Felix

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 08:20 PM) in a bunt situation you may only need one run. your data doesn't tell you which strategy has the highest probability of scoring exactly one run. I'm not saying that bunting is always a bad situation. However, bunting before the 7th inning or later is just a stupid play. There's absolutely no reason for it.

QUOTE (SouthsideDon48 @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 11:22 PM) But in all fairness, bunting the leadoff man to 2nd base is part of the goal of bringing the runner home in that inning. It's all about teamwork, and that's what the White Sox needs, more teamwork and stringing along a timely and cohesive attack as a team rather than having 9 batters swinging the bats as individuals. So if the best way to drive a runner in is by bunting him over, for the more powerful batters behind the #2 batter to do their jobs, then everyone did their jobs, everyone served their purpose. Then what difference would it make if a bunt was used if it ended up satisfying the singular goal of the team to score runs? Incorrect. When you have a runner on first and no outs, you are expected (based on empirical data from 1999 to 2002) to score .953 runs. That number drops to .725 with a runner on second and one out. Simply said, you are more likely to score with a runner on first and no outs than you are with a runner on second and one out.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 10:51 PM) Who in baseball IS worth it? f***ing nobody. Wise was great last year in his role. By baseball money standards, this is a bargain. I'd rather have Wise start every game than some Taveras who is not worth s***. What part of Wise's .248/.293/.450 line was 'great' last year? Players that end the year as the starting LF shouldn't have an OBP below .300, especially if they are 'great'.

Who cares about bunting? It's a stupid play designed to give outs away, which is not something we should be doing in front of our sluggers.

Moneyball Baseball Between the Numbers The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball QUOTE (rangercal @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 10:39 AM) The way people talk around here, I can tell many read moneyball. Yeah. Baseball fans reading a book about baseball? Shocking!

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 08:50 PM) The difference is that Punto just got $8.5 million to be a "supersub" by a team that could/should have spent that money on Casey Blake. They could have moved Casilla over to SS, and played Tolbert at 2B and had a much better team (on paper). It will be interesting to see if they really do "dump" Delmon Young as has been reported. Punto is actually going to be their starting SS, not a supersub. However, he is indeed terrible offensively and nowhere near the 4 million per they gave him for the next two years.

He's not worth it, but it's not enough money for me to care.

Taveras is a bad player. No need to sign him.

I'd sell for anything. Post count means nothing.

QUOTE (Chisoxfn @ Dec 9, 2008 -> 01:15 PM) Andrew, the Twolves had one of the greatest players to ever play the game for an extended period of time (Garnett). And the team has still never won a NBA Championship and only have one division title in 20 years. They've also had the inept Kevin McHale at GM for the most part of the last 14 years. The T'Wolves have been a very bad franchise although I don't know if I'd consider them the worst in the NBA (thank you Clippers), let alone in all sports.

QUOTE (Markbilliards @ Dec 10, 2008 -> 10:17 AM) If you had Jay Bruce, would you trade him for Hanley? Yes and it wouldn't even be close.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Dec 7, 2008 -> 05:46 PM) Good, Im glad someone is reading it, those kids are hilarious. I'm reading it. It's fantastic.

Gophers were down 40-28 going into the half against Cornell today, but completely dominated the second half outscoring Cornell 43-14 to win 71-54. Big games from Ralph Sampson III and Lawrence Westbrook, while Damian Johnson was his usual ballhawking self on defense. Damian is quite possibly the best defender in the Big Ten and a huge game changer for the Gophers.

QUOTE (DBAHO @ Dec 3, 2008 -> 10:27 AM) Little surprised they're not gonna stick with Punto at 3B actually. Depending on the cost, Blake maybe a decent signing for them, but he may regress. Punto was their SS last year, not third, and was not offered arbitration because he sucks and isn't worth the multiple of millions they'd have to pay him.

I don't think anyone else watched Minnesota/Virginia last night, which is a true shame. They missed some awesome defense.

Damian Johnson is completely awesome in every way.

Gophers face off against Virginia tonight in our first real game of the season. I'm heading out in a few minutes here, can't wait for this one to start!

We all know KW is far from being done dealing. That being said, Flowers is a pretty good prospect to get back, especially considering our lack of depth at catcher. Javy is incredibly underrated by a number of people here, but I'll hold off judgement until we know what the actual deal is.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 11:16 PM) Absolutely right! I agree 100%. We could live with a low SLG out of a player if he had a high OBP. But a player who doesn't do either very well??? Whew... I just think we should keep looking. No. You and your stats are wrong. His one good (lucky?) half of a season outweigh all the other full seasons he's had in hitters ballparks and show that he'll be a successful player in Chicago, so long as people cheer for him.

Didn't you say you were done replying to these posts awhile ago KHP? Whatever happened to that?

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 10:16 PM) http://www.baseball-reference.com/t/taverwi01.shtml he's played at least 97 games and has had at least 372 ABs in each of the last four years. Every year he has been a below average offensive player, PEAKING with a OPS + of 89. He is a bad offensive player and the White Sox don't have a magical spell that will make him a quality MLB offensive player. I said this way too many pages ago (as did a number of other posters in more than one thread), but it's refuted with the clever argument that OPS is a stupid stat and the statistical analysis that shows Taveras needs a fan base cheering for him in order to be successful, which is why Chicago is a better place than Colorado for him.

Do we really need two open threads that are basically talking about the same exact topic between the same exact posters?

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 07:05 PM) If you really want to impress everyone with your conviction (HAHA!), you'll invest in a #3 or #1 Willy Taveras Sox road jersey and make it your new display image. I'm willing to bet just about everything and anything I own that we will never see Willy Taveras in a #3 White Sox jersey.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Nov 30, 2008 -> 05:02 PM) Something please happen soon. This site is incredibly boring. Just start arguing about Willy Taveras.. it makes things exponentially more hilarious and entertaining.

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 01:48 AM) Can you explain to me with this reasoning why Gregor Blanco drew almost twice as many walks as Ryan Braun? Or why the one of the best base stealers in history, Rickey Henderson, (who averaged 74 stolen bases per 162 over a 25 year career) averaged over 100 walks per 162 games. Exactly. QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 1, 2008 -> 09:26 AM) Someone explain to me how Taveras is a better hitter than Anderson....cuz I don't see it. Because he's fast, but only if he has the support of the fans and they cheer him on. If the fans start booing though, well.. it's not his fault.