Staubach, Marino, and Manning, oh my!

Most of this post emerged as an email response to the classic QB debate: does Brady and Manning compare to Montana and Marino. A friend of mine likes to compare Manning to Roger Staubach. Staubach's passer rating record does relate to Manning, though I still think style of play connects closer to Marino (deep ball, powerful arm, gazillion passing yards). Here's why I would never compare Staubach to Manning: Career TD to Interception Ration, Staubach 153-109 over 12 seasons (about 13 TD's a season); Manning 269-189. Peyton Manning has never thrown fewer than 26 TD's in a season. Staubach made it to 26 only once. Marino's ratio? 420-252. Until the last few years of his career, Marino was automatic for 25 TD's a season (and is the only QB besides Peyton to throw for more than 40 in a season--Marino did it twice).

What separates Marino and Manning, besides the obvious SB victory, is that Dan never learned to take what a defense gave him and never believed he needed a running game. When Peyton handed the ball off to beat the Pats at the end of the
AFC championship game, that was a revealing moment showing how much he had matured. I think the KC game was an even better example--after three picks on "Marino" type plays (deep post plays that make for great highlight TD's but
risky INTs, see also Brett Farve), Peyton quietly threw for 22 of 25 and moved the chains with short passes and dumps to the flat. He never would have done that two years ago--in those games, the more frustrated he became, the more he
tried to force the big play. Now he is a truly dangerous QB, and in my humble opinion, the 3rd greatest of all time (Montana, Brady, Manning, Elway, Marino). That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I am simply stunned that the Bears are this committed to a young QB who shows absolutely no ability to read a zone defense. None. Throws the ball to defenders who are staring at him. Great against man-to-man, useless against a zone (the
deep interception in the fourth quarter was the best proof of this--the receiver had beaten the man coverage, but Rex looked oblivious that there was a strong safety on the field. D'oh). I don't know what Brian Griese did to piss off Lovie Smith, but it must have been bad. Real bad.

Go Patriots

Got a new laptop, so I'm feeling ambitious. So here's my first post since the Red Sox went south in August (now just waiting for them to go south in March, when do pitchers and catchers report?)

Got to love those Patriots--no strong safety, no free safety, no problem. And I'm glad they did the Merriman at midfield. If you win in your opponents' house, and your opponent has a jackass that does a stupid dance everytime he gets a knockdown, then you are allowed to imitate said stupid dance as much as you want. Hey, LT, make a play.

As a natural pessimist (want do you want from a life long Sox fan?), I don't think the Pats will be able to keep this up. The Colts defense has showed up in the postseason and Peyton's due for a big game. But, so long as Bill's on the sideline and Brady's under center, we have a puncher's chance.

Go Patriots.

Perhaps...

...this is a bit premature, but my "Tek's-injury-is-the-beginning-of-th-end" prediction seems pretty spot on today. Unfortunately. God I hate the Yankees. The worst part of it all is that, if I listen closely enough, I can hear them etching "Jeter" on the MVP trophy, and that thing totally should belong to Papi.

Boston Red Sox : The Official Site

Boston Red Sox : The Official Site

God, this makes me sick to my stomach.

I'm getting decidingly less-friendly or optimistic every time I check the scoreboard.

Major League Baseball : News : Major League Baseball News

Major League Baseball : News : Major League Baseball News

So here we go--five games to decide, well not really to decide, more to help decide who will win the A.L.East. After all, it is only August.

Yet this certainly feels like a wild card series, five games--one trip through the rotation. And the Red Sox are boasting a (slightly) improved rotation with the recent performances of David Wells. Now if they can just find a fifth starter... perhaps under a rock... perhaps a friendly old knuckleballer?

I couldn't find any news on Wake this morning (although I didn't look very hard), but the Sox rotation will be put to the test this weekend--two double headers in three days will mean that someone ends up pitiching on short rest (even with yesterday's off day). It probably means that Wells will have to pitch game 5 Sunday on three days rest. That should truly test his health.

