SSS

If I have a child, I tell him I used to be able to shoot a...

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:31:10 -0700

If I have a child, I tell him I used to be able to shoot a little bit, I show him this video as evidence, and he responds with, “SSS,” I will be proud. The video of me getting picked bringing the ball up has been confiscated by Nike.

'07

Sun, 06 May 2012 15:11:41 -0700

Respect to Baron Davis for everything he did as a member of the Warriors. He provided memories - the best memories I have as a basketball fan - that I will never forget. Hopefully this isn’t the end.

Bullets

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:23:21 -0700

At work, we have a Lost & Found cabinet. Sometimes these ladies come in and go shopping, picking out jackets for their kids. It’s so wrong, yet so genius at the same time.
I was driving last week and the car in front of me used the windshield wiper fluid to clean his windshield. It splattered all over my windshield. I got in front of him and did the same thing. He then got in front of me and did it again! I decided to be the bigger man and end it. I’m so mature.
How much money do you think the Giants lost in beer sales on Wednesday night? As the 7th Inning Stretch started, we were 77 minutes into the game. They lost out on about an hour of beer sales.
I was standing in the Giants’ clubhouse waiting until Melky Cabrera was ready to talk to the media. I was just kind of staring, not looking at anything in particular - just kind of in a daze. All of a sudden, I realize that I’m looking in the general vicinity of Brett Pill as he was putting his clothes on. We made eye contact. I looked away as fast as possible. Awkwaaaaard.
Grant and I bought a box of basketball cards last week. We were guaranteed two autographs in the box. We could’ve gotten guys like Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin, and Jeremy Lin. We ended up getting Randy Foye and Byron Mullens. For some reason, it was funnier when we were getting Deck McGuire and Jiwan James in Chicago.

heyyoitsrobee: I WON SOMETHING AND I AM FLAILING Make sure...

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:33:00 -0700

heyyoitsrobee:

I WON SOMETHING AND I AM FLAILING

Make sure you guys follow @BayAreaBall on Twitter and/or “like” Bay Area Ball on Facebook to be eligible to win prizes to future giveaways!

30,000 Part II: Hunger Games Style

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:12:00 -0700

Instead of a stream of consciousness from 30,000 feet like in Part I, Part II is starting from the ground floor. I’m at the airport in Kona and my flight is delayed two hours. My ETA in Oakland is now 1:30am. Swell. To top it off, this airport wants $6.99 for two hours of Internet access. Pass like Rubio. I can’t be spending money on the luxuries in life. I need to be saving for a rainy day so I’ll be able to afford a sandbox down the first base line and beautiful views of San Francisco while I’m using the urinal.

Before I decided to start writing this, I thought about reading Catching Fire, the second book in the Hunger Games series. While getting sunburnt on the beach this past week, I had a lot of time to read (#HumbleBrag). I knocked out The Big Miss by Hank Haney, which was 80% interesting, 10% TMZ, and 10% a genital measuring contest with Butch Harmon.

I also read The Hunger Games because I told @jonathankchu I would after a lot of prodding.

Side story: We were at a bar in San Francisco a few weeks ago and it was close to last call. Jon said, “I can’t wait to go home and read Hunger Games.”

…

Bahahaha

But actually, I felt the same way while in Hawaii. I was at a bar for Tipsy Tuesday, and after a few beverages, I wanted to go home to continue reading about Katniss Everdeen’s fight through the arena.

It’s getting out of hand. I’m comparing everyday life to Hunger Games. Jon text me and said, “The line is too long for lotto tickets, missing my chance.”

I responded, “I guess if Prim can get chosen in the reaping, then you can win the lotto.”

He countered with, “If two people from District 12 can win the Hunger Games, anything is possible.

Boom. Shut it dowwwwwn! Let’s go hoooooooome! Because it’s true. It’s the new Kevin Garnett “Anything is possibbleeeeeeeeeee!”

If two people from District 12 can win the Hunger Games, Barry Zito can still resemble a Major League pitcher.

If two people from District 12 can win the Hunger Games, Brandon Belt can get consistent at-bats in the Major Leagues over inferior veterans.

If two people from District 12 can win the Hunger Games, the Warriors can win the lottery and draft Anthony Davis and his emoticon }:)

It works for every seemingly impossible situation.

Jerry Seinfeld talked about this before, but it’s so true. I boarded my flight and the pilot just announced that he’d try to make up some of the time that we lost because of the delay. If pilots can make the plane go faster, then why wouldn’t you always make the plane go faster??

What if the Hunger Games were comprised of NBA players? Who would be the last man standing?

We already know LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh would be the Careers since they’d team up from the get-go to help their cause instead of trying to beat each other. LeBron would be the favorite out of that group because he is the strongest and most skilled, but I’d have concerns about him taking the game-winning shot in the arena (Zzzzz, I know).

JaVale McGee would be the first tribute killed because he’d do something idiotic like forget to eat or something.

Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose would be the leaders in sponsors because they’re uber talented and have high approval ratings amongst the public.

