Game 163 Live Blog

7:59
Dave Cameron: It’s Game 163! These are great. This should be fun.

8:00
Dave Cameron: If you haven’t been in a live blog here before, these are a little different than our regular chats. We won’t do as much Q&A, and this will be more of us reacting to the game as we watch it, interspersing your comments and questions when we can.

8:01
Dave Cameron: \’

8:02
Dave Cameron: Also, this is my first live blog during the puppy ownership era, so if there are sudden bouts of random letters appearing, my apologies in advance. She’s excited about snuggling with me though.

8:02
Comment From Bango
Jeff late as usual

8:02
Comment From Tom
I don’t have TBS! WTF do I do?! Postseason.tv? Dave you mentioned you were in the same boat…how are you watching tonight?

8:02
Dave Cameron: I get cable for one month a year. You can do postseason.TV in a pinch, though.

8:03
Comment From Shane
Why do people insist on telling me David Price’s #’s vs. Texas lifetime when he’s demonstrably improved? So frustrating.

8:03
Dave Cameron: ,kj/hmy.;ui

8:03
Dave Cameron: Hey, there’s puppy contribution #1

8:04
Dave Cameron: It took 3 minutes…

8:04
Dave Cameron: Also, people love trivia numbers.

8:04
Comment From SeaBass
IS puppy ownership easier/harder than you expected?

8:04
Dave Cameron: Was way harder for first two months, has gotten much easier over last week since we got electric fence up and running.

8:05
Comment From Bango
In your article on single game strategy, you said only the best of pitchers should turn a lineup over more than twice. Is price one of those pitchers?

8:05
Dave Cameron: Yes, especially given that McGee/Peralta/Rodney all pitched a lot yesterday.

8:05
Comment From Julian
Any predictions on how the game will go based on the lineups or pitching matchup? And if the puppy has a good prediction, I’m sure it will type it out to us as best as it can.

8:05
Dave Cameron: Rays are probably something like 60/40 favorites, but predictions are just a reason to be wrong.

8:06
Dave Cameron: “The big story is that Nelson Cruz is back…” How about that it’s Game 163? Isn’t that a bigger story?

8:07
Jeff Sullivan: Right on time, just like Dave requested!

8:07
Dave Cameron: Hey Jeff.

8:07
Jeff Sullivan: Now for the time every year I try to remember which channel TBS is

8:08
Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know if it’s 60/40 Rays, given the home-field advantage aspect

8:08
Jeff Sullivan: 55/45. This is important.

8:08
Dave Cameron: We should fight about this.

8:08
Jeff Sullivan: Aggressive move for a guy with a hamstring injury.

8:08
Dave Cameron: Wow, he was out by a long way on what looked like an obvious double.

8:08
Dave Cameron: He must be really hurting.

8:08
Dave Cameron: =]

8:08
Dave Cameron: Puppy Contribution #2~

8:09
Jeff Sullivan: I like it. Added some levity.

8:09
Comment From Tom Steele
THE PUPPY ALREADY KNOWS EMOTICONS?!

8:09
Dave Cameron: She’s super smart.

8:10
Jeff Sullivan: Dave taught her.

8:10
Jeff Sullivan: So laughable that expanded rosters apply to this

8:10
Comment From Meano Eno
Should this game actually use 40 man rosters?

8:10
Jeff Sullivan: So is this not the playoffs, but tomorrow is the playoffs?

8:10
Dave Cameron: Yeah, this is a total joke.

8:11
Jeff Sullivan: I want 25 innings so it comes down to Ross Wolf vs Freddy Guzman

8:11
Dave Cameron: Martin Perez, so far, not looking ace like.

8:11
Jeff Sullivan: :O

8:11
Jeff Sullivan: (not a puppy contribution)

8:12
Jeff Sullivan: Doesn’t mean as much now, but having Jennings in the lineup is pretty big for Tampa here. And he did kill the ball

8:12
Dave Cameron: Maybe worth noting that Perez had serious command problems in the minors.

8:12
Jeff Sullivan: But what’s his defense going to look like?

8:12
Dave Cameron: Hasn’t been a huge problem in MLB, but wildness not a new thing for him.

8:12
Jeff Sullivan: Feels like Perez has been a top prospect since like 2004

8:13
Dave Cameron: Four hitters, four baserunners, and no runs.

8:13
Jeff Sullivan: With 18 pitchers, time to get some stirring.

8:14
Comment From bucs_lose_again
Time for Delmon Young to step into the phone booth

8:14
Comment From Doug
Over/under on 4IP by Perez tonight?

8:14
Jeff Sullivan: Is it too late to answer this?

8:14
Dave Cameron: I’m taking the under.

8:15
Dave Cameron: Now.

8:15
Jeff Sullivan: Perez, incidentally, had mostly average minor-league strike rates in the upper levels

8:15
Dave Cameron: A bases loaded walk to Delmon Young would be amazing.

8:15
Dave Cameron: Not amazing.

