Sharing all info: February 2010

Saturday, February 27, 2010

PECOTA Goes to WAR

I'm still screwing around with the WAR spreadsheet and various projections. With Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections for players are out so I wondered what would happen if I loaded the PECOTA projections into my WAR spreadsheet and see what it spits out.

So I used the OBP and SLG from PECOTA and converted the pitching stats to FIP to make it work. The PECOTA-WAR spreadsheet can be found here if you're interested but generally PECOTA likes our hitters more than CHONE but likes our pitchers less.

And still...it comes out to 86 wins.

Granted, I am mixing projections systems and PECOTA is only projecting the Orioles to win 79 games (probably adjusting for the division) but it goes to show you that the talent on the Orioles is higher than it's been in years and that, with a little luck, Baltimore could be a winner in 2010.

Blogger Template | Blacko

Blacko is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by skinpress and converted by me to blogger.The design is simple and looks very neat and clean with very good post images.Search box is ready inside your blog and social buttons are also ready at top of sidebar.Top menu links are also there as usual in all my templates.Calendar widget is also there as you can see at left of post title.

Other blogger templates you may like are Ink Stain and Absynthe.

Template Installation

Date Header Format

Top Menu Links

Social Buttons In sidebar

Blogger Template | Blacko

Template Installation

Date Header Format

Top Menu Links

Social Buttons In sidebar

Blogger Template | Blacko

Template Installation

Date Header Format

Top Menu Links

Social Buttons In sidebar

Blogger Template | Vive La France

Vive La France is two column blogger template based on minima style template.Sidebar is located to right and post section to left.Search bar and rss widget is ready at top of sidebar for you.Another good feature is the top menu links are also added for you in it.Just it has been made beautiful by use of images and one more important seo for you has already been done in it i.e title seo.I am sure you will be going to like this design for sure.Enjoy !!!

The other templates you may check for sure are Simple Is Best and Papertagz.

Blogger Template | Vive La France

Friday, February 26, 2010

The Pa. Human Relations Comission Sez...

... If you don't hire ex-cons, you're a racist.

My print column is up.

Luke Scott Loves the Firearms

Luke Scott understands the recent ban on firearms in the workplace by MLB but that doesn't mean he has to like it.

"I don't think that everyone else should be pay for the mistakes of a few," said Scott, one of baseball's most vocal gun rights proponents. "There is a good reason behind the rule, I can't deny that. The reason is you cannot trust 25 guys in a locker room to have the same respect and training as I do with a weapon. That I do understand. I've carried a gun for 10 years. I've carried them in the locker room and nobody really knows about it."

Scott's got a point that I agree with in principle. However, I can't think of many workplaces that will allow you to bring weaponry on the premises these days.

On the flip side, professional baseball has been around 130 years and just instituted this ban a few months back. I can't remember one incident involving a ballplayer and firearms. Can you?

Luke's given this a lot of thought:

"We have good security," Scott said. "It's hard to get in here. Barring a tactical entry where terrorists come in and hold us hostage, that's about the only thing that could possibly warrant me carrying a gun in the clubhouse. That's highly unlikely and I admit that."

Wow. When the zombie apocalypse goes down, I'm heading to Luke's place with a truckload of canned ravioli and bottled water. This is the man you want to lead you in a crisis. I'll bet he actually has a zombie apocalypse contingency plan.

Whether you agree with Scott's statements or not, you have to give him credit for speaking his mind, especially since he works for a league that doesn't take kindly to criticism. Just ask Peter Pascarelli.

Blogger Template | Woodstock

Woodstock is two column blogger template with wooden type background.The sidebar is to the right with post section to left.Supports all blogger features.You can change any color from inside blogger settings page as you like.What i liked about it is its post section images.Its a beautiful design for users who think woody :).Title seo has been done in it and i hope you will like this design for sure.Please don't remove credits to it in footer while using this design.

The similar designs you may like are green day and Elegant.

Blogger Template | Woodstock

The Great Obama Health Care Summit

It was Obama vs. the Republicans, who were a lot more well informed, honest, and knowledgable than Obama's bench.

Six and a half hours, two meals, a tub of ice cream, a gallon of coffee and 20 sheets of scribbled notes after the televised “bipartisan health-care summit” began, I still ask myself the question that popped into my head within minutes of the summit’s start: What on earth was President Obama thinking when he decided to convene this weird little powwow?

Was he trying to make the Republicans look bad—retrograde ogres who would leave uninsured babies to die in their cribs? If so, he didn’t succeed at all. On the contrary, they came out of it looking rather alert and grownup.