Jeremy Lin would’ve probably been the favorite a month ago because he would’ve had sponsors galore to go along with his intelligence and skill. But now, with the Linsanity train derailed, he wouldn’t survive.

Carmelo Anthony would waste all of his arrows shooting at the target without a good look.

Guns aren’t allowed in the arena so Stephen Jackson is out. This also eliminates Gilbert Arenas and half of the 08-09 Denver Nuggets.

06-07 Baron Davis would’ve been a major threat. He had the skill, the strength, and the mentality to win the Hunger Games. However, the gamesmakers could just hang some toxic donuts from trees and he’d be dead almost instantaneously.

Nate Robinson is light enough to hang high in trees and possibly quick enough to elude opponents, but those attributes didn’t bode well for Rue.

Dwight Howard would be a major threat because of his sheer strength. However, he is only accurate from close range. Somebody else, like Ray Allen, could just snipe him from long range before Dwight even knew what hit him. (This is all true of Blake Griffin too, but he’d be sniped by Ray Allen while complaining to the gamesmakers.)

Kobe Bryant would be the odds on favorite. His repertoire is unlimited, he’s incredibly smart, and he has the mentality of a cold-blooded killer. He also wouldn’t be afraid to throw an ally like Andrew Bynum under the bus.

The pilot just announced we’re going to be landing early. I wonder if he just added 30 minutes to the true ETA at takeoff so that we’d feel excited we’re landing earlier than anticipated when we arrive. Now I’m going to have to wait for my ride to pick me up at the airport. Good, more time to read Catching Fire.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/golden-state-warriors/30000-feet-part-ii-hunger-games-style/

#KobeSystem (Taken with instagram)

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:51:38 -0700

#KobeSystem (Taken with instagram)

Buster Posey's Value is Highest as a Catcher

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:55:00 -0700

There is a lot of talk among fans about making Buster Posey a first baseman. This talk started even before the ankle injury with the reasoning that it would extend his career. After the injury, the talk has only picked up steam. However, there is a growing sentiment among fans that regardless of his health, Posey needs to play first base. I couldn’t disagree more.

If Posey is healthy enough to catch, he needs to catch for as many games as possible and for as long as possible.

Buster Posey is an elite talent for the same reason he is an elite fantasy baseball player: position scarcity. How many good hitting catchers are there in baseball? There are probably eight: Brian McCann, Carlos Santana, Victor Martinez, Matt Wieters, Alex Avila, Miguel Montero, and Joe Mauer.

Factoring in defense and his ability to handle the pitching staff, Posey might be the best overall catcher in baseball. However, to be conservative, let’s say he is a top-three catcher putting him in the top 10% of catchers in the game.

In an average year, I think we can agree that Posey is going to hit somewhere between 18-20 home runs and drive in around 85 runs. Those numbers can obviously fluctuate up or down from year to year based on random variation, but on average, the numbers will most likely be in that general vicinity.

Those numbers are a dime a dozen among first basemen.

Looking at 2011 statistics, there were 11 first basemen that hit at least 20 home runs and drove in at least 85 runs.

Prince Fielder (38 home runs, 120 RBI, .981 OPS)
Lance Berkman (31 home runs, 94 RBI, .959 OPS)
Adrian Gonzalez (27 home runs, 117 RBI, .957 OPS)
Joey Votto (29 home runs, 103 RBI, .947 OPS)
Michael Morse (31 home runs, 95 RBI, .910 OPS)
Albert Pujols (37 home runs, 99 RBI, .906 OPS)
Paul Konerko (31 home runs, 99 RBI, .906 OPS)
Mark Teixeira (39 home runs, 111 RBI, .835 OPS)
Ryan Howard (33 home runs, 116 RBI, .835 OPS)
Mark Trumbo (29 home runs, 87 RBI, .768 OPS)
Adam Lind (26 home runs, 87 RBI, .734 OPS)

I think we can agree that Eric Hosmer belongs in the group above since he was a rookie last year, didn’t get the at-bats of a full season, and will most likely improve on his 19 home runs, 78 RBI, and .799 OPS. That makes 12.

If you add in Gaby Sanchez, who has averaged 19 home runs and 82 RBI over the last two seasons, that’s 13.

If you add Carlos Pena who hit 28 home runs and drove in 80 runs, that’s 14.

If you throw in Adam Dunn who hit at least 32 home runs and drove in at least 92 runs in every season from 2004-2010, that’s 15.

Eventually Freddie Freeman might get there. Hell, Brandon Belt might be able to produce close to that if he wasn’t busy burning up CA-99 down to Fresno every other month. The position is deep.

But let’s just stick with the eleven 20/85 guys and the one guy who I think we can agree belongs in the group.

Instead of being potentially the best catcher in baseball, as a first baseman Posey would only meet the minimum offensive parameters that make up the 20/85 group that 40% of first basemen are a part of.

