Hardball Geek-Out

Hey boys,

With spring training under way, I again ask my baseball gurus to enlighten me about a subject I am woefully under-informed about: Batting order.

Beyond the obvious (batting a fast lead-off hitter) I don't understand why a manager pays so much attention to who bats when. Is it good statisical baseball, or is it all about massaging your hitter's ego?

I came across a super nerdy article(http://www.retrosheet.org/Research/RuaneT/lineup_art.htm) that concludes:

"...batting orders matter even less than people have believed. You would think that with such complicated forces at work here, some truly bizarre lineups might have been more efficient than the obvious ones used throughout the years, but if they exist, the methods described in this article didn't find them...There are lots of instances of very different lineups producing almost identical results. But if the normal lineups do almost as well as these creative ones, is there any percentage in straying from conventional wisdom? I don't think so. And I guess that's the real conclusion of this article: since all but the most pathologically weird lineups produce just about the same number of runs, I might be inclined to select the lineup that makes the most intuitive sense to the players and fans. Simply put, it's not worth all the fuss you'd cause trying to be clever with lineups."

Please explain.

The secret's out...

From Paul Daugherty's Blog:

"Speaking of radio, Terrific and Irrelevant Friday Night Topic this week is Best Burger in Town... Someplace called Terry's Turf Club on Eastern Avenue is getting rave reviews. The former Maisonette chef runs it, evidently. Really? I like J. Alexander's, with QUATMANS not far behind. I find the much-loved Zips to be overrated. We'll talk."

One wonders...does he get frizzled onions too?

Yet again...

I find myself (once more) very impressed with the Sports reporting in the New York Times.

Check it out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html?em

Dave, I thought of you about a million times while reading this. I think you, Phil, and Flip should start a Sports Data consulting agency.

Best Sports Theme?

This question was prompted by the following video, as referenced by Bill Simmons this week:



Which then sent me on a hunt for the BEST SPORTS THEME of all time. Of course each of us has our favorites; some for sentimental value, others for sheer camp (see below)



While I do love the March Madness Theme (especially that incredible electric guitar slide at the beginning) I have to say my favorite is the old NFL on CBS Theme:



This thing would get stuck in my head until Thursday night (when the bridge from that stupid theme from "Friends" would take over until Sunday again).

Feel free to post your own, but it must be accompanied by the relevant video.

Dear Hoot (comma)

Who did you dance with during Square Dance Night at Camp Kern in sixth grade?

Come on...admit it...you remember...we're all friends here...

ps. Does anyone also remember that thing in the cafeteria, where they measured how much food your table threw away at the end of the meal? At first I thought they were just really environmentally conscious. Now I think they we're just a bunch of squeezing, grasping, covetous, old misers clinging to every precious drop of bug juice (which coincidentally, Senator, is what A-Rod thought he was drinking in '03).

Uh oh.

Danny Graves got traded for flicking off the crowd, so I'm not sure what the southern Ohio response to cruising around the Dominican Republic with a gun in your car is. Slap on the wrist? I'd say the average Reds fan probably has a gun in their car anyway, if not a full-on gun rack.

Since this was not shot in the U.S. (presumably) there's not really any legality issues, right? I wouldn't be surprised if he had a clause in his contract which stated "Do not appear in any Spanish language rap video teases" and, perhaps more importantly "do not fiddle with any firearms, especially with your pitching hand." Though to his credit, he only actually touches the gun with his left hand.

Can we start this season, already? I'm dying to see us flounder around fourth place for 6 months before finally dying.

Super Bowl Lines

Conference Results:

Philadelphia (Mike, Dav, Matt)
ARIZONA (Ian, Flip, Chris, Eric)

PITTSBURGH (Mike, Ian, Chris, Eric)
Baltimore (Dav, Flip, Matt)


Massive Props to Ian for picking the overs in both games also... thus making him 4-0 this week.

Current Standings:
7-3: Ian, Eric
6-4: CMart
4-6: Dav, Mike, Flip
1-7: Phil
1-9: Matt

Pittsburgh (-7) Arizona 46.5 in Tampa, FL

Ian and Eric tied for the playoff lead. I will ask each of you to pick the game, but also the O/U just as a tiebreak. If your picks completely matchup, I will ask that you each pick the specific margin of victory and closer wins.


Sidenote: Dav just booked his airline tix to his brother in law's bachelor party in Vegas. Going for the first and second rounds of the NCAA tourney. All gambling advise will be taken and played. Duke pays at 9-1 right now to win it all... good play? Also will be placing futures bets for MLB and NBA.