ORS

Why do you like WPA for pitchers? So much of the importance of the half innings they throw is dependent on what the offense does. For example, Jake Peavy gets a 1-2-3 inning when his team is up 1-0 in the 6th. Josh Beckett gets a 1-2-3 when the Sox are up 5-1 in the 6th. Both did the same thing, but Peavy will get more WPA because the score is closer thanks to his offense sucking. That is such an arbitrary stat to use for judging pitchers. I like WPA, but I only like it as a supplement to other stats, and I don't like it for starters at all. It's a good tie breaker for players who have similar context independent performance, and combined with LEV a good way of determining the more valuable relief pitcher (as long as you are comparing people of the same role due to LEV variations and modern BP usage). But it's a horrible stat for comparing starting pitchers.

If you can find one instance where I show bias, in other words, find where I use a double standard, then you will have a point in that first sentence. You won't be able to though. No, you don't apply a double standard. You apply an empty standard. You don't know stats, so you use them wrong, and you value too much your untrained eye. Beckett has turned the corner, do you know why? I know your answer, you'll call it a fluke. Of course, if you knew stats, you could show us why. The real answer is that he changed two things. One was mechanics, the other was pitch selection. With the success he's had, and background stats to back it up, why would he change it? Speaking of the background stats, of all the guys in the top 5 in the AL, Beckett is the only one with a negative FIP-ERA. This is where you can determine if something is flukey. He's actually got the best FIP in the bunch. When your component ERA is better than your actual, that means it's not a fluke. And, when the improvement in the rates making up the component are linked to a change in mechanics and command, you just can't dismiss it, despite the arbitrary criteria you assign.

Cash has been catching Zink (majority of his starts) in AAA this year. Zink is a knuckleballer.

There's no way he's available tomorrow. He's thrown two days in a row. They don't do three. Okajima is the BP ace tomorrow. We'll see how he manages it.

Is Francona joking? Papelbon with a 5-run lead? Now he won't be available tomorrow. Start the inning with Snyder, and yank him after his 3rd baserunner.

WEEEE!!!!

If they can f*** this up, then they've taken it to a higher level of squanderifficness.

Inge is an idiot.

Come on Thames, that's two meatballs you've missed.

This Arizona team can mash. Leadoff HR on the first pitch. Now the sacks are full with none out after that, 3-1 count, the Mayland pitcher is rattled, just walked in a run.

Beckett 3-3, 2.58 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 9.1 K/9, over 6 K/BB Dominant. Wake the f*** up.

I love the part about how this year will be the pinnacle of Beckett's career. More brilliant analysis based on a hope and a prayer from Gom. I guess we can put it with the other nuggets like Wang being the best pitcher other than Halladay in the AL East, Schilling being washed up, Pedroia never making it, and others. That said, Hanley has blossomed into a remarkable player. Wish he had shown a glimpse of this in his time in the minors with the Sox. Oh well, hopefully they give Tejeda a better look this time around.

Shocker.

I'll buy that for a $1.

I actually like it. Sure, it takes Jima out of the second game, but it leaves more fresh arms for tonight. Papelbon going more than an inning is not what I would do.

Per Castig, nobody warming, so it looks like it will be Buck for the 6th.

I give him the ball for one more. He's at 82 pitches. And, while we have Beckett going tonight, it's still a double-dip. Save that 'pen if you can. You never know. Balk. Sweet.

Nice.

He's either got some serious nerves, or the MLE for control numbers needs some tweaking, because he's walked 3 in 3 against the Angels. They swing at everything.

Ok, here we go, fastbol fastbol fastbol.

Great....on the road.

Get Kottaras (or Cash) headed this way for the nightcap.