Think about it like this: if Posey were a top 10% first baseman, like he is as a catcher, he’d have to hit 32 home runs and drive in 110 runs (the average numbers of the top 10% of first basemen, by OPS). Zero catchers hit 30+ home runs in 2011. Only Victor Martinez drove in over 100 runs.

Although I think the parameters I set show the position depth at first base, I realize that they’re arbitrary. If the parameters are adjusted slightly, the numbers could look a little bit different. Also, RBI isn’t the most telling statistic since it is largely dependent on teammates.

Instead, let’s look at the position depth from an OPS angle since it better illustrates a hitter’s ability to get on base and hit for pop compared to other hitters.

Posey’s career OPS is .815. Among qualified first basemen, he ranks 12th, putting him in the top 40% again. There were seven first basemen with an OPS above .900 compared to zero catchers.

Buster Posey is an elite catcher. Maybe the best. He is plus defensively and is a great hitter relative to other catchers. However, his expected offensive production compared to other first basemen falls drastically short of the elite class.

If Buster Posey wants to catch and is healthy enough to catch, he should be catching. His value is as a catcher. Would you rather have potentially the best catcher in baseball or a slightly above average first baseman?

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/san-francisco-giants/buster-poseys-value-is-highest-as-a-catcher/

I have an interview for a writing job tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:03:01 -0700

May the odds be ever in your favor.

what do you think about the Warriors trading for not only their own first round draft pick back, but for Utah's first rounder as well?

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 20:02:29 -0700

When I heard Lacob mention getting their first rounder back from Utah (without losing), I didn’t understand it. With what assets are they going to get that pick back? Curry? Bogut? Thompson? No, no, and no. They don’t have any other assets beyond that.

I can't believe you got a Selena Gomez reference in while talking about the Warriors.

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 18:27:43 -0700

What can I say, I like Selena Gomez.

The Benefit of the Warriors Losing Their First Round Pick

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:34:28 -0700

The Tank Express movement is in full force. With each stop, like at Oracle Arena last night against the Lakers, the train picks up a few more riders. However, the Warriors have dug themselves a three-win deficit in the Top-Seven Sweepstakes, which makes losing their draft pick an all too realistic possibility, no matter how tough their April schedule is.

With that said, what impact player would the Warriors pick at seven if they do keep their pick? Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist will be long gone. Andre Drummond will be gone. Thomas Robinson too. That potentially leaves guys like Harrison Barnes, Bradley Beal, Jeremy Lamb, Jared Sullinger, Perry Jones III and a few other good, but not great prospects. (I share the same concerns as everybody else about Harrison Barnes. He isn’t extremely explosive, he doesn’t get to the hole, and he disappears in big games. However, I still feel like he will be a better professional player than a collegiate player with the wide-open nature of the NBA.)

Intuitively, it’s almost always better to have a pick than to not have a pick, but playing devil’s advocate for a second, at what point does ridding themselves of the trade for Marcus Williams’ fat corpse become more beneficial than the seventh pick in the 2012 draft?

The conditional nature of the draft pick that extends over a multi-year period is what is potentially haunting the Warriors. The NBA doesn’t allow a team to trade first round picks in back-to-back seasons, which means that until the Warriors pay out their debt to Utah via New Jersey, they can’t trade their first round pick.

Here are the conditions of the trade: the pick in 2012 is top-seven protected, as previously outlined. In 2013 and also in 2014, the pick is top-six protected. If the Warriors haven’t paid out by 2014, the pick becomes second rounders in 2014 and 2016.

In short, the Warriors can’t trade their 2013 first round pick because they might be trading their 2012 pick and they can’t trade their 2014 pick because they might be trading their 2013 pick. Marcus Williams could potentially be haunting the Warriors five years after he last stepped foot on an NBA court.

If the Warriors do have their first round pick this June, it’s going to be like the Dwight Howard situation. Since Dwight only opted into the final year of his contract instead of signing an extension, this year’s season-long drama will be on re-peat-peat-peat-peat-peat next season. If all goes well for the Warriors next season – Andrew Bogut and Stephen Curry are healthy- keeping their top-six protected first round will be an afterthought. However, if injuries pile up again, the Tank Express will pick up even more steam in hopes of keeping their top-six protected pick in 2013.

At some point, it’s possible that the flexibility of being able to trade a first round pick outweighs the benefit of having their top-seven pick this season. If nothing else, it’s something to think about – especially since with every meaningless win, losing that pick becomes more of a reality.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/golden-state-warriors/the-ghost-of-marcus-williams/

Let the Fun Begin: 2012 MLB Over/Unders

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:33:32 -0700

No rooting interest in the NCAA Tournament? Join a pool. No rooting interest in the Super Bowl? Buy a few squares at work or bet on the National Anthem. No interest in baseball and/or no interest in any team other than your team? Like everything else, bet on it.

A huge knock on baseball is the way it’s covered. ESPN turns into the Yankees and Red Sox Programming Network during baseball season and in short, nobody on the West Coast really cares. Like, at all. How do you fix that? You guessed it, bet on it.

