# Baseball August 2009 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 1, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998 "2009-08-01T20:41:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/121 "2009-08-13T02:41:01Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > In fact, the Sox might actually benefit from restricting his playing time to situational pinch hitting, or starting him only in games where the pitching matchup has a strong upside for Ortiz. I was going to say that the Sox would probably see a lot more value in ORtiz by platooning him, but then I went to [mlb.com](http://mlb.com) and he’s pretty much been terrible against both righties and lefties. The curious thing is that he DID hit really well in June, but since then he’s been bad again. His strikeouts are alarmingly high by his own standards. He struck out less in June, when he hit well. So he’s not hitting in bad luck or anything; he’s just not hitting. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/122 "2009-08-13T06:05:01Z")
Wow! Mariners beat the White Sox, 1-0, in 14 innings. Bottom of the 14th, Beltre on 2nd, Branyan on 1st, and Griffey gets a long pinch-hit RBI single. These guys just don’t quit 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/123 "2009-08-13T06:05:53Z")
Great game in Seattle tonight. Ken Griffey, Jr., got a 2-out base hit into the right-field corner to win it 1-0 in the bottom of the 14th. Mark Buehrle and Felix Hernandez both had great starts, giving up no runs in 8 innings and 7 innings, respectively. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/124 "2009-08-13T12:40:06Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Amphetamines? The stuff they keep in candy dishes in the locker rooms? I’ll reserve my outrage. They banned amphetamines years ago. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/125 "2009-08-13T13:33:27Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > They banned amphetamines years ago. They banned steroids, too. Your point? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/126 "2009-08-13T20:31:42Z")
Joe Posnanski discusses [The 12 Worst Contracts in Baseball](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/08/12/worst.contracts/index.html?bcnn=yes). Yes, J.P. is the poster child. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/127 "2009-08-13T20:38:58Z")
Damn. You beat me to writing a post about that column by ONE MINUTE. One minute! Posnanski pretty much sums it up by saying bad contracts should be called “Ricciardis.” I agree and will do so from now on. If anything, I thought he was kind to Ricciardi by only mentioning current contracts, thereby including Ryan, Wells and Rios (admittedly Kenny Williams’s problem now) but excluding such hilarious deals as Frank Thomas, Josh Towers, and other weird moves, like the time Ricciardi gave Bill Koch a guaranteed $1 million contract when nobody wanted him, let him throw four or five innings in spring training, and then released him. No, really, he did that. Or the John McDonald deal, how about that? Or… well, I could go on. It says a lot about Ricciardi’s history that by comparison the Burnett deal was pretty good. The Wells deal can be seriously argued to be the worst free agent deal ever made (although Posnanski exaggerrates Wells’s defensive liabilities.) I’d still vote for Darren Driefort but the argument’s there. There is considerable and convincing word in Toronto - from people who should know - that Toronto plans to spend lavishly in the free agents market, and will increase payroll a lot in 2010. I find that totally dismaying because I am afraid J.P. Ricciardi will be the fool choosing who to give all this money to. If it’s Ricciardi spending another $50 million a year - and yes, that’s the kind of money they’re talking - it will all be wasted. There’s not a doubt in my mind most or all of the contracts will be hideous. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/128 "2009-08-13T22:17:32Z")
Verlander shut out the Red Sox this afternoon. All is well. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/129 "2009-08-14T02:13:52Z")
Nice win by the Rangers. They’ve won the last two series. This weekend should be great. Red Sox in town for a series which could help decide the wildcard. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/130 "2009-08-14T07:33:55Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Nice win by the Rangers. They’ve won the last two series. This weekend should be great. Red Sox in town for a series which could help decide the wildcard. I would love to see the Rangers sweep that series. I know it’s pretty much inevitable most years that either the Yanks or the Sox will make the playoffs, but every year when at least one of them misses out is a good year. Barring a spectacular collapse, the Yankees look pretty good to take the division, so i’m seriously hoping that Texas manages to pull off the Wild Card. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/131 "2009-08-14T11:38:43Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I would love to see the Rangers sweep that series. > > I know it’s pretty much inevitable most years that either the Yanks or the Sox will make the playoffs, but every year when at least one of them misses out is a good year. Barring a spectacular collapse, the Yankees look pretty good to take the division, so i’m seriously hoping that Texas manages to pull off the Wild Card. I concur. I’ve mentioned before that I hate West Coast games because of the start times back here, but it’s nice to wake up and see and 11-1 victory in the scroll… ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/132 "2009-08-14T13:32:39Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Joe Posnanski discusses [The 12 Worst Contracts in Baseball](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/08/12/worst.contracts/index.html?bcnn=yes). > > Yes, J.P. is the poster child. Another great article by Joe Pos. I especially like him calling out the Gary Matthews contract. That was a ridiculous signing, all based off of one (admittedly amazing) catch. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/133 "2009-08-14T14:47:30Z")
