The Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils have both gotten off to slow starts this season, and while there is no one cause that can be attributed to the lack of success, one major factor is the disappointing efforts so far by the top-line centers. Nicklas Backstrom and Travis Zajac have combined for two goals, six assists, and a -1 +/- in 17 games. Backstrom, who usually plays with Alex Ovechkin, scored 101 points last season in only his third year in the league. Zajac, 25, put up 67 points last year but was expected to benefit from centering a line with Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk. Recently the teams that receive excellent production from their centers (think the Pittsburgh Penguins with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jordan Staal or the Detroit Red Wings with Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, and Henrik Zetterberg) have had the most success. Backstrom and Zajac will be keys for the Caps and Devils if they want to have success throughout the season and in the playoffs, and both will have to step up their production from the level they are currently at.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Knicks and Wizards playoff contenders?
Yesterday, I wrote up a long and detailed post about the odds of the Knicks and Wizards making the playoffs this year like the ESPN.com experts believe, but Blogspot logged out/deleted it. I don't want to write the whole thing again, so here is the short version.
1. Heat
2. Magic
3. Celtics
4. Bulls
5. Bucks
6. Hawks
7. Bobcats
8. Knicks
9. 76ers
10. Wizards
11. Pacers
12. Pistons
13. Nets
14. Raptors
15. Cavaliers
With the Raptors and Cavaliers dropping to the bottom of the conference, the Knicks, with all their new acquisitions are able to capitalize and make the playoffs. I give more love to the Bobcats defense than ESPN.com does. I don't think there is enough around Wall for the Wizards to make the playoffs this year.
1. Heat
2. Magic
3. Celtics
4. Bulls
5. Bucks
6. Hawks
7. Bobcats
8. Knicks
9. 76ers
10. Wizards
11. Pacers
12. Pistons
13. Nets
14. Raptors
15. Cavaliers
With the Raptors and Cavaliers dropping to the bottom of the conference, the Knicks, with all their new acquisitions are able to capitalize and make the playoffs. I give more love to the Bobcats defense than ESPN.com does. I don't think there is enough around Wall for the Wizards to make the playoffs this year.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Jeffrey Maier's Spirit Reborn
Robinson Cano's home run yesterday where fans made contact with outfielder Nelson Cruz as he attempted to catch the ball brought a flashback to the Yankees' 1996 playoff series against the Baltimore Orioles. Then, Derek Jeter hit a fly ball that Tony Tarasco was prepared to catch, only for Yankee fan Jeffrey Maier to reach out and grab it first. It was ruled a HR and the Orioles never recovered. Now the Cano home run was not as clear cut as Jeter's in regards to whether it was interference. While I think Cruz was interfered with--that contact was made before he crossed the barrier and into the seats--it was a fine line. What I don't understand is why the umpires did not review it. I thought the point was to make sure all close home run calls are double checked to make sure they are correct? And if something in the rules stopped the umpires from looking at the replay, then that should be changed. With replay set up and all ready to go for home run calls, there is no reason for umpires or baseball to only go halfway.
Cliff Lee Comparable
After Cliff Lee's latest virtuoso playoff performance against the New York Yankees, (8 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 13 K) many writers now rank Lee as one of the best playoff pitchers of all time. He has been compared to Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Christy Mathewson, and Randy Johnson. Of those names listed above, the first three are high-caliber Hall of Famers, and Johnson will be once he is eligible. Lee, for all his remarkable achievements the past couple of seasons, does not have a career arc at their level. But another postseason great who has been compared to Lee, Curt Schilling, is a different and more interesting case. Schilling's place among the greatest pitchers in baseball history and whether he is worthy of the Hall of Fame is not obvious, and his career strongly parallels Lee's.
Both of them have made their fame with their postseason exploits. Lee currently is 7-0 in eight playoff starts, and in those starts has thrown 64.1 innings (slightly more than eight innings per start). With 67 strikeouts, Lee is averaging 9.37 K/9 and his ERA of 1.26 is backed up by his 1.54 FIP. Schilling, in 19 postseason starts, went 11-2 and threw 133.1 innings (slightly more than seven innings per start). Schilling's 8.10 K/9, while lower than Lee's, is as extraordinary as Lee's rate considering Schilling threw twice as many innings in the playoffs. Schilling's 3.06 FIP takes a little bit of the luster off his 2.23 career playoff ERA, but it is certainly impressive. Furthermore, both have succeeded against the New York Yankees. Lee is 3-0 against the Bronx Bombers in the postseason, having given up six runs (five earned) in 24 innings. Schilling's record against the Yankees was 2-1 in the playoffs, but it does not indicate how well he pitched. In the 2001 World Series he started three games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, pitching 21.1 innings and allowed only twelve hits and two walks while striking out 26. In the 2004 ALCS while with Boston, his numbers were not great but he was pitching hurt and gutted through the famous "bloody sock" game. Without Schilling, neither team could have defeated the Yankees and won the World Series.
Both of them have made their fame with their postseason exploits. Lee currently is 7-0 in eight playoff starts, and in those starts has thrown 64.1 innings (slightly more than eight innings per start). With 67 strikeouts, Lee is averaging 9.37 K/9 and his ERA of 1.26 is backed up by his 1.54 FIP. Schilling, in 19 postseason starts, went 11-2 and threw 133.1 innings (slightly more than seven innings per start). Schilling's 8.10 K/9, while lower than Lee's, is as extraordinary as Lee's rate considering Schilling threw twice as many innings in the playoffs. Schilling's 3.06 FIP takes a little bit of the luster off his 2.23 career playoff ERA, but it is certainly impressive. Furthermore, both have succeeded against the New York Yankees. Lee is 3-0 against the Bronx Bombers in the postseason, having given up six runs (five earned) in 24 innings. Schilling's record against the Yankees was 2-1 in the playoffs, but it does not indicate how well he pitched. In the 2001 World Series he started three games for the Arizona Diamondbacks, pitching 21.1 innings and allowed only twelve hits and two walks while striking out 26. In the 2004 ALCS while with Boston, his numbers were not great but he was pitching hurt and gutted through the famous "bloody sock" game. Without Schilling, neither team could have defeated the Yankees and won the World Series.
