Finding meaning in meaningless numbers
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Mar 12, 2011 
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We all know spring training stats are meaningless. We’ve learned that lesson time and again. But for some players in Yankees camp, a few positive results could be positive reinforcement of new ideas and new mechanics.
“Whenever you have success when you’ve made a change, it’s a lot easier accepting that change,” Joe Girardi said. “When you’re struggling and you’re making a change and saying, ‘OK, it’s going to take two or three weeks to get used to the change,’ or ‘It’s going to take two or three months to get used to the change, but I know in the long run it’s going to be better for me,’ that becomes very hard.”
A.J. Burnett is changing his delivery, trying to be more consistent with his mechanics. Today he allowed his first runs of the spring, then followed with nine straight outs.
“I wouldn’t say results (matter),” Burnett said. “I would say more execution.”
Swinging without a stride, Derek Jeter is hitting .333 with one strikeout. He has one extra-base hit — and that was a bit of a lucky triple — but he’s been hitting more line drives and fewer ground balls as spring has progress.
Swinging with both hands on the bat, Brett Gardner had his fourth extra-base hit today. He’s batting .273/.429/.500 with two strikeouts and six walks.
Swinging with slightly altered mechanics he picked up late last season, Curtis Granderson is hitting .348/.400/.913 with the team lead in runs.
“Last spring wasn’t good and then the season started out great,” Gardner said. “So you can’t put a lot of stock into it. But at the same time, when you’re working on things you want to try and do well with it and be successful and get some confidence going into the season.”
Confidence is good. Then again…
“If I thought there was a chance (the change) could hurt me or send me in the wrong direction, I probably wouldn’t be doing it,” Gardner said.
Associated Press photo of Granderson
Bad spring results are meaningless. Nobody worries when CC gives up a bunch of runs.
Good spring results are predictive of the regular season.
That’s why we all feel so good before the season starts.
I have now decided that AJ will end up leading the rotation!
Man he’s looking good.
And then there’s Hector Noesi.
Well I saw what I wanted to see.
WOO HOO AJ!!!!!
Trisha,
I agree that AJ looked good. I think he’ll have a really good season, but I think CC will lead the staff.
AJ looks really good so far. He has to sustain it of course but what we’ve seen thus far is very encouraging…not just the results but how he’s getting to the results. He’s going to be a big key for the Yanks in 2011 so this is very good news.
By the way, $100,000 to Japan seems like chump change. If George were alive I bet it would have been 9 figures. I guess it proves the saying “People are the stingiest with inherited money.”
Yankees, Nationals Scouting Carlos Silva
By Luke Adams [March 12 at 8:34pm CST]
The Cubs have been watching Carlos Silva’s spring starts closely as they decide whether he deserves a spot in their starting rotation, but Chicago hasn’t been the only team following Silva’s progress. According to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago, the Yankees and Nationals are among the clubs scouting the right-hander.
When the Cubs acquired Silva in exchange for Milton Bradley last winter, the Mariners agreed to send $9MM to Chicago in the deal. Seattle will pay $5.5MM of that money this season, reducing the weight of Silva’s $11.5MM salary on the Cubs’ payroll. Still, given the presence of younger, cheaper starting options, it makes sense that the Cubs would move Silva for a decent offer.
Levine reported last weekend that scouts were on hand to watch Silva’s earlier spring start, in which he allowed six runs in the first inning and had a dugout confrontation with Aramis Ramirez. The scouts who watched Silva pitch today presumably came away a little more impressed, as the 31-year-old turned in his best performance so far this spring.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com
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no thanks….
“AJ looks really good so far. He has to sustain it of course but what we’ve seen thus far is very encouraging…not just the results but how he’s getting to the results. He’s going to be a big key for the Yanks in 2011 so this is very good news.”
blake, it has to make one question just how much value Dave Eiland really had. It’s making me question anyway. Or perhaps another way to look at it is that Larry Rothschild has incredible value and appears to be the perfect bromide.
Yes it’s only ST but I don’t remember AJ looking so free and easy probably ever since he’s been with the Ys.
“Trisha,
I agree that AJ looked good. I think he’ll have a really good season, but I think CC will lead the staff.”
Fran, I can deal with that if it happens.
Hey Cashman delivered with Vasquez – just a season later!
Trisha,
It’s probably too early to say. Eiland did do some good things while with the Yankees I believe but maybe he just never could reach or get what AJ needed. Who knows, but I do like how both he and Joba are throwing the ball so far. It’s spring training and it could all change in a blink but so far so good. Rothschild does have a rep as one of the best in the game….maybe he’s going to show it.
Oh, good lord. Silva? Garcia & Colon aren’t good enough? We have sweetheart deals with both, let’s go with what we have.
With AJ the execution is much more important than results this spring. No walks from a guy who is usually near the bottom of the category is a great sign that something has clicked.
The inning I liked best today was the second, as I’ve been curious to see how he handled getting into trouble. I thought he handled it great and really look forward to seeing his best year with the Yanks yet.
A little evidence that spring training results are essentially meaningless for veterans:
- Josh Johnson allowed five runs and nine hits in 3 2-3 innings. He struck out two and walked one.
KPB,
Good point. Last season every time AJ got into trouble, it seemed to mess with him and he couldn’t manage to get straightened out.
the key thing with AJ is that he’s repeating his delivery more consistently and is staying closed and more towards home plate….the results don’t matter. What matters is that he’s 1) throwing strikes 2) that hes getting on top of his breaking ball again.
