|
Groucho Marxist posted:Let's stop acting like $/WAR is worth a poo poo since it treats a nonlinear value like a linear one. I've probably been the worst offender and even I've tried to make sure to hedge my assessments with a reasonable degree of uncertainty. WAR confirms the conclusions I've stated (Chase Headley has been a great value, Everth Cabrera is worth what he's paid), which can be independently drawn in numerous other ways. Everblight posted:Twenty years of Marlin fandom, which boils down to "If he costs more than $440,000 a year, he's gone." I assume all teams are operating under the same "keep payroll under $30m a year for 25 players" restrictions, and sometimes forget that other teams are actually profitable/don't cook the books enough that an occasional whiff on a Cameron Maybin isn't going to bankrupt the team. Most teams are actually willing to pay guys more than a couple million. Cause they actually associate winning with greater fan participation. And that somehow leads to a better brand.
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 01:41
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 16, 2024 13:21 |
|
|
I just kinda started getting back into baseball again, after liking it as a kid - I went to maybe 5 games this year. I'm in baltimore and didn't get Orioles playoff tickets, though I tried. What exactly is the deal with buying tickets second hand? Is it illegal or otherwise problematic or not legit? If it is legit, are there any good ways to try to find them?
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 02:01
|
|
|
Doghouse posted:I just kinda started getting back into baseball again, after liking it as a kid - I went to maybe 5 games this year. I'm in baltimore and didn't get Orioles playoff tickets, though I tried. What exactly is the deal with buying tickets second hand? Is it illegal or otherwise problematic or not legit? If it is legit, are there any good ways to try to find them? Depends on the state. In Missouri, the law used to be pretty weird. You could buy off of licensed ticket brokers, or you could pay face value for a ticket from a private seller. The private seller could not sell a ticket for anything more than face value; doing so would be considered scalping. The laws in many states have been changed, though, and with places like StubHub around, pretty much anyone with a ticket can sell it for whatever someone will pay for it. During the regular season, StubHub will often have dirt-cheap prices to not-great-but-at-least-you're-there tickets, especially for games that otherwise aren't in high demand. Say, for a Tuesday evening game between the Cardinals and the Padres. I pretty much only buy tickets from StubHub. It's often way cheaper, and a lot of the time, you can easily get tickets to games that, according to the venue's website and Ticketmaster or Metrotix (do they exist still?), are sold out.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 02:11
|
|
|
Decide how much you're willing to pay, set up an alert on stubhub, create an IFTTT to text you when you get an alert email from stubhub (the email address their alerts come from is update@stubhub-mail.com), buy them as soon as you get the text. You can look at stubhub to get an idea of what prices are right now. Otherwise you options are pretty much craigslist or getting them from a scalper day of, neither of which seem to me to be as good of a bet as stubhub.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 02:20
|
|
|
Doghouse posted:I just kinda started getting back into baseball again, after liking it as a kid - I went to maybe 5 games this year. I'm in baltimore and didn't get Orioles playoff tickets, though I tried. What exactly is the deal with buying tickets second hand? Is it illegal or otherwise problematic or not legit? If it is legit, are there any good ways to try to find them? It's perfectly fine to the point that StubHub is literally endorsed as a resale site by MLB. If you're not buying tickets from somewhere you can be sure is trustworthy, be careful. People do all the time, though.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 02:24
|
|
|
tarlibone posted:StubHub will often have dirt-cheap prices to not-great-but-at-least-you're-there tickets This isn't even necessarily true, I've gotten extremely good seats from StubHub (though of course I go primarily to Pirates games, so they're not the #1 in-demand tickets, but still).
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 03:58
|
|
|
Mornacale posted:This isn't even necessarily true, I've gotten extremely good seats from StubHub (though of course I go primarily to Pirates games, so they're not the #1 in-demand tickets, but still). Oh, I know. I've done that, too. I was just saying that for someone who wants to take in the game day experience on the cheap, StubHub is definitely the way to go. I didn't mean to imply that they only sell cheap seats.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 04:08
|
|
|
Plus, StubHub gives you the extra fun of playing the "do I think the prices have hit rock bottom yet?" game if you want to.
