SB Nation User Blog: Sandy Kazmir

OTTOTD 10/26: The Clean Life Edition

Sandy Kazmir — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:47:10 -0000

[driving away from police in car with startled teenager]
Teenager: Are you a cop?
Fletch: As far as you know.
Teenager: Are you gonna take me to jail for car theft?
Fletch: Why? Did you steal the car?
Teenager: I sure did.
Fletch: Well, I'm not even sure that's a crime anymore. There've been a lot of changes in the law.

Receptionist: May I help you Dr...?
Fletch: Oh, it's me, Dr. Rosenpenis. I'm just here to check out Alan Stanwyk's file.
Receptionist: Dr. who?
Fletch: Dr. Rosenrosen, I'm here to get to the records room.
Receptionist: What was that name again?
Fletch: It's Dr. Rosen, I want to check the records room.
Receptionist: Dr. who?
Fletch: Dr. Rosen. Where's the records room?

Fletch: Do you have any caviar?
Waiter: Si señor, Beluga, but it is 80 dollars a portion.
Fletch: Well, then I better just take two portions of that.

Fletch: I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pull rank on you. I didn't want to have to do this. I'm with the Mattress Police. There are no tags on these mattresses.

Fletch: Oh, you've remodeled the garage. Must have cost you hundreds.

[During a proctological exam]
Fletch: You using the whole fist, Doc?

Fletch: I'm John.
Gail Stanwyk: Ohhhh, John.
[they laugh]
Gail Stanwyk: John who?
Fletch: John Cock... tos... ton.
Gail Stanwyk: That's a beautiful name.
Fletch: Well, it's Scotch/Romanian.
Gail Stanwyk: That's an odd combination.
Fletch: Yeah, well, so were my parents.

[to a Doberman pinscher]
Fletch: Look, defenseless babies!

Madeline: I'm sorry, who are you again?
Fletch: I'm Frieda's boss.
Madeline: Who's Frieda?
Fletch: My secretary.

Alan Stanwyck: If you reject the proposition, you keep the thousand - and your mouth shut.
Fletch: Does this proposition entail my dressing up as Little Bo Peep?
Alan Stanwyck: It's nothing of a sexual nature, I assure you.
Fletch: Yeah, I assure you.
Alan Stanwyck: One thousand just to listen? I don't see how you can pass that up, Mr...?
Fletch: Nugent. Ted Nugent.

Dr. Joseph Dolan: So where do you know Alan from?
Fletch: We play tennis at the club.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: Really? California Racquet Club?
Fletch: Right.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: That's my club too. I don't remember seeing you there.
Fletch: Well, I haven't been playing in a while because of these kidney pains.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: Right. Now, how long have you had these pains, Mr. Barber?
Fletch: No, that's "Babar".
Dr. Joseph Dolan: Two B's?
Fletch: One B. B-A-B-A-R.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: That's two.
Fletch: Yeah, but not right next to each other. I thought that's what you meant.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: Arnold Babar. Isn't there a children's book about an elephant named Babar?
Fletch: I don't know. I don't have any.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: No children?
Fletch: No elephant books.

Fletch: You know, what tipped it for me was something your wife said while we were in bed together.
Alan Stanwyck: Oh? And what was that?
Fletch: Curiously, she said we had roughly the same build. From the waist up, I imagine.

Gail Stanwyck: What are you doing here?
Fletch: I ordered some lunch.
Gail Stanwyck: You ordered it here?
Fletch: Well, I knew this is where my mouth would be.

[to Gail Stanwyck, who answers the door wearing a towel]
Fletch: Can I borrow your towel for a sec? My car just hit a water buffalo.

[Fletch has fainted]
Records Nurse: Oh, Doctor, are you all right?
Fletch: Where am I?
Records Nurse: You're in the records room.
Fletch: The records room? Oh, then I'm fine.
Records Nurse: Can I get you something?
Fletch: Yeah, do you have the Beatles' White Album? Never mind, just get me a glass of hot fat. And bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia while you're out there.

