tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-226784082011-12-29T18:58:14.391-05:00Baseball For Thought --- Helping baseball fans procrastinate at work since 2006!Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.comBlogger1901100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1162440578665721842006-11-01T22:38:00.000-05:002006-11-01T23:09:38.740-05:00

So it happened: the long season has drawn to its inevitable close, as October rolls into November. Sports radio frequencies are littered with discussions of quarterback ratings, and of backup point guards. Even horseracing. But precious little on baseball.After all of the pomp and circumstance- the obsessive checking of ESPN since pitchers and catchers in mid-February, and the daily ups and downs

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1161823466827011382006-10-26T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-25T20:44:26.853-04:00

by Scott SilverstenNow what?For those that haven’t noticed, the baseball season ends this weekend. On Saturday night, we turn back the clocks so that darkness falls by 5 p.m. Halloween is only days away, and winter is fast approaching. It’s the worst time of the year … The Baseball Offseason.I know there is always the Hot Stove League: Will A-Rod be traded? Are the Marlins trading Willis? Is

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1161708915668043202006-10-24T12:54:00.000-04:002006-10-24T12:56:38.333-04:00

by Jeremy BirdI have been a St. Louis naysayer since the Cardinals started to collapse towards the end of the season. Scratch that. I have been a St. Louis naysayer since Mark Mulder went down and the best pitching savior GM Walt Jocketty could find was the 3-10 struggling Jeff Weaver. Sure, I grew up on Cardinal baseball. Yes, I still remember Willie McGee’s wall-scaling catch in the 1982

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1161265662030187032006-10-19T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-19T09:47:42.070-04:00

by Scott SilverstenThe only person who has had a worse October than George Steinbrenner is Joe Consensus.Joe Consensus?Although you may not be able to identify him in a crowd of two, Joe Consensus finds his way into every sports conversation. He is the biggest prognosticator this side of Punxsutawney Phil. And much like everyone’s favorite groundhog, it’s hard to take Joe Consensus

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160833514829958762006-10-16T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-15T23:47:49.013-04:00

Doug Silversten and Alan Eliot are on vacation this week and their columns, "The Big Picture" and "The Stories We Tell", respectively, will return here in their normal slots in two weeks. However, they want to remind the media who keep playing up the fact that the Tigers lost 119 games three years ago that the Mets lost 91 themselves just two years ago. Anyway, enjoy Game 5 of the NLCS tonight.

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160702976088944082006-10-13T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-13T07:19:55.660-04:00

by Rob HymanIn the two weeks between the Mets clinching the division and the start of the NLDS, there was more bad news than good:• After clinching, the team proceeded to lose seven of its next nine games• Pedro was deemed unavailable for the post season• The day before the NLDS, El Duque was also rendered unavailablePeople were starting to write them off. Clearly those people had not been

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160676526592469972006-10-12T14:03:00.000-04:002006-10-12T14:08:46.643-04:00

by Scott Silversten Many fans of the New York Yankees wanted Joe Torre fired for his failure to have a team that achieved tremendous regular season success accomplish anything in October. In his place they want Lou Piniella.This is the same Pineilla who skippered the Seattle Mariners to a record 116 regular-season victories in 2001, only to flame out in five games against the Yankees, who had

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160544712300183662006-10-11T01:28:00.000-04:002006-10-11T01:31:52.323-04:00

by Sam SowlWe all thought it. This was the best lineup we had ever seen, maybe the best of all time. They were supposed to put up 9 runs a game, just blow every one else out of the water. Instead, they completely failed; they went 20 innings without scoring a run, 5 innings without a single baserunner in game 4. How could this happen? I thought A-Rod was their 3B, not Scott Brosius. Here

Sam Sowlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07082298062084175795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160456080587481902006-10-10T00:21:00.000-04:002006-10-10T00:54:40.693-04:00

by Jeremy BirdYou can win a best of 5 series with one CY Young pitcher who comes up big in the postseason. You might even be able to win a best-of-seven with that same CY Young winner pitching games 1, 4 and 7. In both scenarios all you need is one other starting pitcher to step up as Jeff Weaver did in the Cardinals' NLDS series against San Diego.Unfortunately, for Red Bird nation, Chris

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1160100508661242262006-10-06T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-05T22:09:28.606-04:00

The Critical Fanby Matt SandlerNote: Columnist Matt Sandler is off this week and thus we are republishing one of his best columns to date...a review of the 1942 classic, "Pride of the Yankees". He'll return with an all-new book or movie review in two weeks.As a die-hard Mets fan, I am constitutionally obligated to hate the Yankees, and I take this duty seriously. However, there are three times

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159919037205988902006-10-04T00:23:00.000-04:002006-10-03T23:17:23.916-04:00

by Alan Eliot et al.Yesterday, we began by predicting the outcomes of the two ALDS and one NLDS series that began on Tuesday. Today, we continue by unveiling our pick for the final series, Dodgers/Mets, which begins today. All picks were made by Monday night. You can see yesterday's column, and our picks for the other three series, here.4. Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets- series start time (

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159846330833481172006-10-03T00:33:00.000-04:002006-10-03T00:20:52.366-04:00

by Alan Eliot et al.You've made it. Phew. A hearty congratulations to you, rabid baseball fan. Having to wade through a day without a single baseball game to preoccupy your time (the first time that's happened since the all-star break), you were left, perplexed. Now what?We hope you used the time wisely to remove yourself from your TV/computer, and to get some sun. You look a little pale. We