But what truly makes Lee and Schilling interesting comparables are their regular season resumes. Schilling pitched for five different teams in his career, while Lee has already pitched for four. Both also struggled during their theoretical prime years. In 2006, Lee's age 27 season, he regressed to a 4.73 FIP and his value dropped by 1.6 WAR from the previous season. 2007 was even worse, as he only lasted in the majors for 97.1 innings thanks to a 5.48 FIP (0.2 WAR). In 1994 and 1995, Schilling's age 27 and 28 seasons, he threw a combined 198.1 innings with a 1994 FIP of 4.43. Both have been considered bullpen savers, as Lee has thrown more than 200 innings in five of his six full seasons, while Schilling threw over 250 innings four times. Lee and Schilling are both known as the rare breed of pitcher that strikes out a lot of batters but does not walk many. This past season Lee had a 10.28 K/BB ratio; he struck out 185 while walking 18. In 2002, Schilling's best season, he had a 9.58 K/BB ratio, striking out 316 while walking 33. Lee has already had three seasons with over 6.5 WAR, a mark Schilling surpassed five times. Schilling compiled 66.5 of his 86.1 career WAR at age 30 and later. Lee has compiled 13.6 of his 29.9 WAR the last two seasons (ages 30 and 31), and does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. If Lee has the same type of longevity that Schilling enjoyed, then not only will he become a possible Hall of Fame candidate, but baseball fans can hope another pitcher of the Schilling/Lee mold is soon on the way.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Week 6 Picks
Seattle Seahawks vs. Chicago Bears: Chicago
At this point, it is really difficult to pick anyone from the NFC West to win a game unless they are playing someone else from the NFC West. Chicago's defense is one of five averaging less than fifteen points a game and should be able to overwhelm Seattle's offense.
Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay
Miami has the 28th best scoring offense and the 24th best scoring defense. Green Bay is ranked 8th in both. Plus, Chad Henne as your starting quarterback on the road is not a recipe for success.
San Diego Chargers vs. St. Louis Rams: San Diego
As much as I wish I could pick against Phillip Rivers and Norv Turner (and the Chargers are 0-3 on the road this season), this looks like an easy win for the Chargers. The Chargers have the 2nd best scoring offense and have the 2nd best yards/game defense (although that somehow has translated into the 20th best scoring defense). The Rams have been a nice surprise, but their injuries at WR will make it difficult for the pass game to be productive.
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots: New England
This should be a fun game to watch. New England has the best scoring offense (32.8 points/game, compared with Baltimore's 18.4 points/game) but the Raven's scoring defense is is 4th (14.4 points/game, compared to New England's 24.0 points/game). I'm picking New England for two reasons: Tom Brady is much better than Joe Flacco, and New England is playing at home.
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants: New York
Do I need to even explain this pick? I probably shouldn't be so flippant, as Detroit is averaging 25.2 points/game, good for 6th in the NFL. But it's the Lions. Enough said.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Atlanta
Atlanta's 2nd ranked scoring defense is going to eat up Kevin Kolb alive. Plus, their 10th ranked scoring offense should be able to do more than enough against the Eagles defense. The Eagles will still be waiting for their first home win after this game.
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh
The Steelers top ranked scoring defense will feast upon my boy Colt McCoy making his first NFL start. How does Cleveland think this is a good idea? Also, it is nice for Ben Roethlisberger that he gets to tune up on Cleveland for his first NFL start back from suspension.
New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: New Orleans
I should probably pick Tampa for this game, since these teams are pretty even and Tampa is playing at home. Furthermore, Pierre Thomas still is out, leaving the Saints without a running game. But for all of that, I'm still picking New Orleans because I believe in Drew Brees over Josh Freeman.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans: Kansas City
I'm fully on the Chiefs bandwagon. Their defense is for real, only allowing 14.3 points/game (3rd best in the NFL). I like their RB tandem of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and am a huge fan of their leading receiver, TE Tony Moeaki. Houston's offense is not good enough to compensate for their defense, which is allowing 27.2 points/game (29th in the NFL).
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos: New York
Kyle Orton, Brandon Lloyd, Eddie Royal, and Jabar Gaffney can put up fantasy points, but thats not the QB/WR corp you want to win games. Especially when going against the 6th ranked scoring defense in the Jets. And especially when the Broncos defense is 25th in scoring defense.
Oakland Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers: Oakland
Both teams have awful defenses, but at least Oakland's offense is respectable, averaging 22.2 points/game (11th in the NFL). Also, how bizarre is it that Coach Mike Singletary wanted to bench Alex Smith last week, but Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, and the rest of the offense insisted Smith stay in the game? You know you're talking about Alex Smith right? The guy who has led your offense to average 15.2 points/game (only Carolina's is worse). David Carr's not that bad, right?
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota
I was originally thinking Dallas, but I didn't realize how good the Vikings defense has been, only allowing 16.8 points/game (7th best in the NFL). Although I'm worried about Brett Favre's karma hurting the team. Basically, I have no idea how this game will go, so I picked the home team.
Washington Redskins vs. Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis
Obviously I'll be rooting for the Redskins, but I don't see how Peyton Manning doesn't carve apart the Redskins secondary in front of a national audience, even if it is on the road. The Redskins will certainly need to score more than the 17.8 they are currently averaging to win this game.
Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tennessee
The Titans have the 5th best scoring offense and the 10th best scoring defense in the NFL. The Jaguars have the 13th best scoring offense and the 30th best scoring defense. My boy Vince Young and Chris Johnson should be able to control the tempo of this game and run all over Jacksonville.
At this point, it is really difficult to pick anyone from the NFC West to win a game unless they are playing someone else from the NFC West. Chicago's defense is one of five averaging less than fifteen points a game and should be able to overwhelm Seattle's offense.
Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers: Green Bay
Miami has the 28th best scoring offense and the 24th best scoring defense. Green Bay is ranked 8th in both. Plus, Chad Henne as your starting quarterback on the road is not a recipe for success.
San Diego Chargers vs. St. Louis Rams: San Diego
As much as I wish I could pick against Phillip Rivers and Norv Turner (and the Chargers are 0-3 on the road this season), this looks like an easy win for the Chargers. The Chargers have the 2nd best scoring offense and have the 2nd best yards/game defense (although that somehow has translated into the 20th best scoring defense). The Rams have been a nice surprise, but their injuries at WR will make it difficult for the pass game to be productive.
Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots: New England
This should be a fun game to watch. New England has the best scoring offense (32.8 points/game, compared with Baltimore's 18.4 points/game) but the Raven's scoring defense is is 4th (14.4 points/game, compared to New England's 24.0 points/game). I'm picking New England for two reasons: Tom Brady is much better than Joe Flacco, and New England is playing at home.
Detroit Lions vs. New York Giants: New York
Do I need to even explain this pick? I probably shouldn't be so flippant, as Detroit is averaging 25.2 points/game, good for 6th in the NFL. But it's the Lions. Enough said.
Atlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles: Atlanta
Atlanta's 2nd ranked scoring defense is going to eat up Kevin Kolb alive. Plus, their 10th ranked scoring offense should be able to do more than enough against the Eagles defense. The Eagles will still be waiting for their first home win after this game.
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Pittsburgh
The Steelers top ranked scoring defense will feast upon my boy Colt McCoy making his first NFL start. How does Cleveland think this is a good idea? Also, it is nice for Ben Roethlisberger that he gets to tune up on Cleveland for his first NFL start back from suspension.
New Orleans Saints vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: New Orleans
I should probably pick Tampa for this game, since these teams are pretty even and Tampa is playing at home. Furthermore, Pierre Thomas still is out, leaving the Saints without a running game. But for all of that, I'm still picking New Orleans because I believe in Drew Brees over Josh Freeman.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans: Kansas City
I'm fully on the Chiefs bandwagon. Their defense is for real, only allowing 14.3 points/game (3rd best in the NFL). I like their RB tandem of Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, and am a huge fan of their leading receiver, TE Tony Moeaki. Houston's offense is not good enough to compensate for their defense, which is allowing 27.2 points/game (29th in the NFL).
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos: New York
Kyle Orton, Brandon Lloyd, Eddie Royal, and Jabar Gaffney can put up fantasy points, but thats not the QB/WR corp you want to win games. Especially when going against the 6th ranked scoring defense in the Jets. And especially when the Broncos defense is 25th in scoring defense.
Oakland Raiders vs. San Francisco 49ers: Oakland
Both teams have awful defenses, but at least Oakland's offense is respectable, averaging 22.2 points/game (11th in the NFL). Also, how bizarre is it that Coach Mike Singletary wanted to bench Alex Smith last week, but Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, and the rest of the offense insisted Smith stay in the game? You know you're talking about Alex Smith right? The guy who has led your offense to average 15.2 points/game (only Carolina's is worse). David Carr's not that bad, right?
Dallas Cowboys vs. Minnesota Vikings: Minnesota
I was originally thinking Dallas, but I didn't realize how good the Vikings defense has been, only allowing 16.8 points/game (7th best in the NFL). Although I'm worried about Brett Favre's karma hurting the team. Basically, I have no idea how this game will go, so I picked the home team.
Washington Redskins vs. Indianapolis Colts: Indianapolis
Obviously I'll be rooting for the Redskins, but I don't see how Peyton Manning doesn't carve apart the Redskins secondary in front of a national audience, even if it is on the road. The Redskins will certainly need to score more than the 17.8 they are currently averaging to win this game.
Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: Tennessee
The Titans have the 5th best scoring offense and the 10th best scoring defense in the NFL. The Jaguars have the 13th best scoring offense and the 30th best scoring defense. My boy Vince Young and Chris Johnson should be able to control the tempo of this game and run all over Jacksonville.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Series of the Pitcher
There has been a lot of talk that 2010 has been the "Year of the Pitcher." Whether that is true or not is debatable, but this year's NLCS certainly contains great starting pitching. Not only do both rotations have a Cy Young caliber ace leading the staff, but the quality of the number three and four starters is impressive. Let's examine more closely how good these pitchers really are.
Game #1: Tim Lincecum vs. Roy Halladay
This pitching duel is one of the most hyped playoff matchups in a long time, as both pitchers had legendary first starts to this postseason. Halladay threw the second no-hitter in postseason history, while Lincecum struck out fourteen in a complete game shutout. Similar to the aura of the Yankees in postseason games, when Halladay and Lincecum are on, you know that batters don't stand a chance against them. Halladay has been everything the Phillies wanted and more, anchoring the staff with a 3.01 FIP in 250.2 innings and leading the National League with 6.6 WAR. Lincecum, the winner of the last two Cy Youngs, had a "disappointing" season, as he finished with a 3.15 FIP in 212.1 innings for "only" 5.1 WAR. Lincecum's K/9 dropped to under ten for the first time since 2007, but his 9.79 K/9 still led NL starters. Not surprisingly, Lincecum led the league in strikeouts with 231, with Halladay finishing second with 219. But to show how small the drop-off truly was with Lincecum's strikeouts, if he had managed one more strikeout per start, he would have had more strikeouts than last season, when he had his career high of 262. With no offense to Adam Wainwright, Ubaldo Jimenez, or Josh Johnson, these are the two best pitchers in the National League and the difference in this game might come down to who surrenders the game to the bullpen first.
Game #2: Jonathan Sanchez vs. Roy Oswalt
Sanchez is not the second best pitcher for the Giants and pitched Game 3 of the NLDS against the Braves. This is not to say he is a bad pitcher, as his 4.00 FIP, while not spectacular, is backed up by a great 9.54 K/9, third best among all NL starters. Furthermore, Sanchez is on a roll right now. He pitched well in Game 3, throwing 7.1 innings of two hit, eleven strikeout baseball, and has been hot since September. He closed out the season with a 3.50 FIP and 10.6 K/9 in that timespan, but that does not truly show his success. He allowed six runs total (four earned) while striking out 42 in 35.2 innings. Assuming manager Bruce Bochy wants the mostly left-handed Phillies lineup to face a lefty in the first two games of the series and wants to save fly-ball pitcher Matt Cain for spacious AT&T Park, it makes sense to start Sanchez Game 2. Oswalt, shaky Game 2 of the NLDS against the Reds aside, is the Phillies second best pitcher. With Houston and Philadelphia this year he had a 3.27 FIP in 211.2 innings, good for 4.7 WAR. Oswalt's stuff has not deteriorated even though this is his tenth season in the majors, proven by his 8.21 K/9, his highest since his rookie season in 2001.