The only way teams can get GMs interested in their discards is to mention that the Yankees are interested and they sent their scouts to watch __________. It doesn’t have to be true or even logical. You just need to say it.
From Jayson Stark:
• Scouts who have been checking out Bartolo Colon’s act with the Yankees say his great spring (9 IP, 3 runs, 1 walk, 12 whiffs) is for real. But he still scares the heck out of them. “I firmly believe two things,” said one scout. “One, he can still pitch. The other is, it’s only a matter of time before he breaks down.”
Fran
That’s what had me so confused and frustrated. He would be lights out for a few innings and as soon as someone got on or homered, he seemed to lose the ability to pitch.
Does it really matter if Colon breaks down? If Colon and Garcia both make the team as starters, then you have Nova and Mitre who can start, plus others at Scranton. If Colon goes to the pen, then an injury won’t hurt at all. Colon said he’d be willing to go to the pen for us. But I think that could lead to a breakdown.
pat, that’s the main reason to keep Colon in the rotation. He’ll be more than acceptable as long as he lasts. When he breaks down or burns out, move him out and Nova or whoever in to replace him. Get as much as you can out of Colon. It’s a process and Colon is an asset.
Did I include enough Cashmanisms in it?
“Alright, going to be out of the country until Friday.
“Don’t be too nice to each other while I’m gone.”
I’m on it…
“With AJ the execution is much more important than results this spring. No walks from a guy who is usually near the bottom of the category is a great sign that something has clicked.”
Not only that, coming back and getting 9 straight outs after giving up a homer. This has the look of a completely different AJ.
blake, that’s why I said that it could be that Rothschild is the perfect bromide. Even if Eiland was a superb pitching coach, it seems that Rothschild’s use of the more holistic approach has done the trick with both AJ and Joba.
You forgot ‘lightning in a bottle’.
“It’s spring training and it could all change in a blink but so far so good”
Is not going to happen. I have it on good faith.
Nat have nice unis.
GB
Girardi keeps saying best 2 arms get 4th and 5th spot but ….. if you really believe a Colon or Garcia injury is when and not if, I would be tempted to put Nova at AAA to start which keeps all he pitchers in the mix rather than letting Garcia or Colon become a free agent if they don’t make the club out of ST.
Have to say I gotta challenge the logic of giving Colon the starting slot on the assumption he will EVENTUALLY break down and then Nova will take over.
If Nova is good enough to take over later, then why not just give him the slot now?
There seems to be some fuzzy math going on assuming Colon will be better than Nova before he breaks down, and then worse than Nova after he does, and that Nova represents some steady mid-level-Colon, none of which I say I understand where its coming from…?
Someone wanna help me?
KPB,
It was surprising to see a veteran pitcher loose his concentration like that. I really believe that AJ had outside issues going on that affected him. Hopefully that is not the case plus having a new pitching coach in Rothschild will be just what AJ needs.
pat,
I firmly believed that Nova was inked into the rotation.
But I also firmly believed that Colon would suck. If scouts are raving, and he’s getting good results with good velocity, then how can you let him go? Especially with the dearth of starting pitching? You know he’ll be snatched up. Maybe in the division.
Nova’s got options…
I don’t recall how Burnett pitched in Spring Training last season but he was great in April and about half of May.
But, for whatever reason, he completely lost it and never got it back.
I’m not a pessimist, but we all know Burnett can be lights out one start and Kei Igawa-esque in his next start.
That’s why I’ll hold off on judging his 2011 season until it’s over.
Glad to hear Igawa’s family is ok
“Luckily, Igawa reached his family on Saturday, and everyone is OK. The left-hander is leaving camp to attend to his family and will be returning to Japan for the foreseeable future. ”
http://riveraveblues.com/2011/.....nt-1737018
Fran
I agree. Further removed from what ever the distraction was + new PC= a lot better year.
I’m sure the Yanks are really surprised how well Colon has pitched, which is why I don’t think Nova getting the final rotation slot is a sure thing.
Colon will most likely either break down, burn out or just turn bad within 10 starts. In any event, if he helps to wins 5-6 games for NYY, it’s better with NYYs than an AL East rival. If he keeps winning, move him somewhere else if they can get something useful and bring in Nova.
its nova’s job to lose. as long as he’s healthy, colon will be released, imo
GF, last spring, Nurnett was at 5.12 ERA, 11 earned runs and 13 walks in 19.1 innings.
It’s a good idea to be 7~8 deep in starters. At the least.
Against all odds,
Remember when the Mavs were pretty good? He used to yap at Phil Jackson. Who subsequently schooled him.
I’m listening to the Lakers at Dallas. There’s a noisy Lakers contingent. I know Cuban likes money, but I suspect he doesn’t like it cheering for the bad guys.
“Colon will most likely either break down, burn out or just turn bad within 10 starts. ”
2 or 3 of which will be bad.
Even if he’s good his first few, sounds like a receipe for 3-3 to me. Not seeing the appeal.
“If he keeps winning, move him somewhere else if they can get something useful and bring in Nova.”
Eh, sounds like overthinking.
Bring your best 11 guys north. He indicated he’d consider the long-role. Call him on it.
I think I heard Kim say on the YES broadcast the other day that Mo will be making an appearance on Sunday. Does anybody else recall hearing this, or am I just wishing it to be true?
keeping colon over nova sends the message to all the young arms that they wont get a chance.
