2011 Dodgers Player Profile: Gabe Kapler, Coming Home
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 7:00 AM PST
in Community Projections
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PrintAfter a 12 year career where Kapler has played on 7 teams (not including the 1 year he spent with the Yomiuri Giants) Gabe Kapler is a non-roster invitee with his hometown team. Kapler, a graduate of Woodland Hills Taft High School who later played college ball at Cal-State Fullerton and Moorpark College, was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 57th round of the 1995 draft and ultimately made his debut with the Tigers in 1998.
Throughout his career, Kapler has made his money as a power bat and has never been very capable with the glove. Even then, his career numbers at the plate are fairly poor and don't really demonstrate the ability of a guy who has been able to stick around for over a decade. Kapler has a career OPS+ of 92 and at 35 years old one would think his best days are behind him. Interestingly enough, Kapler put up his career high OPS+ of 119 all of three seasons ago (at age 32) with the Milwaukee Brewers in 245 plate appearances. In 2009, Kapler again put up fairly decent numbers, this time with the Tampa Bay Rays. In his age 33 season, Kapler posted an OPS+ of 102 in 238 plate appearances. Unfortunately for Kapler, the wheels fell off a bit last season as he dropped to an OPS+ of 68 in only 140 plate appearances with Tampa.
Trivia
After a one year stint in Japan, Kapler returned to the United States in 2005 with the Boston Red Sox where he played through 2006. In December of 2006, Kapler actually announced his retirement from major league baseball and was made the manager of the Red Sox Single A team for the 2007 season. Kapler returned to baseball the following season, making the Milwaukee Brewers after being an NRI in spring training.
Contract Status
Kapler signed a minor league contract (with an invitation to spring training) with the Dodgers on January 18th.
Stats
| Year | Age | 2B | HR | Runs | RBI | BA | OBP | SLG | wOBA |
| 2008 | 32 |
17 |
8 |
36 |
38 |
.301 |
.340 |
.498 |
.362 |
| 2009 | 33 |
15 |
8 |
26 |
32 |
.239 |
.329 |
.439 |
.334 |
| 2010 | 34 |
4 |
2 |
19 |
14 |
.210 |
.288 |
.290 |
.264 |
| 2011 Projections - Age 35 Season | |||||||||
| Year | 2B | HR | Runs | RBI | BA | OBP | SLG | wOBA | |
| Bill James | 9 |
4 | 22 | 20 | .250 | .320 |
.385 |
.310 |
|
| Marcel | 15 | 8 | 35 | 35 | .247 | .315 |
.403 | .316 |
|
| ZiPS | 9 | 5 |
22 |
24 |
.234 |
.303 |
.389 | ||
2011 Outlook
Kapler is thrust into a role that is fairly similar to what Jay Gibbons faced in 2010. Kapler has pretty much no chance of making the club out of camp, but if he's willing to stick it out in the minor leagues, he'll have an oppurtunity to prove he warrants a late season call up. He'll have to hit his way to the major league club and probably hope for Marcus Thames to be out of a job (one way or another.) Despite his fairly pedestrian career numbers noted above, Kapler has some value as a right handed platoon hitter as he has a career wOBA of .349 against LHP including a brusing wOBA of .424 and .396 in 2008 and 2009 respectively (2010 pretty much sucked all around.) So if he can rediscover the magic from 2008 and 2009, his right handed bat off the bench would have a place in Los Angeles.
I think Kapler will find his way onto the major league roster at some point and largely unimpress while here. I predict he will hit .220 / .300 / .360 in 45 plate appearances.
What are the TBLA community projections for Gabe Kapler in 2011? Give us your prediction for BA, OBP, and SLG in the comments, and feel free to add any other predictions you have as well.
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Royals lineup
Per @HoltzyKC:
Cain 8
Cabrera, 7
Butler DH
Hosmer 3
Francoeur 9
Moose 5
Perez 2
Getz 4
Escobar 6
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 7:07 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Wait, which Cabrera do the Royals have?
