It's been a while since I have done one of these, so I figure it's time. Two quick points before I start this edition of "Around the Candlestick":
1.) Interested to see how this road trip will go (I am always nervous when we play the Marlins).
2.) Disappointing that the Cleveland Cavs might actually lose in the second round of the NBA Playoffs. Celtics could have pulled out game one and they annihilated in game two, and that was in Cleveland. LeBron (who is my favorite NBA player) may just be one of those players who might be jinxed in terms of winning a title (e.g. John Stockton, Karl Malone, Baron Davis...okay not Baron).
New Additions to the Giants Blogroll
There are some new faces to the Blogroll here at Remember '51. Crazy Crabbers, Grizzlies-Baseball, 22 Gigantes, Keith's Sports Journal, Bay Area Sports Guy and Golden Gate Giants are all new arrivals to the blogroll since the last edition of Around the Candlestick. Must say, they are all impressive blogs. Definitely check them out if you're looking for more Giants news and commentary.
Dodgerhater in Los Angeles and at Dodger Stadium
The Dodgerhater (run by Dan Pera) recently was in LA and visited Chavez Ravine. It's safe to say that he didn't enjoy his trip very much. He provides a good little diary of a Dodger game he went to and how the Dodgers and their fans (whom I don't like even more after this...I mean, c'mon! How many times do you catch a game ball?) tested his patience every step of the way. If you aren't familiar with the Dodgerhater blog and his feelings about the Bums, well...let's just say there's about as much love between them as Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson.
Good stuff, as always, from the Dodgerhater blog.
Dave Roberts Diagnosed With Lymphoma
I know on this blog I can be hard on guys. I criticize management (Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy) and players (Eugenio Velez and Aaron Rowand) all the time. That being said, despite my avid biases of players and people within the Giants organization, I am human.
Roberts may not have turned out well as a Giant. He unfortunately was given too big of a contract and he was simply near the end of the road in his career to produce much. It simply proved to be an unfortunate match of Roberts and the Giants, and one in a long line of Sabean's "not so great moves" as general manager.
However, Roberts definitely deserves some thoughts and support as he goes through treatment of Hodgkin's lymphoma. Despite never really panning out on the field, Roberts was a class act off of it and he deserves nothing but positive hope right now from Giants nation.
Fred Lewis and Blue Jays Update
If you haven't checked out the Blue Jays blogroll on the Remember '51 page, definitely do so. It may not be the Giants, but the Jays blogs really are pretty cool to check out. My personal favorite is 1 Blue Jays Way, which was one of the first Blue Jays blogs I started to follow, pre-Fred Lewis trade/giveaway.
Speaking of Fred, how's he doing so far as a Jay? Well, not awesome, but he's starting to turn it around and he's getting consistent playing time, which is something you can't say he'd be getting this season in San Francisco.
Lewis' statline after 15 games: .232 batting average, .290 OBP, nine runs scored, five RBI, and three stolen bases. Lewis has struck out a lot (17 K's) and he hasn't backed it up with a lot of walks either (0.24 BB/K ratio), but the last few games, it seems as if he has really gotten comfortable at the plate. Already in today's game against the Indians, he has a hit, a walk and scored the Jays' first run in two at-bats.
It makes you, as a Giants fan, really wonder. The Jays are 14-13, and need every little bit to compete in the AL East. And yet, they hit Lewis leadoff (something Giants fans said he couldn't do) and manager Cito Gaston seems to be patient in terms of giving Lewis (and others like Travis Snider and Jose Bautista) a chance.
I know Jays fans may hate me saying this, but I would rather have Gaston managing ball games than Bochy. If Bochy was managing the Jays, Lewis and Snider would have been buried already for free agent Eric Byrnes. (Because...as we know...Byrnes is a "gamer" and a "veteran.")
Showing posts with label Around the Candlestick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Around the Candlestick. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Saturday, March 13, 2010
"Around the Candlestick": Torres Talk, MadBum's Velocity, Wellemeyer's Strong Start, Hot Stove Giants Radio, and Hat Tips
Haven't done one of these for a while, and considering I don't want to write extensively on something new (at least yet anyways), I figured an "Around the Candlestick" is due. Keep in mind three things as you read these bits.
1.) It's Conference and NCAA Tournament time in College Basketball, and other than baseball season, this is the the time where I care the most about sports. Seriously, the NCAA Tournament is heaven for a sports fan: it's gambling mixed with sports knowledge mixed with crazy fans mixed with booze mixed with incredibly joy for no reason mixed with un-scalable (thanks to the Jersey kids for the new adjective!) heartache. I absolutely love College basketball from Early March until April.
2.) I'm getting ready for an auction fantasy baseball draft (via Yahoo!). I'm both excited/nervous/preparing/clueless for the inevitable draft that comes up in little over a week (this is my first auction draft). I'm having a mock draft tomorrow. Whether or not that will help is to be determined.
3.) Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey are fighting tonight. This fight is a big dilemma for me, mainly because I love both fighters. I think Pacquiao will win, but I'm nervous because I think Clottey is a lot better fighter than most casual boxing fans think (if he pressed more in the last round, he would have won his fight against Miguel Cotto).
Okay, here are the bits so far.
Andres Torres the Hot Topic of Conversation on the Blogosphere.
Both Bay City Ball and Croix De Candlestick both had excellent posts involving Andres Torres this week. Chris at BCB wrote a great piece about Torres' unusually solid 2009 and his tendency to hit flyballs. Additionally, not only did Torres hit a lot of flyballs, but he also had a high BABIP, which might mean that his 2009 was more flukish than promising.