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159585774018865202006-10-02T00:01:00.000-04:002006-10-01T22:54:58.636-04:00

by Doug SilverstenWednesday night it all begins. After completely dominating the National League this year during the regular season, Wednesday night begins our road to the NL pennant. A lot has been written about what would it mean if the Mets struggle in the playoffs and don’t reach the World Series, or even the NLCS. Does it diminish what we did during the regular season? Does it mean our

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159502570674419952006-09-28T23:57:00.001-04:002006-09-29T00:02:50.696-04:00

by Rob HymanMy fellow colleague (and new father of two!) Scott Silversten spelled out some of the major debates in today’s game. I’d like to pick up where he left off – let’s discuss the annual debate on the proper criterion to decide on an MVP and a CY Young award winner. The debate with the MVP is whether or not the term Most Valuable Player should be taken literally or does it really mean

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159449340038681572006-09-28T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-28T09:15:40.066-04:00

by Scott SilverstenFor those who wax poetic about the grand old game, one of the great allures of baseball has always been the way it lends itself to debate. Baseball is a pastime, we are often told, and the game’s rhythms are perfect for historical comparisons and barstool arguments.And without failure, there are two baseball debates that arise, like clockwork, once a season.The first occurs in

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159336324940404572006-09-27T01:45:00.000-04:002006-09-27T01:57:00.256-04:00

by Sam SowlI’d like to start this column with a prediction that will hopefully bode much better with my critics from San Diego than my previous predictions did: the San Diego Chargers will not make the playoffs this year. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…Strat-O-Matic Baseball. To those of you who know what this means, the sentiments expressed in this column will surely resonate deeply

Sam Sowlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07082298062084175795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1159275726832083032006-09-26T08:55:00.000-04:002006-09-26T09:02:06.853-04:00

by Jeremy BirdWhat the hell is happening to the St. Louis Cardinals?Last Wednesday, the team’s magic number stood at five. The Reds were 7½ games out of first, and the Astros stood 8½ back. St. Louis was in cruise control on its way to another division title and home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. After six straight losses and a horrendous four-game sweep at the hands of

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158925096875597842006-09-22T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-22T13:08:05.613-04:00

by Matt Sandler"The Critical Fan" The cynic in me often gets the feeling that the entire attitude that baseball players present—just wanting to win, not caring about individual statistics, jumping like a Little Leaguer when a teammate hits a walk-off home run—is a big fat charade. On the inside, they’re looking out for #1, just as, frankly, so many the rest of us are. If they care about padding

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158802639275871992006-09-21T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-20T21:37:19.306-04:00

Scott Silversten’s column, "Age of Reason" will not appear this week because he became a father on Tuesday! He and his wife Jill welcomed Joshua and Sean Silversten. They were announced as "the newest Yankee fans," although as the boys’ aunt and uncle, we will do our best to tear them away from the Evil Empire. We have very little confidence that it will work. But baseball fans are baseball fans,

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158719350208755142006-09-20T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-20T06:58:14.073-04:00

by Doug SilverstenThis week's Wild-Card Wednesday is going to be short, because I am in awe and I don't know what to say. Given the circumstances, perhaps the greatest regular season game EVER was played on Monday night, and I feel it is not getting the attention it deserved. After a great regular season game, my father always comments to me, "If that was played in the postseason, they would be

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158645248614221112006-09-19T01:07:00.000-04:002006-09-20T12:28:01.050-04:00

by Alan EliotThe instant the Mets clinched the NL East Monday night, it occurred to me that the last time they had done so, I was 10 years old.1988. A lifetime ago.This time around, I was equipped with a cold beer, which lay in wait for the championship moment. The crowd roared with each passing out. Shea was crazy. The fans wanted the win in the worst way. The players wanted the win in the worst

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158515654249415402006-09-18T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-18T01:06:14.520-04:00

by Doug SilverstenAwhile ago, I wrote a column stating that the best GM in the game is Billy Beane, and it is not even close. I’ve been accused of being a “Billy-Lover,” “Beane-Obsessed,” etc. However, how can you not be in awe of a guy who puts winners on the field every year, makes incredible moves- and does all this with none of the advantages that the perennial contenders enjoy? This year, he

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158292826887300742006-09-15T00:57:00.000-04:002006-09-15T02:03:08.710-04:00

by Rob HymanUnlike many of the Mets fans who write for Baseball For Thought, I'm not a Yankee hater by any means. I don't root for them, but I don't root against them either. To me, they are just another team in the American League - a league that I pay much less attention to.So when I say I do not want the Mets and Yankees to play in the World Series, it's not because I don't want the Yankees to

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158240363320441312006-09-14T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-14T09:26:03.350-04:00

by Scott SilverstenPerception vs. Reality.Oh, what a fierce battle they wage.And no place does that fight occur more often than in the Bronx, where supporters of the New York Yankees have for decades felt they were smarter or more cerebral than their counterparts in other cities. If only that was actually the reality of the situation.In New York, the perception is that Alex Rodriguez NEVER gets

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158124378503265192006-09-13T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-13T01:34:19.376-04:00

by Sam SowlAt this point, I don't care about the AL Wild Card race. If the White Sox deserve it, they'll win it. If they don't, the Twins sure as hell deserve it. Of course, there's a good chance both teams will make the playoffs and it will be the Tigers that fall off (which is my prediction). There's really not much else to say about it; three of the top teams in baseball, two spots (one

