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March 30, 2009

$50 Million?

Pretty wild story from Jon Heyman about Stephen Strasburg and his reported asking price of $50 million.  The article made took me back about 18 years ago to the 1991 draft.  I still remember reading an article, I think it was in the Daily News, about the choice the Yankees had.  They were picking first and scouts were raving about two can't-miss Hall Of Fame players- Brien Taylor and Mike Kelly.  Taylor was heralded as a left-handed Dwight Gooden, while Kelly was compared to Barry Bonds. 

Taylor of course blew out his arm in a fight while Kelly made it to the majors, but didn't do much at all in brief stints in the bigs.  I have heard some amazing things about Strasburg and his abilties, he sounds like he would be an amazing pitcher.  But, considering the risks involved with pitching and the current state of the economy, I can't believe he will come close to getting $50 million.  I would be amazed if he got even half that.  It should be fun to watch in June. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 05:12 PM | | Comments (2)

March 17, 2009

You Can Say Many Things...

but you cannot deny that the U.S. players are fired up right now!  I am fired up too, that was an exciting game and an especially nice piece of hitting by Jimmy Rollins. 

More games like that and I will become a big WBC fan.   

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 11:03 PM |

March 12, 2009

New Baseball Stats

Got this email today.  No source given, so apologies in advance...anyway, kind of funny...sort of.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
There are some new stats sweeping the MLB scene, Check it out:

Off-base percentage (OBP):

  • The measure of a TV baseball announcer’s ability to veer precariously away from the action on the field to deliver a tangential anecdote so rooted in that announcer’s own personal experience that it cannot possibly be understood by anyone watching the game.
  • Highest OBP ever recorded: Tim McCarver and Joe Morgan (tie)

Walks Per Federal Grand Jury Appearance (WFGJA):

  • Ability of player to avoid successful criminal prosecution even in the face of overwhelming evidence and off-the-charts anti-karmic numbers
  • Highest WFGJA ever recorded: Barry Bonds

PEYOTA:

  • The measure of a player’s ability to perform at world class levels while intoxicated beyond normal human levels
  • Highest PEYOTA ever recorded: Dwight Gooden (1984-1993, 2008)

Fielder’s (Side Dish) Choice (FC):

  • The inverse correlation between a player’s waist measurement and the ability to actually refer to that person as an ‘athlete’.  Numbers for baseball in this regard are typically off the charts
  • Highest FC ever recorded: Cecil and Prince Fielder (tie)

Runs (Accidentally) Created (RC):

  • Typically a high profile player who unintentionally affects the outcome of a crucial game without acting the least bit interested in the outcome of said game, thus infuriating traditionalists
  • Highest RC ever recorded: Manny Ramirez

Scrappiness Index (SI):

  • The direct relationship between a player’s clean-cut caucasian good looks and the likelihood that local fans will overlook that player’s disappointing play and applaud his ‘hustle’ (also known as “White Blindness”)
  • Highest SI ever recorded: David Eckstein (”Did you see that ground ball back to the pitcher? He’s giving it his all!”)

Strikeouts per Budding Country Music Career Destroyed (SBMCD):

  • Inherent ability of a egomaniacal player to satisfy his manly desires whilst stealing the glint out of a simple country girl’s eye, leaving her as a pale husk of a woman.
  • Highest SBMCD ever recorded: Roger Clemens

Putouts - Alyssa Milano

Double Plays - Alyssa Milano

Passed Balls - Alyssa Milano

Posted by Andy (Red Sox) at 02:15 PM | | Comments (1)

March 10, 2009

Blame It On A-Rod

The Dutch, yes the Dutch just beat the Dominican Republic for the second time in the WBC which eliminates the Dominican team from the tournament. 

Now if you compare the Kingdom Of The Netherlands to the Dominican Republic, this isn't an upset, it's actually contains twice the population, but think about the rosters!  

Here's the Dominican one and here's the Netherlands'.  I am not going to say it's USA-USSR, but it has to be close.  This is just stunning.

Somewhere, Robert Eenhoorn is smiling.   Here's to you #50. 

UPDATE: I don't speak Dutch, but this is the sports section of the biggest newspaper in the Netherlands.  I don't see any baseball players, so I am going to guess that despite what ESPN says, this isn't a big deal over there. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:18 PM |