Nick at CDC had a post about the Giants' fifth outfielder spot, since he figured there would only be two outfielders to back up the (projected) starting lineup of Mark Derosa (LF), Aaron Rowand (CF) and Nate Schierholtz (RF). In CDC's opinion, Fred Lewis is one of the better options, but probably won't be given a chance and most likely will be traded because he's out of Minor League options. John Bowker most likely will start in Triple-A in his opinion (though he doesn't like it, and neither do I) because he still has a Minor League option. Same thing could happen to Eugenio Velez, though he might get the benefit of the doubt because of his speed. Torres seems to have a roster spot because of his defense and speed, though like Chris, Nick is not a fan of his bat either.
My take on all this. I agree with both BCB and CDC. One thing they didn't mention was Torres' suspect contact rate and him swinging at a lot of pitches outside the strike zone. In 2009, Torres had a contact rate of 72.3 percent (tied for second-worst of any position player with thirty or more plate appearances) and swung at 29.1 percent of pitches outside the strike zone. The fact that he had that good a season despite those numbers in those categories shows that he got very lucky last year, almost too lucky. Can he improve his plate approach? Yeah, but he's 31-years-old, not exactly an age where guys are "developing."
Madison Bumgarner's Drop in Velocity = Panic?
A lot of Giants fans are pretty worried about Bumgarner's drop in velocity. It's been the hot topic since his first start at the Major League level back in September. Both Grant at the McCovey Chronicles, and Obsessive Giants Compulsive have interesting takes on Bumgarner's status in 2010. MCC believes Bumgarner should start in Triple-A and is taking a cautious approach with his "potential", while OGC believes Bumgarner is ready and still is drinking the "Kool-Aid" as he likes to put it.
For some reason, I'm on the fence with this one. I originally was a big believer in Bumgarner back in January. However, I'm starting to believe that perhaps putting him in Fresno to start the year wouldn't be such a bad idea, just so he a.) doesn't get exposed too early and get his confidence kiboshed (e.g. what Kansas City did to Zach Greinke, though he turned it around the past couple years) and b.) gets properly developed and hones his mechanics and approach (if he is rushed to the Majors, he might not do that).
MadBum's 20-years-old and I like him a lot. I think he has great potential, even if he doesn't become the next Tim Lincecum (which I'm not banking on by the way). The Giants should treat him delicatley, and with Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, and Jonathan Sanchez already anchoring the rotation, the Giants have no pressing need to have Bumgarner in the starting rotation so early.
Todd Wellemeyer a Shoe-In for the Fifth Spot?
MLB.com Giants beat writer Chris Haft wrote an interesting piece about Todd Wellemeyer and the instant impact he's making in Scottsdale this Spring. Basically, Haft suggest that Wellemeyer starting the year in the fifth spot in the rotation wouldn't be such a bad idea, and that it could be better for Bumgarner and the Giants overall in the long run. Furthermore, though Wellemeyer struggled last season, apparently, Wellemeyer insists he is closer to his 2008 form now than his form in 2009.
What do I think? I really wish we had another option other than Wellemeyer. (Seriously, if we could get the Yankees to cover a lot of his salary, I really would honestly take Kei Igawa for half-a-season; then again, because of my Filipino heritage, I always feel biased toward Asian players.) His 2009 season isn't impressive at all, and there is some debate out there on whether or not Wellemeyer can be a starting pitcher in the long-run (some feel he is more suited as a middle-reliever). However, when I wrote my post on MadBum, the competition at the time was Kevin Pucetas and Joe Martinez, two guys who are "Four-A Players" in my book (well...maybe not Pucetas, but definitely Martinez). Wellemeyer though is a better option than those two. And, since it will only be half-a-season probably, the Giants won't really need to bank on Wellemeyer lasting over the long haul.
As much as I hate to say it, if I have to choose between the two for the fifth spot, I might have to go with Wellemeyer (just because I don't want to screw up MadBum that much).
Bleacher Report Giants Writer on Hot Stove TV.
I frequently disagree with Andy Bensch on Bleacher Report. I think he loves Torres too much, doesn't like Lewis enough and goes back and forth when it comes to sticking with youngsters or signing veterans (though to be fair, I was like that too when I first started writing for Bleacher Report and this blog, but I feel I have honed my opinion and thoughts since my initial posts).
However, I like to support a fellow Giants writer when he is due and his appearance on Hot Stove.com TV is definitely "support-worthy." Is Hot Stove.com TV awesome listening that will replace Mike Francesa at WFAN and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo at Sirius? Probably not (though it certainly could give KNBR's hosts a run for their money). However, considering I had my own podcast for a few months (until I deleted it due to monetary issues...no, that's a lie, I just didn't enjoy it after a while), I definitely appreciate amateur sports radio when I get the opportunity to listen. Bensch definitely does a solid job, and considering he's only a freshman in college (and a radio and broadcasting major to boot), I think the kid has a bright future in terms of sports radio or podcasting.
Lastly, Hat Tips!
Thanks to Paap Fly and McCovey Chronicles for posting Remember '51 on their blogroll. I definitely appreciate the shot outs, especially from McCovey Chronicles, one of my favorite Giants blogs, and one that I have been following for a couple of years.
