a certain number of fly balls go over the fence, rather than just crediting actual home runs (working on the idea that how many fly balls actually become home runs is mostly out of the pitcher’s control) and has a slightly better ERA predictive values than normal FIP from studies I’ve seen, but it’s also still in the “experimental” stage.
No.
That was tRA’s goal. It uses the linear weight values of various events to form a similar, but more thorough, stat. And I loved that idea.
But, since then, it’s been tested and has not been shown to have better predictive qualities than FIP or xFIP (or SIERA, btw), while there still is no evidence showing pitchers have much control over LD% and GB% over a large sample, though there does seem to be support that some outliers can.
This is probably getting more in to Snark’s territory.
tRA
I was always a little skeptical of tRA. I’m not really sure why.
But when I did the math for the season after it came out, and saw it was much worse in predicting ERA than FIP or xFIP, well, I stopped believing in any use of it.
I’m still not sure if FIP or xFIP is better, mainly because from the prediction data I’ve seen of it, they’ve been about the same…. But I haven’t done as much of a study of which is better between FIP or xFIP.
Tom Tango introduced something a while ago that does called Batted Ball FIP, though.
“bbFIP”
And I wish I had more time to really get to know it because it seems like I should. Here’s a quick link about it.
I like the last line
ignoring everything but walks and strikeouts was the best predictor.
makes sense actually. why is HR’s in there?
Well, my first guess is that people want to buy in to pitchers having more control than maybe they actually do.
I find it really, really difficult to believe that almost everything that happens to pitchers is, in general, not really up to them. And I find that difficult to believe just because I haven’t been raised that way by baseball convention.
That’s why I jumped on the tRA bandwagon before I probably should have. My mind tells me that pitchers have great control over how often they give up line drives and induce ground balls. And similarly, it tells me they have some control over how often they let balls leave the yard. And really there’s not just that much reason for me to believe that other than wanting to. Meanwhile, there’s solid evidence that I’ll get a better picture of them if I assume they don’t.
But this makes sense:
The reality is that everybody who can get hitters to whiff enough to hold a roster spot on a major-league team has similar skills at preventing hits on balls in play.
That was a pretty amazing thread
I clicked through to glance at Pizza Cutter’s article on pitcher stats normalizing again. It’s odd to me that K’s normalize so much more quickly than BBs. But it’s shocking how many pitcher stats never normalized even in a full season of plate appearances (750 batters faced). Again we’re confronted with the idea that “luck” (good or bad) can last a very long time.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
That would go a long way to explaining why relievers come off as so volatile from year to year, right?
An “every third day” reliever is only facing about 200 batters.
and why a guy like John Lannan
can “outperform” his numbers for two seasons and then crash to earth. Some have pointed to cases like that as “proof” that DIPS theory is off, that some pitchers must be doing something to control their outcomes more than others.
Feldman might be in the same boat as Lannan. He’s quickly gone from not as good as some think to probably not as bad as he looks. He’s been both bad and unlucky, and last year he was both good and lucky.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
I was not.
Though I would have been if I hadn’t been scared it would be our only signing at the point.
I think the Oliver signing...
was unusual because no one at the time knew how much money the Rangers had to play around with and no one knew the Rangers were thinking at that time that C.J. Wilson was going to likely be a starter. Still, I was on board with the signing and it has been a good one so far.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:30 AM CDT up reply actions
Yep
At the time, we thought we had zero money to spend and nobody was really taking the CJ-to-the-roto idea seriously. We thought we’d just spent a significant part of our extremely small wad of cash on a 40 y/o second lefty for the bullpen, which was why there was so much backlash over it initially.
Apparently theres just something about Oliver that makes him a bit of a freak, the RP version of Jamie Moyer I guess, and the Rangers should get props for seeing that.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
Imagine how sullen...
Evan Grant would be these days if Darren Oliver weren’t around.
Poor RangerFloppy would just get dirty looks in the press box.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:04 AM CDT up reply actions
I actually
liked the whole CJ-to-the-rotation idea as an idea, but I was a little questionable about the timing….
He had pitched well as a reliever, and his stuff translated well since he plays with so many different pitches. And sort of thinks like a starter (which is sometimes too much as a reliever).
Of course, I didn’t think he’d do as well as his ERA is, nor his FIP, but I had a hunch that he might be a mid-3 ERA type guy, especially with the fielding behind him.
I also loved the Lewis signing, but had reservations about Harden and whether he would be fully healthy and was ok with Vlad.