UPDATE: Yak. Yak. Yak. Kim Strassel has it right Talk is easy. Politics is hard.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Delco's Most Wanted

Rose Quinn writes about the premier of Delco's Most Wanted starring Sheriff Joe McGinn.

I saw the pilot for the show a month ago. It needed work. You can read what I wrote about ithere.

When I talked to McGinn the other day about the Photo Express flap, he mentioned they'd made some changes on the Most Wanted show based on suggestions I and others made. I'll be interested to see if the show is improved any.

UPDATE: Two of DMW are arrested. If the show gets results, what more can you ask?

Blogger Template | Remixzone

Remixzone is a three column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by simplywp and converted by me to blogger.The design is simple and looks very nice.Top menu links are ready for you.Rss and twitter buttons are also ready at top the blog.You also have an option to show of your five featured post at top of blog with image and title inside it.Seo for title has been done in template.I hope you will like the template for sure.

Other blogger templates you may like are Ink Stain and Sweet Diary.

Template Installation

Twitter Username

http://www.twitter.com/YOUR-TWITTER-USERNAME

Menu Links

<ul id='top-navi'>
<li><a href='/'>Home</a></li>
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Five Featured Post At Top

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Remix your blackjack and roulette styles when you play roulette and blackjack games at GamblingCity.net!

Blogger Template | Remixzone

Template Installation

Twitter Username

http://www.twitter.com/YOUR-TWITTER-USERNAME

Menu Links

<ul id='top-navi'>
<li><a href='/'>Home</a></li>
<li><a href='#' title='About'>About</a></li>
<li><a href='#' title='Contact'>Contact</a></li>
</ul>

Five Featured Post At Top

<img src="IMAGE-LINK-HERE" />
<h2><a href='POST-URL' rel='bookmark' class='feature-title'>POST TITLE</a></h2>

Remix your blackjack and roulette styles when you play roulette and blackjack games at GamblingCity.net!

Blogger Template | Remixzone

Template Installation

Twitter Username

http://www.twitter.com/YOUR-TWITTER-USERNAME

Menu Links

<ul id='top-navi'>
<li><a href='/'>Home</a></li>
<li><a href='#' title='About'>About</a></li>
<li><a href='#' title='Contact'>Contact</a></li>
</ul>

Five Featured Post At Top

<img src="IMAGE-LINK-HERE" />
<h2><a href='POST-URL' rel='bookmark' class='feature-title'>POST TITLE</a></h2>

Remix your blackjack and roulette styles when you play roulette and blackjack games at GamblingCity.net!

Businesses' New Not-So-Silent Partner

Henninger on Obama's speech to the Business Roundtable:

This is about more than just siphoning tax revenue. It's about big theme No. 2: "For the better part of three decades (my emphasis), a disproportionate share of the nation's wealth has been accumulated by the wealthy. Technological advances and growing global competition, while transforming whole industries—and birthing new ones—has accentuated the trend toward rising inequality."

I take this to mean that while the tax and economic policies of the past four presidencies worked for the economy—birthing whole industries—it was bad for society, as Mr. Obama understands it.

He is proposing that the U.S. government both guide the economy ("the right balance between the private and public sectors," he said yesterday) and do so with a new, aggressively redistributive tax policy, which was made explicit in his just-released budget. Guide and redistribute. Agree or not, it's a bold argument. But will it work?

He doesn't seem to think so.

This isn't socialism, as the president himself says.

It's fascism.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Dave Trembley Loves the Small-Ball

According to MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli, Dave Trembley is having the O's focus on the fundamentals. You know, like bunting.

"I'm trying to add some things here that will be an emphasis on the team, and allowing us to be in a position to win more games," Trembley said. "It's the little things that obviously were prominent that might not have gotten done the way we wanted to get it done last year. So, let's brush up on it in Spring Training, but lets also emphasize the importance of it."

I'm OK with this in general. Some players should know how to bunt. The baserunning needs some work. But nobody on this team needs to be bunting on a regular basis. Maybe Brian Roberts, certainly Cesar Izturis and perhaps whoever will be hitting #2. On occasion.

But it's that last comment that concerns me, "...but lets also emphasize the importance of it." That tells me that Trembley sees this style of play as the key to winning in the American League.

This is confirmed by his quote to Roch Kubatko about the spring training hitting stations...

"Before they can get to the round where they swing, they have to get two bunts down, execute the hit-and-run, get the guy over, get the guy in and get the squeeze down before they can go to the next phase...."

The hit-and-run. It's back.

Again, I don't mind the drills, I'm just scared that Trembley might start actually using these tactics. This team isn't built for this style of ball. The only time you might want Luke Scott or Matt Wieters bunting would be with a runner on second with no outs in the 9th, down by one run. And even then I would rather take my chances with them swinging away.