Also, continued Hat Tip to MLB Fantasy Prospects.com, which gave a hat tip of their own to Remember '51. If you don't already know, MLBFP is a great place for prospect info and analysis. If you're a roto guy looking for prospects, MLBFP is the place to go to. Great stuff as always, Stephen.
1.) It's Conference and NCAA Tournament time in College Basketball, and other than baseball season, this is the the time where I care the most about sports. Seriously, the NCAA Tournament is heaven for a sports fan: it's gambling mixed with sports knowledge mixed with crazy fans mixed with booze mixed with incredibly joy for no reason mixed with un-scalable (thanks to the Jersey kids for the new adjective!) heartache. I absolutely love College basketball from Early March until April.
2.) I'm getting ready for an auction fantasy baseball draft (via Yahoo!). I'm both excited/nervous/preparing/clueless for the inevitable draft that comes up in little over a week (this is my first auction draft). I'm having a mock draft tomorrow. Whether or not that will help is to be determined.
3.) Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey are fighting tonight. This fight is a big dilemma for me, mainly because I love both fighters. I think Pacquiao will win, but I'm nervous because I think Clottey is a lot better fighter than most casual boxing fans think (if he pressed more in the last round, he would have won his fight against Miguel Cotto).
Okay, here are the bits so far.
Andres Torres the Hot Topic of Conversation on the Blogosphere.
Both Bay City Ball and Croix De Candlestick both had excellent posts involving Andres Torres this week. Chris at BCB wrote a great piece about Torres' unusually solid 2009 and his tendency to hit flyballs. Additionally, not only did Torres hit a lot of flyballs, but he also had a high BABIP, which might mean that his 2009 was more flukish than promising.
Nick at CDC had a post about the Giants' fifth outfielder spot, since he figured there would only be two outfielders to back up the (projected) starting lineup of Mark Derosa (LF), Aaron Rowand (CF) and Nate Schierholtz (RF). In CDC's opinion, Fred Lewis is one of the better options, but probably won't be given a chance and most likely will be traded because he's out of Minor League options. John Bowker most likely will start in Triple-A in his opinion (though he doesn't like it, and neither do I) because he still has a Minor League option. Same thing could happen to Eugenio Velez, though he might get the benefit of the doubt because of his speed. Torres seems to have a roster spot because of his defense and speed, though like Chris, Nick is not a fan of his bat either.
My take on all this. I agree with both BCB and CDC. One thing they didn't mention was Torres' suspect contact rate and him swinging at a lot of pitches outside the strike zone. In 2009, Torres had a contact rate of 72.3 percent (tied for second-worst of any position player with thirty or more plate appearances) and swung at 29.1 percent of pitches outside the strike zone. The fact that he had that good a season despite those numbers in those categories shows that he got very lucky last year, almost too lucky. Can he improve his plate approach? Yeah, but he's 31-years-old, not exactly an age where guys are "developing."
Madison Bumgarner's Drop in Velocity = Panic?
A lot of Giants fans are pretty worried about Bumgarner's drop in velocity. It's been the hot topic since his first start at the Major League level back in September. Both Grant at the McCovey Chronicles, and Obsessive Giants Compulsive have interesting takes on Bumgarner's status in 2010. MCC believes Bumgarner should start in Triple-A and is taking a cautious approach with his "potential", while OGC believes Bumgarner is ready and still is drinking the "Kool-Aid" as he likes to put it.
For some reason, I'm on the fence with this one. I originally was a big believer in Bumgarner back in January. However, I'm starting to believe that perhaps putting him in Fresno to start the year wouldn't be such a bad idea, just so he a.) doesn't get exposed too early and get his confidence kiboshed (e.g. what Kansas City did to Zach Greinke, though he turned it around the past couple years) and b.) gets properly developed and hones his mechanics and approach (if he is rushed to the Majors, he might not do that).
MadBum's 20-years-old and I like him a lot. I think he has great potential, even if he doesn't become the next Tim Lincecum (which I'm not banking on by the way). The Giants should treat him delicatley, and with Lincecum, Matt Cain, Barry Zito, and Jonathan Sanchez already anchoring the rotation, the Giants have no pressing need to have Bumgarner in the starting rotation so early.
Todd Wellemeyer a Shoe-In for the Fifth Spot?
MLB.com Giants beat writer Chris Haft wrote an interesting piece about Todd Wellemeyer and the instant impact he's making in Scottsdale this Spring. Basically, Haft suggest that Wellemeyer starting the year in the fifth spot in the rotation wouldn't be such a bad idea, and that it could be better for Bumgarner and the Giants overall in the long run. Furthermore, though Wellemeyer struggled last season, apparently, Wellemeyer insists he is closer to his 2008 form now than his form in 2009.
What do I think? I really wish we had another option other than Wellemeyer. (Seriously, if we could get the Yankees to cover a lot of his salary, I really would honestly take Kei Igawa for half-a-season; then again, because of my Filipino heritage, I always feel biased toward Asian players.) His 2009 season isn't impressive at all, and there is some debate out there on whether or not Wellemeyer can be a starting pitcher in the long-run (some feel he is more suited as a middle-reliever). However, when I wrote my post on MadBum, the competition at the time was Kevin Pucetas and Joe Martinez, two guys who are "Four-A Players" in my book (well...maybe not Pucetas, but definitely Martinez). Wellemeyer though is a better option than those two. And, since it will only be half-a-season probably, the Giants won't really need to bank on Wellemeyer lasting over the long haul.
