SBNation.com User Blog: Grinder Rule #42

What could have been... Ive been in KC just shy of 8 yrs now. Long enough to call it home, but I've...

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 17:48:49 -0000

What could have been... Ive been in KC just shy of 8 yrs now. Long enough to call it home, but I've come to the conclusion that I will most likely never do that for many reasons, and this being just one of them. I know there are many arguments against breaking up the Truman Sports Complex, but I just cant fathom some of the backwards thinking that truly prohibits progress for the city/metro as a whole. At any rate, a fellow SBN'er did a nice little write up http://www.southsidesox.com/2012/11/9/3619970/south-loop-sox for the team that prohibits me for ever rooting for the Royals until a division change, and I wanted to know what you all think. The K is 100 times better utilized since 09 in my opinion, but what if the K was somewhere else than Truman Sports Complex. Are you upset that its not downtown, are there other parts of the Metro that you thought were a better option than the rehab work? What about that damn rolling roof?! How the rehab passed but that part failed is beyond me...

Limp risp

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:16:07 -0000

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Last night

"They stranded runners in scoring position in each of the final four innings, and looked increasingly graceless while doing so."

via www.huffingtonpost.com

Last night

"They stranded runners in scoring position in each of the final four innings, and looked increasingly graceless while doing so."

After another frustrating loss last night, I decided to check out where we stood overall with RISP. I was only able to go back to 2002 using Yahoo Sports.

2012: 21st

2011: 22nd

2010: 3rd

2009: 13th

2008: 8th

2007: 30th

2006: 1st

2005: 22nd

2004: 2nd

2003: 6th

2002: 1st

We all know you cant win with out scoring a run or two or three or twelve, and the easiest way to accomplish this is when the table is already set, but how much does it really tell us!?! I mean look the history...1 playoff appearance any time they finished in the top 10 since 2002 and when the Sox where in the bottom 3rd of overall RISP Standings they won a WS and have finished a very infuriating but somewhat respectable 3rd last year, and a forget about it 2007...

Was Dunn UNDERPAID

Grinder Rule #42 — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:05:56 -0000

Was Dunn UNDERPAID

2012 AL Central Prediction Haiku bwhahahah...i would never trade being insufferable for "Their...

Grinder Rule #42 — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:20:38 -0000

2012 AL Central Prediction Haiku

bwhahahah...i would never trade being insufferable for "Their nice, boring team"

No no no, youre doing it all wrong Bobby, your hot boxin...

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:22:13 -0000

No no no, youre doing it all wrong Bobby, your hot boxin it.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/chi-bobby-jenks-arrested-for-dui-hitandrun-20120323,0,370818.story

Can Sale be the next CJ Wilson? I sure hope so. Grantland tries to figure it out here

Grinder Rule #42 — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:21:23 -0000

Can Sale be the next CJ Wilson? I sure hope so. Grantland tries to figure it out here

ahhh Beautiful Camel Back Ranch in sunny Glendale AZ...a couple friends and I are going to meth up...

Grinder Rule #42 — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:29:23 -0000

ahhh Beautiful Camel Back Ranch in sunny Glendale AZ...a couple friends and I are going to meth up in Scottsdale to play some golf and raid the fridge in some 16000 sqft house and I was curious as to which SSSers have ever been out there. Unfortunately our trip falls short of the first game as we leave the evening of the 4th but does anyone know if we can tour the facilities and watch some practice drills or anything of the sort.

Any tips, tricks, or ideas are welcomed. Will my SSS press Badge work?

Im gonna miss this connection

Grinder Rule #42 — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 18:07:53 -0000

Im gonna miss this connection

Bwahahhahaaa, Ozzie is walking into to the weakest most flamboyant ripoff of our...

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:10:19 -0000

Bwahahhahaaa, Ozzie is walking into to the weakest most flamboyant ripoff of our pinwheels...
http://www.sportsgrid.com/mlb/marlins-stadium-home-run-sculpture/

two groups of workers whose skills are perishable and yet have a hard time walking away from their...

Grinder Rule #42 — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:46:14 -0000

two groups of workers whose skills are perishable and yet have a hard time walking away from their jobs: prostitutes and baseball players.

http://www.freakonomics.com/2011/09/30/new-freakonomics-radio-podcast-the-upside-of-quitting/

Ideas ranged from expanding the league to 32 teams, to finding ways of reducing the Yankees’ odds...

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:46:14 -0000

Ideas ranged from expanding the league to 32 teams, to finding ways of reducing the Yankees’ odds of winning the World Series.

I sure hope the Good Guys are rested and hungry in Motor City this weekend...Dont Go Chasin...

