Elktonnick

In Brady's case, it was magic in a pill.

Here is a quick summary that you may find interesting: Extracted from The Bill James Baseball Abstract 1988 Ballantine Books, New York Copyright 1988 by Bill James “What I wanted to write about… is a very basic question. Of all the studies I have done over the last 12 years, what have I learned? What is the relevance of sabermetric knowledge to the decision making process of a team? If I were employed by a major-league team, what are the basic things that I know from the research I have done which would be of use to me in helping that team?” 1.Minor league batting statistics will predict major league batting performance with essentially the same reliability as previous major league statistics. 2.Talent in baseball is not normally distributed. It is a pyramid. For every player who is 10 percent above the average player, there are probably twenty players who are 10 pecent below average. 3.What a player hits in one ballpark may be radically different from what he would hit in another. 4.Ballplayers, as a group, reach their peak value much earlier and decline much more rapidly than people believe. 5.Players taken in the June draft coming out of college (or with at least two years of college) perform dramatically better than players drafted out of high school. 6.The chance of getting a good player with a high draft pick is substantial enough that it is clearly a disastrous strategy to give up a first round draft choice to sign a mediocre free agent. (see note #1) 7.A power pitcher has a dramatically higher expectation for future wins than does a finesse picther of the same age and ability. 8.Single season won-lost records have almost no value as an indicator of a pitcher’s contribution to a team. 9.The largest variable determining how many runs a team will score is how many times they get their leadoff man on base. 10.A great deal of what is perceived as being pitching is in fact defense. 11.True shortage of talent almost never occurs at the left end of the defensive spectrum. (see note #2) 12.Rightward shifts along the defensive spectrum almost never work. (see note #2) 13.Our idea of what makes a team good on artificial turf is not supported by any research. 14.When a team improves sharply one season they will almost always decline in the next. 15.The platoon differential is real and virtually universal.

From what I've seen Lin is not having a very good spring so far.

I know. He had no movement on his fastball and left everything out over the middle of the plate. Tonight was completely different. His off speed pitches were lively he looked like he had better command of his fastball. One has to expect such fluctuations in the Spring . The important thing is that he was better tonoght. That is progress. Now with him it is more a question of whether he can contol his emotions and temper than his fastball.

I know it is an early ST game but RS pitching did well tonight.

While this may be true most times, it is also true that Anderson has vitually no future with Boston at first. It is also true that there are times when players can make a team by good performances in ST especially in a situation such as Boston has. The Sox FO and BV made it clear that there would be guys competing for jobs this ST.

Padilla had two very good innings. Looks like the competition for the pitching jobs on the 25 man roster is heating up.

Lars is having a good spring at the plate so far. I think they'll see how he does in the outfield. He has zero future with the Red Sox at first unless A-Gon gets seriously hurt and even then there are other options at first. What I've seen from him so far really doesn't make me believe he has much of a future in Boston despite how well he is hitting in the early spring. I think they'll move him by the trading deadline. I think they are showcasing him for that eventuality.

It was an excellent job by Doubront all things considered. As Pinella so accurately said he did nothing wrong. He did a very good job his last inning against the heart of the Yankees lineup. I don't think RS management will be too upset with his performance.

LF makes more sense than right at this point since CC is out for a while.

Sweeney demonstrated yesterday that he has a strong arm. Ross is a streaky hitter. Between the two we should be okay, not great, but adequate. After what I am seeing in the ST games I've seen I am coming around to the view that I think we are no worse off in right this year than we were last year. Plus a couple of guys are having a strong early spring. I am less concerned about the offense than pitching and injuries. That's where this team is vulnerable.

For all you Shaughnessy fans, I sugggest the blog Dan Shaughnessy Watch. If you aren't already aware of the blog, it regularly slams his columns and statements. One has to wonder though what suddenly motivated Shaughnessy's out of nowhere slam at A-Gon. That seems like he is trying to stir the pot just to stir the pot.

Even my Os fans friends can't stand him. He loves the sound of his own voice. He knows his pitching but he is humorless, repetitive and talks down to his audience. Gary Thorn is okay but working with Palmer must get to you.

If you are talking about Citizens Bank in Philly, I have many times. It is one of the best places to watch a MLB game rivaling Camden Yards. The food is better in Baltimore because you are close to the inner harbor. If you are driving to the game and not staying in a nearby hotel, Philly has better parking.

agreed about Conlin. There used to be a guy on Philly radio named Howard Erskin (sp?). He would call every Dallas fans who called in a "cock a roach" adding the a for emphasis. He was the worst I've heard.

d'accord.