From the haters at ESPN

[msgkings322]

Don't expect the Giants to repeat - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

Kind of pwns itself, but I like some of the contradictory bits, like saying 'no one picked the Giants to win it all' and right after then saying 'so we chastened experts are now not predicting the same thing'.

I get that it's hard to repeat, and the Giants probably have about a 1 in 6 chance to do so, but they have as much chance as any other team.

It's pretty easy to pick 'the field' and be right almost every year. No one repeats, hardly.

 

[calsnowskier]

This is what I left in the comment section...

Statistically, Huff did not have a career year. He had a good year, but it was only like his 4th best year. Posey will be with the team from day 1, and will have 3/4 of a season of experience. Bum will be in the rotation from day 1. DeRosa will be on the team (essentially a new player). Belt is in the wings to fill in when needed. Ramirez and Lopez will be with the team from day 1. Sanchez will start the season healthy. Ross will be with the team from day one.

You are right. The Giants have shown no improvement from last year.

Are the Giants LIKELY to repeat? No way. Are the Phillies LIKELY to win the WS? absolutely not. Are the Yankees or Red Sox LIKELY to win the WS? Nope. Does any team hold better than a 10% chance of winning? Nu-uh.

Are the Giants ONE OF the favorite to win it this year? Yup.

 

[SF11704]

Just getting to the big stage is very difficult. You have to withstand the grind of 162 games. You have to avoid injuries to key players. You have to hope that your over-achievers outdo your under-achievers. Then you also have to have lady luck on your side as well. Then you have to make it through two playoff rounds. You also have to hope that you don't run into a 'team of destiny' type situation. I personally think that no one really wanted to play us in the playoffs last year. There was just some 'feel' about us that made other teams worry. We were that 'team of destiny' last year.

 

[msgkings322]

+1 on both of the preceding posts.

Turns out the blogger who wrote this is a Red Sox and Yankees fan/coverer

 

[tzill]

Here's a part of the analysis I don't follow:

In all probability, Huff will be a 2-3 WAR player at best this season. While that’s still pretty solid, it’s not likely to be the kind of production Brian Sabean envisioned when he gave Huff a two-year deal this past winter.


I agree with that estimate for WAR...it seems pretty reasonable. Here's the rub though: WAR is valued at about $5MM per on the open market. Huff's salary: $22MM for the next two years. That means he'll need to give us about 2.2 WAR per to earn his keep. Eminently reasonable contract for that production, which Huff should be able to do.

And this douchesack goes to the trouble of estimating the WAR but then doesn't know the value of WAR? Fucking asshat.

 

[tzill]

Aaaaaaand a second goof:

Sabean has a penchant for signing aging, overpriced veterans for millions of dollars more than any other team is willing to pay. His bad compulsion reared its ugly head this past winter when he signed 36-year-old former All-Star Miguel Tejada to a one-year, $6.5 million contract to be his starting shortstop.

This wouldn’t be a big deal if Tejada was either the above-average hitter he was during his prime or capable of playing anything resembling acceptable defense at the keystone infield position. Sadly, he’s neither.

Offensively, Tejada lacks plate discipline, rarely draws walks and appears to be on the verge of losing the one skill he’s retained over the course of his career: power, as evidenced by his .381 SLG in 2010.

Defensively, his statuesque range, erratic arm and average hands make him ill-equipped to be a starting shortstop. Really, Tejada’s probably best suited to play either first or third base (if at all), but the Giants already have Huff and Pablo Sandoval covering those positions. In all honesty, the Giants were probably better off re-signing Edgar Renteria. They could have gotten the same production out of the shortstop position for $4.4 million cheaper.

Funny, he doesn't estimate Miggy's WAR for 2011, as he did with Huff. Estimates range from 0.8 to 2.0 WAR for Tejada. Let's call it 1.3, which is about where I see him this year. That's worth about $6.5MM...his contract? $6.4....Jeebus, I guess that Sabean cat knows his shit, eh?

As for Rent: The dude is estimated to produce around 0.5 WAR, or about $2.5MM worth. He's getting paid $2.6...I guess the Red's GM knows HIS shit too! Moreover, for the last 12 seasons, Miggy has only appeared in less than 156 games ONCE -- in 2007 when he was hurt. Even then, he played in 133 games. Rent, you ask? Hasn't played a full season since 2006; he'll be lucky to get 100 games.

This Chip Buck is a lazy asshat who regularly reports on the Red $ox and Yankee$...so I wouldn't expect him to be up on the Ishi/Nate battle for a roster spot or how Runzler's conversion to a long man is coming along. But I DO expect him to be able to take a good stat like WAR and apply it correctly.

Fucking douche. This clown could fuck up a free lunch.

 

[calsnowskier]

Aaaaaaand a second goof:

Sabean has a penchant for signing aging, overpriced veterans for millions of dollars more than any other team is willing to pay. His bad compulsion reared its ugly head this past winter when he signed 36-year-old former All-Star Miguel Tejada to a one-year, $6.5 million contract to be his starting shortstop.

This wouldn’t be a big deal if Tejada was either the above-average hitter he was during his prime or capable of playing anything resembling acceptable defense at the keystone infield position. Sadly, he’s neither.

Offensively, Tejada lacks plate discipline, rarely draws walks and appears to be on the verge of losing the one skill he’s retained over the course of his career: power, as evidenced by his .381 SLG in 2010.

