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Monday's Frosty Mug

By my calendar, we're just 21 days away from Opening Day. It seems like a good time for a 159-ounce Frosty Mug.

Let's start with Baseball Digest Daily's recaps: Friday and Sunday. Apparently they lost a day with the time change this weekend. But in yesterday's recap, they do call Vargas "Claudia." Does that make up for it?

We're hitting dangerous territory here: I'm starting to believe the hype on Derrick Turnbow. Who's with me? Vote in today's Frosty Mug poll.

The Hardball Times has five questions for the Brewers in 2008. There's some interesting stuff in there.

Luft on Deck is worried about the Brewers offense. Really?

Ken Rosenthal likes the decision to bat Kendall 9th. 49% of voters in his poll think it won't make a difference, though.

Dayn Perry has a recap of spring training injuries, including Gallardo.

Ryan Braun is leading the NL in home runs and RBI this spring. Buster Olney thinks he's a long shot candidate for MVP.

Matt LaPorta is blogging at Baseball Digest Daily. His most recent post is from Maryvale.

Mariners Insider enjoyed the Sausage Race much more than Sunday's M's/Brewers game.

Alphabetical injury reports in one line or less:

Josh Beckett left Saturday's start without facing a batter due to back spasms.
Orioles SS Freddie Bynum had surgery on his right knee and will be out past Opening Day.
Cards OF Chris Duncan has missed the last two games with back problems.
Phillies P Adam Eaton is battling a herniated disc and arthritis in his back but could pitch as soon as Thursday.
Jim Edmonds has a strained calf and is out at least 2-3 weeks.
Mike Hampton could throw today and might not miss a start with a strained groin.
Randy Johnson will make his first appearance of the spring today, as continues to rehab from back surgery.
Scott Kazmir is back to being the projected Opening Day starter for the Rays.
Dodgers 3B Andy LaRoche has an injured thumb and is out 8 weeks or more.
Julio Lugo was scratched Friday due to a sore back.
Rangers P Brandon McCarthy is out 4-6 weeks with severe inflammation in his forearm.
White Sox 2B Danny Richar has missed 5 straight games with back problems.
Reds C David Ross hasn't played in a week due to back spasms.
Gary Sheffield is still sitting out games, resting sore legs.
Astros C J.R. Towles strained a hamstring Saturday and will miss 4-5 days.

TheJay, over at Recondite Baseball, gives us the highest career WHIPs for players with 1000+ IP. Not surprisingly, three former Brewers make the list.

There was a point in my life where I would've been all over all you can eat seats at the ballpark. I'm past that point...and still working to drop the weight.

When do Spring Training struggles become a slump? Ichiro is 0-for-14 this spring. I don't think it's news yet. But I linked you to it anyway.

The Reds are a step closer to spending their springs in Arizona. If the Reds, Indians and Dodgers all go, and it seems likely they will, the majority of teams will train in Arizona for the first time ever.

Finally, Garfield Minus Garfield is, once again, a management joke waiting to happen.

Drink up.

Poll
Derrick Turnbow in '08 will be.
Decline from 2007.
5 votes
A disaster.
13 votes
Lights out and awesome.
34 votes
Still streaky, but better than 2007.
131 votes
About the same as 2007.
45 votes

228 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 19 comments

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Comments

Display:

How to earn Marty McSuperFly's undying love
Write things like this
So, should anyone here get better? Definitely. J.J. Hardy should make steady improvement, but the guys to watch are Bill Hall and Rickie Weeks.

and then make them come true.

by Marty McSuperFly on Mar 10, 2008 9:24 AM CDT   0 recs

on Jaffe's Hardballtimes article.
I never understand why in this day and age with so much information out there you'd write about someone else's team.

Not only do you end up suggesting trading guys like J.J. Hardy who the scouts like as a plus defender, to "shore up the defense," and suggesting trading a pitcher with a no trade clause to "improve defense," but you just get so far in over your head that you end up writing things like:

Odds are, Braun will be around where he was last year--maybe a little higher or lower.

Where can i place my bet?

Bring Back The Old Logo!

by jacob on Mar 10, 2008 10:08 AM CDT   0 recs

Hardy
don't the defensive metrics rate him as average or below?

The author sounds like he has never seen the Brewers play.

You have to appreciate his information: blog posts, contacts with Brewers fans, pop news articles and lots and lots of statistics.

I learned:

Kendall is done, won't bat over .250 and has terrible defense.

Ryan Braun is easily the worst defensive player in all of baseball (based on "not the most scientific stat out there"). And he can't hit as well this year because he hit well last year.

