The Dodgers hold on for a 2-1 win as Pat Burrell homers in the top of the ninth to cut the lead in half, but that’s all the runs the Giants get. Clayton Kershaw pitched brilliantly for the win, and the Giants basically lose on an unearned run. The game was pretty much what you […]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:03 pm | Games, Management, Opening Day | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
Poor Timing
The Dodgers put nine batters on via a hit, walk or hit by pitch in seven innings against Tim Lincecum. All they have to show for it is one run, despite three errors and a passed ball by the Giants. That’s what happens when the hits are spread out and all of them are singles. […]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:22 pm | Games, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Just a Little to do With Baseball
As Tim Lincecum and Clayton Kershaw trade scoreless innings, you’ll get a good laugh if you click through to this article about the Dodger Stadium Express and hold the mouse over the picture of the woman throwing out the first pitch.
Posted by David Pinto at 9:40 pm | Humor, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Still Weaving
Jered Weaver picked up where he left off 2010. He struck out six and walked two in pitching 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Royals. He struck out 9.3 per nine innings in 2010, walking 2.2 per nine. With a better team behind him last season, Jered would have been a good Cy Young candidate. […]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:16 pm | Games, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Infield Defense
The new Padres infield performed very well this afternoon as they turned four double plays against the Cardinals, two 4-6-3 and two 6-4-3. Fifteen Cardinals batters reached by a hit or walk, but four of them were erased by the double plays, and one was lost to a caught stealing. That helped hold St. Louis […]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:01 pm | Defense, Games | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Maybe Maybin
Down to their last out, Cameron Maybin homers to the batter’s eye in centerfield to tie the Cardinals at three. Maybin hasn’t show much power in his career, slugging just .380 and .361 last season. That was a shot, however.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:50 pm | Games, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Two Sluggers are Better than One
Albert Pujols went 0 for 4 so far today with two GIDPs. Luckily, the Cardinals own another slugger. Matt Holliday came into the bottom of the eighth against the Padres with two singles on the day. He took a low pitch from Mike Adams the other way, and it bounced on the top of the […]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:42 pm | Games, Players | Permalink | 2 Comments
March 31, 2011
Ethier’s Power
At Baseball Analytics, I look at the difference in Andre Ethier‘s power at home and on the road.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:24 pm | Players | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
Two or Nothing
With men on first and second and no one out in the bottom of the ninth, Scott Rolen hits a slow roller to Casey McGehee at third. He doesn’t have time to go around the horn, so Casey tries to tag the runner, who evades the ball. McGehee’s throw to first is late, and everyone […]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:17 pm | Defense, Games, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Nailing the Padres
Chris Carpenter is perfect through three innings against San Diego as the Cardinals hold on to a 1-0 lead. Chris only struck out one so far. Meanwhle, Jered Weaver has retired the first eight Royals batters in a scoreless game. Update: Weaver walks the number nine hitter, Chris Getz. Update: Getz gets thrown out stealing, […]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:55 pm | Games, Opening Day, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Three for Colby
Colby Rasmus hits a one-out triple in the bottom of the first to get the Cardinals on the hit board against the Padres. That brings up Albert Pujols with an RBI opportunity. Tim Stauffer starts Albert up and inside with heat, and eventually gets him to pop out in foul territory to hold the runner. […]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:30 pm | Games, Opening Day, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Hurtin’ Vernon
Vernon Wells gets hit in his first plate appearance as an Angel. That loads the bases with two out, but a ground ball ends the inning as baseball gets underway in Kansas City.