If you play for one run, that's all you're gonna get. That's what Earl Weaver said.

I'm a big Trembley supporter. He'll lose me quick if he starts laying down bunts and putting on the hit-and-run on a regular basis. It's a recipe for disaster in the AL East.

Sarasota County Approves Stadium Renovations...Again

In case you missed it, Sarasota County held public hearings...again...about the Ed Smith Stadium deal that was struck with the Baltimore Orioles to make Sarasota their Spring Training home. Why?

It's all because a citizens group has filed a lawsuit against the county, claiming sunshine laws were broken... Residents packed the commission chambers. They heard a similar presentation about the deal between the Baltimore Orioles and the county...costs, and benefits. They also heard from representatives of the team and local leaders...

Just a few came to complain. Those who did say Friday's proceedings are a sham. That all the information given is a result of back door out of the sunshine dealings.

Many of those are involved with a group called Sarasota Citizens for Responsible Government. They even put up a huge inflatable rat in front of the administration building Friday morning with a sign reading "bcc redo rat".

A huge inflatable rat? Yep.

A few things...I think once you break out the huge inflatable rat to get your point across, you not only have left the high road, your original argument was a little weak to begin with. Also, who rents out huge inflatable rats? Is there a demand for this? I can't imagine car dealerships would want one for their weekend blowout extravaganzas.

Most times, these lawsuits are brought about because of personal grudges or the promise of monetary gain, not political ideals. I think a smell a rat on this one...

Around the Oriole Blog-O-Sphere

I mentioned a concern about top 2009 pick RHP Matt Hobgood's weight and his offseason conditioning. As he often does, Crawdaddy at Camden Depot goes at least one better while breaking down what is an average body fat measurement for a professional athlete. He compares him to other standards as well:

If Hobgood had enlisted, he would have had to have undergone personal counseling to change his habits. He no longer qualifies at those levels anymore. The US Army would consider him fit. The Marine Corps is a bit more stringent and requires for Hobgood's age group to be below 18% and to never exceed 22%.

I won't spoil the ultimate conclusion for you, go to Camden Depot and check it out.

*****

Still on the theme of "they do it better than me", Camden Crazies tries to decipher why Jeremy Guthrie gave up so many homers is 2009.

As discussed previously, Guthrie’s home run rate went from 1.1 HR/9 in 2008 to 1.6 HR/9 in 2009, mostly due to an increase in flyball rate from 38% to 47% – his HR/FB rate was similar at 10.9% to 10.5% (which are both very reasonable).

Again, I won't spoil the conclusions.

*****

If you haven't checked out new Oriole beat reporter for MLB.com, Brittany Ghiroli's contributions to the site you should.

Her blog on MLB.com has been updated almost as much as Roch Kubatko's and she has been very active on Twitter, especially tweeting spring training pics. Nice to see an Oriole beat reporter who will be getting the word out on all fronts.

*****

Eutaw Street Hooligans make some observations about a recent interview that DH Luke Scott did on MLB Home Plate on Sirius/XM radio.

Luke’s comments about the Orioles were much more concerning. Luke made it known once again that he is not happy at all as a primary DH. Luke made similar comments before the start of last season, but this year he seemed much more adamant. Luke also says that last year the Orioles promised him that he would still get half of his at bats as an outfielder. That obviously did not happen and he did not seem very happy about it.

Some interesting observations that I have not seen elsewhere...

*****

Roar from 34 has been assimilated by the "blanket with sleeves" scourge:

Resistance is futile. Give in to the power of the blanket with sleeves. You can even pick one up at the ballpark, which defies my original cynical logic upon viewing the Snuggie commercial: "Who would wear one of those things at a sporting event?"

So sad, so sad...

*****

The Wayward O seems to have a strange fascination with new Oriole closer Mike Gonzalez. I'll let that speak for itself.

*****

Weaver's Tantrum looks at how the Orioles have slowly and quietly assembled more southpaw pitchers for the organization.

These guys slot in at different levels and are useful in different ways. I think the O's made a good effort at fixing the problem. It should be regarded as a successful winter effort at shoring up a weak point.

Have fun at Yellowstone, Dave.

Baby Birds Make Yet Another Top Prospect List

Baseball America released their 2010 Top 100 Prospects List and four Orioles made the list. LHP Brian Matusz (5), 3B Josh Bell (37), LHP Zach Britton (63) and RHP Jake Arrieta (99) all made the list.

A couple of notes from Jim Callis' "top tools" column...