Sam Sowlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07082298062084175795noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1158078044305298032006-09-12T10:24:00.000-04:002006-09-12T12:20:44.540-04:00

by Jeremy BirdChris Carpenter should be in the running for his second straight Cy Young Award and the NL MVP (not win it, but be in the running). And here's why:Carp is the main reason the Cardinals will make the playoffs this season. Without him, the Cardinals finish third in the NL Central. (And, he will be the only reason the Cards will not get swept in the first round by the Mets or

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157717799044931592006-09-08T08:14:00.000-04:002006-09-08T15:16:05.456-04:00

by Matt Sandler“Say it Ain’t So, Joe” There is much talk nowadays about the integrity of baseball, of how the recent home run records are tainted. There was also a minor scandal brewing a few weeks ago, in which Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca was said to have run up gambling debts, a charge he vehemently denied. With this backdrop in mind, I recently viewed John Sayles’ “Eight Men Out” (1988),

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157641765858075662006-09-07T11:03:00.000-04:002006-09-07T11:09:25.896-04:00

by Scott SilverstenIf you are reading this column, you are probably a fan of a particular team: The New York Yankees or Mets, the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago White Sox, the Oakland Athletics, the Cincinnati Reds.However, if you are reading this column, chances are you are also a fan of the sport of baseball. Not just your particular team, but everything the word “baseball”

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157532702728104202006-09-06T04:11:00.000-04:002006-09-07T11:12:07.633-04:00

by Alan EliotThis week on Wild-Card Wednesdays, we profile the year 1981- a year where most teams played between 100-110 games and where eight teams made the playoffs- a group that did not include the Reds, holders of the best record in MLB. A crazy year, indeed.On a cursory glance, 1981 seems like one of the more interesting in this history of baseball (rather than one of most embarrassing). The

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157441211339667972006-09-05T03:00:00.000-04:002006-09-05T05:27:56.513-04:00

by Alan EliotIs there a correlation between having the best league record and making the World Series (WS)? How about winning it?Right now, it's a pretty good time to be a Mets fan. Barring catastrophe, at 84-52, a full 11 games ahead of the 73-63 Cardinals, they should easily finish with the best record in the NL. In the AL, we're looking at possibly the Tigers or Yankees taking home best record

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157214271542558182006-09-04T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-03T22:05:28.906-04:00

by Doug SilverstenIt is hard to believe, but it was just a few short weeks ago that there was a real question of whether or not the New York Yankees streak of eleven consecutive years of making the playoffs was going to come to an end. Well, there answer is now clear. As painful as this realization is for the entire Yankee-hating world, the answer is…“Yes.” The Yankees will be playing October

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1157055359792317492006-09-01T00:01:00.000-04:002006-09-01T20:17:50.223-04:00

by Rob HymanThe win is one of the lesser telling statistics in baseball. My esteemed colleague Doug Silversten wrote about this in his June 12th column “When Wins and Losses are Meaningless Stats”. Doug is right – the win is a meaningless stat and Roger Clemens’ 2005 season is a great example of that. He finished 13-8 with a 1.87 ERA. Five times during the season, he left the game in a scoreless

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156951968707123972006-08-31T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-31T09:34:38.466-04:00

by Scott SilverstenDo you want to know what is the biggest oxymoron in baseball? Well, here it is: The Amazin’ Mets.Now, I completely understand the “Amazin’” moniker that was affixed to the team during its glorious 1969 World Championship season, but in its current use, the nickname is just plain silly. The Mets are far from amazing and they have much more in common with their cross-town rivals

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156904088242284382006-08-30T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-29T23:27:09.316-04:00

by Sam SowlNot long ago, we here at BFT decided to expand our roster by one, and to add a columnist to our Wednesday slot. We put out the word, waited for all of the applications to arrive, and then chose our newest columnist. Today, we are thrilled to introduce Sam Sowl (rhymes with bowl, not bowel)! Sam's a good midwestern boy from Wisconsin, and like the rest of us here at BFT an obsessed

Sam Sowlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07082298062084175795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156838403779860372006-08-29T03:01:00.000-04:002006-08-29T04:00:04.200-04:00

by Jeremy BirdTo me, the Yankees symbolize pretty much everything that is wrong with major-league baseball.A team should not be able to buy championships with essentially no regulation. The game needs a salary cap. It needs more parity. It needs more restraint on unlimited spending. It needs less of the Yankees and more of the Marlins.The Fish just won their eight straight last night with a

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156113183717656952006-08-25T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-24T21:23:25.423-04:00

by Matt SandlerThere often seems to be a fine line that separates fandom from some sort of mental affliction. I consider myself a dyed-in-the-wool, true-blue, diehard Mets fan, but my passion for baseball and my favorite team does not, thank God, approach the level achieved by Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon) in Fever Pitch (2005). In this highly enjoyable, sweet, and funny movie, we are somewhat

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156372552889250442006-08-24T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-24T07:49:51.683-04:00

by Scott SilverstenJust when you think sports has hit bottom, here comes the Little League World Series.In a sense proving true what most non-New Yorkers think about those who inhabit the Big Apple, the Staten Island team in this year’s LLWS made the wrong kind of news this week, with a 12-year-old sending curse words to the nation via ESPN, only to be reprimanded by an overzealous coach.For

