mstar1

Damn-forgot it was an afternoon game today, and I come home and Sox won again 1-0, for the first consecutive 1-0 victories at Fenway since 1916. I suppose its something they ought to do every 90 years or so.... Im likin this pitchin' and defense thang- I'll take it but I hope that the offense gets going sometime soon

Its 13 pages of calculations saying what you said--if'n you scores more runs n give up less-yous wins more games..... Did you see 94 year old Buck O'Neill playing in a minor league All Star game yesterday? (Story Link) Great sight to see---I hope they put him in the Hall while he is still here with us.

According to James, over a season, the simple version(which always seems to work) to winning looks something like this: --------We got a beauty at Fenway tonight-- a combined one hitter in a 1-0 Win, Jon Lester, the rookie pitched a great game just when we needed it HERE"S a big long pdf file on the math of winning percentages and how the derive it, that I can't make it through, if any of you are interested

:blink: :blink: :blink: :blink: Someone with this type of spiritual perception was actually in a leadership position?

Thanks--I hope so---every week it seems like someone comes up with some new stat that Ive never even heard of before, never mind how they arrived at it, and I can get sort of lost when someone is telling me that So and so has a GRPIZ of .039, while Thus and such has one of .054 so should be starting even though his Zigplot rating is minus 12---or some such thing. If you can figure it out-I'll look forward to it!

yea if you figure out how to discafy it let me know, I would like to see it. I've (tried to anyway) read some of the Bill James stuff and to me it definitely makes sense, and I know that it is big in the Red Sox success of the last few years. I know that they keep a small army of pocket protectored never played ball type uber stat geeks on the payroll as well. They certainly seem to know what they are talking about, although it can be as indecipherable to the average Joe like me as some sort of high calculations on nuclear fusion. It seems to work on the field though, which is all i care about

I missed that show, StrangeOne-- I dont think I get the right channel for that, but I would have been interested--Ya got us any highlights we should know about--lowlights, middle lights? Those SABR guys have started to intrigue me the last 3 or 4 years..... Gees I've been there and its tough thing to shake-It will be an earthshatteringly great day when they finally do overcome it all, and win it....I just hope it is before the next appearance of Halleys I think its a half game right now----last year on this date it was......a half game---This is 4 years running by my count that theyve been really tight

Oops double posted balk all posters advance

,yea I noticed--although I saw Damon hobbling around..and meanwhile the Red Sox have displayed high levels of suckiness since the All Star break, losing 3 of 4 to Oakland by a combined score of 28-7 --so for the billionth time in recent years there is one game separating them---which is great, but nervewracking --- but for now and the way they're playing thank God that the Royals are coming to town

With subjects like these that I cant live without, I may just run right back and sign up. Yup It sounds-- ..like a thrill a minute

Sure! I'll take box seats in October followed by the hot tub date with Miss April and Miss May.

I've thought of that too Geo, although I dont have anything against them. I think for the most part they look pretty good on the young uns, although it may be a different story at 50, or when all those tattoed girls turn into grandma's, but once in awhile I can see a future cash cow coming in and tattoo removal has looked pretty good for the last 10 years or so as a future business. Fashions-especially teens fashions are always reviled by segments of older adults who view it as a sign of impending doom. I had long hair and ripped jeans which would tick off my Victorian Era grandmother to no end, but really in the long haul isnt that much of a consequence, and I dont think that the kids of today are all that different from what we were. As far as the other stuff (holding the door open, yes and no ma'am, respect for the elders)--its about as prevelent or non prevelant as it ever was, as far as I can tell. I do it, but I dont see it all that much around me, but I dont think that it really was ever that big except maybe in my imagination and truth be told even though I was taught those things , it didnt really catch on until I was older. I think that longing for the good old days can be a byproduct of reaching a certain age,--- my parents did it, my grandparents did it, when the world at least according to a selective and partially forgetful memory may have seemed better, but its probably not all that different than it ever was.