On New Years Day 2011, my cousin, Grant, and I made a 20-year bet on the Yankees and Red Sox. The line for combined World Series titles between the Yankees and Red Sox was set at an agreed upon 5. I have the over. Now, Terry Francona popping pills like “The Situation” from Jersey Shore? Fascinating. Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and co. drinking beers during games? What in the hell is going on out there in Title Town? Alex Rodriguez went to Germany to get treatment on his knee and shoulder? Thank you, Kobe! (You’re Welcome #KobeSystem).

I care about Carl Crawford’s rehabilitation. I care about Joba Chamberlain having his leg amputated after jumping on a trampoline with his kids. I actually care about the Yankees and Red Sox - all thanks to money.

So sure, whether you’re a Giants fan or an A’s fan, Opening Day is right around the corner. I can’t wait until Tim Lincecum takes the hill in Arizona. I can’t wait to see Buster Posey take his first at-bat since getting trampled by Scott Cousins. I can’t wait to see Brandon Belt in the three-hole in Fresno. Wait a second…

But I also can’t wait to see Justin Upton step into the box. I can’t wait to see that god-awful monstrosity also known as a home run display to go off in Marlins Park after a Hanley Ramirez home run. Because I have money on it.

I did it with the Super Bowl and less profitably with March Madness, so here are my 2012 Baseball Over/Unders. Because everything is more interesting with money on it.

Curtis Granderson Over 29.5 Home Runs

Curtis Granderson is a dead pull hitter (37 of his 41 home runs in 2011 were to the right of dead center), which is tailor made for the short porch in Yankee Stadium. Interestingly, though, he also hit 20 home runs on the road last season. Betting the under is essentially saying that Granderson’s 2011 was a fluke and there will be a regression of epic proportions in 2012 (think Adam Dunn). But even if there is a decent-sized regression, I still have 11 home runs of wiggle room. Taking his development as a hitter into consideration, as well as the fact that he has topped the 29 home run mark in two of the last three seasons, I see no reason but to bet the over. In size.

Matt Kemp Over 29.5 Home Runs

Before last season, Kemp predicted he would go 40-40. He fell one home run short of doing just that. This season, he’s calling his shot like Babe Ruth in the 1932 World Series: 50-50. Even as a Giants fan, his talent is undeniable. The only things that can keep him under this number are injuries and Rihanna. Tebow, I hope I lose this bet.

Justin Upton Over 29.5 Home Runs

29.5 seems to be the magic number this year. Of the three bets, I like this one the least even though Upton is my favorite non-Giants player. If healthy, this bet is a winner. He is coming off a breakout season in which he was fourth in NL MVP voting and he’s only 24 years old entering the prime of his career. But he is rarely healthy. In his first three full seasons leading up to last season, he played 108, 138, and 133 games, respectively. If he can stay healthy and keep that contact rate at or above what it was last season, this bet is going over. However, those are big ifs and my wager size will be indicative of those concerns.

Adrian Gonzalez Over 32 Home Runs

According to Matthew Berry, Adrian Gonzalez hasn’t been completely healthy in two seasons. With that said, he still hit 58 home runs combined. Now that he’s completely healthy, I’m expecting the kind of numbers we saw in 2008 and 2009, but adjusted to playing at Fenway Park for half of his games.

Hanley Ramirez Over 21.5 Home Runs

Like Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez’ talent is undeniable. Now that he’s said to be happy, healthy, and hungry (figuratively), he looks primed to return to his 2008 form. Others are skeptical, and rightfully so, but I expect big things from Hanley in 2012.

Tim Lincecum Over 14.5 Wins

It really can’t get worse for the Giants’ offense than it was in 2011 when the Giants scored an astoundingly low 570 runs. If the Giants’ offense can improve only marginally, I think Tim Lincecum will be a 15+ win pitcher in 2012 like he was in each of his first three full Major League seasons.

Arizona Diamondbacks Over 86 Wins

I just think the Diamondbacks are a very good team. They’re deep and even better on paper than last season’s 94-win team with the additions of Jason Kubel and Trevor Cahill. There might be a little bit of a let down after potentially overachieving last season, but it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if they won the National League pennant.

New York Yankees Over 93.5 Wins

The Yankees needed more horses in the rotation. Now they have them. With the additions of Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda, to go along with CC Sabathia and Ivan Nova, starting pitching shouldn’t be an issue this season. I also like the fact that winning your division is of utmost importance now that there are two Wild Card winners that have to play in a one-game playoff. The Yankees will have the petal to the metal all season.

TampaBay Rays Over 87 Wins

With David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson, Matt Moore, and Wade Davis in the rotation, with Joe Madden (whose teams always seem to overachieve), and the fact that Evan Longoria still hasn’t had an MVP caliber season, chalk them up for 88+ wins.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/san-francisco-giants/let-the-fun-begin-2012-mlb-overunders/

Thoughts from 30,000 Feet

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 19:07:37 -0700

I’m currently on a five-hour flight from Oakland to Hawaii. When you’re trapped on a plane sitting next to people that apparently never learned about personal space, a lot of things tend to go through your head. I’ve thought about how much I’d pay to forgo the rest of this flight and be in Hawaii (like a time machine) and I’m at $100. That number goes up every time this dude next to me bumps me with his Buster Posey-esque leg.

