I answered a bunch of questions about the M's and the upcoming series for Richard Durrett over at the DMN Rangers blog, so if you have a minute, go check that out. Before you get to the comments, try and pick out the line that some Texas fans find to be the most objectionable. I need to be better informed!
0 recs | 136 comments
Rangers pitching staff
Rotation: 4.51 ERA, 4.80 FIP, 5.74 tRA, 5.48 tRA*
Bullpen: 4.01 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 4.85 tRA, 4.66 tRA*
I’m not just making things up here. I’m not afraid to give other teams credit for their strengths, but the Rangers’ arms have been really really bad.
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
I like how for some reason you feel the need to defend yourself here
Graham MacAree - July 9, 2009
Might as well state my case
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
You should be a journalist!
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
Might as well call you Geoff.
marinerdan - July 9, 2009
Clearly you aren't paying attention
and putting in very little effort.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
God damn you for making assumptions based on the past.
nickmo - July 9, 2009
What the hell is trah-star? Is that something Star Wars? This is baseball, leave your light-sabers at the door.
Sky Kalkman - July 9, 2009
"Jeff,
You can throw stats out the window. It’s clear you aren’t watching the games."
Sincerely,
some dumbshit Rangers fan.
d0nkey - July 9, 2009
Why would I be watching Rangers games?
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
Lewin
Poochie - July 9, 2009
This feels like baiting
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
Whether or not the looping seizure was intended, it's my favorite part.
abender20 - July 9, 2009
Just shut up and enjoy the recs
Poochie - July 9, 2009
I love the notion that Jeff would value the pitching more highly if he had watched every Rangers game,
when in reality that would only make him appreciate the defense that much more.
abender20 - July 9, 2009
Isn't that like way better than it has been in previous years though?
vivaelpujols - July 10, 2009
Heh
don’t bother with the idiots that comment at the DMN blog.
Kinslerhomer - July 9, 2009
Reading those comments made me want to shoot myself.
Llewdor - July 9, 2009
Arghhh ERA!!!
EnglishMariner - July 9, 2009
Seriously you should have dropped a few markov chains and tRA* in there just for kicks.
EnglishMariner - July 9, 2009
Judging from their comments
The readers’ heads may have exploded.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
Gosh I hope they come here and troll
Poochie - July 9, 2009
That would be quite the bloodbath.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
Hahahaha. They're not taking the news to well.
russak - July 9, 2009
^too
russak - July 9, 2009
Now we're going to score like two runs this series
way to go shiteyes
Bearskin Rugburn - July 9, 2009
This is way too true.
marinerdan - July 9, 2009
Countdown to troll infestation
3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .
Teej - July 9, 2009
Did all of Sports Blog Nation just crash a few minuets ago?
Decatur - July 9, 2009
Yes
Faux - July 9, 2009
It was more of Pachabel's Canon than Ravel's Bolero....
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
(but I was listening to Coldplay, so....)
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
Rec'd for being an intelligent joke that a lot of people probably won't get.
nickmo - July 9, 2009
Does it have something to with the fact that he spelled it "minuets"?
If not, you’re right, I don’t get it
gregrabble - July 9, 2009
Yes.
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
Rec'd for making me want to listen to Bolero
Eyeball Kid - July 9, 2009
Right.
You’re really thinking about Bo Derek…
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
(or at least I'd hope it's not Dudley Moore...)
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
After a bit of googling
I can say that I’ve never seen that film.
Eyeball Kid - July 9, 2009
It's more than just an eye candy film.
It’s got it’s moments of comedic brilliance.
But, yeah, for all the talk of the Farrah Fawcett poster, the Bo Derek one was dang near as popular…
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
I can't believe how long this took me to figure out.
Decatur - July 9, 2009
Dammit.
I didn’t know we were doing minuets. I was doing the fox trot.
(yeah, I know I’m late, but if you hadn’t heard SBN was down a few minutes ago.)
Jer Bear - July 9, 2009
BloodyElbow.com is drawing too much traffic leading up to UFC100.
Or am I kidding…
Llewdor - July 9, 2009
Typo on your end or his end?
Faux - July 9, 2009
Indeed
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
The comments on this are amazing
“Stats are useless! You have to watch the games!”
“They man up more often this year!”