Fletch: [narrating] In case you haven't guessed yet, there's been a lot of drug traffic on the beach. And I'm not talking about Robitussin and No-Doze. I'm talking about the hard stuff, and a lot of it. I've been trying to find out who's behind it. It hasn't been easy. I don't shower much.

Fat Sam: I got some reds.
Fletch: You don't mean communists, do you, Sam?

Fletch: If you shoot me, you're liable to lose a lot of those humanitarian awards.

Fletch: You would have thought that the Vice President knew I was opening the door, but the Secret Service, they just *whack*
[mimes door hitting him in the face]
Fletch: , and there's blood...

Waiter: Excuse me, Señor. You are a member of the club?
Fletch: No, I'm not, I'm with the Underhills.
Waiter: They already left, Señor.
Fletch: It's all right, they'll be back. He went out for his urinalysis.
Waiter: Would you like some drinks, Señor, while you wait? I will put it on the Underhills' bill.
Fletch: Yes, very good. I'll have a Bloody Mary and a steak sandwich and... a steak sandwich, please.

Fletch: [on the phone with Mr. Swarthow] Excuse you?

Receptionist: [handing Fletch a cup of coffee] Sugar, Mr. Poon?
Fletch: No, never, never.

Fletch's girlfriend: [Fletch is listening to a tape of him and his girlfriend having sex] You're not recording this, are you?
Fletch: No, never, never.

Pan Am Clerk: I'm afraid there is someone sitting next to you.
Fletch: Oh, for... God dawd dawd! Who is it, Mr. Sinlindin?

Detective #2: Got a gun, creep?
Fletch: Shamu's got one, borrow his.
Detective #2: [searching Fletch] What have we here?
Fletch: That's my dick.

Alan Stanwyck: You'll be wearing rubber gloves. Do you own rubber gloves?
Fletch: I rent 'em. I have a lease with an option to buy.

Fletch: For an extra grand, I'll let you take me out to dinner.

Pathologist: Ever seen a spleen that large?
Fletch: No, not since breakfast.

[to Gail Stanwyck, who answers the door wearing a towel]
Fletch: Can I borrow your towel? My car just hit a water buffalo.

Fletch: This little proposition doesn't entail me dressing as Little Bo-Peep, does it?

Fletch: Well, the traffic was murder, you know. One of those manure spreaders jackknifed on the Santa Ana. Godawful mess. You should see my shoes.

[Fletch is being interrogated by Chief Karlin and is giving him attitude]
Chief Karlin: So, what's your name?
Fletch: Fletch.
Chief Karlin: Full name?
Fletch: Fletch F. Fletch.
Chief Karlin: I see, And what do you do for a living, Mr. Fletch?
Fletch: I'm a shepherd.
Chief Karlin: [to the arresting officers] Officers, could you excuse us for a few moments?
Fletch: Yeah, why don't you guys go down to the gym and pump each other.
Chief Karlin: Why are you doing this, Mr. Fletch?
Fletch: I like men. I like to be manhandled. I like you.

[Fletch is being framed for drug possession by two very large cops]
Fletch: You fellas wanna read me my rights?
Detective #2: You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to have your face kicked in by me. You have the right to have your balls stomped by him.
Fletch: I'll waive my rights.

Gail Stanwyck: She looks like a hooker. Look at her. Look at her! Could you love someone who looked like that?
Fletch: What are you talking about? Of course not! Five, ten minutes tops, maybe.

Stanton Boyd: What kind of a name is Poon?
Fletch: Comanche Indian.

[after paying his ex-wife's attorney, Fletch walks him to the door]
Fletch: Keep ten for yourself. Go and get yourself a nice piece of ass.

[after Fletch gets kicked in the crotch]
Gummy: Are you okay?
Fletch: Yeah. I feel like a hundred dollars.

Fletch: Don't talk to me like that, assface. I don't work for you yet.

Fletch: I saw Alan this morning and you know what I can't figure out?
Gail Stanwyck: Alan's in Utah.
Fletch: I... can't figure out what I was doing in Utah this morning.

Waiter: Gracias, señor.
Fletch: Tierra Del Fuego.