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:13 AM PST up reply actions
Heh, the streak continues
KC has the Melk man
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:14 AM PST up reply actions
Dodgers lineup
Per @kengurnick:
Carroll 5
Navarro 2
Ethier 9
Kemp 8
Kapler 7
Loney 3
Gibbons DH
DeJesus 4
Castro 6
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 7:12 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Spring Training Game 3/4
Does anyone know what time the team will have their workouts on Friday? Wondering if it was any different since their game is at night. Anyone?
Most likely around 4pm, though I’m sure there will be something going on around camp during the day, too.
Here is the general guideline from the Dodgers for 7:05 starts:
Dodger BP: Until 5:15 p.m.
Visitor BP: 5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m.
Visitor Infield: 6:20 p.m.-6:30 p.m.
Dodger Infield: 6:30 p.m.-6:40 p.m.
I bet you're thinking we played basketball
When in fact Mike and I simply dueled in singing “One on One” by Hall & Oates at a karaoke bar.
Gabe
No major league at bats, but while in Albuquerque he becomes something of a cult figure and casted on one of the local Albuquerque cable channels with his own reality TV show called boringly enough “Dining With Gabe And Dee”, where the two Dodger minor leaguers are filmed hitting all of the local pre-game happy hour bars. Kapler then winds up the season as a TBLA moderator giving its readers top notch insight into weightlifting and general gym etiquette. The fans go crazy.
No way I trade Gabe for Hanley
Maybe Granick, if Milwaukee decides to offer him up once they’re out of it at the deadline.
I have to think the Brewers are going to be in a place to contend, considering the Cards are already exploded
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
don’t you know it’s spring training?! It’s a harbinger of the season to come! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!!
:D
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
It’s true when peoples elbows explode.
Besides Nick Punto is gonna miss 8-12 weeks, they were fucked anyway.
@andrewngrant
I wonder if Pujols is going to play out of his mind, it being a contract year.
I wonder if such a thing is even possible. If it is, I am terrified.
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
Gabe and Dee would be like the odd couple. I’m fairly certain Gabe could bench press Dee.
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
I would watch that. “What Can Gabe Curl?”
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
Right
who here couldn’t bench press Dee besides Humma
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
/slinks away in shame
/never to recover fivefootfiveandonethirtyfiveswag
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
Hand positioning would be crucial, does Dee have enough butt for Gabe to get a good handle on for the curl, and can he do it without breaking Dee’s neck.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Prediction
Will be cut before season, go back to teaching the Sweathogs.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
We tease him a lot, ‘cause we’ve got him on the spot.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
I like this
Throughout his career, Kapler has made his money as a power bat and has never been very capable with the glove. Even then, his career numbers at the plate are fairly poor and don’t really demonstrate the ability of a guy who has been able to stick around for over a decade.
But he looks good in a uniform.
The #2 hitter thing is going to be a constant theme this year on this board.
We simply don’t have one. My hope is that Trayvon steps up to be that guy, but he really needs to refine his contact skills more in addition to maintaining the great OBP.
Or
We just don’t have enough hitters for one of our good ones—like Kemp—to be put there. I don’t know what the move will do to Blake’s effectiveness. It would seem the role of the #2 hitter is to be a high OBP, situational-type hitter; I wonder if that will sap Blake’s one true offensive tool, hitting for occasional power.
Kemp shouldn’t really be a #2 hitter either. Obviously he could be if we had more productive guys in the #3 – #6 spots, but I’d rather bat him somewhere #3 – #6 and have a real #2 hitter.
What is a real #2 hitter?
I don’t mean to shut this all down, but does any of this matter?
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 8:40 AM PST up reply actions
This year on this team, I would say no, it does not matter.
But, to me a great #2 hitter should have speed, and good OBP and contact skills.
Sadly, Juan Uribe could teach Bill Russell about OBP.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I saw this without looking it up, but no way that’s true, right? I mean, adjusting for eras Russell’s OBP wasn’t as bad as Uribe’s was it?
