Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sports With The StatMan - Show Notes #164-166 - July 18-23, 2011

Here are the show notes for this week of shows on Sports With The StatMan. There are audio links to the shows or, if the show is in the future, there is a link to the show preview.  If you have comments or questions on the episodes, feel free to leave a comment below.

Show #164 - July 18, 2011 - Baseball Talk - MLB Week 16 (AUDIO)
  • Open: Back to the Second Half of the baseball season
  • 1:15: A look at the current standings
  • 4:15: Are the Mets contenders?/Phillies-Mets series
  • 8:00: Big injuries for the local teams
  • 20:45: All-Star Game Recap/Derek Jeter controversy
  • 27:45: Jeter's 3,000th hit
  • 30:00: Upcoming episodes
  • 33:00: Red Sox-Orioles altercation
  • 36:15: Upcoming local schedules
  • 39:45: Mets try to stay afloat as Reyes and Wright return
  • 42:00: Around the League: Thome and the Twins
  • 42:45: Upcoming episodes/How to Find the Show/Close

Show #165 - July 20, 2011 - Baseball Talk - Trade Deadline Preview (SHOW PREVIEW)

Show #166 – July 23, 2011 - Fantasy Weekend - MLB Week 16 (SHOW PREVIEW)

SHOW INFORMATION
·          Show Page - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan
·          iTunes - Search "Sports With The StatMan"
·          Follow the show on Twitter - http://twitter.com/gstatman
·          Random Musings blog - http://gstatman.blogspot.com
·          Sports With The StatMan: Extra - http://www.cinchcast.com/gstatman

NEXT SHOWS
Here is what is going on next week on Sports With The StatMan:
Upcoming episodes:
  • Sports With The StatMan #167: Monday night, July 25th, 2011 at 11pm ET
    • MLB: Week 17
  • Sports With The StatMan #168: Wednesday night, July 27th, 2011 at 11pm ET
    • NFL: Where We Left Off/Free Agent Frenzy
  • Sports With The StatMan #169: Saturday morning, July 30th, 2011 at 11am ET
    • MLB: Fantasy Weekend Week 17
All of that and more on Sports With The StatMan next week.  For the latest show schedules, log on to the show page at www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan and follow the show on Twitter (twitter.com/gstatman).

Friday, July 15, 2011

Fantasy Weekend - MLB Week 14

Although the weekend was last weekend, the All-Star Break lasts until Thursday night, so this gives fantasy owners an extra three days to survey the baseball landscape and take a deep breath before the final quarter of the 20-week fantasy baseball regular season.  Since we did not have a Fantasy Weekend show this past weekend, here is the blog for the games of July 2-10:

(Legend: O/S: Owned and started in CBSSports.com fantasy leagues, SB/O: stolen bases/opportunities, hitter "slash" numbers: batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage, pitcher "slash" numbers: earned run average/walks+hits per inning pitched)

WEEKLY BEST
HITTERS
1. CF Jacoby Ellsbury BOS - 55
2. LF Jose Bautista TOR - 50
3. 2B Dustin Pedroia BOS - 49

PITCHERS
1. SP CC Sabathia NYY - 78
2. SP Dan Haren LAA - 77
3. SP Jered Weaver LAA - 64

LOCAL LEADERS
HITTERS
1. CF Jacoby Ellsbury BOS - .447/.512/.816, 17-38, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4 2B, 2 3B, 5 BB, 3 K, 3/3 SB/O (55 pts)
Season: .316/.377/.490, 11 HR, 49 RBI, 62 R, 26 2B, 28/38 SB/O, 302 pts
2. 2B Dustin Pedroia BOS - .378/.452/.784, 14-37, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 12 R, 3 2B, 5 BB, 4 K (49 pts)
Season: .284/.395/.442, 11 HR, 44 RBI, 59 R, 19 2B, 16/19 SB/O, 289 pts
3. 1B Kevin Youkilis BOS - .452/.500/.807, 14-31, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 5 2B, BB, 4 K (38 pts)
Season: .285/.399/.512, 13 HR, 63 RBI, 52 R, 26 2B, 49 BB, 68 K, 249 pts