Prince Fielder can only dream of being a banal infielder and has no hope of hitting 50 or more HRs because 5 or 6 guys before him failed to do so.

Ned Yost didn't leave in his starters long enough and thereby mishandled his bullpen as has been "documented."

There is a good chance that Sheets will be hurt, Bush seems to be penciled in as a starter, Villaneuva will pitch like Bush if he is a starter, Parra doesn't seem to exist, and all starters are overly dependent on defense.

The defense on the team is bad despite the fact that they were league average in runs allowed.

Cameron's "BR" is low and I don't know if it is park adjusted, but he doesn't mention a chance of change.

Corey Hart will regress because he improved a lot. Its scientific because he did it at age 25 and five other guys have done it like him and of those, four regressed. "Makes sense" is the clincher.

And best of all, with a constipated starting rotation and a constipated bullpen and good performances in ST by AAA and NRI guys, we should trade LaPorta for pitching or a new SS or catcher.

Sounds like just about every day on Brewer's forums...

by ol Pete on Mar 10, 2008 11:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Oh
The mishandling of the bullpen has been documented.

by Marty McSuperFly on Mar 10, 2008 11:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

lol
Mind you, I'm not disagreeing. I'll take the collection you provide over the glop at the other link. I have my own bullpen moments where I was shouting at the TV and the little woman was saying "maybe you should just turn it off."

I'm so computing limited that I hesitate to do things like install the Silverlight plug-in, but if I was better, I think I would be tempted to hack your site and change it to

hirenedyost

just for fun, ya know...

And hey, Ichiro is 0/17 cuz he went against Cuhhhhhhh-low-DEEEEEEooooooooooo...

by ol Pete on Mar 10, 2008 12:28 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Hey, I got linked
Cool, thanks. Now anyone searching Google News for "frosty mug" has a chance of reading my blog, in addition to all the others you posted.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Mar 10, 2008 10:13 AM CDT   0 recs

I just
went to your Web site and clicked on a link.  Here, have a penny.  :)
"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Mar 10, 2008 11:01 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I've been surprised...
How quickly (and highly) Frosty Mugs end up showing up on Google News searches. Right now, for example, we're #4 under Ryan Braun.

by KLSnow on Mar 10, 2008 11:09 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

that was interesting
The three pitchers with ERA title and above average WHIP is like a great teaser for a movie. I wonder what exactly the ERA title is and wonder how the movie will turn out. Having Doug Davis and superhero Pettit in the cast is intriguing.

The rest is a little hard for me because I don't know a whole lot about the history of baseball. Its a bunch of guys whose names I don't know, but thats me.

by ol Pete on Mar 10, 2008 12:39 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

ERA Qualifying
You need to pitch at least one inning for every game your team plays to qualify for the ERA (or other pitching rate stats) title. Thus a pitcher needs 162 or more innings in a year to qualify for the ERA title which is why you don't get some schlub reliever putting up a 0.00 ERA in 3 innings as the champion.

You need 502 plate appearances (3.1 per team game) to qualify for batting titles.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Mar 10, 2008 1:23 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

what is the ERA title?
top twenty or something?

Sorry if I'm being dense.

by ol Pete on Mar 10, 2008 1:29 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I mean it as
Every pitcher who had 162+ innings pitched last season.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Mar 10, 2008 1:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I should have said
"Qualifiers for the ERA title," though I don't know if that would make it clearer.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Mar 10, 2008 1:45 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

well
count me as shocked to see Doug D there.

by ol Pete on Mar 10, 2008 3:09 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

I think
Google should just give up and have a permanent link to the Frosty Mug on the ol' home page.

Or another button under the Search bar!  Google Search, I'm Feelin' Lucky, and Frosty Mug!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Mar 10, 2008 11:11 AM CDT   0 recs

Garfield minus Garfield
is really funny.  After a minute or two, there (sadly) is no reason to visit it again.
"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Mar 10, 2008 11:12 AM CDT   0 recs

They publish about 2-3 times daily.
I have it in my Google Reader.

by KLSnow on Mar 10, 2008 11:14 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

If you "like" Garfield
you should check out Lasagna Cat. It is most likely the funniest thing on the internet.

http://www.lasagnacat2.com/

by Trent Durrington on Mar 11, 2008 12:39 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Too Funny...
Talking about Braun's defensive percentage last year...

"It's only a few points higher than the career mark of Jerry Denny, who played without a glove."

TED IS TO NED WHAT CHENEY IS TO BUSH.

by CATALYST on Mar 10, 2008 7:28 PM CDT   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


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