Didn’t adjust, just a quick lookup, Bills was .310
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
My memories of Russell the player were more as the sage bench veteran, but it sounds like those who watched him play regularly were not fans of his play.
I saw all 18 years of his career and hated about 13 of them. He did seem to be a clutch hitter, but I hated his defense, his lack of power, his lack of on base skills and I expect the clutch hitter was just a fallacy because of the one seeing eye hit up the middle in the NLCS against the Phillies.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
May be my selective memory but there didn’t seem to be too many good hitting shortstops back in his days. Of course there were many good fielding ones.
Right, no one could hit, but many could field. Ivan De Jesus looked like Mark Belanger compared to Bill Russell, but hard to complain since we got Rick Monday for him and that in turn kept the Phillies from having Ryan Sandberg.
During those 18 years, Billy Grabarkewitz might have been the answer in the beginning if not for the injuries, though his defense would have been poor he’d have hit enough to make up for it, then only DeJesus, then a wasteland of terrible SS prospects.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Just a quick dirty comp
Russell’s career OBP is .310, and during that time the average OBP was .328. Uribe’s career OBP is .300, during a period where the average OBP is .346. So both are low, but you translate Russell’s OBP to modern times, and its roughly the equivalent of what, a .325-.330 OBP? He’s below average, but not by a lot.
Actually
roughly the equivalent of Cesar Izturis’ ’04 season, give or take, but Russell had a bit more power.
Just curious if you ever watched Bill Russell play SS?Offensively he may have been akin to the offensively challenged Izzy of 2004, but with the glove he would not be in the same galaxy because in 2004 Izzy was the bomb with the glove.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Yeah the team is lacking a clear #2 hitter
which is the main reason I cut Mattingly slack on picking Beard for now. I do think Loney would make more sense, since he doesn’t K as much as Blake and shows pretty good patience (and not a lot of power). But other than that, there’s not much to choose from.
Hey, if he wants a good OBP guy who can bunt, then AJ Ellis should be our catcher and bat 2nd. ;-)
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
for Albuquerque, sure :-)
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
If we’re relying on AJ Ellis to bunt us around the bases, this season is fucked.
I don’t think I got the meme right. Sorry Reg, Humma. :(
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
I agree bunting sucks
I was just teasing, based on what I think is a misguided strategy
(though I have been sort of rooting for AJ to make the team)
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
The meme is reg's
and I believe it’s “we’re screwed anyway.”
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:17 AM PST up reply actions
Gabe Kapler
has stuck around for over a decade because he can hit LHP at a much better clip (.815 ops) then our starting RF(.678 OPS), 1st Baseman (.702 OPS), and just about every other LH hitter in baseball. He is even not that far off the great Thames (.838) and has been a much better outfielder during the time they have both graced the outfield.
Kapler has earned his playing time by being productive when used correctly. As recently as 2009 (one year ago for those have trouble counting backwards) he had an OPS against LHP of .931 in 145 at bats. That is production.
He may be done, but he damn well earned his decade of playing time.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
So, you agree with my last paragraph then?
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 8:37 AM PST up reply actions
Yes
Even then, his career numbers at the plate are fairly poor and don’t really demonstrate the ability of a guy who has been able to stick around for over a decade.
Maybe I misunderstood this comment.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
His career line of .268 .329 .420 is pretty close to Todd Hollandsworth’s .273 .328 .439.
Did Hollandsworth deserve to stick around as long as he did?
I’m not speaking for Mr. White, but I think sometimes these guys stick around largely on reputation. Who’s to say a Hoffman or Mitchell couldn’t match those numbers? Veteranness uber alles.
Surprised your missing my point. Career numbers don’t tell the story of how to use these type of players. If you look back at the last five years, Gabe Kapler is one of the few functional RH hitters who hits lefties at a good enough clip that you want on your bench as a platoon guy or pinch hit guy against LHP. You might think they are a dime a dozen but they are not, it is harder then you think to find a good hitting right hand bench guy with power who can play the outfield.