Game #3: Cole Hamels vs. Matt Cain
Cole Hamels' position on the Phillies staff is similar to Sanchez's for the Giants. He is a very good lefty who is not quite as good as the #1 and #2 starters (Hamels' FIP of 3.67, while a career best for him, is still worse than Halladay's and Oswalt's) but can have absolutely dominating starts due to his strikeout ability. Hamels' 9.10 K/9 was the best among Phillies starters and seventh among all NL starters. In Game 3 of the NLDS against Cincinnati he pitched a complete game shutout, getting nine strikeouts and twelve groundouts. When Hamels has his best stuff, as he did against the Reds, it is almost impossible to hit him hard. He will face Cain, the Giants' second best pitcher. Cain compiled a 3.65 FIP in 223.1 innings, good for 4.0 WAR. While Cain does not strike out as many batters as Lincecum or Sanchez, he also walks less, so his 2.9 K/BB is only slightly below Lincecum's, and ahead of Sanchez's. Hitters only hit .223 against Cain, and he fits well with his home ballpark.
Game #4: Joe Blanton vs. Madison Bumgarner
Whether this matchup occurs depends on how the first three games go, but if these two pitchers are allowed to pitch, it could still be tough on the offenses. Blanton's 4.34 FIP is not particularly impressive, but it is possible he has been unlucky with HRs this year. Blanton's xFIP, which normalizes HR rate, is an improved 4.06, and his 1.39 HR/9 rate is tough given that Blanton produces more groundballs than flyballs. Bumgarner has been impressive, producing a 3.66 FIP in 111 innings to produce 2.0 WAR in his first season in the majors. Bumgarner's 3.31 K/BB ratio is the best among Giants starters, showing nice command for the rookie. Limiting his walks will be key for Bumgarner, as the Phillies excel at exploiting the smallest of opportunities. With the pitchers set to start in this series, however, both the Phillies and Giants will not have a lot of opportunities to score, and fans will be able to enjoy a lot of fast-paced, low-scoring games.
Game #1: Tim Lincecum vs. Roy Halladay
This pitching duel is one of the most hyped playoff matchups in a long time, as both pitchers had legendary first starts to this postseason. Halladay threw the second no-hitter in postseason history, while Lincecum struck out fourteen in a complete game shutout. Similar to the aura of the Yankees in postseason games, when Halladay and Lincecum are on, you know that batters don't stand a chance against them. Halladay has been everything the Phillies wanted and more, anchoring the staff with a 3.01 FIP in 250.2 innings and leading the National League with 6.6 WAR. Lincecum, the winner of the last two Cy Youngs, had a "disappointing" season, as he finished with a 3.15 FIP in 212.1 innings for "only" 5.1 WAR. Lincecum's K/9 dropped to under ten for the first time since 2007, but his 9.79 K/9 still led NL starters. Not surprisingly, Lincecum led the league in strikeouts with 231, with Halladay finishing second with 219. But to show how small the drop-off truly was with Lincecum's strikeouts, if he had managed one more strikeout per start, he would have had more strikeouts than last season, when he had his career high of 262. With no offense to Adam Wainwright, Ubaldo Jimenez, or Josh Johnson, these are the two best pitchers in the National League and the difference in this game might come down to who surrenders the game to the bullpen first.
Game #2: Jonathan Sanchez vs. Roy Oswalt
Sanchez is not the second best pitcher for the Giants and pitched Game 3 of the NLDS against the Braves. This is not to say he is a bad pitcher, as his 4.00 FIP, while not spectacular, is backed up by a great 9.54 K/9, third best among all NL starters. Furthermore, Sanchez is on a roll right now. He pitched well in Game 3, throwing 7.1 innings of two hit, eleven strikeout baseball, and has been hot since September. He closed out the season with a 3.50 FIP and 10.6 K/9 in that timespan, but that does not truly show his success. He allowed six runs total (four earned) while striking out 42 in 35.2 innings. Assuming manager Bruce Bochy wants the mostly left-handed Phillies lineup to face a lefty in the first two games of the series and wants to save fly-ball pitcher Matt Cain for spacious AT&T Park, it makes sense to start Sanchez Game 2. Oswalt, shaky Game 2 of the NLDS against the Reds aside, is the Phillies second best pitcher. With Houston and Philadelphia this year he had a 3.27 FIP in 211.2 innings, good for 4.7 WAR. Oswalt's stuff has not deteriorated even though this is his tenth season in the majors, proven by his 8.21 K/9, his highest since his rookie season in 2001.
Game #3: Cole Hamels vs. Matt Cain
Cole Hamels' position on the Phillies staff is similar to Sanchez's for the Giants. He is a very good lefty who is not quite as good as the #1 and #2 starters (Hamels' FIP of 3.67, while a career best for him, is still worse than Halladay's and Oswalt's) but can have absolutely dominating starts due to his strikeout ability. Hamels' 9.10 K/9 was the best among Phillies starters and seventh among all NL starters. In Game 3 of the NLDS against Cincinnati he pitched a complete game shutout, getting nine strikeouts and twelve groundouts. When Hamels has his best stuff, as he did against the Reds, it is almost impossible to hit him hard. He will face Cain, the Giants' second best pitcher. Cain compiled a 3.65 FIP in 223.1 innings, good for 4.0 WAR. While Cain does not strike out as many batters as Lincecum or Sanchez, he also walks less, so his 2.9 K/BB is only slightly below Lincecum's, and ahead of Sanchez's. Hitters only hit .223 against Cain, and he fits well with his home ballpark.
Game #4: Joe Blanton vs. Madison Bumgarner
Whether this matchup occurs depends on how the first three games go, but if these two pitchers are allowed to pitch, it could still be tough on the offenses. Blanton's 4.34 FIP is not particularly impressive, but it is possible he has been unlucky with HRs this year. Blanton's xFIP, which normalizes HR rate, is an improved 4.06, and his 1.39 HR/9 rate is tough given that Blanton produces more groundballs than flyballs. Bumgarner has been impressive, producing a 3.66 FIP in 111 innings to produce 2.0 WAR in his first season in the majors. Bumgarner's 3.31 K/BB ratio is the best among Giants starters, showing nice command for the rookie. Limiting his walks will be key for Bumgarner, as the Phillies excel at exploiting the smallest of opportunities. With the pitchers set to start in this series, however, both the Phillies and Giants will not have a lot of opportunities to score, and fans will be able to enjoy a lot of fast-paced, low-scoring games.