GF, I’m judging AJ’s season now. We’ll see if I end up being correct or incorrect.
I’m watching a different pitcher from the pitcher I’ve seen in other seasons. That’s what I’m judging here. I’m watching someone with a brand new delivery who is not like a cricket on a hearth while he’s on the mound. His delivery is smooth, he is relaxed, he is not falling apart if he has runners on base, he is not falling apart if he gives up a run.
It is obviously fair to withhold judgement.
I don’t feel the need because I have been convinced based on what I’m seeing.
I read that Kei’s family is living in a car.
# stuckey99 March 12th, 2011 at 10:19 pm
Bring your best 11 guys north. He indicated he’d consider the long-role. Call him on it.
———–
That would mean Girardi would have to rid himself of his woobie, er….Mitre.
I think Girardi and Cashman are happy with Mitre on the roster.
Theo Epstein: “Please don’t hang up. I am crying out for help. I am trying to do things the right way.”
“Does anybody else recall hearing this”
Yes. Mo is supposed to pitch tomorrow.
$100, 000.00 is being stingy?
ST performance determines who your best 11 guys are?
i dont like that.
mitre has the long spot and can’t option him out. No room for two longmen/swingmen. Imagine letting Colon go and starting with Nova and Nova goes bad or gets hurt. Who then?
I am also a Mitre supporter.
I am jazzed by the options the Yanks have in terms of starting pitching.
GreenBeret7 March 12th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
GF, last spring, Nurnett was at 5.12 ERA, 11 earned runs and 13 walks in 19.1 innings.
———————-
Were you going for Burnett or secretly telling us you miss your nurse this spring?
“$100, 000.00 is being stingy?”
In terms of Japan’s devastation and the Yankees money, absolutely. Again, George would have likely been donating in the millions.
Glad to hear Igawa’s family is ok…………..
trisha,
My post was directed at you.
Just taking a wait and see approach because we’re talking about a guy who has been pretty inconsistent during his career, especially for a guy with his stuff.
Thanks Pat.
AJ was awful in ST last year, esp. his curve. I recall he used the 2 seamer a lot early last year.
# GreenBeret7 March 12th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
mitre has the long spot and can’t option him out. No room for two longmen/swingmen. Imagine letting Colon go and starting with Nova and Nova goes bad or gets hurt. Who then?
——–
Agreed. I believe there’s a real chance that Colon could get that last spot. Stockpiling options.
GF, that’s why I said your approach is entirely reasonable.
Since I am seeing an entirely different pitcher, I am willing to go out on the limb and declare his 2011 season a resounding success.
My post was directed at you.
——-
Sorry. That’s supposed to be WASN’T directed at you.
if the yankees arent going to use the back end of the rotation to devellop starting pitchers, then they wont be able to develop any. unless your rookies are able to step into #2 and #3.
colon will be gone as long as everyone is healthy
GF, oh.
The fact that Nova has options left, I could see him starting at AAA, and Colon in the starting rotation.
Theo Epstein: “Please call me back. I am literally in tears. I am desperately seeking to be better…..We must win the 2011 WS, or I will exit the Fens in a monkey suit again”
Betsy, maybe it’s not stingy, it’s that George was so immensely generous that it seems stingy by that standard.
# m March 12th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
It’s a good idea to be 7~8 deep in starters. At the least.
Against all odds,
Remember when the Mavs were pretty good? He used to yap at Phil Jackson. Who subsequently schooled him.
I’m listening to the Lakers at Dallas. There’s a noisy Lakers contingent. I know Cuban likes money, but I suspect he doesn’t like it cheering for the bad guys.
—————————————-
Laker fans travel well they are the Yankees of the NBA. You’re right he probably doesn’t like hearing the LA chants lol but what can he do when The Show comes to his town. He might as well sit there and take it.
Tonight would be a nice win for the Lakers after losing to the Heat.
“Imagine letting Colon go and starting with Nova and Nova goes bad or gets hurt. Who then?”
Who then after the 7 or so start in which you predict Colon will flameout?
Yankees supposed depth is high-level starting pitching. Yes, they aren’t all of the Killer B ceiling, but the Yanks can’t find a serviceable 5th starter from the group?
Doesn’t sound like depth to me if not.
I shouldn’t have said anything, Trish, because I don’t want to get into an argument about it. I think that anyone that contributes anything is being generous………I just sometimes wonder if other countries would help US out if some natural disaster happened to us. I don’t think so.
Well, off to the market. I wanted to watch today’s game before I did my shopping.
FYI, Yankees donated $500k to Haiti last January.
Relevant to the conversation may be that Haiti and Japan have something of a different internal economic profile.
Betsy again I’m going based on George’s phenomenal generosity. Maybe the Yankees shouldn’t be judged by his benchmark.
I also agree that not a lot of countries would likely help us out.
KPB March 12th, 2011 at 10:24 pm
GreenBeret7 March 12th, 2011 at 10:18 pm
GF, last spring, Nurnett was at 5.12 ERA, 11 earned runs and 13 walks in 19.1 innings.
———————-
Were you going for Burnett or secretly telling us you miss your nurse this spring?
———————————————————————————————————————-
KPB, I can only remember thinking, “NO Burnett”. and then shortened it to Nurnett.
My mind was almost clear of The Beast From The East, and now you’ve brought that image back.
Thanks.
Theo Epstein: “Leslie, is that you?”
GF, I believe in having as many options as possible and limiting opposition options.