If 2010 had not happened we’d be geeked up by having Kapler in camp. 2010 did happen and that is why we he’s in on a minor league deal but if 2010 was simply an off year brought on by injuries, Kapler could provide a service to this team, if 2010 was because he’s to old then let him go.
My wordy point is these guys could have value and we are treating them like the Ortiz’s of the baseball world.
And yes, Hollandsworth deserved his long career.
Maybe Mitchell or Hoffman can do this but why take a chance when the pay is the same. Do you really want the fresh kid who has never faced Fuentes taking those hacks or the guy who has watched him pitch for ten years?
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
The numbers he’s put up in 12 year career are below average. He obviously played enough against RHP to drag down his overall stats so he was playing in a bit more than a platoon role. He stuck around as an everyday player for over 10 years, and his numbers don’t warrant that.
His value since 08 (and what we’d hope to get) is a platoon bat.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 8:54 AM PST up reply actions
He stuck around as an everyday player for over 10 years, and his numbers don’t warrant that.
Don’t know what you define as an everyday player. He has not had more then 315 at bats in 9 years, he is exactly what he is, a platoon player and in that role he has done his job as well as any could expect a part time player to perform.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Here was my basic point. From 2002 until his first retirement, he put up OPS+’s of 75, 85, 77, 65 and 77. There aren’t too many guys who are only hitters (no defensive value) who warrant sticking around after putting up 5 below average hitting years in a row. If he was mashing lefties during that time, that’s great, but that means he got enough at bats against RHPs to completely dilute those numbers. His overall numbers are what they are and teams kept paying and playing him in that role, which I don’t see as being warranted.
I am not shitting on what he did in 08 or 09 and in fact I use that as the “best case scenario” for what we want. We want a platoon guy and his fairly recent production in that role warrants giving the guy a look. On a forward looking basis, the platoon splits are highly relevant.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 9:13 AM PST up reply actions
Mark Teixeira, now that he has his $180 million contract, is leaving Scott Boras
per MLB.com:
“I felt at times I was Mark Teixeira, Scott Boras client, instead of Mark Teixeira, baseball player,” Teixeira said. "We had a great relationship and he gave me everything that I asked for contract-wise.
“I’m 100-percent happy in New York, I absolutely love it here, but the next six years of my career aren’t going to be about a contract.”
Jon Heyman (unsurprisingly) has a quote from Boras:
I had the great honor of working for mark for over a decade.
It doesn’t sound like there is any animosity there from either side. Tex knew what he was getting into with Boras, and got what he wanted out of it.
Mark always wanted to be the Baltimore Oriole 1st Baseman, to bad he choose the Yankee’s over his dream.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I always thought that too
especially since he was from Baltimore, but then in that same article (I forgot to put the link above) Tex said this:
“I wanted to be in New York from the very beginning, and everything that I’ve asked for has come true so far…”
The outfield depth chart will be interesting
Who will get injured? (I am predicting at least one of them)
If there were an injury, I could see Kapler getting the nod over X Paul or Hoffmann for example.
But come mid-season if there is an injury, will Kapler be ahead of Trayvon, Sands, Hoffmann, etc.?
Exactly. Guys like Hoffmann and Paul need to root for early injuries, because one of (we hope) the prospects might warrant a callup later on. Or, the Dodgers will trade a prospect for an outfielder.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 9:00 AM PST up reply actions
Is anyone having problems with Google on the iPhone? Their logo is not showing up and I can’t access images, etc.
Kapler
10 AB, 2 hits, DFAed.
"Baseball is the heart of America, I would never do anything to besmirch our National Pastime."
by Little Blue Bicycle on Mar 2, 2011 9:11 AM PST reply actions
Put this in the wrong thread.
I’ve had a breakthrough. They did indeed produce and wear the blue hats with the white brims.