8:16
Jeff Sullivan: Decent AB for the dad from Family Matters

8:16
Dave Cameron: And that’s why we hired Jeff.

8:16
Dave Cameron: Although, how many of our readers were alive when Family Matters was still on the air?

8:16
Jeff Sullivan: I generally assume all of our readers are exactly my age

8:17
Comment From Mason
Should the Indians (fans) be rooting for a specific team tonight?

8:17
Jeff Sullivan: Off the top of my head, the Rangers, because they’re probably a little worse.

8:18
Comment From Floyd
If you’re cleveland you root for Tampa. You’d rather face Cobb than Darvish

8:18
Dave Cameron: Darvish pitched Sunday, so he’s not going Wednesday.

8:18
Jeff Sullivan: Also, Cobb has been quietly amazing

8:18
Comment From Nick
If it helps, I think Rays are throwing Cobb vs CLE if they win, Garza if TEX wins

8:18
Dave Cameron: Cobb > Garza.

8:19
Comment From Guest
You guys taking fantasy questions tonight?!

8:20
Dave Cameron: Only Jeff is.

8:20
Jeff Sullivan: Take whoever Nick Tepesch is

8:20
Jeff Sullivan: Nate Tepesch?

8:20
Jeff Sullivan: Take the Tepesch

8:20
Comment From Guest
If you were Wash who would you have started tonight?

8:21
Jeff Sullivan: Perez seems like he’s kind of the only option, right?

8:21
Comment From Casey
Will there be a live blog for tomorrow and Wednesday’s games as well?

8:21
Dave Cameron: Yes.

8:21
Jeff Sullivan: Tomorrow prominently featuring Dave, Wednesday prominently featuring Jeff

8:22
Comment From SeaBass
Where is Carson?

8:22
Dave Cameron: Paris.

8:22
Comment From Roger
Do you guys have any qualms about rooting for the Rangers now that Cruz is back? I know he “did his time” so to speak, but it still seems hard to pull for PED users.

8:22
Jeff Sullivan: Carson feels about the playoffs the way Elvis Andrus feels about dingers

8:23
Dave Cameron: 1. I’m not rooting for the Rangers. 2. If you think TB doesn’t have any guys who used PEDs at some point in their career, you’re probably naive.

8:23
Jeff Sullivan: I am just going to assume that the Rangers just got Molina’d.

8:23
Jeff Sullivan: Ehh, strike

8:23
Dave Cameron: Looked like a strike to me.

8:23
Jeff Sullivan: That right there might be the worst pitch Price throws tonight

8:23
Jeff Sullivan: It was unremarkable

8:24
Dave Cameron: He’s really pounding the outside corner.

8:25
Jeff Sullivan: As many walks now as Price issued between July 2 and August 3

8:25
Dave Cameron: Major League pitchers can’t throw strikes whenever they want. It’s kind of amazing.

8:25
Jeff Sullivan: It’s so hard

8:26
Dave Cameron: It doesn’t look that hard!

8:26
Jeff Sullivan: It’s so hard!

8:26
Jeff Sullivan: Try it!

8:26
Dave Cameron: I was a catcher. I just yelled at the guys trying it.

8:26
Jeff Sullivan: The camera angle is so deceptive!

8:26
Comment From ralph
Man, some real “That’s what she said” action going on here…

8:26
Jeff Sullivan: Actually spotting pitches is so freaking difficult, beyond throwing in the box

8:27
Comment From Guest
Price not locating his offspeed stuff, you think that’ll settle down in later innings?

8:27
Jeff Sullivan: If there’s actually something to the Texas thing then boy will there be egg on my face

8:27
Jeff Sullivan: I figure he’ll find his changeup in the next 10-20 pitches

8:27
Jeff Sullivan: Holy hell what a block

8:28
Dave Cameron: So Loney just blocked the bag.

8:28
Jeff Sullivan: Is that…

8:28
Jeff Sullivan: Is that allowed?

8:28
Dave Cameron: It shouldn’t be.

8:28
Comment From joseph
It feels illegal

8:28
Jeff Sullivan: Somebody look that up for us please

8:29
Dave Cameron: Minions, research!

8:29
Jeff Sullivan: If it’s allowed, couldn’t a first baseman just stand between the runner and the base?

8:29
Jeff Sullivan: At what point is it obstruction?

8:29
Dave Cameron: Prince Fielder, amazing defensive first baseman.

8:29
Comment From Sgt. Pepper
“By the rules of baseball, a runner has the right to an unobstructed path to a base. However, this right is not granted if the fielder guarding the base possesses the ball or is in the process of catching the ball.”

8:30
Jeff Sullivan: Gray area!

8:30
Jeff Sullivan: Seems like Loney was “in the process of catching the ball” from the instant Price threw over

8:30
Dave Cameron: Seems like an umpire will never call it if you’re in the position Loney is. If you actually stood in the guys way, maybe.

8:31
Comment From Guest
If lots of guys exploited the rule, they’d just change it…

8:31
Dave Cameron: Agree.

