Random MLB news that is pointless to say anywhere else thread

[RightFieldCoder]

The PECOTA projection for the Cubs pitching staff is not as kind. BP sees the Cubs allowing 791 runs in the upcoming season, which would be the third highest in the league behind the Pirates (841) and Brewers (823).

How do we trade for 2 studs and still give up that many runs. I didn't think Yuni was that bad at defense.

[TooLiveBrew]

Haven't the PECOTA projections been terrible over the last few years?

I think they've been pretty suspect since Nate Silver left BP

[Invader3K]

How could the Astros possibly be projected to be better than the Brewers next season? What a joke.

[joepepsi]

I know I'll get some flak for this here, (I have before), but none of these predictor models seem any more accurate than what any fairly knowledgeable baseball fan could make just by eyeballing past performances and factoring in things like age and injury history.

 

Prince's combined averages for the past two years: .281/.406/.537, 39 hrs/ 119 rbis average per year. Seems like a reasonable over/under to me. Factor in his age, 27, and contract status, and you can boost those numbers by a few percentage points. Or leave them where they are. Either seems as reasonable a projection as any computer model might come up with. How does Pecota rank Prince?

[owbc]

The PECOTA people need to check their code. I think last season's result has been emphasized too much or they forgot to factor in trades/signings or something. If I wanted a prediction of the same 8 teams as last year making the playoffs I would have watched ESPN.

 

Here are the projections compared with last year for wins. Notice that the 2011 projected standings are entirely in the same order as 2010 except for NY and TB switching and Milwaukee/Houston switching. The other 26 teams are all projected to finish in the same slot as last year.

 

Philadelphia Phillies +3

Atlanta Braves 0

Florida Marlins +1

New York Mets 0

Washington Nationals 0

 

Central

Cincinnati Reds +2

St. Louis Cardinals -1

Houston Astros 0

Milwaukee Brewers -2

Chicago Cubs -5

Pittsburgh Pirates +2

 

 

West

San Francisco Giants +1

San Diego Padres 0

Colorado Rockies -6

Los Angeles Dodgers -1

Arizona Diamondbacks +2

 

 

American League

 

East

New York Yankees +5

Tampa Bay Rays +2

Boston Red Sox 0

Toronto Blue Jays -2

Baltimore Orioles -4

 

 

Central

Minnesota Twins +1

Chicago White Sox +1

Detroit Tigers +1

Cleveland Indians +2

Kansas City Royals +2

 

 

West

Texas Rangers +1

Oakland A's +1

Los Angeles Angels -2

Seattle Mariners +1

How can 25 out of the 30 teams finish within 2 wins of last year? Just terrible.

 

[endaround]

Until you dive into PECOTA's playing time system you have no clue. Hell they could have Marcum pitching like 70 innings. That is teh biggest problem with PECOTA right now, they don't haev the people willign to go in and check playing time results for sensible numbers.

[Patrick425]

And Boston not improving at all? I realize they are in a tough division, but I would not be surprised if they end up with 105+ wins this year.

[endaround]

Keep in mind that PECOTA also has Braun as the #2 player in baseball behind Pujols

[joepepsi]

So the Twins are going to win 95 games this year playing in a division where every team will win more games than the previous year? In a league where only 3 team are projected to do worse in 2011, by a total of 8 more losses?

 

Somehow the entire AL will win 9 more games in 2011 than in 2010? How does that work? By crushing the NL in interleague, I suppose......

 

I am anxiously awaiting my new Baseball Prospectus from Amazon, but I gotta tell ya, the last couple editions have been pretty sloppy. Not just the Pecota stuff, but sloppy editing, not very insightful essays, and factual errors. I am hopeful for something better this year.

[trwi7]

Pretty sure PECOTA had the Padres finishing last, the Giants finishing 4th and the Diamondbacks and the Diamondbacks winning the NL West last year.

[Thurston Fluff]

The crack of the bat. The sound of ball hitting leather. Rich Harden is injured. All signs baseball is near.

[joepepsi]

These guys have to know they are hurting before they show up for Spring Training. don't players work year 'round nowadays?

[TooLiveBrew]

I think I might have found the greatest-ever picture of Ned Yost. This one's pretty good, too, though.

[Invader3K]

I think I might have found the greatest-ever picture of Ned Yost. This one's pretty good, too, though.

I wouldn't have ever recognized him without the name on those cards.

 

Also, if he had that 'stache while he was managing the Brewers, maybe it would have inspired the guys to play harder and he wouldn't have been fired.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think Ron Roenicke may have just provided the first known definition of what, exactly, a "professional hitter" is:

"[Erick Almonte]'s a professional hitter that gives you that good at-bat," Roenicke said. "You guys know when we talk about professional hitters, there aren't that many around that can sit for a while, be that pinch-hitter that hits maybe once every three or four days, and he's one of those guys who has a chance to do that."

So, it's basically what everyone has assumed it is, a guy that doesn't really strike out often when he goes up to pinch hit.

[MJLiverock]

Really MLB? You feel the need to blackout a replay of a spring training game between the Brewers and Reds on you own network? Really?

[TooLiveBrew]

Really MLB? You feel the need to blackout a replay of a spring training game between the Brewers and Reds on you own network? Really?

Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Not cool.

[TooLiveBrew]

An acquaintance of mine (Dodgers fan, from LA) might have scored one of the greatest autographed items ever on his ST trip this year. Gabe Kapler signed his kippah... a baseball-themed kippah.

 

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/183274_10100181096363291_6008187_53944035_3800214_n.jpg

[Schlitz001]

Nice shoutout from McCalvy to brewerfan.net. Linked

[jjgott]

I think I might have found the greatest-ever picture of Ned Yost. This one's pretty good, too, though.

Looks like Josh Brolin from "No Country For Old Men"

[liveforoctober]

Found this on ESPN in their article on Oliver Perez's release... From what I understand, instead of paying Bobby Bonilla the $5.9 million he was owed when they released him in 1999, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla $29.8 million from 2011 until 2034. Is this accurate? Can anyone help? Did Bonilla really get a 500% return on that money?

What a great retirement package.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6242549

[Mass Haas]

Found this on ESPN in their article on Oliver Perez's release... From what I understand, instead of paying Bobby Bonilla the $5.9 million he was owed when they released him in 1999, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla $29.8 million from 2011 until 2034. Is this accurate? Can anyone help? Did Bonilla really get a 500% return on that money?

What a great retirement package.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6242549

Fine article from last summer on this topic. Nice to be him...

[endaround]

Found this on ESPN in their article on Oliver Perez's release... From what I understand, instead of paying Bobby Bonilla the $5.9 million he was owed when they released him in 1999, the Mets agreed to pay Bonilla $29.8 million from 2011 until 2034. Is this accurate? Can anyone help? Did Bonilla really get a 500% return on that money?

What a great retirement package.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=6242549

Well Madoff was making the Wilpon's so much money that this seemed like a great idea!

[dadofandrew]

I think they just bought an annuity with what money they owed him.

[Hofbraunhaus]

Forbes values the Brewers currently at $376 million, up 7% from last year. Attanasio bought the team for $223 million. Not a bad investment.