“You can twist numbers in your favor, just watch the games!”
bluemax - July 9, 2009
It seems to me that the Rangers and Mariners are like.. what.. a couple of Morrow innings from being like two games apart? Two games which is nothing over a 162-game series, a break here and a break there.
Yet, all I ever hear on LL is how bad the hitting and bullpen are for the Mariners despite what ERA says about the bullpen.
Drink the kool-aid Texas. You’re still in the lead and you still have as good a chance as LA and Seattle in the West.
Kenny Knows Sports - July 9, 2009
Our bullpen is horrible, ignore ERA.
It is so horrible I want to vomit every time our starter passes it over to the bullpen.
EnglishMariner - July 9, 2009
I lose hair over starter pitch counts.
I could not enjoy Bedard’s domination of the Orioles because I knew all those extra strikeout pitches meant an earlier exit.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
that thread is slap nuts funny
You can make stats look any way you want. Not like refutations without any support, which are always rock solid.
Shawk - July 9, 2009
Like kinlserhomer said
the DMN blog commenters aren’t the brightest crayons in the box. Most educated Ranger fans are well aware the difference has been run prevention, which is code for Elvis Andrus.
SaltyDawg - July 9, 2009
Elvis Andrus is the real King of Rock 'N Roll
Decatur - July 9, 2009
And Cruz.
Teej - July 9, 2009
you'd be surprised how many people think Cruz is a mess in RF
even though the stats say otherwise. It’s mainly because when he is bad out there, it’s comically bad. But, he has definitely been a part of it. Along with Kinsler deciding errors are so 2008.
SaltyDawg - July 9, 2009
It's endless entertainment.
abender20 - July 9, 2009
Ohhh I missed that one.
I’m going to have to go back. I love when ppl type lik they R txting!
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
Oh shit I hope they don't rock Queen Felix
gregrabble - July 9, 2009
Rock Queen Felix
That’s a good venue name. I’m off to Godaddy.
Shawk - July 9, 2009
I love homophobia.
Decatur - July 9, 2009
Especially when it's non-ironic.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
Ironic homophobia is just a way to not feel bad about the very real homophobia it masks
seriously, all the gay jokes made here might be ‘ironic’ but i doubt they would make any gays feel welcome here.
Bearskin Rugburn - July 9, 2009
But they aren't real people so who cares
Graham MacAree - July 9, 2009
You honestly think no one on this site is gay?
Kirsten Schlewitz - July 9, 2009
New school gay maybe. Not old school or else they would freak.
Sec 108 - July 9, 2009
At the risk of killing a joke, what do old school gay and new school gay mean?
Is old school gay pre-Stonewall, or pre-90s, or what?
Decatur - July 9, 2009
My gay friends who are my age or older are far more defensive than
my gay friends who are under 30. They had to put up with way more shit growing up so they find far less humor in things straight people say about them.
Sec 108 - July 9, 2009
Cool. Thanks for explaining.
Decatur - July 9, 2009
My habit of making ironically homophobic gay jokes was largely influenced by my gay friends.
Aaron Campeau - July 10, 2009
Also, if you think said jokes are "about them" then I think you're missing the point of the jokes.
I dunno, maybe this is a “take-it-up-on-Facebook” kind of thing, but the idea that people have apparently taken this particular line of humor that myself and some of my dearest friends indulge in to apparently mean something totally different than intended makes me sad.
Aaron Campeau - July 10, 2009
Shot you a message.
I am just making a point that there are vastly different reactions to certain things simply based on what generation someone grew up in and the differences in how they have been treated due to social mores at the time.
Sec 108 - July 10, 2009
Well then you are quite clearly incorrect and you basically just called me homophobic which could not be further from the truth.
I don’t know if it’s an age thing or what but you could not be more wrong.
Aaron Campeau - July 10, 2009
gayfag
Snowman1025 - July 9, 2009 via mobile
gayfag
Snowman1025 - July 9, 2009 via mobile
Just in that...
What?
JY - July 9, 2009
I'll be charitable and guess that he means Ron Washington, but seriously: what?
Decatur - July 9, 2009
I assume he's one of the people who think Seattle is in DC.
Mariner John - July 9, 2009
Sexy.
vivaelpujols - July 10, 2009
Comedy!
Such indignity. You didn’t even make a single reference to crack.
Big Jared - July 9, 2009
That was indeed a disappointment
Such a wasted opportunity…
EnglishMariner - July 9, 2009 via mobile
Didn't miss it here, Toot Toooooot!