8:32
Jeff Sullivan: How is James Loney not just Casey Kotchman?

8:32
Comment From Brian
He’s not white.

8:33
Jeff Sullivan: I don’t see color

8:33
Dave Cameron: Okay Colbert.

8:33
Jeff Sullivan: No seriously it’s been crippling

8:33
Comment From Scott
no, really, jeff is actually watching on a 13″ b/w tv

8:33
Jeff Sullivan: #portland

8:34
Dave Cameron: Nice hustle, Yunel.

8:34
Jeff Sullivan: Have we ever been more certain of a player being a clubhouse cancer than with Yunel Escobar?

8:34
Dave Cameron: Elijah Dukes?

8:34
Jeff Sullivan: Because, you know…

8:34
Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, that’s a good one

8:34
Jeff Sullivan: Escobar, though, 4th among shortstops in WAR

8:34
Comment From The Media
AROD!

8:35
Jeff Sullivan: I hope A-Rod breaks the dinger record

8:35
Comment From ralph
Do you still hear about Yunel being a clubhouse malcontent? Or is considered at least neutral these days?

8:35
Jeff Sullivan: The Rays, publicly, seem to like him, and think he just needed a little guidance

8:35
Dave Cameron: I think it is entirely possible that Escobar is just a bad human being, but the Rays have figured out how to make it less public.

8:36
Jeff Sullivan: Pretty sure he hasn’t murdered, so there’s that

8:36
Comment From Guest
Joe Maddon brings animals and other distractions in the clubhouse so no one focuses on Escobar’s bad attitude “Hey look over here at the python!”

8:37
Jeff Sullivan: light a mop mop mop

8:37
Dave Cameron: Does TBS always pick songs that have people yelling FIIIIIIIIIIRE in them

8:38
Comment From Guest
it’s been MLB network’s song all season

8:38
Dave Cameron: Another great reason to not have cable for 11 months per year.

8:39
Dave Cameron: I am still in love with Adrian Beltre.

8:40
Comment From skore
that running from beltre looked awful

8:40
Comment From Phillip
Injured hamstring

8:40
Jeff Sullivan: Beltre and Jennings both, evening out

8:41
Jeff Sullivan: Except that Beltre got to second

8:41
Comment From Nick
Am I wrong to think that Adrian Beltre is one of the most underrated players in the last 10 years or so?

8:41
Jeff Sullivan: I miss Written In The Stars

8:41
Dave Cameron: Not at all.

8:41
Comment From Scott
I use “written in the stars” as an alarm because the song basically makes my body seize at this point

8:42
Jeff Sullivan: I can see why one would want to seize every morning

8:43
Dave Cameron: “And he’ll swing at anything.” Totally unprompted. Awesome.

8:43
Jeff Sullivan: Swinging is exhausting so A.J. must be in terrific shape

8:44
Dave Cameron: Molina’d!

8:44
Dave Cameron: AJ won’t swing at anything, apparently.

8:44
Jeff Sullivan: I can’t tell what this reaction is

8:44
Jeff Sullivan: Steroids are clearly a huge problem in baseball

8:44
Jeff Sullivan: Fans won’t stand for PED users

8:44
Comment From Guest
Texans are unfettered by steroid use

8:45
Jeff Sullivan: I mean for god’s sake how much evidence do we need that people just don’t care

8:45
Comment From ralph
Everything is steroidsier in Texas.

8:46
Comment From Eagle
I may be in the minority but I care about PED use. I don’t care for it

8:46
Dave Cameron: I don’t care for it either. I don’t think that’s a minority opinion.

8:47
Jeff Sullivan: Everybody, I think, would prefer it not be a thing, but it’s not driving people away

8:48
Jeff Sullivan: It’s just something people tolerate as the reality

8:48
Jeff Sullivan: Two baserunners spared by Loney in two innings

8:49
Comment From Cody
Fans forget and forgive

8:49
Dave Cameron: Especially if you help their team win.

8:50
Comment From Floyd
Put it this way, Nelson Cruz gets booed like crazy if this game is in any other ballpark. People care about steroids, but it definitely takes a back seat to rooting interests

8:50
Dave Cameron: Agreed.

8:51
Jeff Sullivan: You can make the same argument that they help the sport as you can with blown calls by umpires

8:51
Jeff Sullivan: PEDs = subject of interest, drawing considerable attention

8:52
Jeff Sullivan: Ad for Bleacher Report on my television

8:52
Jeff Sullivan: Kind of honestly forgot that’s still a thing

8:53
Comment From Dreamin
Was the ad in the form of a slideshow?

8:55
Dave Cameron: Wil Myers, pride of High Point, about 30 minutes from me.

8:55
Comment From Andrew
Which volcanoes best represent each of these teams?

8:55
Comment From Nick
It worked out well for the Royals?

8:55
Jeff Sullivan: Rangers = Nyiragongo, Rays = Campi Flegrei

8:56
Dave Cameron: No, it did not.

8:56
Jeff Sullivan: God, that talking point.