When TWI has known any sort of success theyve always gone after and hooked in "young and impressionable kids". Sort of like the cigarette companies. In the same way, Im sure they are having a good time now, but it may not look so great for them further down the road

HERE'S a relevant message from the Ketchup Advisory Board

'The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls and tenement halls" and posts at greasespot I might add.....I'll be watchin'---- and if thats the way it goes I'll be the first in line to but you a beer. Hve a great time for all of us at Busch I remember when it cost one buck to get into Fenway , $3.25 for the best box seats and attendance still was regularly under 10,000 a game. It was a major event to go, but I still went alot. Glad I did. I read some report just yesterday that said to bring a family of four, now costs upwards of $400.00 (with parking, drinks etc) per game , yet it is jam packed to the gills every single day. You probably have more of a chance of winning the lottery than finding tickets at face value. So, at least here I dont think its our money that has changed, so much as the perception of the importance of the game has shifted some to reach a bigger audience. Its not just for the super diehard fans anymore, but there is a whole brigade of trendy fans, "the pink hat brigade" who have jumped on (or been pulled onto..) the bandwagon just because it is a popular thing to do, whether they are hardcore fans or not --they go. MLB has also worked hard to project an image and environment that is more family friendly and wholesome than it used to be----some of those old ballparks could be just downright seedy at times -- In some Parks you can see children happily playing in a fully equipped play area where you used to see gruff old men smoking cigars, cussin, spitting, drinking and screaming obscenities... I sorta miss that but thats all kept under much tighter leash now. ....I havent seen that Ken Burns documentary in anumber of years--I love that old footage and it is the major reason I scored pretty good on the old time baseball stuff--I gotsta watch that again

Gees I missed that last night when I was posting--you snuck in a few greased up posts behind me I think the answer is Bob Gibson

I remember Scott hitting .171 that year, I also remeber the last day of the season when it was possible that the batting champ may have hit under .300----( who was Yaz battling that year was it Alex Johnson ?) I suppose Simon is right --they had to do something---still the previous year Yastrzemski did win the triple crown, and Frank Robinson the year before that, and at least a few regularly hit 40 or so HRS or hit .330 or so. For whatever reason that year was so aberrant they never gave it enough chance to naturally rebound but alterred things right then and there. I dont know if it rated that much of a change so quickly maybe it was a business decison because attendance had been in decline for a number of years and they wanted to liven things up. I dont know what its like across all baseball but I know here interest is at an all time peak and MLB has done a pretty good job marketing itself especially after the huge fall off after the strike in the 90's. I'd like to see the mound raised a little, the steroid period ended, the artificially numbers brought back to earth and the game made alittle leveler--- but I doubt, other than remove steroids, or at least give the appearance that they are, they will mess too much with the good thing that they have going. Look at those player payrolls I posted on the last page-Its gotta be over a billion dollars--just in player salaries, I doubt anyone would mess to much with the formula that they have now....

Looks like mid season doldrums to me. last night they played as if walking around in three feet of mud, --slow and lumbering----19 innings on Sunday then 3 days off and they really didnt have much zip last night. I imagine its tough day after day after day to stay up all season long but yesterday they looked like they were still on vacation or wishing that they were---hopefully they'll snap to tonight---- Yea I imagined that mustve sukked for pitchers..Wasnt that after the year that Gibson had about 12 shutouts and an ERA of near absolute zero, and McLain won 31? Maybe they shouldnt have changed it or put in the DH...I wonder what the game would look like now if they hadnt changed things....would it have been an era of pitching instead of hitting? What would Clemens and Martinez have done off a mound (how many?) six inches higher....How many no-no's would Ryan have had about 20?

35--at 4am--I did better on the old time stuff than the Middle years. Well yea, in a way, it is a much different game though with different expectations now than it was then. Im not saying that is good or bad-its just the way that it is. I dont know why pitchers dont have the stamina that they used to--but they just dont. Maybe its the roids era-there seem to be alot less guys hitting in lineups that are hitting .210 or .240 than there used to be and alot more 30-40HR guys that have to be faced.During Pedro's golden years with the Sox, they were very careful about not overworking him because he had a tedency for a few years to go on the disabled list every year around Memorial Day, and his effectiveness changed on a dime after about 105 pitches anyway-so they made adjustments to accomodate him, and fit what he really could do into the works. Francona took a lot of heat earlier this year when he left in Schilling for 137 pitches , which was great to watch at the time, but then was ineffective for his next 3 or 4 starts. I'd love to see some bulldog who would throw a complete game every fourth day but Im surprised that a pretty smart guy like Dusty, or the Cubs organization would take Wood, who always seemed to be on the DL, and not try to taylor a role for him that would keep him healthy and more beneficial to the team in the long run............. It looks like alot of teams have a tough schedule coming out of the break, I wonder if it is by design, before the trading deadline, to let the GM's know where their teams really are as far as contention. I know as an example The BJ's are 5 out but could conceivably be 10 out in a week or 2 with their schedule . Then if you are GM how do you play your cards ? Do you more or less concede, acquire prospects while you can and dump some payroll, or stick it out, strengthen and push for the improbable? ..and just because alot of teams are still close doesnt necessarily mean that they wont shift guys around. 2 years ago the Twins, Cubs and Red Sox were all in it and did that weird 3 way deal that involved Nomar, that strengthened them all. Who knows? Its baseball ---anything can happen. Sox just called up a kid from Yale, a molecular biophysicist who was doing research on Ebola in Gambia, but would rather be a left handed reliever for the Boston Red Sox :) who wouldn't? I love this game

