Jordan4life_2007

QUOTE (chw42 @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 02:23 PM) FanGraphs had a nice article about lineup optimization. Optimizing Yesterday's Lineups Using CHONE projections and a nice lineup optimizer tool, the writer compiled a list of how "optimized" the lineups were yesterday. Team Actual Best Dif TEX 5.017 5.033 -0.016 MIN 5.257 5.308 -0.051 OAK 4.519 4.571 -0.052 CLE 5.019 5.081 -0.062 KCA 4.379 4.446 -0.067 PIT 4.552 4.628 -0.076 * DET 4.698 4.776 -0.078 TOR 4.676 4.763 -0.087 CHA 4.759 4.858 -0.099 SEA 4.478 4.578 -0.100 LAA 4.891 5.016 -0.125 HOU 3.967 4.142 -0.175 COL 5.064 5.258 -0.194 ATL 4.898 5.106 -0.208 LAN 4.773 5.982 -0.209 ARI 4.704 4.916 -0.212 FLO 4.813 5.035 -0.222 SFN 4.294 4.522 -0.228 PHI 4.783 5.102 -0.229 WAS 4.410 4.644 -0.234 CIN 4.608 4.846 -0.238 CHN 4.660 4.899 -0.239 MIL 4.629 4.876 -0.247 SDN 4.176 4.431 -0.255 NYN 4.381 4.645 -0.264 STL 4.843 5.116 -0.273 The AL teams obviously have the better optimized lineups since we don't have a pitcher hitting, but take a look where we are. According to this, we had the 8th best optimized lineup in the AL out of the 10 teams in action yesterday. And to be quite frank, TB, BOS, NY, and maybe even Baltimore might be ahead of us. Meaning we would've had the 11th or 12th best optimized lineup in the AL on opening day. For a club that could be offensively challenged this is unacceptable. Kotsay hitting in the 5th spot is one of the larger issues (Pierre at leadoff is another, but that won't ever change). Taking something straight from the article. For the most part, we have this right. Gordon's hitting second, Konerko is hitting 4th, but Kotsay is hitting 5th... We saw this yesterday. Twice, Kotsay came up with men in scoring position, and twice hit the ball into the ground. If those ground balls weren't weak, it would have been two double plays, not just one. Had it been two, the Sox might have scored only 4 runs instead of 6 (since after Kotsay's ground out RBI, Quentin scored on a wild pitch). If it wasn't against the Indians, that could have made a hell of a difference. Ozzie needs to stop playing around and either put Rios or somebody more qualified into that 5th hole. Hell, I'd rather have A.J. there than Kotsay. Or, move Quentin to 4th, Konerko to 5th and Rios to third if Alex gets off to a good start this week. He can play Kotsay as much as he wants for all I care, just hit him lower in the order where he won't be put into situations that can decide the fate of a game. Not that I needed to see any of this. But this is excellent. The guys at Fangraphs are 100% always on their s***. But our manager is Ozzie Guillen. He perpetually manages by "feel" or with his "gut." He would never look at a statistic as what you've just displayed. "I makes the facking lineup!"

QUOTE (iamshack @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 10:16 PM) Knocked out CST tonight with the dumbbells for the first time. I actually think I like this particular workout with the bands better, just because i think it is easier to keep better form with the bands than with weights considering all the awkwards triceps work involved. Today was day 78. You need to post some before/after pics. I would imagine you look significantly different than you did 78 days ago.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 01:13 AM) OT, but is patrolling CF that much harder because you have more real esate to cover? I mean with LF/RF you gotta worry about those funny corner bounces, the walls and in CF it is pretty much open field except for warning track and fence/wall. Unless you have something like that ridiculous mound in the Astros park. Pretty much. You have to have really good makeup speed as well ( even the best defenders misplay balls. Good makeup speed can alleviate those). Having a CF with speed/range is even more important in spacious parks like Safeco and AT&T Park. By the way, Colby Rasmus and Nate McClouth, two guys I mentioned earlier, each made pretty damn good plays in CF yesterday.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 02:55 AM) Was gonna start a Big Z post but will keep it here. He is turning out to be a mental bust and I wonder if even Silva will outperform him this year. Dunno gotta wait and see but he is getting lit up now for almost 2 years. I think he is almost in bust territory. They gotta pay him for years and years, totally hilarious. Whoa, I wouldn't go that far now. lol. Zambrano is basically a #3 (at best a very good #2) being paid like an elite #1. Funny thing is, if Wood and Prior's arms didn't melt away into oblivion, that's exactly what Zambrano would've been: a VERY good#3 starter. He was given the title of "ace" by default. And therefore got paid like an ace. Even though he's nothing of the sort.