8:56
Comment From Mr. Wrestling IV
High Point, Furniture Capital of the World

8:56
Dave Cameron: Not anymore – now Vegas has a furniture show too, so buyers can choose between Vegas and a desolate southeastern former factory town.

8:57
Jeff Sullivan: Vegas blows

8:57
Dave Cameron: So does High Point.

8:57
Jeff Sullivan: Sounds like it’s higher and more pointy

8:58
Jeff Sullivan: Right as Perez was settling in…

8:58
Dave Cameron: The ball is really carryign.

8:58
Dave Cameron: carrying even.

8:58
Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, Young almost went out for a grand slam.

8:58
Jeff Sullivan: Pretty remarkable to hit that pitch out to the right side of center

9:00
Comment From Andy
Has Longo reached his potential? Never really gotten close to .900 OPS

9:00
Dave Cameron: Also, Evan Longoria and Game 163 again.

9:00
Jeff Sullivan: I’d like to see his numbers adjusted for a different ballpark in a different division with a more average schedule

9:01
Dave Cameron: Here’s the WPA graph for anyone who wants to follow along, by the way. http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-09-30&team=Rangers&dh=0&season=2013

9:02
Comment From Jhonny
I propose a moratorium on the word “magical,” especially where it concerns hitting a baseball. Anyone with me?

9:02
Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know, it kind of seems like magic. The pitches go so fast

9:02
Comment From Yoop
Jhonny’s comment was magical

9:02
Jeff Sullivan: but I was DH’d for in high school

9:03
Comment From skore
Wait, does this game count towards regular season stats?

9:03
Dave Cameron: Yes.

9:03
Dave Cameron: A better chemistry shortstop would have made that play.

9:04
Jeff Sullivan: Escobar is probably pretty familiar with using the back of his hand

9:04
Jeff Sullivan: What the actual hell was that swing by Martin?

9:04
Comment From Guest
What would the suspension be for using actual witchcraft magic?

9:04
Jeff Sullivan: Do you want to cross a wizard?

9:05
Comment From jojo
Does everyone have a sore leg?

9:05
Comment From NatsonVacation
I think the whole team is limping

9:05
Jeff Sullivan: Team-building exercise

9:06
Comment From jojo
I’m gonna limp to the fridge.

9:06
Dave Cameron: Craig Gentry not limping on that one.

9:06
Jeff Sullivan: Pretty good read by Gentry

9:07
Dave Cameron: “He takes off on the crack of the bat.” /cue replay of him holding until it is over Zobrist’s head.

9:07
Dave Cameron: Loney does not go for block #2.

9:07
Jeff Sullivan: In their defense, they were trying to recall the recent past

9:08
Comment From Peter Brotzmann
If the Rangers lose, is Wash’s job in danger?

9:08
Jeff Sullivan: Shouldn’t be

9:08
Comment From skore
Would it make sense to prioritize defense in a one-game playoff?

9:08
Jeff Sullivan: Totally depends on what you have available and your opponent

9:08
Dave Cameron: You should prioritize outscoring your opponent.

9:09
Comment From Brian
I asked that question earlier but got no answer….

9:09
Jeff Sullivan: There are 2,000 people in here right now

9:09
Comment From Sgt. Pepper
There are more people in this chat than would be at the game if it were in Tampa

9:09
Comment From Compton
What is the maximum occupancy for a fangraphs live blog?

9:09
Dave Cameron: We had a few thousand for a WS game a few years back.

9:10
Jeff Sullivan: Pretty sure Tampa gives unsold tickets to self-operating cow bells

9:10
Dave Cameron: Again, why we hired Jeff.

9:11
Jeff Sullivan: Rob Szasz has a Wikipedia page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Szasz

9:11
Dave Cameron: Another pickoff.

9:11
Jeff Sullivan: Oh, oh dear

9:11
Dave Cameron: Maybe stop giving away outs Rangers.

9:12
Jeff Sullivan: The back ends of both bullpens are pretty exhausted, right?

9:12
Dave Cameron: Right.

9:12
Jeff Sullivan: Awesome

9:12
Comment From Scott
I’m a little rough on numbers, but getting picked off is probably not the new market inefficiency

9:13
Jeff Sullivan: It’s all about the errors on pick-off attempts. Unseen value

9:14
Comment From Nathan
Its disappointing that this game isn’t available on a regular mlb.tv subscription, given that it’s technically a regular season game.

9:14
Dave Cameron: That is odd.

9:14
Jeff Sullivan: That’s pretty crappy.

9:14
Comment From Jacob
It’s been 3 innings and still no Craig Sager. What gives?!

9:14
Dave Cameron: And for once, Jeff has a stronger opinion than I.

9:14
Jeff Sullivan: This broadcast is actually being aired through a monitor on Craig Sager’s jacket.

9:15
Jeff Sullivan: Opinions are going to be one of my 2014 new year’s resolutions

9:15
Comment From Floyd
National broadcasts usually are blacked out on mlb.tv

9:15
Dave Cameron: True.

