A.L. Central Smack Talk 2014

[broncosmitty]

wRC and wRC+ | FanGraphs Sabermetrics Library

wOBA | FanGraphs Sabermetrics Library

wOBA has been around for a while now, and I think it's a fantastic stat. OBP and SLG% have opposite flaws (SLG doesn't include walks, OBP counts all hits equally) and it tries to cover both of those flaws. wRC is weighted runs created, a stat based on wOBA. And wRC+ is a park and league adjusted version of it. It's a lot like OPS+.

Even if we disagree on what stats to use, I think we can all agree baseball's a fantastic game.

It's fantastic for sure! (Those plus signs really turn me off. Im not down with quantifying park differences. But I'll talk about 'em. Smitty likes a good story. )

 

[broncosmitty]

So Im torn tonight. My Tigs are cruisin'. But Im all in on Corey Kluber this year. (He was my "value" target in every league Im in this year.). Obviously I want a Detroit win. But is it bad I want a 1-0 final? Indian fan, what say you?

 

[dougplayer]

I am sure this was his first post before the alter ego typed his real statement.

I didn't post that... so,me one hacking into this site

 

[dougplayer]

Verlander is still the ACE. Scherzer is out pitching him now. BUT. nobody has as big as ego as Verlander. He wants to be the ACE. He will be pitching as good as Max. he is not far behind now.


As for Scherzer...he will be gone. Tigers will have to fight to sign him. They cant pay what others will pay. He might be the highest paid pitcher in the game...for a while.

 

[dougplayer]

the bull pen has been doing great... but we all know its still the weak spot. Cant trust AL AL. only body you can really trust is Nathan.


did you see Miggy last night. some kid ran down to the railing and yelled for miggy to shake his hand.
he laughed and did.. how many super stars would do that??? not many. the clip is on yahoo

 

[gandydancer]

So Im torn tonight. My Tigs are cruisin'. But Im all in on Corey Kluber this year. (He was my "value" target in every league Im in this year.). Obviously I want a Detroit win. But is it bad I want a 1-0 final? Indian fan, what say you?

Always sucks when you want fantasy points. My hunches always backfire.

 

[Nosferatu]

Funny reading Dougie braggin on himself in our fantasy league, he's the only one who has had nobody on the DL and he's still not in first place, there are a few of us who have been killed by the DL this year, I have had no less than 7 players on the DL so far. Quit braggin Dougie it's a long season.

 

[dougplayer]

batting clean up for the Indians..... Ryan Raburn. BAWWWWHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


he is hitting .177

 

[dougplayer]

Funny reading Dougie braggin on himself in our fantasy league, he's the only one who has had nobody on the DL and he's still not in first place, there are a few of us who have been killed by the DL this year, I have had no less than 7 players on the DL so far. Quit braggin Dougie it's a long season.

I sense your fear

 

[Nosferatu]

I sense your fear

I'm not afraid of losing to an autodrafted team... Oh and I won't lose to you...

 

[da55bums]

I was not even in the ballpark right about Vmart, number 11 tonight?

He might have his best season ever...guess Vmart has more power than Prince.

Hats off to him, glad nobody would trade for him and I offered him to everyone for practically nothing last year and even into the 2nd or 3rd week of this year.

 

[Lions=TeHsUcKs]

JV didn't really lose that much in velocity if at all.. It's his movement in his FB and change that has declined from two years ago.. He is still top 15 in pitch f/X velocity and it's still early in the season as he usually trends upward in that regard.. You have to remember he was mainly top 3 in Velocity from 2009/2011 but then he started to intentionally dial up his FB at the end of games after starting in the low 90s..

 

[navamind]

It's fantastic for sure! (Those plus signs really turn me off. Im not down with quantifying park differences. But I'll talk about 'em. Smitty likes a good story. )

Fair enough. I think wOBA is a stat even most traditionalists can get behind.

 

[broncosmitty]

Fair enough. I think wOBA is a stat even most traditionalists can get behind.

I can only speak for myself when I say..... Prolly not. Hahahaha (theres a lot of addition, multiplication and then finally division. Plus weighted ratios. I think Im too old for that stuff. (33)). Maybe if it was a story problem Id feel differently.

 

[broncosmitty]

Always sucks when you want fantasy points. My hunches always backfire.

Kluber has been killing it lately. And he's a strikeout beast, I can't sit him. But I hear Ausmus is sitting Ricky on Thursday. Thank Goodness for daily leagues!

 

[gandydancer]

Fair enough. I think wOBA is a stat even most traditionalists can get behind.

Does Joba have a wOBA?

 

[broncosmitty]

Hahahaha.

 

[Howie115]

The Tigers LOOKED like a team whose plane broke down in Boston. With all the baserunners Cleveland had (14 hits + 6 walks), they could have won 10-4 with more clutch hitting. Chalk one up to fatigue. The Tigs should be better rested today, and JV is on the hill.

 

[Howie115]

As for Scherzer...he will be gone. Tigers will have to fight to sign him. They cant pay what others will pay. He might be the highest paid pitcher in the game...for a while.

I'm with you on that one dougie. Sadly, I don't see any scenario where the Tigers can keep him now. They didn't swing a trade for him in the offseason, and he rejected a pretty generous offer that would have paid him about $24 mill a season so it's pretty clear he won't give a "home town discount". I see him getting something like 7 years/$200 mill if he keeps pitching well.

The Tigers just have too many other fat contracts in 2015: Verlander and Miggy at about $22 mill each (before those start to climb), Kinsler at $16 mill, Sanchez at $16 mill, Nathan at $10 mill. Then there's Porcello, who is making $8.5 mill this season and is arbitration-eligible one more year before becoming a free agent in 2016. If he goes the one-year route again, I see him making $12-$14 million. The Tigers may opt to sign him long-term instead, which could be another fat contract.

They do lose some salary weight with Hunter and Martinez becoming FA's next year, but I'd sure like to see them re-sign Victor.

 

[da55bums]

stat of the day....only 9 strikeouts to 11 hrs.