EVIL~! alkeiper

Oh COME ON. The AL East race is done. Even I don't seriously expect a team with the offensive caliber of the Yankees to play like this much longer, let alone to the point where they lose an over five game lead. Reminder: the Yankees have about 37 games remaining with the Blue Jays. Also, of note, the Yanks recent horrendous run has been agains first place and/or contending teams. The Red Sox have made up ground against the Jays, Rays and White Sox. It's not likely that the Sox would catch the Yankees, but it certainly isn't outside the realm of possibility.

The only rational explanation I can give is bad luck. The A's are certainly not the only team to suffer such a drought. The Houston Astros have lost six consecutive playoff series. There are exceptions, as there will always be outliers to the rule. But its a question of normal statistical variance vs. true clutch ability. All I can say is that if you look at players who have accumulated large numbers of postseason at bats, their postseason numbers tend to match their career numbers. Studies have been run that show there's no significant difference in hitting when there is a speedster at first. It is not to say that effect doesn't exist, but there's no real evidence behind it. By the same token, the corners playing back would give you an advantage if you DO decide to bunt. Ramon Hernandez won game 1 of the ALDS by laying down a bunt base hit.

Moneyball Explained

We have a new Olympics thread pinned to the top of the page.

The only two guys on Llwelyn's record I recognize are Frankie Swindell and Jameel McCline, and both KO'd Llwelyn within two rounds.

Chase Utley has as much a right playing shortstop as I do. I wouldn't take Ortiz for that club, as Choi already mashes righties, and your better off picking up a right-handed platoon mate.

It seems to me that winning teams are simply dictated by who hit their pituitary glands first.

Some Cub fans are the kings of overreaction. I imagine their ideal team would tend to look like Crimson Storm's fantasy teams come August.

Its hard to say. I'm not quite sure what an NBA Moneyball team would do, other than draft college players. Moneyball is all about inefficiencies in the market. If teams are overpaying for offense and underpaying for defense, than yes they are.

That sounds familiar. Moneyball isn't just for baseball. The NBA could use a healthy dose as well.

The U.S. is guaranteed a spot in the quarterfinals, which isn't saying much as 8 of twelve teams make it, but they will have a shot at a medal.

Its worth noting that none of the guys they traded away for Cirillo and Davis have really amounted to much. David Bell for Dei Relaford however is quite questionable.

The LLWS is a once a year event, and it has over 70 years of tradition behind it. I do think its lost some of its luster the past few years, but I can't see ditching it as a televised event.

US loses 94-90, but they played a good game.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball...6p-192653c.html

By the way, mens basketball vs. Lithuania is on at 1pm ET today on NBC.

I had thought about it, but the amazing thing is there are precious few players we've ditched and regretted. Maybe Paul Byrd or Carlos Silva.

Did anyone see that woman from Afghanistan run the 100 yesterday? I'm all for the symbolism and everything, but it was painfully obvious she didn't belong there.

Paul Konerko Reggie Sanders B.J. Ryan Brooks Kieschnick Mike Cameron Dmitri Young Pokey Reese Jose Guillen

Joe Kerrigan left the Red Sox after the 2001 season. He spent a year as a Comcast analyst, and joined the Phillies as a pitching coach in 2003.

Don't forget Mike Lowell, Ted Lilly, Jake Westbrook, D'Angelo Jimenez and Joe Borowski. And if you count prospects, there's Eric Milton, Christian Guzman, Tony Armas Jr., Zach Day, Wily Mo Pena and Damaso Marte.

I'd add Superstar Billy Graham to that list.

I think that's often a misconstrued part of the strategy. You don't literally wait around for the three run home run. The main key is to reach base and avoid outs. That in turn translates into runs. I've always felt that there are situations where it pays to be agressive. If a pitcher is lights out all night, and you can go from first to third on a single to set up a sac fly, it might be better than just going to second and watching the next guy fly out. Oh certainly, you would always like to take the extra base, no matter what the situation. The question is, what is the tradeoff? Is your speedster going to hit like Doug Glanville? If that's the case, then he's probably not worth it. The A's do have some players with decent speed. Eric Byrnes has 10 steals in 11 attempts. Mark Kotsay, Bobby Kielty, Bobby Crosby, and Mark McLemore are all good runners. They just don't get noticed because the A's don't use the stolen base often.

Ugh. What the heck is with Bowa using Todd Jones every day?!

That's what happens with sample sizes. In 50 at bats, just about anything can happen. Spiezio got hot at just the right time.