9:15
Jeff Sullivan: Oh right, that part

9:16
Jeff Sullivan: But what is up with this game internationally?

9:16
Comment From jojo
Are there any ‘pick off move’ metrics?

9:16
Comment From SaladFingers
Meanwhile I’m stuck here with these horrid camera angle options and have almost no idea what’s going on half the time

9:17
Dave Cameron: Congratulations, you are a Rangers baserunner.

9:17
Dave Cameron: The carry!

9:17
Dave Cameron: This is crazy.

9:17
Jeff Sullivan: Hell of a catch though

9:17
Dave Cameron: Yes.

9:18
Jeff Sullivan: Spotted: pitcher makes accurate throw from mound to base

9:18
Dave Cameron: Puppy has just pushed my computer out of my lap and taken over.

9:18
Jeff Sullivan: Matt Garza is confounded

9:19
Comment From Larry
Does pitcher value include controlling the running game? Or is that already adequately addressed using wOBA allowed?

9:19
Jeff Sullivan: Suspicion is that controlling the running game is one of the reasons Cueto beats his FIP

9:19
Jeff Sullivan: Dave wrote about that a year ago(?)

9:19
Dave Cameron: Yeah, it’s part of runner stranding.

9:19
Comment From person hscer
In High Heat 2003 like 1/4 of pickoff tries were thrown away

9:19
Jeff Sullivan: The best baseball video game ever 🙁

9:19
Comment From Sgt. Pepper
Any word on whether Billy Hamilton is on the roster tomorrow?

9:20
Jeff Sullivan: He really ought to be

9:20
Dave Cameron: It would be crazy if he’s not.

9:20
Jeff Sullivan: 8 swinging strikes for Perez so far, 2 for Price

9:20
Dave Cameron: Like, lock you up and put in on a straight jacket crazy.

9:21
Jeff Sullivan: Hamilton is such a weapon. You don’t need to worry about whether he can hit big-league pitching well

9:21
Comment From Sgt. Pepper
Where does one get a Dusty Baker sized straight jacket?

9:22
Comment From Guest
how did you get into your profession, Dave?

9:22
Dave Cameron: Luck.

9:22
Jeff Sullivan: /high five

9:23
Comment From K
Don’t be modest, you guys are talented.

9:23
Dave Cameron: A lot of talented writers didn’t get our break.

9:24
Jeff Sullivan: Everything in life is ability + fortune. We’ve both been fortunate

9:24
Dave Cameron: Unless you’re born a Kardashian. Then it’s just + fortune.

9:25
Jeff Sullivan: I love when you make pop culture references

9:25
Dave Cameron: And yes, that’s me making a pop culture reference. Don’t get used to it.

9:25
Jeff Sullivan: At least this one wasn’t dated

9:26
Jeff Sullivan: So far we’ve got Kardashians and Family Matters. Knocking it out of the park

9:26
Dave Cameron: And you were the one who referenced the 20 year old TV show.

9:26
Jeff Sullivan: Anybody want to talk about Wings?

9:26
Comment From Jhonny
Have to cook dinner in a few. Rosemary, thyme, or dill?

9:26
Dave Cameron: Dill is gross. Either of the other two.

9:26
Jeff Sullivan: Dill is really the worst

9:26
Comment From marco
seriously how can Matt Garza not practice the throw to first enough to be competent?

9:27
Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know but I love that he doesn’t

9:27
Jeff Sullivan: That is a swell defense play by Escobar

9:27
Dave Cameron: That was not easy!

9:28
Comment From Guest
If you didn’t see another Alec Baldwin Capital One commercial, would you be OK?

9:28
Dave Cameron: I just saw my first one in like 11 months. And yes.

9:29
Jeff Sullivan: I’m only now going through 30 Rock so now those commercials are weirder to me

9:29
Jeff Sullivan: On Escobar, btw:

9:29
Jeff Sullivan: “I said, ‘He’s a great teammate,'” Molina recalled Sunday. “And they said, ‘What are you talking about? Everybody says the opposite.'”

9:29
Comment From Rick
Alec Baldwin is better than the really creepy Brad Pitt commercials from last year

9:30
Dave Cameron: I had forgotten about those. Now i won’t be able to sleep.

9:31
Jeff Sullivan: So hey, Perez made it through the fourth after all

9:32
Dave Cameron: BABIP gods say hello.

9:32
Jeff Sullivan: But there was also the carrying dinger

9:33
Jeff Sullivan: So I don’t know what to make of this, except that neither starter has really looked great

9:33
Dave Cameron: Okay, have to go put the wife to bed. It’s all Jeff all the time, for the next few periods of time.

9:34
Jeff Sullivan: Guess I better pay attention, then, instead of read articles about Yunel Escobar’s personality

9:35
Comment From Movementarians
Any great Game 163 memories? Randy Johnson and the Kingdome for me always stands out.

9:36
Jeff Sullivan: Good friend of mine got an HDTV in 2007

9:36
Jeff Sullivan: Padres fan in San Diego. Bought the TV and got it home and set up just in time for 163 against the Rockies.

