Author: The Baseball Zealot

Nomo goes to the Yankees

This is one I didn’t expect. As desperate as the Yankees are with their pitching situation, I didn’t foresee them looking to Hideo Nomo to ease their problems.  Nomo has gone downhill fast since his 16-win 2003 season.  Last year’s fiasco of a season ended with an ERA over 8.00.  This year has not fared much … Continue reading “Nomo goes to the Yankees”

This is one I didn’t expect.

As desperate as the Yankees are with their pitching situation, I didn’t foresee them looking to Hideo Nomo to ease their problems.  Nomo has gone downhill fast since his 16-win 2003 season.  Last year’s fiasco of a season ended with an ERA over 8.00. 

This year has not fared much better for Hideo.  Though he has showed some signs of mediocrity, he for the most part has stunk.  In his 18 starts, he has allowed 5 or more runs in 10 of them.  Right now, he is 5-8 with a 7.24 ERA. 

Nomo will currently be signed to a minor league contract to get some work in as he hasn’t pitched in 10 days. 

Good luck to Hideo while he pitches in the lion’s den of Yankees Stadium.  Who knows?  Maybe he’ll thrive there for his last stand.

 

 

7/26 Linescore of the Day – Randy Johnson

Randy Johnson, New York Yankees 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K (Win) The Unit shows he still has it allowing only 2 hits (and no walks) against the Twins for his fourth win of the month.   

Randy Johnson, New York Yankees

8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K (Win)

The Unit shows he still has it allowing only 2 hits (and no walks) against the Twins for his fourth win of the month. 

 

Something New- Baseball Reference Bullpen

From Sean Forman and Sports Reference, the people behind the incredible baseball reference tool Baseball-Reference.com, comes another endeavor that shows a lot of promise… Baseball Reference Bullpen. Forman describes BR Bullpen as an “online, collaborative, baseball encyclopedia”.  The BR Bullpen is modeled on Wikipedia, the popular, online encyclopedia.  It of course, acts as an reference site … Continue reading “Something New- Baseball Reference Bullpen”

From Sean Forman and Sports Reference, the people behind the incredible baseball reference tool Baseball-Reference.com, comes another endeavor that shows a lot of promise… Baseball Reference Bullpen.

Forman describes BR Bullpen as an “online, collaborative, baseball encyclopedia”.  The BR Bullpen is modeled on Wikipedia, the popular, online encyclopedia. 

It of course, acts as an reference site which you can search or browse for baseball information.  It’s a two-way street, though.  If you find information is lacking, incomplete, or even inaccurate, you can edit the pages of the site and add your (hopefully accurate) information.  Over time, the encyclopedia entries grow with information.

Due to the non-hierarchical style of info gathering, the info you see may not always be accurate.  However, with many others viewing the entries, inaccurate info is usually spotted and corrected quickly.  So a sense of checks and balances is in effect.

I think BR Bullpen has a lot of potential and kudos to Sean Forman for getting this off the ground.

Here is the entry page for Baseball Reference Bullpen

More info on what BR Bullpen is and how it works

7/25 Linescore of the Day – Derek Lowe

Derek Lowe, Los Angeles Dodgers 8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (Win) Lowe allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk in 8 innings for the win against the Reds before a blister on his thumb took him out of the game. 

Derek Lowe, Los Angeles Dodgers

8 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (Win)

Lowe allowed just 1 hit and 1 walk in 8 innings for the win against the Reds before a blister on his thumb took him out of the game. 

Road Rocket

As amazing of a season that Roger Clemens has had so far, has any noticed how completely dominating he has been on the road?  He’s allowed 2 ER in 59 innings for an ERA of 0.31.  Take a look at this Baseball Analysts article which goes in depth.  

As amazing of a season that Roger Clemens has had so far, has any noticed how completely dominating he has been on the road?  He’s allowed 2 ER in 59 innings for an ERA of 0.31. 

Take a look at this Baseball Analysts article which goes in depth.

 

Glavine Lookin’ to get Grimy

Tom Glavine is pitching tonight for the Mets.  If he gets the win tonight, he will tie Burleigh Grimes for 31st on the all-time list in career wins with 270.  Glavine passed Jim Palmer on the list last week.  Despite pitching for the Braves and Mets, Tom Glavine has been a favorite pitcher of mine.  I … Continue reading “Glavine Lookin’ to get Grimy”

Tom Glavine is pitching tonight for the Mets.  If he gets the win tonight, he will tie Burleigh Grimes for 31st on the all-time list in career wins with 270.  Glavine passed Jim Palmer on the list last week. 