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:24:33 -0000

I sure hope the Good Guys are rested and hungry in Motor City this weekend...Dont Go Chasin Waterfalls Boys

"*One more aside: While in Toronto, I saw Adam Dunn come to the plate eight times. He struck out...

Grinder Rule #42 — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:47:10 -0000

"*One more aside: While in Toronto, I saw Adam Dunn come to the plate eight times. He struck out four times. He walked four times. So I asked Bill the question: If you had a player like Adam Dunn who did that for a whole season -- struck out half the time and walked half the time -- would it be worth having that player in the lineup. Bill said that even if the player played defense like Adam Dunn and ran like Adam Dunn, it would STILL be worth having him in the lineup with his .500 on-base percentage."
http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-end-intentional-walk.html#more

Just when I thought it couldnt get any worst... Extended Mitchell Report has been Wikileaked

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:14:47 -0000

Just when I thought it couldnt get any worst...

Extended Mitchell Report has been Wikileaked

Nah Nah, NahnanaNah, Hey Hey Hey, Goodbye

Grinder Rule #42 — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:13:55 -0000

On this 7th Day of the 12th month in the year of our Lord 2010, SSS lays to rest what was Where Triples Go to Die. It was the best of times, and the worst of times, and if I recall correctly, the sole purpose of what brought me to create a profile on SBNation.

Triples had a hate/love effect on so many SSSer's. Its really a shame. As mentioned above, I think I lurked here for a bit, and it was finally one too many asinine comments from our dearly departed that finally made me sign up for SBNation in the first place.

Well WTGTD...your time has finally come. 10 posts, and an even 9400 comments before you finally crossed the line. I invite all of you to say your goodbye's and best or worst Triples moments below.

Poll

Will you miss WTGTD?

Yes

16 votes

No

8 votes

Owens

30 votes

54 votes | Poll has closed

The Beisbol Eco-nomist Q&A through Freakonomics... "The final out of the World Series marks the...

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:39:53 -0000

The Beisbol Eco-nomist Q&A through Freakonomics...
"The final out of the World Series marks the beginning of baseball’s second season, when teams court free agents and orchestrate trades with the hope of building a championship contender. The real and anticipated transactions generate excitement among fans who discuss the merit of moves in the arena informally known as the ‘hot stove league.’"

Baines Raines on Alomar

Grinder Rule #42 — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 21:10:18 -0000

So last year H arold Baine s and Tim Raines stole a few votes from Roberto Alomar leaving him robbed of the 75% needed by just 1.3%. This year all three are back again, with Harold barely making the cut of a 5% minimum endorsement.

As noted Roberto fell just short but he has 14 more chances. Timmy came up meh with just over 30%, and poor poor Harold would be a shoe in but Jerry blames himself.

"What really has bothered me for a long time is that if we hadn't traded him, he would have his 3,000 hits and he would be a lock for the Hall of Fame," said Reinsdorf, who oversaw Baines' trade to Texas on July 29, 1989, and to Baltimore on July 29, 1997. "We traded him twice and into bad situations where he was a platoon player.

"If he stayed with us, he would have gone over 3,000 hits. If he doesn't get in, it would really bug me. I talk to him about it, and he just shrugs it off."

The list this year is seemingly hollow of any All-Time Super Stars who's names wouldn't have question marks or asterisks with their would be induction should they win (I'm looking at you McGwire and Palmeiro), but my interest pretty much lays with in the organization that we all love, and sometimes hate. Out of the three listed, who is the most deserving? My vote if, I had one would go to Baines. Out of the entire list, who do you think will get the honors, who should get the honors?

2011 Hall of Fame ballot
Name	2010 Votes
Roberto Alomar	397 (73.7%)
Carlos Baerga
Jeff Bagwell
Harold Baines	33 (6.1%)
Bert Blyleven	400 (74.2%)
Bret Boone
Kevin Brown
John Franco
Juan Gonzalez
Marquis Grissom
Lenny Harris
Bobby Higginson
Charles Johnson
Barry Larkin	278 (51.6%)
Al Leiter
Edgar Martinez	195 (36.2%)
Tino Martinez
Don Mattingly	87 (16.1%)
Fred McGriff	116 (21.5%)
Mark McGwire	128 (23.7%)
Raul Mondesi
Jack Morris	282 (52.3%)
Dale Murphy	63 (11.7%)
John Olerud
Rafael Palmeiro
*Dave Parker	82 (15.2%)
Tim Raines	164 (30.4%)
Kirk Rueter
Benito Santiago
Lee Smith	255 (47.3%)
B.J. Surhoff
Alan Trammell	121 (22.4%)
Larry Walker
Note: 75% required for enshrinement. Results announced Jan. 5, 2011
* Final year of eligibility.