Side story: Last Monday, while the fans were booing Joe Lacob, I was having a game-long battle for arm rest territory. There was a stranger on my right and she had her friend on her right. But she didn’t lean toward her friend; she leaned toward my right arm rest. Yes, mine. Maybe I’m just stubborn (or just bored during that pathetic first half showing), but I decided some time before the National Anthem that that arm rest was going to be mine. That girl would not budge. It was like Olajuwon and Shaq battling for post position in the 1995 NBA Finals - elbow nudges and slight body movements to get the upper hand. It was a 12-round classic, but I won by unanimous decision.

Brandon Belt

If one of the Giants’ best hitters and only blue chip prospect (I’ll give you Gary Brown if you want) doesn’t have a spot in the Opening Day lineup because of one (potentially two) marginal upgrades in the outfield, it will just be another case of #BochyLogic - especially since the Giants scored the second fewest runs in all of baseball last season.

As my Bay Area Ball colleague (@RoneFace) put it, “It’s not like Belt puts up great numbers in Triple A, Winter Ball, and Spring Training. There’s no consistency.”

He’s obviously being facetious, but his sarcastic tone emphasizes how truly ludicrous it would be if Belt isn’t starting in Arizona on Opening Day.

ESPN writer and former Blue Jays’ scout, Keith Law, was asked if he’d rather have Brandon Belt or Freddie Freeman, the runner up in the 2011 Rookie of the Year voting. He responded, “Belt, easily.”

But Belt might not even crack the Opening Day lineup for this anemic offensive team?

The drink cart comes around three times on this five-hour flight. They just used two of them in the first 75 minutes. That’s like consuming an obscene amount of alcohol at Oracle Arena and vomiting by halftime. There is a limit. Spread it out for optimal effectiveness and enjoyment.

The Brow

What can Brow do for you? Well, he dominates defensively and on the glass, and shows the offensive potential to be a perennial All-Star for the next decade. Between Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-GilCHRIST, Terrence Jones, Marquis Teague, and Doron Lamb, this team is oozing first round picks. They are appointment television. And right now, while Kentucky is playing Baylor for a birth in the Final Four, I’m stuck on this plane next to Thunder Thighs. I didn’t take the Kentucky game into consideration when I came up with the $100 figure. I’d pay $20 to watch that game right now so bump it up to $120.

I guess it isn’t the end of the world. I’ll still be able to watch this game and every other Kentucky victory from this season get forfeited in a couple years.

Sweaty Scenario

The Warriors have a daunting April schedule as I outlined last week. They play 16 games in 26 days. 12 of them are on the road, and the only below .500 teams they play are Portland, Minnesota (on the last of a back-to-back-to-back), and New Orleans. If I had to set an over/under for April victories, I’d set it at 2.5 and would lean under. However, I still don’t think the Warriors will lose enough games to end up in the bottom seven to keep their first round pick.

But imagine this for a second: the Warriors end up tied for seventh worst. They lose the coin toss leaving them with the eighth-best chance to win the lottery (and in grave danger of losing their first round pick). And then the unthinkable happens and they win the lottery.

Can you imagine the whirlwind of emotions within that stretch from tie-breaker to draft lottery? It would be sort of like when Boston had the worst record, lost out on a chance at Greg Oden and Kevin Durant because of the ping pong balls, but then traded for one of the best power forwards and shooters in league history, vaulting them from cellar dweller into the NBA’s elite.

A better example was when Washington was tied with the Warriors for the fourth-worst record, lost the tie-breaker, and ended up winning the John Wall Sweepstakes.

Or the Warriors could just lose their pick and the world can continue rotating on its axis like usual.

The elderly flight attendant just talked about sticking tips down her shirt. Aaaand that’s my cue to go to sleep.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/san-francisco-giants/thoughts-from-30000-feet/

How did your girls basketball team do last week?

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 11:32:28 -0700

Both teams played hard.

Buster Posey's Home/Road Splits

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:01:00 -0700

When looking at statistics, sample size is everything. If Andris Biedrins made the first two free throws of his NBA career, you can’t conclude that he is a good free throw shooter. There needs to be a bigger sample size. Obviously. So when looking at Buster Posey’s home/road splits, I acknowledge that over the last two seasons (2009 excluded due to sporadic playing time) he only has a little over 500 career at-bats.

With that said, his home/road splits are interesting. Let’s take a look at his slash lines by season.

Batting average / On-base percentage / Slugging percentage

2010

Home: .258 / .304 / .419

Road: .351 / .406 / .587

2011

Home: .242 / .373 / .323

Road: .310 / .364 / .430

In his career, he is hitting 84 points higher on the road, his on-base percentage is astonishingly higher on the road, and there is a bigger disparity in slugging percentage than 2010 Aubrey Huff v. 2011 Aubrey Huff.