As much as I hate to say it, if I have to choose between the two for the fifth spot, I might have to go with Wellemeyer (just because I don't want to screw up MadBum that much).
Bleacher Report Giants Writer on Hot Stove TV.
I frequently disagree with Andy Bensch on Bleacher Report. I think he loves Torres too much, doesn't like Lewis enough and goes back and forth when it comes to sticking with youngsters or signing veterans (though to be fair, I was like that too when I first started writing for Bleacher Report and this blog, but I feel I have honed my opinion and thoughts since my initial posts).
However, I like to support a fellow Giants writer when he is due and his appearance on Hot Stove.com TV is definitely "support-worthy." Is Hot Stove.com TV awesome listening that will replace Mike Francesa at WFAN and Chris "Mad Dog" Russo at Sirius? Probably not (though it certainly could give KNBR's hosts a run for their money). However, considering I had my own podcast for a few months (until I deleted it due to monetary issues...no, that's a lie, I just didn't enjoy it after a while), I definitely appreciate amateur sports radio when I get the opportunity to listen. Bensch definitely does a solid job, and considering he's only a freshman in college (and a radio and broadcasting major to boot), I think the kid has a bright future in terms of sports radio or podcasting.
Lastly, Hat Tips!
Thanks to Paap Fly and McCovey Chronicles for posting Remember '51 on their blogroll. I definitely appreciate the shot outs, especially from McCovey Chronicles, one of my favorite Giants blogs, and one that I have been following for a couple of years.
Also, continued Hat Tip to MLB Fantasy Prospects.com, which gave a hat tip of their own to Remember '51. If you don't already know, MLBFP is a great place for prospect info and analysis. If you're a roto guy looking for prospects, MLBFP is the place to go to. Great stuff as always, Stephen.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
"Around the Candlestick": Divisional Prospects Looks, M's Hernandez vs. A's Anderson Debate, "Four Eyes" Panda, Giants Win
Sorry, I'm feeling a little low after Canada won that Gold Medal game against the US today in hockey. Seriously, Sidney "Freaking" Crosby won it...as he always does. I don't know why, but I'm getting tired of seeing the kid dominate so much. It's kind of tough to explain this feeling. I don't hate the Pittsburgh Penguins, and my favorite hockey team, the San Jose Sharks, plays in the West, so they don't face each other very often.
Who knows why I am starting to develop an annoyance with Crosby. Maybe he's too clean cut. Maybe he's too perfect. Maybe I like Alexander Ovechkin way more and Crosby is just too opposite from him. Maybe if I cared more about hockey I'd figure all this stuff out.
Oh well. Silver ain't bad, U.S. I sure as heck wasn't expecting a silver medal this year. So really, I can't complain.
Anyways, on a lighter note, let's look at some things "Around the Candlestick" style.
2010 MLB Fantasy Prospects By Division Series
As I have said countless time before, I have a lot of respect for Stephen Sheridan and the job that he and his crew of writers are doing at MLB Fantasy Prospects. MLBFP definitely helped put my blog more out there and Remember '51 has definitely skyrocketed in terms of page views and readers since MLBFP put me on their recommended reading list.
That being said, I'm not just doing this to be a nice guy. MLB Fantasy prospects has some great stuff, and now, writer Ben Carsley has a series that looks at the Top 10 prospects in each Division. I have looked at a few of them (AL West, AL Central and NL West) and they are all really impressive. As far as the NL West, three Giants make the list, with Buster Posey at No. 1, Madison Bumgarner at No. 2 and Zach Wheeler at No. 11.
If only general manager Brian Sabean and manager would wise up with Posey. Everybody and their mother seems to have jumped on the Posey bandwagon except them.
Brett Anderson of the Oakland A's vs. Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners
The link I posted is where the most debate is going on (including my own comments on Hernandez vs. Anderson), but other interesting articles concerning this debate are located here (Anderson being the best pitcher in 2010) and here (the 10 Best Pitchers of 2009).
Basically, Bleacher Report writer Nathaniel Stoltz claims that Anderson will be the best pitcher in 2010 and his second half hints that he is due for big success next season, perhaps even more so than Hernandez. Now, technically, Stoltz is a Featured Columnist for the Oakland A's on Bleacher Report, but don't let that fool you. He's actually a lot more objective than you think, and he rests his Anderson argument mostly on Fielding Independent statistics.
It's a interesting point, and he makes a lot of good arguments, but I disagree mostly because a.) Anderson's 2009 paled overall in comparison to Hernandez's (Fielding independent pitching stats included. b.) Anderson's second-half hype was a bit overrated (his August was okay, not great) and c.) Anderson pitched almost sixty less innings than Hernandez, so Anderson had the benefit of a fresher arm in comparison to Hernandez (thus, naturally the small regression in the second half last season.
Nathaniel is holding to his guns on this one apparently though. Now, I'm not saying Anderson can't be a good pitcher (he was a rookie after all last year), but he's not better than Hernandez at this point.
Pablo Sandoval Needs Glasses...Apparently
Thanks to Obsessive Giants Compulsive for bringing this story up. Absolutely incredible. Sandoval couldn't see well last year and he led the Giants in every offensive category by leaps and bounds. What can he do next year? I don't want to think about it. It makes my head hurt just thinking about.
Giants Win Puts Remember '51 on their Giants Blogroll
Not much to say but thanks to Giants Win for putting Remember '51 on their Giants blogroll. A great Giants site that definitely connects you with every and any Giants news story imaginable. Definitely check it out when you have a free moment. Big D, the blogger at Giants Win, doesn't miss a thing.