[Fletch has just been incarcerated by the chief of police]
Fletch: Can't keep me here, chief.
Chief Karlin: Maybe I'm not going to keep you in here. Maybe I'm going to blow your brains out.
Fletch: Well, now, I'm no lawyer, but I do believe that's a violation of my rights.

Fletch: [entering through the window] If you're wearing rubbers, leave them outside, would you?

Chief Karlin: [shoving Fletch into a wall] Dipshit! You go back on that goddamn beach and you won't live to regret it! All right?
Fletch: [sees a picture on the wall] Hey, you and Tommy LaSorda!
Chief Karlin: Yeah.
Fletch: I hate Tommy LaSorda!
[punches glass out of the picture frame]

Fletch: In the court ruling US vs. Fishbine, a man subjected to potential incineration while wearing another man's suit is entitled to $10,000 worth of airline tickets. It's an obscure ruling, but a very important one to me.

Fletch: Provo, Spain?
Pan Am Clerk: Utah.

Fletch: (singing)Strangers in the night, exchanging clothing, strangers in my pants...

Fletch: Can't do that, Frank. Fat Sam isn't the story, there's a source behind him.
Frank Walker: Who?
Fletch: Well, there we're in kind of a grey area.
Frank Walker: How grey?
Fletch: Charcoal.

Fletch: Mr. Stanwyk's parents Marvin and Velma of Provo, were unable to attend the wedding. Those are three names I enjoy; Marvin, Velma, and Provo.

Fletch: Hey! I think our problems may just be solved. Ed McMahon. Think I just won a million bucks. Yeah, Irwin M. Fletcher you choose. Woo-wee! Oh, boy, I lost. Yeah. Sorry.

Willy: What the hell you need ball bearings for?
Fletch: Awww, come on guys, it's so simple. Maybe you need a refresher course.
[leans arm on hot engine part]
Fletch: Hey! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State.

[Corrupt police chief Karlin surprises Stanwyk holding Fletch at gunpoint]
Fletch: Thank god, the... police.

[Fletch is driving in the car with the Teenager]
Fletch: I always use a little chewing gum on these rides. It filters out the pollutants.
Teenager: [Fletch swerves to avoid another car] Oh shit!
Fletch: Of course you've got some good grillwork there to keep out the ozone. I gotta get this thing up to 95, uh, check out the fluorocarbon output.

Dr. Joseph Dolan: You know, it's a shame about Ed.
Fletch: Oh, it was. Yeah, it was really a shame. To go so suddenly like that.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: He was dying for years.
Fletch: Sure, but... the end was very... very sudden.
Dr. Joseph Dolan: He was in intensive care for eight weeks.
Fletch: Yeah, but I mean the very end, when he actually died. That was extremely sudden.

Gail Stanwyck: Are you always this forward?
Fletch: Only with wet, married women.

Fletch: Why don't we go lay on the bed and I'll fill you in?

Gail Stanwyk: I didn't know you knew the Underhills.
Fletch: Yeah, well, I saved his life during the war.
Gail Stanwyk: You were in the war?
Fletch: No, he was. I got him out.

Fletch: [Fletch bumps chests with his lawyer] He draws the foul!

Gail Stanwyk: I'm very flattered, but I'm also very married. You are trying to hit on me, aren't you?
Fletch: How did you guess? I'm such a heel. I don't know what came over me.
Gail Stanwyk: If I had a nickel for every one of Alan's flyboy buddies who tried to pick me up, I'd be a rich woman.
Fletch: You are a rich woman.
Gail Stanwyk: See what I mean?

Desk Sergeant: You better take his picture while he still has a face.

Fletch: You're serious.
Chief Karlin: Ask anybody.

Fletch: Do you mind if I ask you a question?
Gail Stanwyk: Depends on the question.
Fletch: Want some more champagne?
Gail Stanwyk: Yes.
Fletch: Are you still in love with Alan?
Gail Stanwyk: No! I mean, no, you can't ask me that question. Ask me another one.
Fletch: Why'd you let me in?
Gail Stanwyk: Um, because I'm bored.
Fletch: If you're so bored, why didn't you go to Utah with Alan?
Gail Stanwyk: Well, Utah's not exactly a cure for boredom.