No reason for New Era not to make a version
they make so many other shitty hats
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
I can type Mientkiewicz and Grudzielanek with no problems, but I mess up the spelling of Francoeur every single time.
I assume the same will be done with the other threads?
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 10:05 AM PST up reply actions
That is Eric’s call he knows what is going on, you requested I remove this one so I did.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I offered…but that is interesting
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 10:08 AM PST up reply actions
I think the discussions pretty much organically ended last night. I trust we can move forward without further action.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:08 AM PST up reply actions
Why would you cheer for the Mets if you wanted your team to win?
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:08 AM PST up reply actions
they win, just collapse at the end, like a gazelle
by Josie Becker on Mar 2, 2011 10:10 AM PST up reply actions
The Dodger path is fundamentally flawed because it follows being “ashamed to eat sushi at a baseball game,” yet I can’t imagine many fan bases less ashamed to do so than the Dodger fan base. I said I wasn’t ashamed, and somehow that pushed me away from my team.
I can keep going if you replace “ashamed” with “frightened to”.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
The last I remember it seeing was during the Chan Ho days, cause you know, Korean and Japanese is pretty much the same thing.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:17 AM PST up reply actions
whereas Bill Plashke told me there’s a Panda Express at Angel Stadium. Which has 700+ health violations #mustbementionedatleastonceamonth
by Josie Becker on Mar 2, 2011 10:19 AM PST up reply actions
I rarely eat Sushi but the last place I’d eat Sushi is at Dodger Stadium.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I think i’d eat vegetarian sushi at dodger stadium. But I would not eat raw salmon from Dodger Stadium
by Josie Becker on Mar 2, 2011 10:21 AM PST up reply actions
I'd eat raw Salmon and raw Trout in Anaheim
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
I’ve eaten sushi at Dodger Stadium several times and never had any complaint. It’s not high style, but I’m confident it’s better for me than a hot dog, hamburger or most everything else they sell.
I’m sure it won’t kill you, but my rule is that if you can’t see a Japanese guy cutting it up, avoid it.
It helps that I haven’t set foot in the loge level for about a decade.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:26 AM PST up reply actions
My point is that there is no reason to single out the sushi for skepticism relative to what other food is being created at Dodger Stadium. My worst experience has come from something that was (theoretically) cooked.
Well, actually my point was that whatever people in Los Angeles think about sushi at the ballpark, they’re still more likely to embrace it than a crowd farther from Japan. But that point got left behind.
Sure
not being a Sushi expert, I just think of Sushi as raw fish and not the vegetable part.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Meercats are an inland folk who use the sun to bake their insects before eating them.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I really want to like Sushi…but I don’t.
It is kind of like Cottage Cheese
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 10:36 AM PST up reply actions
Can't do sushi
I think its a) I don’t like fish and b) I don’t like seaweed. I’ve tried chicken sushi rolls and I couldn’t even do it. Cottage cheese is like oatmeal for me. It tastes good, but it is so unappetizing to me most of the time, yet here I am at this very moment trying to finish a bowl of it.
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
I think that may be a sign that you have had bad sushi.
Good sushi with really fresh fish is delicious.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
I've tried sushi at a buncha places
just can’t do it
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
Yea, for me it is the salty/sea flavor of the seaweed. So, I am down to try good sushi that does not incorporate this…but I just need to be chaperoned on this one.
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 11:17 AM PST up reply actions
I forgot to mention that I don’t like “fishy tastes”. I love shrimp, scallops and some white fish that aren’t “fishy”
I know, what a pain.
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 11:21 AM PST up reply actions
I am game
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
im with you on that but mainly only shrimp…de-pooped.. i dont like eating sandy shit shrimp
by sec305LFP LAD on Mar 2, 2011 11:23 AM PST up reply actions
I understand this concept, but I don’t have the money to eat in places where it should be implemented :)
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
I would have to HIGHLY disagree with that.
by sec305LFP LAD on Mar 2, 2011 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
I wouldn’t want him to eat sea urchin, because to me, that was like licking a pier as far as my taste buds are concerned.
