Monday, September 29, 2008

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Giants and D-backs. The Roxs finished at 74-88. Ten games back from division leading Dodgers in third place. Finished 43-38 at home and 31-50 on the road, the Roxs were outscored by its opponents 747-822 (expected wins is 74 versus historical wins at 77).

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
Good start to the final roadtrip (we swept the Giants!) but then another sweep at the hands of the D-backs in Phoenix. And that my friends is the Roxs 20087 campaign. 74 wins and only 747 runs scored. Mighty impressive when you consider last year they won 90 games and scored 860 runs! I don't think Matsui counted for 113 runs and he was the only big time non-returning starter. Disappointing is all I can say.

Last year was a fluke but I didn't think this year was worthy of a 74 win campaign. I really thought a few games over .500 was certainly feasible. You know pitching would come back to reality but the anemic offensive was really what prevented a respectable season. Of course if we hadn't gone 3 - 15 against the D-backs we probably could have had 79 wins which is a whole lot better. I mean the Dodgers only won the division with 84 wins! I don't think 2009 is going to be any easier in the division...the Giants and Padres won't be as pathetic. If we lose Holliday this winter where are we going to find that offensive spark?

Monday, September 22, 2008

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Padres and D-backs. The Roxs currently stand at 71-85. Ten games back from division leading Dodger in third place. Currently 43-38 at home and 28-47 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 711-797 (expected wins is 70 versus historical wins at 74). On pace for 74 wins with 738 runs scored and 828 runs against.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
Well six games left. 3 in San Fran and 3 in Arizona. The D-backs are 2 back from the Dodgers. Frankly at this point I don't care how bad we've played against the D-bags but let's find our mojo and sweep them in Phoenix so we don't have to see them in the playoffs. Nothing like keeping them out of the World Series one year and the playoffs the next! Can we close it out strong, maybe...please...

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Yankee Stadium No More

And the stadium goes silently into the night.  Probably deserved another World Series but no final season luck.  Visited the stadium once back on June 10, 2004 when the Roxs played the Yanks in a 3 game series.  I caught the afternoon game and watched Flaherty demolish the Roxs. The Roxs got swept in there only appearance at the stadium.  

I wasn't too impressed by the whole affair.  Got there by taking the subway.  Was able to check out the monument park which was a great tribute.  Other than that the stadium just didn't feel very intimate.  The wacky outfield dimensions was goofy.  The crowd was so New Yorkish and the $9 beers were a bit much.  I do have to admit that my opinion of Yankee Stadium was in contrast to going to Fenway the following day!  Now Fenway is a baseball park!

Anyway I am glad to have seen the House that Ruth built because it is a National Baseball Landmark.  I am sure the new stadium will be very nice but it is a shame that some stadiums have to go.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Next Year's Schedule

