Game 1: D'Back at Mariners 3/19/05

We got to Arizona about 10 local time, after driving about 23 hours. So the reasonable thing to do was catch the 1:05 Arizona-Seattle game. Being only a wee-bit sleepy, I forgot my camera. My notes, for your reading pleasure:

The Game

• Aaron Sele started for SEA. Perfect through 2. Looked pretty good, but AZ looked not so good
• Starter for AZ, Halsey, threw an abnormally large number of pitches in the dirt. The plate must be at 55 feet where ever he's from.
• Sexson's first at bat he received about 1/2 boos and 1/2 cheers.
• Pokey Reese, member of the first class of the Best Baseball Names club and one of my favorites since I can remember, had a bad day at the plate, but an excellent one in the field
• Ichiro hit a ball down the line in the bottom of the 3rd that would have been a triple in a real game, but he took it easy and stopped at 2nd. To make up for it, he promptly stole third on the next pitch
• Halsey tries to barehand a liner in the bottom of the 5th. Things are not looking up for this kid.
• Dan Wilson absolutely gunned Luis Terrero in the Top of the 6th when he tried to steal 2B.
• Here is Greg Aquino's day. 2/3 IP, 1H, 3ER, 3BB. He walked Boone to lead off the inning. Then he walked Randy Winn. Then he balked them to 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Then he walked the bases loaded. Pokey sac fly- Boone scores. D'antona, AZ 3B, doesn't complete a difficult bare-hand on a chopper - all are safe, bases loaded again. Aquino taken out for Tolar.
• A double steal by SEA in top of the 6th left a guy stranded between 3rd and Home. He's dead meat. D'Backs really mess up and the guy slides (quite poorly, I might add) back to 3rd.
• Cha Seung Baek brought in for SEA in the top of the 7th and he gets rocked. D'Backs got long at bats off of Baek, getting to see a lot of pitches.
• 3-6-3 DP messed up by SEA SS. #9 AZ, running from 1st, alertly takes 3rd on error.
• Baek ends up getting rocked some more, giving up a HR to Sergio Santos
• Ramon Santiago, non-roster invitee for SEA, makes good play in the hole at SS, only to have Spezio misplay it at first. Santiago impressed me, he should make a fine major leaguer some day.

The park

• $6 lawn tickets - really nice grass
• OF grass was classic checkerboard pattern
• Cannot see scoreboard from about 1/2 of RF lawn
• Traffic congestion was a bitch getting out of the park. They need a back way out.

Words of Adam

• "The grass was soft. I would have definitely liked to have made a pillow out of it"
• "Ichiro shoulda had a triple, that bum"
• "Parents should know how to keep their kids from standing in front of people"
• Related to the above comment "You can't catch a foul ball in centerfield kid"

Next Game Review: Rangers at Brewers 3/20/05

Intramurals this Week

This is my intramural schedule this week

Monday
4:00 - Men's Softball (Won by forfeit)
9:45 - Men's Floor Hockey, 1st round of playoffs (Won by forfeit)

Tuesday
3:35-6:00 - Umpire softball

Wednesday
5:00 - Men's Softball
8:15 - Men's Indoor Soccer
9:45 - Men's Floor Hockey, 2nd round of playoffs

Thursday
5:oo - Co-rec Softball
8:15-Midnight - Referee Floor Hockey

Thursday
3:15 - 6:00 - Umpire Softball. I will be out of town, so Meyer is taking my shift. It's there though.

Spring Training Pictures

Spring Training Pictures are up.

Part I: Getting to Spring Training

This is the running diary of Adam and my drive to Arizona. All times are Central, even once we get into the Mountain Time Zone, because that's what the car radio said it was.

