May 16, 2008

G44: Brewers at Red Sox, PPD

After a rain delay of about 1:45, tonight's game was postponed. Extra Bases says it
will be played tomorrow in the second game of a split doubleheader (separate admission). First game at 3:55 p.m, second game at 8:35 p.m. If you've got tickets for last night's game, they are good for the night game.
The Mets/Yankees game was also rained out.

***

Jeff Suppan (4.63, 92 ERA+) / Daisuke Matsuzaka (2.45, 174 ERA+)

Michael Silverman takes a look at Matsuzaka's performance. While Dice's ERA and opponents' batting average and slugging percentage are much improved from last season -- 2.45 (5th in the AL), .170 (2nd) and .220 (2nd), respectively -- his strikeout-to-walk ratio has dropped, as has his innings pitched and K/9.

Dice has more walks (30) than hits allowed (28) while posting a 6-0 record. Jayson Stark informs us that
The only starting pitcher since 1900 to finish at least six games over .500 in a season with more walks than hits, according to the Complete Baseball Encyclopedia: Tommy Byrne of the 1949 Yankees (15-7 despite an insane 179-125 walk-hit ratio).

The only starting pitchers in the last 50 years who were even one game over .500 while allowing more walks than hits (with as many starts as Dice-K):
Nolan Ryan    1977 (19-16, 204 BB, 198 H)
Randy Johnson 1991 (13-10, 152 BB, 151 H)
Bobby Witt 1986 (11- 9, 143 BB, 130 H)
Ken Wright 1973 ( 6- 5, 82 BB, 60 H)
***

W L PCT GB

Devil Rays 24 17 .585 ---
Red Sox 24 19 .558 1.0
Orioles 21 19 .525 2.5
Blue Jays 21 22 .488 4.0
Yankees 20 22 .476 4.5
Mets (Santana) at Yankees (Rasner), 7 PM
&
Rays (Sonnanstine) at Cardinals (Looper), 8:15 PM

111 comments:

allan said...

Avatar Update!

9casey said...

ESPN , right now is running a poll question , on which sport has the best home field advantage . and the NFL and the NBA are both winning at like over 40% each and MLB has only 7% of the vote...

Isn't baseball the only sport where there actully is an advantage of being the home team?

allan said...

Tarp is on the field (3:25 PM).

Saw on SoSH that serious rain is not supposed to start until 10.

allan said...

Isn't baseball the only sport where there actully is an advantage of being the home team?

I would say baseball is the worst sport for HFA -- during the season.

What % of baseball games are won by the home team? IIRC, it's between 50-60%.

Jack Marshall said...

9Casey: I agree that that logically should be the case. Some individual teams in extreme parks through the years have had huge home advantages when a team was tailored to the home stadium quirks; check out the Red Sox home and away records in the early and mid Sixties, and in the 40's. Why NBA and NFL home advantages are so huge has always puzzled me---is it the crowd? Ref bias? The mark of inferior sports, if you ask me...

allan said...

ProJoOatmeal

Weeks, 2B
Cameron, CF
Braun, LF
Fielder, 1B
Hart, RF
Hardy, SS
Dillon, DH
Hall, 3B
Kendall, C

Ellsbury, CF
Pedroia, 2B
Ortiz, DH
Ramirez, LF
Lowell, 3B
Youkilis, 1B
Drew, RF
Varitek, C
Lugo, SS

allan said...

check out the Red Sox home and away records in the early and mid Sixties

Okay, I will.

1960
Home: 36-41, .468
Away: 29-48, .377

1961
Home: 50-31, .617
Away: 26-55, .321

1962
Home: 39-40, .494
Away: 37-44, .457

1963
Home: 44-36, .550
Away: 32-49, .395

1964
Home: 44-36, .556
Away: 27-54, .333

1965
Home: 34-47, .420
Away: 28-56, .346

1966
Home: 40-41, .494
Away: 32-49, .395

1967
Home: 49-32, .605
Away: 43-38, .531

allan said...

and in the 40's

1940
Home: 45-34, .570
Away: 37-38, .493

1941
Home: 47-30, .610
Away: 37-40, .481

1942
Home: 53-24, .688
Away: 40-35, .533

1943
Home: 39-36, .520
Away: 29-48, .377

1944
Home: 47-30, .610
Away: 30-47, .390

1945
Home: 42-35, .545
Away: 29-48, .377

1946
Home: 61-16, .792
Away: 43-34, .558

1947
Home: 49-30, .620
Away: 34-41, .453

1948
Home: 55-23, .705
Away: 41-36, .532

1949
Home: 61-16, .792
Away: 35-42, .455

1950
Home: 55-22, .714
Away: 39-38, .506

***

Yep, they did better at home!

allan said...