Fletch: [narrating] I had to keep digging... without a shovel.

Gail Stanwyk: I really should change.
Fletch: No! I think you should stay the same wonderful person you are today.
Gail Stanwyk: I mean, put clothes on.

Fletch: Frank, I need to go to Utah.
Frank Walker: Utah?
Fletch: Yeah, Utah. It's wedged in between Wyoming and Nevada. You've seen pictures of it, right?

[last lines]
Fletch: [narrating] When it came to basketball Gail was a loss, but we had our own version of one-on-one and she thought I was the bravest guy in the world. Which, of course, I am. By the way, I charged the entire vacation to Mr. Underhill's American Express Card. Want the number?

Fletch: [narrating] As I pulled up to my imitation palatial apartment building, I noticed the familiar red OldsmoBuick of one Arnold J. Pants, esquire, attorney to the former Mrs. Irwin M. Fletcher.
[drives around to fire escape]
Fletch: [narrating] Time to use the service entrance.

Top 30 Starts of 2009 - Part 3

Sandy Kazmir — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:37:07 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

Big Daddy D says, "Get under my wing and I'll learn you a thing or two, son." (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Browse more photos »

With this installment we now reach the half-way point in this countdown. As a recap, here are Parts 1 & 2. Here is a brief rundown of who has done what so far:

Shields: 23, 24

Garza: 28, 29

Price: 26, 30

Nieman: 21, 22, 25

Davis: 27

For 16 - 20 we have:

20) James Shields

19) James Shields

18) Wade Davis

17) Andy Sonnanstine

16) Jeff Niemann

Click the jump for the details...

20) James Shields vs. Boston Red Sox on May 3rd Box Highlights Pitch F/x

HBP

FIP

wOBA

7.3

2.33

0.248

As we've seen out of James, when he keeps the ball in the yard, he can be a legit ace. On this night he only gave up one extra-base hit, while getting 6 (21%) swinging strikes out of his change. Watch that highlight link and see how foolish he makes guys look with his best pitch. After a rough first, where he threw 30 pitches, he calmed down quite well with 4 innings of less than 10 pitches (counting the 8th when he was yanked). What I find really interesting is his velocity throughout the game:

via brooksbaseball.net

Perhaps this is because it was early in the season, but Jamie really tailed off towards the end. A gutty performance and he was rewarded with the W for it.

19) James Shields vs Kansas City Royals on August 2nd Box Highlights Pitch F/x

HBP

FIP

wOBA

7.3

3.15

0.167

You may remember this game as the "Thanks A Lot Offense" game. Or maybe it's because of the no-hitter James had going into the 8th. Things kind of went to pot in this inning. Though, he, and the team, did not get a win, it was an outstanding start against an anemic offense. The four walks are uncharacteristic, but the six K's were real nice, especially since he only got six swinging strikes all game! For whatever reason he only threw 12 change ups on the game, instead going more with the bendy stuff (36 CU/SL). On a night where he was nearly un-hittable we see that same trend as the previous listed start, the giant fall off the cliff in velocity around pitch 90:

via brooksbaseball.net

This was a pivotal time of the year and one that I know James is still thinking about to this day. James, don't let the sour taste of this kiss turn you off from future no-hit courtships.

18) Wade Davis vs. Detroit Tigers on September 6th Box Highlights Pitch F/x

HBP

FIP

wOBA

2.86

0.192

Wade Davis would make his debut facing a certain Mr. Edwin Jackson and what a debut it was. Check out the video from the game and count all the times that Staats says, "Swing and a miss." Seriously, do it. Davis looks almost bored out there, but teased us with exactly what we were hoping to see out of him. I doubt there is any correlation between successful first starts and successful careers, but it sure is nice to see one like this instead of a clunker. His only real mistake was a pull-job by the King of Baltimore, Aubrey Huff, while also yielding a single and a double and only one walk. He got his nine K's by being fastball heavy all night (11 swinging strikes (15%) from that pitch alone!) and mixing in a few of his devastating curveballs. Unfortunately, the failpen was in full form, costing Wade his first W, but hopefully we will see many, many more down the road. A couple charts before moving on:

via brooksbaseball.net

Look at the sick break on his curveball. It looks a lot like his change until the 25 foot mark when it bites hard away from righties. You'll also notice a bit of a hump but then it starts falling off the table at about the same point.

