Offseason Notes, Starring an Illustrative Graph

by
November 30, 2010

This edition of Offseason Notes contains:

1. Equal parts insult and injury.

and

2. An illustrative graph.

Marginally Important News
In which the author tells the truth, but tells it slant.

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Former Yankee Infielder G. McDougald Dies at 82
Besides winning ROY honors in 1951, Gil McDougald managed to post 100-plus wRC+s (that is, park-adjusted wOBA relative to league average) in all but one of his Major League seasons. Also, TotalZone thinks highly of his efforts — like real high — rating McDougald as average or better defensively in every one of his 10 seasons. All told, he never posted a WAR of less than 2.5. Another observation: he was almost as good in his worst season as just-signed Juan Uribe has been in his best. Ave atque vale, Gil McDougald.

T. Tulowitzki to Sign Extension Through 2020
Our Full-Time Employee will have actual analysis of this around noon, but I include it here merely to marvel at how there’s a person in the world (i.e. Troy Tulowitzki) who knows how he’ll be spending his days ten years from now. I can’t guarantee it, but there’s a strong chance I wouldn’t even sign a contract agreeing to be Carson Cistulli for the next ten years. I mean, what if I got a better offer?

H. Bell Murders Someone
Not really. But also, sort of. Contributor jbox of Gaslamp Ball (the SB Nation blog for the Padres) occasionally submits excerpts from what he calls the “Gaslamp Ball Dream Diary” — that is, a series of transcriptions of Padre-related dreams he’s had. Whether these are actual dreams or fabrications, I can’t speak to that. Whatever the case, I have no doubt that jbox will win the Pulitzer Prize in the very prestigious Dream Diary category.

Projections: ZiPS for Cincinnati
Beloved Pole Dan Szymborski has published his ZiPS projections for the Cincinnati Reds. Below are some of the notable ones. (All numbers assume major league competition. OPS+ and ERA+ are park-adjusted.)

Behold, the future:
• Joey Votto, 1B, 27: .301/.396/.540, 151 OPS+. Szymborski has run 12 teams now, and Votto’s OPS+ is the second-highest among all the players projected so far. (Adrian Gonzalez has a 152 OPS+.)
• Jim Edmonds, CF, 41: .251/.329/.479, 114 OPS+. Edmonds is old enough to be my father. Technically, at least. But it’d be weird.
• Danny Dorn, 1B, 26: .253/.325/.452, 107 OPS+. Discussed briefly in these pages at the end of October. Remains way less Italian than Joey Votto.
• Juan Francisco, 3B, 24: .263/.298/.480, 102 OPS+. With more home runs (25) than walks (24)!
• Devin Mesoraco, C, 23: .244/.312/.452, 103 OPS+. Tore minor-league pitchers a new one this season. “A new what?” maybe you’re wondering. “Use your frigging imagination!” an abusive older brother is responding.
• Dave Sappelt, CF, 24: .282/.324/.405, 95 OPS+. Also noted in these pages at the end of October. Had underwhelming performance in Arizona Fall League.
• Daryl Thompson, RHP, 25: 4.36 ERA, 14 G, 13 GS, 64.0 IP, 8 HR, 22 BB, 44 K, 96 ERA+. A third player treated in October. Performance has never really been his issue; health is the problem.





 

Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.

3 Comments
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JoeyPajamas
15 years ago

Another excellent piece, Carson. I do believe you meant “ERA+” for Daryl Thompson though, right?

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Carson CistulliMember
15 years ago
Reply to  JoeyPajamas

Indeed I did, Joey Pajamas. Indeed, I did.

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