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156297931876347172006-08-23T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-23T07:47:31.660-04:00

by Sarah (The Fanatic's Wife)For this week’s Wild Card Wednesday, I have decided to conduct an interview with my husband (the fanatic) in the hopes that I can continue to gain a deeper understanding of his baseball obsessed ways. Q: Doug, would you give up your left pinky to ensure that the Yankees would never again win the World Series? A: [Pause] No…(I am slightly worried about the pause and

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1156222258598431602006-08-22T00:14:00.000-04:002006-08-22T01:23:36.750-04:00

by Alan EliotThe beauty of baseball is that, as we as fans gain life experience, the game reveals more to us- and we are privy to a much more enriching experience as a result. The act of being a die-hard fan, so primal and irrational at one level (for most fans, you pick your favorite team like you pick your religion, aka not really), is enhanced at another level by our intellectual gains.For

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155864824166360122006-08-21T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-20T20:37:00.063-04:00

by Doug SilverstenHawaii? A baseball fan's paradise? "No way," you say. You are probably asking yourself if this is some sort of weird April Fool's Joke in August? Nope. I recently returned from 11 nights in Hawaii and I can assure you I mean it when I say that for a baseball fan, especially a fantasy baseball player, it doesn't get any better than Hawaii.For starters, the weather is almost

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155862765200192222006-08-18T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-17T21:54:06.683-04:00

by A.Y. ParkStop blaming the players. It’s not their fault. Yes, it appears many players have used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of the last decade. Yes, it is considered cheating and morally questionable. Yes, every sports site you look at has at least one columnist sitting on his high horse, talking about how disgusting these cheaters are for using steroids, and how Barry Bonds

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155819103697961972006-08-17T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-17T19:19:49.076-04:00

by Scott SilverstenThe next important game for the New York Mets does not come for 66 days.Specifically, on October 21, Game 1 of the World Series in ayet-to-be-determined American League city.Of course, that begs the question: What if the Mets do not reach the FallClassic? And that, Baseball For Thought readers, is the problem.The Mets will be in a no-win situation when they begin the

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155699824731587142006-08-16T00:07:00.000-04:002006-08-16T00:12:52.970-04:00

Dear loyal BFT reader,"Wild-Card Wednesdays" have appeared every Wednesday from March-August 2006. We will be introducing at least one new, permanent columnist in the Wednesday slot starting next week. WCW will make an appearance every now and again, but the era of the WCW as we know it is over.To mark this momentous occasion, we wanted to give each week's WCW one last chance to stand in the sun,

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155631807522280232006-08-15T04:42:00.000-04:002006-08-15T04:55:27.790-04:00

by J.BirdLast week, the Atlanta Braves became the first team in major league baseball to sponsor so-called "Faith Days," or "Faith Nights," sponsored by a group called Third Coast Sports. Fans received materials from religious organizations and, after the game, players and others evangelized about their religious beliefs. While I started to think about the problems involved with using a

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155518038571812512006-08-14T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-13T21:14:32.343-04:00

Michael Carlucci's Column, "Yankee Diary," will appear here in its regular slot in two weeks. Today, in its place, we re-publish our call for a new columnist. Reminder: The deadline is tomorrow, August 15th! We will then review all submissions. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at baseballforthought@gmail.com. Thanks!Dear loyal BFT reader,For nearly five months, and through over

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155299060156733712006-08-11T08:22:00.000-04:002006-08-11T10:11:46.736-04:00

73* is the New 61*by Matt SandlerMany people are probably aware that at the time Roger Maris set the single-season home run mark with 61 in 1961, an asterisk was appended to the record to denote the eight extra games he played beyond Babe Ruth’s schedule. However, one of the facts that I learned in the movie “61*” (2001, originally aired on HBO) was that the keeping of the two records, Babe Ruth’

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155219531067600252006-08-10T10:12:00.000-04:002006-08-10T10:20:51.556-04:00

by Scott SilverstenNot to sound smug, but I knew in spring training that:* The Tigers would be baseball's best regular-season team. It was obvious that starting pitchers Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and Justin Verlander were on the verge of breaking out, that Marcus Thames would become a household (at least in my household) name and that Jim Leyland was a managerial genius no matter how long

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154392284905726632006-08-09T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-08T23:33:24.966-04:00

by Sarah (The Fanatic's Wife)It is truly a phenomenon to me. I am happily watching a baseball game on T.V. and the camera slowly pans the dugout…and there they are, chewing huge wads of tobacco or gum, or munching on seeds. Whatever their poison, all of these guys are spitting. Now, the tobacco I understand because if you swallow that crap you’ll most likely throw up. Disgusting, but I’ll save

sarah (the fanatic's wife)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14453159742563083794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1155010304690795732006-08-08T00:44:00.000-04:002006-08-08T01:44:12.863-04:00

by Alan Eliot"Well thank you, Captain Obvious," some will say."This sort of one-of-a-kind insight is why I come to Baseball For Thought in the first place," others add. "Talk about going out on a ledge! Mets win the division in 2006? Come on!"Yes, yes. I hear the sarcasm. It's dripping in your voice. I get it. I say the Mets are winning the division, when there are 52 games to go and they are up

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153881860483838742006-08-07T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-07T00:12:41.753-04:00

by Doug SilverstenWhat’s your favorite baseball moment? Bill Buckner? Kirk Gibson? Bobby Thomson? Bucky Dent? Chris Chambliss? Luis Gonzalez?All excellent choices. But for me, it is none of the above. There has always been one baseball moment that has risen above all else in my mind. It manages to encapsulate, in just a few seconds, so many reasons why I love baseball and why it is the best game