I don't know if I'm optimistic or pessimistic regarding this weekend--I guess I'm smack dab in the middle. Since Tek went down, I've been one three game losing streak away from throwing baseball out the window and focusing on football. A good series this weekend could change all that. A bad weekend and, well, Monday's post will be less than friendly. Living in Indiana, its tough for me to get a consistent bead on this team--I rarely get to watch games. This weekend most of the games will be televised (starting this afternoon, but I have faculty meetings and other such nonsense to attend!), I look forward to watching the action.

Back Again

O.K., those pesky doctoral exams are over and I survived my first few days as a technology mentor for incoming graduate students. Now, time to get back to the important stuff: baseball in the fall.

I am happy that the Red Sox didn't trade away any young talent for a 4 or 5 starter. That was my position in my post from before the break, and I sticking to it. As a rhetorician, I do think Theo could have spun the lack of deadline trade a bit better. Here's what he said:

"We were asked over and over again for our young pitchers," General Manager Theo Epstein said an hour after the 4 p.m. EDT deadline for non-waiver deals. "As much as we desperately wanted to help our team, it would have been shortsighted to sacrifice our plan."

He also said this:

"Our approach as an organization to the Yankees is to respect them, to assume they're going to win around 100 games, and to forget about them until October," he said. "To get emotional, reactive, would be to throw out the window everything we believe in."

He did come close to some deals.

"In the end, we didn't think it was worth it," Epstein said. "As disappointed as we are not to add a significant piece, we're proud of the results."

Philosophically speaking, I agree with Epstein--no one wants to relive Freddy Sanchez for Jeff Suppan or, dare I even say it, Jeff-you-know-who for Larry-what-was-his-name. However, I think a more rhetorical response in this situation would have gone more like this:

With so many teams in the hunt this year, talent just wasn't available. We feel that there;s nobody out there significantly better than the guys we have. Once we get healthy, which should be soon, we've got all the pieces we need to compete. Remember that we'll be getting David Wells and Tim Wakefield back soon--that's over 400 career wins. Who acquired that kind of talent this weekend?(qtd in MaineToday.com)

Don't actually say that the present isn't worth the future or that you are not willing to give up talent to improve right now. That implicitly tells the guys playing right now that you don't need to win, or believe that you will win, etc. This is a minor point, but, hey, I'm a rhetorician, its my job to sweat the small stuff (in the era of the hyperreal, image is everything).

Well there's more I could blab about, like the loss of Tek (which, and my wife will certainly hold me to this, I signaled as the end of the Red Sox season and said would cost the Red Sox at least a half a run a game in terms of team E.R.A--I'll do the math soon)--but I've got to go. I have a pile of laundry that is calling my name (literally, I think it is morphing into a new life form "Welcome to the desert of puerile").

Trades Talk, B.S. Stays Put (Please)

So, as we approach the deadline, here’s all the news the internet has deemed fit to print:

Lugo, Devil Rays (Boston Globe) for ?
Ryan Shealy, Rockies for Tavarez or Seanz
Ray Kind, Rockies for Julian Tavarez or Seanz
Ryan Klesko (Braves) for Ruby Seanz (no way…)

Nick Cafardo of the Globe ran a credible and interesting story on the possibility of Wily Mo Pena being on the block (follow here for a quick summation). He mentions a lot of intriguing possibilities: Kip Wells from the Pirates (for Pena), Livan Hernandez from the Nats (for Pena), or Jake Peavy from San Diego (for Lowell and prospects, Theo vehemently denies this one).

Personally, although Epstein has been active in the past, I don’t see the Red Sox making too many moves this season. Why? First, I would be shocked if Pena goes—I don’t think the Sox are prepared to offer Nixon top dollar, and if they do, they might reconsider moving Manny (again). To do this, they need a power bat ready to enter the lineup, and Pena provides just that.