Here some depressing Red Sox stuff:

Days in First Place (last day in 1st)

1921 -- 1 (April 13)
1922 -- never
1923 -- never
1924 -- 13 (June 13)
1925 -- never
1926 -- never
1927 -- never
1928 -- 1 (April 10)
1929 -- never
1930 -- 1 (April 14)
1931 -- never
1932 -- never
1933 -- never
1934 -- never

So over the course of 10 full seasons, the Red Sox were in first place for only 2 days.

1928 -- When they were 1-0; they lost their next 5 games

1930 -- When they were 1-0; they lost the next 2 games and were soon 3-8.

allan said...

And in 1932, they finished 64 GB!

Sarah Haendler said...

Erg. Interleague makes me crazy.

Doing the goofy TV-on-the-phone, thread on the sound computer thing again tonight.

laura k said...

We could start a poll for how many times I'll freak out this season over how much I hate interleague play...

Something to do during a rain delay, anyway.

Amy said...

A rain delay. UGH. It is just absolutely disgusting here in WMa. Since our weathers heads east to Boston, I don't see the rain letting up too soon. :(

allan said...

I hate interleague also. Hate.

MLBTV: "This game is in a rain delay. Stay tuned."

Amy said...

I am not a fan of Interleague play either. What a waste of games.

So WHO actually likes interleague play?

allan said...

The Brewers have moved around a lot:

AL West: 1969 (Seattle Pilots) and 1970-1971 (Milwaukee)
AL East: 1972-1993
AL Central: 1994-1997
NL Central: 1998-Present

allan said...

So WHO actually likes interleague play?

Besides a certain used car salesman?

Sarah Haendler said...

So WHO actually likes interleague play?

As far as I can tell, the casual fans who think it's cool to see the crosstown teams play. I can't think of anyone who actually follows baseball AND likes interleague.

I see the attraction for the Mets-Yankees, White Sox-Cubs sort of matchups, but they should be exhibition games at most, and those of us who have long since misplaced our crosstown counterparts should be exempt from the shenanigans.

Not that I think we're going to see the end of it anytime soon.

Sarah Haendler said...

I'm also hating on this rain delay right now. I had high hopes of seeing the whole game during the bad dancing.

allan said...

As far as I can tell, the casual fans who think it's cool to see the crosstown teams play. ... the Mets-Yankees, White Sox-Cubs sort of matchups

Then these motherfuckers should think about taking a crosstown bus and watching the other team in its own park and its own league some time.

allan said...

Dear Weather:

It will be very unlikely that I will have the downtime at work to watch two entire baseball games on Saturday.

So please stop this rain.

Hugs,

redsock

Amy said...

I remember the Mayor's Trophy game in NY. That was enough interleague play for me.

Maybe if the Braves still played in Boston I might find it cute for a game. Not more than that.

Sarah Haendler said...

Bad dace - started.

Baseball, where are you?!

Sarah Haendler said...

Dace is apparently how I'm spelling DANCE today. Sorry.

laura k said...

I can't think of anyone who actually follows baseball AND likes interleague.

I was surprised when I started that petition last year that many serious baseball fans actually do like interleague.

What petition you ask??? SIGN IT! It's on the sidebar on this blog and mine.

laura k said...

I remember the Mayor's Trophy game in NY.

I used to go to that, great fun. An exhibition. Where interleague belongs.

I HATE INTERLEAGUE!!!!

Ok, that's one.

laura k said...

Guess I'll go watch a Simpsons rerun and fold laundry and hope that the rain stops in Massachusetts. Which I realize is unlikely.

Amy said...

Still raining here 90 miles west of Fenway.....

