I can't take this

Like most of the civilized world (save ESPN executives, apparently) I've had enough of the 24-hour coverage of Barry Bonds. Even when I want it it doesn't work for me. I tuned in late to the SportsCenter update when he hit 714. I watched for twenty minutes and never actually saw the home run. I still haven't out of principle.

Tonight Steve Phillips is speaking on Baseball Tonight. Not a good sign, though it is interesting how many good blog posts I've read recently born out of bad BBTN moments. With the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals playing, it's not about Lowry and Mulder, but of course Bonds and Pujols... and their head to head match up.

Excuse me? Is Bonds, after years of "If only Barry could pitch..." jokes, actually taking over? No, but Phillips is convinced that because their teams are playing each other this is some how a relevant match-up. Yes, its interesting to see the best hitter today and the best hitter of 2004 together on one field. And yes, Bonds hit a ground ball to first, which Pujols fielded (and which Phillips saw as some kind of challenge from one to the other). But whoever was at first would have fielded that had Pujols for some reason been playing third or left or catcher.

I don't know if ESPN is just trying to squeeze ever bit of hype out of Bonds (oh wait... yes I do) or if they just employ of bunch of idiots. But seriously... how much affect does the left fielder have on the opposing first baseman?

Happy Happy

Oh Jason Schmidt (aside: I would have linked to ESPN but their front page story on Bonds was erroneously linked to a column on golf. That's right, golf. And some guy named "King Feliz" is pitching for Seattle. Have to say, it got my hopes up for a minute that someone was calling him King. OK, that's all). You tease. Two great starts in a row, and the hope starts up again. It's like a recurring disease. Every once in a while a starter will throw a complete game with one run and no walks, and I start imagining a real rotation coming together. What if Schmidt holds this together, Cain and Lowry develop and Morris holds it together to be a competent third. That wouldn't be the greatest rotation in the world, but it would be better than suck.

Of course, this doesn't mean a whole lot when your 5-8 hitters are hitting .220/.230/.001. But as long as the staff only gives up one run a game, we should be fine.

Because we're gluttons for punishment...

Fan Graphs has started listing Win Probability Added season totals by player. I really think there will never be enough numbers in the game of baseball, and I am now officially a nerd. And I do realize that WPA is not a real measure of worth, but as Aaron Gleeman discussed recently, it is a fun little tool.

The Giants have some interesting numbers right now:

• Only seven batters have positive WPA, and one of them is Tyler Walker.
• Walkers 1 point of WPA hitting is cancelled out by his -88.6 pitching WPA.
• Only three relievers have positive WPA (Kline, WIlson, Correia
• Starters Not Named Matt:86.3 / Starters Named Matt:-97.7

Looking at the WPA numbers, it looks like without Bonds, Alou and OmarFu we'd be seven games worse off than we are. Which is only slightly better off than if we had Albert Pujols.

Conversely, Matheny and Feliz have cost us about 2.5 games. Once again, take it for what you will, but any system that proves, scientifically, that Barry Bonds is good and Pedro Feliz is bad can be my friend.

Draft Redux Part Deux

While stumbling through ESPN's draft analysis, I found this tidbit from Len Pasquarelli:

The choice of Oregon quarterback Kelly Clemens in the second round, though, over a guy like Charlie Whitehurst of Clemson, will come under some scrutiny.

I'm sure the NFL will let Clemens know of the name change soon enough. I'm sure the New York fans will forget all about this, and it will be thrown down the memory hole at ESPN soon enough.

Update: Yep it's gone. The link now goes to a freshly scrubbed version. But I'l allways remember...

Draft Day Redux

It is over, and we all survived. I hope. Though many people analyzed the players, a few have turned their eyes to the booths themselves.

SI gave Trey Wingo an A+, who I still say is turning into a braying ass more and more every day, though as the article pointed out he does have some redeeming qualities. Unlike Berman he will ask a tough question occasionally. But the constant, unmotivated screeching really took its toll on me.

And who is going to be the first to point out that somewhere in the second half of day one, Michael Irvin hit something. He was laughingly uncontrollably through most of the third round, and Chris Mortenson and Mel Kiper looked ready to kill him. Mel would try to explain something and while the highlight package was rolling you could hear these snickers in the back. The shot would come back to the booth and Kiper and Mortenson would just be sitting there stonefaced, and Berman would have to come in and break up the fight. Like I said Saturday, there has to be something better than this.

Oh, and I think the Giants played. I may be wrong about that. Now I can finally get back to baseball.