Print Media: Sunday Edition

Mike Lupica wondered aloud how much ARod has left.

Meanwhile, John Harper thinks it’s time for Posada to embrace the DH within.

Serby interviews Manuel.  Please stop using the word “gansta,” Jerry.

Kilgore from the WaPo reports on that kid who throws hard and his pitch count.

Troy Renick declares it the “Year of the Pitcher.”

Filed under: Jersey Matt, Links, Alex Rodriguez, Jerry Manuel, john harper, Mike Lupica, new york daily news, new york post, Troy Renick, year of the pitcher

Afternoon Reads

In case you’re not taking in the front end of a day/night double header this afternoon:

THT’s Visual Standings for the NL East and NL West.  Mighty neat.

In the NY Daily News, John Harper notes a different sort of vibe at Citi Field this year.

Jose Valverde: Old dog, new tricks, same results.

Rob Neyer: sensible blogger.

Filed under: Links, Citi Field, Jose Valverde, Mets, new york daily news, Rob Neyer, THT

Waste Hours, Lose Your Friends and Job (Cleaning up the Reader)

Late night or early morning time wasters:

1. Fan Graphs has pitch type splits available now.  They’re introduced here.  An example of one is here.
2. Think about why Ned Colletti is throwing bombs.  At Matt Kemp.
3. What’s wrong with Josh Beckett?  Bobby V thinks he’s throwing his cutter too often.  Beyond the Box Score thinks it might be an overuse of his mediocre change-up.
4. Ponder the difference between BaseRuns and Pythagorean Won-Loss expectancy.
5. Kris Benson.  Yes, the Kris Benson left his start tonight with a shoulder injury.  Ask yourself if you’re surprised.  Meanwhile, be thankful you didn’t watch the 12-11 D’Backs win over the Rockies.
6. Could John Harper have changed his tune about the Mets any more quickly?
7. The Nats are heavily relying upon … Livan, among other cast-offs.
8. Bloggers hate Thomas Boswell.  OK.  Fine.  But he wrote a book a while back, Why Life Imitates the World Series, that I have to admit, was a pretty darn good read.  I missed the column Boswell penned a few days ago in theWashington Post.  Sure, it’s a bit glib.  But he got the quotes he needed to make the story work.  It’s worth your time. 

Well, that should be enough to ruin any attempts at productivity tomorrow morning.

You’re welcome.

Filed under: Uncategorized, john harper, josh beckett, kris benson, Livan Hernandez, matt kemp, Mets, Nationals, ned colletti, new york daily news, Red Sox, thomas boswell, Washington Nationals

One More Dallas Braden/Alex Rodriguez Post

The New York Daily News’ Bill Madden asked Tom Seaver what he thought about A-Rod’s mound-expedition and his subsequent explanation for his Sunday column.

The results:

“Really?” said Tom Seaver, “I wonder if he would do and say that with Bob Gibson?”

I asked Seaver if he thought Braden over-reacted to A-Rod’s treading on his turf. “You just don’t do that,” the Mets‘ “Franchise” said. “Especially someone who’s played the game as long as (Rodriguez) has. Let me ask him this: ‘Would you dare to do something like that on Don Drysdale, Nolan Ryan, Gibson or me? All of a sudden you remember protocol.”

Jim Kaat, another well-respected pitcher, agreed that players who would dare to cross over the pitcher’s mound on their way to the dugout do so at their own peril.

Filed under: Uncategorized, Alex Rodriguez, bill madden, dallas braden, new york daily news, tom seaver, Yankees