Fun Stuff
Ron Gardenhire Clarifies Comments About Yankees
by 0157H7 on Oct 8, 2009 12:25 PM EDT
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Bronx, NY - Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire gave an exclusive interview with Over the Monster on Wednesday, to expand on his comments earlier that day about his team's division rival, the New York Yankees.
Before first game of the Twins-Yankees ALDS series, Mr. Gardenhire surprised fans and the media with his effusive praise of the Yankees:
You know what, the Yankees are the most professional team you'll ever see. They do their work. They play the game the right way. They don't get enough credit for that. They get always talked about high payroll and everything. But that's professional baseball players over there. Those guys are really good. And they take pride in everything they do. So we know that we've got a big battle here. Because these guys are a great baseball team. They've proved it all year long. [SOURCE]
After the game, Gardenhire sat down with this reporter, who had just logged off World of Warcraft and wrestled his corpulent frame onto his floating dais.
Over the Monster (OTM): Jabba no badda... ahem... Thanks for agreeing to speak with me.
Ron Gardenhire (RG): It's my pleasure.
OTM: So let's get right down to it? Do your comments earlier today reflect how you really feel about the Yankees?
RG: Yes, absolutely.
[CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR MORE]
7 comments | 0 recs |
Eleven Things I Like About LAAAAAAAAA*
by 0157H7 on Oct 7, 2009 12:00 PM EDT
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It is a well-known fact that there is a strong bond between the people of California and the Boston area. From politics to economics to race relations, both regions are at the forefront of liberalism. In the realm of baseball, California is a place where many Red Sox stars finish their careers, from Mo Vaughn to Manny Ramirez. Look at the Dodgers - Manny, Doug Mientkiewicz, Mark Loretta - and our perennial trade partners the San Diego Padres, where Theo Epstein started his baseball career.
But for some reason, all these natural similarities and East Coast - West Coast connections have not improved relations between the fanbases of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Boston Red Sox.
Accordingly, in the spirit of cultural exchange, I'm listing the ten things I like about the Angels.
1. Steroids.
As a devoted Sox fan, I'm a big fan of steroids. A huge, ripped fan. So when I heard that 16 current and former Angels, from HGHary Matthews Jr. to Brendan "Drug Donkey" Donnelly (briefly a Sox player) to Troy "World Series MVP" Glaus, who had used steroids, my respect for the team grows immensely. I can't even think of that many confirmed Sox users. You've got Manny Ramirez, Ortiz (although what he tested positive for remain unclear) and um... Eric Gagne. The Halos deserve massive, bloated, engorged props for out-steroiding us.
2. Humility.
When I read Halos Heaven, my favorite Angels fansite, one word can sum up the overall feeling there: humility. Not only are Angels fans not proclaiming how their team is the best ever and will run roughshod over the Sox, Yankees and Cardinals to win its second World Series; they are modestly declaring why this will not happen. [My personal favorite reason is because of Umperialism, the clear East Coast bias evinced by the ironically named Joe West, crew chief of the ALDS.]
This is also true on a corporate level. While other teams are named for their region (Yankees), their footwear (Sox), their fishiness (Marlins), their connections to the occult (Devil Rays), or their plunderous and rapacious treatment of fans (Pirates), the Angels are named for their service and devotion to God. As the Puritan settlers of Boston would readily tell you, few things are more humble than annointing yourselves the Chosen agents of Divine Will.
[FOR 3-11, CLICK CONTINUE READING]
39 comments | 2 recs |
The Ballad of Jed Lowrie
by 0157H7 on Oct 5, 2009 4:00 AM EDT
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Hurt 'n Cold
(with heartfelt apologies to Katy Perry)
Terry Francona is speaking to Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein and Jed Lowrie in front of the entire team and a full Fenway Park.
Francona: Theo, do you take Jed Lowrie as your starting shortstop for the 2010 season?
[Theo looks earnestly at Lowrie.]
Theo: I do. [Theo smiles.]
Francona: Now, Jed, do you accept the starting shortstop job for the 2010 Boston Red Sox?
[All eyes in Fenway are on Jed Lowrie, and he stares back at Theo, embarassed.]
