Wade Miller

Jay Jaffe of Futilty Infielder posted a “quote” from Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry regarding Wade Miller that had me chuckling: “He can hold down the fort in between the time that Kerry Wood blows out his elbow and the point where Carlos Zambrano’s arm finally falls off,” said Jim Hendry, the Cubs’ general manager, noting … Continue reading “Wade Miller”

Jay Jaffe of Futilty Infielder posted a “quote” from Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry regarding Wade Miller that had me chuckling:

“He can hold down the fort in between the time that Kerry Wood blows out his elbow and the point where Carlos Zambrano’s arm finally falls off,” said Jim Hendry, the Cubs’ general manager, noting that manager Dusty Baker’s usage patterns have all but guaranteed the latter. “After that, we’ll cannibalize Miller for his organs. Dusty’s been wanting a new pair of kidneys for awhile, and I know somewhere there’s an ump in need of some eyes.”

 

Now, that’s funny.

There seem to be two camps on the Wade Miller deal. 

1) What are the Cubs doing signing yet another injury-prone pitcher especially one that won’t be ready on opening day?  This is just another case of the same-ol’ same-ol’.

2) Miller’s asking price ($1 million + incentives) is a drop in the bucket so if he gives the Cubs any production, it will be worth the price.  And if he comes through everything healthy, it will be a steal.

As an eternally hopeful Cub fan, I opt for #2…

…but don’t count on it.

 

Who owns MLB stats?

Who owns an rbi?  Or a save?  The ownership of major league baseball stats is coming into question in the guise of Intellectual Property.  I ran across an article on CNN last week in which a St Louis based company is asking a judge to stop the MLB from requiring licenses in order to use … Continue reading “Who owns MLB stats?”

Who owns an rbi?  Or a save? 

The ownership of major league baseball stats is coming into question in the guise of Intellectual Property.  I ran across an article on CNN last week in which a St Louis based company is asking a judge to stop the MLB from requiring licenses in order to use major league stats. 

CBC Distribution and Marketing argues that MLB stats are part of “history” and not property of the MLB and not subject to licensing. 

Hardball Times has a good article detailing the core points around the issue. 

According to HT’s article, fantasy baseball is a $1 billion business and MLB may want to cash in on some of that.

Cha-ching!

Details from HT’s article:

On Jan. 19, 2005, MLB Advanced Media and the MLB Players Association announced a historic agreement via press release:

The five-year agreement, valued in excess of $50 million, extends beyond the expiration of the current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLBPA. It provides MLBAM the exclusive rights to use, and to sublicense to others, Major League Baseball player group rights for the development and creation of on-line games, all other online content, including fantasy baseball and interactive games, as well as all wireless applications including cell-phone enabled games.

Like it or not, one can hardly blame the MLB.  It’s the logical next step for them to take.  That said, this could have big (and costly) implications for Internet-based companies that run fantasy leagues. 

Let’s hope the MLB doesn’t bite the hand that feeds them.

 

No tags for this post.

Illinois Baseball honors Jones, Championship Team

This past weekend, the University of Illinois baseball program took some time to honor recently retired coach Richard “Itch” Jones as well as the 2005 Illinois Big Ten Championship team.  About 200 people were in attendance for the program which included video clips of Jones’ tenure at Illinois.  After the reception, the 2005 team was … Continue reading “Illinois Baseball honors Jones, Championship Team”

This past weekend, the University of Illinois baseball program took some time to honor recently retired coach Richard “Itch” Jones as well as the 2005 Illinois Big Ten Championship team. 

About 200 people were in attendance for the program which included video clips of Jones’ tenure at Illinois.  After the reception, the 2005 team was honored during a timeout during the Illinois-Purdue basketball game.

The Illinois 2006 baseball season begins on February 24.

No tags for this post.

A Baseball Blog with a Euro feel

“If an English baseball fan living in France voices an opinion and there’s nobody around to hear it, does he make a sound?”.  That is the tagline of The Baseball Desert.  Worth a look. He has an interesting analysis of the World Baseball Classic.   No tags for this post.

“If an English baseball fan living in France voices an opinion and there’s nobody around to hear it, does he make a sound?”.  That is the tagline of The Baseball Desert.  Worth a look.

He has an interesting analysis of the World Baseball Classic.

 

No tags for this post.