Zach Britton (Orioles) doesn't dazzle on the radar gun like Strasburg, Feliz or Chapman, but his 88-92 mph fastball stood out for our panel, who anointed it the best sinker in the minors. It's a heavy pitch with late sink and run, and Britton can carry the life on his sinker into the late innings as a starter. He had a 3.4 groundout/airout ratio last year, when he was the high Class A Carolina League pitcher of the year as a 20-year-old....

The top changeup artists all stand out for their well-rounded repertoires. Brian Matusz (Orioles) has lived up to his billing as the top pitcher in the 2008 draft thanks to his plus-plus changeup—as well as his curveball and slider, both of which drew votes as ranking among the best in the minors, and a low-90s fastball that touches 95.

So the O's have the prospects with the best sinker and the best changeup. There has never been a time in my fandom when the Orioles has had so much nationally acclaimed talent in their system.

So we got that going for us. Which is nice.

Happy Easter II

The Sheriff, the Easter Bunny and nepotism. My print column is up.

UPDATE: The more I think about this story the more I think it's been blown way out of proportion. If Kellie McGinn and Photo Express did the work the county asked her to do at the going rate why is this a scandal? And just because she continued to do work for the Sheriff's department after her father got the top job is no evidence of wrongdoing on his part or hers.

It would be one thing if somebody else had the gig and got fired so that she could be hired. But that isn't the case. Thousands of people in this county get jobs or business every day because they know someone or their parents know someone. There is nothing nefarious about that.

The amount of money we're talking about here (about $1,000 a year) is miniscule in the scheme of things. And why she should be asked to pay it back for appearances sake is not very fair to her. She did the work, she deserved to be paid for it.

Furthermore, if being the son, daughter, or a relative of a county official disqualifies them from doing any business with the county, it seems to me a decent number of people could be out of work soon.

BTW, Aston political leader Joe Possenti called me to complain about his name being used at the top of the McGinn column. What, he wanted to know, did he have to do with any of this. The answer is nothing. It was a gratuitous mention, meant to be funny and it wasn't particularly. I called him to apologize, got his mother, and she gave me an earful too. Good for her and fair enough. I left two messages for Joe. One apologizing the other to ask him about something else. I'm hoping he calls me back.

UPDATE: Talked to Joe. He graciously accepted my apology. He invited me to meet him at Hennessy's Tavern sometime. I'm buying.

Penn Delco Sued

The Aston Valley Baseball League sues the Penn Delco School District for booting it off the field its volunteers built and maintained for years.

The suit filed by attorney Frank Catania says:

“Without explanation of or prior notice as required by the Agreement and in the absence of any breach of the Agreement by AVBL, the then serving School Board Members voted on April 28, 2009 to terminate the agreement, effective July 31, 2009 and ordered AVBL to remove itself from the Jim Buggy Field effective July 31, 2009.”

Catania further claims in the complaint that the school board refused to explain “its unilateral action” or discuss the matter and that its decision in negating the agreement “was arbitrary, capricious and upon information and belief, done for reasons that the School Board has not publicly revealed.”

“Even though there was no explanation for the School Board actions, AVBL complied with the notice to remove itself from the field … The School District physically secured Jim Buggy Field in its favor and confiscated all of the improvements made by and for AVBL, without compensation.”

This was a dumb move by the board from the beginning. Even if the district manages to win the lawsuit, the only thing it accomplished was to offend and alienate a bunch of residents who did nothing but good for the township and further cement it's reputation for acting stupidly.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Blogger Template | Glory

Glory is a two column blogger template with sidebar to its right and post section to left.The theme is designed by hostwisely and converted by me to blogger.The design is premium with very high quality images and it looks damn beautiful template.Top menu links are ready for you and look stunning.Search box is also ready inside your blog.Twitter widget is also active in sidebar just need to place your username and rss widget also ready in sidebar.I have made two xmls for this as one without slider and one with slider as all users dont like using slider, so use the xml which you like.

Other blogger templates you may like are Bueno and Irresistible.

Template Installation

Top Menu Links

<ul>
<li class='current_page_item'><a href='#'>Home</a></li>
<li><a href='#'>About</a></li>
<li><a href='#' title='Contact'>Contact</a></li>
</ul>

Placing Your Twitter Username

http://twitter.com/YOUR-URL-HERE

You will find above link twice so chnage it twice with yours.

Now find this script.

<script src='http://twitter.com/javascripts/blogger.js' type='text/javascript'/>
<script src='http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/YOUR-TWITTER-USERNAME.json?callback=twitterCallback2&count=3' type='text/javascript'/>

Just place your twitter username and also you can change count value to any amount of tweets you want to show.

Slider Codes

<b:if cond='data:blog.url == data:blog.homepageUrl'>
<div id='wrapper-featured'>
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<div class='panel'>
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