A couple of awards were announced this week, and a few remain for next week - when I should be able to produce a lot more content, since I'll have a week off from school. (Thank you, beyond-stupid school district.) Anyways, the first few links are about the recent controversies that have been occurring in baseball.
The Carpenter Travesty - Wezen-Ball
Excellent satire. Ironically, the BBWAA got almost as mad about Law and Carrol as the sabermetric community gets when the rest of the writers mess up awards.
The Current State of Baseball Economics - Fire Brand of the American League
Good breakdown of how the arguments are being made. So sad that the game has become so corrupted, too.
McAdam: Yankees won’t bid on Bay/Hollliday - The Bottom Line
Didn't someone report this about Teixeira last season? Just saying', doesn't mean much.
Theo Epstein, Here's My Christmas List - Bleacher Report
I really hope this is one of those lists where you demand a load, and expect Santa/(I'm ignorant of what fictious person is supposed to deliver gifts in other religions, I'm sorry)/Theo to get you one or two.
Of course, that strategy never really worked out for the greedy little bugger version of me from years past; I usually ended up with a nice pack of socks, maybe a new toy car or something. Best lesson I learned: When you ask for books, you end up getting a lot more of your wish list. Basically, I blame the commercialization of a holiday for my nerdom.
Red Sox call PawSox manager Johnson up - The Providence Journal
Wait, what's Tito going to call him? Johnsie?
After the jump, some rumors and catching up on course work for our sabermetrics course.
Red Sox inquire about Holliday, A. Beltre, M. Gonzalez, R. Ankiel - Clubhouse Insider
Interesting. Obviously there's Holliday, but the rest may not have been totally expected. Beltre may be an option if we can find a way to lose Lowell's contract (sorry Mike), and Gonzalez would be a good lefty reliever. Ankiel would be a decent 5th outfielder, I guess - below average D, below average bat.
Adrian Beltre and Rick Ankiel? What's Up With The Boston Red Sox? - Bleacher Report
I'd be fine if the Red Sox signed Ankiel. It's the potential Beltre acquisition that I don't like.
Both seem like bad ideas, but I'd be less opposed to Beltre than Ankiel. If we sign Beltre, for the right price, that means found a way to get someone to take Lowell, and we didn't give up a bunch of prospects for AGon, meaning we got a good bat elsewhere. Beltre is a great defender and has a decent bat, so he could give good value on days when Youk has to play 1st - he'd be effectively replacing Kotchman, but giving better defense at a tougher position, and allowing Youk to give us maximum defensive value. Actually, Beltre seems like a pretty good idea, once we get out from under Lowell...
Déjà Vu: Mike Lowell May Be on Boston Red Sox's Trading Block - Bleacher Report
If either one is acquired in a trade, the Red Sox would move incumbent first baseman Kevin Youkilis to third base on a permanent basis.
Sound familiar?
It certainly does to Mike Lowell.
I want to do the easy thing and blame the money involved and call it a "business decision", but it's still amazing how a sport that can be so individual at times still manages to make the decision to split up a team so difficult. Mikey did so much for us, when we were expecting so little from him. We accepted him in order to get Beckett cheaper, and then he proceeded to be an offensive force for a few seasons and helped us win a World Series. If he had been healthy in 2008, we might have made the World Series for a second consecutive season. Alas, now we're looking for ways out of the contract we signed him to after he locked up the World Series MVP.
Now, for a complete change in tone, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL!!!
Runs Created: A First Step - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
Time to catch up on the lessons I haven't been able to share with y'all. Some people think that baseball isn't as important as traditional school subjects, for some reason.
Linear Weights: The Positive and Negative (Runs) - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
BaseRuns: The Ultimate in Run Estimation (so far) - Intro to Sabermetrics 101
Last two links are boredom killers:
Peter Gammons and Gordon Edes: Five questions on the Boston Red Sox - ESPN Boston
Two well known reporters answering common questions. Too bad they give really common answers.
Tito Is Looking To Add Pitching - Boston Sports Pulse
Adding John Lackey would be perfect. The guy is a proven work horse and has shown that he can do it on the big stage playing well in the playoffs and winning a World Series in 2002. If you throw a rotation of Lester, Lackey, Beckett, Dice K, and Buchholz out there you all but eliminate the need to add a hitter beyond re-signing Bay. I am usually all for being conservative with money and winning through player development, but sometimes you don’t really have a choice. If it comes down to a couple million dollars a year, why not just pay the price and bring another World Series to Boston?
Because Lackey wouldn't guarantee us a World Series win. For the same price, we could get much more production. And we need money for the parade too, don't forget.
Links, comments, other discussions that you feel like starting, etc. I'll be back later, since I'll be hanging in Gainesville at the Swamp.