Tag Archives: hardball times

Me, Elsewhere: Translating Batting Lines into Pitching Lines

My latest at Hardball Times dusts off an old Bill James toy that attempts to show what a hitter’s output might look like recast as a pitching line. For example, if we take Adrian Gonzalez’s 2009 season, we get the following pitching line (see the article for methodology):
IP H [...]

Me, Elsewhere: Second-Year Players

My latest article at Hardball Times focuses on eight guys who made their big-league debuts in 2009 more or less as full-time players. Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera is among them.
We’ve compared Cabrera to Rafael Furcal before, as has everyone else. While digging, I found a few more names worth pondering:
Player [...]

THT Forecasts

THT Forecasts have arrived. The marketing points:

Oliver projections for the next six years for over 7,000 major and minor league players. These projections include hitting, pitching, and fielding statistics (the latter based on Brian Cartwright’s own play-by-play system), wins above replacement (WAR) projections, and coming soon, base running as well. You can read more about [...]

Me Elsewhere: Petco Park Still Isn’t Kind to Hitters

File my latest at Hardball Times under “D” for “duh”: Three years ago I studied Petco Park’s effect on offense. The results — that it kills offense — matched what my eyes told me, which is always nice. Now, with three more years of data, I’ve revisited the earlier study and found that most of [...]

Me, Elsewhere: Thanks for All the Runs

My latest at Hardball Times examines pitchers that succeeded despite not pitching very well. Our pal Ismael Valdez, who once inspired some wretched poetry, appears on this list.
For grins, here are the five lowest ERA+ of Padres pitchers who qualified for the ERA title and finished with a winning record:

Kevin Jarvis, 2001: 12-11, 4.79 ERA, [...]

Friday Links (29 Jan 10)

Don’t waste your links or links will waste you…

The nickname game: all nicknames all the time (Hardball Times). I don’t recall ever hearing Mike Cameron referred to as “The Black Cat” in his two years with the Padres. I still have a soft spot for two other ex-Padres, Milton “Jenga” Bradley and Kevin “Mashin’ Macedonian” [...]

Me Elsewhere: Tough-Luck Pitchers

As threatened, postings will occur more frequently this year. If you’re looking for the Jon Garland thread, it’s over here.
Meanwhile, my latest is up at Hardball Times. It’s all about pitchers who ended up with losing records despite pitching very well. Dave Roberts’ epic 1971 campaign with the Padres tops the list.
Five times a Padres [...]

Me, Elsewhere: A Whole Lotta History

I’m happy to report that my “Players Worth Remembering” series at Hardball Times is finally complete. If you love the history of baseball (and why wouldn’t you?), head on over to learn more about some players from years gone by that might have slipped under your radar:

1969-1989
1947-1968
1925-1946
1901-1924
Others (catchers and infielders)
Others (outfielders and pitchers)

I hope you [...]

Me, Elsewhere: Chatting with Dirk

Former Padres pitcher and friend of Ducksnorts Dirk Hayhurst has penned his first book. Bullpen Chronicles, due out in March 2010, is drawing advance praise from some big names and promises to be an entertaining read.
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Dirk about his book, baseball, and life. As always, he has Interesting [...]

Me, Elsewhere: Bob Elliott, Nate Colbert, and Some Other Guys

The penultimate installment in my “Players Worth Remembering” series is up at Hardball Times. San Diego (well, El Centro) native and former PCL Padre Bob Elliott tops the list of third basemen, while original NL Padre Nate Colbert merits an honorable mention at first base.
Also, this year I’m playing in BP Kings, a Scoresheet Baseball [...]