Jobs in Baseball

The dream I guess right? Clearly playing is out. Besides the fact that I'm reaching the age of risky long term contract status, I couldn't play baseball in high school. Umpire? I don't really feel like working in Texas for $600/month in A-ball games working against odds that are less likely than becoming a pro ball player.

So, research - worked for Bill James, Riccardi, and many other folks who are on staffs of major league teams, "doing" sabermetrics. Now that my friend is something much more up my alley. Isn't that why baseball is great anyway? Because it is such an individual game, you can keep track of stats on many many things. And now, there's a brand new tool just screaming for you, or me, or the next Bill James, to find undervalued or underexploited skill sets, and get themselves a job in MLB thanks to Pitch f/x.

I'm off to chart some pitches!

And other records

Congrats to Tom Glavine. As an M's fan, I'm hoping that Randy "Double Wide" Johnson is the next to join him in the 300 club. But it does not sound the chances are hopeful. If not Randy, it may be quite some time until the next one comes along. Santana? King Felix? We shall see.

Records, records, everywhere

Right then. Feeling a little behind the times. 755 has turned into 757 before I even posted. I don't think that I really have much to add. But I will anyway.

I am conflicted on this issue. I know, along with most others that follow baseball, that Barry was an amazing athlete regardless of what he did. Because he was so amazing, when he decided that he needed to do the 'roids, it had an effect of taking him places where no one had ever gone before. I have to think that in 2007 even he had to be a little afraid of what was happening. Thinking back, maybe a little like Brady Anderson the year that he jacked 13?

So he did what he did, and now he has the records...and I feel a little ho-hum. In 1998 I couldn't watch enough at-bats to see the record be set by Mark McGwire. In 2001 I was a little disappointed. In 2007, I'm in the UK and I am apathetic. I do not think that any sort of asterisk should be or can be applied, regardless of what is discovered. He isn't a lovable figure, he cheated, but so did the rest of the crew (and we didn't complain, us fans) so for better or worse, he's the record holder.

It pains me a little to say, but let's go Arod.

1st Post

What a day to start a baseball blog (which I'll talk about in a follow on post). This one is about the blog.

The blog is called Baseball Yesterday because, well, no one else was using that, and based on my location, I'm not in a great position to comment on things in real time. So, baseball yesterday. What I think this will be is a quick rundown a few days a week of big and/or interesting stories in the world of baseball and my take on the matter. As I mention in the header, there may be just a tinge of Mariner's bias as I'm an M's fan through and through (moved to the Seattle are in 1984). It's been a tough road as an M's fan but over the last 10-12 years, can't complain too much.

Current thought on the M's - a good team with multiple flaws. They might make the playoffs, I think currently a 35-40% chance, which would be amazing. The problem with that is, if they make the playoffs, I think that will validate the reign of Bill Bavasi, and allow him to continue to make terrible moves that will hamper the Mariners from being consistent playoff contenders, and see them next year regress back to a .500 club with no upside, hampered by bad contracts for the next 3 years because we invested in "veterans" that helped us get to the playoffs in 2007.

Please, please, please prove me wrong by making the playoffs, and not handing out big contracts and extensions to everyone/anyone available who "makes this club better now" because they were good 3 years ago. See Aurilia, Rich and Spiezio, Scot.