Anthem of the week. Here we go.
The Week That Was
LAA – 4-2
“We’re in this together, guys. We can do anything as a t-”
Oh, fer cryin’ out loud.
The Battle of Los Angeles – Week 12
Posted by Riley Breckenridge under Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, The Battle of Los Angeles on Jun 18, 2013
Scouting Munenori Kawasaki (For the Home Run Derby)
Posted by Drew Fairservice under Analysis, Toronto Blue Jays on Jun 18, 2013
The two loveable scamps who host Baseball Prospectus’ Effectively Wild podcast, Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller, had a fun idea on Friday’s show: they drafted a dream home run derby team. Not just in terms of “which team would win” but which team would feature the most entertaining players? They sought entertaining players more than effective players for this hypothetical situation.
After the usual suspects (Giancarlo Stanton et al) and some off-the-board choices including football player/famous progeny Trey Griffey, Ben Lindbergh selected Munenori Kawasaki of the Toronto Blue Jays. Kawasaki is enjoying a fun run for the Toronto Blue Jays, mostly scoring points in the “antics” column. He is a solid defender at shortstop and turns in solid at bats but he is not an everyday player in the big leagues.
Which is the point of Ben’s tongue-in-cheek selection: it would be fun to see the slight, slap-hitting Japanese import swing for the fences.
As someone who joylessly drifts through life as literally as possible, it got me thinking: how might Munenori Kawasaki actually fare in the home run derby? To answer that question, I did some digging and watched him take batting practice. The results might surprise you!
The Getting Blanked Podcast #145: …Andrus-tice for All
Posted by Drew Fairservice under Podcast on Jun 18, 2013
Time to mean towards a very successful person! Today we play He’s Just Not That Good Any More with the Rangers shortstop after talking Freddie Freeman, debuts, and Giancarlo Stanton ruining Pat Corbin’s fun. A good time had by most.
Listen to the podcast directly here.
Subscribe to Getting Blanked on iTunes to ensure the podcast, daily video show and other life-changing materials goes straight to your device of choice each week. Or, you can hook up the RSS feed here if that is more your style.
Some (underlined) Mint Musical Interludes courtesy of The Constantines and Arts & Crafts Records and Deathwish Records. Check out the full catologue and buy what you like. It’s the right thing to do.
URL Weaver: The Freeman Conundrum
Posted by Drew Fairservice under Link Dump on Jun 18, 2013
Age is everything. When thinking about, or passing judgment on, the performance of baseball players now and into the future, the impact of age cannot be overstated.
When it comes to Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves, I constantly fight with my own internal impulses to declare him “not that good.” I constantly make joking references to Lyle Overbay in reference to the Braves first baseman. Their profiles are not dissimilar, decent power but not traditional “first base” pop, left-handed batters with close to league-average patience. Overbay is a vastly superior defender but they’re first baseman, it isn’t like it matters that much.
Should we expect similar career trajectories for similar players? Is Freeman an Overbay Clone – a decidedly league-average player for the rest of his days? We can’t make that distinction without first considering Freeman’s age.
Elimination of Baseball’s Retaliation Culture Starts with Managers
Posted by Jack Moore under Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Play of the Week on Jun 17, 2013
Tuesday night’s fight between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks was the kind of brawl hardasses across North America live for. Punches were thrown and punches connected. Players and coaches were thrown on the ground and pinned against guardrails.
The Getting Blanked Podcast #144: Cool Dads and Hot Friars
Posted by Drew Fairservice under Podcast on Jun 17, 2013
The Getting Blanked podcast is becoming the Halley’s Comet of podcasts = but here it is, re-entering your orbit to (hopefully) wreak havoc! Talking Rangers struggles, hot Blue Jays and Padres and the coming of Wil Myers.
Listen to the podcast directly here.
Subscribe to Getting Blanked on iTunes to ensure the podcast, daily video show and other life-changing materials goes straight to your device of choice each week. Or, you can hook up the RSS feed here if that is more your style.
Some (underlined) Mint Musical Interludes courtesy of The Constantines and Arts & Crafts Records and Deathwish Records. Check out the full catologue and buy what you like. It’s the right thing to do.
The Carlos Marmol Alfonso Soriano Knows
Posted by Scott Lewis under Chicago Cubs on Jun 17, 2013
Kevin Gregg had pitched on four consecutive days going in to the Cubs’ Sunday afternoon game versus the Mets. With his regular closer slated for a day off, Dale Sveum summoned Carlos Marmol to close out the Mets with a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. When the game was over, Marmol’s line would read as follows: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 HR.
Marmol surrendered a three-run walkoff blast to Kris Nieuwenhuis to cap this most Marmolian blown save.
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Dustin Parkes, Andrew Stoeten, Scott Lewis, Craig Robinson, Matt Klaassen, Eno Sarris, Riley Breckenridge