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 04:11
|
|
|
Mornacale posted:Plus, StubHub gives you the extra fun of playing the "do I think the prices have hit rock bottom yet?" game if you want to. I was able to sell 2 upper deck tickets to the first Atlanta game of the Dodgers-Braves series last season on game day so I could pick up 2 seats next to the batter's eye section in center field for the same price.  I wouldn't advise trying this for non-Turner Field playoff games (nobody comes to them).
|
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 15:42
|
|
|
More of a general sports question, but certainly applicable to baseball: What would happen if, mid-season, the - say - Cleveland Indians plane crashed, and the whole team died. Obviously all games would be cancelled for a day or two (like 9/11 did), but then they'd have to pick back up. What happens when a team is gone? Do the opponents Cleveland would have had to play get wins by forfeit? Does Cleveland call up literally every AAA player they can and try to field a team for the rest of the season?
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 22:37
|
|
|
Everblight posted:More of a general sports question, but certainly applicable to baseball:
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 22:42
|
|
|
It's called the Rule 29 draft
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 22:48
|
|
|
Everblight posted:More of a general sports question, but certainly applicable to baseball: If the PA agrees to it, MLB runs a Rule 29 draft.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 22:50
|
|
|
(Double-posting from the latest GDT because who knows when it might be closed): I just watched the first three innings of Sunday's LAA@KC game because I only got to hear it on my car radio. On a whim I opted for the KCSP audio overlay. Jesus was it awful. The main guy sounded older than Vin and like he was trying to emulate Vin (and failing miserably), and the color guy, whoever the gently caress he is, barely talked. Then the color guy (I think?) takes over and I don't hear a peep from main guy. How long have you been suffering this, Royals fans?
|
|
#
?
Oct 9, 2014 03:03
|
|
|
I have a question about offensive interference based on a play during game one of the WS. If a runner is already out on a double play, does he have an obligation to duck if the ball is thrown over the basepath?
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 04:30
|
|
|
DinosaurEggSalad posted:I have a question about offensive interference based on a play during game one of the WS. If a runner is already out on a double play, does he have an obligation to duck if the ball is thrown over the basepath? Yes
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 04:43
|
|
|
DinosaurEggSalad posted:I have a question about offensive interference based on a play during game one of the WS. If a runner is already out on a double play, does he have an obligation to duck if the ball is thrown over the basepath? It gets iffy. In the 1934 World Series, Dizzy Dean (RHP) volunteered to go into the game as a pinch runner at first. Pepper Martin hit into a GIDP... or would have, had Dizzy not gotten in the way of the throw to first. He he blocked the throw with his face, was knocked unconscious, and had X-rays taken to see if there was any damage. ("Doctors x-ray Dizzy Dean's head, find nothing.") This was an OK play, because in the umpire's opinion, he didn't obviously go out of his way to obstruct the throw. Essentially, if you put your hands up, run out of the basepath, or do something that clues in the umpires to what you're trying to do, the runner at 1st (or wherever that ball is headed) may be called out. In practice, though, it doesn't happen too often, because it hurts when balls hit you, and nobody wants to get hit by thrown balls for that reason.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 04:47
|
|
|
I could have sworn I read that once a runner is out, they are required to not interfere with or distract from the rest of the play at all. Basically once you're out, you stay in place until the ball is dead. I'm probably wrong. There's a lot of weirdness in the rules.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 05:23
|
|
|
You should probably get out of the way purely in self-preservation so a shortstop doesn't fire a baseball directly into your face. We were always taught to slide into 2nd with our head down and hands up. As MIF, we were also taught to throw the ball as directly as possible to first base on double play opportunities.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 06:07
|
|
|
DinosaurEggSalad posted:I have a question about offensive interference based on a play during game one of the WS. If a runner is already out on a double play, does he have an obligation to duck if the ball is thrown over the basepath? He can't intentionally interfere with a thrown ball. So yes, he needs to get out of the way. However if the ball does strike him, it would require the umpire to make a ruling on intent, which is where it gets messy.
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 17:24
|
|
|
ayn rand hand job posted:He can't intentionally interfere with a thrown ball. What I was taught about that is that if the runner makes no reaction to the throw, he's probably OK. If he moves sideways or jumps or puts up a hand or does anything that indicates he knows the throw is coming, it's interference. Most runners do the safe thing and just hit the dirt once they're out. About the only way a runner can get away with it is if he has his head down and is running straight for the base, oblivious to the overall play, and the throw drills him in the chest (or head, as in the Dizzy Dean story above).
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 17:36
|
|
|
Everblight posted:More of a general sports question, but certainly applicable to baseball: For more! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaster_draft
|
|
#
?
Oct 22, 2014 19:17
|
|
|
Say Ichiro picks up a line drive in RF, throws to the cutoff McLemore, who guns it home to Wilson who then applies the tag to Jeter. Obviously Wilson gets the PO, but is Ichiro also credited with an assist as the fielder who initially touched the ball, or just McLemore for being the last guy to touch it before the putout?