PITCHERS
1. SP CC Sabathia NYY - 2-0, 2 QS, CG, ShO, 0.00/0.75, 16 IP, 9 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 20 K (78 pts)
Season: 13-4, 2.72/1.16, 145.2 IP, 134 H, 35 BB, 126 K, 350 pts
2. SP Cole Hamels PHL - 2-0, 2 QS, 1.69/0.88, 16 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 11 K (52 pts)
Season: 11-4, 2.32/0.93, 132 IP, 99 H, 24 BB, 121 K, 378 pts
3. SP Roy Halladay PHL - 1-0, 2 QS, CG, 2.81/0.94, 16 IP, 14 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, 15 K (46 pts)
Season: 11-3, 2.45/1.02, 143.1 IP, 129 H, 17 BB, 138 K, 406 pts

LINES OF THE WEEK
HITTERS
1. LF Melky Cabrera KCY - 4-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 1 2B, 1 HP (21 pts) (7/3 at COL)
2. SS Hanley Ramirez FLA - 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R (16 pts) (7/2 at TEX)
3. CF Torii Hunter LAA - 3-5, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 R, 1 K (15 pts) (7/9 vs SEA)

PITCHERS
1. SP Dan Haren LAA - 2-hit CG ShO W, 0 BB, 9 K (48 pts) (7/5 vs DET)
2. SP CC Sabathia NYY - 4-hit CG ShO W, 1 BB, 9 K (45 pts) (7/10 vs TBY)
3. SP Derek Holland TEX - 4-hit CG ShO W, 2 BB, 7 K (42 pts) (7/7 vs OAK)

STOCK UP
HITTERS
1. OF Nate Schierholtz SFO - O/S: 8/6, .293/.343/.464, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 30 R, 5 SB, 148 pts
last 13 GP: .431/.482/.667, 22-51, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 3 2B, 5 BB, 6 K, 53 pts
2. 3B Emilio Bonifacio FLA - O/S: 36/30, .285/.356/.382, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 37 R, 16/20 SB/O, 145 pts
last 11 GP: .429/.510/.500, 18-42, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 12 R, 3 2B, 11/12 SB/O, 55 pts
3. 1B Freddie Freeman ATL - O/S: 82/61 (+18/+19 f/LW), .274/.347/.459, 13 HR, 43 RBI, 39 R, 171 pts
last 8 GP: .345/.441/.793, 10-29, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R, 2 2B, 5 BB, 6 K, 36 pts

PITCHERS
1. SP Jeff Karstens PIT - O/S: 50/27, 7-4, 2.55/1.07, 98.2 IP, 88 H, 18 BB, 58 K, 210 pts
last 7 GS: 4-0, 1.49/0.85, 7 QS, 48.1 IP, 34 H, 8 ER, 7 BB, 18 K, 137 pts
2. SP Justin Masterson CLE - O/S: 91/59 (+4/+18 f/LW), 7-6, 2.64/1.22, 122.2 IP, 111 H, 39 BB, 87 K, 245 pts
last 6 GS: 2-2, 1.50/1.07, 5 QS, 42 IP, 34 H, 7 ER, 11 BB, 28 K, 104 pts
3. SP Brian Duensing MIN - O/S: 36/25, 6-7, 4.13/1.42, 102.1 IP, 109 H, 36 BB, 70 K, 128 pts
last 5 GS: 3-1, 2.41/1.19, 4 QS, 33.2 IP, 28 H, 9 ER, 12 BB, 22 K, 84 pts

STOCK DOWN
HITTERS
1. 1B Justin Smoak SEA - O/S: 73/40 (-7/-10 f/LW), .229/.327/.418, 12 HR, 43 RBI, 20 2B, 158 pts
last 16 GP: .073/.150/.109, 4-55, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 2B, 4 BB, 16 K, 0 pts
2. RF Jayson Werth WSH - O/S: 97/57, .215/.319/.362, 10 HR, 31 RBI, 40 R, 16 2B, 11/14 SB/O, 162 pts
last 16 GP: .123/.219/.140, 7-57, 0 HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 1 2B, 6 BB, 21 K, 0 pts
3. RF Bobby Abreu LAA - O/S: 92/71, .277/.394/.363, 3 HR, 35 RBI, 34 R, 18 2B, 13/16 SB/O, 188 pts
last 16 GP: .191/.345/.426, 9-47, 6 R, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 11 BB, 14 K, 19 pts