12:15 PM - Left Drake parking lot
12:20 PM - Who would win in a fight: Mookie Wilson or Mookie Blaylock?
1:37 PM - Iowa/Missouri border
2:20 PM - NC State won. I only mention this because this is the one time in 3 years I didn't pick them to go pretty far.
3:10 PM - Missouri/Kansas border
3:22 PM - Exit 224 on I-70: Agriculture Hall of Fame
4:45 PM - Exit 127 on I-70: National Teachers Hall of Fame
5:42 PM - Stop for gas at Knute Rockne Memorial Gas Station. His plane crashed about 3 miles from the site
6:45 PM - Kansas/Oklahoma border
8:21 PM - Pass Ford Center mere minutes before start of Kansas-Bucknell game inside.
8:45 PM - Evidentally, I play baseball for the Sooners. There is a kid with the same name on the team.
10:25 PM - Is co-mission a word? Like the opposite of omission? The radio announcer used it.
10:26 PM - Oklahoma/Texas border. The first state I've never been in of the trip.
10:30 PM - Kansas loses
1:08 AM - Texas/New Mexico border. Second state I've never been in. Entered Mountain Time Zone
1:11 AM - There are only 3 radio stations in New Mexico
1:25 AM - Now there's only 1
4:20 AM - Karl Malone Toyota dealership in Albuquerque
6:10 AM - Cross Continental Divide. Elevation: 7,275 feet
6:51 AM - New Mexico/Arizona border. Third state I've never been in.
7:10 AM - Sunrise
9:10 AM - I wake up, and there is snow everywhere. I am confused. Turns out we're in the mountains.
11:26 AM - We get to Adam's grandparents house.

Total travel time: 23 hours, 11 minutes.

I'm Back

I'm back from Spring Training. Expect full reports all this week.

And I'm Off

I am going to be in a car in the next 20 minutes on my way to Arizona to see Spring Training. I was going to write a steroid hearing review, but I ran out of time. Here's a quickie: it was worthless. The panel needs balls to ask tougher questions and the players need the balls to give straight answers. Cojones all around.

Tournament First Round Picks

My general rules for first round picks:

1. Always take #1 and #2 seeds. No #1's and only 4 #2's have lost in the first round since 1985. Figuring 152 first round games for #1 &2's (2 per bracket, 4 brackets = 8 games per year times 19 years =152), the winning percentage is then 97.36%. I'm not filling out my bracket with a #15 on a <3%>
   
2. Watch the #3 and #4 seeds carefully. Often, teams are ranked #1 or #2 based on reputation, bumping more deserving teams down to 3 and 4 seeds. These teams are probably going to win. Don't think you're cool and look for upset here. Instead...


3. Upset points come at 5 and 6 seeds. Quite often, the 11 and 12 teams are quite the scrappers and you should watch out for them.


4. 7, 8, 9, and 10 seeds are all too similar. Spend the most of your time here. I don't even consider a 10 seed winning that big of an upset. Make sure to look at each team's conference and record therein. A 10 seed with an above .500 record in the Big East or Pac-10 will beat a 7 seed with an above .500 out of C-USA or MAC more often than not. Also, common opponents are very helpful if there are any, but there aren't usually common opponents.


5. Never have your seeds in the second round matchup add up to more than 14. If you have your 11 seed beating the 6, make sure they are playing the 3 seed next. Two upsets next to each other like this don't happen.

Who am I rooting for?

Well, I was right - it's the NIT for the Hoosiers. They host Vanderbilt on Wednesday. It'll be on ESPN2. I have a feeling this is my last chance to see them before next season.

I with IU out of it, I root for teams in a rather methodical pattern, as follows:

1st Tier - IU, then other teams from Indiana
2nd Tier - By Conference - Big Ten, then MVC
3rd Tier - No reason, really. I just like them.
4th Tier - I dislike them less than their opponent.
Purdue

The Missouri Valley Conference sent 3 teams - Southern Illinois, Northern Iowa, and Creighton - to the tournament. A lot of people from my high school go to UNI. I really don't like any of them, but they're there. Drake, my school, didn't have a chance. I went to the Drake/SIU game here. Klayton Korver, little brother of 76er Kyle, had more fouls (4) than points (3). And he's supposed to be the foundation for next year.

My favorite conference, the Big Ten, has Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan State in the tournament. The Big Ten is 2nd in my cheering hierarcy, following Indiana schools. Which brings me to...

