Protecting the Shields -- The Nick Cafardo Thread
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Um, I actually played in the Hock, pal. And is sure as shit was not for King fucking Phillip.
You're the Cafardo of this analogue. Too lazy to look up facts, but still tosses them out there, half-baked as a Stefanos pizza.
You're the Cafardo of this analogue. Too lazy to look up facts, but still tosses them out there, half-baked as a Stefanos pizza.
I think he means that the association that North Reading brings is unclear, as it is for me. I've always thought of North Reading as sort of a faceless, "eh."
Or is that what you mean?
Or is that what you mean?
While the Hockomock League remains underreported, Dr. Nick provides us with a Sunday's worth of something I can't quite find words for:
In his 9 minor league seasons (736 games), Mr. Herrera has played 0 games, totaling 0 innings, in the outfield (again, without an error in those 0 games).
In his 5 major league seasons (375 games), Mr. Herrera has played 2 games, totaling 7 innings, in left field (where, it should be pointed out, he flawlessly handled his 0 chances).
In his 9 minor league seasons (736 games), Mr. Herrera has played 0 games, totaling 0 innings, in the outfield (again, without an error in those 0 games).
Because of, course, no other alternatives are permissible.
From the UpChuck Files: when pitchng on 5 months rest, Ryan Dempster record is. . . . .
Oh, fuck, that means Lester, with all his work in the playoffs, will still be tired. WHAT WILL WE DO!?!?
You're being too hard on Nick. All he said was that Herrera can play the OF. That's probably an accurate statement. Another accurate statement would be that I can technically play the OF as well. Why does it matter that I'm not a professional baseball player, just like Herrera isn't a professional OF?joe dokes said:
I just came here to post the same thing.
"My buddy here has been wandering the wilderness for 30 years claiming that he can get teams to improve by 20 wins by tagging up on deep fly balls. Personally, I was fascinated when he told me. He's wicked smaht."
I'm literally stupefied that he would place that in an article. Stupefied.
"My buddy here has been wandering the wilderness for 30 years claiming that he can get teams to improve by 20 wins by tagging up on deep fly balls. Personally, I was fascinated when he told me. He's wicked smaht."
I'm literally stupefied that he would place that in an article. Stupefied.
So...research using numbers to change the way teams do things by revealing truths in the game. That's just smart. But sabermetrics? Those just ruin baseball.
Let's see, the difference in expected runs scored between a runner on first and one out and a runner on second with one out is .159 runs. It's .103 runs with 2 outs. Let's say those scenarios are about equally likely, and 10 runs = 1 win. To get 200 runs, you'd need to successfully tag up on deep fly balls about 1,500 times a season, or about once an inning.
I realize he has other "adjustments", and tagging up from first isn't going to get you the 20 wins alone. Still, how many wins can you squeeze out of .1 run increments? Even tagging up an extra 150 times a season in that scenario would only net you an extra 20 runs.
I realize he has other "adjustments", and tagging up from first isn't going to get you the 20 wins alone. Still, how many wins can you squeeze out of .1 run increments? Even tagging up an extra 150 times a season in that scenario would only net you an extra 20 runs.
Hendu for Kutch said:
Ah, but it's research into the fundamentals of the game; that's good old fashioned stuff, telling us we need to return to the way the game was played. What people resist about sabremetrics is, because of the way it alters our sense of what is and is not indicative of value, the suggestion that, in the past, we didn't actually know what we were talking about.
The coolest thing I've ever heard on analytics was made by Leslie Alexander, owner of the Houston Rockets: "I mean, I’m not even sure we’re playing the game the right way." If it's true, that means a lot of people have to accept they were spouting nonsense. Which is fine--they were offering what we all thought we knew. The issue is how people react to new information, new insights.
Hendu for Kutch said:
Tagging up on fly balls is fundamental! It's hustle! You might even get dirty by doing it!
But people getting on-base? Pitchers not allowing baserunners? That's just silly sabermetric stuff.
The things is, managers are collectively (not necessarily individually) smart enough to know what wins games for them- strategies shift as the games changes with time- look at the stolen base through the eras. The reason these "fundamentals" have fallen out of favor is that people don't think they're worth it. If they did, they'd keep them around.
Is it really worth telling a hitter to change his approach or make an out pursuing an extra 1/10 of a run? I think even the least sabermetric manager would tell you that it's not worth the trouble. They won't see it as 1/10 a run, but they'd see it as a risky baserunning play (you're running toward the OF) and they'd instinctively know that the scenario where it comes up is likely to happen about 5 times in a typical game, and you might not have the right runner/hitter to try it, and you're telling them to possibly change how they hit/run. All that for one extra base? Not worth it.