PITCHERS
1. RP Francisco Cordero CIN - O/S: 87/73, 3-3, 17/22 SV/O, 2.95/1.08, 39.2 IP, 15 BB, 27 K, 201 pts
last 4 APP: 0-2, 3 BS, 3.1 IP, 8 H, 7 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, -31 pts
2. SP Gavin Floyd CHW - O/S: 80/47 (-4/-5 f/LW), 6-9, 4.59/1.26, 111.2 IP, 111 H, 30 BB, 80 K, 120 pts
last 8 GS: 1-5, 44.1 IP, 54 H, 30 ER, 14 BB, 24 K, -8 pts
3. SP Kyle Lohse STL - O/S: 90/49 (-3/-14 f/LW), 8-6, 3.32/1.06, 122 IP, 107 H, 22 BB, 63 K, 215 pts
last 7 GS: 1-4, 41.2 IP, 48 H, 26 ER, 7 BB, 16 K, -1 pt

HOT PICK-UPS
HITTERS
1. 3B Emilio Bonifacio FLA - O/S: 36/30, .285/.356/.382, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 37 R, 16/20 SB/O, 145 pts
last 11 GP: .429/.510/.500, 18-42, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 12 R, 3 2B, 11/12 SB/O, 55 pts
2. OF Nate Schierholtz SFO - O/S: 8/6, .293/.343/.464, 7 HR, 31 RBI, 30 R, 5 SB, 148 pts
last 13 GP: .431/.482/.667, 22-51, 3 HR, 11 RBI, 9 R, 3 2B, 5 BB, 6 K, 53 pts
3. LF Travis Snider TOR - O/S: 42/27, .231/.302/.368, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 13 R, 5 SB, 59 pts
last 7 GP: 11-30, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 6 2B, 1 BB, 9 K, 24 pts

PITCHERS
1. SP Brian Duensing MIN - O/S: 36/25, 6-7, 4.13/1.42, 102.1 IP, 109 H, 36 BB, 70 K, 128 pts
last 5 GS: 3-1, 2.41/1.19, 4 QS, 33.2 IP, 28 H, 9 ER, 12 BB, 22 K, 84 pts
2. SP Paul Maholm PIT - O/S: 32/25, 6-9, 2.96/1.18, 121.2 IP, 101 H, 42 BB, 75 K, 206 pts
last 9 GS: 5-2, 2.25/1.05, 60 IP, 46 H, 15 ER, 17 BB, 31 K, 138 pts
3. SP Javier Vazquez FLA - O/S: 27/11, 5-8, 5.23/1.51, 96.1 IP, 111 H, 34 BB, 66 K, 53 pts
last 4 GS: 2-1, 0.72/1.03, 25.1 IP, 25 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 16 K, 75 pts

Friday, July 1, 2011

2011 NHL Free Agency: Predictions

First of all, welcome to July and one of the single biggest days on the NHL yearly calendar. And, of course, to our friendly neighbors to the north, Happy Canada Day.

On the most recent Sports With The StatMan show (#159) on Wednesday night, we went over the cap space and needs for the local teams:

LOCAL NEEDS
BOS: A puck-moving defenseman to possibly replace Tomas Kaberle
NJD: Defense, defense, defense (they still need defense even if Adam Larsson makes the team in '11-12)
NYI: A top-four defenseman and a top-six forward
NYR: A playmaking centerman and an offensive defenseman
PHL: Find a center to offset losses of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards

It is about 12:00 on July 1st -- high noon -- as the General Managers and free agents start getting down to business. Some teams have to reach the floor (see: Islanders) and others have money to spend (see: Flyers, Rangers). Add to that a dearth of big names and lots of money will be spent on relatively few players. Also, as we discussed on Wednesday's show, we talked about the very real possibility of an offer sheet being sent to a restricted free agent this year. There has only been one successful poaching since the lockout, Dustin Penner in 2007, but Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty, Keith Yandle, and Andrew Ladd headline those RFAs.