via brooksbaseball.net

I wanted to show this last pictographical to compare to Shields. Notice how his fastball stays over 92 throughout the entire game. Great job Wade.

17) Andy Sonnanstine at New York Yankees on May 6th Box Highlights Pitch F/x

HBP

FIP

wOBA

7.33

2.06

0.238

I think everyone here knows a good Sonnanstine performance just by looking at the above line. The column that matters more than any other is the one with the BB over it. The Yankees are known as a patient team, and yet, Sonny didn't walk a single man in the pinstriped pajamas all night long. He pitched into the 8th using mostly his Cutter, Slider, and Curve. The curve was his best pitch on the night getting 4 swinging strikes (21%), but another key to success is being able to pitch inside:

via brooksbaseball.net

You can see that he feasted on the inner half of the plate and got a few calls to go his way. It wasn't an all around pretty start, as you can see by the three doubles, but he kept the ball in the yard at New Yankee Bandbox and kept batters just off balance enough.

16) Jeff Niemann at New York Yankees on September 9th Box Pitch F/x

HBP

FIP

wOBA

7.0

1.29

0.266

Niemann's fourth overall entry on this list comes from a night where he found a ton of success with his 3rd best pitch, the change up. He got 6 swinging strikes (55%!!!) out of the pitch that he is least known for. Though, he didn't bring it in quantity, it was certainly quality and not what they were expecting. Again, he limited his walks, and though he gave up over a hit an inning, all but one were singles. Most importantly, he didn't cede a homer to a lineup that knows how to use their ballpark to their advantage. Unfortunately, the failpen showed up, yet again. It was another loss when we could ill-afford one, but Niemann deserved one on this night. There are no highlights from Jeff's start thanks to MLB devoting about 15 videos to Jeter tying Gehrig's hit record, but check out this graph:

via brooksbaseball.net

His change was dropping almost a foot and a half more than his other pitches. Whatever he was doing in this game he needs to keep on doing, because Niemann with 3 plus pitches could be an outstanding weapon. I would love to see him as a closer, but maybe there is something to the idea that it takes him a while to warm up, check out the front half of this:

via brooksbaseball.net

It took The Big Nyquil almost 20 pitches to really hit his stride. I like how he stayed middle-away vs. lefties:

via brooksbaseball.net

while doing basically the same thing versus righties:

via brooksbaseball.net

That concludes the nerdy portion of the program. I appreciate your guys input, so please be sure to let me know what I'm doing right, and more importantly, what I'm doing wrong, so that by the top-10 we will have some real in depth stuff to talk about. As always, big thanks to MLB.com, BrooksBaseball.net, and Baseball-reference.com.

OTTOTD 10/22: The Get What You Deserve Edition

Sandy Kazmir — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:15:50 -0000

"Genuine communion," said Demian, "is a beautiful thing. But what we see flourishing everywhere is nothing of the kind. The real spirit will come from the knowledge that separate individuals have of one another and for a time it will transform the world. The community spirit at present is only a manifestation of the herd instinct. Men fly into each other's arms because they are afraid of each other -- the owners are for themselves, the workers are for themselves, the scholars are for themselves! And why are they afraid? You are only afraid if you are not in harmony with yourself. People are afraid because they have never owned up to themselves. A whole society composed of men afraid of the unknown within them! They all sense that the rules they live by are no longer valid, that they live according to archaic laws -- neither their religion nor their morality is in any way suited to the needs of the present. For a hundred years or more Europe has done nothing but study and build factories! They know exactly how many ounces of powder it takes to kill a man but they don't know how to pray to God, they don't even know how to be happy for a single contented hour. Just take a look at a student dive! Or a resort where the rich congregate. It's hopeless. Dear Sinclair, nothing good can come of all this. These people who huddle together in fear are filled with dread and malice, no one trusts the other. They hanker after ideals that are ideals no longer but they will hound the man to death who sets up a new one. I can feel the approaching conflict. It's coming, believe me, and soon. Of course it will not "improve" the world. Whether the workers kill the manufacturers or whether Germany makes war on Russia will merely mean a change of ownership. But it won't have been entirely in vain. It will reveal the bankruptcy of present-day ideals, there will be a sweeping away of Stone Age gods. The world, as it is now, wants to die, wants to perish -- and it will."