Kermit. - July 9, 2009
Everything is bigger in Texas.
Now officially including: all synonyms for ignorance, unintelligence, and inexperience.
My favorites were the two posters at the beginning trying to defend their staff by saying things like,“By NO means are we finishing 1st thru 5th in cy young voting…” and,“Sure, they arent trotting out Sandy Koufax and Jim Palmer…”
More like they aren’t finishing with any numbers starting in 1 thru 5 in Cy Young voting and if they did trot Sandy Koufax and Jim Palmer out to the mound (ages 73 and 63, respectively) it would probably look similar, maybe even better than what they currently are “trotting out.”
NoStars - July 9, 2009
Mariner fans can be just as bad
Try explaining to someone Ryan Langerhans is good and Jarrod Washburn is not.
Poochie - July 9, 2009
Jarrod Washburn is combining luck with defence to make his pitching line look much better than it is
Langerhans derives value from his fantastic glove.
Graham MacAree - July 9, 2009 via mobile
Yes, but that doesn't work for the average fan.
I tried to tell someone about Langerhans, and he said right back to me, “He’s no Ibanez”
I grabbed my beer and walked away.
d0nkey - July 9, 2009
To be fair.
He’s right. He is no Ibanez. He can catch a fly ball.
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
To be fair.
Wouldn’t Ibanez’s 2009 numbers make him a wee bit better than Langerhans even with a bad glove?
I’m not being snotty, I’m being honest – wouldnt it?
Kenny Knows Sports - July 9, 2009
If he continued to put up a wOBA of .431, yes.
Teej - July 9, 2009
They'd make him a lot better
Graham MacAree - July 9, 2009
I don't know much about the Phillies pitchers
But wouldn’t we rather have a LFer that can catch as opposed to hit considering the amount of contact our pitchers generate?
So, wouldn’t the bad glove be even more amplified with our pitchers, and safeco and what not?
d0nkey - July 9, 2009
Ibanez cost 3/33 and Nick Franklin
Langerhans costs the league minimum plus Mike Morse
seattlebruin - July 9, 2009
Yes but Langerhans cost us nothing
OlSalty - July 9, 2009
Except Mike Morse
seattlebruin - July 9, 2009
"Langerhans cost us nothing"
JY - July 9, 2009
Mike Morse is a future All-Star
… in the Carolina League
seattlebruin - July 9, 2009
Precisely
OlSalty - July 9, 2009
leavemikemor....
Oh, wait. I agree…
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
To be fair.
You all missed the point of that conversation.
d0nkey - July 9, 2009
Heh ... the DMN blog
Isn’t a good place to look for Texas fan attitude, aptness to following baseball, literacy, or understanding of analysis. Some of those same people are the callers into radio talk shows who ask the hosts if any of the more athletic Rangers have had a Cowboys tryout. On the literacy side, I’m sure there may be a synonym for unintelligence, if unintelligence were actually a word. But the meaning came through.
Ed Coffin - July 9, 2009
I just googled "unintelligence" and thefreedictionary.com says it's a noun. BOOYA! haha.
Is there a better blog to read about how great the Rangers are. I’d love to read about how awesome Taylor Teagarden has been this year.
NoStars - July 9, 2009
Yep
LoneStarBall isn’t awful, and the newbergreport.com is basically optimistic fandom but concise, and its forum is generally pretty well grounded. As for “unintelligence”, the spell checkers for SBN and for OpenOffice uderscore it as a misspelling, both a bit more authentic than thefreedictionary.com
Nete, both LSB and the Newberg site put some emphasis on the minor league system, prospects, drafts, Latin America signings, etc. But a significant number in both sites are statistically oriented. Contrast is sharp to the DMN, who laid off all its’ beat writers for the Rangers (Evan Grant now covers the team via D Magazine with columns and a blog called Insider), and the newspaper is among the largest to severely cut back due to fading circulation and poor patronage.
Ed Coffin - July 9, 2009
Unintelligence is absolutely a word.
Teej - July 9, 2009
Negative*
Only in juvenile urbanspeak, if then. But that is and was a side issue. I follow Jeff’s writing pretty consistently, and like it a lot. That a few commenters in a failed sports section of a major newspaper take issue, is generally laughable.
Ed Coffin - July 9, 2009
I have that dictionary right in front of me. Look under unintelligence.
It’s also in the unabridged Webster’s Third New International Dictionary.