Amy said...

What the hell is on TV at 8 pm on Friday? Watching Remy and Orsillo on NESN is wearing thin.

9casey said...

My point about MLB being the home advantage.Is that you get your last at bats......

andy said...

I do also hate the inter-league although it did bring me the Sox in San Diego last year. That was the best weekend i have had in forever. maybe top 3 weekends ever.

Now from my experience at those 3 games the fans are just clueless about the american league.

allan said...

From the Globe:

8:03 PM
Still raining here. A lot.

7:59 PM
Because the Red Sox are playing on Fox tomorrow and on TBS on Sunday, that makes switching game times all but impossible. So the Sox likely wouldn't be able to play a doubleheader either day (no games are allowed to go up against the Sunday night ESPN exclusive window).
We've been looking at mutual off days on the schedule. There appears to be one on June 26, which would be at the end of a Sox homestand (before the team heads to Houston) and in between games in Atlanta and Minnesota for the Brewers. I doubt that would go over well with either team.
That being said, it looks ugly around here, but there have been no announcements about this game being postponed tonight.

allan said...

Mets/Yankees PPD.

Rays just getting started.



(Yeah, that's right. I'm providing Tampa Bay updates in mid-May.)

Sarah Haendler said...

Oh! There's another thing to add to the list of things I hate:

Exclusive broadcast windows. Screw that shit.

allan said...

SoSH comment, fwiw:

I doubt they play. Theres a window of a few hours coming up where the rain will be patchy and lighter, but it doesn't look to ever totally stop.
Plus they risk having the game run well over 3 hours and then the heavier steady rain will move back in. But if they are really intent on getting the game in, we'll know in the next 20-30 minutes I would think, because they'll have this marginal window of opportunity.


If this game gets called, the question of Tuesday's starter may be moot.

Amy said...

That period of heavy rain will be coming because it is POURING here. Usually the weather here gets to Boston in 2-3 hours or so, depending obviously on winds, etc.

9casey said...

I'm suprised we are the fox game of the week.

Andy said...


Now from my experience at those 3 games the fans are just clueless about the american league.


I'd say thst goes for a majority of american league fans as well.

I just realized today today the year Lance Berkman is having.

BA HR RBI OBP SLG
.391 15 43 .472 .808
he has wiffle ball numbers.

9casey said...

Just saw this:

Boston Red Sox minor leaguer Anthony Rizzo, an 18-year-old first baseman, is being treated for lymphoma and there is “an excellent chance of cure and complete recovery,” the team said Friday

laura k said...

8:40: game is ppd

Amy said...

Oh, well, and tonight they would have won.

laura k said...

They can win tomorrow too.

9casey said...

L-girl said...
8:40: game is ppd

Think of all those poor bastards who paid for parking

9casey said...

I quess this clears up tuesdays starter

laura k said...

Think of all those poor bastards who paid for parking

Well, they're at Fenway, I can't feel too sorry for them.

Unless they're from out of town and it's their only chance.

Blah blah blah...

allan said...

I quess this clears up tuesdays starter

Not so fast.

Two games tomorrow, as it turns out: 3:55 and 8:35.

allan said...

Phillies pounding the Blue Jays 10-2 in the 7th.

TBR - 00
STL - 00

Sarah Haendler said...

3:55 sucks. Still in the fox window.

allan said...

Tampa got a run in the top of the 3rd. Crawford singled in the pitcher Sonnanstine, who singled.

9casey said...

redsock said...
I quess this clears up tuesdays starter

Not so fast.

Two games tomorrow, as it turns out: 3:55 and 8:35.

Jesus thats a quick turnaround and then an early game sunday.

Sweet

allan said...

3:55 and 8:35

So what are the chances work will be completely dead from 4:00 to about 11:30?

andy said...

201?

andy said...

Maybe I can make it to 201 before the moderation is back on all by myself

andy said...

I got my 2007 world series autographed baseball today in the mail. I have it on display above my fireplace with the Dice-k below Ellsbury signature facing out. My two favorite men. I just wish Daisuke would let his mullet grow to white trash status.

andy said...

Maybe if he grows out the fun in back hair do he can drive an Iroc.

andy said...