Texas Sized Collapse
There are many reasons that I love baseball, and one of them is how great statistics are at describing and explaining the game. But I will be the first to admit that stats can only tell so much, as was demonstrated in the eighth inning between the Rangers and Yankees in Game 1. The Rangers had a 93.4% win probability according to FanGraphs, as they were up 5-1 entering the top of the eighth. C.J. Wilson had out-pitched his counterpart CC Sabathia and was pitching a gem of a game, only giving up four hits in the first seven innings. He faced Brett Gardner to lead off the inning, and allowed an infield single. Not a great start, but there was no reason to panic yet. And then Derek Jeter smashed a double that scored Gardner and knocked Wilson out of the game. After this happened, I knew without a doubt that the Rangers were about to blow the game. The Yankees are one of the few sports teams where it is guaranteed they will make you pay for your mistakes when it matters most. You can call it experience, an aura, or simply greatness intertwining with destiny, but these Yankees will not lose if you give them the smallest of opportunities.
Sure enough, Darren Oliver came in and promptly walked Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira to load the bases. It made sense to use Oliver, as he has been an excellent reliever for the Rangers all season, leading the team with a 2.64 FIP and contributing 1.5 WAR (second highest on the Rangers among relievers). But clearly Oliver did not have his command tonight and another pitcher was needed to face Alex Rodriguez with the bases loaded. But instead of calling upon well-rested closer (and best Rangers reliever with 1.8 WAR) Neftali Feliz, manager Ron Washington called upon Darren O'Day. This is not to say O'Day is a bad pitcher, as his 3.5 FIP and .197 BAA are good; however, they are not as good as Feliz's 2.96 FIP and .180 BAA. Furthermore, if Washington was hoping for the double play, there were better choices than O'Day, as O'Day is a fly-ball pitcher (42.2% FB%, .88 GB/FB ratio). Besides the fact that Feliz is the better pitcher, Washington occasionally used him for two inning saves in the regular season, so there is no excuse for having to save him for the ninth, especially with the eighth being a higher leverage situation.
Needless to say, Rodriguez hit a hard single to left and scored Jeter and Swisher to make it a 5-4 game. Washington made another pitching change, this time bringing in Clay Rapada to face MVP candidate Robinson Cano. Simply put, why? Rapada pitched nine innings for the Rangers this season and was not on their ALDS roster. You really want him pitching with a game of this magnitude on the line? It's not even as if he was lights out in those nine innings--his FIP of 7.19 is far from inspiring, even with the small sample size. Supposedly, Rapada, a lefty, would neutralize Cano, a left-handed hitter. There is a problem with this theory, however--Cano hits lefties very well. For this season, his wOBA against lefties was .368, and last year it was even better at .373. Furthermore, Cano had hit a HR against the superior lefty Wilson earlier in the game, proving he can hit lefty pitching. Naturally, he singled against Rapada to score Teixeira to tie the game at five.
Washington, however, was not done confounding everyone with his pitcher selections. He pulled Rapada to bring in another lefty, Derek Holland. Why not use Holland from the start? He is the better lefty compared to Rapada in K/BB (2.25 vs. 0.71), GB/FB (.99 vs. .57), FIP (4.02 vs. 7.19) and WAR (.8 vs. -.3--that's right, negative). And why still no Feliz? Marcus Thames singles home Rodriguez, and while Holland retired the next three batters, the Yankees had taken the lead and all the momentum. To recap, the Rangers needed five pitchers in the top of the eighth before recording an out. It is nearly impossible to recover from a meltdown like that.
But Kerry Wood comes in for the bottom half of the inning, and he walked the first batter, Ian Kinsler, to possibly put some hope back that the Rangers could salvage this mess. But Kinsler commited a cardinal sin by getting picked off by Wood at first, David Murphy repeatedly swung at ball four and grounds out to first, and pinch hitter Julio Borbon struck out. If Kinsler hadn't been picked off, and Murphy had taken the walk Wood was trying to give him, then the Rangers probably would have pinch hit Mitch Moreland, a superior hitter to Borbon. With two runners on and no outs, that would have been a nice opportunity for the Rangers to take back the lead. But once again, the Rangers took themselves out of it.
Even with the Yankees showing mercy (or being stupid) by asking Swisher, their second best hitter, to attempt to sacrifice bunt with Jeter already in scoring position and not scoring any additional runs, Mariano Rivera closed out the bottom of the ninth for yet another postseason save. The Rangers have blown a serious opportunity to take a lead in the series against the Yankees best starter, and it could very well to be so demoralizing that it will be too big a hole to climb out of.
Sure enough, Darren Oliver came in and promptly walked Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira to load the bases. It made sense to use Oliver, as he has been an excellent reliever for the Rangers all season, leading the team with a 2.64 FIP and contributing 1.5 WAR (second highest on the Rangers among relievers). But clearly Oliver did not have his command tonight and another pitcher was needed to face Alex Rodriguez with the bases loaded. But instead of calling upon well-rested closer (and best Rangers reliever with 1.8 WAR) Neftali Feliz, manager Ron Washington called upon Darren O'Day. This is not to say O'Day is a bad pitcher, as his 3.5 FIP and .197 BAA are good; however, they are not as good as Feliz's 2.96 FIP and .180 BAA. Furthermore, if Washington was hoping for the double play, there were better choices than O'Day, as O'Day is a fly-ball pitcher (42.2% FB%, .88 GB/FB ratio). Besides the fact that Feliz is the better pitcher, Washington occasionally used him for two inning saves in the regular season, so there is no excuse for having to save him for the ninth, especially with the eighth being a higher leverage situation.