I will say this about the Posanski article, tho; he cites someone as claimed Vernon Wells is “-29” as a center fielder. I don’t really know where that number comes from or whether it means 29 runs below average or below replacement, but it isn’t supported by any other metric I’ve seen, and frankly it’s nuts. 29 runs below average in 2/3 of a season is a _ludicrously_ incompetent outfielder; Kevin Reimer or Dave Kingman weren’t that bad. Wells isn’t as good a center fielder as he used to be but he’s still competent. It’s always dangerous to make subjective judgments about fielding, but you CAN see differences if you know what to look for and an outfielder that bad would look bad to any observer. Someone who was 29 runs worse than average in 100 games would be a nightly comedy routine. Wells is not that terrible or anything near it; he’s about an average center fielder now, which still makes him a reasonably valuable defensive player. What makes his contract a waste is that he’s a bad hitter. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/134 "2009-08-14T15:14:38Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I will say this about the Posanski article, tho; he cites someone as claimed Vernon Wells is “-29” as a center fielder. > > I don’t really know where that number comes from or whether it means 29 runs below average or below replacement, but it isn’t supported by any other metric I’ve seen, and frankly it’s nuts. The Dewan system uses a metric of plays, not runs. ---
**Author:** ![LonghornDave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@LonghornDave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LonghornDave)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/135 "2009-08-14T18:01:04Z")
Naftali Feliz looked great again in relief for the Rangers striking out the first 5 he faced. Since being called up he’s pitched 6.2 innings giving up one run on one hit, 13 strikeouts and no walks. That’s 13 strikeouts of the first 20 outs he’s had including 7 in a row at one point. 71 of his 100 pitches have been for strikes. He could be huge down the stretch. Also, Josh Hamilton has really been on fire lately. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/136 "2009-08-14T20:15:52Z")
The revolving door at shortstop continues for the Red Sox. Now Alex Gonzalez is back. Still can’t hit, but at least he can pick it. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/137 "2009-08-14T21:09:37Z")
Cubs finally won but did it in style with a 17-2 drubbing of the lowly Pirates. I hope the Rangers do edge out the Angels. The Angels are the team on paper most likely to eliminate the Yanks in the Playoffs. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/138 "2009-08-14T21:28:34Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > I hope the Rangers do edge out the Angels. The Angels are the team on paper most likely to eliminate the Yanks in the Playoffs. You know who worries me the most? Chicago. I know they are still 2.5 games back, but if Peavy comes back and they catch the Tigers I wouldn’t want to face them. Peavy and Buehrle at the top of a rotation? With Danks and Floyd as a decent 3/4, and a stellar bullpen. And if they ever realize that Podsednik stinks and play Quentin/Rios/Dye in the OF, they’ve got a lineup with only one real hole (2B). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/139 "2009-08-15T16:42:49Z")
I didn’t see most of the game, but that was a hard game to take last night with the Red Sox coming back to beat the Rangers. Hopefully, the Rangers can take the last two. Interesting that the Rangers are playing a Sunday day game this week. The Rangers usually play their Sunday games at night in summer, but I guess the interest in the Sox forces them to play during the day avoiding the tv blackout on Sunday night. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998/140 "2009-08-15T21:10:49Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > You know who worries me the most? Chicago. I know they are still 2.5 games back, but if Peavy comes back and they catch the Tigers I wouldn’t want to face them. Peavy and Buehrle at the top of a rotation? With Danks and Floyd as a decent 3/4, and a stellar bullpen. And if they ever realize that Podsednik stinks and play Quentin/Rios/Dye in the OF, they’ve got a lineup with only one real hole (2B). Tigers just threw 2 shutouts in a row. Nobodies pitching scares the Tigers, One Chicago problem is their catcher throws out under 8 % of the stealers. That is horrible and a fast team can run over them. All teams are flawed in some way. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-august-2009/504998.md?page=8)