Who knows why I am starting to develop an annoyance with Crosby. Maybe he's too clean cut. Maybe he's too perfect. Maybe I like Alexander Ovechkin way more and Crosby is just too opposite from him. Maybe if I cared more about hockey I'd figure all this stuff out.
Oh well. Silver ain't bad, U.S. I sure as heck wasn't expecting a silver medal this year. So really, I can't complain.
Anyways, on a lighter note, let's look at some things "Around the Candlestick" style.
2010 MLB Fantasy Prospects By Division Series
As I have said countless time before, I have a lot of respect for Stephen Sheridan and the job that he and his crew of writers are doing at MLB Fantasy Prospects. MLBFP definitely helped put my blog more out there and Remember '51 has definitely skyrocketed in terms of page views and readers since MLBFP put me on their recommended reading list.
That being said, I'm not just doing this to be a nice guy. MLB Fantasy prospects has some great stuff, and now, writer Ben Carsley has a series that looks at the Top 10 prospects in each Division. I have looked at a few of them (AL West, AL Central and NL West) and they are all really impressive. As far as the NL West, three Giants make the list, with Buster Posey at No. 1, Madison Bumgarner at No. 2 and Zach Wheeler at No. 11.
If only general manager Brian Sabean and manager would wise up with Posey. Everybody and their mother seems to have jumped on the Posey bandwagon except them.
Brett Anderson of the Oakland A's vs. Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners
The link I posted is where the most debate is going on (including my own comments on Hernandez vs. Anderson), but other interesting articles concerning this debate are located here (Anderson being the best pitcher in 2010) and here (the 10 Best Pitchers of 2009).
Basically, Bleacher Report writer Nathaniel Stoltz claims that Anderson will be the best pitcher in 2010 and his second half hints that he is due for big success next season, perhaps even more so than Hernandez. Now, technically, Stoltz is a Featured Columnist for the Oakland A's on Bleacher Report, but don't let that fool you. He's actually a lot more objective than you think, and he rests his Anderson argument mostly on Fielding Independent statistics.
It's a interesting point, and he makes a lot of good arguments, but I disagree mostly because a.) Anderson's 2009 paled overall in comparison to Hernandez's (Fielding independent pitching stats included. b.) Anderson's second-half hype was a bit overrated (his August was okay, not great) and c.) Anderson pitched almost sixty less innings than Hernandez, so Anderson had the benefit of a fresher arm in comparison to Hernandez (thus, naturally the small regression in the second half last season.
Nathaniel is holding to his guns on this one apparently though. Now, I'm not saying Anderson can't be a good pitcher (he was a rookie after all last year), but he's not better than Hernandez at this point.
Pablo Sandoval Needs Glasses...Apparently
Thanks to Obsessive Giants Compulsive for bringing this story up. Absolutely incredible. Sandoval couldn't see well last year and he led the Giants in every offensive category by leaps and bounds. What can he do next year? I don't want to think about it. It makes my head hurt just thinking about.
Giants Win Puts Remember '51 on their Giants Blogroll
Not much to say but thanks to Giants Win for putting Remember '51 on their Giants blogroll. A great Giants site that definitely connects you with every and any Giants news story imaginable. Definitely check it out when you have a free moment. Big D, the blogger at Giants Win, doesn't miss a thing.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Retro B/R Marathon! Feb. 12-20! (Also, a short "Around the Candlestick")
I'm going to be traveling the next couple of weeks. So, I really won't be able to come out with any new posts. That being said, I'm not leaving the blog completely alone. Scheduled in the next couple of weeks will be a series of posts on articles that I wrote exclusively for Bleacher Report before I started Remember '51. The reason I decided to bring these articles up is because I wanted to see how much I matured as a writer since I started writing on the Giants.
Overall, I think the transition has been good. It's definitely safe to say that my writing today is not like it used to be when I started writing for Bleacher Report. I used relatively no statistical analysis, and it was all very humor based. Not that it was a bad thing, but I wanted my writing to be more balanced with humor and analysis and not just solely use humor (most of it too just pretty much ripped off of Bill Simmons to boot).
So, for the next couple of weeks, I will be having a post from my old Bleacher Report articles posted on Remember '51. Any feedback is welcomed but remember, I'm a different writer than I used to be when I wrote these articles. A lot of views have changed, and certainly the writing style has changed a little as well. So...don't hold these posts too close against me.
Also, I am very thankful to Web sites and Blogs that have linked Remember '51 on their pages. In "Around the Candlestick" fashion, I will acknowledge these sites and give brief descriptions about them so you know what you're clicking on when you see their updates on the blogroll.
The Dodgerhater
The Dodgerhater is a quick-growing, humor-based Giants baseball blog. Basically, it's kind of like the McCovey Chronicles, only with a little more bite. Personally, I really like the blog, and when I got linked on is Foghorn and Splash Hits section, I was ecstatic. The Dodgerhater is still relatively young in comparison to a lot of other Giants blogs out there, but it's already getting a lot of well-earned respect (as evidenced in Yahoo's Big League Stew where it was listed as a recommended Giants Blog).
Bay City Ball
Bay City Ball is a great site for Giants fans who happen to be more on the stat-head signs of things. I think Bay City Ball may be one of the most underrated sabermetric baseball sites in general, let alone the class of all Giants blogs who tend to dabble in sabermetrics. As a blogger who has started to encompass more and more sabermetrics into his pieces, Bay City Ball is a great example of when and how to use more advanced statistical analysis when it comes to Giants baseball.