But I agree. Now I’m sitting here thinking about eel and trying to remember if that tastes “fishy”. And now I’m hungry.
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
Same here, and I’m in a a huge sushi kick recently.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:41 AM PST up reply actions
I’ve gotten an envelop of mashed potatoes before.
Don’t do this unless you really hate the person.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:52 AM PST up reply actions
Seriously who would waste potatoes like that?
sick fucks
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
Maybe it was the instant mashed potato flake bullshit that my mom used to make.
That shit wasn’t mashed and it wasn’t potatoes but they still called it mashed potatoes.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:56 AM PST up reply actions
No, they were straight from the Thanksgiving dish to the mailbox.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:57 AM PST up reply actions
That is inexcusable.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:59 AM PST up reply actions
not even funny or clever
just brutish and wasteful
by Hollywood Joe on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
It was like a spoonful of them.
To be fair, we did ask him to hook us up with some potatoes.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
How high do you have to be to think that this is the best method?
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
If you’re in my family, it really should have been expected.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
well
mine too, but maybe after an eight of Northern Lights or something. ;)
I like to think you killed a man. It's the romantic in me.
I think it’s because mine is more British than yours.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
I have never had sushi at Dodger Stadium, but I would imagine it is roughly the same as the packaged stuff at the grocery store, which I have had and not had any problems.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:26 AM PST up reply actions
I’m guessing it’s sicne Dodger fans would expect to eat a Dodger Dog.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:18 AM PST up reply actions
yawn
the rest of the countries inferiority complex rears its ugly head again
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
from what I can tell, the author of that chart is a Phillies fan, so that explains some of it
by Josie Becker on Mar 2, 2011 10:28 AM PST up reply actions
The Lakers will wear “Los Lakes” jerseys this month in games against the Heat (El Heat) and Mavericks (Los Mavs), per Kevin Ding of the OC Register.
Looks like they give Kevin Ding the important assignments
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:19 AM PST up reply actions
BH brought up Shaq the other day
and it really hit me like a ton of bricks that this is Shaq’s 19th NBA season. That is just flabbergasting to me for some reason.
It also makes me appreciate Kareem’s good health. Shaq has played 70 games twice in the last 10 seasons and has played 74.6% of his team’s games since the beginning of 2001-2002 (61 games in an 82-game season).
Kareem averaged 78 games per season in 20 years. He played at least 74 games in 18 seasons, including each of his last 11 years in the NBA. Kareem only missed 35 games in his final 11 seasons. Amazing.
and along came Robert Parrish
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Another amazing feat
1568 games in his first 20 years for Parish (8 more than Kareem), then The Chief stuck around for 43 more games for his record 21st season.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:28 AM PST up reply actions
As Kareem’s one time critics would say it is hard to get hurt walking up and down the court
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
You tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.
Also heard this: Roger Murdock busted his buns every night
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:29 AM PST up reply actions
Best acting ever by a HOF basketball player
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Easily beating Dr. J in The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh!
But I might give a nod to Alex English in the entertainingly awful Amazing Grace & Chuck
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:31 AM PST up reply actions
So does Nick Van Excel
Air ball
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
I think Kareem
missed a few games not due to injury but to migraines.
by RoyaleWithCheeze on Mar 2, 2011 12:18 PM PST up reply actions
ok so bunting sucks
but does it suck even if its the pitcher?
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
If Brett Butler had not been able to bunt he would not have been a very good baseball player.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Without looking it up
I assume his OBP is still lower when bunting then when not bunting.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:34 AM PST up reply actions
Would knowing the BABIP of a bunt let us know if they were better off bunting then not.
