Comments on: The End Is Near http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/ Daily baseball statistical analysis and commentary Sat, 20 Mar 2010 10:58:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: greg's muscle http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-52621 greg's muscle Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:56:18 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-52621 Cat got your tongue Dave?! Cat got your tongue Dave?!

]]> By: Greg's Muscle http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51775 Greg's Muscle Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:03:59 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51775 Damn right Dan! This crap pissed somebody off!! Dave - I come to expose you for the "wanna-be" journalist you aspire to be. Sounds like you're saddened by the Rockies not getting more for Holliday than what they really got. Sounds like soar grapes. Direct that sourness to management not Smith. I'll bet $$ you wouldn't stand in the box and take a fast ball from the lefty!! Would ya' I agree Smith did not have a stellar rookie year, but then again, tell me how many A's pitcher did? Well Dave, I'm waiting!! Smith had the lowest run support of ANY major league pitcher this past season. He lost games 1-0 or 2-1. So tell me why this soft tossing fly ball machine didn't lose more games by wider margins? I think you failed to mention that in your blog. In fact, most TV commentators admitted Smith was getting squeezed on the strike zone because of his rookie status. Basically throw it down the middle or walk em. Smith kept the A's within a run or two in the late innings which is what your manager expects you to do. I guess that is something you failed to do in your major league career? Oh! sounds like you didn't get past the Thursday night beer softball league. Smith's 16 pickoffs tied season record once held by Andy Pettite. Heard of him Dave? If nothing else, this lost art in baseball kept runners close. I'm sure the A's would have lost more games had the runners not been afraid of the pickoff. Your trash got more of a response than what was truely deserved. Enjoy the Thrusday night softball. Damn right Dan! This crap pissed somebody off!!

Dave – I come to expose you for the “wanna-be” journalist you aspire to be. Sounds like you’re saddened by the Rockies not getting more for Holliday than what they really got. Sounds like soar grapes. Direct that sourness to management not Smith. I’ll bet $$ you wouldn’t stand in the box and take a fast ball from the lefty!! Would ya’

I agree Smith did not have a stellar rookie year, but then again, tell me how many A’s pitcher did? Well Dave, I’m waiting!! Smith had the lowest run support of ANY major league pitcher this past season. He lost games 1-0 or 2-1. So tell me why this soft tossing fly ball machine didn’t lose more games by wider margins? I think you failed to mention that in your blog. In fact, most TV commentators admitted Smith was getting squeezed on the strike zone because of his rookie status. Basically throw it down the middle or walk em. Smith kept the A’s within a run or two in the late innings which is what your manager expects you to do. I guess that is something you failed to do in your major league career? Oh! sounds like you didn’t get past the Thursday night beer softball league. Smith’s 16 pickoffs tied season record once held by Andy Pettite. Heard of him Dave? If nothing else, this lost art in baseball kept runners close. I’m sure the A’s would have lost more games had the runners not been afraid of the pickoff.

Your trash got more of a response than what was truely deserved. Enjoy the Thrusday night softball.

]]> By: philosofool http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51516 philosofool Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:24:39 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51516 I was really stunned by this move on the Rockies. Given the presence of Jimenez and Cook--two extreme groundballers--I'd assumed that the Rockies were on to the importance of GB% in their pitchers. Now, it could be the clever scouting has identified good ground ball pitches in Smith repertoire, pitches that he's currently underusing, and maybe the Rockies have idea about how to develop him into a pitch-to-contact groundballer. Okay fine. But would you trade Matt Holiday for that? I wouldn't, not even if you threw in Huston Street. I was really stunned by this move on the Rockies. Given the presence of Jimenez and Cook–two extreme groundballers–I’d assumed that the Rockies were on to the importance of GB% in their pitchers.

Now, it could be the clever scouting has identified good ground ball pitches in Smith repertoire, pitches that he’s currently underusing, and maybe the Rockies have idea about how to develop him into a pitch-to-contact groundballer. Okay fine. But would you trade Matt Holiday for that? I wouldn’t, not even if you threw in Huston Street.

]]> By: Tom Au http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51514 Tom Au Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:15:23 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51514 Maybe Greg Smith has merit as a pitcher, but Coors Field is about the worst place for him to prove it. And the fact that Oakland doesn't want him says a lot. Maybe Greg Smith has merit as a pitcher, but Coors Field is about the worst place for him to prove it. And the fact that Oakland doesn’t want him says a lot.

]]> By: Jim http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51484 Jim Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:49:45 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51484 Obsessive giants guy, the winner of the NL West hasn't been that far over .500 the past few seasons....that being said, with the Giants offense the way it is, I think .500 is a little unrealistic at this point. Obsessive giants guy, the winner of the NL West hasn’t been that far over .500 the past few seasons….that being said, with the Giants offense the way it is, I think .500 is a little unrealistic at this point.

]]> By: Graham http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51374 Graham Thu, 13 Nov 2008 01:01:10 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51374 The pickoffs should definitely help Smith that won't show up in FIP or his other rates. That being said, while he did pickoff 15 runners last year (I'm assuming almost if not all were at 1B), 64 of the 169 hits he allowed went for extra bases so the move is negated a bit there. The pickoffs should definitely help Smith that won’t show up in FIP or his other rates.

That being said, while he did pickoff 15 runners last year (I’m assuming almost if not all were at 1B), 64 of the 169 hits he allowed went for extra bases so the move is negated a bit there.

]]> By: obsessivegiantscompulsive http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51369 obsessivegiantscompulsive Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:38:24 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51369 Yeah, horrible trade for the Rockies, I would think they could have gotten more for him and if this is the best available, then it would be better to wait for mid-season. So I'm happy, I'm a Giants fan. One less team to compete in the NL West. Not that the Giants are going to be competitive either, their goal is to reach .500, nor the Padres with their fire sale going on. Basically it looks like LA and Arizona now for 2009. Yeah, horrible trade for the Rockies, I would think they could have gotten more for him and if this is the best available, then it would be better to wait for mid-season.

So I’m happy, I’m a Giants fan. One less team to compete in the NL West.

Not that the Giants are going to be competitive either, their goal is to reach .500, nor the Padres with their fire sale going on. Basically it looks like LA and Arizona now for 2009.

]]> By: Nick http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51356 Nick Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:54:44 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51356 How do you factor in that he's the best in baseball at picking runners off of first base to his overall performance. I guess that it's a bad sign that needs to put runners on base to show what he excels at. How do you factor in that he’s the best in baseball at picking runners off of first base to his overall performance. I guess that it’s a bad sign that needs to put runners on base to show what he excels at.

]]> By: Jason T http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51353 Jason T Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:37:22 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51353 Well, at least we'll get a general idea of what Ryan Feierabend would look like playing a full season. Poor little bugger. Well, at least we’ll get a general idea of what Ryan Feierabend would look like playing a full season. Poor little bugger.

]]> By: Eric Seidman http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51349 Eric Seidman Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:28:43 +0000 http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-end-is-near/#comment-51349 Greg Smith = 2009 version of 2008 Kyle Kendrick. Greg Smith = 2009 version of 2008 Kyle Kendrick.

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