Despite pitching for the Braves and Mets, Tom Glavine has been a favorite pitcher of mine.  I acquired him in a trade in my Illowa APBA League team when he was an unknown prospect for a washed-up Kirk Gibson and “potential” Pete Smith.  Remember Pete Smith? 

Well, Gibson soon retired and Pete Smith hung around long enough to do poorly.  Glavine, of course, was one of the most winningnest pitcher of the nineties.  Some 13 years later, he’s still on my APBA league team as I’ve vowed never to trade him.

Right now, it’s 4-3 Rockies in the 6th but Glavine is still pitching.  I don’t say this very often but Go Mets!

Update:  No win for Glavine tonight.  He was replaced by Santiago with the score 5-3 Rockies.

 

Good Fortunes

Do you believe in good omens?  Sometimes I do. I took my daughter out for lunch to a local Chinese joint.  In my fortune cookie was this: That one’s going to stay in my wallet.  

Do you believe in good omens?  Sometimes I do.

I took my daughter out for lunch to a local Chinese joint.  In my fortune cookie was this:

chinese.jpg

That one’s going to stay in my wallet.

 

Wood to the DL… then to the pen

Word from the Cubs organization is that Kerry Wood is headed to the disabled list again.  That’s no surprise.  Baker alluded to this to the press yesterday so it was pretty much a foregone conclusion.  The question is for how long.  I guess that depends on Wood.  What is a surprise, at least to some, … Continue reading “Wood to the DL… then to the pen”

Word from the Cubs organization is that Kerry Wood is headed to the disabled list again.  That’s no surprise.  Baker alluded to this to the press yesterday so it was pretty much a foregone conclusion.  The question is for how long.  I guess that depends on Wood. 

What is a surprise, at least to some, is that he when he comes back, he’ll be pitching out of the pen.  This idea has been floating here and there for a while now.  I think it’s high time the Cubs give it a try.  Wood might respond well to it.  Baker said it best:

 ”Usually it (the discomfort) comes up somewhere between 60 and 70 pitches or something like that,” Baker said. “That’s the thinking behind it. Woody wants to try that before we take a more serious measure. … This might be better for him in the short run, so we’re going to try it.”

The idea here is that the Cubs season is salvageable and Wood may be able to contribute to the team in this role.  Who knows?  Woody just might be a born short reliever and no one knows it yet.

But first thing first.  Wood needs to get healthy.

 

7/24 Linescore of the Day – Neifi Perez

Neifi Perez, Chicago Cubs 1 for 5, HR, run, 4 rbis One hit.  But boy, did Neifi make that hit count!  His grand slam in the top of the 10th broke a 4-4 tie and the Cubs won it 8-4.  It was his first homer at Busch in 109 at-bats. USA Today’s timing was a … Continue reading “7/24 Linescore of the Day – Neifi Perez”

Neifi Perez, Chicago Cubs

1 for 5, HR, run, 4 rbis

One hit.  But boy, did Neifi make that hit count!  His grand slam in the top of the 10th broke a 4-4 tie and the Cubs won it 8-4.  It was his first homer at Busch in 109 at-bats.

USA Today’s timing was a bit off.  They ran an article about the Cardinals entitled Showing Spirit in St Louis a day after the Cubs took two of three from the Cardinals.

On another Cub note, new addition Jody Gerut has started out 0 fer 8.  He’s only started one game and is pinch hitting mostly. 

7/23 Linescore of the Day – Kevin Brown

This is for my buddy, DonS who seems to know that Kevin Brown is pitching on his last legs… or whatever. Kevin Brown, New York Yankees 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, HR (Loss) Look at Brownie’s performance since May 31… 25 ER in 24 1/3 IP.  Even … Continue reading “7/23 Linescore of the Day – Kevin Brown”

This is for my buddy, DonS who seems to know that Kevin Brown is pitching on his last legs… or whatever.

Kevin Brown, New York Yankees

3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, HR (Loss)

Look at Brownie’s performance since May 31… 25 ER in 24 1/3 IP.  Even his control is down (10 walks and 4 HBP). 

Shoot, the Yanks would be better off trading for the Gambler at this point.  I hear he can be had for pretty cheap.

Special mention to Justin Morneau who went 2 for 3 with a double and a homer.  Morneau had only one hit in his previous 10 games.