MLB '09

[Strangler Lewis]

I like my baseball defense in flashy broad strokes:

Can he make circus catches?
Can he run down well hit balls?
Can he throw a runner out at third from right field?
Can he make a strong throw to first from deep in the hole?

Two million bits of defensive increments don't interest me, and I predict they won't interest anyone for long.

[Alex]

Unfortunately that first one is frequently a sign of a less then stellar defensive player.

The big problem I see for this system (which I agree will be of no interest to most fans) is that unlike other statistical databases this one can't help but be extremely proprietary so until I know how they're planning to make money off the system and share the data I can't get excited about its meaning to stat oriented fans.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Alex

Unfortunately that first one is frequently a sign of a less then stellar defensive player.

Frequently but not always.

When Juan Pierre makes one of his frequent circus catches it's more often than not because he thought the best route to the ball involved taking a quick nap and starting in the opposite direction and only his speed saved him from embarrassing himself.

Whe Matt Kemp makes it, it's more often than not because he covered more ground than should be humanly possible and got an out that most center fielders couldn't have even considered making.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Frequently but not always.

I agree! Makes me wish I had used a word that meant something other than always.

[Strangler Lewis]

Here's a video of the top 25 catches of all time.

I predict even the most hardcore baseball fan here will watch this and say "Who gives a f***?"

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

Here's a video of the top 25 catches of all time.

I predict even the most hardcore baseball fan here will watch this and say "Who gives a f***?"

Amazing how expectations change when you take the glove away.

Can he make circus catches?
Can he run down well hit balls?
Can he throw a runner out at third from right field?
Can he make a strong throw to first from deep in the hole?

Matt Kemp demonstrated 3 of the 4 in the last 2 days. And given a chance to learn shortstop I Bet he'd be able to add the 4th. It's a shame he's not already on the All Star roster, I certainly hope the final vote ends in his favor.

[Andrew]

Jonathan Sanchez just threw the first no-hitter in 33 years for the Giants. He was perfect until an error in the 7th.

[Strangler Lewis]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Jonathan Sanchez just threw the first no-hitter in 33 years for the Giants. He was perfect until an error in the 7th.

No-hitters are overrated. No Mets pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter, and they've done just fine. In 1969, at the second game I ever went to, Bob Moose of the Pirates no-hit the Mets. The Mets won the World Series that year. A few years later, Bob Moose was dead.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Strangler Lewis

No-hitters are overrated. No Mets pitcher has ever thrown a no-hitter, and they've done just fine. In 1969, at the second game I ever went to, Bob Moose of the Pirates no-hit the Mets. The Mets won the World Series that year. A few years later, Bob Moose was dead.

Who pissed in your Cheerios this morning?

[Alex]

Hey, the Ashes just started. If it were easily available on my TV I'd be watching some of it.