On Wednesday's show, we discussed our unscientific ranking system. Yes, we could use fantasy points, and that will be the tiebreaker within tiers of free agents, but I arranged my rankings in tiers. Instead of calling these tiers by numbers, in the spirit of Hockey Christmas, we have assigned a present to each tier.

10 TIERS OF FREE AGENTS
Top-Tier: Caribbean cruise (or a trip to '70s game show fave Beautiful Puerto Vallarta)
2nd Tier: Video game (such as NHL '12, with RFA Steven Stamkos on the cover)
3rd Tier: A new bike (who wouldn't want a new bike...that is, if you are under the age of 16)
4th Tier: A great book (perhaps The Rebel League by Ed Willes, which is a fantastic book)
5th Tier: Christmas CD (useless gift for the 330 days between Christmas Day and the next Christmas season)
6th Tier: Ugly sweater (Cosby sweaters may apply)
7th Tier: A year-long enrollment in the Jelly of the Month Club (it is a gift that keeps on giving the whole year)
8th Tier: School supplies (a few minutes late and likely many dollars short)
9th Tier: An array of meat snacks from Hickory Farms (tasty for about 5 minutes, forgotten in about 10 minutes)
10th Tier: Socks and/or underwear (should be renamed the Jon Sim Tier)

So, through that prism, here are the local teams' needs:
BOS: A new bike (puck-moving defenseman)
NJD: A new bike and a great book (defensemen)
NYI: Two great books (a top-four defenseman and a top-six forward)
NYR: A Caribbean cruise and a video game (playmaking center and offensive defenseman)
PHL: A new bike (a top-two center)

FREE AGENT RANKINGS
Caribbean Cruise tier: G Tomas Vokoun, F Brad Richards
Video Game tier: D Tomas Kaberle
New Bike tier: F Ville Leino, F Erik Cole, F Tomas Fleischmann
Great Book tier: F Teemu Selanne, F Matt D'Agostini, F Michael Ryder, F Simon Gagne, F Scottie Upshall, F Joel Ward, F Sean Bergenheim, D Ed Jovanovski, D Andy Greene
Christmas CD tier: D Anton Babchuk, F Radim Vrbata, F Andrew Brunette, D Ian White, F Michal Handzus, F Vinnie Prospal, F Ruslan Fedotenko, F Raffi Torres, D Jan Hejda, F Jamie Langenbrunner, D Sean O'Donnell, D Scott Hannan
Ugly Sweater tier (not a complete list): G Jose Theodore, G Brian Boucher, D Bryan McCabe, F Tim Connolly, F Sergei Samsonov, F Cory Stillman, F Christopher Higgins, F Jason Arnott, D Radek Martinek, F Max Talbot
Jelly of the Month Club tier (not a complete list): F Brendan Morrison, D Roman Hamrlik, G Peter Budaj, G Marty Turco, F John Madden, F Alexander Frolov, D David Hale, F Ben Eager, F Cody McCormick, F Brad Winchester
School Supplies tier (not a complete list): G Johan Hedberg, F Marty Reasoner, G Mathieu Garon, F Alex Kovalev, F Kyle Wellwood, D Karlis Skrastins, D Steve Eminger, F Zenon Konopka
Meat Snacks tier (not a complete list): G Curtis McElhinney, G Martin Gerber, F Eric Godard, F Cam Janssen
Socks/Underwear tier: G Nathan Lawson, F Todd White, G Patrick Lalime, F Mike Comrie

FREE AGENT LOCAL PREDICTIONS
BOS: D Bryan McCabe
NJD: D Andy Greene*, D Anton Babchuk
NYI: F Joel Ward, D Radek Martinek*
NYR: F Brad Richards, D Tomas Kaberle
PHL: F Ville Leino*, F Eric Belanger
* - retained by their 2010-11 NHL club

Source for salary cap information: capgeek.com

The Latest from MLB Trade Rumors

Total Pageviews