Rays-Rangers, ALDS Game One Chat
September 30, 2011
Author Archive
Offseason Notes for September 30th
September 30, 2011
These kids are totally unaware of the exercise in joy that is the offseason.
Offseason Notes: An Introduction
On What Is This Thing
While the playoffs begin Friday, they do so only for eight teams — meaning that a considerably greater number of teams (22, it seems, provided this abacus isn’t broken) and their fans have entered that period of life known as The Offseason. In about a week, another four teams will join those ranks. And then another two. And then everyone.
The purpose of these Notes will be to address those matters of greatest interest to the curious baseballing fan.
FanGraphs Audio: Eyewitness Accounts
September 29, 2011
Episode Eighty-Seven
In which accounts and descriptions abound.
Headlines
The Story of the Rays’ Game 162 — Told by People Who Were There!
Featuring
Mike Axisa, FanGraphs and River Ave Blues
Tommy Rancel, FanGraphs and ESPN 1040 Tampa
Finally, you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio on the flip-flop. (Approximately 30 min. play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
FanGraphs Audio: Mega Blowout Playoff Preview
September 29, 2011
Episode Eighty-Six
In which baseball sells itself.
Headlines
The Events of September 28th — Recapitulated!
The Saddest Story Ever — Told Briefly!
The 2011 Playoffs — Super-Previewed!
Featuring
Dave Cameron, Full-Time Employee
Finally, you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio on the flip-flop. (Approximately 45 min. play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
One Night Only: Game Previews for September 28th
September 28, 2011
Look at all of these unemployed babies.
Boston (9) at Baltimore (2) | 19:05 ET
New York AL (10) at Tampa Bay (7) | 19:10 ET
Philadelphia (3) at Atlanta (5) | 19:10 ET
St. Louis (3) at Houston (4) | 20:05 ET
On Why There’re Four Games Here
Everyone, even tiny babies, knows why there are four games here: because each of these games includes a team tied, on the last day of the season, for the Wild Card in their respective league.
On How Such a Thing Happened
Everyone wrote to their senator and asked for it, probably.
On How Such a Thing Will End
Copious butt-slapping, win or lose.
FanGraphs Audio: Mike Newman, Prospect Maven
September 28, 2011
Episode Eighty-Five
In which the guest is his own Newman.
Headlines
Stats and Scouting, The Relationship Between — Celebrated!
The Mike Newman Story — Told Briefly!
Specific Prospects — Actually Discussed!
The Word Fisted — Said Aloud!
Featuring
Mike Newman, Prospect Maven
Finally, you can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes or other feeder things.
Audio on the flip-flop. (Approximately 1 hour play time.)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
One Night Only: Game Previews for September 27th
September 27, 2011
NERD and Frankenstein’s monster have about 0.5 things in common.
New York AL (10) at Tampa Bay (8) | 19:10 ET
NERD v. Nerd
NERD — i.e. the numbers you see here designed to express in one figure the watchability of a team or player or game for the baseballing nerd — is totally trying to embarrass its creator today.
How It’s Doing That
By giving the Yankees-Rays and Red Sox-Orioles contests Game Scores of 9 and 7, respectively, while they (i.e. those games) very clearly feel like some of those most interesting games of the season.
Why That’s Happening, In Reality
The reason why that’s happening — the thing with the lower-than-expected scores — is because Boston’s playoff odds remain at about 63%. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay’s are only about 37%. (All per Cool Standings.)
Leaderboards of Pleasure – 9/26/11
September 26, 2011
Howie Kendrick has made this and other plays in 2011.
In Preston Sturges’ 1941 film Sullivan’s Travels, protagonist John L. Sullivan learns that — instead of a socially conscious film designed to raise awareness about their struggles — that the downtrodden actually prefer the light, airy comedies on which he (i.e. Sullivan) has made his reputation as a film director.
Leaderboards of Pleasure is essentially Sullivan’s Travels in miniature. Except you read it. And it’s on the internet.
While reading this particular edition of the LOP on the internet, the reader will find that:
Howie Kendrick remains underrated.
Howie Kendrick continues to rank among the league’s most underrated players. The reader will also find that much of that is due to Kendrick’s 17.6 UZR. An interesting thing about that: Kendrick has been worth +16 runs per Defensive Runs Saved and a more modest, but still above-average, +7 runs per Total Zone (which has him as +12 at second base and -7 in left field).
More news on this story as it does or does not develop.
Liam Hendriks has been better than he’s looked.
The young Australian, now with 23.1 innings as a major-league starter, has posted a 6.17 ERA so far but only a 3.77 SIERA and 3.66 xFIP (91 xFIP-).
Murder is legal in Australia.
This is a fact that you don’t need to look up and can just tell anyone at the bar about, totally comfortable in the knowledge that it (i.e. the legality of murder in Australia) is a fact.
1. Team NERD Leaderboard
2. Underrated Player Leaderboard
3. Player NERD Leaderboard
4. Pitcher NERD Leaderboard
One Night Only: Game Previews for September 26th
September 26, 2011
An example of a famous Russian astronaut, or cosmonaut.
St. Louis (3) at Houston (4) | 20:05 ET
Brass Tacks
What with Atlanta’s loss on Sunday and St. Louis’s victory, the Cardinals now find themselves a single game behind the Braves in the NL Wild Card Race.
In Terms of Percentages
In terms of percentages, that gives the Cardinals a 36.6% chance of making the postseason; the Braves, 63.4% (per Cool Standings).
Meet Some Astros!
Here are some Astros: Brian Bogusevic (173 PA, 118 wRC+, 1.8 WAR), J.D. Martinez (219 PA, 106 wRC+, 1.6 WAR), Jimmy Paredes (172 PA, 93 wRC+, 0.6 WAR).
Meet Some Astronauts!
Here are some current astronauts: Serena M. Auñón, Jeanette J. Epps, Jack D. Fischer.
Some Other Terms for Astronaut
Here are some other terms for astronaut: cosmonaut (a Russian space traveler), taikonaut (a Chinese space traveler), sexynaut (an Italian space traveler).
MLB.TV Audio Feed: Astros Television.
One Night Only: Game Previews for September 25th
September 25, 2011
The sort of scissors utilized by both starters in today’s featured game.
Los Angeles NL (5) at San Diego (6) | 16:05 ET
Playoffs Schmayoffs
There are a couple games today — the Boston-New York ones, the Cardinal one — that have playoff implications, but the present author is like, “Talk to the hand, you games.”
Why the Author Is Saying That
Because his knowledge of popular slang is current up to only about 15 years ago.
Why Else the Author Is Saying That
Because none of the underdogs at this point has better than a 16% chance of making the playoffs — and this game probably represents that last time we’ll see Clayton Kershaw this season.
Something You Probably Know About Clayton Kershaw
Here’s the season line for Clayton Kershaw, Cy Young Candidate: 226.0 IP, 27.3% K, 6.0% BB, 43.4% GB, 2.65 SIERA, 2.82 xFIP, 73 xFIP-.
Something You Mayn’t Know About Kershaw’s Opponent
Kershaw’s opponent, Cory Luebke, has been almost as brilliant as Kershaw on a per-batter basis: 133.2 IP, 28.1% K, 7.6% BB, 38.9% GB, 2.67 SIERA, 2.97 xFIP, 77 xFIP-.
MLB.TV Audio Feed: Dodgers Television.