Clemens, Ryan? Ive never heard of the curse, all I can see from my vantage point is abunch of tough fireballers comng out of Texas pretty regularly--Josh Beckett is another off the top of my head but its a big state Im sure they lose alot along the way that Im missing. I dont know exactly how they use their HS pitchers down there-here there is max inning something that is a start in the right direction, but its still not enough imo. I had a really good arm but I burned it out early throwing way too much junk at an early age which of course every kid does as soon as he figures it out because it is new and cool, and the coaches did nothing strong at the time to discourage it. I'd like to see coaches of kids that age have alittle longer range view to developing real prospects instead of using them all to death. Its a shame about Wood.... oikonomia I sink ess de vurd, koinoneo ees greek for new coin, and all the fellows who will be on your ship and want to be full sharers and partakers with you when you have some new coin on you ---eh something like that....

I havent seen him as closely as you have, but I became at least somewhat of a believer in 04, and have been watching a little closer ( unfortunately only a few times a year) each time the Sox-Rangers get together. After the previous shortstop ( whats his name??) left to be replaced by Michael Young was when the Rangers started to win and look good as a team. Its no accident, it made alot of people stand up and watch. Sounds even more like a real gem to get to watch him everyday, after reading that article..treasure the moments while you can....... Strange one I gots a curiosity question that came to me on a 7 hour drive yesterday, my mind was wandering as it often does and I was wondering what team you grew up with, Simon, Hiway and me are pretty obvious but I dont think Ive ever heard you mention it-unless I spaced it, which I very well may have....anyway just curious, as the Rangers taint been around all that long---Everyone knows i was a Seattle Pilots fan (or something..) Howzabout you? ........Anyways----trade deadline is comin up--anyone got a wishlist? I know I do, a starting pitcher that can keep the game close and go 7 is all I ask--doesnt have to be a big name -, 2 of them would be nice, with a small dose of middle relief if the deal is good.....and dont mortgage the future Who's gonna be buying and who's gonna be dumpin? PS That Newburg report looks like a great read everyday

Gees I remember when you first showed up. Howza bout a long overdue post containin' some of your famous fiddlin'? In honor of your 10,000th I'll be packin up the Taylor and headin over HERE tonight. Theres always room for another mandolin/fiddler (if you can push yourself away from the keyboard!)

Wow I had no idea Scully was still working--that must be agreat pleasure to listen to him, a few months back I made note in the In Memoriam forum when Curt Gowdy died. Its hard to put a high enough value on those voices that were the background to millions of people on thousands of summer nights. There has always been something in the friendliness of Scully's voice that makes him very easy to listen to when he is calling a game.... There is nothing quite like those announcers of that generation... great stuff! Now----- lets hope no one f's up there swing for the year tonight during the HR Derby, Even though he can put on a show Im hoping Papi gets eliminated early and I dont have to worry about that

i know the Red Sox are on their last pitcher right now. there has been a little of everything in this game---a dramatic game tier with 2outs in the bottom of the ninth, the worse blunder i have seen on the bases in a while that would have won it for the Whites in the 11th, the Reds working out of a bases loaded no outs jam in about the 14th-----its just going on and on and on..... earlier in the game the announcer said that since players from both teams will be going directly to the AllStar game that they will be traveling together---not so sure if that is a good idea.... well I shouldnt have posted--it ended within a few minutes after the last post---- Iguchi finally drove in the winning run in the 19th BREAK

Simon? anyone? are you watching the Sox vs Sox?----great way to go into the break--two heavyweights fighting it out--its now in the 18th