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2014 19:06
|
|
|
They both get an assist.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2014 19:15
|
|
|
I'm fairly sure everyone who touches the ball gets an assist, so Ichiro and McLemore would both get assists there. I'd guess that if the ball glances off an infielder on its way to the outfield that guy would get an assist too. Oh looked it up, apparently the deflection wouldn't be an assist in that situation, but probably is scored that way if say a hot shot up the middle bounces off the pitcher to short or something. quote:10.10 Assists
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2014 19:16
|
|
|
Do baseball cards have to be in mint condition to be worth anything? If I find some old cards I want to preserve, what is considered the best method by current collectors (other than going back in time and not opening the package). Also, if I organized a baseball card exchange thread through which we could trade cards for nostalgia-sake only, would people be interested? This would be similar to the old days of trading live concert tapes in which you would promise not to charge anything for the cards. It would, of course, be shut down if any drama occurred. I don't know anything about baseball cards other than most of what I have are useless.
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2014 22:21
|
|
|
tadashi posted:Do baseball cards have to be in mint condition to be worth anything? If I find some old cards I want to preserve, what is considered the best method by current collectors (other than going back in time and not opening the package).
|
|
#
?
Nov 17, 2014 22:29
|
|
|
If they actually are OLD old send them to a grading service like PSA or Beckett.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2014 18:52
|
|
|
ElwoodCuse posted:If they actually are OLD old send them to a grading service like PSA or Beckett. Caveat: If they're old and beat to poo poo, don't pay money to have them encased in lucite with a badge on them saying they're in crappy condition. A BGS 4 Pete Rose is worth a hell of a lot more out of the slab than in one.
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2014 18:57
|
|
|
I don't really care about the value. I just found a couple Barry Bonds and Frank Thomas rookie cards in decent shape and I'd like to keep them that way for my own collection. Looks like just using toploaders is the standard thing to do?
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2014 21:12
|
|
|
tadashi posted:I don't really care about the value. I just found a couple Barry Bonds and Frank Thomas rookie cards in decent shape and I'd like to keep them that way for my own collection. Looks like just using toploaders is the standard thing to do? Yeah, if that even. Those cards are guaranteed worthless. Might think about getting a little bound-in 9-card binder (at at CCG/gaming store for Magic) to put them in so they stay on a shelf in a nice easy-to-transport/display manner (something like this)
|
|
#
?
Nov 18, 2014 22:04
|
|
|
What's the difference between command and control, really?
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2014 23:48
|
|
|
Everblight posted:What's the difference between command and control, really? Control is the ability to throw strikes, command is the ability to locate precisely where you want. It's never been clear to me why there need to be two different terms for these things, and my guess is that someone made it up because they didn't want to admit that they were just synonyms.
|
|
#
?
Nov 21, 2014 23:51
|
|
|
Everblight posted:What's the difference between command and control, really? Command generally refers to the ability to throw multiple types of pitches well, and be able to make the release on all of them look the same. It also includes being able to vary the speed and amount of break in various pitches, minimizing random variability. A pitcher does not have good command of his curve ball if he tips it with arm motion every time, or cannot routinely give it the speed and break that he desires. Control is the ability to locate pitches in the strike zone, regardless of the type of pitch.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 00:29
|
|
|
Mornacale posted:Control is the ability to throw strikes, command is the ability to locate precisely where you want. They're not synonyms. Control is "can you throw a ball within the predefined box we call a strike?" Command is "can you create strikes by putting the ball wherever the catcher calls for it/the batter can't resist swinging?" One is a very clear step up from the other. Adam Sobsey at Baseball Prospectus has a very good meditation on why this distinction matters beyond baseball here. SporkOfTruth fucked around with this message at 01:12 on Nov 22, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 01:09
|
|
|
Deteriorata posted:Command generally refers to the ability to throw multiple types of pitches well, and be able to make the release on all of them look the same. It also includes being able to vary the speed and amount of break in various pitches, minimizing random variability. A pitcher does not have good command of his curve ball if he tips it with arm motion every time, or cannot routinely give it the speed and break that he desires. This is pretty much it. Control is universal. It is putting the ball where you want it. It doesn't even have to be in the strike zone. Sometimes good control involves locating a pitch outside the strike zone. What matters is that the ball goes exactly where the catcher and pitcher agrees it should go. A pitch called for at the bottom outside corner of the zone that ends up splitting the middle of the plate at belt height is indicative of profoundly poor control, even if it may be a strike. What command refers to can