chitownsportsfan

None Taken. Yes, that's why I explicity said that Uribe can be a very valuable player despite being mediocre offensively because he plays the hardest posisition in the game well, + 25 runs by some metrics. Statheads don't care about defense much at 1B, LF, and RF--neither do scouts. This is the first thing you learn in little league: bad players to RF and LF, good players to SS, CF, and 2B--because those are far and away the 3 most important, with SS clearly the most important. OPS is a very simple stat that correlates very well with actual runs produced. It's a powerful measure of a players offensive worth. SS/2B with OPS+ of 85 are a dime a dozen. It was a good trade because the Sox get depth and a player they needed, however, it's not really a "fleecing". Both teams got rid of players they didn't need, both those players are largely inconsequential to either teams chances of success. It was a minor trade with little risk, a little more reward--for both teams.

Ok, well none of those guys is even on the team. He is probably "replacing" Gload. It's not a bad trade, it helps the team slightly. Maybe it will WARP wise translate into 1 more win on the season. The value for me in the trade is injury protection for Urbie and Gooch. In that sense it was a very smart move. And yes, I do think "eh" about AJ and Pods. AJ plays catcher, so it's excusable, but Pods plays a corner outfield. Pods, in my mind, is an average player at the position, hence "eh". I don't care about Uribe's offense as much because he plays short and he's + about 25 runs there.

Yea, a career OPS+ of 85. Another "eh" trade.

And Borchard. Gload only plays one position, and its already taken care of. He is worthless to this team.

I think this signals the death knell for Gload or Borchard, if it wasn't ringing already, it's loud and clear now.

King Felix Starts Hot This guy was the youngest player to play in MLB during 2005, and only posted an ERA+ of 165. His K/9 was 8.22. His K/W was 3.34. His WHIP was .996. Granted he only pitched 84.3 innings--but this guy is a stud, at 19--those numbers? Unreal. At age 21, Pedro Martinez was signifanctly worse in every statistical category except K/9, and it wasn't be that much. What Pedro has done in the "live player" ERA is also unreal, and he has to be one of the top 5 greatest pichers of all time, with longevity the only thing holding him back from possibly being the best of all time. Felix is already better than Pedro, with more pitches, at an age two years younger. Look at Dwight Gooden's age 20 season, and look at his K/9, K/B, and WHIP stacks up to Felix's. Felix could win the Cy Young this year, he's that good. He's a once in a generation prospect. The only thing stopping him from becoming an all time great would be arm trouble or drugs. It could happen, pitching is a violent motion on the arm and mind, as we all know. However, if it doesn't, Felix is on his way to Cooperstown. There is not one 19 year old in baseball in 2006 that even looks like a potential GOAT, which is why people like myself get a bit excited about his prospects. He could be the "Lebron James" of baseball. Another comparison: Roger Clemens didn't post a WHIP even close to under 1.00 until he was 23. Felix just did it at age 19.

I wonder if any other ex-player GM's head to weight room during games...The KW/Beane similarities keep coming.

Exactly. KW and BB are two of the most similiar GM's in the game today. They have differences sure, but they have very similiar philosophies on team construction. Good post Kevhead. Does KW use sabermetrics? Yes. Does KW consider other things like leadership and and attitude: Yes. Is sabermetrics perfect: No. The article is a series of "straw man" arguments about "Moneyball". It's stupid and a child could see through the logic. I wonder if the author has even read "Moneyball". It's like he got the cliff's notes version from Joe Morgan: Billy Beane only cares about OBP. No he doesn't. Nobody in sabermetrics does. It's a useful stat sure, more useful than average, but it's not the holy grail of how Beane or sabermetricians judge a player and build a team. I guarantee you Beane cares more about OPS or the many other offensive formulas that more accuractly judge a players worth.

What a terrible argument. The whole premise is that "Moneyball" doesn't work and that the Sox won because they didn't use "Moneyball". "Moneyball" isn't sabermetrics, I really wish writers would realize that. "Moneyball" is about maximizing market inefficiencies--and sabermetrics is just one component of that stragegy. Like Kennie said about Frank, "look it up"--ok, I will: Average Wins Last 4 Seasons for A's and Sox (Kenny Williams "Era"): Sox: 86.4 A's: 96 How does this guy even have a job? Maybe it's just insanely possible that both Kenny Williams and Billy Beane are good GM's. Maybe by one objective measure (w/l) you could say Beane is better. Maybe be another one you could say (rings) that KW is the better GM. This is crap and the Washington Post should fire this guy for ignorance.

