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Monday, October 17, 2005 |
Pickoff Moves, Bedtime Edition
Why You Hire Albert Pujols: Cardinals 5, Astros 4
If there's ever a man you want at the plate with the tying runs aboard and two out in the top of the ninth in an away game, Albert Pujols is it, or at least, one of a very few. Blasting a shot that would have been out of the park had it been almost anywhere else, the Cards came roaring back on the strength of a David Eckstein single (hello, Bill Stoneman!), a Jim Edmonds walk, and Pujols monstrous home run. By failing to walk Phat Albert, the Astros may have just cost themselves their first World Series.Roster Moves
- The A's picked up Jay Payton's option for 2006. The A's also declined the option on reliever Keiichi Yabu.
- The Giants DFA'd six players, Brian Cooper, Matt Kinney, Yamid Haad, Doug Clark, Julio Ramirez and Adam Shabala. Cooper, 0-1 with a 3.06 ERA, refused his assignment and is a free agent.
Chronicles Jamesian Angels Review
Chronicles has a Bill James-style review of the Angels 2005 up (also at BTF). One thing I disagree with him on is how effective those Oakland pitchers will be next year; two of the A's staff appear in the top ten luckiest pitchers by DIP% at ESPN. Washburn is the luckiest; guess who I don't want to see back in 2006?
Comments:
I ended up just checking on the score and saw that it was 4-2, 2 outs in the 9th, Albert up with 2 on. So I watched. He absolutely crushed that ball. Amazing. Let's hope Vlad can drink some of what Pujols is drinking next time the Angels are in the playoffs.
I think if Vlad stopped making stupid maneuvers in the field and on the basepaths, we wouldn't have this issue. I also would like to think that, with actual protection, Vlad wouldn't have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Rob, a couple of things about the A's pitchers: 1) Almost all of them had numbers that indicated they were getting lucky on balls in play, which might have something to do with one of the best team defenses in the league last year, and 2) While I agree that Blanton may be due for a regression, and I expect Saarloos to crash back to earth next year, I'm not sure about Zito; Rob Neyer, along with some of the people at BP, has a theory that Zito's curve has an effect similar to that of a knuckleball on balls-in-play, which explains why he always has low BAA numbers. It's a theory, anyway
And Pujols, wow. What a moonshot.
And Pujols, wow. What a moonshot.
# posted by 
: 10/18/2005 12:08:00 AM
: 10/18/2005 12:08:00 AM
Whoawhoawhoa! Rob Neyer thinks that an A's player is better than his peripherals indicate? That's just crazy talk.
I'm pretty sure we all remember 1986. Tomorrow night's game is key. I think if the Cards get to Oswalt early, the Astros will, indeed, have blown their opportunity to go to the WS.
# posted by : 10/18/2005 07:08:00 AM
: 10/18/2005 07:08:00 AM
Pujols is amazing. The guy has maybe the simplest swing in baseball. No stride. Doesn't seem to use timings cues. Dude just turns his hips and puts the bat on ball.
Key play there really is Eckstein. He waited and waited and waited until he found a pitch he can hit. Even if Pujols doesn't drive for a homerun, a double or a 3-2 count single might have have tied the game.
<< It's Neyer succumbing to his perpetual hard-on for guys like Harden. >>
Yeah, but Harden really is that good. If he stays healthy.
Key play there really is Eckstein. He waited and waited and waited until he found a pitch he can hit. Even if Pujols doesn't drive for a homerun, a double or a 3-2 count single might have have tied the game.
<< It's Neyer succumbing to his perpetual hard-on for guys like Harden. >>
Yeah, but Harden really is that good. If he stays healthy.
# posted by : 10/18/2005 08:55:00 AM
: 10/18/2005 08:55:00 AMNewer› ‹Older
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