Wednesday, January 10, 2007

More Baseball...

Non-McGwire-related things I read yesterday...

• A fascinating look at radar guns and Joel Zumaya at Hardball Times. The peice does a great job breaking down the differences in radar gun readings, why some parks/guns are "fast" etc.

Even if we assume Comerica has a "fast" gun, there is no disputing Zumaya's flame-throwing capabilities—in 2005 there were 135 recorded 100+ mph pitches thrown in the majors. In 2006 (Zumaya's breakout season) there were 335 triple digit pitches thrown. How many were "Zoom"aya's? Two hundred and thirty three!!! In 2006, Joel Zumaya threw more 100 mph pitches than all the pitchers in both Leagues combined, over two seasons. Ridiculous. Somebody check that guy for the mutant X-gene.

• Also at Hardball Times, Dan McLaughlin (aka Baseball Crank) has a good article about the Hall of Fame and middle infielders. He looks at the guys in the Hall, and then many current and recent players and their chances.

• Here's a link to something I heard on the radio and almost made me crash my car: NPR's All Things Considered talks to the Gomezian jackass who turned in a blank HOF ballot this year. By this asshole's logic, he won't be able to vote in good consicence for years to come (even for Ripken and Gwynn) because their careers overlapped with the "Steroid Era." Fine. Take away his ballot. Douchebag.

UPDATE: Barry Bonds makes a run at 2007's first D.O.W.:
Barry Bonds, already under investigation for lying under oath about his steroid use, failed a test under Major League Baseball's amphetamine policy last season and then initially blamed it on a teammate, the Daily News has learned.
Under the policy, which went into effect only last season, players are not publicly identified for a first positive test.

But according to several sources, when first informed by the MLB Players Association of the positive test, Bonds attributed it to a substance he had taken from the locker of teammate Mark Sweeney. Sources did not identify the drug in question but characterized it as a serious stimulant.

What a class act. Tests positive. Blames his teammate. For something he stole from him.

Why anybody would want him around is beyond me. At this stage his negatives WAY outweigh any positives.

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