9:36
Jeff Sullivan: That was his first-ever HDTV baseball game and it still makes me laugh.

9:37
Comment From Re: Yunel
Anyone else pulls a stunt like Escobar and they LOSE THEIR JOB. Tired of the chances these guys get

9:37
Jeff Sullivan: He did lose his job

9:37
Comment From Chris
Wings was an underrated show for its time. Lowell was a great character.

9:38
Jeff Sullivan: And then Ned & Stacey was downright watchable!

9:38
Comment From Josh
Thumbs up or down on John Smoltz as a color commentator?

9:38
Jeff Sullivan: Mostly in favor but I generally tune the announcers out

9:38
Jeff Sullivan: Especially when I’m live-blogging

9:38
Comment From Mr. Jones
Why did Mitch Moreland get the start at first and not Jeff Baker, who can actually hit lefties?

9:38
Jeff Sullivan: Baker has a hernia, I believe

9:39
Jeff Sullivan: Otherwise, yeah

9:39
Comment From Sean P
Game’s moving along at a pretty nice clip so far.

9:39
Jeff Sullivan: I always feel guilty for enjoying that, but I do enjoy that

9:40
Jeff Sullivan: Beautiful pitch

9:40
Comment From Joel
Being a Mariners fan, I used to really hate the Rangers. But now, I mostly just hate the Mariners.

9:40
Jeff Sullivan: Bingo

9:41
Comment From Prich
Dessert- Something chocolate covered, or ice cream?

9:41
Jeff Sullivan: both?

9:42
Comment From Seth
I haven’t watched much of the Rays this year; has Price’s arm slot been this low all year? I’m sure it used to be higher.

9:43
Comment From Guest
Jeff, do you enjoy other forms of sport?

9:44
Jeff Sullivan: hockey

9:44
Comment From Jacob
Twins-Tigers 2009 Game 163 might be the best baseball game I have ever seen

9:44
Jeff Sullivan: One-game playoffs are always amazing. Playoffs are always amazing. So what if it’s silly to conclude with one game? It’s silly to conclude with one series. Embrace the madness.

9:45
Comment From James
If Price continues pitching effectively, how far do you let him go in this one?

9:45
Dave Cameron: Anything happen while I was gone?

9:45
Jeff Sullivan: Maybe two innings, max?

9:46
Jeff Sullivan: Outs happened

9:46
Jeff Sullivan: People made fun of your terminology

9:46
Dave Cameron: Outs on bases?

9:46
Jeff Sullivan: Just outs

9:46
Dave Cameron: That’s boring.

9:46
Jeff Sullivan: Sorry

9:46
Jeff Sullivan: Now a rousing ovation for some reason

9:47
Dave Cameron: Is an unethical cheater coming in?

9:47
Dave Cameron: (yes, that’s just trolling)

9:47
Jeff Sullivan: Fans are so nice until the losses are sealed

9:47
Comment From Guest
Is it just me or is the zone bigger for Price? Is it a Molina thing or am I just reacting to the crowd moan?

9:47
Jeff Sullivan: Crowd moan will be an influence, but you should expect a bigger zone with Molina than with Pierzynski

9:47
Jeff Sullivan: also, Price is better about hitting his spots

9:48
Comment From Chris
aside from the really egregious AJ call, seems fine ti me thus far

9:48
Jeff Sullivan: This year, Molina at +1.8 pitches/game, Pierzynski at -0.8 (framing)

9:49
Jeff Sullivan: When did they start being able to show data during games again?

9:49
Jeff Sullivan: Used to be blocked for the longest time

9:49
Dave Cameron: Pittsburgh.

9:49
Dave Cameron: Not sure.

9:49
Dave Cameron: Longoria, doing what he does in elimination games.

9:50
Jeff Sullivan: Careful now, don’t spend everything you have on narrative

9:50
Comment From Bango
Price going to be wearing a Rangers jersey in a couple months?

9:51
Jeff Sullivan: Decent chance

9:51
Comment From Andy
Wow. Molina’s glove is moving to the zone before he catches the ball.

9:51
Jeff Sullivan: One of the techniques. He’s the best at it

9:51
Dave Cameron: AJ tried to fake Longo there.

9:52
Dave Cameron: And that’s what you can do with your stupid small sample pinch hitting statistics.

9:52
Comment From Guest
Probably the wrong place for this question but it has been bothering me. Going back to McCann/Gomez…was it the correct call to give him a HR since he never crossed the plate and was ejected? Or should it have been scored a 3B?

9:52
Jeff Sullivan: McCann got in his way

9:52
Jeff Sullivan: Now back to this baseball!

9:53
Jeff Sullivan: Wonder how that AB goes if Ogando gets the second pitch

9:53
Comment From chuckb
DeJesus — clutch performer. Or, DeJesus — doing what he does vs. righties.

9:53
Dave Cameron: It’s like having a bunch of useful players is good.