Needless to say, Rodriguez hit a hard single to left and scored Jeter and Swisher to make it a 5-4 game. Washington made another pitching change, this time bringing in Clay Rapada to face MVP candidate Robinson Cano. Simply put, why? Rapada pitched nine innings for the Rangers this season and was not on their ALDS roster. You really want him pitching with a game of this magnitude on the line? It's not even as if he was lights out in those nine innings--his FIP of 7.19 is far from inspiring, even with the small sample size. Supposedly, Rapada, a lefty, would neutralize Cano, a left-handed hitter. There is a problem with this theory, however--Cano hits lefties very well. For this season, his wOBA against lefties was .368, and last year it was even better at .373. Furthermore, Cano had hit a HR against the superior lefty Wilson earlier in the game, proving he can hit lefty pitching. Naturally, he singled against Rapada to score Teixeira to tie the game at five.
Washington, however, was not done confounding everyone with his pitcher selections. He pulled Rapada to bring in another lefty, Derek Holland. Why not use Holland from the start? He is the better lefty compared to Rapada in K/BB (2.25 vs. 0.71), GB/FB (.99 vs. .57), FIP (4.02 vs. 7.19) and WAR (.8 vs. -.3--that's right, negative). And why still no Feliz? Marcus Thames singles home Rodriguez, and while Holland retired the next three batters, the Yankees had taken the lead and all the momentum. To recap, the Rangers needed five pitchers in the top of the eighth before recording an out. It is nearly impossible to recover from a meltdown like that.
But Kerry Wood comes in for the bottom half of the inning, and he walked the first batter, Ian Kinsler, to possibly put some hope back that the Rangers could salvage this mess. But Kinsler commited a cardinal sin by getting picked off by Wood at first, David Murphy repeatedly swung at ball four and grounds out to first, and pinch hitter Julio Borbon struck out. If Kinsler hadn't been picked off, and Murphy had taken the walk Wood was trying to give him, then the Rangers probably would have pinch hit Mitch Moreland, a superior hitter to Borbon. With two runners on and no outs, that would have been a nice opportunity for the Rangers to take back the lead. But once again, the Rangers took themselves out of it.
Even with the Yankees showing mercy (or being stupid) by asking Swisher, their second best hitter, to attempt to sacrifice bunt with Jeter already in scoring position and not scoring any additional runs, Mariano Rivera closed out the bottom of the ninth for yet another postseason save. The Rangers have blown a serious opportunity to take a lead in the series against the Yankees best starter, and it could very well to be so demoralizing that it will be too big a hole to climb out of.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Evaluating the Wizards' options in the backcourt
Gilbert Arenas is back in the news, this time for faking an injury and not playing in the Wizards' first home preseason game. Arenas explained that the reason he lied to his coach regarding his ability to play was so that Nick Young could start and be showcased, and Young played well in Arenas' minutes. While obviously Arenas is an idiot, this incident got me thinking along different lines. At this point in their careers, is there a difference between Gilbert Arenas and Nick Young?
This question might seem obvious, based upon the statures and salaries of the two players. But I was struck by how similar their per 36 minutes stats were. Per 36 minutes, Arenas averaged six more points (22.2 vs. 16.2) but also took almost five more field goal attempts (19 vs. 14.1). Surprisingly, Young had a better FG% (.418 vs. .411), 3P% (.406 vs. .348), and FT% (.800 vs. .739). Factoring in Arenas' ability to get to the free throw line more (even if he shoots a worse percentage), and its safe to say that these two players are basically a wash when it comes to putting the basketball in the basket. This is also not including the fact that Young is three inches taller than Arenas (he is 6'7).
Arenas does have one advantage over Young as an offensive weapon, and that is his play-making ability for others. As much as Arenas is viewed as a selfish player, he has always been around 5-5.5 assists per 36 minutes, while Young has been at around one assist per 36 minutes. However, Arenas won't have the ball in his hands nearly as often due to the presence of the projected franchise savior, John Wall. This will make his scoring contributions all the more important, and that is not promising due to the earlier comparisons with Young.
This also leads to the question of whether Arenas should be starting for the Wizards at all. A 6'4 shooting guard who shoots around 35% from three and is not known for good defense does not sound like a viable starter. And while it has been fun with Flip Saunders insinuating that he likes playing Wall, Arenas, and newcomer Kirk Hinrich at the same time, that lineup is not feasible for any length of time. All three players are 6'4 and whoever would be matched up against the opposing team's small forward would have a very difficult matchup. Josh Howard, Al Thornton, JaVale McGee, Hilton Armstrong, Andray Blatche, and Yi Jianlian will also all be getting important minutes in the forward positions, so there is not even the scenario of having room on the court for all three guards.
So is Arenas better than Hinrich? Last season, Hinrich had a .415 FG%, .371 3P%, and a .752 FT%, numbers slightly better than Arenas'. And while Hinrich did not rack up as many assists per 36 minutes as Arenas (4.5), he is capable of making plays for teammates. He also is used to playing alongside a young point guard who needs the ball in Derrick Rose. Furthermore, Hinrich is known for his excellent defense, a quality that could be used on the Wizards, and also has experience guarding shooting guards. While we might give credit to Arenas as a better offensive player due to his performances prior to last season and the fact he has been used as a scorer and playmaker more throughout his career, it looks like Hinrich might be a better fit for the Wizards this year.
With Wall and the players the Wizards have for the front court, points from the shooting guard position are not as big a concern for the Wizards as they might be for other teams. The shooting guard's job will be to play good defense and assist Wall running the show. This sounds like a description much better for Hinrich than Arenas. This could also allow Arenas to run the bench unit and allow him to have the ball in his hands more and make plays. With all the above being said--there's no way Arenas isn't a starter unless for disciplinary or injury issues, if only in the hopes that he will be easier to trade if starting for the Wizards. Which is a shame, for with the Wizards looking at a tough year of rebuilding and teaching Wall how to become a superstar, it would help to put their best lineups out there.
This question might seem obvious, based upon the statures and salaries of the two players. But I was struck by how similar their per 36 minutes stats were. Per 36 minutes, Arenas averaged six more points (22.2 vs. 16.2) but also took almost five more field goal attempts (19 vs. 14.1). Surprisingly, Young had a better FG% (.418 vs. .411), 3P% (.406 vs. .348), and FT% (.800 vs. .739). Factoring in Arenas' ability to get to the free throw line more (even if he shoots a worse percentage), and its safe to say that these two players are basically a wash when it comes to putting the basketball in the basket. This is also not including the fact that Young is three inches taller than Arenas (he is 6'7).