For example if Brett Butler has a .330 BABIP when he swings away but a .438 BABIP when he bunts, can we assume that bunting for him is a good idea? Honest question.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Yes, I think that is a better way to look at it.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
From Bill James Online
Furcal when bunting for a hit:
2010: 3 for 9 (.333)
2009: 12 for 27 (.444)
2008: 5 for 7 (.714)
2007: 8 for 19 (.421)
2006: 9 for 24 (.375)
As a Dodger: 37 for 86 (.430)
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
pretty damn good
BUT would he have been better off swinging away and getting some doubles?
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
OBP > SLG.
Using something like wOBA, a double isn’t that much better than a single/walk. OPS overstates doubles compared to singles a bit.
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:41 AM PST up reply actions
Plus with Rafy’s stolen base skills, he can turn that bunt single into 2nd base. Also I expect errors go up on close bunt plays because of the rushing of the play by the defender, thus increasing movement to second on the hurried but inaccurate throw unless James Loney is your 1st baseman.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Hard to argue with a 43% success rate, putting aside for a moment that it’s hard to expect someone to do the same thing every single time. There will always be adjustments and reacting to the defense, etc.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:41 AM PST up reply actions
I would to know who had the highest bunt success rate for those who did it the most often. As you say for Rafy he has a good rate but he uses is more as a surprise, while Brett Butler regularly bunted thus not having as much of an element of surprise going for him.
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Bill James Online doesn't have leaders for this sadly
but I looked up a few, from 2002-2010 (the years they have tracked):
Pierre: 157 for 402, .391 (including two doubles!)
Furcal: 81 for 207, .391(also two doubles)
L.Castillo: 60 for 118, .508 (!!!)
J.Reyes: 53 for 119, .445
C.Gomez: 51 for 113, .451 (in just over three years)
Pierre seems to be the head of the pack in attempts
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 11:01 AM PST up reply actions
Maybe its just because he fouled off so many attempts
or maybe its because when it doesn’t work it just seems horrible, but I don’t remember him being anywhere that good at it with us.
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
Bunting doesn't suck if
a) you are a pitcher
b) you are at the plate in the ninth inning of a tie game with nobody out and a man on second and you are a shitty hitter anyway
In every other instance, bunting sucks.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:30 AM PST up reply actions
Thats what I thought
there just seemed to be a very strong bunting always sucks period meme going on, and I was feeling crazy.
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
and lets be clear
Sacrificing sucks, almost always except as Humma details above
Bunting for a hit is cool
by Hollywood Joe on Mar 2, 2011 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
especially when it’s over the 3B head for a double.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:34 AM PST up reply actions
What if you are Dee Gordon and your best chance to get on base is to bunt. You all do realize that bunting for a base hit is okay for guys who can
1. Fly
2. Can bunt
"I don't see how an article of clothing can be indecent. A person, yes. "
Perfectly fine to try to bunt for a base hit every now and then.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
True or False: if your best chance to get on base is to bunt, you are not a major leaguer.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
We should really collect all of these T/F questions for an ultimate Humma quiz.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
Almost all of the T/F questions are unsupportable positions. I think I might have had one that got a majority of “true” responses, but it was controversial.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:35 AM PST up reply actions
That’s right.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:36 AM PST up reply actions
I don’t think that’s his best shot to get on base
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
yes
but his success rate for that bunt seems to be very high when he uses it sparingly isn’t it?
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
Yes, but a lot of that high success rate is because he doesn’t try it every single time.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 10:35 AM PST up reply actions
Bunting for a hit: okay, as long as you’re good at it.
Sacrifice bunting: very, very bad.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:33 AM PST up reply actions
Sacrifice bunting: very very bad unless there’s a runner on first with zero or one outs and your down by one or tied in the ninth with a bad hitter at the plate.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:37 AM PST up reply actions
Even then, doesn’t that reduce the run expectancy — not only of multiple runs, but one run? Doesn’t the runner have to be on second for the payoff of a single run to start making sense?
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:38 AM PST up reply actions
It actually increases the one run expectancy slightly. It might be true that bunting with no outs and a runner on first is a bad idea though.
