Max wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

Max, I agree that technically the stats show 5 bad 9 game streaks. But the reality is that they actually were a bad 11 game streak and a bad 10 game streak.

Not all nine-game streaks are independent.  And now we have to recalculate everything as 10 game streaks batting .150.  The longer it goes on, the more 'unusual' it becomes. 

forsberg_us wrote:

We are now witnessing something that has happened twice in 5 years.

Well, three times in 5 years and 10 days. 

.

You dont have to calculate something you can see.  I am connecting stats to something I have seen.  You are just bending number to support something you havent seen.  Pujols looks like shit.  That is a fact.

APRTW wrote:

Max wrote:

forsberg_us wrote:

Max, I agree that technically the stats show 5 bad 9 game streaks. But the reality is that they actually were a bad 11 game streak and a bad 10 game streak.

Not all nine-game streaks are independent.  And now we have to recalculate everything as 10 game streaks batting .150.  The longer it goes on, the more 'unusual' it becomes. 

forsberg_us wrote:

We are now witnessing something that has happened twice in 5 years.

Well, three times in 5 years and 10 days. 

.

You dont have to calculate something you can see.  I am connecting stats to something I have seen.  You are just bending number to support something you havent seen.  Pujols looks like shit.  That is a fact.

I am not going to talk statistics with you for the next 48 hours. 

Last edited by Max (4/12/2011 12:00 pm)

"But speaking of reading swings, I happened to be watching as Milton Bradley connected last night.  He was swinging the bat like Barry Bonds in 2001, where if the pitcher got it near the heart of the plate it was going out.  It was just one at bat, but if he keeps that up, and if he has truly turned over a new leaf, he'll be dangerous this year."

He won't keep it up. People have sung this song praising Milton before. He'll blow up at a fan or someone in the media, or blow out his knee trying to attack an umpire, and then call anyone a racist if they don't appreciate his massive skills. There's a reason Milton Bradley is on his eighth team, and it's because of Milton Bradley.

Max wrote:

"There's a reason Milton Bradley is on his eighth team, and it's because of Milton Bradley."

His mea culpa last season sounded either genuine, or else crafted by a talented PR agent . . . and I haven't heard a peep from him since.

The shame of it is he's a bright guy with immense talent ... and a horrible temper and a massive tendency toward martyrdom.
There's always a mea culpa, and it probably is genuine, and then he plays well for awhile. Then the cycle starts all over again, and he ends up in a more far flung location than he did before. I don't know where he goes after the next one, because Seattle right now is the Siberia of the American League.
Rinse, lather, repeat ...

forsberg_us wrote:

Speaking of head cases, how much of a problem must Nyjer Morgan be if a major league manager actually decided that Rick Ankiel was a better option?

ankiel will run into the wall to make a catch.

"we'll see.  sometimes people change.  i'm pulling for the guy."

Maybe he and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar can open their own public relations firm. They can call it "Surly and Sour."

Max wrote:

You and Kareem, again.  Make your peace with the guy, already.

Recent revisionist history to the contrary, I can say with a high degree of certainty that a high percentage of people outside of Greater Los Angeles who paid attention to basketball in the '70s and '80s had a negative opinion of Little Baby Kareem Puff.

48 hours are up (almost)

Here's something weird, over the past 2 games Pujols is batting .625 with a .750 OBP.  I wonder if that indicates that he is fired up over his contract situation and is going to have an amazing year.

Max wrote:

"There's a reason Milton Bradley is on his eighth team, and it's because of Milton Bradley."

His mea culpa last season sounded either genuine, or else crafted by a talented PR agent . . . and I haven't heard a peep from him since.

"The 33-year-old Bradley hit .218 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 28 games. He was suspended for one game last week for bumping an umpire, ejected Friday for arguing a called third strike and booed by home fans over the weekend for the perception he was dogging it on defense."

If Bradly hits then he is happy.  However if he doesnt he is a pain in the ass.

artie_fufkin wrote:

"It was not a particular incident," Zduriencik said. "It's just an issue with our evaluations of where we are and where we are going, and our estimates were that he did not fit. That's why the decision was made."

Asked if Bradley had a negative impact on the clubhouse, Zduriencik said: "That's hard to say. I don't know that. I think it gets down more to what we're trying to accomplish and where we're headed."

I would have been far more impressed with this guy if he had said: "Ultimately, it comes down to performance. If Milton is hitting .300, he needs anger management classes. If he's hitting .200, he's a psycho."

That is true of most.  If Brendan Ryan would have hit .280 last year he would still be on the team and if Rasmus would have hit .190 last year he wouldnt.

"That is true of most.  If Brendan Ryan would have hit .280 last year he would still be on the team and if Rasmus would have hit .190 last year he wouldnt."

Indeed, truer words were rarely said.

. . . and speaking of Pujols, Strauss and a follow up from Bernie offer interesting takes on whether this is still just a rut, or indicates something more:

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_e1087b8f-bf56-57f6-a6a5-e785cf4baead.html

For Bernie, it's after the very relevant section La Russa's eye (which does look a bit like shingles to me; had it once, to get it on your eye is almost inconceivable to me . . . itchy, painful, and very irritating.  leaves scars, too).

http://www.stltoday.com/sports/columns/bernie-miklasz/article_9c50d13a-7a4b-11e0-86ad-0019bb30f31a.html

APRTW wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"It was not a particular incident," Zduriencik said. "It's just an issue with our evaluations of where we are and where we are going, and our estimates were that he did not fit. That's why the decision was made."

Asked if Bradley had a negative impact on the clubhouse, Zduriencik said: "That's hard to say. I don't know that. I think it gets down more to what we're trying to accomplish and where we're headed."

I would have been far more impressed with this guy if he had said: "Ultimately, it comes down to performance. If Milton is hitting .300, he needs anger management classes. If he's hitting .200, he's a psycho."

That is true of most.  If Brendan Ryan would have hit .280 last year he would still be on the team and if Rasmus would have hit .190 last year he wouldnt.

Absolutely. It's just you're probably less apt to give the benefit of the doubt to a guy who's gone into the stands to confront fans at Dodger Stadium whilst wearing a Dodgers' uniform.