Yeah, another Sox blog on the blogroll

Black Sox Blog takes “A Look at the Chicago White Sox, Both Past and Present”. Full of Season Lookbacks, Player Retrospectives as well as stuff happening in the here and now.   No tags for this post.

Black Sox Blog takes “A Look at the Chicago White Sox, Both Past and Present”.

Full of Season Lookbacks, Player Retrospectives as well as stuff happening in the here and now.

 

No tags for this post.

2007 Name Change in store for Tampa Bay

The new owner of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays has decided that the Devil must go. As of 2007, the Tampa Bay team will most likely have a new nickname without the hellish influence.  “When [new owner] Stu Sternberg came in, he said there was a need for dramatic change. One way for dramatic change … Continue reading “2007 Name Change in store for Tampa Bay”

The new owner of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays has decided that the Devil must go.

As of 2007, the Tampa Bay team will most likely have a new nickname without the hellish influence. 

“When [new owner] Stu Sternberg came in, he said there was a need for dramatic change. One way for dramatic change is to change the name,” [team president] Silverman said.

After talking with fans in focus groups, the team learned there was a “negative association” with the terms, “Devil Rays,” and “devil,” Silverman said.

“When they liked something we did, they would refer to us as the Rays. If they were discussing a complaint or gripe, we were the Devil Rays,” Silverman said.

Let’s get real here.  These fans in these focus groups probably found a bigger “negative association” with the term “ineffective pitching”.

Maybe they should concentrate on signing some decent free agent arms instead of trying to appease a few unhappy patrons.

 

No tags for this post.

Author claims Sockalexis was the first

An author says he has found evidence that Louis Sockalexis, the Penobscot Indian that inspired the Cleveland Spiders to change their nickname, was indeed the first native American to professionally play the game of baseball.  This contradicts a 1963 finding that a Sioux Indian named James Madison Toy, played earlier.  The evidence was in the form of Toy’s death certificate. … Continue reading “Author claims Sockalexis was the first”

An author says he has found evidence that Louis Sockalexis, the Penobscot Indian that inspired the Cleveland Spiders to change their nickname, was indeed the first native American to professionally play the game of baseball.  This contradicts a 1963 finding that a Sioux Indian named James Madison Toy, played earlier.  The evidence was in the form of Toy’s death certificate.

From the Bangor Daily News:

Although Rice wrote “Baseball’s First Indian-Louis Sockalexis: Penobscot Legend, Cleveland Indian” to make a case for Sockalexis, he did not have solid proof that the Penobscot Indian was the first. He believes he has that now in the form of the 1919 death certificate of James Madison Toy, who is currently recognized as the first American Indian to play professionally.

The delivery of a copy of that document caused Rice to set aside his chores that afternoon. On the death certificate, Toy’s race is listed as white.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has declined comment until they get a look at a copy of the death certificate.

 

No tags for this post.

Bringing Baseball to Vietnam

MLB reliever Danny Graves has had a busy winter.  Or more accurately, a busy summer since he was in Vietnam. He’s been there as part of program called “Bringing Baseball to Vietnam” co-sponsored and funded by Major League Baseball.  Graves has helped build a park at Le Loi High School in Dong Ha Town.  Graves left … Continue reading “Bringing Baseball to Vietnam”

MLB reliever Danny Graves has had a busy winter.  Or more accurately, a busy summer since he was in Vietnam.

He’s been there as part of program called “Bringing Baseball to Vietnam” co-sponsored and funded by Major League Baseball.  Graves has helped build a park at Le Loi High School in Dong Ha Town. 

Graves left Vietnam at the age of 14 months and never returned until just recently to help with the project.

 

No tags for this post.

An Inside Look at the Sausage Races

Anyone who has seen the Brewers at home has witnessed the Sausage Race.  I know I have.  It’s something you don’t forget.  Jay Jaffe, creator of the Futility Infielder website and an author at Baseball Prospectus gives his inside perspective of the Sausage Race which he actually got to participate.    Jay’s account of his experience on Baseball Analysts … Continue reading “An Inside Look at the Sausage Races”

Anyone who has seen the Brewers at home has witnessed the Sausage Race.  I know I have.  It’s something you don’t forget. 

Jay Jaffe, creator of the Futility Infielder website and an author at Baseball Prospectus gives his inside perspective of the Sausage Race which he actually got to participate. 

 

Jay’s account of his experience on Baseball Analysts is quite humorous.  Worth a read.

 

No tags for this post.