I missed wildly on Garko and Oliver and the bullpen has shown me up some. I think I was more worried about Oliver being the last of the “spending spree” and that we wouldn’t address the crappy offense issue, which they did address with Vlad.
So, not to rain on your parade
but you weren’t very accurate in your predictions….
But it was a good read.
Record predictions?
I said 10-5 and they’re 10-4. That’s about as close to predicting a 15 game block of baseball games as I’ll ever come.
:(
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:33 AM CDT up reply actions
Oh, ha.
The Series Preview isn’t meant to be so much predictive as just painting an (hopefully) entertaining picture of the next series coming up. The Rangers struggle with lefties, Gio Gonzalez is pretty good. Therefore, angle. Ben Sheet hasn’t been good for the reasons I mentioned but you could kind of see him turning it around recently. In a three game series, no matter what I mention, it practically all goes out the window due to small sample size. Kudos to you, however, on pegging Gio Gonzalez for being ripe for slaughter.
Also, in regards to predictions from that thread of the Rangers next 15 games, I could have been as wrong as Jon:
“I have a feeling we’re gonna get swept in Seattle this weekend
Lee, Felix, and Cy Fister…”
Sucker.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:43 AM CDT up reply actions
In tomorrow's...
preview, I predict the Rangers win 4 games in the 3 game series.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:48 AM CDT up reply actions
Tmw will be my first time back to Arlington in 4 years
and the boys decided to split for fuckin Toronto. Poor me. Whats the real prediction for this series?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:51 AM CDT up reply actions
If you break the season into 23 seven game periods,
winning 3 out of 7 makes you the worst team in baseball and winning 4 out of 7 probably gets you to the playoffs. I know there isn’t much value in looking at it this way, but when we got to 20-15 today and I noticed we were keeping that pace, I started to feel pretty good about this thing.
Maybe it is tine? Also, I like the looks of that Derek Hollandsopus kid.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:43 AM CDT reply actions
Today is by far the best I've felt about this team.
Yesterday was a great, dominant win, and today was big for standings purposes.
There’s a long way to go and we could lose the season probably almost as often as we win it, but I at least finally feel confident that this year probably ends with October baseball.
Amen, brother.
and hopefully said October will be sans fuckin yankees!
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 1:54 AM CDT up reply actions
I think what feels good...
and perhaps different about this year compared to last year, where the team was basically in the exact same position with a nearly identical record, is it doesn’t feel like the Angels are just going to get good suddenly like they always do this time.
Of course, now they will and I’ll be sad again.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:58 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm not nearly as worried about playing the Angels this year.
That just further exacerbates that feeling I share with you. Is there any statistical explanation of why every game with Oakland (minus our first blowout of the year) is such a grind?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:00 AM CDT up reply actions
Luckily, not to produce them.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Sounds like what ESPN the magazine told me Seattle would be...
and other than the being good thing, i suppose that is pretty accurate.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:07 AM CDT up reply actions
They're...
kind of turning into what Seattle thought they were going to be at the start of the year. They were similar to begin with but they’ve taken the Mariner model and made it work for them.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:07 AM CDT up reply actions
jinx asshole. now give us that real prediction on the Toronto series.
Thank you in advance.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:08 AM CDT up reply actions
this guy...
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Whenever...
I feel like I have something to say about a series/have time, probably.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 1:47 AM CDT up reply actions
Random Question: Who has a better season this year, Elvis or Nelly?
Nelly has had a better season even with a whole lot less playing time, but Elvis’s skill set (and potential to grow due to youth, possibly) just makes me feel much more confident in him going forward. Not that I think Nellie will be any less than an All-Star-caliber talent.
And beyond that, who do you think will be the best Ranger this year? One of those two? Colbyashi? Ceej? Kinsler? Someone else?
It could very well end up being...
Josh Hamilton if he doesn’t fall into a prolonged slump some time during the season.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:21 AM CDT up reply actions
My lowered expectations with Hamilton before the season
has done wonders.
by lost in space on May 14, 2010 2:27 AM CDT up reply actions
I like to always have abysmally low expectation for all of my teams
then the good shit makes you so happy. I highly recommend giving it a try.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:37 AM CDT up reply actions
Elvis'
all-around contributions and the ease with which he’s handled the new challenges (leadoff) thrown his way only speak to his Godmodeness. His .363 BABIP is unsustainable and if you’re a greedy bastard like me you’d like to see some doubles bring up a .345 slug, but that’s virtually the only thing you can nitpick. Love that dude.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Mark who?