Lowrie: "Ow, my spleen..."
[Lowrie loses consciousness.]
{CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR THE BALLAD.}
11 comments | 0 recs |
Pitch F/X: Michael Bowden, 9/28/09
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Sep 28, 2009 11:03 PM EDT
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Statline: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 37 strikes in 67 pitches, 4 groundouts, 2 flyouts
Okay, there's not a lot there to like. I mean, he did get some good results - strikeouts, only 1 walk, good groundball/flyball ratio. Of course, we need to look past the results, and into the process - and that's what Pitch F/X is here for. So let's dive right in.
| Pitch Type | Avg Speed | Max Speed | Avg H-Break | Avg V-Break | Count | Strikes / % | Swinging Strikes / % | Nibbleness | Time to Plate |
|
FF (Four Seam Fastball) |
91.71 | 93.3 | -1.99 | 10.66 | 50 | 28 / 56.00% | 1 / 2.00% | 8.37 | 0.415 |
| CH (Change up) | 84.48 | 85.2 | -6.19 | 8.93 | 5 | 3 / 60.00% | 0 / 0.00% | 11.82 | 0.447 |
| SL (Slider) | 83.92 | 87.2 | 2.05 | 2.95 | 10 | 4 / 40.00% | 1 / 10.00% | 8.74 | 0.452 |
| CU (Curveball) | 80.00 | 80.4 | 1.44 | -2.85 | 2 | 2 / 100.00% | 0 / 0.00% | 6.25 | 0.473 |
Not great velocity or differential, but that isn't exactly Bowden's game. He did throw a LOT of fastballs - and not for a lot of strikes either. Very few swinging strikes is an indication that his stuff wasn't fooling many batters.
Now let's look at the pretty graphs - after the jump, of course.
3 comments | 0 recs |
Cooperstown Hall Debates: MVP, Preliminaries
by 0157H7 on Sep 25, 2009 10:05 AM EDT
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Bud Selig (thinking to himself): Please let this go well...
[Selig takes a deep breath, looks over the crowd and turns on microphone]
Selig: Go afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the first town hall debate on Most Valuable Player Reform. If there's one thing I've learned in my career as absolute dictator of the sport, it's that these meetings are extremely valuable in my decision making process.
Selig: Many of you have complained about the arbitrary and arcane practice of selecting each league's MVP. So I'd like to discuss that a little. But first we're going to open the floor to our other speakers... [CLICK CONTINUE READING FOR MORE]
11 comments | 4 recs |
How to be a HaloFan, Vol 1.
by 0157H7 on Sep 17, 2009 11:15 AM EDT
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60 comments
Everyone knows the joys of being a Yankee Fan. Everyone who bought my book series, that is. But for discerning individuals, did you know that there is an EVEN BETTER FANBASE TO BE A PART OF? Did you ever wonder what it would be like to COMPLAIN OF EAST COAST BIAS? Are your eyes yearning to see a MONKEY PRANCING AROUND IN A DIAPER? Do you want to LEARN HOW TO WORSHIP BASERUNNING and BURN SABERMETRICIANS AT THE STAKE? Well read on for our Responsible Subcontractor's SPECIAL, ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OFFER!!!!
60 comments | 5 recs |
Roll Them Dice: Matsuzaka's Return, Pitch F/X'd
by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on Sep 15, 2009 11:07 PM EDT
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Sandy was right: "Dice-K will return, and he will be very good." Now, he didn't get much more specific than that, but I'm going to guess he wouldn't have guessed that Dice-K would go 6 innings, allowing 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5 and not allowing a single run. But those are just the results - let's look at how Dice-K actually pitched.
GRAPHS!!!!! after the jump.
10 comments | 0 recs |
The Ballad of Alex Gonzalez
by 0157H7 on Sep 11, 2009 10:15 AM EDT
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[Now with 100% more ballad!]
With apologies to Justin Timberlake and T.I.
Yeah, lemme break this down for you
Not on some sports stuff, but some real stuff.
Anybody seen the Sox shortstops
I know you see it my way.
13 comments | 3 recs |
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