Posted by David Pinto at 4:23 pm | Games, Opening Day, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Perfect Pen
The Yankees bullpen worked perfectly today, with Joba Chamberlain, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera retiring all nine batters they faced, striking out three of them. The Yankees win the game against the Tigers 6-3. With a pen this strong, New York hopes to shorten games to six innings, and they did that today. Chamberlain gets […]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:15 pm | Games, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Pitching in Washington
The Braves chalk up the first win of the major league season with a 2-0 victory over the Nationals. Both teams collected five hits and a double, but Atlanta added a Jason Heyward home run. Braves pitchers struck out nine Nationals, included six by Derek Lowe in 5 2/3 innings. Lowe doesn’t usually come across […]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:45 pm | Games, Pitchers | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
Winning the Trade
Phil Coke comes in to face Curtis Granderson to start the bottom of the seventh, Coke relieving Justin Verlander. Phil and Curtis were traded for each other, and Curtis wins the trade today, homering off Phil to put the Yankees on top 4-3. With Austin Jackson striking out three times and Curtis making two nice […]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:32 pm | Games, Pitchers, Players | Permalink | 2 Comments
March 31, 2011
A-Rod Doesn’t Hustle
Alex Rodriguez hit a ball off the wall to the right of centerfield for a double. Unfortunately, he thought it was gone, and wasn’t busting it out of the box. The ball got away from Jackson in center, and I’m thinking triple, but Alex just coasted into second. With the score tied at three and […]
Posted by David Pinto at 3:09 pm | Games, Players | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
Starting Off with a Bang
Rickie Weeks starts the Brewers off right with a home run to leftfield off Edinson Volquez of the Reds. Another outstanding season by Weeks, will help take the Brewers a long way. Carlos Gomez follows with a home run as well. It was about in the same direction, but where Weeks’s shot just cleared the […]
Posted by David Pinto at 2:16 pm | Games, Opening Day, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Unexpected Steal
Russell Martin just stole third. The throw got there in plenty of time, but it was low and Inge had to smother it. Mark Teixeira makes the steal moot, however, as he hits the next pitch for a three-run homer and a 3-1 Yankees lead over the Tigers in the bottom of the third. Martin […]
Posted by David Pinto at 2:10 pm | Games, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
AL First
Miguel Cabrera singles for the first hit in the American League this year, and Victor Martinez follows with the first hit off a diving Jeter’s glove to put two on with none out in the second for the Tigers. Update: The Tigers score the first AL run on a bases loaded, sacrifice fly by Jhonny […]
Posted by David Pinto at 1:38 pm | Games, Players | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
Heyward Does it Again
For the second year in a row, Jason Heyward homers in his first plate appearance of the season. His shot gives the Braves a 2-0 lead over the Nationals. He’s another Kaz Matsui.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:35 pm | Games, Opening Day, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Waiting on Justin
The Yankees don’t score in the bottom of the first, but they did a good job of making Justin Verlander work. The first five hitters worked two walks as they showed great selectivity, forcing a slightly wild pitcher to throw 31 pitches. Verlander did strike out two, but that inning might go out as training […]
Posted by David Pinto at 1:33 pm | Games, Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
First Pitch
Livan Hernandez makes the first pitch of the season to Martin Prado. It’s a called strike, and baseball is under way. Update: CC Sabathia starts Austin Jackson off with a called strike as well. Update: Prado grounds out to end the first PA of the season. Update: Sabathia strikes out Jackson on a swing and […]
Posted by David Pinto at 1:09 pm | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Charting the Day
Flip Flop Fly Ballin’ provides some cool charts on opening day locations, temperatures and attendance.
Posted by David Pinto at 12:54 pm | Opening Day | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Long Term Wade
The Rays locked up pitcher Wade Davis through 2014, with three option years. The contract, which contains three club option years (2015-17), guarantees Davis $12.6 million. If the Rays exercise the three option years, the 25-year-old Davis will make approximately $35.1 million. If all the options are exercised, the Rays would have bought out Davis’s […]
Posted by David Pinto at 12:26 pm | Pitchers, Transactions | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
I Wonder if he Knows Casey at the Bat?
Just as we are sure Rob Wilfong, there’s no doubt Detroit’s opening day second baseman Will Rhymes.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:54 am | Humor, Players | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Talking Baseball
Ryan O’Hanlon and Nick Lehr talk baseball, with this interesting take on the Bonds trial: While you’d like to hope people would focus solely on what’s happening between the lines—and it should be plenty interesting—I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to some good ol’ off-field drama. Like a tweener hotly anticipating […]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:41 am | Baseball, Fans | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Working Harder
Matt Gelb explains how Cole Hamels became a harder worker between starts, both on and off the field, after his poor 2009 season. Hamels bought a notebook at the behest of Moyer. He saw Roy Halladay’s meticulous notes and created his own system. The meetings with Ruiz became regular. His four days between starts became […]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:40 am | Pitchers | Permalink | 1 Comment
March 31, 2011
KC Crystal Ball
Royal Revival makes predictions about the upcoming season in Kansas City. Alcides Escobar will save the Royals 13 runs with his glove. He will also hit for a line of .272/.310/.379. Mostly, they seem pretty realistic.
Posted by David Pinto at 10:06 am | Predictions | Permalink | No Comments
March 31, 2011
Opening Day Music
I used to love to hear this song come on the radio on my way to Fenway Park for the Red Sox home opener: Watching the video just now, I realized it’s a four minute version of Ken Burns Baseball, and thoroughly more enjoyable. WBCN in Boston usually played this one, too.
Posted by David Pinto at 10:00 am | Music, Opening Day | Permalink | 4 Comments
March 31, 2011
Always Epic
Don Walker notes MLB is releasing a series on unconventional advertisements this year, under the theme, “Always Epic.” I seem to remember Roger Clemens throwing at milk bottles a long time ago, but the ninjas living in Brian Wilson’s beard are pretty cool. I like that MLB is focusing on individual players, they’ve avoided that […]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:29 am | Advertising | Permalink | No Comments