Smoak Monster + Tine E = Fuck Texiera
p.s. is it acceptable to cuss on here?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:31 AM CDT up reply actions
You clearly haven't spent much time in the GDT's, have you?
Heh.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
A long time lurker...
but I just started posting though and cussing is such a part of my vernacular it goes largely unnoticed when I’m reading
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:39 AM CDT up reply actions
Well it shouldn't be much of an adjustment then
We’re all insane, profane and… what rhymes with profane… arcane.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
the trolls mundane
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I just realized...
RangerMad is gonna owe us all drinks.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:47 AM CDT up reply actions
damn right
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I would think with his stellar line drive rates (which stand to likely remain as good the rest of the season). . .
. . . XBH should probably come in the future.
The thing about Cruz is his age
He’ll be 30 this year, which gives him 3, maybe 4 years at best before he starts to hit that inevitable point of decline. Elvis has his entire 20’s ahead of him and should only get better for the length of his time under team control.
This year though I’ll take Cruz over Elvis as far as overall value goes, since they’re both elite defenders and Elvis’s lack of power will start to show more as his BABIP comes down.
Agree wit GoET about Hamilton though. He’s back, and as long as he doesn’t hit a slump it’ll be between him and Cruz for best overall position player at least.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
The flip side is that Elvis is going to end up
costing us a pretty penny when he is still very young. Let’s hope Mr. Greenberg is willing to shell it out when the time comes. He is only the FFOTF.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:35 AM CDT up reply actions
If Profar
Is everything he’s hyped as, I have a feeling we might not have to worry about that.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
Is next year Elvis' first potential arbo year?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:40 AM CDT up reply actions
then two years of arb? or is it 3/3?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:42 AM CDT up reply actions
What do you think is a fair estimate of what he will cost us in arbo?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:44 AM CDT up reply actions
No idea, I'm terrible at that sort of thing
though I think the commonly used estimator is something like 40/60/80 % of market value year to year. But as the formula is calculated, power guys with lots of HRs get big numbers, a guy like Elvis might be a tiny bit cheaper than a power hitter.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
I think (hope?)
that we sign him to a Longoria/Sizemore-like deal….
He’s going to be a really good player….
Bah
I’ve never actually been a big fan of Teagarden….
I think he’s a good backup, and when I heard deals floating around last year of Teagarden for Buchholz, I was all over that….
Elvis, though, is the king! :)
ummm, i think he was making a joke...
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 3:05 AM CDT up reply actions
I'll throw out 6,8, and 11 as my guess
for what TT will cost in arbo, too. I mean dollars though not millions.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 3:07 AM CDT up reply actions
He's a Boras child.
So I think we’re shit out of luck when it comes to the idea of locking him down to a team friendly, Kinsler-type deal.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
this is what makes
my balls shrink a little. Boras can and will extract top dollar for our boy.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
That's what Joey Matches said on BBTiA a couple Sundays ago.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
from TR's blog:
* Elvis Andrus is not only the Rangers best defensive player but also leading them in on-base percentage. Somewhere agent Scott Boras is smiling and counting the days
http://trsullivan.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/04/monday_morning_managerwhat_we.html
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
from Cot's
(y’all help me figure out what this means…)
Elvis Andrus ss
1 year/$418,420 (2010)
1 year/$418,420 (2010)
re-signed by Texas 3/4/10
1 year/$0.4M (2009)
contract purchased by Texas 4/5/09
acquired by Texas in trade from Atlanta 7/31/07 (Teixeira deal)
signed 2005 as amateur free agent from Venezuela
ML service: 1.000
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I think philkid was asking how long he'd been rep'ed by Boras
That just means he’s in his 2nd year, and TX signed him for that much money, a typical amount for a 2nd year player.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Yeah for some reason
I didn’t know that either. I’m not very good at the “guess the agent” game.
I wonder what percentage of players he represents?
by lost in space on May 14, 2010 2:51 AM CDT up reply actions
This is a serious buzzkill.
People are right, hiring Boras is a pretty clear symbol that free agency is a priority and highest bidder is all that matters.
I would really like the Rangers to see if they can’t make enough of an offer to get him locked up, even if it’s not as friendly as we’d like right now, but I don’t hold high hopes.
I guess the hope is that we start winning and generating cash in the meantime and can get him for fair market value once FA comes.