- Max Demian

A Call to Action from Mr. Tom Tangotiger McAwesome

Sandy Kazmir — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:43:54 -0000

It's that time again for the fans scouting report. Tangotiger will be collecting data up until the end of the World Series. Please take 5 minutes to fill out the following link. Seriously, it doesn't take long, and you, the fans, have seen more of this team this year than anyone else.

JUST DO IT

OTTOTD 10/21: The Put Out or Get Out Edition

Sandy Kazmir — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:15:14 -0000

There was good reason why I never became one with my companions, why I felt alone among them and was therefore able to suffer so much. I was a barroom hero and cynic to satisfy the taste of the most brutal. I displayed wit and courage in my ideas and remarks about teachers, school, parents, and church. I could also bear to hear the filthiest stories, and even ventured an occasional one myself, but I never accompanied my friends when they visited women. I was alone and was filled with intense longing for love, a hopeless longing, while, to judge by my talk, I should have been a hard-boiled sensualist. No one was more easily hurt, no one more bashful than I. And when I happened to see the young well-brought-up girls of the town walking in front of me, pretty and clean, innocent and graceful, they seemed like wonderful pure dreams, a thousand times too good for me. For a time I could not even bring myself to enter Mrs. Jaggelt's stationary store because I blushed looking at her remembering what Alfons Beck had told me.

-Emil Sinclair

Top 30 Starts of 2009 - Part 2

Sandy Kazmir — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:10:32 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

I crush you (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)

Browse more photos »

In part 1, we looked at the 26th - 30th best starts of 2009. Continuing on the countdown I now bring you 21 - 25. If you use your memory or clicked the link you may have noticed that Jeff Niemann and James Shields were missing. Well, not to worry, as they comprise this entire list:

25) Jeff Niemann 2.82 FIP, 0.235 wOBA

24) James Shields 2.78 FIP, 0.234 wOBA

23) James Shields 2.44 FIP, 0.254 wOBA

22) Jeff Niemann 3.03 FIP, 0.197 wOBA

21) Jeff Niemann 1.78 FIP, 0.270 wOBA

Let's dig a little deeper after the jump

25) July 10th vs. Oakland Athletics Box Highlights Pitch F/X

HBP

FIP

wOBA

9.0

2.82

0.235

Niemann was pumping fastballs for strikes this night at a rate of 76% getting 7 swinging strikes (9.33%), while mixing in his slider and curve. Niemann threw a CGSO in under 3 hours on 118 pitches, less than 3.3 per batter. A 6-4-3 double play helped negate a couple of the runners, but Niemann was really on all day throwing less than 15 pitches in 6 of his innings.

24) September 30th vs. Baltimore Orioles Box Highlights Pitch F/X

HBP

FIP

wOBA

8.0

2.78

0.234

In what would be James Shields last start of 2009, he did his usual thing, dominant through 7, then staying out too long into an 8th; in which, he would give up half his hits including both extra base hits and all three runs against. Seven innings, 3 H, all singles with no runs against sounds like a much better day, but these are the facts. The 8 K's to no walks is uber sexy and a double play even erased another of those runners that got on. Brooks has Shields getting 13 swinging strikes on 106 pitches (12%) while effectively throwing all of his pitches for strikes.