There’s two times when you really want to advance one base.
Runner on second, two outs is much better than runner on first, two outs.
Runner on third, one out is much better than runner on second, one out.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:40 AM PST up reply actions
But how do you get those bases without giving up the outs?
How does runner on second, two outs compare to runner on first, one out?
How does runner on third, one out compare to runner on second, nobody out?
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 10:43 AM PST up reply actions
I think he is saying that it is so much better that it is better to just give up the out on the sac
then it is to take the risk of getting out without advancing the runner.
Is it better to live as a monster or die as a hero?
It’s still better to try not to get out, but if you’re gonna give up an out for a base, those are the times to do it.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:46 AM PST up reply actions
If that's his best chance to get on base
Then give it a shot
by Michael White on Mar 2, 2011 10:35 AM PST up reply actions
Since I said that yesterday I did some quick math.
When you talk about sac bunting, people assume it works every time, but really, it only does 60% of the time. 30% of the time the guy gets out, and 10% of the time they somehow turn it into a hit. With this is mind and a run expectancy table, you can see how bad bunting is.
If you’ve got a guy up there who can do nothing but walk, as long as he’s got a .200 on base percentage, bunting is a bad idea. Once he starts swinging as long as your confident he can avoid a double play (i.e. he isn’t a pitcher) it looks even worse. Basically if you ask someone who’s good enough to hit in the big leagues to bunt, you’re hurting your team.
(Note that bunting for a hit is entirely different than sac bunting)
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
so i dont' really know where to add my bit
but wouldn’t sac bunting be useful if there is a runner on base, a close game, the pitcher is dominating the game and the guy at bat has already hit into 2 double plays? sac bunting seems situational and should be judged on the situation and previous factors inthe game.
by Ian Capilouto on Mar 2, 2011 10:58 AM PST up reply actions
and the guy at bat has already hit into 2 double plays?
I think you are experiencing a primacy correlation error.
Hell, I’d be more shocked if the guy hit into a DP 3x in a row than I would be if he didn’t
by Hollywood Joe on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
Sac bunting is useful if the guy has no real chance of getting on base.
If you are starting a guy that has no real chance of getting on base, your team is terrible so who cares what you do.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
Noted exception is when you only need one run and even then it’s only in certain situations and if the guy at bat kinda sucks.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:05 AM PST up reply actions
Well I never see anyone #3 – #6 bunting in any situation. I think it should be fair game for anyone in the other slots if there is a runner on 1st and zero or 1 out. Especially on an offensively challenged team like this one. A run is a run, and they will be precious.
Well I never see anyone #3 – #6 bunting in any situation.
I seem to recall the dear departed Jim Tracy asking JD Drew to bunt once.
And, as I recall, he didn’t get it down.
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
You can also get runs by swinging and possibly hitting the ball over the fence.
Or you can swing and have the ball end up six feet in front of you.
@andrewngrant
by regfairfield on Mar 2, 2011 11:09 AM PST up reply actions
the guy at bat has already hit into 2 double plays
Joe Torre says no:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197507210.shtml
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!
by Humma Kavula on Mar 2, 2011 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
As Torre has said
He would like to thank Felix Milan for going 4 for 4 to give him the opportunity.
by Eric Stephen on Mar 2, 2011 11:03 AM PST up reply actions
Bummer
The guy that owns the Easton Synergy is not coming to our softball game tonight. I wanted to try it out.
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 10:37 AM PST reply actions
I think that one is illegal in ASA rules. The one I am talking about is a 2004-05 model Synergy Flex (I think). Either way it is a great bat. We picked up an Easton Salvo as a team, and that thing is just opening up and hitting some incredible line drives for me.
I will toss you in slow-rec softball
by robotmadeofnails on Mar 2, 2011 11:20 AM PST up reply actions
Not only does the new SklarBros Country podcast feature Patton Oswalt
but their riff on the Auburn tree poisoning guy is hilarious. About 17 min in.
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
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