9:54
Comment From Eminor3rd
Smoltz: “The Rays are trying to get even more runs here.”

9:54
Comment From Portland, OR
Is Price still among the top 5 pitchers in the majors?

9:54
Jeff Sullivan: 10-15

9:55
Comment From Andy
Should the Rays pick up DeJesus’ option? 6.5 mil or a 1.5 mil buyout.

9:55
Dave Cameron: I think so.

9:55
Comment From chuckb
How much heat do Daniels or Wash feel in Texas this winter if they lose tonight and fail to make the playoffs?

9:55
Jeff Sullivan: Ogando doesn’t have it at all right now

9:55
Dave Cameron: Daniels should feel no heat.

9:57
Comment From FS
Rays’ lineup does not impress me. How can they survive in October if they win tonight?

9:57
Jeff Sullivan: You think the Rays are in position to pay that much for DeJesus?

9:57
Dave Cameron: They were like 5th in baseball in wRC+. Perhaps you should reconsider your evaluation.

9:57
Dave Cameron: $5 million for a +2 WAR OF? Yeah.

9:57
Jeff Sullivan: He’s worth it, in general, but I don’t know about fitting into that budget

9:58
Jeff Sullivan: also, he’ll be 34

9:58
Jeff Sullivan: But this probably isn’t what’s important right now!

9:59
Jeff Sullivan: 9 whiffs for Perez, 3 for Price

9:59
Jeff Sullivan: Ogando with a grounder and three line drives

10:00
Comment From BH
pedro’s hair is fantastic

10:00
Comment From Jimmy
Paraphrasing Verducci–get a good pitcher early because they get better–isn’t this a misnomer as pitchers have better numbers the first time thru an order and worse 2nd time thru, etc?

10:01
Dave Cameron: Yeah, this is pretty much completely wrong.

10:01
Dave Cameron: Jose Molina sliding at you has to be really scary.

10:01
Jeff Sullivan: Sometimes it does take time to settle in, but the numbers sure suggest otherwise

10:02
Comment From El Scorcho
Have you guys adopted a team for the playoffs?

10:02
Jeff Sullivan: I prefer fresher teams, generally

10:02
Dave Cameron: Pittsburgh.

10:03
Jeff Sullivan: So, Indians, Pirates

10:03
Jeff Sullivan: but A”s would be awesome

10:03
Comment From jojo
Are there any freshnss metrics?

10:03
Dave Cameron: Sell by date?

10:04
Comment From jojo
I go with the sniff test

10:04
Comment From jojo
Better defense in LF: Delmon Young or the combination of Sullivan and Cameron (i.e. both of you out there at the same time)?

10:04
Jeff Sullivan: do we get to practice?

10:04
Dave Cameron: I think we’d be better.

10:04
Dave Cameron: Even without practice.

10:04
Jeff Sullivan: I’d like to practice.

10:05
Comment From Larry
Would you play deep short or left right?

10:05
Dave Cameron: Left right.

10:05
Dave Cameron: I think.

10:05
Jeff Sullivan: You’re a righty, correct? I’m lefty. We can do this

10:05
Dave Cameron: Let’s lobby for this. Hey MLB, we want to try.

10:05
Comment From Ben
When should Maddon pull Price? Should he have already when the order came up for the third time?

10:06
Dave Cameron: They should have pen warming, but have to factor in McGee/PeraltaRodney threw a lot yesterday.

10:06
Jeff Sullivan: I at least let Price get through Pierzynski before thinking about removing him

10:06
Jeff Sullivan: and then I’m not real worried about Moreland/Gentry before Martin

10:07
Jeff Sullivan: welp

10:07
Jeff Sullivan: I was certain that was a dinger!

10:07
Dave Cameron: That was crushed.

10:07
Dave Cameron: So much for carry.

10:07
Comment From Meano Eno
man how did that not get out of here

10:07
Jeff Sullivan: That didn’t get out, Longoria’s did

10:08
Comment From MJ
Did Longoria find his hat?

10:08
Jeff Sullivan: It’s what motivates him to this day

10:08
Dave Cameron: So this sounds loud.

10:08
Jeff Sullivan: love it

10:08
Dave Cameron: Playoff atmosphere indeed.

10:08
Jeff Sullivan: Sounded like a baseball town

10:09
Comment From Dave Camerons Puppy
Yeah but anyone under the age of 40 doesn’t like baseball

10:09
Jeff Sullivan: Might be the loudest they get

10:09
Dave Cameron: The sport is dying, you may have heard.

10:10
Jeff Sullivan: I’m comfortable giving Price another inning. Not concerned about the bats coming up, except for Cruz, who leads off

10:10
Jeff Sullivan: Get him through Martin, hand off to the pen

10:11
Jeff Sullivan: still though, just the three whiffs all game long

10:11
Dave Cameron: I could see an argument for taking him out before Cruz.

10:11
Jeff Sullivan: that would be now

10:11
Dave Cameron: Right.