Is it really worth telling a hitter to change his approach or make an out pursuing an extra 1/10 of a run? I think even the least sabermetric manager would tell you that it's not worth the trouble. They won't see it as 1/10 a run, but they'd see it as a risky baserunning play (you're running toward the OF) and they'd instinctively know that the scenario where it comes up is likely to happen about 5 times in a typical game, and you might not have the right runner/hitter to try it, and you're telling them to possibly change how they hit/run. All that for one extra base? Not worth it.
His constant use of the word "we" is driving me bananas. I'm not sure why he's using that particular pronoun, unless he thinks it lends some credence to his opinions, but he has to stop because it actually shows the opposite. It shows that he's not confident in his opinions, so he has to set up some sort of supposed quorum that agreed on these thoughts. Just stop it.
And he doesn't know someone who doesn't think that the voting is an honor? Has he met Murray Chass?
And he doesn't know someone who doesn't think that the voting is an honor? Has he met Murray Chass?
Not to mention a voter sold their vote to Deadspin this year. Nothing could be a clearer indicator that a nonzero number of voters find the whole process a farce.
Wow. Not holding out a lot of hope for changes and improvements to the system now. Besides, Nick sets the bar pretty low in the first sentence- the committee's sole purpose is to discuss, and you know, maybe suggest a change if they see a problem.
Also this killed me - talking about guys who take 15 years to get in:
Bullshit. As people develop new ways of looking at things through the lens of statistics, people re-evaluate what they know.
Lots of Boras shilling today, including this juicy tidbit
Translation of a candidate "growing on the traditional media over time" = Whispering in my ear and buying me a steak dinner.
So true.shawnrbu said:
Tradition puts free steaks in Nick's belly, while stats expose him for the lazy sack of crap that he is. No wonder he'll always double down on The Human Element. What a fraud.
So as I read, "The World According to Scott Boras" today I started thinking. Cafardo gives Boras quite a platform to stand on regarding his thoughts on baseball. But as well all know Cafardo gets attached to certain players that he brings up week after week after week.
Last year it was Johnny Damon and Kyle Lohshe. This year it's Kendry Morales and it's interesting to me who the agent is for all of these players? Why it's none other than Mr. Scott Boras. In the coming weeks I'm going to see who else Cafardo is pushing in his columns and see who the agent is*.
* Two things:
1. I was almost 100% sure that Justin Morneau's agent was Boras, but I was wrong, it's SFX.
2. I know that Boras has a high percentage of MLB talent and thus he's going to have a lot of free agents. However, it seems the ones that Cafardo gloms on to the most are Boras guys. I want to see if this theory holds true because if it does, it's complete fucking bullshit that the Boston Globe is now a house organ for Scott Boras.
Last year it was Johnny Damon and Kyle Lohshe. This year it's Kendry Morales and it's interesting to me who the agent is for all of these players? Why it's none other than Mr. Scott Boras. In the coming weeks I'm going to see who else Cafardo is pushing in his columns and see who the agent is*.
* Two things:
1. I was almost 100% sure that Justin Morneau's agent was Boras, but I was wrong, it's SFX.
2. I know that Boras has a high percentage of MLB talent and thus he's going to have a lot of free agents. However, it seems the ones that Cafardo gloms on to the most are Boras guys. I want to see if this theory holds true because if it does, it's complete fucking bullshit that the Boston Globe is now a house organ for Scott Boras.
This is the great thing about traditional media. We can be totally arbitrary and swayed by nostalgia and emotional appeal, introducing plenty of room for bias and old-boy favoritism. Those using statistical analysis see the hall as being worthy of a truly rigorous and fair process.
I liked that he turned into a magic 8 ball toward the end:
"Bo Porter, Astros - Who can tell?"
"Brad Ausmus, Tigers - All signs point to success"
"Bo Porter, Astros - Who can tell?"
"Brad Ausmus, Tigers - All signs point to success"
The Bo Porter evaluation is the Cafardoan Essence ... If he put any effort into this annual scraping the gum off his shoes exercise, one or two phone calls could elicit opinions as to whether Porter is doing a good job teaching the game and getting the most out of his players.
But why bother, when you can be done with the Astros in 3 words?
But why bother, when you can be done with the Astros in 3 words?