Croix De Candlestick
Croix De Candlestick is run by a former contributor to Giants Cove that now is running his own ship. Giants Cove doesn't exist anymore, and I think Croix De Candlestick is a big reason why. The blog definitely has a lot of great stuff, including a great piece that compares the Seattle Mariners' off-season to the Giants. As a recent college graduate from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., I definitely agree with most of his sentiments in that post.
MLB Fantasy Prospects
MLB Fantasy Prospects was the first site to link Remember '51 on their page and I couldn't be more thankful. This is really a hidden gem out there on the internet when it comes to prospect analysis. I know Keith Law has great minor league analysis, but you have to pay for Insider to get it. John Sickels has a great blog in Minor League Ball, but you can definitely tell it's just small bait to get you to buy his prospect book every year. MLB Fantasy Prospects holds nothing back, and if there's anything you want to find on prospects, especially Giants one, chances are they got what you want.
Giants Win
Technically, I haven't got on their blogroll yet, but Remember '51 was linked in a post Giants Win put up last week. Basically, Giants Win finds other Giants stories around the Web and links them on posts. It's really nothing special, unless you are dying to find any Giants news stories and don't want to spend too much time on Google. That being said, thanks to Giants Win for the link and thanks for the kind words.
Okay, so that's the "Around the Candlestick" for this time around. Hope you enjoy the Retro Bleacher Report articles over the next two weeks. I'll start having new posts by Feb. 21.
Overall, I think the transition has been good. It's definitely safe to say that my writing today is not like it used to be when I started writing for Bleacher Report. I used relatively no statistical analysis, and it was all very humor based. Not that it was a bad thing, but I wanted my writing to be more balanced with humor and analysis and not just solely use humor (most of it too just pretty much ripped off of Bill Simmons to boot).
So, for the next couple of weeks, I will be having a post from my old Bleacher Report articles posted on Remember '51. Any feedback is welcomed but remember, I'm a different writer than I used to be when I wrote these articles. A lot of views have changed, and certainly the writing style has changed a little as well. So...don't hold these posts too close against me.
Also, I am very thankful to Web sites and Blogs that have linked Remember '51 on their pages. In "Around the Candlestick" fashion, I will acknowledge these sites and give brief descriptions about them so you know what you're clicking on when you see their updates on the blogroll.
The Dodgerhater
The Dodgerhater is a quick-growing, humor-based Giants baseball blog. Basically, it's kind of like the McCovey Chronicles, only with a little more bite. Personally, I really like the blog, and when I got linked on is Foghorn and Splash Hits section, I was ecstatic. The Dodgerhater is still relatively young in comparison to a lot of other Giants blogs out there, but it's already getting a lot of well-earned respect (as evidenced in Yahoo's Big League Stew where it was listed as a recommended Giants Blog).
Bay City Ball
Bay City Ball is a great site for Giants fans who happen to be more on the stat-head signs of things. I think Bay City Ball may be one of the most underrated sabermetric baseball sites in general, let alone the class of all Giants blogs who tend to dabble in sabermetrics. As a blogger who has started to encompass more and more sabermetrics into his pieces, Bay City Ball is a great example of when and how to use more advanced statistical analysis when it comes to Giants baseball.
Croix De Candlestick
Croix De Candlestick is run by a former contributor to Giants Cove that now is running his own ship. Giants Cove doesn't exist anymore, and I think Croix De Candlestick is a big reason why. The blog definitely has a lot of great stuff, including a great piece that compares the Seattle Mariners' off-season to the Giants. As a recent college graduate from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., I definitely agree with most of his sentiments in that post.
MLB Fantasy Prospects
MLB Fantasy Prospects was the first site to link Remember '51 on their page and I couldn't be more thankful. This is really a hidden gem out there on the internet when it comes to prospect analysis. I know Keith Law has great minor league analysis, but you have to pay for Insider to get it. John Sickels has a great blog in Minor League Ball, but you can definitely tell it's just small bait to get you to buy his prospect book every year. MLB Fantasy Prospects holds nothing back, and if there's anything you want to find on prospects, especially Giants one, chances are they got what you want.
Giants Win
Technically, I haven't got on their blogroll yet, but Remember '51 was linked in a post Giants Win put up last week. Basically, Giants Win finds other Giants stories around the Web and links them on posts. It's really nothing special, unless you are dying to find any Giants news stories and don't want to spend too much time on Google. That being said, thanks to Giants Win for the link and thanks for the kind words.
Okay, so that's the "Around the Candlestick" for this time around. Hope you enjoy the Retro Bleacher Report articles over the next two weeks. I'll start having new posts by Feb. 21.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Around the "Candlestick": Simmons Lists Giants, Top 50 Prospects, Panda in Sharks Jersey, Bautista Piece, Angel Villalona!
All right. Bored, and just been browsing around the net. So, I decided to shoot up some links of things I found on the net concerning Giants baseball. Some are creative; some are not. Give me a break. I can't focus with the Zags losing to the freaking Santa Clara Broncos. (Update: they won...thank you Kerry Keating for being the worst coach in the history of the WCC!)