10:11
Jeff Sullivan: Guess it’s up to Maddon’s evaluation of the freshness of the relievers. Lots of them out there

10:12
Dave Cameron: They also have the expanded rosters, so could match-up way through 7/8.

10:13
Comment From Guest
How do you guys like the announcers? Think Smoltz is far superior to Joe

10:13
Dave Cameron: I like Smoltz a lot.

10:13
Jeff Sullivan: Smoltz is good, but I’m worried about what he’ll be in five years after enough time with other TV types

10:14
Jeff Sullivan: Colliding outfielders sure look like idiots

10:14
Jeff Sullivan: He’s right beside you!

10:15
Comment From Ryan
Hey, OF communication is hard when you’re that fast. All you hear is wind!

10:15
Comment From jojo
I’m guessing you and Cameron are colliding multiple times in our hypothetical

10:16
Jeff Sullivan: I think we would excel at fundamentals

10:16
Jeff Sullivan: I think we would *relatively excel at fundamentals

10:16
Dave Cameron: I think we would probably look hilarious.

10:16
Dave Cameron: We would need someone to make a lot of GIFs.

10:17
Jeff Sullivan: We’d relay to one another

10:17
Comment From FS
I guess lack of known players’ deceives me but I still don’t see how Rays’ lineup will stack against Tigers, Red Sox, and Indians?

10:17
Jeff Sullivan: Quite favorably, is the answer!

10:17
Comment From Jacob
If you are the Indians, are you hoping to face Matt Garza or Alex Cobb in the wild card game?

10:17
Jeff Sullivan: Garza

10:17
Dave Cameron: Garza.

10:18
Comment From Sgt. Pepper
Wow I didn’t realize the Yankees offense was that bad

10:18
Dave Cameron: Their second best hitter was Alfonso Soriano.

10:18
Jeff Sullivan: 139 starters threw 100+ innings. Cobb tied for eighth in xFIP-

10:18
Comment From bradinLAindenver
any great bunters on the indians? or even decent ones?

10:18
Dave Cameron: Michael Bourn.

10:19
Jeff Sullivan: What’s Bourn’s injury? Wrist? Knee?

10:19
Dave Cameron: Hamstring?

10:19
Jeff Sullivan: calf

10:19
Jeff Sullivan: 0-for-3, just like Pierzynski

10:19
Comment From Guest
Dave, are you going to do a full article analyzing the Myers-Shields trade in the offseason. It seems like it is still something that people are divided on.

10:19
Dave Cameron: Not people who read FanGraphs.

10:20
Jeff Sullivan: It would probably still be worth a post in the middle of the winter, when you’re starved for other ideas

10:20
Comment From Guest
Guys, you don’t win a pennant in April.

10:20
Dave Cameron: Since I said I liked Smoltz, he has said like 8 dumb things.

10:21
Jeff Sullivan: That ball went an extra 100 feet

10:21
Dave Cameron: It looked like an infield fly off the bat.

10:21
Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, like he just flipped the bat at it

10:21
Dave Cameron: “HIt well”

10:21
Comment From Nadav
fangraphs vs B-R rec softball plz

10:21
Jeff Sullivan: More like FG + B-R vs. BP. Does B-R have much of a staff?

10:22
Dave Cameron: B-R has like three employees. So no.

10:22
Comment From Ben Kaspick
As a SF Giants fan, it’s amazing to watch this game and see how opposite this park plays to AT&T.

10:23
Dave Cameron: This is a great example of how parks don’t affect players the same ways.

10:23
Jeff Sullivan: Is AT&T the most extreme pitcher’s park now?

10:23
Jeff Sullivan: I think it’s gotta be

10:23
Dave Cameron: Maybe.

10:24
Comment From Brent Abernathy
I hope Longoria makes an out so they don’t air that four flavor/four hit twitter pic thing again

10:24
Jeff Sullivan: Social media is the worst

10:24
Comment From Andy
Isn’t this social media?

10:25
Comment From Brian
As he said Social Media is the worst.

10:25
Jeff Sullivan: Other social media is the worst

10:25
Dave Cameron: “Just missed” – it almost hit him!

10:25
Jeff Sullivan: #angle

10:26
Jeff Sullivan: Those are Mariano Rivera strikes

10:26
Comment From chuckb
Boooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! Bad call on that pitch a foot inside!

10:27
Comment From Chris
How do you search for past articles on fangraphs?

10:27
Dave Cameron: Google.

10:28
Comment From Andrew
Why are dead center cams not mandatory?

10:29
Dave Cameron: A lot of people don’t like it, because it looks weird at first.

10:29
Dave Cameron: Bad call.

10:29
Dave Cameron: That was a trap.





Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.

12 Comments
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Dick Vitale
10 years ago

October Madness Baby!!!

One and done baby!

Mr. Jones
10 years ago
Reply to  Dick Vitale

Might want to check the calendar, Dick.

Dong Vitate
10 years ago
Reply to  Mr. Jones

I’m in China Baby. It’s so Awesome, it’s already October baby!