Review: Rob Neyer’s Big Book of Baseball Legends

Monday, April 14, 2008
by Geoff Young
By Rob Neyer Fireside: 331 pp., $16 paperback What is baseball without its stories? The game has captured America's heart over the years not only through the calling of balls and strikes but also through the telling of tales. As stories are passed along, sometimes the details get shifted. Other times, they were wrong from the beginning but nobody bothered to check. Now Rob Neyer has checked for us. In Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends, the author dissects more than 80 stories that have embedded themselves in the baseball canon. As a devout follower of baseball, I'm struck by three elements of Neyer's work: how thorough his ...
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Posted in Book Reviews | 41 Comments »

Friday Links (1 Feb 08)

Friday, February 1, 2008
by Geoff Young
Before I forget, friend of Ducksnorts Steve Poltz has released his latest CD, Traveling (as mentioned in our interviews with him), and it's a solid effort. If you think I'm saying that just because Steve gave Ducksnorts a shout-out at last week's in-store at Lou's, then you don't know me as well as I thought you did. Anyway, the CD is available through his site, so get it if the spirit moves you. Be sure to check out his blog while you're there -- fun stuff. On to the links. According to the U-T, Trevor Hoffman still ...
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Posted in Notes and Links | 18 Comments »

Padres tickets  Chargers tickets  Sports tickets

Congrats to Goose on Overcoming Extreme Voter Stupidity Syndrome

Wednesday, January 9, 2008
by Geoff Young
Congratulations to ex-Padre Rich "Goose" Gossage on being voted into the baseball Hall of Fame. Better late than never, eh? On another note, three of the following five pitchers are in the Hall of Fame. One is still on the ballot, while the fifth has been dropped from consideration. Can you tell which is which just by looking at the numbers? (Answer below the table.) Five Relievers  GIPH/9HR/9BB/9SO/9ERA+WSSV Statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. #19441701.17.800.652.606.87119188310 #210021809.17.450.593.647.47126223341 #38801132.17.950.872.856.97121157367 #410221289.17.910.623.398.73131198478 #56611042.17.590.662.677.43136168300 I dunno, I'm not seeing a lot of separation here. Good thing the "experts" can ferret out things that aren't readily apparent to the rest of us. Who's who? #1, Rollie Fingers (in); #2, Gossage (in); #3, Jeff Reardon (out); #4, Lee Smith (waiting); #5, Bruce ...
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Posted in Baseball | 42 Comments »

Friday Links (21 Dec 07)

Friday, December 21, 2007
by Geoff Young
Links. Who doesn't love 'em? Short and sweet: Tony Gwynn talks about the Mitchell Report (San Diego Union-Tribune). MB analyzes the Jim Edmonds trade (Friar Forecast). Tom Krasovic offers his thoughts on Edmonds as well (San Diego Union-Tribune). Joe P. Sheehan examines similar pitchers by pitch type (Baseball Analysts, hat tip Friar Forecast). Chris Young is working with Tiger Woods' physical therapist in an attempt to keep himself healthy (San ...
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Posted in Notes and Links | 31 Comments »

Friday Links (14 Dec 07)

Friday, December 14, 2007
by Geoff Young
Quick word on the book before we get to links. I've completed drafts of three chapters; two more are very close to being done, another is at about 40-50%, and I'm just getting started on "2007 in Review." On that last point, I've gone through the past 14 months or so of blog postings and highlighted some of the most important points. From that, I've created a rough outline. Next steps are to flesh everything out, follow up on research inquiries I made several months ago, etc. The outline is a bit ambitious, and I'm not sure I'll be able to give everything the attention it's due, but I shall do my best. To that end, and kind of the point of me telling you all this, ...
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Posted in 2008 Annual, Notes and Links | 126 Comments »

Padres April Wrap

Monday, May 5, 2003
by Geoff Young
Why even bother with an official scorer? Xavier Nady hits a lazy fly ball to center in the 10th on Friday night that Ricky Ledee loses in the lights; ball clanks off Ledee's glove and it's ruled a hit. Then Saturday night, Mike Lieberthal hits a ducksnort to right that Nady has to run a mile to get to and he just misses making a terrific play. E-9. I guarantee that if this series had been played in Philly, Nady would have one less hit and one less error next to his name right now. Speaking of Nady, I ran into him and Sean Burroughs on the trolley back from the stadium Sunday evening. Yep, that's right, they take the trolley to work. Cool, huh? We'll finish ...
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Posted in Commentary, Minors | No Comments »