Arenas does have one advantage over Young as an offensive weapon, and that is his play-making ability for others. As much as Arenas is viewed as a selfish player, he has always been around 5-5.5 assists per 36 minutes, while Young has been at around one assist per 36 minutes. However, Arenas won't have the ball in his hands nearly as often due to the presence of the projected franchise savior, John Wall. This will make his scoring contributions all the more important, and that is not promising due to the earlier comparisons with Young.
This also leads to the question of whether Arenas should be starting for the Wizards at all. A 6'4 shooting guard who shoots around 35% from three and is not known for good defense does not sound like a viable starter. And while it has been fun with Flip Saunders insinuating that he likes playing Wall, Arenas, and newcomer Kirk Hinrich at the same time, that lineup is not feasible for any length of time. All three players are 6'4 and whoever would be matched up against the opposing team's small forward would have a very difficult matchup. Josh Howard, Al Thornton, JaVale McGee, Hilton Armstrong, Andray Blatche, and Yi Jianlian will also all be getting important minutes in the forward positions, so there is not even the scenario of having room on the court for all three guards.
So is Arenas better than Hinrich? Last season, Hinrich had a .415 FG%, .371 3P%, and a .752 FT%, numbers slightly better than Arenas'. And while Hinrich did not rack up as many assists per 36 minutes as Arenas (4.5), he is capable of making plays for teammates. He also is used to playing alongside a young point guard who needs the ball in Derrick Rose. Furthermore, Hinrich is known for his excellent defense, a quality that could be used on the Wizards, and also has experience guarding shooting guards. While we might give credit to Arenas as a better offensive player due to his performances prior to last season and the fact he has been used as a scorer and playmaker more throughout his career, it looks like Hinrich might be a better fit for the Wizards this year.
With Wall and the players the Wizards have for the front court, points from the shooting guard position are not as big a concern for the Wizards as they might be for other teams. The shooting guard's job will be to play good defense and assist Wall running the show. This sounds like a description much better for Hinrich than Arenas. This could also allow Arenas to run the bench unit and allow him to have the ball in his hands more and make plays. With all the above being said--there's no way Arenas isn't a starter unless for disciplinary or injury issues, if only in the hopes that he will be easier to trade if starting for the Wizards. Which is a shame, for with the Wizards looking at a tough year of rebuilding and teaching Wall how to become a superstar, it would help to put their best lineups out there.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Devils vs. Capitals Roster Construction
Big news in the NHL recently is not that the Devils lost yesterday to the Penguins, but how--in that they only dressed 15 skaters (not including the starting and backup goalies). Normally, a team plays 18, although in cases of suspension or injury, a team can start less. New Jersey got a lot of press for their big acquisitions of Ilya Kovalchuk and Anton Volchenkov during the offseason in the hopes of creating a dynamic offensive and defensive lineup. I figured it would be worthwhile to compare the Devils with the Capitals, who did not make any splashes in the offseason and have stuck with developing and promoting players through their system. The following salary numbers are from sportscity.com.
The Devils are currently at a cap number of $63,609,600 (right near the salary cap max) while the Capitals are at $59,807,000. The Caps actually have the two highest cap numbers (Alex Ovechkin at $9.538 million and Nicklas Backstrom at $6.7 million) and generally have an equal number of highly paid players. But there are some striking differences in roster makeup and payout between these two teams. The Capitals goalie tandem of Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth combine for a $1.644 million cap hit. Martin Brodeur's cap number is $5.2 million alone. But the real difference lies in the payouts below the superstar level. While both teams have five players who have a cap hit of $4.5 million or higher (which unfortunately for Caps fans includes Michael Nylander), the Devils have nine players with a cap number between $2.6 and $4.5 million, while the Caps have only four. The simple math is that with those many players making significant money, it is nearly impossible for the Devils to have any financial flexibility.
It will be interesting to see if the Devils have a hard time handling the normal injuries that occur during an NHL season and how that affects them as the season goes on. At 0-3 right now, the Devils have other concerns on their minds. They are currently ranked 23rd in goals scored and 30th in goals allowed (small sample size, I know). Kovalchuk, the 100 million dollar man, currently has more fights than goals. Nevertheless, the Devils will have to improve with the players they already have, as their cap management has made it virtually impossible to find help elsewhere.
The Devils are currently at a cap number of $63,609,600 (right near the salary cap max) while the Capitals are at $59,807,000. The Caps actually have the two highest cap numbers (Alex Ovechkin at $9.538 million and Nicklas Backstrom at $6.7 million) and generally have an equal number of highly paid players. But there are some striking differences in roster makeup and payout between these two teams. The Capitals goalie tandem of Semyon Varlamov and Michal Neuvirth combine for a $1.644 million cap hit. Martin Brodeur's cap number is $5.2 million alone. But the real difference lies in the payouts below the superstar level. While both teams have five players who have a cap hit of $4.5 million or higher (which unfortunately for Caps fans includes Michael Nylander), the Devils have nine players with a cap number between $2.6 and $4.5 million, while the Caps have only four. The simple math is that with those many players making significant money, it is nearly impossible for the Devils to have any financial flexibility.
It will be interesting to see if the Devils have a hard time handling the normal injuries that occur during an NHL season and how that affects them as the season goes on. At 0-3 right now, the Devils have other concerns on their minds. They are currently ranked 23rd in goals scored and 30th in goals allowed (small sample size, I know). Kovalchuk, the 100 million dollar man, currently has more fights than goals. Nevertheless, the Devils will have to improve with the players they already have, as their cap management has made it virtually impossible to find help elsewhere.
Friday, October 8, 2010
My MVP Ballots
The AL MVP Ballot:
1. Josh Hamilton
2. Evan Longoria
3. Robinson Cano
4. Adrian Beltre
5. Carl Crawford
6. Felix Hernandez
7. Jose Bautista
8. Miguel Cabrera
9. CC Sabathia
10. Francisco Liriano
Thoughts:
I know Hamilton missed basically the last month of the season, but I think the stats prove he had the best year, and Texas had already sealed up the division by the time he went down. I'm also a fan of players who prove value both with offense and defense, which is why Jose Bautista and Miguel Cabrera are lower than their hitting stats would indicate they should be. It is a shame that Justin Morneau couldn't stay healthy, or he would have been quite high on this list. I have no problem with putting pitchers up for MVP, but even with the season Hernandez had I couldn't put him higher than 6th. Cliff Lee would have made this list if he had played on one team the entire season, but I felt that since his impact was split over two teams, it made him less valuable. If you disagree about pitchers being on the ballot, the hitters left off were Shin-Soo Choo, Joe Mauer, and Ichiro.
