Cheech Tremendous

Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus does an annual list of the 50 most valuable commodities in Major League Baseball (the ideal guy to start a franchise with). It can include any player in the major or minor leagues and one of the caveats is that you get to keep them for the next six years. Therefore, beyond hitting, pitching and defense, age and upside become extremely important. Here is a very preliminary list for 2008 that he posted on the BP website. The number in parentheses is their ranking from last year.

Martial 5/4 sections. (EDIT: I used "martial" in the sense of "marching" and "warlike," but six minutes later I remembered that "Mars, the Bringer of War" by Holst is in 5/4. Well hey.) I'm bumping this thread because I remember suggesting that "When The Levee Breaks" makes a better opener than closer. Here's an order that I think works better, manages to alternate electric and acoustic fairly well for a while, and better represents the "four-corners" ideal to ordering: 1) When The Levee Breaks: as I said, the best way to kick off the album after a mostly folk outing. 2) Going to California: as Inc said, a palate-cleanser of sorts. 3) Black Dog: resumption of the electric stuff, this way it alternates back and forth 4) The Battle of Evermore: it's a good way to end Side One on a note of ambiguity 5) Rock and Roll: it works best as a second opener 6) Misty Mountain Hop: whatever. it's just Misty Mountain Hop. Has to go somewhere. 7) Four Sticks: sort of a throwaway interlude so we have one last chance to pursue mindless hard rock 8) Stairway to Heaven: of course, it's now evident that you can't really follow Stairway. Frank Zappa recognized this. That's a decent arrangement. While I understand the power that "When the Levee Breaks" could have kicking off an album, I still feel it is a perfect closer for the album. IV just wouldn't be the same ending any other way.

Chris Chambers is one of the most overrated WRs in the league. He puts up some decent numbers, but it's because he's the only option there. Miami probably figured that since they aren't going anywhere they could cash in on Chambers and get some playing time for first round pick Ted Ginn Jr.

How sure are you that they have the best defense in baseball? I know they have some good defenders on their team like Helton and Tulowitzki, but most sabermetricians will admit that Coors Field has a way skewing defensive metrics even worse than it does hitting.

They also tried to dump Todd Helton for twenty cents on the dollar to the Angels and Red Sox in the offseason and he turned out to be a big reason why they made it this far. Sometimes you just luck into things. I know there's a difference between being "hot" and winning 20 out of 21 games, but the whole notion of momentum and destiny is ridiculous. They've played well, caught a few breaks and ended up winning a bunch of games. I still don't think they have enough talent to beat the Indians or Red Sox in a seven game series, but I guess anyting can happen in a short series.

No one's mentioned that Bill Stoneman is stepping down as GM of the Los Angeles Angels. He joins Jocketty, Schuerholz and Terry Ryan as general managers who won't be returning to their teams next year. Is it just me, or all the good GMs leaving their posts? Are Beane, Epstein, Shapiro and Towers next?

This ump is all over the place with the balls and strikes calls.

That seems entirely counterproductive to me. The argument against the Wild Card is that it dilutes the playoff field by adding a 3rd and 4th team to the mix. A wild card play-in opens up the possibility for the 5th best team to make the field. I am not interested in seeing a team that proved it was only 5th best in its league over 162 games getting a chance to win the World Series.

Better.

The Rogue Brewery is in Newport, not Newberg. It's more like two hours from Portland. Definitely worth checking out if you get the chance.

Not a good example. The NBA playoffs are the most tedious thing in sports. No drama whatsoever.

Gagne from July 21st on He entered a July 21st against Cleveland with 1.23 ERA in 29 appearances. From then on he had a 7.15 ERA.

You don't think that he's hurt? Have you not seen him pitch since he joined the Red Sox? He can't keep anything in the zone, he tugs at his arm after every pitch and often swings his shoulder in large circular motions between throws. He never did any of that stuff with the Dodgers or Rangers. I think he has something wrong with that arm and he's just trying to get through the season to sign a big deal in the offseason. It wouldn't be the first time that he pitched through a nagging injury.

Like I said last night, Gagne is obviously hurt. Just DL him and put Tavarez on the roster. No one cares at this point that you traded three prospects to get him. Just keep him out of high leverage situations.

Fuck it. I'm done.

Thanks Gagne.

Fuck me in the fuckin ass. Anyone but Gagne.

The careers of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood say hello.

Move to the west you coast, you babies.

I take back the many bad things I've said about Lowell.

Carmona gets pulled after throwing 100 pitches through 4 innings. Win or lose, the Red Sox have a scary lineup. They just work the count so well.

Is it just me or has Fox improved their baseball coverage? I'm not nearly as annoyed as I usually am.

Not a great night for Schilling. It could be a lot worse than 5 runs.

Looks like the east coasters checked out for the night. Too bad because they missed a good game.

Doug Davis doing it in the clutch.