Random Thoughts

[BCubb2003]

Brandon Phillips makes too many barehanded plays to be called a Gold Glover.

BABIP is a measurement of defense, not hitting.

I'm not worried about the Pirates, so I'm rooting for the Pirates to beat the Cardinals, but if the Pirates beat the Cardinals, I'd better worry about the Pirates.

Someday there will be a unified theory that describes who controls how much of each play, from the pitcher and hitter to the infield coach.

If Aroldis Chapman becomes the most dominant closer in history, we owe it all to Ryan Madson.

Maybe Bobby Valentine and the Red Sox players deserve each other.

You can't fire the players, so you fire the manager. Then you fire the players.

How can Todd Frazier be rookie of the year when he doesn't even have a position?

What if Aroldis Chapman becomes a starter and the closer is Homer Bailey?

This is a long way from the days of trading the Opening Day starter the night before.

If firing the players doesn't work, you fire the GM. And if that doesn't work, you sell the team.

I respect Joey Votto for hurting his knee again to give the team another boost.

[cincrazy]

Bcubb, much like the Reds, you get better and better as the season goes on :). All of it was fantastic, but the last line about Joey Votto made me laugh out loud.

[Tom Servo]

I'm not worried about the Pirates, so I'm rooting for the Pirates to beat the Cardinals, but if the Pirates beat the Cardinals, I'd better worry about the Pirates.

This. :lol:

[WildcatFan]

How can Todd Frazier be rookie of the year when he doesn't even have a position?

The same way Dusty Baker can be Manager of the Year when he doesn't even have a clue.

[LincolnparkRed]

The same way Dusty Baker can be Manager of the Year when he doesn't even have a clue.

I won't say he doesn't have a clue, he just lacks the basic understanding of more advanced thinking, like bunting all the time

[oneupper]

Joey Votto should come off the DL without telling anyone, so the rest of the team thinks he's still out.

[camisadelgolf]

Brilliance once again. Thanks. Keep 'em coming. :)

[WildcatFan]

I won't say he doesn't have a clue, he just lacks the basic understanding of more advanced thinking, like bunting all the time

That was supposed to be a joke, but I don't disagree.

[_Sir_Charles_]

One of the best lists in a long while. Top to bottom. Love the Phillips line and the Votto line. Just classics.

[cumberlandreds]

Another gem! Number 3,5 and the last one are true gold.

[Bob Borkowski]

One of the best lists in a long while. Top to bottom. Love the Phillips line and the Votto line. Just classics.

Agree!

How are you able to do this, Cubb? Do you have to sweat and strain to come up with these or do they just 'come to you'...like while you're sleeping? :)

[BCubb2003]

Agree!

How are you able to do this, Cubb? Do you have to sweat and strain to come up with these or do they just 'come to you'...like while you're sleeping? :)

Thanks, guys. I usually have two or three I've been thinking about for a while, like the Phillips and Votto ones, and the others come after I get started.

[NJReds]

Joey Votto should come off the DL without telling anyone, so the rest of the team thinks he's still out.

Maybe Joey can borrow Bobby Valentine's fake mustache ... although Bobby may need it to get safely through the Red Sox clubhouse.

http://tebowplanks.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Bobby-Vs-disguise-300x226.jpg

[RedsManRick]

BABIP is a measurement of defense, not hitting.

This one is tricky. A pitcher's BABIP is significantly influenced by defense. But hitters actually do have a fair amount of control over their BABIP because how hard a ball is hit has a big influence on BABIP and that's mostly a function of the hitter. (Bad pitchers allow more balls to be put in play and to the extent they can induce "weak contact" that will show up in their HR rates) But since pitchers generally face the same mix of hitters as each other, the biggest influence on their BABIP is defense.

[Kc61]

Pirates/Cards line cracked me up. Like many of these, it speaks the truth.

[BCubb2003]

This one is tricky. A pitcher's BABIP is significantly influenced by defense. But hitters actually do have a fair amount of control over their BABIP because how hard a ball is hit has a big influence on BABIP and that's mostly a function of the hitter. (Bad pitchers allow more balls to be put in play and to the extent they can induce "weak contact" that will show up in their HR rates) But since pitchers generally face the same mix of hitters as each other, the biggest influence on their BABIP is defense.

I agree about all the control stuff. But it occurred to me that since home runs aren't considered "in play," BABIP doesn't measure hitting; it measures defense.

(I demand a metric for how proper placement of the fielders affects BABIP.)

[RedsManRick]

I agree about all the control stuff. But it occurred to me that since home runs aren't considered "in play," BABIP doesn't measure hitting; it measures defense.

(I demand a metric for how proper placement of the fielders affects BABIP.)

Good point -- as always! :beerme:

[Screwball]

I agree about all the control stuff. But it occurred to me that since home runs aren't considered "in play," BABIP doesn't measure hitting; it measures defense.

(I demand a metric for how proper placement of the fielders affects BABIP.)

Yeah, I think that's just DER (Defensive Efficiency Rating). It measures defensive conversion of outs on balls in play (non-HR).

FTR, I was surprised to see Reds middle of the pack in DER at 8th (.697) in the NL. Pirates, Padres, and even the no-good Cubs are ahead of us.

Oh, and awesome RTs as always, BCubb.