The NL MVP Ballot:
1. Joey Votto
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ryan Zimmerman
4. Roy Halladay
5. Matt Holiday
6. Troy Tulowitzki
7. Adrian Gonzalez
8. Carlos Gonzalez
9. Adam Wainwright
10. Andres Torres
Thoughts:
Joey Votto's team made the playoffs, which pushed him over Pujols and Zimmerman. That being said, if I had to select a position player from the NL to start a team with, I'm choosing Pujols and Zimmerman over Votto (and maybe Tulowitzki too). Andres Torres, besides having a deserving season, got bonus points to edge himself into 10th by salvaging CF for the Giants when they had put so much undeserved money into Aaron Rowand which allowed them to make the playoffs. Also, there are three Cardinals on my MVP ballot, and yet they didn't make the playoffs. It just shows how much of a team game baseball truly is. The hitters left off for the two pitchers were Rickie Weeks and Kelly Johnson.
1. Josh Hamilton
2. Evan Longoria
3. Robinson Cano
4. Adrian Beltre
5. Carl Crawford
6. Felix Hernandez
7. Jose Bautista
8. Miguel Cabrera
9. CC Sabathia
10. Francisco Liriano
Thoughts:
I know Hamilton missed basically the last month of the season, but I think the stats prove he had the best year, and Texas had already sealed up the division by the time he went down. I'm also a fan of players who prove value both with offense and defense, which is why Jose Bautista and Miguel Cabrera are lower than their hitting stats would indicate they should be. It is a shame that Justin Morneau couldn't stay healthy, or he would have been quite high on this list. I have no problem with putting pitchers up for MVP, but even with the season Hernandez had I couldn't put him higher than 6th. Cliff Lee would have made this list if he had played on one team the entire season, but I felt that since his impact was split over two teams, it made him less valuable. If you disagree about pitchers being on the ballot, the hitters left off were Shin-Soo Choo, Joe Mauer, and Ichiro.
The NL MVP Ballot:
1. Joey Votto
2. Albert Pujols
3. Ryan Zimmerman
4. Roy Halladay
5. Matt Holiday
6. Troy Tulowitzki
7. Adrian Gonzalez
8. Carlos Gonzalez
9. Adam Wainwright
10. Andres Torres
Thoughts:
Joey Votto's team made the playoffs, which pushed him over Pujols and Zimmerman. That being said, if I had to select a position player from the NL to start a team with, I'm choosing Pujols and Zimmerman over Votto (and maybe Tulowitzki too). Andres Torres, besides having a deserving season, got bonus points to edge himself into 10th by salvaging CF for the Giants when they had put so much undeserved money into Aaron Rowand which allowed them to make the playoffs. Also, there are three Cardinals on my MVP ballot, and yet they didn't make the playoffs. It just shows how much of a team game baseball truly is. The hitters left off for the two pitchers were Rickie Weeks and Kelly Johnson.
My Cy Young Ballots
I'm a sucker for baseball awards, so I figured I'd share my thoughts on how I would rank the ballots.
The AL Cy Young Ballot:
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Cliff Lee
3. C.C. Sabathia
4. Francisco Liriano
5. Justin Verlander
6. Jon Lester
7. Jered Weaver
8. David Price
9. Zach Greinke
10. Colby Lewis
Thoughts:
There are a ton of worthy candidates this year, but ultimately King Felix had the best all-around numbers. Lee's 10.28 K/BB ratio is absurd. AL East pitchers got some extra credit for playing in that division, and CC beats out Liriano for third due to his large inning total. I also put some weight into past performances when there are so many even candidates, which helped Lee and CC and hurt Weaver.
The NL Cy Young Ballot:
1. Roy Halladay
2. Adam Wainwright
3. Ubaldo Jimenez
4. Josh Johnson
5. Tim Lincecum
6. Roy Oswalt
7. Clayton Kershaw
8. Tommy Hanson
9.Yovani Gallardo
10. Chad Billingsley
Thoughts:
It is pretty clear that Roy Halladay deserves this award (and was clear before he pitched a no hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS), although several pitchers had great seasons. If not for a dreadful August, Lincecum would have finished second or third on this list, which would have been a more appropriate showing for the reigning two-time Cy Young winner. He would be the easy choice if I had to choose an NL pitcher to win one game for me if Halladay was not available.
The AL Cy Young Ballot:
1. Felix Hernandez
2. Cliff Lee
3. C.C. Sabathia
4. Francisco Liriano
5. Justin Verlander
6. Jon Lester
7. Jered Weaver
8. David Price
9. Zach Greinke
10. Colby Lewis
Thoughts:
There are a ton of worthy candidates this year, but ultimately King Felix had the best all-around numbers. Lee's 10.28 K/BB ratio is absurd. AL East pitchers got some extra credit for playing in that division, and CC beats out Liriano for third due to his large inning total. I also put some weight into past performances when there are so many even candidates, which helped Lee and CC and hurt Weaver.
The NL Cy Young Ballot:
1. Roy Halladay
2. Adam Wainwright
3. Ubaldo Jimenez
4. Josh Johnson
5. Tim Lincecum
6. Roy Oswalt
7. Clayton Kershaw
8. Tommy Hanson
9.Yovani Gallardo
10. Chad Billingsley
Thoughts:
It is pretty clear that Roy Halladay deserves this award (and was clear before he pitched a no hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS), although several pitchers had great seasons. If not for a dreadful August, Lincecum would have finished second or third on this list, which would have been a more appropriate showing for the reigning two-time Cy Young winner. He would be the easy choice if I had to choose an NL pitcher to win one game for me if Halladay was not available.
Welcome
Welcome to The Crazy (Good) Eights Blog! It is named after my childhood sports hero, Cal Ripken, and the best current athlete from the DC area teams, Alex Ovechkin. As those references suggest, this blog will focus on my opinions regarding sports, although not exclusively from a local angle. Hope you enjoy.
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