No Indiana schools made the tournament. If you had to name 1 state you think of when you think of basketball, there is a very good chance you'd pick Indiana. We gave the world Hoosiers, Bobby Knight, Gene Keady (and his stupid combover), Larry Bird, and Oscar Robertson. All of the following schools are DI basketball Schools from Indiana, in the order in which I root for them:

Indiana
Butler University - Mom and Dad's Alma Mater
University of Notre Dame - Sister's future school
Indiana State University - Larry Bird's school
Ball State University - Funny name
IUPUI - Dad's law degree
Valparaiso University - Remember Bryce Drew?
University of Evansville
Purdue - Can burn in hell

So, without Indiana teams, I move on to rooting for the Big Ten. After the Big Ten is the Missouri Valley Conference. Then the 3rd tier, the teams I like for no apparent reason. Sometimes, it's their jerseys - I am a fan of the orange jerseys. I usually root for OK St. if I can. The only thing I like better than orange jerseys are the powder blue. Sometimes it's all about the mascot - Eastern Kentucky Purple Eagles anyone? Then there are the teams I cannot explain my affinity towards, those like NC State. And as always, there is the big underdog component. I am always a fan of the little guy sticking it to the man.

There are the teams I would never even think about rooting for, ever. First in line is Purdue. I will never root for Purdue. Then Kentucky and Kansas. Then Duke and UNC. Really, most of the ACC.

In review, my affiliations for the next few weeks.

Illinois - the Big Ten's best hope. Plus they've got those sweet orange jerseys.
Michigan State - Dad won the office pool with them when Mateen Cleeves was there
Iowa - A lot of friends there in pre-med
Wisconsin - No feeling either way
Minnesota - could be higher if not for beating IU in the Big Ten Tournament
Northern Iowa - Very nice campus
Southern Illinois - Their coach went nuts here one time
Creighton - A perennial favorite for deep runs from a small conference, but I don't see it this year
NC State - Don't know why
Oklahoma State, Syracuse - Sweet jerseys
Underdogs

IU on the bubble

Tomorrow is Selection Sunday. The committee will determine the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament. If you want in the pool, comment and I'll get you the password. My team, the Hoosiers, has had a less than stellar season. There is still a 1 in a bajillion shot they could make it. With a 15-13 record, it doesn't look good. Let's break it down.

Strength of Schedule
They did have to play UNC, UConn, Kentucky, and Charlotte. On the other hand, they lost all 4 by an average of 7 ppg.

Non-conference Play
As stated above, they played 4 Top 25 opponents in non-conference play. The loss to Charlotte was on a half-court prayer as time expired, but is a loss none the less. Also won over regular season Mid-Continent Conference champions Oral Roberts.

Big Ten Record
Tied for 4th with Minnesota at 10-6 in the conference. Big conference wins over ranked teams Wisconsin and Michigan State and probably tournament team Minnesota. But there were also loses to Northwestern (of all people) and Wisconsin on a last second shot.

Big Ten Tournament
They came out flat against Minnesota and got spanked. A win in the first round would have been a big boost to credentials.

The Verdict
A high seed for the NIT. Any rational IU fan will not be calling for Mike Davis' head at this point. He started 3 freshmen for most of the year, and 4 at some times. If Bracey Wright stays for his senior year and can get some of his confidence back, he can be a strong presence next year. With the freshmen maturing another year and one of the better recruiting classes in the conference for next year, IU could be a force to be reckoned with. DJ White was Big Ten Freshman of the Year. White and Robert Vaden both made the Big Ten Coaches All-Freshman team. I'm looking forward to next year at this point.

Things I'm Wishing for this Season

It's that time of year where I beseech the baseball gods for a few things for the upcoming season. It's kinda like asking Santa for something at the mall. You know you probably won't get everything you asked for, so you ask for a lot and hope you get what you really, really want.

I wish:

• Ken Griffey would finally stay healthy. I grew up with Junior, and it pains me to see his struggles. I learned to play with enthusiasm and a love for the game from him.


• Joe Mauer gets a chance to play without knee trouble. It's sad to see a kid with such potential to not get to use it. (As I say "kid", I realize he is almost 3 years older than me.)


• The Nationals do well. I feel for this organization. Everyone deserves a home. Now that they have one, I hope it works out well.


• Rick Ankiel can find a place to fit. After imploding in the playoffs a few years ago, I really felt bad for him. Today, he went 1-2 as DH for the Cardinals. He's moving to the outfield now. I hope for his sake it works out.