Calling a $100K donation stingy is absolutely ridiculous. Ridiculous. I’m actually blown away by the fooishness of that statement.
While the Yankee organization may announce charity donations, I believe that very few of the family donations are ever disclosed until several years later, and almost always by somebody else. Usually, it’s the recipient after a media slam against GMS.
My mind was almost clear of The Beast From The East, and now you’ve brought that image back.
Thanks.
————————-
Those who forget the past, tend to repeat mistakes. Stay agile, both mind and body, and it’s sure to stay in your memory and not come knocking on your door.
You’re Welcome
“I just sometimes wonder if other countries would help US out if some natural disaster happened to us. I don’t think so.”
Probably not but that’s why we are the example and is what makes this country great.
Commenting on someone elses charitable donation is tacky no matter the amount.
Honest question
What million plus dollar donations did George make?
Blake is The White Mamba as Kobe exits with an injury.
# m March 12th, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Blake is The White Mamba as Kobe exits with an injury.
———————-
Hopefully the injury isn’t too serious it did look bad though.
Blake is finally waking up lol
M,
Looking forward to tomorrow. Should be a great game…..that is if UNC decides to show up in the first half……if not it might not be so much
Blake, I agree, but it annoys me (actually, that’s a mild word for how I feel)…….
I’ve been awake
Betsy,
You know….with great power comes great responsibility ……just ask spiderman.
Didn’t GMS give 1 million to the Tsunami in 04? Considering the destruction scale, economic differences and lives lost 100k seems right on target as a comparison.
Does $40m to Kei count as a donation up Japan?
I just saw that Vazquez HR, wow did he mash that ball. Anyone out there predict he would be star of ST after 2 weeks, pretty cool.
Blake, as I said in the last thread. Duke us playing for a top seed. And pride.
I fully expect it to be a battle.
It’s kind of embarrassing how the ACC holds up the selection committee with the championship game on Sunday. But…well…it’s the ACC.
LGY – yes, that $40mm counts because the velocity of that money was tremendous considering he spent most of it on video games made in japan.
I don’t know why everyone is so quick to write Colon off. The guy knows how to pitch! Cy Young winner! (Remember?) He has been a top of rotation ace for a lot of his career.
Before we bury him and think he will only last 10 games, let’s see how he progresses in the next 2 weeks as he pitches deeper into games. I think his experience and pitching smarts will enable him to do what Pedro Martinez did for the Phillies a few years back. He may be able to do more with what he has right now than Nova–who is still learning to pitch.
And before anyone says “he gets injured a lot,” go back and actually look at his injury history. The guy already had the rotator cuff issue, and bone chips from elbow issue…and is over the lower back issue he got from over-swinging while hitting. He is now healthy, and throwing in 90s again. I wouldn’t assume anything about his health…although I certainly would have a back up plan in place as I would with any pitcher.
M,
The heels could be playing for a one seed as well…..should be a great one. Hard to believe it’s only the 10th time the two have met in the title game.
How many other organizations/teams have contributed to the relief effort? I know Oakland will donate game revenues in the near future and host a charity event or tow, butthat hardly matches the Yankees donation. Has any other team come forward?
I don’t think anyone is writing Colon off but when a guy hasn’t really had a successful season in the big leagues in 6 years then its natural to be cautious and skeptical if he can sustain it.
Colon didn’t deserve to win that Cy so it doesn’t count
Blake, lol……….Is that Spidey’s motto? The only Spidey I know is the silent one from Electric Company. I’ve never seen any of the movies (and definitely not the show – that has disaster written all over it).
By the way, the message that keeping Colon sends to the prospects is the same message that has been sent to them for over 30 years. “This is a great organization that goes all out to win. Do your best, and if you are good enough, you will make it here. If not, you’ll still get a chance with other organizations…so work hard to get noticed and be the best you can be.”
I have NO PROBLEM with that message.
Respectfully Lo-Hudders:
- After the BP oil spill the State Department said 22 offers of assistance have been received and accepted and 27 countries have offered to help. Japan sent two high speed skimmers and a fire containment system, while offers were accepted from Canada, Mexico, Norway and the Netherlands among many others.
- After Katrina, the United States received offers of aid from 77 countries and declined 54 of them.
blake March 12th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
I don’t think anyone is writing Colon off but when a guy hasn’t really had a successful season in the big leagues in 6 years then its natural to be cautious and skeptical if he can sustain it
________________
His history and current performance says that he deserves the chance to fail IMO.
Actually the message going with Colon sends to the kids is that you’re not getting a shot because they are going with 37 year old me instead.
LGY March 12th, 2011 at 11:01 pm
Colon didn’t deserve to win that Cy so it doesn’t count
______________
Are you serious? Who else would you have voted for–Mo?
Colon deserved the award–he had a killer year.
My #1 seeds:
Ohio State
Kansas
Pitt
Winner of UNC/Duke
#2 seeds
Notre Dame
Loser of Duke/UNC
San Diego
Texas
Bojo,
He’s thrown what 9 ST innings…..he’s surprised me no question but Im not keeping Nova out of the rotation for him.
Great play by Marra.
Not sure how UNC is a 1 seed even with an ACC tourney win. As of right now, the experts are saying that Duke is not guaranteed to get a 1 seed even with an ACC tourney win. So how can UNC get a 1 when they are 2 losses behind Duke, and 1 loss behind with a victory tomorrow?
blake March 12th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
Actually the message going with Colon sends to the kids is that you’re not getting a shot because they are going with 37 year old me instead
_______________
I disagree…it says there will be open competition for jobs, but you better bring your A game if you are going to win it. If you are going to displace a veteran, you have to step it up.