The good news is
MY’s albatross deal comes off the books right as Elvis goes into his FA season. So if we do wanna lock up Elvis come 2014, we at least won’t have to worry about MY’s deal anymore.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
Yes...
Just give Elvis whatever he wants. Whatever. He. Wants.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:58 AM CDT up reply actions
I really want to see if we can't do this right now.
I’m sold enough on his future that I’d feel pretty confident “whatever you want” right now would still be fair value down the road.
That enlightens
an otherwise horrible situation. I say let’s not take anything for granted for the time being.
by lost in space on May 14, 2010 2:59 AM CDT up reply actions
that thought
makes my stomach feel the same way it does when I talk about the ’06 NBA finals
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I'm sure Boras has bookmarked
Adam’s post about how unique Elvis is.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
t ball can you please
make one of your Beatles/Ranger hybrid songs? All of the sudden I’m feeling very sad.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:55 AM CDT up reply actions
Here comes Wilson
doot an’ doo doo;
Here comes Wilson, and I say,
It’s alright.
We have pitching. It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter.
We have pitching, it feels like years since it’s been here.
Here comes Wilson, doot an’ doo doo;
Here comes Wilson, and I say,
It’s alright.
Colbyashi, he made the NPB his Geisha.
Colbyashi, signed very cheaply for three years .
Here comes Wilson, doot an’ doo doo;
Here comes Wilson, and I say,
It’s alright.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
by t ball on May 14, 2010 3:07 AM CDT up reply actions 5 recs
son, son, son Colby-son
rec
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
I just threw on the youtube video and sang this shit outloud over it
feeling slightly better now. In fact, I feel the ice is slowly melting. Very much appreciated. Keep the hits coming. There is no better combination in the world than Beatles/Rangers I’ve decided.
p.s. Fuck Scott Boras
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 3:12 AM CDT up reply actions
Andrus
If he was repped by boras at the start of last season, then it makes the choice not to Longoria him look even worse
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Yah.
Maybe know we know why Dirkatron was always carping over this. Or if he didn’t know about it already, look the fuck out when he reads this thread.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
I think too much is being made
of not “Longoria-ing” him. He will likely sign an extension that buys out a couple of FA years. It won’t be cheap but then quality usually isn’t.
Thank you Houston for drafting Jason Castro.
Maybe a fair point
But I think the idea that not following the Longoria Protocol was tied to Face’s hissy fit about not playing third makes it bigger than it is.
I mean, trading one year of control for a few weeks of games is a bad trade, anyway, and I’m not saying it’s not.
But, that Face thing was one of the crumbiest Rangers moments of recent vintage.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
I'd wager there's a lot of truth to that.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
Wilson, Cruz or Andrus
would be my guesses. I love that the answer to this question is far from obvious for all the right reasons.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
Second the Hammy suggestion
but if you are including defense in the equation. I know Nelly is a great RF but short stop is short stop. And if you look at the difference between each respective player and their replacement (Young or Blanco hah) I really have to lean towards Elvis. Plus the age thing, Tiny E is stunning us all. Is there any other Ranger that everyone on LSB is gay for? Lastly, the logic of the incredible Josey Wales show us that once Nelly got injured we started winning a lot more so he has to be a complete hack, right?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:25 AM CDT reply actions
reply fail, sorry.
and that last line is sarcasm in case you weren’t sure.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:26 AM CDT up reply actions
True but he is not quite human. Not sure is counts as being gay.
i just want to bow down to him and chant “I’m not worthy” repeatedly. Speaking of which, is no one else absolutely outraged by how Ole Gutty McGutgut is handling Feliz? Thats half of why I want to see his ass fired so badly at the moment.
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:30 AM CDT up reply actions
Im I the only one not completely sold on Feliz "the closer"?
I understand the guy throws 100 sometimes, but he losses serious velocity on back to back days. Not to mention the guy can’t a spot to save his life. Seriously, watch where the catcher sets up and where the ball ends up. I guess the movement on a 100 mph fastball makes it hard to hit, but when he drops down to 94 or 95…. missing your spots and leaving shit over the plate will get you killed.
Texas Rangers- You hang 'em, we bang 'em!
and Elvis, and Holland, and Smoak , and...
"The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance."-Socrates
Does anyone remember
when we had that Michael Young guy playing short stop. Sad days. How is that guy doing anyways? Is he still in the show?
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 2:49 AM CDT reply actions
Someone please go to Food Network and watch this show with me.