differ on different pitches. For fastballs, it can be the apparent 'rising' motion caused by magnus forces. For sliders, it might be precisely the timing and magnitude of break, as well as how easy it is to pick up the spin off the release. Most all major league level pitchers have to have some ability to do both, or else they'd simply fail to get outs. Some have the raw talent to command pitches with the movement and velocity to be successful even with poor control (think Carlos Marmol for a few years there with a filthy slider). On the other end you get pitchers like Mark Buehrle who rely on impeccable control and command of four or five different pitches to keep hitters off-balance, even if he can't break 85 mph. What they have in common is command. You can survive without control, and you can survive without the ability to throw 95+ mph, but major league pitcher require command of their pitches or else they will throw the flat fastballs and rolling breaking pitches that go a very long way. e. huh, the link ^^^^^^ seems to conflict with what I said. I guess go with that. I'd learned differently. Then again I watch baseball games narrated by Hawk Harrelson, so... Pander fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Nov 22, 2014 |
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 01:14
|
|
|
SporkOfTruth posted:They're not synonyms. I say they were synonyms because I don't believe that "throwing the ball inside the zone" is a separable skill from "throwing the ball at the target" except by degree (the target is smaller than the strike zone and thus harder to hit). Unless there exist a significant number of pitchers who simply attempt to throw the ball in the zone, regardless of the target given by the catcher, command/control is a quantitative rather than qualitative difference. So it's unclear to me that there is any real need to refer to "command" as an altogether different thing than "very good control"; mainly it seems to help explain how you can have a low BB rate but not be a great control pitcher. Of course since language is defined by use, these two things may not be synonymous any longer, which means control is now only really notable when it's bad.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 02:12
|
|
|
To me, the classic "hanging curve ball" is a good illustration of command versus control. The guy has good control as he has thrown the ball at the correct spot, assuming the ball breaks properly. Due to his poor command of the pitch, however, it doesn't break as it should and stays up in the zone, making it easy to hit.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 02:25
|
|
|
Deteriorata posted:To me, the classic "hanging curve ball" is a good illustration of command versus control. The guy has good control as he has thrown the ball at the correct spot, assuming the ball breaks properly. Due to his poor command of the pitch, however, it doesn't break as it should and stays up in the zone, making it easy to hit. I agree with you. It seems there's a denotative difference here regarding how to define the terms that are equivalent but different. One side looks at strike % of pitches thrown to determine control, and then looks at underlying performance within that band to determine command. The other looks at ability to throw a pitch at any pre-determined location as control, and judges the ability of the pitch to fool batters as command. 
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 04:29
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 16, 2024 13:21 |
|
|
Mornacale posted:I say they were synonyms because I don't believe that "throwing the ball inside the zone" is a separable skill from "throwing the ball at the target" except by degree (the target is smaller than the strike zone and thus harder to hit). Unless there exist a significant number of pitchers who simply attempt to throw the ball in the zone, regardless of the target given by the catcher, command/control is a quantitative rather than qualitative difference. So it's unclear to me that there is any real need to refer to "command" as an altogether different thing than "very good control"; mainly it seems to help explain how you can have a low BB rate but not be a great control pitcher. Of course since language is defined by use, these two things may not be synonymous any longer, which means control is now only really notable when it's bad. The metaphor in the article describes it well: I personally have control over written language, because I can type these sentences into the computer and form coherent thoughts. I do not have excellent command of language, because I frequently repeat sentence structures, inelegantly choose words, phrase participles poorly (see previous participle), and have a crippling addiction to the parenthetical (sometimes nested (just like this one)). In this context, "very good control" is "correctly using semicolons or em-dashes." "Command" is "knowing the perfect word that induces an exact emotion in the reader and placing it in the fourth word of a sentence rather than the third." Deteriorata posted:To me, the classic "hanging curve ball" is a good illustration of command versus control. The guy has good control as he has thrown the ball at the correct spot, assuming the ball breaks properly. Due to his poor command of the pitch, however, it doesn't break as it should and stays up in the zone, making it easy to hit. This isn't so much at odds with my definition, by the way. Getting guys to swing and miss consistently requires a pitcher to execute every technical aspect of the pitch (spin, grip, location, breaking pattern, release point) as flawlessly as possible, to the point where none of the technical aspects matter individually and the pitch itself acts as a complete tool.
|
|
#
?
Nov 22, 2014 04:41
|
|