But the history of last few years also says that even if you don’t win a job in ST, stay ready…like Cano, Wang, Hughes, Joba and others did. Your chance might come at some point during the year. And then you will have a shot to shine.
How do you foul a 3 point shooter there……
What if Nova pitches better than Colon? What message would it send then?
Behold,
Who’s the 4th top seed if not Duke?
I don’t see UConn on your list, Carlo.
Because the committee weighs how teams are playing now and if UNC wins they will have a good record and great recent play. If they win tomorrow they COULD get a 1 seed…..not definitely. If Duke wins I think they will for sure.
blake March 12th, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Bojo,
He’s thrown what 9 ST innings…..he’s surprised me no question but Im not keeping Nova out of the rotation for him.
_________________
I guess I’ve always liked Colon–he was a dominant pitcher like Pedro at one time. And I believe he still has what it takes to win. He knows how to control a game through 9 innings, and how to get by on smarts as well as stuff.
I would start him ahead of Nova, knowing that Nova can always be called up if Colon falters.
But get this…say Colon pitches well but has to go on DL for some small problem….he can come back later in year and perhaps play a big ole in play-offs–where he has experience. I don’t see Nova doing that.
UNC lost to 2 horrible non-tournament teams, Minnesota and Georgia Tech. Duke lost to 3 likely tourney teams, St. Johns, UNC, Virginia Tech and a possible 4th tourney team, FSU.
LGY March 12th, 2011 at 11:10 pm
What if Nova pitches better than Colon? What message would it send then?
_____________
That ship has sailed. I don’t think he has.
Nova and Colon have pitched about the same so far. If that continues then im going with the guy who is 15 years younger, has upside, and who pitched a full season last year.
blake If they do get a 1, you’re right, it’s based on how they’re playing now.
m I dont know. Ask the “experts” in the media.
Unc wasn’t even remotely the same team when they lost to Minnesota or GT….
I think the committee will weigh how Duke stayed at or near the top for most of the season. If UNC wins tomorrow who can bump them from a top seed?
Overall no dominant team. Much like last year.
Time to get ready for SNL and bed. Good night night people.
blake, The quality of losses still get weighed, as they should. You can’t just lose games early and get away with them completely because of being a different team later on.
WYCF,
There is a big difference between a corporate/family donation and a country’s donation.
The 2010 World Champion New York Yankees come out on top again this year, worth $1.6 billion
RANK: 1
CURRENT VALUE ($ mil): $1,600
1-YEAR CHANGE IN VALUE %: 7%
REVENUES ($mil): $441
OPERATING INCOME ($mil): $24.9
$100,000 to a country with whom they have strong baseball relations? A pittance.
Hopefully they’ll give more as time passes.
****************
I apparently am not terribly moved by the comments to the contrary.
Night all.
M – just given the way uconn finished the regular season, I think the big east tourney took them from a 5/6 seed to a 3 seed. I don’t see them higher than a 3 though.
My big east predicted seeds would be:
Pitt – 1
ND – 2
Uconn – 3
Cuse – 3
Lville – 4
Gtown – 6
Nova – 9
Marquette – 10
Cincy – 9
St Johns 5
Wvu – 8
As you ‘spring’ ahead, we never change our watches, but now will be 3 hrs. different from the East. Arizona never changes time.
But they do weigh how a team improves over the course of a season and how they are playing now…..if Unc wins tomorrow then they will have lost one game since Marshall took over at the point ……and that was at Duke.
Blake – if unc wins tomorrow and duke is a 1 seed I will be mystified. Can’t take a team over unc who unc beat twice in the past two weeks.
I think BC’s bubble burst with harvard losing today. Harvard deserves at large bid over them
Theo Epstein: “Check your email”
Carlo UNC beat Duke at home, and tomorrow’s final will be like another home game for UNC.
How.much did the Red Sox donate?
Don’t forget to move the clocks ahead tonight!
I love DST – why they feel the need to move the clocks back each fall is beyond me.
They donated Theo’s gorilla suit
All the bubbles need to be cheering for #17 Utah State right now.
Not sure. Not sure if they did. However my interest is the Yankees and nobody else.
SAS March 12th, 2011 at 11:19 pm
WYCF, There is a big difference between a corporate/family donation and a country’s donation.
************
SAS – I wasn’t referring to the Yankees donation. My post was in response to those who theorized (quoted below) that other countries wouldn’t help the US.
“I just sometimes wonder if other countries would help US out if some natural disaster happened to us. I don’t think so.”
“Carlo UNC beat Duke at home, and tomorrow’s final will be like another home game for UNC.”
The schools are 8 miles apart. UNC is about 10 minutes closer to Greensboro than Duke is.
m….I know I’m rooting for Utah St…Oh there’s the -5 issue to boot
Betsy I hate the “spring ahead” part of it! I like that extra hour’s sleep!
But it’s UNC-Greensboro.
Behold. Duke and unc are 8 miles from each other so playing at a neutral site is not a unc home game.
Also, in the game at duke, unc had them beat badly. They have basically outplayed duke for 3 of 4 halves so far this season. If unc wins tomorrow, thus beating duke in the season head to head, winning the acc regular season and acc tourney, then unc deserves the 1 seed.
Trisha, it’s just for one night – I love the extra daylight!