Teej - July 9, 2009
That should say
look under unintelligent.
Teej - July 9, 2009
I'll concede
LOL! My copy is tenth edition (1998), the Library of Congress version, and it isn’t in there. So consider me updated (or antiquated, either is OK).
Enjoy the series! Should be telling for both teams, although I don’t think it’s pivotal – too early still.
Ed Coffin - July 9, 2009
It's a word
it’s in the OED. been in use since 1632 at least.
Bearskin Rugburn - July 9, 2009
I love this article.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/a-little-help-from-his-friends
NoStars - July 9, 2009
this was supposed to be a reply to the above conversation, sorry.
NoStars - July 9, 2009
I saw this in my Google Reader and thought you were calling out to me
Which of course would make no sense. Your answers to the questions were great, though, and the comments are wonderful.
tootthekazoo - July 9, 2009
But ERA!
Slurvey - July 9, 2009
I think we should offer to trade them Washburn and his shiny 3.08 ERA.
Except they probably wouldn’t want him because he’s only 5-6 and not a “winner”.
Maybe we can recommend that some of these jokers apply to work in the Ranger’s front office so Z can “help them over a fence” in future trades.
PDXTai - July 9, 2009
The Rangers still have a front office?
Graham MacAree - July 9, 2009
It has 7 no-hitters
What has Z ever done?
Craig Powers - July 9, 2009
Built the Brewers!
joof - July 9, 2009
Snagged a himself a hot wife.
russak - July 9, 2009
Is deniably terrible a phrase? It should be.
I hate to say it, Jeff but you were definitely wrong. The Rangers pitching staff isn’t undeniably terrible. As the Rangers fans were extremely eager to point out, their terribleness can be denied.
DAMellen - July 9, 2009
Inconceivably terrible?
No. To paraphrase Solo “I can conceive quite a bit”.
Irrefutably terrible? Too big a word.
Obviously terrible to all but the most ignorant? Perfect!
PDXTai - July 9, 2009
I probably could've used better phrasing but I stand by my overall point
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
Worst in the AL by tRA, essentially in a three-way tie for worst by FIP.
Nothing to apologize for.
Teej - July 9, 2009
The 100% inadvertently implied that nobody on the pitching staff has any redeeming value
Jeff Sullivan - July 9, 2009
So what 88 percent terrible?
They’re still pretty bad to say the least. Wording could’ve been better but they’re horrible.
Slurvey - July 9, 2009
The comments on that article are undeniably 88% terrible.
PDXTai - July 9, 2009
B.S. 88.5% terrible...
PositivePaul - July 9, 2009
SSS alert
You can’t project the quality of a poster based on just a few posts, you need at least a full year’s worth ofScrew it, 110% terrible. You can’t ask for more than that.
PDXTai - July 9, 2009
"There ain't a hole in Texas that ain't got oil a-gushin' out of it!"--Jon Wayne (the band, not the dead actor)
cogs - July 9, 2009
I was going to say something about Branyan filling holes, I decided against it.
InSpokane - July 9, 2009
You just did.
abender20 - July 9, 2009
I know.
I think I’m going to have to give up trying to be funny.
InSpokane - July 9, 2009
That was decidedly more country than I was expecting.
Mariner John - July 9, 2009 via mobile
I live in Texas.
And yes, this is what it is like.
Slow Country - July 9, 2009
Articles and discussions like this one are really helping me more better understand the importance and complexities (as well as simplicity) of all these numbers.
It’s a new and exciting world.
Kenny Knows Sports - July 9, 2009
Good. You are taking your frist step into a larger world.
Benne - July 9, 2009
Just wait until you can start to move stuff with your mind.
PDXTai - July 9, 2009
I think it is great you mention Jarrod Washburn having improved because of the defense, but when it comes to the Texas pitching staff, that isn't a good enough reason for those people commenting.
You gave a fair assessment and I had no clue which sentence was going to make Rangers fans go batshit crazy.
Wilder. - July 9, 2009
And really Jarrod Washburn's success from the defense is also attributed to the entire pitching staff as well.
Felix has been dominating, but even he benefits from the improved defense.
Wilder. - July 9, 2009
I just wasted 3 minutes of my time
reading and commenting. It’s funny how it looks when something you’ve known all year comes out in interview form, then up for discussion with other, unknowing people.
HHZ - July 9, 2009
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