In 2011, Aubrey Huff slugged .370 and was one of the worst starting first basemen in baseball. Posey’s slugging percentage at home is .388. In 2010, Aubrey Huff slugged .506. He was seventh in MVP voting. Posey’s slugging percentage on the road is .536.

It’s possible that the numbers can simply be attributed toAT&TPark. AT&T is a notorious pitcher’s park so the splits seem fairly intuitive. If you look at the other Giants’ players, however, the picture becomes a little murkier.

Over the last three seasons, Pablo Sandoval has faired much better atAT&TPark.

Home: .336 / .382 / .537

Road: .273 / .331 / .467

In Aubrey Huff’s two seasons with the Giants, he has been much more productive on the road.

Freddy Sanchez, has had one better year at home (2010) and one better year on the road (2011).

It is entirely possible that these “trends” are just year-to-year fluctuations. It’s possible that these numbers aren’t representative of anything because the sample size might not be large enough. I don’t know what the threshold for at-bats is until the numbers do become representative, but we might not be there yet with Posey.

Regardless, it will be interesting to keep an eye on his splits on his road back to recovery.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/san-francisco-giants/buster-poseys-homeroad-splits/

Cheez-It Party Mix v. Gardettos

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:48:40 -0700

I just wanted to post this so I can laugh at it when I’m old.

[11:36] jrichordieflyin: name a better snack than the balls in cheez-it party mix

[11:37] grantmiz1: pleaseee

[11:37] grantmiz1: gardettos and its not close

[11:38] jrichordieflyin: lmaooooo

[11:38] jrichordieflyin: thats like saying dorell wright is the next lebron james

[11:38] grantmiz1: wow

[11:39] grantmiz1: cheez-it party mix wishes it was gardettos

[11:39] jrichordieflyin: like, dorell is alright, he’s good enough when you’re hungry, but if you have a choice, you go with lebron without thinking twice

[11:40] grantmiz1: i agree that lebron is better than dorrell

[11:40] jrichordieflyin: cheez-it party mix is the lebron of snacks

[11:41] grantmiz1: definitely not

[11:41] grantmiz1: ask 20 people what the best snack is

[11:41] jrichordieflyin: blashphemous

[11:41] grantmiz1: under 5 will say cheez-it party mix

[11:41] jrichordieflyin: zero will say gardettos

[11:41] jrichordieflyin: most wont even know what gardettos are

[11:42] grantmiz1: i never said gardettos are the lebron of snacks

[11:42] grantmiz1: but it is the bes

[11:42] grantmiz1: *best

[11:42] grantmiz1: that makes sense ^

[11:42] jrichordieflyin: no it doesnt

[11:42] grantmiz1: yes, 90% of the world population may not know what gardettos are

[11:42] grantmiz1: that doesn’t mean gardettos are not the best

[11:43] grantmiz1: that makes sense

[11:44] jrichordieflyin: but im not referring to lebron in the sense that he’s known

[11:44] jrichordieflyin: im just using lebron as the pinnacle of snacks

[11:45] grantmiz1: there’s no weak link in gardettos

[11:45] grantmiz1: you know the rice crackers you get at costco, there’s weak links in there

[11:46] grantmiz1: the seasoning

[11:46] grantmiz1: perfect

[11:47] jrichordieflyin: the dark ones

[11:47] jrichordieflyin: weak link

[11:47] jrichordieflyin: no racism

[11:47] grantmiz1: the hard ones?

[11:48] jrichordieflyin: yes

[11:48] grantmiz1: you just have to keep those in your mouth a few seconds longer

[11:48] jrichordieflyin: pause

[11:49] grantmiz1: lolllll

[11:49] grantmiz1: can’t just start chomping away at those

[11:49] jrichordieflyin: which means you have to pick through the bag when you eat

[11:49] jrichordieflyin: dont have to do that with party mix

[11:50] jrichordieflyin: unless youre in the mood for a perfect pretzel over a perfect cheez-it

[11:50] grantmiz1: cheez-its are gay

[11:50] grantmiz1: poor man’s gold fish

[11:50] jrichordieflyin: wowwwww.

[11:51] jrichordieflyin: cheez-its are about as gay as derek jeter

[11:52] grantmiz1: wrong

[11:53] jrichordieflyin: that’s your opinion

[11:53] jrichordieflyin: but it’s a wrong opinion

[11:54] grantmiz1: i’m just saying my weakest link is better than your weakest linnk

[11:54] jrichordieflyin: but i thought there wasnt a weakest link

[11:54] jrichordieflyin: but say there is

[11:54] jrichordieflyin: and mine is worse than yours

[11:55] jrichordieflyin: my top picks are better than yours

[11:55] jrichordieflyin: id rather have a bunch of top 5 picks every year with a couple at of the first round once in a while than a bunch of picks at the back end of the lottery

[11:56] jrichordieflyin: at the end of the first round*

[11:56] grantmiz1: I completely agree with that ^

[11:57] jrichordieflyin: party mix is the top 5 picks

[11:57] jrichordieflyin: youre picking guys like patrick o’bryant in the mid-lottery

[11:57] jrichordieflyin: with a few guys like paul pierce falling to you once in a while

[11:58] jrichordieflyin: you’re solid, but im hand picking guys like dwight, rose, lebron, and durant.