Giants Are N0. 6 On Bill Simmons' Most Tortured Franchise List
Just saw this one this morning. Finally, Giants fans get some much due respect for being a tortured organization. I mean, we heard Red Sox fans moan for 86 years, and Cubs fans continually whine and get massive publicity for it (BTW they should lose their "Lovable Losers" title after the way they crucified Steve Bartman; blame Alex Gonzalez and you're crappy bullpen for the loss Cubs fans!). The Giants haven't won a title since moving to San Francisco for chrissakes! Why is there not a curse moniker for that? I'm sure Mad Dog would love one so he can have something concrete to vent his frustration at on his dying radio show on Sirius.
And to make matters worse, the Florida Marlins (I'm sure the state of Florida has forgotten about them...after all they're too fascinated with Tim Tebow and his "friends") have won two titles! (Ironically, they have beat the Giants in the playoffs in both their World Series runs in 1997 and 2003).
See what the Sports Guy says here:
Bumgarner and Posey Make MLB.com's 2010 Top 50 prospects
Awesome. Just awesome. I know, I could say more, but what else can you say. Giants fans have known this for a year, so it really comes as no surprise to us that Bumgarner finished 10th and Posey fourth on Chris Mayo of MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects for 2010. I really have only two beefs with the rankings:
1.) Bumgarner fell four spots from last year (he was the No. 6 prospect on last year's list). I know his fastball dropped in velocity in the second half last year, but this guy actually did well at the MAJOR LEAGUES last year in a short stint. Shouldn't that count for something?
2.) Why is Buster Posey's video only 15 seconds? Seriously, he's the number four prospect and all you can give him is 15 seconds, while the No. 49 prospect, the Dodgers' Ethan Martin gets a minutes and 23 seconds? Come on MLB Network!
Panda in a San Jose Sharks Jersey
My Spanish isn't spectacular, but I'm pretty sure the description on the Tweet photo says "Pablo Sandoval after visiting the San Jose Sharks' arena this Thursday." (They played the Blackhawks tonight).
See, three years of high school Spanish did teach me something. Also, I will say this...Sandoval looks better in a Sharks jersey than Jonathan Cheechoo in a Giants jersey.
An Introspective on Denny Bautista
What do I know about Bautista? Not much other than the fact that he's Pedro and Ramon Martinez's cousin. However, thanks to Give 'Em Stankeye for putting up a good piece that recalls the "baseball experts" ripping the Orioles a new one for trading him away to Kansas City for Jason Grimsely. Basically, they made Bautista sound like the next big thing.
How the times have changed Denny. How the times have changed.
Angel Villalona Strikes Out (awfully) in Minor League Game
Remember when Villalona was one of the top prospects in the Minors? Then he gained a tremendous amount of weight, was unable to tell the difference between a ball and strike, and involved himself in a murder case in the Dominican Republic. Has it reached Ugueth Urbina-status yet? No, but it will be tough for Villalona to come back after this latest incident, especially with other Giants in the system making tremendous progress while he is...well...not. Just watch the link and how he strikes out on three straight, bad pitches. Can you really see a guy make the Major Leagues with a plate approach like that?
John Shea jinx? I think you could say that...if there was such a thing. Maybe Giants fans can coin that term with a few more flops.
Giants Are N0. 6 On Bill Simmons' Most Tortured Franchise List
Just saw this one this morning. Finally, Giants fans get some much due respect for being a tortured organization. I mean, we heard Red Sox fans moan for 86 years, and Cubs fans continually whine and get massive publicity for it (BTW they should lose their "Lovable Losers" title after the way they crucified Steve Bartman; blame Alex Gonzalez and you're crappy bullpen for the loss Cubs fans!). The Giants haven't won a title since moving to San Francisco for chrissakes! Why is there not a curse moniker for that? I'm sure Mad Dog would love one so he can have something concrete to vent his frustration at on his dying radio show on Sirius.
And to make matters worse, the Florida Marlins (I'm sure the state of Florida has forgotten about them...after all they're too fascinated with Tim Tebow and his "friends") have won two titles! (Ironically, they have beat the Giants in the playoffs in both their World Series runs in 1997 and 2003).
See what the Sports Guy says here:
You'd think a 66-year title drought, the Bonds/BALCO fallout, a borderline Level 1 loss in 2002 and having its first World Series home game in 27 years postponed by a devastating earthquake during batting practice of the first-ever Bay Area World Series would get the message out that, "Hey, we need to start including these guys in all future Tortured Sports Cities discussions." Can you be underrated/tortured? Apparently so.Thanks Sports Guy. Giants nation salutes you.
Bumgarner and Posey Make MLB.com's 2010 Top 50 prospects
Awesome. Just awesome. I know, I could say more, but what else can you say. Giants fans have known this for a year, so it really comes as no surprise to us that Bumgarner finished 10th and Posey fourth on Chris Mayo of MLB.com's Top 50 Prospects for 2010. I really have only two beefs with the rankings:
1.) Bumgarner fell four spots from last year (he was the No. 6 prospect on last year's list). I know his fastball dropped in velocity in the second half last year, but this guy actually did well at the MAJOR LEAGUES last year in a short stint. Shouldn't that count for something?
2.) Why is Buster Posey's video only 15 seconds? Seriously, he's the number four prospect and all you can give him is 15 seconds, while the No. 49 prospect, the Dodgers' Ethan Martin gets a minutes and 23 seconds? Come on MLB Network!
Panda in a San Jose Sharks Jersey
My Spanish isn't spectacular, but I'm pretty sure the description on the Tweet photo says "Pablo Sandoval after visiting the San Jose Sharks' arena this Thursday." (They played the Blackhawks tonight).