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154667161134641852006-08-04T00:47:00.000-04:002006-08-04T10:36:20.573-04:00

by Rob HymanThis time we look at the National League's most memorable home runs of the last 25 years. But first I know you are all on the edge of your seats to gthe answer to the questions who are the only NL teams who have not seen the postseason since 1985.- Milwaukee Brewers, who haven't seen the postseason since the 1982 World Series- Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals who last made the

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154566829941033342006-08-03T00:57:00.000-04:002006-08-04T10:37:38.420-04:00

by Scott SilverstenAt this year’s trading deadline, the following quote grabbed my attention:“I look at our club and it’s got so much fight and heart, and I wanted to, if I could, give it a chance to win.”Now, can you guess who delivered the line? Was it …A. Texas Rangers general manager Jon Daniels following his team’s acquisition of slugger Carlos Lee.B. Los Angeles Dodgers general manager

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154316810753985662006-08-02T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-02T03:41:36.506-04:00

This week on Wild Card Wednesday, columnist Doug Silversten discusses the best trading deadline deal:At this year's trading deadline, once again, the rich got richer.Give Brian Cashman credit. He made the deal of the deadline. On Friday night, what were the Yankees two pressing needs? They needed a right fielder who at least would be a solid stopgap solution until Gary Sheffield came back in

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154310621751884162006-07-31T00:30:00.000-04:002006-07-30T22:23:56.656-04:00

Michael Carlucci's Column, "Yankee Diary," will appear here in its regular slot in two weeks. Today, in its place, we take a look back at one of our first columns at Baseball For Thought - columnist Alan Eliot's look at Jimmy Rollins' attempt to break one of baseball's most hallowed records- originally dated Feb 21, 2006. The column was written with Rollins in limbo over the offseason at 36

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1154057619839087452006-07-28T00:01:00.000-04:002006-08-03T17:40:50.006-04:00

Bad News for the Yankeesby Matt SandlerWatching the level of play displayed in Bad News Bears (2005) is like playing in the Sunday softball game that I organize every weekend. You’re going to see a lot of errors, various levels of hustle, and some questionable offensive skills. But you’re also bound to have a lot of fun while enjoying the very lack of slickness. Bad News Bears is a very funny

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153942613074678702006-07-27T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-26T22:58:14.010-04:00

by Scott SilverstenThe next 45 days are a time for prayer.You see, today is the first day of training camp for the New York Giants, who won’t take the field in a real game until Sunday, September 10. So for the next 6 ½ weeks, every morning before opening the newspaper, I say a small prayer in hopes that an injury has not stricken one of the team’s key players.Eli’s elbows, Tiki’s knees, Lavar’s

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153801276320642542006-07-26T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-30T21:25:48.173-04:00

Dear loyal BFT reader,For nearly five months, and through over 100 opinion columns, BFT.com has been providing you with fresh, insightful commentary on the game we all love- every weekday. Doug and Mike alternate Mondays. Jeremy and I man the Tuesday slot. Thursdays have always belonged solely to our ex-ESPNer Scott, and Fridays are split by Rob and Matt.Up until now, Wednesdays have been host to

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153889590319376062006-07-25T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-30T21:26:14.763-04:00

by Alan EliotBilly Beane is a great General Manager. He's shrewd. He's so good at evaluating talent, and finding value where others could not, that other GM's have learned to be wary of him whenever he puts out the feelers on a prospect of theirs. "What could I have missed?", they ask. "What does he see that I don't?"If the rumors and hearsay are to be believed, he adores Mets super-prospect

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153450422575837052006-07-24T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-24T18:40:40.976-04:00

by Doug SilverstenI recently started reading a book about the history of Strat-o-Matic baseball called, Strat-o-Matic Fanatics by Glenn Guzzo. I am not far enough into yet to provide a book recommendation to readers, but I will say, that even 100 pages in, it certainly has sparked fond memories of my childhood. However, not so much of Strat-o-Matic baseball: while I certainly grew up in a

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153448754406347372006-07-21T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-21T14:12:43.316-04:00

by Rob HymanThe home run derby has been a mainstay in All-Star week since 1985 when Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds won the competition in the Homer Dome in Minneapolis. In honor of that, over the next two columns, I’m going to attempt to showcase the most memorable home run for all 30 teams since 1985. Obviously for most teams, it will be a post-season home run as only three teams since 1985

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153332891080984982006-07-20T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-19T19:39:14.496-04:00

by Scott SilverstenTo paraphrase Ray Liotta’s character Henry Hill at the end of Goodfellas, "Jose Canseco should get to live the rest of his life like a schnook."At the initial publication of his book Juiced two winters ago, Canseco was criticized by many around baseball for his claims about steroids and the national pastime. In the days and months that have followed, we have all learned that

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153191422837614922006-07-19T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-20T19:10:10.760-04:00

A few weeks ago, ESPN’s Bill Simmons listed his favorite YouTube videos. It was a great article, and I encourage anyone who likes Simmons’ writing to read it. However, we here at Baseball For Thought primarily only care about one thing...Baseball, of course! And while we appreciate Simmons throwing in classic YouTube videos from the Entertainment world, or other sports, our baseball crazed