[11:59] grantmiz1: but you’re led by cheez its

[11:59] grantmiz1: cheez it party mix

[11:59] jrichordieflyin: ill take the jr giddens every once in a while if im picking from those guys most of the time

[11:59] jrichordieflyin: you dont even have a lead

[11:59] jrichordieflyin: you’re the denver nuggets

[12:00] jrichordieflyin: solid, but no lead guy

[12:01] grantmiz1: the cheez it is your leader?

[12:01] jrichordieflyin: yes, a great leader

[12:01] jrichordieflyin: a hall of fame leader

[12:02] grantmiz1: he’s always on the block

[12:02] grantmiz1: gold fish can step in and do what he does

[12:02] grantmiz1: tomorrow

[12:02] jrichordieflyin: sure, exchange lebron for durant and i’m still a contender

[12:02] jrichordieflyin: you have fun with ty lawson

[12:03] grantmiz1: all these assumptions

[12:03] jrichordieflyin: who’s your leader then?

[12:03] jrichordieflyin: who’s going to take the last shot?

[12:03] grantmiz1: sort of like a pick your poison type of thing

[12:04] jrichordieflyin: but that poison isn’t potent

[12:04] grantmiz1: opinion

[12:04] jrichordieflyin: the right opinion

[12:04] grantmiz1: in your opinion

[12:05] jrichordieflyin: so you acknowledge that you don’t have a go-to guy

[12:06] jrichordieflyin: I know it isn’t pretzels, because i have his better twin on my team

[12:06] jrichordieflyin: i have blake griffin, you have taylor griffin

[12:07] grantmiz1: if i had to pick one

[12:07] grantmiz1: its the sesame seed dough chip

[12:08] jrichordieflyin: lmaooo. that’s like having monta ellis as your go-to guy

[12:09] jrichordieflyin: always going to be an argument over if he’s the right guy. does he need to go. is he too small. is the team better in somebody elses hands

[12:10] grantmiz1: ^ that is all true about monta ellis

[12:10] grantmiz1: i agree

[12:10] jrichordieflyin: and the sesame seed chip is monta ellis

[12:12] jrichordieflyin: if sesame seed chip is your go-to guy, your team has a ceiling that mini me could touch

[12:15] grantmiz1: i could say your leader, cheez it, is like al harrington

[12:16] grantmiz1: always on the block

[12:16] grantmiz1: looking for a home

[12:16] jrichordieflyin: but you’d be wrong. cheez it has been in the game and thrived for decades

[12:16] grantmiz1: thrived?

[12:16] jrichordieflyin: thrived

[12:17] jrichordieflyin: perennial all-snack team

[12:17] grantmiz1: nope

[12:20] grantmiz1: ask anyone if they want cheez-its or gold fish

[12:21] grantmiz1: 50-50 split

[12:21] jrichordieflyin: its a kobe vs lebron argument though

[12:21] jrichordieflyin: not choosing between gallinari or lawson

[12:22] grantmiz1: pleasee

[12:23] grantmiz1: cheez its are like wheat things

[12:23] grantmiz1: *thins

[12:23] grantmiz1: can’t really get excited

[12:24] jrichordieflyin: similar, except for the fact that cheez its are good

[12:24] jrichordieflyin: youre getting excited about some sesame seed chip thing?

[12:24] jrichordieflyin: thats like saying, “im excited for the pistons to come to town”

[12:26] jrichordieflyin: all i know is one of your best players has a better twin that plays for my team

[12:26] jrichordieflyin: my team has a lead-dog

[12:26] jrichordieflyin: that is proven

[12:26] jrichordieflyin: and has an up and comer in the puffy ball ready to take the torch when cheez it is ready

[12:27] grantmiz1: kevin o’shea said puffed=wimp

[12:27] grantmiz1: and he won the heisman

[12:28] jrichordieflyin: lmaooo. after i read that, i just imagined dirk yelling, “shut it downnnn! let’s go hoooooooome!”

[12:29] jrichordieflyin: alright, i guess we’ll end it with that

[12:29] jrichordieflyin: ill see you in the finals…if you make it that far

[12:29] jrichordieflyin: gotta go to work

[12:29] jrichordieflyin: later

[12:29] grantmiz1: later

[12:30] grantmiz1: gg

Snap Reaction to the Stephen Jackson Trade

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:26:00 -0700

Trade Summary: The Warriors trade Stephen Jackson to San Antonio for Richard Jefferson and a 1st round pick.