And please explain what I’m seeing. It appears to be a gay couple over-explaining simple party menus to me all food-porn-style.
This is why I don't think I've ever watched 5 minutes of the food network at any given point.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
Love Good Eats
Love it. And Giada gives me hard bread.
"Drinks are on me if Lewis posts >168IP and an era lower than 3.86." by RangerMad on Jan 20, 2010 12:36 PM PST
Good eats is one of my all-time favorite tv shows
I don’t even really consider it a cooking show because it’s so entertaining
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
It was once a spectacular network.
It still has some good shows. Good Eats is a top five show on television. As “reality challenge” shows go, Chopped is good. I actually like Throwdown because it highlights a lot of interesting recipes through people who are really, really good at them, and I think it’s kind of fun to see them repeatedly abuse a far more talented but less specialized chef.
Oh, and I like "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."
Except it’s clearly just people pimping their friends’ restaurants, and they never go anywhere but NY and San Francisco.
We get it! New York has good food! Please, for the sake of the rest of the country, occasionally suggest places elsewhere!
The big problem with it now is the push for "Food Network Celebrities."
It was once about the food, but now it’s about personalities. They’ve replaced hugely talented chefs with people who often aren’t chefs at all and are instead charismatic/well-endowed TV hosts. Everything they ever advertise is about “Food Network Celebrity So-and-So.” The embodiment of this evil campaign is, obviously, Rachel Ray. And this just completely sucks for those of us with an actual passion for cooking. It’s mostly just mind-numbing at this point.
Oh, and Guy Fieri is a douche and the way he wears his sunglasses makes me vomit.
And don’t get me started on the “we’re all one big family who hang out all the time!” holiday specials. Here’s what Alton thinks of those, btw (1:56). This is one small part of why I love him so much.
That homo was actually born Guy Ferry (Fairy if you will)
He pretends to be an Italian and as an Italian that makes me want to throw up. You just summed up why I never watch that fucking channel.
p.s. no offense intended if there are any legit gay posters on LSB
by Pepperrabacchia on May 14, 2010 3:29 AM CDT up reply actions
Where does Ace of Cakes fit in there?
It’s decent entertainment, but the connection to food there is stretchy.
Paula Deen is terrible at being a human being.
Look at the comments under Jeff Wilson's blog post on dallasnews.com. What a bunch of rocket scientists.- Keith Law
Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!
Does Lemmy host that?
The Texas Rangers have been synonymous with explosive firepower ever since they emptied 130 rounds into Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow in 1934. - Alyssa Milano
You should hang with him sometime
He’s a really cool, down to earth type dude.
"I support you, Wash; I’ve always supported you," Young said
"Back on the scene, with a gangsta lean" RW
So many channels do this
try to create some kind of buzz and celebrity status instead of just focusing on making good shows. Arts & Entertainment no longer has any arts, same with Bravo. The History Channel has fucking pawn shops as a tv show, which, however interesting it might be to some people, doesn’t strike me as their core reason for being.
Even PBS whores itself out, broadcasting aging rock stars, as if they’re underexposed and the channel is doing the public a service by giving us a Moody Blues concert.
Ceterum censeo, Ron Washington esse delendam
That video was hilarious
and it’s exactly what I thought watching those shows, it’s all forced chemistry
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
They won the first series of the next food network star
"I'm against picketing, but I don't know how to show it." - Mitch Hedberg
Streaming Rangers Games
Adam, you should check out myp2pforum.edu next time you have trouble finding the Rangers on TV. I am in Virginia and able to get most of the games over this collaborative network.
I'm not Adam...
but thanks. Since I’m paying for MLB.tv, I’m trying to avoid using the pirated feeds this year. However, in an effort not to bitch about it every time I have to miss a game, I might just start using them when the MLB blackout rules stupidly effect me.
by ghostofErikThompson on May 14, 2010 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions
Donaldson
on both of the plays at the plate tagged the runner on his upper body, and both times the runners foot was already touching the plate. But in both instances the throw beat the runner by a mile and the ump went with that. But I’ve seen high school and little league umps call runners safe in those instances. If you’re on the plate and you tag them on the chest, their foot has to reach the plate before you tag them.
"Few things go together as well as Country & Western music and crazy people" Bob Dylan
From Athletics Nation - a flight of comments about the Rangers ...