23) July 7th vs. Toronto Blue Jays Box Highlights Pitch F/X

HBP

FIP

wOBA

7.0

2.44

0.254

Here is James Shields second appearance on the list. Not as many K's and he did walk a guy compared to the previous entry, but he didn't give up the dreaded HR and that helped keep his FIP in the great start range. He didn't mix his pitches as much working mostly FB/SL/CH and only got about 7% swinging strikes, consequently. This was your typical James Shields scattering hits all over, but not allowing anything to get strung together. Again, he didn't give up a run until Chadford allowed an inherited run to come across in the 8th.

22) August 1st vs. Kansas City Royals Box Highlights Pitch F/X

HBP

FIP

wOBA

8.0

3.03

0.197

Jeff Niemann is at his finest when he's throwing his fastball and curve for strikes. No walks is a recipe for a great start from the Big Nyquil and in this start he tossed in 7 K's as well. He didn't get a ton of swinging strikes, but he had great command in the strike zone and got a number of borderline low pitches to go his way. His only real mistake on the night was a David DeJesus dinger in the 6th, but he minimized baserunners all night and picked up his 10th win.

21) July 21st at Chicago White Sox Box Highlights Pitch F/X

HBP

FIP

wOBA

8.0

1.78

0.270

Our last entry on this list is once again Giant Jeff Niemann. You may notice that this is the highest wOBA of this group, but by not allowing the longball and going 8 strong, he was able to throw up the 17th best FIP on the season. An impressive 7 swinging strikes on 22 curveballs (32%!) helped him mow down a power heavy lineup on their home turf. He turned a double play on a comeback linedrive and if you take out Gordon ~~Bombay~~ Beckham's two doubles then he pretty much owned batters all night. After working out of trouble in the 5th, when he was touched for both runs, and again in the 6th, he retired his final six batters while striking out the side in the 7th.

Much thanks to MLB.com for the video, Brooksbaseball.com for the pitch f/x, and Baseball-reference.com for giving me a reason to keep on keeping on. In next weeks installment we will take a look at the 16th - 20th best starts for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009.

OTTOTD 10/14: The Edition that Breaks all the Rules

Sandy Kazmir — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:37:34 -0000

Reason number 47 on why football season is not as good as baseball season: there is nothing to do 5/7 days. They should play every day and if they can't do that they should take their whiny asses to some other job like being a cop or a judge.

Women are confusing, but I think I've figured it out a little bit, be as vague as possible. Give no details and in their little brains they are racing to figure it out. Fun games are fun.

I watched Fargo last night. It reminded me of just how freaking awesome the Coen Brothers are. Feel free to discuss their sheer brilliance.

Modern Warfare 2 is less than a month away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top 30 Starts of 2009 - Part 1

Sandy Kazmir — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:49:09 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

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Over the next six weeks I will be bringing you the best starting performances by Rays pitchers this season. Every Friday you will get the chance to rewind to a better part of the season, when the Rays gave us something to do every night. So how did I pick the guys that made the cut? Some might use strikeouts or hits or gamescore or some other statistic. I took a different approach. First, I gathered the FIP and wOBA for every start. Then I ranked each from 1 - 162. Taking the average of the two I was able to re-rank every start. That's it. Without further adieu the 26th - 30th best starts of the year are after the jump.

30) David Price - July 31st against Kansas City

HBP

FIP

wOBA

FIP
Rank

wOBA
Rank

Game
Score

7.0

3.15

0.233

Though he didn't strikeout the world, Velociraptor Jesus was a gopher killer on the day with 13 ground balls. It should be noted that this estimate of wOBA does not include batters that Reached On Error as that data was difficult to locate. On this day, Price kept the ball in the yard and only yielded one extra-base hit.

29) Matt Garza - April 9th against Boston

HBP

FIP

wOBA

FIP
Rank

wOBA
Rank

Game
Score

7.0

3.01

0.233

In his first start of the season, Garza faced a familiar foe on their home turf. It was nice to see him come out of the chute ignoring concerns over a heightened workload during the 2008 run to glory. Having more strikeouts than hits against is a recipe for a dynamite performance. Garza parlayed 16 flyball outs into a terrific start to the season.