The crowd in Greensboro have always been behind the Heels. The TV crew will make a mention of it tomorrow prior to tip-off.
UNC Greensboro is a seperate school. There will be Duke fans there……they just wont be able to jack the heat up, sit right on the court, and wear speedos to try and distract their opponent …..
Bets, being a typical night person, oh how I value that extra hour.
Duke must win to have any chance of securing a # 1 seed the way I see it
Theo Epstein: “I am begging for another chance. Please check your email”
The crowd in Greensboro is behind the Heels because there are more UNC fans in NC than Duke fans…..not because of location.
Seriously this time, night all. I’m going to try to catch that extra hour right now.
Trish, ah – understood. I need the extra hour now because I’ve been going asleep way too late lately, but under ordinary circumstances, I am a morning person. Also, DST means a long, dreary winter is almost over
blake Never said it was because of location. Just stated a fact: Tomorrow will be another home game for UNC.
Looking over at Pete Abe’s Extra Bases blog and I found him getting into it with a poster over there.
Aww the memories…
Can Girardi finally let Turpen and Fish go. I think we have seen it by now.
Behold,
You can’t play the thing at Cameron…..its not a home game for either team. Unc will have more fans there but the Dukies will be represented well and it will have no impact on the game. Playing at Cameron can impact a game…..playing in Greensboro wont.
Did Pete scold a poster for questioning that the Sox were the greatest assembly of talent ever?
blake Okay. I respectfully disagree. As a Duke fan, good luck tomorrow. Barnes is an absolute stud, hopefully Singler can handle him defensively.
No DST here either. Just means baseball at 7:05 am instead of 8:05 for day games.
Behold,
Should be a good one….if Unc comes out like they have the last two days though then they’ll get ran off the court and won’t be coming back on Duke…
Night night peoples ….
No it had something to do with why the Sux are starting Aceves against the Yankees. Something stupid as usual. Classic Pete Abe tough guy routine…
Da rumble in da bronx (kemba)…on to the next one
Johan Santana’s rehab isn’t going well and he may not return this season. Scratch another one off the list.
m If you are still awake, the four 1 seeds they have are OSU, Kansas, Notre Dame, Pitt
Maybe the Yankees can trade Phil Hughes for cash considerations and donate the proceeds to Japan to improve their stingy first offer, after all, he’ll never amount to more than a 3rd starter anyway.
Yeah, i went there.
Behold,
That’s the”experts” right? Subject to change?
stuckey,
You are so naughty! Insulting two ladies with one post!
Friendly barbs…
…still draw blood.
Pat M – congrats on your bets tonight
Where did you see that Johan had a setback?
I tried to go to Pete’s site. I learned that Crawford is out with stiffness for a second game.
How come espn and MLB think Gonzalez hitting a single is super news, but Crawford having aches and pains is not? j/k
Anyway, I clicked on Pete’s latest thread. Clicked back and it wanted me to sign in or register. Tried to load the site again, same thing. Don’t think it’s worth clearing my cache to check out what he wrote.
A-Rod mlb extra innings commercial lol
m,
It’s not all that much. Basically, a poster laced into Pete and said some ignorant stuff. Pete put him in his place, saying that other posters should tolerate this guy because it’s safer to have guys like him here on the internet than out on the streets.
http://www.northjersey.com/spo....._Mets.html
Long term contracts for pitchers … I’m so glad that that 7 year deal for Lee fell through.
Ed H,
That’s pretty funny.
JF,
Thanks for that. You just never know with pitchers. As for Lee, he sure is a chatty feller. Going to root against the Phillies. Though, Hallady is a treasure.
Cashman dissing Hughes by suggesting we have pitchers who can be better:
4. You talking about your young pitchers?
You can figure them out. But there are certain guys. Like Phil Hughes. I said publicly I wouldn’t want to trade Phil Hughes. I stopped trade discussion on Hughes on (Johan) Santana because he was a rare, special guy. And he’s proven that out. He’s helped us win a World Series in the bullpen, he won 18 games last year, and we have certain guys we think are potentially even better than he is. That excites us.
Better than winning a world series and 18 games?!
http://bit.ly/fKEkUm
Jerkface –
He is saying Phil Hughes is great, has shown how special he is, and how worth keeping from the Santana trade he has turned out to be. It is not dissing Phil Hughes to suggest that they have a couple of pitchers on the horizon who have the potential to be even better than Phil Hughes – rather, it is the highest accolade he can give these new pitchers coming up.
I don’t see the diss at all. I see him giving the highest compliment he can to both Hughes (as someone who has more than proven his worth) and the prospects (they look to be able to contribute at least as much as Hughes and perhaps more).
I am soooooooooooooooooooo tired of this particular part of the Hughes debate. I am tired of the entirety of it, but particularly this part.
I usually choose to refrain from adding any comments to any discussion about Hughes, but this time I had to speak up. But that will be all from me on this.
********
Oh,
Good morning, morning people.
Happy Daylight Savings Time.
good morning all…so happy to have DST…I love the extra light in the afternoon/evening!
Doreen
jerkface is just trying to stir the pot, you know that
upstate kate -
But why???????
That particular pot has been stirred into a logic-sucking whirlpool.
******
I like the extra light at the end of the day – it makes me feel like I have so much more time, and I end up getting more done and feeling more energetic. I don’t like the early stages when you end up getting up in the dark, but then again, most of the time it’s still dark when I get up now.