QUOTE (SoxAce @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 01:03 AM) He was a stud in 2008, but was actually pretty bad last season, yet somehow won a gold glove out of it. Cameron is just really good, and like our own Andruw Jones said "People say I lost a step. I probably did, so what I'll just do is take one step back" since he plays a very shallow CF. Cameron has adjusted nicely himself these last two years. Sorry, I just can't buy that. I like UZR. It's the best defensive tool we currently have. But I refuse to believe this. Adam Jones can GO GET IT.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 12:56 AM) From Fangraphs: Link: http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/white-sox-stea-rios Rios is having a down year defensively according to UZR (-.7) but in the last three seasons in right field he’s been one of the best defensive outfielders in the game – +15.5 last season, +9 the two seasons prior to that. The Fielding Bible also gives him high marks — +43 plays over the last three years, the 3rd highest total for right fielders behind Franklin Gutierrez and Randy Winn. He has been good to superb in right field, so I think it’s safe to say Rios will at least be average patrolling center in the Cell. His most similar fielders in the Scouting Report by the Fans is littered with center fielders. Since he has been in RF I think patrolling CF should not be too difficult should it? I mean I read yesterday that he takes really good routes to the ball and gets good jumps. It wouldn't be a problem for him at all. In fact, his value is twice that of a CF as it is as a RF. I hope Ozzie realizes this. Though I'm not holding my breath.

QUOTE (BFirebird @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 12:57 AM) I dunno, Adam Jones makes it look effortless out there. Maybe Cameron in his prime, but he has to have lost a step by now. Cameron hasn't lost a step to me. That dude is fantastic out there. One of my all-time favorite players.

QUOTE (chisoxfan09 @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 12:44 AM) How would we rank Rios as a CF in the AL, MLB? Hard to truly say. As Rios has been primarily a RF. But he has the speed/range/athleticism/arm to play an above average CF. No doubt in my mind about that. "Death to all things flying " is the best CF on earth. Then you've got Upton, Jones and Cameron. There aren't any elite defensive CFs in the NL, IMO. You've got some good ones. Kemp, McClouth. I think Rasmus and Fowler will be good ones. So I guess Rios would be in my top 5 overall were he to play a full season there.

QUOTE (whtsoxfan @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 11:45 PM) Krause plucked Jordan and Pippen out of obscurity to form the first great Bulls triad with Jordan. He later traded for Cartwright over Jordan's objection which netted the Bulls another championship. Wasn't he also responsible for bringing Dennis Rodman in for the next series Bulls championships? Plucked Jordan? What's that supposed to mean? And nobody has never not given Jerry Krause the credit for the role he played in the dynasty. Problem with him was he was an ego maniac that didn't realize where his bread was buttered. He wanted to be looked at the way Red Auerbach was when the Celtics were blitzing the league way back when. That wasn't going to happen with MJ around. Fair or not. And he played just as much a role in the premature breakup of the dynasty and the historic rate of losing that followed. He brought in a joke of a coach in Tim Floyd. He dropped the ball during the summer of 2000 when all those elite free agents were on the market (but we got Ron Mercer!). He traded Elton Brand for Tyson Chandler. He drafted scrubs/busts like Marcus Fizer and Eddy Curry. He made the terrible trade for Jalen Rose. It just goes on and on.