• Baseball sorts out the steroid issue. As a fan, nothing upsets me more than watching players openly scoff at a way to clear their names and restore baseball's dignity and prestige.


• A four-peat
  

What do you wish for?

Can You Feel It?

Can you feel it? It's that feeling in you blood that won't let you sit still through class or homework. It's the knowledge that somewhere down South, there are men playing baseball in preparation for the season. It's knowing that its 70 degrees outside in March that makes you want to play catch. Having suffered through Iowa's ridiculous winter, the season of Spring is coming quickly. With Spring comes neglect. Watch as the collective GPA of the student bodies takes a downturn. Homework piles up, studying goes undone, and rooms still aren't clean. I think Rogers Hornsby said it best in one of my favorite quotes - "People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring."

Stat Idea

I'm not too much of a stat head. I'm perfectly content with OBP and K/IP as statistical indicators. I only have a basic understanding of VORP or any of those other advanced baseball statistics. If you want that kind of analysis, I suggest checking out Aaron Gleeman. So, if this stat already exists, please let me know, because I didn't know ahead of time. Having said that, I did come up with this all on my own.

My new idea for a baseball stat is to expand the idea of "Total Bases". The idea of total bases is that you get 1 base for every base you get a hit for - a single is 1, up to 4 for a home run. My idea is to also count the bases you move the runners. The only problem is I don't have a name for it yet. For the purposes of writing this, I'll just say "expanded total bases".

A triple with no men on and a triple with men on first and second are very different hits, but you get 3 total bases either way. With my stat, you get 3 for the first hit, but 3 for you, 2 for the guy on second scoring, and 3 for the guy from first scoring for 8 expanded total bases. The most expanded total bases possible would be 10 for a Grand Slam - 4 for you, 3 for the guy on first, 2 for the guy on second, and 1 for the guy from first.

From here there are a couple of applications. ETB/Hits would show you how much you are moving along runners with each hit or you could use ETB/AB to show you how much you are moving runners per at-bat. Of course, numbers for lead-off guys would be lower since there aren't ever runners to advance guaranteed for one at-bat per game. I don't know what would be a average number for ETB, but I think it'd be pretty high.

I'm interested in hearing what you think of this or if there is already this out there.

Big Changes

I've got big changes planned for this site. But as you all know, I'm lazy as all hell, so they'll be awhile in implementing. Biggest change - back to baseball. I've spent the last few months writing about random stuff just to fill space. First order of business is Spring Training. I'll be in Arizona in a week, and I'm taking my notebook. As soon as I get back, I'll be releasing daily posts/scouting reports, unless I can get to Internet access down there, then I'll get them out ASAP.

Secondly, and this is where you come in, is a template redesign. I've grown tired of the generic Blogger site. This is going to be a total overhaul. I'm getting a logo and everything. I'll probably keep the one sidebar, as opposed to the dual sidebars at SBG. But beyond that, I need you're help. What do you like that I should keep? What should I get rid of? Anything I should add?

Also, I know nothing about matching and color schemes. As my mom and sister can attest, I have trouble dressing myself. As far as I'm concerned, if the shirt and pants are both a shade of blue they match. If anyone knows a good color scheme, let me know.

Baseball is back

Tomorrow, Wednesday March 2nd, ESPN is televising a Spring Training game. At Noon Central Time, we can all get our Guzie fix, as the Washington Nationals, in their first game as the Nationals, take on the "new look" Mets*.

Other games this week on ESPN are Pirates vs. Yankees (3/3/05-Noon Central) and Dodgers vs. Braves (3/4/05-Noon Central). My time on the couch just increased by 9 hours this week. Class be damned - baseball's back!

Also, there are just 20 days until Spring Break, and consequentally Spring Training. See you all in Arizona. I know the Twins aren't there. Adam's grandparents live there, so I have a place to stay. Cheaper that way. It's a good thing too, since I'm kinda depleated after England.


*I've been informed by the Mets' attorney that any mention of the team must be prefaced with "new look". Seems silly to me, but I'll go along with it if it'll keep me from getting sued.