My least favorite part about winter is the dark…I get up in the dark, go to work, and come home in the dark. I don’t care about the am, I like it light when I get home.
morning people! only an idiot can read that cashman quote as dissing hughes imo.
Good morning Ladies.
DST means more BBQ’s and more light to explore the heart of darkness.
All good.
Prefer the way AZ. does it though. Rather keep it consistent all year.
kate -
I remember when I worked, that was the worst part – dark when you leave for work and dark when you leave for home. Utterly discouraging.
When you get home and it’s still light, you feel like you can still accomplish more. You just feel better.
And with the robins singing in the mornings and now it staying lighter later, it really feels like winter is coming to an end.
How long is your son home for?
I’m going fishing today. We’ll see if I catch fish or trolls.
MTU -
I’d like to keep it constant all year as well, keep DST all year!
Do cellphones operate 2 hours out into the ocean?? How am I going to keep up with the yankees today :{
JF-
Be sure to to measure them sabremetrically.
Otherwise you won’t be able to have accurate bragging rights.
In any case, they’ll taste just as good when you cook them.
No dexter references LGY
Spring in the south, low 70′s, everything in bloom, and having to cut the grass already.
And no snow!
Garcia with a chance to keep the good vibes going in the rotation. Go yankees
Al-
I turned on my sprinkler system weeks ago.
Cherry trees already in blossom.
JF-
Get yourself a satellite phone if you want to follow the Yankees while at sea.
Nice, Big Al.
Still a little chill in the air up here, but the spring birds are coming back, and I saw a rabbit in my shrubbery the other day. And my landscaper called about spring cleanup – that’s the real sign of spring!!!
Well out to sea and I still have internet. Technology is amazing.
MTU -
Mike the cherry trees are in bloom, the pear trees are full of white blooms, my Red Bud trees have those beautiful bright purple buds on them, flowers popping up, and my irrigation gets turned on tomorrow. Now all I need is for the baseball season to begin. I’m throwing a couple of steaks on the BBQ later, live is good.
JF-
Concentrate on your fishing.
I want some snapper or dorado BBQ’ed for lunch.
MTU -
JF is in his tub with his rubber ducky, don’t let him fool you.
You have a landscaper
I’m the landscaper for my house and I knew it was spring when I spent all yesterday planting new things in my front yard 
it sucked
Doreen -
Good morning. This time of year is great, its like everything is coming back to life, and we can start all over again.
I think you get one more storm before the real spring begins.
Al-
It is as long as you’re not in NE Japan.
What a tragedy. Epic bad. Those reactors are a real problem.
Hope their plan C works.
MTU -
Sounds good, Red Snapper on the BBQ!
Happy fishin Jerkface….getting that time of year.
MTU,
I do too. Just a mess over there.
Al-
Along with a cold one (or 2 or 3). Oh yeah.
And I don’t even need to prepare it because JF has been kind enough
to do all the work.
enough talk about spring…it is snowing again
altho the birds are singing their spring songs and there are rabbit tracks everywhere.
My son is home for a week Doreen, so he can help w/ the shoveling!
Don’t let the media rile you up on the nuclear plants. Near impossible for a modern plant to have a disastrous melt down. Might lose millions of dollars of plant infrastructure tho. Japan is the only country with a foundry big enough to make a specific nuclear plant piece. Can only make 6 per year.
MTU -
Are they going to have a full melt down in Japan? If so, the rest of the world will be affected as well. A very sad situation for sure. Its hard to look at the news coverage and not feel the sadnees that country is being subjected to. I think if they only had the earthquake to deal with, they might have been OK, but, when the seas came rolling threw, that was much worse.
Let’s put it this way, a coal plant simply by operating is affecting the world with toxins more than what’s happening in japan right now. The biggest problem is the country losing power.
Jerkface -
Where are you fishing? On a group boat I guess.
Blake-
It’s what’s called a “subduction” zone.
The WHOLE of the Main Island of Japan moved 8 FEET.
I think they said that the equivalent force was = to 300,000 Hiroshima type bombs.
By the way, we have one just like it off the coast of Washington state
and Oregon.
It’s called the “Cascadia” subduction zone.
It hasn’t moved in about 300 years, and it’s way overdue according to the experts.
It’s capable of producing a magnitude 9 with ensuing Tsunami.
We are way less prepared for such an event than the Japanese.
I don’t want to be around to see it if it when it finally lets go again.
I’m going fission
on a deep sea charter. Booked it for my dad and his friend for christmas.
Jerkface -
Yeah. We use him to get us in shape to start the season and to mow the lawn. Then I do most of the maintenance and any flower planting, barring some unforeseen problem (like my most favorite cherry tree dying last season). My husband just works too many hours, even with DST, there’s not enough daylight for him to get anything accomplished after work, and weekends? He’s down to about a half day of free time on the weekends these days.
Anyway, JF, have a great time fishing today.
Must be spring I can see new holes all over my lawn from the chipmunks and moles.
I wish I could do that doreen but I’m a new house owner so I don’t have ‘a guy’ send me your guy. With your husbands work sched I can’t imagine he wants to waste time with updates on lohud drama
MTU -
I heard the opening was 150 miles long, and 50 miles wide. That’s some massive quake.
I wonder if the quake in Japan was tied to the one in ChristChurch.
MTU,
scary stuff indeed.
Send me your guy I’m a new house owner I don’t have a guy
Al-
Let’s hope not. They are onto plan C now. It is not recommended
but under the circumstances you can’t blame them for trying.
They are pumping seawater into the reactors to try to cool them.