See, three years of high school Spanish did teach me something. Also, I will say this...Sandoval looks better in a Sharks jersey than Jonathan Cheechoo in a Giants jersey.
An Introspective on Denny Bautista
What do I know about Bautista? Not much other than the fact that he's Pedro and Ramon Martinez's cousin. However, thanks to Give 'Em Stankeye for putting up a good piece that recalls the "baseball experts" ripping the Orioles a new one for trading him away to Kansas City for Jason Grimsely. Basically, they made Bautista sound like the next big thing.
How the times have changed Denny. How the times have changed.
Angel Villalona Strikes Out (awfully) in Minor League Game
Remember when Villalona was one of the top prospects in the Minors? Then he gained a tremendous amount of weight, was unable to tell the difference between a ball and strike, and involved himself in a murder case in the Dominican Republic. Has it reached Ugueth Urbina-status yet? No, but it will be tough for Villalona to come back after this latest incident, especially with other Giants in the system making tremendous progress while he is...well...not. Just watch the link and how he strikes out on three straight, bad pitches. Can you really see a guy make the Major Leagues with a plate approach like that?
John Shea jinx? I think you could say that...if there was such a thing. Maybe Giants fans can coin that term with a few more flops.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Around the "Candlestick": Huff Analysis, Prospect Rankings, Roster Talk, Offense Musings
Decided to post some pieces I found on the Internet about the Giants that were interesting. Definitely gives me a nice break to not actually do some original "extensive" writing for a change. Come on. I do enough work on this blog posting as it is. Give me a break! I'll let Harrison Ford voice my feelings. (BTW Thanks Bill Simmons!)
Aubrey Huff Analysis on Fangraphs
I really respect and love the Web site Fangraphs, a sabermetrics heavy baseball site (you can get all kinds of advance statistics on players; it's pretty much an easier to navigate Baseball Prospectus in my mind). Anyways, Jack Moore of Fangraphs posted an interesting article on the Giants' acquisition of Aubrey Huff. Basically, we shared the same feelings: he was less than thrilled about Brian Sabean's acquistion.
John Sickels Top 20 Giants Prospects
This was posted almost two months ago, but due to certain circumstances, I wasn't able to see it until now. Some things I like: Buster Posey and Thomas Neal at the top of the list. Some things I expected: Conor Gillaspie near the bottom. Things that make me a little queasy: Sickels "less than thrilled" attitude concerning Dan Runzler and Waldis Joaquin (both whom I love).
Roster Thoughts from McCovey Chronicles
I went a little off on the McCovey Chronicles a couple of days ago in my Huff Post. I didn't really mean it though. I think was just more upset by the constant Ishikawa bashing than anything else. Really. I love this blog. You know that scene where Jeanne Tripplehorn is crying when she is ex-communicated from the Church of Latter Day Saints in the show "Big Love"? Yeah, that would be me if I was barred from that Giants blog. My favorite blog on the Giants period (other than this one of course...sorry I'm vain).
Some Thoughts on the Giants Offense for 2010
Satchel Price of Beyond the Box Score posted a piece musing on the offense of the Giants going into the 2010 season. In summary, it's probably the most optimistic thing I've seen about the Giants offense in quite some time. There are some things he did point out I didn't agree with (he mentioned that he believes Aaron Rowand is due for a breakout year, while I think Rowand can improve, but only because last year was so atrocious), but for the most part, it makes you think good things about the Giants offense around Pablo Sandoval for a change. If you're a Giants fans, read this and keep it bookmarked for when you're feeling blue.
Aubrey Huff Analysis on Fangraphs
I really respect and love the Web site Fangraphs, a sabermetrics heavy baseball site (you can get all kinds of advance statistics on players; it's pretty much an easier to navigate Baseball Prospectus in my mind). Anyways, Jack Moore of Fangraphs posted an interesting article on the Giants' acquisition of Aubrey Huff. Basically, we shared the same feelings: he was less than thrilled about Brian Sabean's acquistion.
John Sickels Top 20 Giants Prospects
This was posted almost two months ago, but due to certain circumstances, I wasn't able to see it until now. Some things I like: Buster Posey and Thomas Neal at the top of the list. Some things I expected: Conor Gillaspie near the bottom. Things that make me a little queasy: Sickels "less than thrilled" attitude concerning Dan Runzler and Waldis Joaquin (both whom I love).
Roster Thoughts from McCovey Chronicles
I went a little off on the McCovey Chronicles a couple of days ago in my Huff Post. I didn't really mean it though. I think was just more upset by the constant Ishikawa bashing than anything else. Really. I love this blog. You know that scene where Jeanne Tripplehorn is crying when she is ex-communicated from the Church of Latter Day Saints in the show "Big Love"? Yeah, that would be me if I was barred from that Giants blog. My favorite blog on the Giants period (other than this one of course...sorry I'm vain).
Some Thoughts on the Giants Offense for 2010
Satchel Price of Beyond the Box Score posted a piece musing on the offense of the Giants going into the 2010 season. In summary, it's probably the most optimistic thing I've seen about the Giants offense in quite some time. There are some things he did point out I didn't agree with (he mentioned that he believes Aaron Rowand is due for a breakout year, while I think Rowand can improve, but only because last year was so atrocious), but for the most part, it makes you think good things about the Giants offense around Pablo Sandoval for a change. If you're a Giants fans, read this and keep it bookmarked for when you're feeling blue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
