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The Royals were in dire need of a utility infielder.  They did not have to look far to find one.

Yuniesky Betancourt and the Royals agreed to a one-year, $2 million contract with incentives.  If Betancourt can become a full-time player, he could be paid $2.5 million next season.

Continue reading "Betancourt Returns to Royals"

The Minnesota Twins are looking to improve their dismal starting rotation numbers in 2012.

Last season, the Twins starters combined to post the third-worst ERA (4.64), while also striking out just 617 batters in 961 innings-pitched.

Continue reading "Twins Sign Jason Marquis to 1-Year Deal"

In the National League, the elongated double switch shows again why pitching statistics are quite poorly attributed.  A traditional double switch involves the manager inserting a position player into the game  for the current pitcher and a new pitcher for a position player--typically one who just made an out, so that the new pitcher won't be batting for nearly a full trip through the lineup.

Continue reading "More Thoughts on MLB Pitching Statistics"

Here'e another quirky entry into the "Win" category:  http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4318608.  If we used Team pitching statistics, that win would simply go to the Nationals pitching staff, which clearly it should have.

Continue reading "Another Reason Why MLB Needs Team ..."

As the Brewers wrap up a series against the Cardinals and Tony LaRussa's peculiar lineup strategy, I thought it might be worth thinking about what would make certain lineups advantageous.  LaRussa has been hitting the pitcher in the 8th spot, with a position player hitting behind him in the 9th slot, for several years now.  Why?

Continue reading "The Merits of the Pitcher Hitting 8th"

I got into a discussion with Sean yesterday about the post I made a couple of weeks ago concerning when a runner has officially taken possession of a base.  We consulted the rule book (online at baseball-almanac.com, a great site) and found no specific details about the situation.  (Though, admittedly, I did not carefully pore over every bit of it research-style, since we were simply having an entertaining discussion.)  While shifting through various alternative scenarios to try to tease out the answer, this fun one came up:

Continue reading "More Baseball Rules Discussion"

This game typifies why the open base need not always be filled.  Particularly with the winning run on third base, you are asking quite a lot of your pitcher to confine him to the box created by bases loaded.  The Brewers should have gone after Soto--a player coming in cold off the bench--with runners on second and third and 2 outs.  Instead, they blatantly pitched around him for 3 pitches, then intentionally put him on with the fourth pitch to set the stage for the walk-off walk.

Continue reading "Brewers - Cubs and Walk-off Walks"

Continue reading "Team Pitching Statistics in MLB"

When you play fantasy football, you play (almost exclusively) in a head-to-head, points-based system.  When you play fantasy baseball, you play (almost exclusively) in either a rotisserie or head-to-head, categories-based system.  When you play fantasy hockey, you play (almost exclusively) in some form of salary cap, everyone-can-have-player-X-on-the-team sysatem.

Continue reading "Why is there "standardization" fantasy sports?"

I thought it would be fitting for my first post to discuss a rules question I've thought about for baseball for quite a long time. Here's the situation: Runner on first, less than 2 outs.  The pitcher accidentally goes into the windup, and the runner takes off for second.  (Or the runner takes off, then the pitcher goes into the windup.)  There is a strange combination of blazing speed in the runner and very slow motion in the pitcher's windup.  The runner reaches second base before the pitch reaches the plate.  The batter hits a lazy fly to the outfield.

Continue reading "Rules of the game (MLB)"

I want to apologize in advance to the seven loyal Rays fans that were out there before this playoff run.  You guys/gals like myself (Royals fan) are long suffering fans of a moribund franchise until this season.  God bless you and I hope your team does well.

Continue reading "Needs More Cowbell"

My prayers have been answered.  The Boston Red Sox are not in the World Series.  I cannot tell you how happy I am that they lost to the Rays.  I am sick of the Sox fan.  You've had 5 years of winning and 86 years of losing, and you've become more annoying than the Yankee fan.  At least the Yankees have a real tradition of winning.  Show some humility and admit that the Rays were the better team.  It was great to see the Rays win game 7.  They really deserved it.  Aside from the collapse in game 5 they really played great baseball.  Hitting, pitching, and defense were all there. The worst to first season continues into the World Series. 

Continue reading "Goodbye Red Sox"

            A few minutes before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday afternoon, Jerry Jones pulled off a blockbuster deal for WR Roy Williams of the Detroit Lions.  Yes, I said “blockbuster”!  Keep in mind that trades are very rare in the NFL…especially at the trade deadline!  The Cowboys gave Detroit a 1st, a 3rd, and a 6th round draft choice.  In return the Cowboys received Roy Williams and Detroit’s 7th rounder.  Did Jerry overpay?  Did Jerry panic?  That would be NO and NO!

