Friday, June 03, 2005
Site Changes
As you can see I'm trying to keep up with Run Differentials, and have just updated the numbers after last night's action. I figure if I can update that sidebar every other day or so, it will keep the site a little more dynamic.
I've also updated the links on the sidebar of this site. I've kept some of the staples (Scoreboard, Standings, Stats), but have changed the links from ESPN.com to MLB.com. Just a preference, but I find the sorting filters and layout friendlier on MLB.
The Hardball Times remains a daily stop for me, and although I don't visit it as much as I used to, Baseball Musings is still a top-notch effort by David Pinto. It's as consistent and solid a blog as you'll see. Baseball Reference and Retrosheet are as essential to baseball writers/researchers as a hammer and nails are to a carpenter.
One of my new stops on the Web is The Pinstriped Blog, which is hosted on the YES Network's web page. Like you, my first assumption of a Yankee blog on The Boss' site was that it would be puff city. But it really isn't. In fact, I was directed to the site from Rob Neyer's index page on ESPN.com. I trust Rob's not spending his mornings reading Yankee propaganda, so I figured it was worth a visit. Steven Goldman is a Yankee fan, to be sure, but he's a good writer and writes with a fair amount of objectiveness regarding the plight and flight of the Pinstripes. I also feel he's writing from a similar place as I am: not a statistician or mathematician, but fascinated with and trusting enough of stats to use them to complement his main ideas. They aren't the fuel that drives the engine, but maybe makes the ride a little smoother.
Tom Verducci? I haven't gotten SI in years, but he's a very good guest on WFAN, which he is on frequently, and I've read enough of his stuff over the years that I felt his archive warranted a link.
If you're a fan of any aspect of pop culture (music, books, movies, television, etc.) Largehearted Boy is a must-visit. It's exhaustive and comprehensive, providing daily links to music downloads, relevant news and articles and a slew of book recommendations. Some of his favorite bands: Guided by Voices (a song of theirs is referenced by the site's title); Wilco; and Drive by Truckers.
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I spent a night at Yale Field last night, and watched the Cutters fumble away a great chance for their first win of the season. Up 4-2 in the 7th, they gave up three runs in the top of the frame, but came back to tie it at 5 in the bottom of the inning. From that point forward, they gave up 7 runs in the last two innings, eventually losing 12-8 to Quebec. They are now an almost intolerable 0-8.
It was a cool night at the ballpark, warranting a sweatshirt from start to finish, but perfect baseball weather, or any other sport-weather for that matter. It was "Thirsty Thursday," which afforded the opportunity to get 8 oz. cups of Bud or Bud Light for $1. Although I dabbled in this promotion, I splurged for my last cup of brew: a $3.50 16 oz. offering of Sam Adams.
You might figure that $1 beers, albeit small cups of beer, would lead to raucous fan behavior and a tinge of rowdiness. There was to an extent: one section of fans tried to lead the park in indiscernible chants, but after awhile of non-responsiveness, were content to just chant amongst themselves. After a potentially blown call in the 7th, a group heckled the second base umpire almost beyond the point of comfort, but it never veered too far from being "fun." The ump however, wasn't too pleased and actually gestured a couple times at the fans who were sitting next to the 3rd base (home side) dugout.
Oh, my top pitch speed? 54 mph. I would like to blame it on not having thrown a baseball in at least a year if not longer, and not warming up. But if I'm honest with myself, I could probably train for two weeks and have a hard time cracking 56 or 57.
My wife's top speed: 53 mph. That margin is a little too close for comfort. I was actually sweating it out as she made her last two throws, which passed the radar gun in the high 40s. She's a good athlete, so it's not like my pitch velocity is getting matched by Grandma Moses. But still... That would be something I'd have a tough time living down -- especially around a certain group of friends who still won't let me forget that Sue beat me in a football pool.
Two years in a row.
As you can see I'm trying to keep up with Run Differentials, and have just updated the numbers after last night's action. I figure if I can update that sidebar every other day or so, it will keep the site a little more dynamic.
I've also updated the links on the sidebar of this site. I've kept some of the staples (Scoreboard, Standings, Stats), but have changed the links from ESPN.com to MLB.com. Just a preference, but I find the sorting filters and layout friendlier on MLB.
The Hardball Times remains a daily stop for me, and although I don't visit it as much as I used to, Baseball Musings is still a top-notch effort by David Pinto. It's as consistent and solid a blog as you'll see. Baseball Reference and Retrosheet are as essential to baseball writers/researchers as a hammer and nails are to a carpenter.
One of my new stops on the Web is The Pinstriped Blog, which is hosted on the YES Network's web page. Like you, my first assumption of a Yankee blog on The Boss' site was that it would be puff city. But it really isn't. In fact, I was directed to the site from Rob Neyer's index page on ESPN.com. I trust Rob's not spending his mornings reading Yankee propaganda, so I figured it was worth a visit. Steven Goldman is a Yankee fan, to be sure, but he's a good writer and writes with a fair amount of objectiveness regarding the plight and flight of the Pinstripes. I also feel he's writing from a similar place as I am: not a statistician or mathematician, but fascinated with and trusting enough of stats to use them to complement his main ideas. They aren't the fuel that drives the engine, but maybe makes the ride a little smoother.
Tom Verducci? I haven't gotten SI in years, but he's a very good guest on WFAN, which he is on frequently, and I've read enough of his stuff over the years that I felt his archive warranted a link.
If you're a fan of any aspect of pop culture (music, books, movies, television, etc.) Largehearted Boy is a must-visit. It's exhaustive and comprehensive, providing daily links to music downloads, relevant news and articles and a slew of book recommendations. Some of his favorite bands: Guided by Voices (a song of theirs is referenced by the site's title); Wilco; and Drive by Truckers.
----------
I spent a night at Yale Field last night, and watched the Cutters fumble away a great chance for their first win of the season. Up 4-2 in the 7th, they gave up three runs in the top of the frame, but came back to tie it at 5 in the bottom of the inning. From that point forward, they gave up 7 runs in the last two innings, eventually losing 12-8 to Quebec. They are now an almost intolerable 0-8.
It was a cool night at the ballpark, warranting a sweatshirt from start to finish, but perfect baseball weather, or any other sport-weather for that matter. It was "Thirsty Thursday," which afforded the opportunity to get 8 oz. cups of Bud or Bud Light for $1. Although I dabbled in this promotion, I splurged for my last cup of brew: a $3.50 16 oz. offering of Sam Adams.
You might figure that $1 beers, albeit small cups of beer, would lead to raucous fan behavior and a tinge of rowdiness. There was to an extent: one section of fans tried to lead the park in indiscernible chants, but after awhile of non-responsiveness, were content to just chant amongst themselves. After a potentially blown call in the 7th, a group heckled the second base umpire almost beyond the point of comfort, but it never veered too far from being "fun." The ump however, wasn't too pleased and actually gestured a couple times at the fans who were sitting next to the 3rd base (home side) dugout.
Oh, my top pitch speed? 54 mph. I would like to blame it on not having thrown a baseball in at least a year if not longer, and not warming up. But if I'm honest with myself, I could probably train for two weeks and have a hard time cracking 56 or 57.
My wife's top speed: 53 mph. That margin is a little too close for comfort. I was actually sweating it out as she made her last two throws, which passed the radar gun in the high 40s. She's a good athlete, so it's not like my pitch velocity is getting matched by Grandma Moses. But still... That would be something I'd have a tough time living down -- especially around a certain group of friends who still won't let me forget that Sue beat me in a football pool.
Two years in a row.