April 6 at Arizona

April 7 at Arizona

April 8 at Arizona

April 10 Philadelphia

April 11 Philadelphia

April 12 Philadelphia

April 13 at Chicago Cubs

April 15 at Chicago Cubs

April 17 at L.A. Dodgers

April 18 at L.A. Dodgers

April 19 at L.A. Dodgers

April 20 at Arizona

April 21 at Arizona

April 22 at Arizona

April 24 L.A. Dodgers

April 25 L.A. Dodgers

April 26 L.A. Dodgers

April 27 San Diego

April 28 San Diego

April 29 San Diego

May 1 at San Francisco

May 2 at San Francisco

May 3 at San Francisco

May 4 at San Diego

May 5 at San Diego

May 6 San Francisco

May 7 San Francisco

May 8 Florida

May 9 Florida

May 10 Florida

May 12 Houston

May 13 Houston

May 14 Houston

May 15 at Pittsburgh

May 16 at Pittsburgh

May 17 at Pittsburgh

May 18 at Atlanta

May 19 at Atlanta

May 20 at Atlanta

May 21 at Atlanta

May 22 at Detroit

May 23 at Detroit

May 24 at Detroit

May 25 L.A. Dodgers

May 26 L.A. Dodgers

May 27 L.A. Dodgers

May 29 San Diego

May 30 San Diego

May 31 San Diego

June 1 at Houston

June 2 at Houston

June 3 at Houston

June 4 at Houston

June 5 at St. Louis

June 6 at St. Louis

June 7 at St. Louis

June 8 at St. Louis

June 9 at Milwaukee

June 10 at Milwaukee

June 11 at Milwaukee

June 12 Seattle

June 13 Seattle

June 14 Seattle

June 16 Tampa Bay

June 17 Tampa Bay

June 18 Tampa Bay

June 19 Pittsburgh

June 20 Pittsburgh

June 21 Pittsburgh

June 22 at L.A. Angels

June 23 at L.A. Angels

June 24 at L.A. Angels

June 26 at Oakland

June 27 at Oakland

June 28 at Oakland

June 29 at L.A. Dodgers

June 30 at L.A. Dodgers

July 1 at L.A. Dodgers

July 3 Arizona

July 4 Arizona

July 5 Arizona

July 6 Washington

July 7 Washington

July 8 Washington

July 9 Atlanta

July 10 Atlanta

July 11 Atlanta

July 12 Atlanta

July 16 at San Diego

July 17 at San Diego

July 18 at San Diego

July 19 at San Diego

July 20 Arizona

July 21 Arizona

July 22 Arizona

July 24 San Francisco

July 25 San Francisco

July 26 San Francisco

July 27 at N.Y. Mets

July 28 at N.Y. Mets

July 29 at N.Y. Mets

July 30 at N.Y. Mets

July 31 at Cincinnati

Aug. 1 at Cincinnati

Aug. 2 at Cincinnati

Aug. 4 at Philadelphia

Aug. 5 at Philadelphia

Aug. 6 at Philadelphia

Aug. 7 Chicago Cubs

Aug. 8 Chicago Cubs

Aug. 9 Chicago Cubs

Aug. 10 Chicago Cubs

Aug. 11 Pittsburgh

Aug. 12 Pittsburgh

Aug. 13 Pittsburgh

Aug. 14 at Florida

Aug. 15 at Florida

Aug. 16 at Florida

Aug. 18 at Washington

Aug. 19 at Washington

Aug. 20 at Washington

Aug. 21 San Francisco

Aug. 22 San Francisco

Aug. 23 San Francisco

Aug. 24 San Francisco

Aug. 25 L.A. Dodgers

Aug. 26 L.A. Dodgers

Aug. 27 L.A. Dodgers

Aug. 28 at San Francisco

Aug. 29 at San Francisco

Aug. 30 at San Francisco

Sept. 1 N.Y. Mets

Sept. 2 N.Y. Mets

Sept. 3 N.Y. Mets

Sept. 4 Arizona

Sept. 5 Arizona

Sept. 6 Arizona

Sept. 7 Cincinnati

Sept. 8 Cincinnati

Sept. 9 Cincinnati

Sept. 10 Cincinnati

Sept. 11 at San Diego

Sept. 12 at San Diego

Sept. 13 at San Diego

Sept. 14 at San Francisco

Sept. 15 at San Francisco

Sept. 16 at San Francisco

Sept. 18 at Arizona

Sept. 19 at Arizona

Sept. 20 at Arizona

Sept. 22 San Diego

Sept. 23 San Diego

Sept. 24 San Diego

Sept. 25 St. Louis

Sept. 26 St. Louis

Sept. 27 St. Louis

Sept. 29 Milwaukee

Sept. 30 Milwaukee

Oct. 1 Milwaukee

Oct. 2 at L.A. Dodgers

Oct. 3 at L.A. Dodgers

Oct. 4 at L.A. Dodgers

Monday, September 15, 2008

Rox Talk

A 1-5 week against the Braves and Dodgers. Not that the Roxs really had a chance to get to the playoffs this year but going into this week they at least had the opportunity to make it interesting...and what did the Roxs do with the chance? Fall on their collective faces once again. Time after time this year the Roxs had the chances to turn it around and time after time when the opportunity was there they let it pass right by (kind of like men in scoring position). Anyway, the Roxs currently stand at 68-82. Nine and half games back from division leading Dodger in fourth place (yup the Giants have passed us...and how sorry are they?). Currently 40-35 at home and 28-47 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 685-763.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
There went the chance to finish .500 for the season. What a downer of a week. It really makes last year's run all that more improbable. Before their amazing run down the stretch they were really only projected to finish around .500 but instead went on and won 90 games. Hard to swallow that they are only on pace to win 74 this year...yikes a 16 game swing...and imagine the manager and GM still have a job?

Monday, September 8, 2008

Rox Talk

Another 3-3 week against the Giants and Astros. The Roxs currently stand at 67-77. Six and half games back from division leading Dodger in third place. Currently 39-33 at home and 28-44 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 668-729 (expected wins is 66 versus historical wins at 68). On pace for 75 wins with 752 runs scored and 820 runs against.


Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
Again opportunities presented themselves with the Dodger taking two against the D-Backs. Just as last week we could have made a run but with 18 games to go we are 6.5 out. With 6 against the D-backs and 3 against the Dodgers we can make it painful but it might be tough to catch. 14 - 4 to finish .500...

Friday, September 5, 2008

If I Was Comissioner...

About 20 games to go.  Some decent races down the wire in the real world but in my alternative world really the only race is the Eastern League - Atlantic Division where the Mets are chasing the BoSox.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

This Day in Baseball

15 years ago today Jim Abbott threw a no-hitter when his Yankees beat the Indians 4-0!  An amazing athlete who was born with only one hand!.  The ability to throw a pitch, then put his glove on, and then field his position.  The Indian team he beat was a few years away from being great but it did have Manny and Belle.  Pretty decent team to no hit.

Anyway Abbott played 10 years and had a career record of 87 - 108.  Amazing stats was that he had 21 career at bats and had 2 hits.  Played in 263 games and only committed 9 errors! And a .976 career fielding percentage.  Impressive!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

August in the Rear View Mirror

August in the Rear View Mirror

64 - 74 after five months of baseball. The Roxs definately picked things up going 10 - 5 on the road (but a mediocre 5 - 8 at home). 

Historical Winning Percentage vs Pythagorean Winning Percentage:

Another good month, too bad they played so-so at home.  

Runs Scored vs Runs Allowed Historical:

Pretty average month.  Wish we could be average through April and May.   If you look below to me it is and always has been the hitting that has let the Roxs down this year.

The lines are just arbitary set points I used to base my preseason prediction. Pitching is right where it needs to be but the offense...yikes! What does all this mean, well look at the graph below on predicted wins (versus last year) and I think it tells the whole story!

Monday, September 1, 2008

Rox Talk

A 3-3 week against the Giants and Padres. The Roxs currently stand at 64-74. Six games back from division leading D-backs in third place. Currently 36-30 at home and 28-44 on the road, the Roxs have been outscored by its opponents 646-703 (expected wins is 64 versus historical wins at 65). On pace for 75 wins with 758 runs scored and 819 runs against.

Weekly WPA leaders (overall as well):
Well no real movement last weekend to try and make a run. They had two opportunities with the Dodgers beating the D-Backs but the Roxs couldn't beat the Padres. They could have been within 4 of the division but with 24 to play they are still 6 out. At this point they need to go 17 - 7 to finish .500 and finish with some respectability.