To the point that inter-league is bad for baseball.

Yes it is bad for the game. but it is good for the business. without one we cannot have the other. The business has suffered more than the game in most opinions. recently the game has suffered due to the steroids bullshit. business is still tenuous. I have seen games on tv where there is nobody in seats until you get down behind home plate. thats shitty. That is a loss.

andy said...

I have about 30-40 minutes before my wife/babysitter are here. I need to act up now before she gets home.

andy said...

Can I do 201 by then? we shall see.

andy said...

It would be easier if someone would contribute though.

andy said...

Not for the post count but for the content. I need ideas. I need people to say things that turn me on or piss me off.

andy said...

I think this site deserves more credit then it gets. Perhaps it can be expanded or something. Can this blog incorporate the thread sox thing so anyone can start a thread? bad idea know.

andy said...

If I had it my way Allan and Jere would call each game for me personally. I wish I had that kind of money. Where i could hire my own play by play guys.

andy said...

I'd also have the obligatory female reporter to get the good comments from the teams and the fans.

andy said...

I don't know that I would have L be that girl. She doesn't strike me the type to succumb to manly obsessions. I would like Amy though.

andy said...

Seriously Amy if you are willing I'd hire you.

andy said...

The other day I ordered my Ellsbury jersey and Youk jersey, complete with sweat stains.

andy said...

Ellsbury has some peach fuzz in the arm pit area. must have worn off during puberty which happened on stolen base number 12.

andy said...

I will run out of steam here if i dont get any help

andy said...

I have given up on punctuation.

andy said...

I will destroy this blog's intelligence level or grade level whatever it was before.

andy said...

Was that guy who posted the other night really the high five guy? has anyone verified?

andy said...

Manny went from straight depressive to overly manic. i am worried that anything less than a ring will ruin him forever.

andy said...

I bet manny hits some fine women. ortiz i imagine likes the blondes.

allan said...

I think it has been shown that attendance for interleague games is lower or no better than normal. They draw crowds in NY, but not much else.

Can this blog incorporate the thread sox thing so anyone can start a thread?

Please. This is a dictatorship, Andy! I rule with an iron hand.

andy said...

Do canadiens talk shit about america? do they even bother? what is the overall feeling towards america in canada?

andy said...

Thats what I am talking about Mr Sock. Participation

allan said...

Was that guy who posted the other night really the high five guy? has anyone verified?

Based on what he emailed me and that other Q&A, it was him.

andy said...

They drew a big crowd in places where the home team sucks and the visiting american league team was awesome.

allan said...

Do canadiens talk shit about america?

You know I do!

andy said...

I dont see anyone outside of the home area going to a national league team's game in an american league sucky team's park

andy said...

Do you like salami and cheddar cheese sandwiches?

Rob said...

Evening chaps. No water tonight, eh? Except for the water falling from the sky.

Oh well. No having to switch channels all night.

allan said...

If anyone cares, I am working on answering a question ish had during a game -- how many times does Ellsbury steal second when he is on second and second base is empty?

andy said...

National league sucks real bad. I would say it is boring. I would say that nothing good comes from the national league even when they win it all. I really don't think the cards are fun to watch
i dont even want to see santana pitch anymore

andy said...

awesome question to answer WoodSock.
ish ask more.

andy said...

We can make it to 201 easy ish. just start talking.

allan said...

I think this site deserves more credit then it gets.

This will gets buried in this thread, but a Red Sox blog that is super top-notch that I often forget about from time to time is Out In Center Field.

It's my loss, because Melissa has tons of great and often hard-to-find-elsewhere video, quirky Sox news and a great humorous writing style. Plus it looks great -- though it is slow to load for me.

Perhaps it can be expanded or something.

Hey! How about politics!!!

andy said...

I have a fresh herb garden growing now. basil and lots of it. cilantro and sage and oregano.

allan said...

I would say it is boring.

No DH.

Point NL.

andy said...

I am cool with politico being discussed here. can't get anymore fired up then the game threads do sometimes, especially when wake pitches.

andy said...

DH is what makes the AL better. you say otherwise you are saying you want pitchers to be hit by pitches

allan said...