Defensively, his statuesque range, erratic arm and average hands make him ill-equipped to be a starting shortstop. Really, Tejada’s probably best suited to play either first or third base (if at all), but the Giants already have Huff and Pablo Sandoval covering those positions. In all honesty, the Giants were probably better off re-signing Edgar Renteria. They could have gotten the same production out of the shortstop position for $4.4 million cheaper.

Funny, he doesn't estimate Miggy's WAR for 2011, as he did with Huff. Estimates range from 0.8 to 2.0 WAR for Tejada. Let's call it 1.3, which is about where I see him this year. That's worth about $6.5MM...his contract? $6.4....Jeebus, I guess that Sabean cat knows his shit, eh?

As for Rent: The dude is estimated to produce around 0.5 WAR, or about $2.5MM worth. He's getting paid $2.6...I guess the Red's GM knows HIS shit too! Moreover, for the last 12 seasons, Miggy has only appeared in less than 156 games ONCE -- in 2007 when he was hurt. Even then, he played in 133 games. Rent, you ask? Hasn't played a full season since 2006; he'll be lucky to get 100 games.

This Chip Buck is a lazy asshat who regularly reports on the Red $ox and Yankee$...so I wouldn't expect him to be up on the Ishi/Nate battle for a roster spot or how Runzler's conversion to a long man is coming along. But I DO expect him to be able to take a good stat like WAR and apply it correctly.

Fucking douche. This clown could fuck up a free lunch.

Very nice, tz. I tried to rep ya, but this dang site wont let me. Anyone know the rules on rep-ing?


Edit...

LOL I just saw this...

 

[Heathbar012]

Very nice, tz. I tried to rep ya, but this dang site wont let me. Anyone know the rules on rep-ing?


Edit...

LOL I just saw this...

It always tells me to spread around the rep, too. I feel like I do, but I'm certain you, tzill and gp (EDIT: pretty much everyone. I guess I figured out why they don't let you rep the same people so much) would have double whatever you have if it let me deal it out at my own discretion. The hasidic smiley face will have to do until then... or this one...

:laser:

 

[calsnowskier]

It always tells me to spread around the rep, too. I feel like I do, but I'm certain you, tzill and gp (EDIT: pretty much everyone. I guess I figured out why they don't let you rep the same people so much) would have double whatever you have if it let me deal it out at my own discretion. The hasidic smiley face will have to do until then... or this one...

:laser:

The Hasidic smiley, I feel, needs to be reserved for tz...

 

[tzill]

The Hasidic smiley, I feel, needs to be reserved for tz...

Funny story from yesterday. I'm down here at ST with about 10 guys and we're at the Reds/Brewers games yesterday in Maryvale. Ryan Braun is up and I mention that he's my favorite Brewer b/c he's a Jew. I get 1 guy who agrees with me and 8 guys who insist "no way that guy's Jewish, etc., etc., etc." We're sitting three rows behind Milwaukee's dugout. So I yell at Braun after he grounds out "You'll get 'em next time Hebrew Hammer!!" He looks up and tips his cap to me.

My nickname in this group is now the Hebrew Hammer. Don't know how GP's gonna feel about that....

 

[ColinCoby]

Funny story from yesterday. I'm down here at ST with about 10 guys and we're at the Reds/Brewers games yesterday in Maryvale. Ryan Braun is up and I mention that he's my favorite Brewer b/c he's a Jew. I get 1 guy who agrees with me and 8 guys who insist "no way that guy's Jewish, etc., etc., etc." We're sitting three rows behind Milwaukee's dugout. So I yell at Braun after he grounds out "You'll get 'em next time Hebrew Hammer!!" He looks up and tips his cap to me.

My nickname in this group is now the Hebrew Hammer. Don't know how GP's gonna feel about that....

Love it! The original nickname of Hank Greenberg right? Time for you or Braun to take that name and run with it.

"Would you like something to read?"
"Do you have anything light?"
"How about this leaflet, 'Famous Jewish Sports Legends.'"
-- "Airplane"

 

[msgkings322]

A big milestone in every Jewish boy's life (including my own) is when he realizes his chance of playing on a pro sports team is significantly less than his chance of owning one.
:smile:

 

[tzill]

A big milestone in every Jewish boy's life (including my own) is when he realizes his chance of playing on a pro sports team is significantly less than his chance of owning one.
:smile:

Indeed. Another milestone in every Jewish husband's life is coming to the realization that no matter what he does, his wife is going to scold him. Thus, it's best to just do what you want to do as the consequences are going to be the same.

:pray2:

 

[filosofy29]

Don't expect the Giants to repeat - SweetSpot Blog - ESPN

Kind of pwns itself, but I like some of the contradictory bits, like saying 'no one picked the Giants to win it all' and right after then saying 'so we chastened experts are now not predicting the same thing'.

I get that it's hard to repeat, and the Giants probably have about a 1 in 6 chance to do so, but they have as much chance as any other team.

It's pretty easy to pick 'the field' and be right almost every year. No one repeats, hardly.

The LEASTern "Sports" Network does suck deck. Have no idea why it's still popular. Intelligent sports fans can't be satisfied with what they have to offer right???

 

[msgkings322]

The LEASTern "Sports" Network does suck deck. Have no idea why it's still popular. Intelligent sports fans can't be satisfied with what they have to offer right???

They aren't...but by now I'm sure you know most people aren't very intelligent, and that goes for sports fans too.

 

[filosofy29]

They aren't...but by now I'm sure you know most people aren't very intelligent, and that goes for sports fans too.

Very good point.