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153235626534286262006-07-18T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-18T19:35:42.860-04:00

by Jeremy BirdIn my first column of the year, I wrote that it would be a long summer for Washington Nationals fans. Today, the team is 16 games below .500, and I hate to write an “I told you so” column. I guess it is not like I was some sort of prophet. Most people who know anything about baseball know you aren’t going to win many games with no real ace pitcher, Jose Guillen as your clean up

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1153104453190370782006-07-17T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-16T22:48:54.356-04:00

Michael Carlucci's Column, "Yankee Diary," will appear here in its regular slot in two weeks. Today, in its place, we take a look back at one of our first columns at Baseball For Thought - columnist Doug Silversten's look back at the 2000 World Series between his beloved Mets and hated Yankees.From time to time, I'd like to think back at what I was thinking during some of the big moments in Mets

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152877596076340262006-07-14T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-14T07:47:11.283-04:00

by Matt SandlerOne of the elements of fantasy baseball that we may not acknowledge as a main reason for playing is the small degree of power that we feel it gives us. Surely, this power is false—I’m guessing Trot Nixon neither knows nor cares that I just dropped him—but it does allow us to live vicariously as general managers. The novel The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh,

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152754012787354262006-07-13T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-12T21:58:10.383-04:00

by Scott SilverstenWhere is Terry Cashman when we need him?Cashman is no relation to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, but rather the man who recorded 1981’s timeless classic “Talkin’ Baseball,” a song that long ago should have been anointed the official anthem of the national pastime.For those who are not famliar with the song, the most famous line from the chorus highlighted a

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152669529728462432006-07-12T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-17T22:57:16.250-04:00

by The Fanatic's WifeDoug and I both agreed that it had been way too long since we had been to a game together. To make up for lost times, we attended the double-header against the Marlins on Saturday. We went with fellow Baseball For Thought-er Rob and his fiancée, so when the boys went into their baseball-induced trance, at least I had some support.We had great seats: out of the sun and

sarah (the fanatic's wife)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14453159742563083794noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152586590718274592006-07-11T00:30:00.000-04:002006-07-13T22:56:08.566-04:00

by Alan EliotThere's a lot of hoopla leading up to the all-star game, but we've seen all of this before. Well, mostly.As different as this year may feel, 2006 has been like many others. Every year, people who should make the team don't (Johan Santana, Curt Schilling, and nearly Francisco Liriano, to name a few). Every year, people who should not make the team do (Mark Redman, Bobby Jenks, Derrick

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152497845541896072006-07-10T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-10T21:14:41.000-04:00

by Doug SilverstenIt seems every year the All-Star Game comes around and it is greeted by a collective big yawn by the baseball world. Granted, I’d much rather be watching a game that counts than an exhibition. For whatever reason, I’d still rather tune in to even a meaningless Pirates-Royals interleague match-up than the All-Star Game. Maybe it is because that at least in that match-up, the

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152243968680172382006-07-07T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-07T07:38:56.843-04:00

by Rob HymanA warning to three of the eight teams who will hold a playoff position come the All-Star Break:YOU’RE DOOMED!I’m sorry to say but it’s a fact that 37.5% of teams in first or in the wildcard at the break are home watching football come October. Since the advent of the current playoff format, 33 of the 88 teams who led at the break, did not make the playoffs. It’s not surprising to hear

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152143770231244182006-07-06T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-07T07:37:42.256-04:00

by Scott SilverstenAs a long-time consumer of sports talk radio, I often find myself asking, "Why do I listen to this junk?" Honestly, since the advent of the sports talk format, has there been even one meaningful phone call from a listener in radio land?Yes!There has been one, and it occurred on Monday afternoon during the "Michael Kay Show" on 1050 ESPN Radio in New York. I wish I had the

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152056966824351312006-07-05T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-08T23:16:44.616-04:00

This week on Wild-Card Wednesdays, we take a look back at all of our previous opinion columns. Yes, all. Four months' worth, to be sure. As we get set to depart from the blogger platform, and to our new, permanent home at www.BaseballForThought.com, here's a look back at the columnists- and columns- that have filled the pages of this site since March 2006.Apart from our increasing readership,

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1152033152278679892006-07-04T13:03:00.000-04:002006-07-08T23:18:39.206-04:00

by Jeff BirdStep right up and watch your baseball at prime time now, because when the playoffs get here you’ll be out of luck. What is it with Major League Baseball? Take your pick, ESPN, Fox Sports, TBS, WGN, you can find a game on and get your baseball fix during the regular season. Championship time rolls around and we get shafted by Major League Baseball. Money talks and television

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151908182407291882006-07-03T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-03T08:03:15.666-04:00

by Michael CarlucciSunday, June 25I played real-life baseball today. Well, I played softball in Central Park. For four innings. Then it rained. I did not have a chance to display all my skills (the cannon arm, the opposite field power, the aggressive baserunning), but I did score one of our two runs. I also made a perfect throw to the plate from center field, in plenty of time to get the runner,

Michael Carluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06301910890474840826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151667504920660462006-06-30T00:01:00.000-04:002006-07-02T18:38:17.760-04:00

by Matt SandlerWe all know that no sport wears its history on its sleeve more proudly than baseball. Not only does this mean that baseball fans are more aware of players and records from the past than fans from other sports, but the sport in general is meant to evoke nostalgia and remind us of our childhoods. Sometimes this sepia-toned “isn’t it a grand sport, and wasn’t it better back when it