Poll

Which former White Sox should get the nod?

Baines

17 votes

Raines, Sr.

15 votes

Alomar, Roberto

14 votes

Owens

5 votes

51 votes | Poll has closed

"Year of the Pitcher" not so fast. Interesting article from the Freaks. Also, another little...

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 14:51:35 -0000

"Year of the Pitcher" not so fast. Interesting article from the Freaks.

Also, another little write up from Dubner that has a link to their podcast, where Levitt explains why the WhiteSox wouldnt hire him to steal signs for them.

I wonder what Armour Field would be like

Grinder Rule #42 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 22:05:57 -0000

I wonder what Armour Field would be like

I hated New Comiskey. Dont get me wrong, I was happy that the Sox had a new home, but I just did not like New Comiskey once inside. Im very happy with The Cell, but I wonder what Armour Field would be like. I wonder what fun wouldve been had in 05 there.

Every time I think about you (SOX), touch yourselves!

Grinder Rule #42 — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:50:04 -0000

I can't seem to find a link to this snippet as the print version of the latest Psychology Today, hasnt published it online yet, but Matthew Hutson had a neat little observation about team mates that ass slap, fist each other, and high five.

Verbatim:

With the NBA playoffs under way, you might consider a predictive metric when making your bets: high fives. Touch enhances cooperation and reduces anxiety, and new research suggests that it might even improve a team's performance on the court.

Michale Kraus and collaborators at UC Berkeley counted celebratory contact such as fist bumps, and head slaps among all 30 NBA teams early in the 2008-2009 season. They also looked at cooperative behavior such as passing and setting blocks. Finally, they analyzed individual and team performance over the season.

Teams that touched more cooperated more, which made them play better throughout the season. (The researchers tried to rule out general team cohesion and cooperation by controlling for roster stability.) Touch appeared to solidify relationships and make players work better together.

Kraus recommends making work and family life full-contact sports, too. But use touch appropriately, he warns: "Chest bumps are not going to carry over to your office."

via 4.bp.blogspot.com

Key words "roster stability" make the White Sox a perfect test subject for Kraus to carry over his research to baseball, imo.

Under New Management

Grinder Rule #42 — Wed, 12 May 2010 20:24:10 -0000

I guess he'll be hanging out a lot more...

via www.japanprobe.com

Finally a long awaited visit from the Good Guys (who aren't really that good currently). U-God came with the breaking news yesterday afternoon that our next opponent decided to take on Ned Yost and let go of Trey Dawg. Personally, I think it was a futile move, as the real problem lies much deeper in the organization, particularly in Dayton Moore, but also with the wallet of David Glass, but also Moore's ability to properly manipulate that budget he has in the first place. Nonetheless, despite the woes of their ball club, (yes the Sox still should play into the unsettled waters of the Royals home) but should also win on principal of playing against this historical caliber of a team. This type of trip is exactly what we need to set the wheels in motion for a coupla nice 10 game winning streaks.

Not that it completely matters as the Royals bullpen seems to completely give up whatever edge the starting rotation leaves them with, but one thing to look forward to is that we will not be facing the anxiety ridden 1 and 4 Cy Young Winnder of yesteryear.

I guess he'll be hanging out a lot more...

via www.japanprobe.com

Having said that, there is no reason whatsoever that we should solely rely on one of 2010's worst bullpens with 8 blown saves to try and walk away with only our 2nd sweep of the season or at the very least a series win. No sir, as our starting rotation starts to round out to what they're supposed to be, our offense as a whole continues to live up to their expectations, just in a different manner a la the savior and Q. Also a big let down to date with Pierre makes all the haters wish we never let go of the comeback kid.

via lh5.ggpht.com

To beat a dead horse into the ground, I found this graph which lists us about even at most positions, and only better wOBA wise at two positions (1B and CF), but dominated by KC at our weakest spot of DH.

via royals.server310.com

Now I cant exactly tell if that is for this year alone or if it is a combination of this year and last, as the author just wrote that on May 6th, but refers to 09 several times. Anyhow, it seems about right, and something has to give with our bats!!!