QUOTE (bucket-of-suck @ Apr 6, 2010 -> 12:24 AM) I think Andruw Jones is a better CF. It's OK to be wrong.

Brandon Wood looks absolutely horrible. It's now or never for him this year. Seems like he's been a prospect since I was in HS.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 08:46 PM) The amazing part is that Buehrle was so incredible, no one is talking about Rios's catch. That's what Rios does. He's an extremely gifted outfielder. I wasn't surprised at all when he made that catch. Anybody still think Andruw Jones is our best defensive OF?

Today was just heaven. I guess Comcast/Direct TV is giving everybody a free sample of the Extra Innings package for the first week of the season. I've been watching baseball all day. I need more. I don't want to stop. I'm like a feening crackhead. Baseball, baseball, give me more baseball! I want some more f***ing baseball!

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 10:30 PM) Ill go so far as to say they would compete in any other division than the one they're in. No doubt. It's rough when you've got to play 3 of the top 4 teams in baseball 50-55 times.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 08:28 PM) I have a good feeling about the Orioles this year. I've been pimpin' them for about two years now. I wouldn't be surprised if they went .500. Which would be a major improvement.

QUOTE (Jenksy Cat @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 09:45 PM) So Jared Weaver is the Angels ace now, and they're not going to fall off at all? Mmmk I like Texas a lot if they stay relatively healthy. But they still have major question marks with their starting pitching. Seattle has a great 1-2, but the rest of that rotation is extremely suspect, and their offense might struggle to match last year's league-low 640 runs. The A's are just a joke all-around. So the Angels should still be considered the favorite.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 07:27 PM) Sean Marshall is the only Cub i can root for. I think it's because that organization dicks him around constantly. His ERA is significantly higher as a starter than as a reliever.

Mark Buehrle might've won the GG (even though that sorry ass award means nothing) and made the play of the year in one swoop. I've seen the replay about 15 times and I still can't believe it.

QUOTE (dmbjeff @ Apr 5, 2010 -> 11:05 AM) Krause always caught a bad rap with the Bulls and some accuse him of running Jordan out of town, but the guy did draft Pippen and Grant and both blossomed and for the 2nd 3 peat, knew he needed a rebounder and got Rodman and that experiment worked out great. He is a pretty damn good evaluator of talent. Hopefully he can help out in the Dominican, because that place has lots of great talent, would be nice to start developing some guys from there. He traded for Pippen. And Krause made some very shrewd moves before and during the dynasty. But from '99-2003, he was as bad as any GM in recent memory.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Apr 4, 2010 -> 10:25 PM) That's probably the best explanation. I actually wouldn't be suprised if they release him by next spring. That would put a final end to the natural disaster that was our first-round picks from 2000-2006.

That was nothing compared to Gardner's throw.

QUOTE (Jenks Heat @ Apr 4, 2010 -> 08:34 PM) I wish people would stop using Sabermetrics as the reason the Red Sox are good and look at the money. Last I looked Seattle was not good last year ...oh and they have two of the top pitchers in the game. Oakland is a sabermetric team and they suck. The Mariners won 85 games last year while scoring a league-low 640 runs. Why? Because they had one of the stingiest defenses of the modern era. And Sabermetrics played a big role on the construction of their team. And what do you mean two of the top pitchers in the game? Cliff Lee wasn't a Mariner last year. QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 4, 2010 -> 08:56 PM) You can choose whether or not you want to use or understand sabermetrics, but saying they are ruining the game is a joke. Without sabermetrics, there are more than a few players the game doesn't appreciate as much as they are. Jermaine Dye hates Sabermetrics more than any human being on earth. It's why he's still unemployed.

QUOTE (Sockin @ Apr 4, 2010 -> 09:30 PM) I'm convinced this game won't end until 12 at the earliest. I don't know what it is about ESPN broadcasts. Seems like every game comes close to or exceeds 4 hours.

And Jorge Posada with the first tater for 2010.

Granderson hitting 7th. That's just not right.