And while the Sox need starting pitching, they could be getting some back this season—hopefully Wakefield will be back at full strength soon. Wells is throwing a five-inning simulated game today (the outcome of which could drastically change the opinion of this post-er). Unfortunately, Clement seems to have suffered a few set-backs, and isn’t expected to return until September—probably too late for either the playoffs (he would have to be active by September 1st) or to contribute to the stretch run. The rotation would be:

1. Schilling
2. Beckett
3. Lester
4. Wakefield
5. Wells, Gabbard, Clement, Johnson, Snyder, DiNardo, etc.

So, the question becomes, how much are you willing to spend for a 4-5 starter? I hope the Sox do not sell off the future for the present (see entry number 2 ). And the last time we tried acquiring a starter, things didn't quite work out.

But, then again, in Theo we trust. Personally, so long as Wakefield looks o.k., then the Sox can make the playoffs with the current roster—though another pitcher would certainly be great if if the price were right! If we are talking about Kip Well, Jake Peavy or Dontrelle, that’s one thing. Livan Hernandez and John Lieber, well—that’s another…

How to post to Blogger

Because conversations work better if more than one person is talking...

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Is it too soon to panic,

Or simply not late enough?

I've spent the first few months in a kind of conscious-denial of reality. While the Red Sox went into the all-star break with a four game lead, I knew that it should have been more. Much more. But, an inconsistent pitching staff (from top to bottom--anyone see how many homeruns Beckett has allowed) allowed the Bombers, suffereing through far many more injuries, to remain within reach.

And now they've all but grabbed us.

I know, I know... Wily Mo's about to return, Clement could return back in form, Lester continues to improve and learn on the fly. I know, I know... Sidney Ponson is (hopefully?) not going to be this year's Aaron Small, delivering a 10-0 second half. I know, I know... the Yanks are still without some of their big hitters for another month and probably don't have enough quality prospects to land Bobby Abreau or Soriano.

And, of course, I know, I know that its only July.

But the cynical part of me, that pre-2004 Red Sox fan, can't help but think "just let'em pass us now..." It would be too painful to lose first place to the Yanks in September. Funny, despite the championship, I'm finding it harder and harder to BELIEVE in this year's group. Maybe its because I'm in Indiana and are not surrounded by the daily "hoop-la." Nor do I get to watch many of the games. I haven't even been listening to as many this year as I usually do.

So I guess I'll write-off my lack of faith (or try to, at least). But in the back of my mind I still hear Bob Ryan's echoing call: "The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming..."

Its Official

I no longer care about the All-Star game, even if it does determine homefield advantage in the playoffs.


Of course, it shouldn't determine homefield--that should be determined by record as it is in every other sport. If it takes more time to schedule and prepare for World Series games, then simply "freeze" the records on September 1st and decide the W.S. homefield based on win-loss on that date. Anything would be better than having an exhibition game...wait, let me say that again, an EXHIBITION game...k...determine one of the biggest advantages for a championship, ahem, CHAMPIONSHIP series.


Returning to my "topic" sentence, I don't care about the All-Star game. Despite being a close game last night, I was far more interested in video baseball than real baseball (2018 Red Sox, World Champions). Talking with Meg about it--I think interleague play is one of the biggest reasons why I no longer care. Before interleague, there was only one time all year that you could see Ken Griffey Jr. take on Orel Hershiser or see Pedro Martinez face (and strike out) McGwire and Sosa. Of course, free agency means that players switch leagues more, but interleague means that its no big deal to see Andrew Jones face John Papelbon--they see each other every season. So I didn't watch the All Star game (although I did flip to it in time to see the final out, nice to root for Rivera for a change), and don't feel bad about missing it.

On another note--I really like the change to the Home Run Derby; the totals from round to round should carry over. I don't know what to make about all the talk that participating in the Derby can mess with players swings, but it sounds like Howard will be an exemplary case--they intentionally changed his swing to pull the ball (like the Philles need any additional help tanking in the second half).