28) Matt Garza - September 19th against Toronto

HBP

FIP

wOBA

FIP
Rank

wOBA
Rank

Game
Score

7.3

2.88

0.234

Matty's second appearance on this list came at the tail-end of the season after the Rays had been virtually eliminated from the playoffs. He hit double digit K's on the night while only allowing three singles. The flip-side was the 6 walks, but he didn't let it bother him as he didn't allow a run pitching into the 8th. A Barty to Aki to Willy double play helped lighten his load.

27) Wade Davis - September 23rd against Seattle

HBP

FIP

wOBA

FIP
Rank

wOBA
Rank

Game
Score

5.7

1.56

0.293

Wade Davis might not be THE Rookie, but he was A rookie this year and in his fourth start we saw yet again just how dominant the young fireballer can be. He limited all seven of his hits to singles while only walking one and whiffing six and getting 11 swinging strikes. He only allowed two earned and was helped by a Ben Zobrist catch-and-gun to home double play.

26) David Price - August 23rd against Texas

HBP

FIP

wOBA

FIP
Rank

wOBA
Rank

Game
Score

7.0

3.29

0.205

Price's second entry of this group saw him in a game that we all figured would be pivotal in the Wild Card chase. On a day when our bats put up a goose egg, you can't fault fault David for taking the loss. Seven strong with 3 Earned Runs against is good enough to get you a Quality Start. Throw in a measly three hits against and we can see why this was one of the best starts of the year.

THT Compares Zobrist to Utley

Sandy Kazmir — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:59:50 -0000

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/clone-wars-chase-utley-and-ben-zobrist/

The comparison is almost spot on, but people don't seem to believe the hype if you look at the comments. I hope BenZo can rake next year as well, while playing all over the diamond.

Did the Rays Bats Get Tired?

Sandy Kazmir — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 19:35:49 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony Side by side on my piano keyboard, oh lord, why dont we? We all know that people are the same where ever we go There is good and bad in everyone, We learn to live, we learn to give Each other what we need to survive together alive. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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Remember when the Rays had the most runs in either league? Remember when they were the best offense in the game? Yeah, it's been awhile since we've seen the dynamic offense that carried our beleaguered staff earlier in the season. With guys like Longoria, Zobrist, Bartlett, and Crawford getting off to hot starts it was easy to bank on runs in bunches. We knew they would regress more in line with career numbers, but we figured that other guys like Burrell, Upton, Navarro, and Pena would play up to their historic numbers. For your viewing pleasure:

This chart goes to THIS workbook. A table showing some of the particulars:

Player	Mean	St. Dev.	Slope
Bartlett	0.373	0.247	-0.0008
Longoria	0.369	0.249	-0.0002
Pena	0.362	0.263	-0.0001
Zobrist	0.360	0.336	-0.001
Crawford	0.349	0.245	-0.00008
Aybar	0.305	0.312	-0.0009
Burrell	0.302	0.239	-0.0004
Gross	0.286	0.305	-0.001
Upton	0.281	0.235	-0.0002
Navarro	0.238	0.245	0.0003

The mean is based on the average of each game so it most likely will not line up perfectly with their overall wOBA. St. Dev. is the Standard Deviation of their game-to-game wOBA. The larger the number, the more variation from game-to-game. Slope is the slope of the trendline in the above chart. As you can see Dioner Navarro was the only player to show a positive slope over the course of the season. Carl Crawford is virtually flat with Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria, and B. J. Upton playing at a consistent level across the season.

Remember that these are linear trendlines. The attempt is to create a best fit line between the data points. The R^2 generally was pretty low, which can be confirmed by the St. Dev. I offer this so that the reader does not literally interpret the trendlines. For example, Ben Zobrist was not a .470 wOBA hitter at the beginning of the year while falling off a cliff to be a .335 wOBA hitter in the most recent games.

So my question is, what happened? Is this a team-wide hot start with regression to the mean over the course of the season? Did last season's 16 extra games into late-October sap our strength this year? Is it a lack of focus? I'd be very interested to hear what you guys (and gals?) think is the reason.