Pitching wise, we definitely have the upper hand with Buerhle and an ERA just under 5 against Meche and an ERA over 8, on the first night. The second game will be a rebounding Peavy who has dominated his last two starts and coincidentally received his first W against the Royals nearly 2 weeks ago. Jake will have his work cut out for him unless our offense rights the ship, as Luke Hochevar will take the mound for the boys in blue, and seems to be a pretty consistent pitcher with a record of 3 and 1 so far this year, holding us to just 7 hits and 2 runs in his last outing against us the day after Peavy's non fluke start. The question on Saturday will be which #44 will get the W. Finally it will come down to Pretty Boy Floyd against Brian Bannister. They seem to be pretty well matched as they both enter Sundays game with a 1 and 3 record, and a slight edge will have to go to Bannister with a an ERA almost 2 under Floyd.

I plan on attending at least two of these games, on Friday and Sunday. I hope that there is no question as to the turnout of this series, but should there be, Ill probly be found here

via royals.mlblogs.com

by the bottom of the 9th either under it trying to crush my head, or in it taking hostages until we can get it right. BTW, Kauffman Stadiums Outfield experience totally sux...besides the bells and whistles of the carousel and a mini golf course(???), they totally charge for the kids hit n run field, and any other fundamentals courses. I think thats totally bs as the Cell offers those services free of charge for the kids with ADD.

What it means to be a White Sox

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 03:01:25 -0000

I gotta admit, even though the special that just aired on WGN was borderline ghey, Ill have to associate that mostly due to its broadcast station being home to the Cubs. Severely a basement style final cut pro production, it still provided some inspiration/hope, and was nice to see, especially for those away fans.

Ozzie's segment was so powerful, Kenwo wants to be a believer. "Thats right!" said wtgtd when the Sod Father was referenced. larry couldnt have said it better when Hermie talked about Prehab, and WU heard music to his ears with Hawk's recount of yesteryear and late nights in the club house.

IMO Horlens story about the no hitter he pitched despite takin one right off the leg in the beginning of the game, then having to have his shoe cut off after wards was the type of Grindiness that makes one proud to be a Sox fan.

Poll

After watching/learning what it means to be a White Sox, 2010 arrives with:

A gleam of hope

4 votes

Anything is possible

8 votes

Ask me in August what it means to be a White Sox fan

6 votes

18 votes | Poll has closed

Last Year the Royals traveled 27,000 miles

Grinder Rule #42 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:54:43 -0000

Last Year the Royals traveled 27,000 miles

Kansas City Fails To Pick Up Option On Royals

Grinder Rule #42 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:25:50 -0000

via www.theonion.com

Part of me wishes this was true. Especially when we were forced to pay for renovations and didnt even get the rolling roof. We shoulda called their bluff and not voted for that POS addition, and either let em leave or built a new stadium downtown in place of the Sprint Center. F the Royals, F the Chiefs, welcome to a loosing city Mavericks. We cant even get the goddamn Onion in print here in KC??? Not that the news paper is a thriving product, but its free and we all love Free stuff ya buncha t-shirt Tuesday totin fools.

via www.theonion.com

Buerhle might wanna take a drive down Lake Shore Drive next slump

Grinder Rule #42 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:58:47 -0000

I remember hearing about this during my impressionable years while playing in high school. I was never much of a pitcher, but I've had my moments. I get called to make my first start. Gave up 4 bombs in the second inning, and moved back to my position at second. Took a hot grounder to the nose and there was no bad hop...just straight in and out of my mitt and right up in the face. Who knows, things may have been different if I woulda dropped a hit of acid instead of smokin the Wednesday Weed before the game???

The End is Nigh

Grinder Rule #42 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:31:53 -0000

Looking over the schedules of our own and the loathed Tigresses, I can't help but feel that we're getting the short end of the wishbone. Forget about this next road trip that ends the dog daze of August and opens up September, cleaning up in Jose Paniagua's favorite Chicago neighborhood. Ozzie and Crew know that they have to go into September at the very least w/o loosing any ground.

But still as I look ahead at the rest of the September surprise, Leland and Co. play all AL Central teams, save for 3 @ Tampa Bay, and 4 against Toronto in Detroit. Tampa Bay is the only opponent they will face as the season comes to a close that has a better record then they do. The Sock will have to play 5 different teams from two different divisions and one different league, 3 of which have winning records. The only positive that I see, and I feel like I'm reaching here, is that we have 15 home and 12 away games, whereas the Tigers have 15 away and 13 home. Also, if we do take over the Division, I think that the caliber of teams we play will only better prepare the Sox for the playoffs. As we will definitely see the Redsox, Yankees, and Angels, we'll only have to worry about the Rangers pending the outcome of the wild card.

Finally, so long as we stay in it to win it, Im really looking forward to the 6 games that we face off against eachother. Its just too bad that we dont play those last 3 at home instead of there.