No Nation can adequately prepare for the level of force contained in that type of event.
The likelihood of that happening is off the charts low.
There have only been 5 of 9 or greater magnitude reported in the modern era.
I give the Japanese a lot of credit for their preparedness.
If it wasn’t for that the loss of life would have been evn worse.
I do not think that part of Japan will ever be the same unfortunately.
wont be another nuclear plant built in the U.S. for another 25 years after this.
sounds like fun Jerkface, and my kind of present…the one you give to someone else so you get to do something you enjoy!
RIB
what, no skunks?
Which is a shame since nuclear power is great and very safe.
I was watching the news the other night a geologist/seismic expert said we have a similar fault line in the states of Washington and oregon to the one in Japan where the quake occurred.
My thoughts exactly kate
tell that to the 100000 people who have been evacuated
MTU -
If we had a quake like that off the west coast, CA could go into the ocean per some folks, is that true?
Al-
From what I have read the experts do not think Christchurch was related.
i read on ruetersuk that the island the earthquake is on moved 8 ft from the earthquake
Good morning, morning people
Hanging out with you guys while I wait for my new refridgerator to arrive and my super to decide to show up
We spent 6 billion to build Shorham and the Mario Cuomo administration scuttled it so it couldn’t open bowing to environmental pressure.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for another.
70% of all power in France comes from nuclear power, and I understand they have been very safe. We are way behind where we should be in that respect, thus the huge dependence on oil.
JF
I know all about that strategy. We gave my MIL a trip to YS for Christmas last year, her first time. Of course, we had to take her. Bonus points for me for suggesting it. Too bad AJ had a melt down performance, but we got to see the Cy young winner pitch!
rhapsody the suffolk county legislature scuttled shorham
We have such great planners in this country, I’m sure if they built more nuclear plants here, they’d manage to build them where fault lines are, or in direct paths of tornado ally or hurricane prone areas.
if they had to evacuate the 20 sq. miles around indian point, like they have had to with these reactors, it would be impossible.
if indian point had a partial meltdown similar to chernobyl, millions could be killed.
The plant drew increasingly intense opposition after the 1979 Three Mile Island accident and the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, resulting in delays and cost increases before New York Governor Mario Cuomo pulled the plug in a state takeover of the plant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.....ower_Plant
Al-
Nope. But the event generated would paralell what happened in Japan in Washington State, and along the Oregon and No. CA.
coasts.
In essence we would send them a Tsunami that was generated here.
Y’S Guy-
Obviously you don’t listen to those Indian Point commercials and the Indian Point Power report during Yankee games on the radio… according to them Indian Point is the cleanest and safest place ever
coumo just refused to overrule the suffolk county legislature when they wouldnt give it an operating license.
Jerkface -
Hah! Understatement. Though I do try to keep him up to date on the various Lohud highlights.
***
I have to say, the first time we attempted to do our own landscaping, we did not get good results (this was in our first home – a townhouse with a very small back yard) – everthing died. We had no idea what we were doing. The investment in plants is too large to entrust our ourselves. I do fine with the small stuff, but of all the things I’ve taught myself to do, gardening is one area I just have no affinity for. I would love to plant a small vegetable garden, but I’m just no good at it.
****
Y’s Guy-
I think you are correct about nuclear power plants here.
Erica -
I remember all those years they couldn’t even get the sirens to work properly at Indian Point, which makes you wonder how they got the really important things insde the plant to be so safe.
Ys guy
From the link I provided.
After completion, Shoreham received a low power license and underwent low power testing, but never produced any commercial electric power, because New York Governor Mario Cuomo’s representatives did not sign the Emergency Evacuation Plan.
im not against nuclear power per se, but indian point should be shut down.
spending a trillion dollars on a war in iraq to protect our oil ( which results in 1 1/2 million dead) is no better
yes that was it, the suffolk legislature refused to approve an evacuation plan, then the governor refused to overrule it.
Later folks, all this talk of energy reminds me I need a large cup of coffee.
Ys guy
Yeah basically what I said in my original statement.
In so many words it was Cuomo.
you read it but apparently you dont believe it. you want to blame cuomo for some reason, but the facts say otherwise, even your poorly written wiki entry.
the people of suffolk county basically voted out all the pro-shorham legislators and voted in people who were opposed. the legislature then refused to approve an evacuation plan that was needed for the plant.
the governor just refused to overrule the suffolk county legislature.
if you need to make that cuomo scuttling the plant, then you go do that.
those of us who were there might remember it differently then you want to.
Yay. Full team today except for Gardner. They must have known my grandparents don’t care for the rookies at all.
Al-
The reactors in question in Japan are older technology.
There are way more modern and safer designs available.
Light-water reactors are smaller and still very efficient.
I am not certain of this but I believe the technology has advanced to the point that even in a worse case scenario these types of reactors can shut themselves down.
I do agree with the premise that reactors should not be built near large population centers.
The newer technologies should facilitate that possibility.
That is one area of government where I would like to see the Feds have more of a role in the overall management.
That is how the French do it.
It’s is a National program.
By the way, The French have had numerous “incidents” over the years. They have generally not reached a critical stage.
There is a report on their overall safety record and it is scarier than most know.
You can google it if you are interested.
It is some French commision that studied their system.
New, non-nuclear, thread.
==>
Ys guy
I googled it, Wiki seemed to be a fair response, so I posted it.
I didn’t write it. There are others with the same answer.
believe what you like.