If I had it my way Allan and Jere would call each game for me personally. I wish I had that kind of money. Where i could hire my own play by play guys.

Can't speak for Jere, but I don't work cheap.

Yankee Stadium had (has?) a booth where you could sign up for an inning and announce it and get a tape afterwards. I always said I was going to do it, but never did.

andy said...

I wish pitchers were better hitters. They should work on their game more. I wish pitchers played other positions in non-pitching games.

allan said...

you say otherwise you are saying you want pitchers to be hit by pitches

data says no fewer HBP in the NL because pitchers bat. myth.

andy said...

If i had the millions i think i deserve i would hire you Allan. You'd be my personal legal writer guy and press agent.

Rob said...

I don't mind interleague play. It's interesting to me, but I don't like all of the series they do. Have one or two per season rather than what - four or five? Hard though, when there's no real rivalry in these "natural rivals" since they don't play each other regularly.

I wonder if we'll ever see any restructuring of the divisions and the leagues in the future if the cost for transportation becomes too much (although they're not worried about any of that right now). Maybe an eastern/western conference like other sports, to eliminate cross-country trips.

andy said...

I know that stat Al you said it the other day. I am saying then why do you want the pitchers to hit in the AL? How about 8 man batting lineups. No DH?

andy said...

they should have an east west type setup with 5 inter-league series' a year.

Rob said...

If you had an east/west thing, you can keep the DH throughout and make it make sense, as well. Right now you'd have to ask, why would all 30 teams have the DH but still have the same AL/NL teams with clubs like the Mets and Yankees not playing each other regularly?

andy said...

I think you would have better regional rivalries if you had the regional teams playing several times a year. in my area you would have the Dodgers playing the Angels 18 times a year. that would be box office gold. Padres angels games would sell out all the time. giants A's game the same. This is a gold mine. why not?

andy said...

I think the Central would suffer in the AL though. Who the hell wants to go to a Royals game?

andy said...

I am never gonna vote for a salary cap either although it may bring better parity

andy said...

And yeah I have a vote i am important. I voted 25 times for the all-star game

Rob said...

It has been a long day for me today. I'm gonna go out, watch the Celtics with my dad, and we'll do some doubleheader action tomorrow.

andy said...

uh oh wife is home and she is upset over fight with my in-laws. My dream of 201 will have to wait for tomorrow.

allan said...

Well, Andy, you had #101.

Amy said...

Andy, I am not sure how to react to your offer to hire me because I am more susceptible to manly obsessions than L-girl. Somehow that does not sound like a compliment.

Plus anyone here can tell you I have no memory for details and can't even remember what OBP stands for half the time! Forget about ERA+ and all those other more esoteric stats.

Anyway, sorry I wasn't here to help you get to 201, but I decided to play scrabble on line, read the paper, and watch Bill Moyers.

andy said...

I think L would just give up and walk away from an idiot while i think you would hold the microphone there and let the idiot talk for the sake of the show. it is not a slap to you. its not a slap to l either. i am just saying that i need someone who will not lose her patience to be the obligatory woman reporter. we dont have many women on here to choose from. I guess I can ask Casey to be my woman reporter. He probably wont do it though.

Amy said...

Well, then I will have to warn you that I do not suffer fools gladly either! I do, however, get starstruck and would probably ask lots of dumb questions. Like I said, I am no good at the details and stats, so I am more likely to ask quesions like, "How did it feel to hit that home run? Did you ever dream about this moment? What would you do differently next time not to make that error?" Etc. You know, the dumb questions we all hate!

laura k said...

I think L would just give up and walk away from an idiot while i think you would hold the microphone there and let the idiot talk for the sake of the show.

When I put this comment through moderation this a.m., it took me a LONG time to figure out WTH this meant! :)

My question is why do you need a "woman reporter" whose job it is to ask inane questions and get cliched answers?

laura k said...

If i had the millions i think i deserve i would hire you Allan. You'd be my personal legal writer guy and press agent.

So you deserve millions, but Allan only gets to be a press agent. Sounds like a bum deal to me. I think Allan deserves millions and he can keep you around as his personal jester.

That is not a slap to Andy, of course. :)

andy said...

hey I don't work cheap