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151540691754122172006-06-29T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-29T09:49:02.153-04:00

by Scott SilverstenThere are many moments throughout history that remain fascinating simply because we will never know the whole truth.No matter how much we yearn, the complete events onboard the hijacked flights of September 11 will forever remain a mystery. Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? What was it like on Titanic? Fictional movies have done more to explain, expound and often, distort,

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151375189117467102006-06-28T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-27T22:23:13.833-04:00

This week on Wild-Card Wednesdays, columnist Doug Silversten takes a look at how the Baseball For Thought columnists are doing with their preseason predictions as the season reaches its halfway pointAs hard as it is to believe, the end of this week already marks the halfway point of the 2006 baseball season. While there have certainly been some surprises (the Tigers and Reds perhaps the most

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151379519367359232006-06-27T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-27T08:27:58.826-04:00

by Alan EliotJose Bernabe Reyes, superstar.Sort of.You may remember him being referred to as "super-prospect" when he was finally called up, to great fanfare, in 2003. As we've seen previously on this site here and here, Mets management continually refers to him as part of the young nucleus of the NY Mets for years to come, along with Beltran and Wright. That's a lot of confidence to have in what

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151179854953266722006-06-26T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-26T19:48:24.656-04:00

by Doug SilverstenWho is the best all-around player in the game? That’s certainly a good way to get an argument going with some baseball fans. I would say Albert Pujols. Another might say Alex Rodriguez. A third would answer Vladimir Guerrero. All three of us would have legitimate claims to having the "right" answer.Let’s try another question. Who is today’s best pitcher? I say Johan Santana. You

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1151029448320948892006-06-23T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-23T11:20:30.310-04:00

by Rob HymanWe all know the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” I guess there’s an argument that any actor or actress can be linked to Kevin Bacon within six levels of separation. Well, let’s try a baseball version of this. Despite being well into the 21st Century, you’d be surprised at the links to the past that are only three degrees away (six degrees seems too much for this purpose).So here we

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150933544177682092006-06-22T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-21T19:45:44.196-04:00

by Scott SilverstenWhile it may just be the heat of summer, I find myself wondering...-- Why do we react in outrage when the Major League Baseball All-Star Game – an exhibition contest, no less – ends in a tie, but praise the U.S. soccer team’s tie on the world’s biggest sporting stage? -- How is it possible that the MLB executives still think it’s a good idea to award home-field advantage in

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150862367478301012006-06-21T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-21T15:28:21.186-04:00

This week on Wild-Card Wednesdays, columnist Alan Eliot takes a look at how the game has changed, graphically, over the last 25 years- using HR and ERA.In light of baseball's "steroid era", many have called for the erasing of personal records and statistics of suspected cheaters- but realistically such endeavors are impossible. Who juiced and when? What if a pitcher juiced- do you give "extra"

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150791616286364952006-06-20T01:40:00.000-04:002006-06-23T12:18:09.530-04:00

by Jeremy BirdMatt Cain, the 21-year old Giants rookie, was four outs from a no-hitter last night. He struck out 10, winning his fifth straight game. Cain’s unbelievable game fits well into a narrative going on in baseball this year: rookie pitchers are making a huge impact in both leagues. Cain's performance has me considering who has been and will be the impact rookie pitcher of 2006. Here

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150668603463561642006-06-19T07:30:00.000-04:002006-06-18T20:54:21.320-04:00

by Michael CarlucciThursday, June 8This was a bad night. Not only did we lose to the Red Sox and Curt Schilling, but I was present to witness it. The Yankees held a 3-1 lead until the sixth, when the bullpen first strained under the weight of their own ineptitude, then collapsed. Scott Proctor, still possessing Torre's Most Favored Status, allowed three runs to come in (one on A-Rod's error).

Michael Carluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06301910890474840826noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150456614269410592006-06-16T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-16T09:31:57.006-04:00

by Matt SandlerOne of the biggest joys of being a baseball fan is griping with our fellow fans about our favorite team. We are so sure that we wouldn’t make the idiotic mistakes that we see the managers and general managers in the majors make. How could Jim Duquette trade Scott Kazmir for Victor Zambrano? Couldn’t he have gotten the other Zambrano? Why oh why was Willie Randolph so stubborn last

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150326136977446182006-06-15T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-14T21:50:54.250-04:00

by Scott SilverstenWhat will today’s caveat be?Sometimes it’s the opponent, or maybe the inning. If the hit comes with the game tied, or the Yankees winning by a run, then it cannot be a “clutch” situation. Nationally televised games are preferable, unless it’s raining, because as we all know...games in the rain just aren’t that big!This is not meant to defend Alex Rodriguez, only to point out

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150199246921471822006-06-14T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-13T21:49:33.980-04:00

by Doug SilverstenAs commissioner of my fantasy baseball league, it is my duty and privilege to communicate the final standings and congratulate the winner in a group email at the end of the season. At the end of the 2004 season, I had the pleasure of writing these beautiful words:"In first place, winning $300, is.....me!"Yes, I, Doug Silversten, was fantasy champion for 2004.This moment is a

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150173042441623982006-06-13T00:43:00.000-04:002006-06-13T04:31:15.266-04:00

by Alan Eliot I am about to start my last year of med school. I often take that fact for granted when it comes to the more science-related aspects of the game. I get the body. I've studied its functions, delved into its details, and wrapped my head around its most intricate processes for three years. At a base level, one does this to pass. At a higher level, one does this to ultimately be a