Continue reading "The Real Roy Williams"

Well it seems as though the "Devil" in Devil Rays has officially been exorcised.  The Rays win their first playoff game in franchise history on the shoulders of rookie Evan Longoria.

Continue reading "A Little Bit Of H-Evan"

Continue reading "Brewers Hot, Mets Not!"

 HOUSTON DEFEATS CUBS 5-3 ON A CARLOS LEE HOME RUN AS HOUSTON TAKES SERIES

After the Cubs went 8-2 on their latest home stand which made their record at home 19-8, it seems as if they forgot how to play anywhere else.  After losing to the Astros 5-3 and losing the series, the Cubs find themselves 9-11 away from the friendly Confines.  If a team wants to find themselves in the post-season, they need to win the big games on the road.  In a series that had playoff atmosphere, both teams were out to make statements.  The Astros were louder than the Cubs according to Shawn Chaccon, who got the decision in the victory.  "One message the Cubs might get out of it is, 'We're here. We're here to compete. We're going to battle,'" Chacon said. "'It's not the team it was last year. Basically, it's going to be a tough team to beat the whole year.'"

Continue reading "After winning at home, Cubs continue ..."

After the Cubs had one of their best records in April in 1969, the start of May is starting to resemble the collapse towards of the season in 1969.  In one their toughest weeks this season, nothing looked pretty as the Cubs just won two out six against there NL Central rivals the Brewers and the Cardinals.  In a week that could have seperated them from everyone else in the divison, the Cubs are now looking up towards the Cardinals who now have a 1 1/2 lead over the Cubs.  Lets quickly recap this horrible week the Cubs have endured.

Continue reading "Rough Week for Cubs spells Rough Road Ahead"

  Chicago Cubs pitcher Jason Marquis is competing for the final two spots in the starting rotation.  If he does not make the rotation, he would probably end up in bullpen.  In his first start during spring training he went 2 innings, gave up 2 runs, both earned, along with 3 hits.  However, it wasn't his arm that hurt his chances of winning a spot in the rotation.  Rather it was his mouth.  Jason Marquis does not feel he should be competing for a starting job.  He said he signed as a Cub because he thought he would be guaranteed a starter every year.  "That's my ultimate goal, that's how I think I help the team the most. Obviously, we'll see what happens when it's time for them to make their decision," Marquis told reporters.  Marquis was asked how he would feel if he did not make the rotation and ended up in the bullpen. he replied, " As much as I want to be here in Chicago, and I love it, I love the fans and the stadium, I also have a family to worry about, too.  I could take my services elsewhere if that's the case, and I could help another team in that capacity as a starter. My value doesn't lie in the bullpen in my mind."

Continue reading "To Start or To Not to Start: Marquis Sounds off"

          It was as recent as 2004 where Roger Clemens was at top of his game.  It was his first year in the National League while playing for the Houston Astros.  He ended up going 18-4 and eventually went on to win the National League Cy Young Award.  How quickly can things can fall from grace.  In December 13, 2007, Clemens name was listed in the Mitchell Report, which alleged that he had used steroids and HGH during the 1998-2001 seasons.  Ever since those allegations, Clemens has been saying he was falsely accused with his lawyer Rusty Hardin backing him up.  Even under oath in front of federal investigators and the Supreme Court, he kept to his story that he never did take HGH or steroids.  What a horrible decision that would later be for him.

Continue reading "Legend of the Fall"

As we enter this new baseball season, there is nothing better to do than predict what will happen this year.  Below are my predictions of each divison of what the final standings will be.  I also posted what the playoff picture will be and who will be the World Series Champ

Continue reading "2008 Baseball Preview: Final Standings"

As spring training finally arriving, it marks the beginning of new bright season of baseball.  Fantasy baseball owners are scrambling on what player they should own and fans are wondering if their players will deliever for them.  Below I have picked the top players at each position for the American League, who will lead at what category, who will win the awards, and who are the flops.  Enjoy!1B Justin Morneau2B Robinson Cano3B Alex Rodriguez or Miguel CaberaSS Carlos GuillenC Joe MauerOF Tori HunterOF Grady SizemoreOF Magglio OrdonezUTIL David OrtizSP Josh BeckettSP John LackeySP Justin VerlanderCLOSER Jonathon Papelbon

Continue reading "2008 Major League Baseball Preview: ..."