Arod and King Felix, in that order. Felix is focking amazing, I'd be surprised if he doesn't have a Dwight Gooden like season. For a 19 year old, he's got nasty stuff and control. If the Mariner are smart, they'll ride him for 200+ every year until he hits arbitration. Arod because he's good for 600 PA's every year and because he hits focking unreal for a + defensive SS, cya Uribe.

Yea, Perry clearly didn't do much research for this preview piece, and although I agree with his sabermetric analysis often, it's clear that he's a lazy writer who is focusing more on book signings than being informed. He thinks Ben Grieve is going to make the team out of spring training? As GOB would say: COME ON!

I'll bust out the inevitable "brokeback school of scouting" comment.

I love Firefox. I also couldn't get in until I tried this evening around 8pm EST. Good to see that some of our fellow Soxtalkers use the 'Fox.

That pretty much sums up the difference in browers. Firefox is the better browser, I'm sure you IE people are hard headed, hell I was too before switching. Firefox and tabs and it's mundo pop-up blocker will have you hooked in 3 days--give it 3 days I swear you'll love it. Admins: Any chance of getting the page views broken down by broswer? I hope Firefox and Opera are up into the 30% range as a whole. IE is such a POS, IMO at least--and I used IE forever.

Obviously the metaphor wasn't meant to be taken literally, like a 50/50 chance of Thome staying healthy, or 49.5/49.5/1, whatever the exact roulette odds are. My larger point is that saying an offense's sucess rests solely on one player is foolish and worse--lazy. Jordan: could you explain further why you thought the article was "very good"? I guess I'm just confused why you think that, but am willing to listen to reasons.

I swear half the board could write more informative previews than ESPN's staff: That's like saying, "Concerned about your finances, hello roulette table!" I mean, Thome's a gamble to stay healthy, and finances is so much more than just betting on ONE SINGLE THING to go right. Another "blah" preview piece I I guess.

Crazy carl? He said some stupid s*** about the Mariners being as good as the Sox...can't remember the exact quote though. I'd scratch him off the list.

Alright, lets make a fair analogy. If BA had said, "no, I don't garden, thats black folk work"--would you be so quick to write it off as "joking around"? I don't believe so. Why the double standard? Why is it OK to stereotype one historically opressed group but not the other? Like I said, I don't think it's that harmful to women that he said that, however I don't believe it's appropriate to "joke around" when issues of sexism, racism, etc or involved.

Good work, looks like that site will now be at the top of many lists for Sox related info. Amazing the trickle down effects from a World Series victory. I'm glad that Soxtalk is expanding in content and popularity.

I think it's an ignorant statement by BA and I certainly think less of him now, however, on a scale of 100 on "things that hurt women" I'd say that statement ranks about a 2. I'll save my bile for wife beaters, child abusers, and rapists. To conclude: ignorant thing to say, but not that hurtful, so I don't really care.

Screw him, some of you guys need to get over the hatred. He's always been a prick, he was just a prick that was on the Sox and could be counted on for a 310/470/530 line in his prime. Has he disrespected the organization? Yes. Is he delusional about things? Yes. Was he the best White Sox hitter of all team? Easily. All this wishing him injury and embarassment is just rolling in the mud with a pig. I hope Frank finishes his career strong and shuts his mouth. It's unlikely to happen, but I'm over caring strongly either way. I'm focused on the 2006 White Sox, and Frank isn't in those plans.

Well, the homer is really irrelevent to me. That Ozzie comments however seem to suggest that it's Borchard's job to lose, as clearly he is the better OF option over Gload. It might not be "fair" to Gload, but on this team his position of skill (1B) just isn't in as high of demand as outfield depth.

Thats such a bad comparison. I mean, one is out of baseball, another is 25, one is...ah screw it, I'm tired of trying to defend the value of Borchard. At least until he OPS' 900 in spring training--or 600. Hello Timo II!

Perry is a bleeping idiot and I won't defend him. However: That raises my ire a bit. CS is a wasted out, and a SB doesn't bring up the expected runs that much. However, a guy that is successful at stealing more than 75% is generaly considered an asset by the SABR community. Until his injury, PODS was over that mark. SABR guys don't like PODS because he plays a position low on the defensive spectrum and hits for a crap OPS, not because he steals bases.

I love being the IT guy, it's so empowering.