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1150073825218295602006-06-12T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-13T07:54:47.290-04:00

by Doug Silversten“Lies. Damned Lies. And Statistics.” I am sure you’ve heard that expression countless times. And for those who are ignorant of the power of statistics, it is often their mantra. While statistics can often mislead if interpreted incorrectly, they also have the power to reveal objective truths that the “gut feels” and “scouting reports” never can. Overall, I’m definitely in the “

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149817357296103502006-06-09T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-09T23:53:16.180-04:00

by Rob HymanEver watch one of those rain-soaked games on television where the crowd is nowhere to be found? You know – the ones where you can’t even see what’s going on because the camera is covered with raindrops. Who are those psycho fans who actually stay to watch those games? Especially the ones that don’t even take cover under an overhang.Well, you can all feel comforted to know that

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149724049906582672006-06-08T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-08T15:51:22.760-04:00

by Scott SilverstenWith Memorial Day behind us, the pennant races are unofficially underway. However, for the next two weeks, the baseball stories of mid-June must step aside on the front pages of sports sections across the country for a bigger event...the NBA Finals.Sorry soccer fans, the World Cup may be the world’s biggest sporting event, but in the United States, it’s just not that big of a

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149647644765375722006-06-07T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-07T01:23:12.236-04:00

by Sarah (The Fanatic's Wife)For this installment of The Fanatic’s Wife, I take off my “wife hat” and put on my “English teacher hat” to express my feelings about the back cover of the NY Post and Daily News. You know what I am talking about: the bold headline that graces us with its wit every morning. I am lucky enough to work in a high school where free copies of these papers are delivered. How

sarah (the fanatic's wife)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14453159742563083794noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149646576286216512006-06-06T21:58:00.000-04:002006-06-07T00:50:09.223-04:00

by Jeremy BirdLet’s just say the MLB is no NFL or NBA when it comes to draft day.Today's top picks: Luke Hochevar and Brett Sinkbeil. Aren't you excited? Hochevar and Sinkbeil? If you have honestly heard of either of these guys, I tip my cap to your knowledge. If you have heard of both of these players, you are officially obsessed.The Royals, in the team’s first ever No. 1 pick, selected

j-birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14387959255827508712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149440348399194982006-06-05T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-04T21:24:34.096-04:00

by Michael CarlucciSunday, June 4, 10:00 amThere is much exuberance over the Yankees' recent stretch of excellent play. Actually I am not sure about that. It seems like the kind of thing that people say when the team is doing well. I mean, what's there to be exuberant about? You still have to get up and go to work, no matter how many wins the Bombers collect. Let's say I've allowed myself some

Michael Carluccihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06301910890474840826noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149251229858126912006-06-02T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-02T09:50:05.536-04:00

by Matt SandlerWe are now accustomed to behaving as armchair psychologists for noted baseball players. We sense the insecurities that Alex Rodriguez harbors—even his visits to a sports psychologist have been well documented. Barry Bonds certainly has his share of paranoia and a persecution complex for sportswriters to fill up many columns. The game, as are all sports, is now covered with such a

Matt Sandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14928311777218126771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149120831707688302006-06-01T00:01:00.000-04:002006-05-31T23:11:36.746-04:00

by Scott SilverstenWe live in a sports age in which patience is a four-letter word and even those athletes who have experienced nothing but success during their careers can find themselves loudly booed in their home ballparks (see Jeter, Derek and Rivera, Mariano).Last season, it took most Yankees fans and several members of the media a grand total of six games – SIX GAMES! – to determine that

Scott Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08502469661085793419noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1149077653461677032006-05-31T07:40:00.000-04:002006-06-28T12:41:25.513-04:00

by Alan EliotI would imagine that part of the reason behind the excitement with respect to this "nucleus" of young Mets players is a historic one. The Mets, who have a penchant for signing ex-superstars, have only on very few occasions had a genuine offensive force on their team, a man in the heart of the lineup that opposing pitchers truly fear (at least for more than a few years). Shea

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1148945588534696942006-05-30T00:01:00.000-04:002006-06-28T12:42:27.003-04:00

by Alan EliotWhen Mets GM Omar Minaya signed Astros CF Carlos Beltran to a seven-year, $119 million contract after the 2004 season, the message was clear: we will build our team's future around him. And then followed a very forgettable season: 16HR, 78 RBI, and a .744 OPS, the lowest of his career.Regardless, Beltran, along with teammates David Wright and Jose Reyes, have been repeatedly called "

Alan Eliothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06570567217451283878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1148822903707823952006-05-29T00:01:00.000-04:002006-05-28T09:29:35.286-04:00

by Doug SilverstenBring back Braden Looper!A deranged Met fan? An overreaction to Billy Wagner's early struggles?Neither. More like common sense, and I stand by my words...with one major condition. We get back our $43 million too. And we use that $43 million wisely. Perhaps using some to sign another solid starter before the season. Or putting some towards a 2B who can field and hit, a

Doug Silverstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06779268289932936749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22678408.post-1148650561347788372006-05-26T09:34:00.000-04:002006-05-31T14:53:31.736-04:00

by Rob HymanI recently spent a few days in Las Vegas and while I was there on official business, I did take some time to check out the sites, so to speak. One of the more entertaining things to do is spend some time at a sports book. What better place to watch a game, but even better, watch the conflicting swings of emotion minute by minute.That got me thinking, for a non-sports better, my team

Rob Hymanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14631243262837066663noreply@blogger.com1