By trading Stephen Jackson for Richard Jefferson and a first round pick, the Warriors committed to an extra $11M in salary in 2013. This is another example of the new ownership’s willingness to spend money to try to improve the team (buying the rights to Jeremy Tyler, as another example).
Ideally, this trade would give the Warriors a first round pick in the mid-20s, a pick 1-7, and New Jersey’s earlier second rounder via the Troy Murphy trade in the upcoming draft. (Edit: The Warriors also bought a second round pick from Atlanta.)
The Warriors might not have been huge players in free agency anyway after next season even with Jackson’s contract expiring (assuming the roster stayed the same), so taking on the extra year of Jefferson’s contract (player option) for a first round pick was worth it.
By my quick math, the Warriors had (prior to the acquisition of Jefferson) approximately $40M committed after next season to only four players. And that $40M doesn’t include Stephen Curry’s extension, which would put them at $50M+ with eight other players to sign. Draft picks and other players making more than the minimum puts them much closer to the $58M cap threshold, giving them less money to throw at free agents.
The Warriors essentially traded Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown for Andrew Bogut, Richard Jefferson, and a first round pick - with the Warriors’ first rounder still as the huge wildcard. Like I mentioned on Tuesday, the low ceiling that the Warriors previously had with their flawed core was raised after the Bogut trade. After this trade, while probably only marginally, the ceiling today is even higher.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/golden-state-warriors/snap-reaction-to-the-stephen-jackson-trade/

Snap Reaction to the Monta Ellis Trade

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:20:00 -0700

Trade summary: Warriors trade Monta Ellis, Ekpe Udoh, and Kwame Brown in exchange for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson

If the Warriors are going to take on Stephen Jackson’s contract AND trade Ekpe Udoh, then how could they not unload Andris Biedrins’ contract? Regardless, I still think the Warriors made the right move.
Andrew Bogut hasn’t played 70+ games in four seasons, but when healthy, he’s potentially a top 5 center and exactly what the Warriors need. His injury history is a huge question mark, but it was worth the gamble. Put it this way, if the Warriors didn’t trade Monta to get Bogut, how were the Warriors going to be able to get their impact big guy?
The Warriors weren’t going to get an impact big without flaws, whether it’s contract wise (Dwight Howard) or injury (Bogut). Monta Ellis is a damn good player, but teams aren’t looking to trade impact, under contract, injury-free bigs for undersized two-guards.
It aides the tanking process. Hopefully, the Warriors lose enough games in the final month and a half to keep their pick. If they don’t, I don’t see them being players in the draft or in free agency since Kwame Brown’s expiring contract was in the trade.
I wanted the Warriors to trade either Monta and/or Curry. I felt that indecision was in fact a decision. They weren’t necessarily losing games because of their backcourt, but they weren’t winning enough with them either. A decision had to be made and they finally made one.
Their core of Curry-Ellis-Lee was flawed. As is, they had a ceiling that a midget could touch. If they can keep their pick this season, with a healthy Bogut next season, that ceiling gets raised.
It is now Stephen Curry’s team. Although I would shut Curry down for the rest of the season, next year it is his team. Warriors fans, including myself, have been calling for this to happen since his rookie season. It’s his shot and he needs to take advantage.
With Curry, Thompson, Lee, and Bogut next season, that automatically upgrades their defense, rebounding, and post scoring. If they have their pick, even better.

I can see why this trade will upset some Warriors fans. They are essentially throwing in the towel on the season. Monta was also a fan favorite and will probably go down as one of the most under-appreciated players in Warriors history. But if you look at it from a broader perspective, it gives the Warriors the potential to win more games in the future than the previous flawed team.

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/golden-state-warriors/snap-reaction-to-the-warriors-trading-monta-ellis/

Tim Lincecum's Regression

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:52:20 -0800

http://www.bayareaball.com/teams/san-francisco-giants/tim-lincecums-regression/

Little League

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 21:44:20 -0800

I went to a Little League game the other day just to relive some memories and watch some kids play baseball. There are a few things that I realized while watching:

I will never be a typical Little League dad. I’m never going to stand behind the plate giving pointers to my kid when he’s batting. I’m never going to scream, “See ball, hit ball” or “Gotta protect!” I’m just going to sit there in the stands and not utter a peep. My kid is going to get it though when we get home if he goes down looking. Sorta kidding.
If you name your kid Skyler, he is not going to be a good baseball player. I mean, if you’re a parent, give your kid a chance.
Bruh, you’re the manager of 10 year olds. You’re not managing the Yankees. Quit trying to act like you do.
When you’re the third base coach and you’re screaming at your kid who is hitting, I’m guessing it’s not very effective. Save the reaming for when you’re home. In the mean time, let your damn kid hit.

Essentially, let the kids play. I mean, it is about the kids.They’re going to make mistakes. They’re going to swing at pitches over their heads. They’re going to boot routine ground balls. Shit happens, man. Just don’t be so up in their asses that they’re afraid to make mistakes. If a kid swings and misses and then immediately looks at their dad to see what his reaction is, something is wrong.