One more thing … yes, it’s still early, but to me texas looks like they have to be the favorite in this division. if we can get healthy and get a couple more bats, i think we can beat them, and hope we do, but even if they win, as long as we finish ahead of the angels and win 80 games or so, i’ll feel like it was a good season.
The Rangers are the favorites for sure right now. Their pitching has been their strength, which is definitely surprising. I just wonder how long C.J. Wilson and Colby Lewis can keep pitching like this. Also, you have to think that Rich Harden will hit the disabled list sooner rather than later. Their offense should continue to improve as the weather gets better and as they get guys back. Ian Kinsler is back and Nelson Cruz should be back soon. Health and hitting, as you noted, will be the keys to catching the Rangers. I think it can be done, but I am being realistic.
I dunno – As Nico was saying on the last gamethread, they’re a team that seems really not to know how to win. They do a lot of things to manufacture runs that actually end up costing them an unnecessary out or two a game.
.
I agree that if you look at their pitching (again assuming Wilson and Lewis keep doing what they’re doing) and their lineup, they have more going for them than the other three teams. But I’m just not convinced that they can keep it together over a season.
That’s my feeling — combine the Texas heat and its effect on pitchers over a full season, Harden’s fragility, and an obsession with making outs and running recklessly, and I think the Rangers are as likely to wilt as to hang in there.
Yup – The small ball crap that they were doing last night will cost them games. The stoopid baserunning will cost them wins. The A’s avoided the sweep a sweep because of bad management. They almost won the series because of it.
Right down to the last inning – The only thing that gave Bailey a shot at getting through the 12th was Kinsler getting caught stealing.
Agree with the comment about the running
too much hurting the team. I love Elvis, but he seems to be the biggest culprit.
Yeah
I think that’s what bugs me about this team – the roster is built the right way for the most part, best it can be with the pieces we have, anyway. But the team doesn’t really play the right way, largely due to the fact that it’s not run the right way. The infield can be mistake-prone, the baserunning has a tendency to be reckless and stupid, and the offense is developing a real knack for exasperating it’s own problems by creating outs when it doesn’t need to.
Some of that is the Ron Washington influence, and some of it is the fact that the players themselves aren’t particularly intelligent. But it’s fucking annoying and it needs to stop if we’re going to break away from the rest of the division at some point here.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
agreed
If they stopped giving away outs some of these 1-2 run games would be 3-4 run games. Are they justa reflection of their manager?
Thank you Houston for drafting Jason Castro.
It seems to have developed into a clubwide mentality, really
But I think it is a reflection of the manager, yes. Ron Washington has poisoned this team with an over-emphasis of smallball, particularly Andrus. The shit with the bunting is approaching White Sox/Ozzie Guillen-esque proportions.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
I cannot agree more with this.
The O’Day chant needs to become canon at the Ballpark
I was watching the game the other night when this started and loved it immediately. I only hope when I get up to Arlington later this month he pitches.
The O'Day chant...
…combined with his epic “Hey guys, I’m not really Kason Gabbard” entrance to the team, has the makings of a local legend.
by WildcatPhoenix on May 14, 2010 8:38 AM CDT up reply actions
Sorta OT:
Lookout Landing podcast. You can tell they’re starting to lose interest in the season, because of the lack of preparedness of the participants, and the absolute lack of editing (admittedly, Matthew does give fair warning for this). But most of all because of the content.
It’s an entertaining podcast, probably not worth it if you don’t know much about the Mariners, or hate them, or don’t care to invest a lot of time listening to an opponent’s podcast. It’s entertaining because it’s an funny view into the hearts of fans whose team is in the process of falling apart and melting down in a hurry. But if you do follow the Mariners a little (I do, but mostly because I enjoy LL), try to listen to some of it, it’s fun. If you don’t want to listen to the whole thing, you should at least open it and go to 23:45 and listen to a fairly epic meltdown rant on the subject of catcher, Rob Johnson.
If you read LL at all, one of the first things that becomes apparent is that they really, really hate Rob Johnson.
He’s actually a bigger walking punchline that Griffey is over there, or at least has been a walking punchline for longer than Griffey has.
"I think it's funny because everybody wants Ozzie Smith range," Young said. "I want people to show me a guy that has turbo range like that."
I was wondering how long it would be
before this picture showed up.
"I think I'm going to name my new car Scooter, because it dominates on the road." - mikeyoungfuturehof, 9.10.09
"I’ve been a Rangers fan all my life and I can tell you there’s been plenty of fucking crying in baseball…" - WhipSmart, 6.3.08
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