Not that it needs re-titling, but I love "Who can tell?" as a new thread-title. That made me laugh so hard.
Double bonus today: he also names his "all-Classy" players team! No mention of what he means by classy of course. Because everyone knows classy and agrees on its meaning.
Pedroia is the classiest second baseman in the game, so in your face Neil Walker, Omar Infante, Matt Carpenter, and the rest of you less-classy scrubs. For some reason.
Ortiz is the classiest DH. Grant Balfour, Torii Hunter, Bronson Arroyo-- they're all on the team. Why? Who knows? Who cares, it's lunchtime somewhere.
Obviously Jeter is the all-Classy shortstop. Duh! Another classy column by Cafardo, we learned a lot. Ron Washington is the 11th-best manager in the game, and CC Sabathia is the classiest starting pitcher. Glad that's settled.
Pedroia is the classiest second baseman in the game, so in your face Neil Walker, Omar Infante, Matt Carpenter, and the rest of you less-classy scrubs. For some reason.
Ortiz is the classiest DH. Grant Balfour, Torii Hunter, Bronson Arroyo-- they're all on the team. Why? Who knows? Who cares, it's lunchtime somewhere.
Obviously Jeter is the all-Classy shortstop. Duh! Another classy column by Cafardo, we learned a lot. Ron Washington is the 11th-best manager in the game, and CC Sabathia is the classiest starting pitcher. Glad that's settled.
Seconded. It's a great title.JohntheBaptist said:
Although, in staying true to Cafardo's effort level, doing nothing would be a more proper homage.
I haven't read the article (and I don't plan on reading it) so maybe I'm missing something, but Torii Hunter is classy? I guess homophobia and racism are "classy" for Cafardo.
Remember... These aren't Cafardo's rankings... They belong to "our panel". We need to OWN this.
Hunter is one of those guys who talks about how classy he is, kinda like LDT. Cafardo is one of the few morons who believes it.pedro1918 said:
P.S. I'd love to see a showdown between Nick's All Classy team vs. Gammo's "Special Person" team (Darin Erstad, George Lombard, etc.)
His agent is Craig Landis who also handles JJ Putz. He's big into JJ's.joe dokes said:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Craig_Landis
So "On Baseball" really means "Covering the Yankees when not writing stories about the Sox""?
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/19/former-red-sox-jacoby-ellsbury-arrives-yankees-camp/92ulwVXgTQQNvkYKUzyXGM/story.html
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/18/michael-pineda-and-mark-teixeira-are-keys-yankees-chances/BMyqU7lNkC9vlwiyGSK8DL/story.html
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/13/yankees-great-derek-jeter-will-retire-after-season/hh2jh7c1Mw2s0z984HvmNI/story.html
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/19/former-red-sox-jacoby-ellsbury-arrives-yankees-camp/92ulwVXgTQQNvkYKUzyXGM/story.html
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/18/michael-pineda-and-mark-teixeira-are-keys-yankees-chances/BMyqU7lNkC9vlwiyGSK8DL/story.html
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/02/13/yankees-great-derek-jeter-will-retire-after-season/hh2jh7c1Mw2s0z984HvmNI/story.html
I think that it has always been Cafardo's dream to be the Yankees' beat writer; it's pretty obvious from his articles.
Unfortunately, Cafardo writes for the Boston Globe and not the New York Post, so no one really gives a shit about his dream.
Unfortunately, Cafardo writes for the Boston Globe and not the New York Post, so no one really gives a shit about his dream.
joe dokes said:
No doubt.
Next time you read Cafardo's column, count to see how many future free agents are "on their way to New York". This week it was JJ Hardy AND Asdrubal Cabrera. And I know that NY has a need for a shortstop after this season, and it makes sense that Hardy and Cabrera, two free agents in 2014-15, may go to NY. But at the same time not everyone is dying to put on pinstripes and play in a toilet. But it's not as if Cafardo is even doing research he just sees "Jeter's last year" and "free agent shortstops" and his tiny brain starts working.
Does Hardy like Baltimore? Does Cabrera like Cleveland? IT DOESN'T MATTER, everyone wants to be a Yankee!
So true.John Marzano Olympic Hero said:
And in many ways this New York obsession makes Nick look even more like the Willy Loman character he really is. In Nick's brain why would anybody play baseball anywhere else but in New York with the Yankees because NEW YORK IS THE GRANDEST STAGE!1!! Well, if it's so great, Nick, why don't you work there?
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