Finally. There was little joy in watching the final, desperate days of the Tony Muser Era arrive at their inevitable conclusion. Nor was there any sense of anger or frustration from knowing how much opportunity has been wasted while we waited for the axe to fall. There was only relief. Relief, and closure. The players…
After four-plus seasons of really bad baseball, Tony Muser was fired last night by the Royals. The move wasn’t a surprise, and it wasn’t unwarranted: Muser had a success-to-tenure ratio envied by the people who run network television.
After four-plus seasons of really bad baseball, Tony Muser was fired last night by the Royals. The move wasn’t a surprise, and it wasn’t unwarranted: Muser had a success-to-tenure ratio envied by the people who run network television. It’s important to point out that this is just a first step, albeit a long overdue, very…
THE BIG STORY "I do." —Derek Zumsteg, Baseball Prospectus writer, to his new bride, Jill Ed. note: Congrats, Derek and Jill, from everyone here at BP.–JSS] MANAGING "He’s testing me. That will be taken care of." —Don Baylor, Cubs manager, noticing outfielder Sammy Sosa taking batting practice with an untucked jersey "My head was completely…
One of the first places I look now when a “surprise” team gets my attention is at the defense. This, I guess, is the big lesson from last year’s Twins and Mariners, and a good thing to think about going forward. We can project pitching and hitting pretty well because our tools for handling past performance in those areas are sharp; it’s harder to say from year to year which teams are going to have the best defenses because we can’t say with certainty from year to year who the best fielders are. At the extremes, we’re OK–Andruw Jones is good, Jose Canseco isn’t–but there’s a big middle ground in between, and knowing who’s having a good season with the glove in May is less simple than knowing which hitters are shocking us.
One of the first places I look now when a "surprise" team gets my attention is at the defense. This, I guess, is the big lesson from last year’s Twins and Mariners, and a good thing to think about going forward. We can project pitching and hitting pretty well because our tools for handling past…
Selig insisted that liabilities under the 60/40 rule have always included the value of salaries for future years, and any suggestion to the contrary was “just bullshit.”
In doing so, however, they annoyed some people. Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon used six relievers to get the final ten outs, including three in the eighth inning alone. The pitching changes stretched the time of the game to just over three hours, and set off alarm bells among some people for whom length of games is a pet issue.
The Pirates won again yesterday afternoon, beating the Dodgers 3-2 to go to 13-7 and stay atop the NL Central. In doing so, however, they annoyed some people. Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon used six relievers to get the final ten outs, including three in the eighth inning alone. The pitching changes stretched the time of…
Something about this column struck a nerve at Major League Baseball. Two days after it was posted, Rich Levin, MLB’s Senior Vice President-Public Relations, called the SABR office to get my phone number. Two hours later, an efficient-sounding woman left a voice mail in which she said that Commissioner Bud Selig wanted to speak to…
Your team’s GM may be thinking of his own interests, not the ballclub’s.
Ever see your favorite team’s general manager trade a hot prospect for a soft-tossing middle reliever and think: "What could he possibly be thinking?!" Oh, it’s not that bad, is it? Does your team really need a 22-year-old masher with power, patience and a good glove? Shouldn’t you be focusing on that last spot in…
Not only can I not come up with a column idea for Wednesday, but the baseball game I’m watching for inspiration “features” the Tigers and Royals, who could make an NHL fan out of anyone. This is just bad baseball.