LATEST STORIES FROM CAPITOL PUNISHMENT
Pardon Me, Aren't You...?
March 18, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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I've talked before about Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projection system. The nutshell version of it is that it's a hyper similarity score. It crunches through eons of baseball history to find players who have similar performances, talent levels, size, etc. It looks for players...
The Ian Desmond Effect
March 17, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Here, and around, I've read a few comments already about how John Patterson is toast based on yesterday's shellacking by the O's.
It reminds me of spring training '05, when everyone latched on to Ian Desmond as the next Alex Rodriguez because he had a big hit and a...
Signs You Lack Control
March 16, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Baseball Reference's stat of the day blog gives us all 69 4-pitch bases-loaded walks from last season.
Aaron Fultz led the majors with three. But the Nats had two pitchers who pulled the horror twice: Matt Chico and Levale Speigner. Throw in the ones by Jesus Colome and Billy...
Pointless Trivia
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Warning: Pointless stats lay (lie?) ahead!
I'm zipping through the Bill James Online stat categories... lots of pointless, random stats. lots of meaningful, random stats. So let's see how closely you were paying attention.
Ryan Zimmerman drove in 16 different runners last...
Hallelujah II!
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Chuck Slowes:
I have to work harder now because the people out thereâ€"their main critique is giving the score. I will score them to death right now. They are going to hear the score every four seconds.... It will be like: 'No score in the gameâ€"pitch outside ball...
The Owners Are CHEEEP!
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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(In this case, it's Peter Angelos)
Enjoy all 40 HD broadcasts, Nats fans. (You get 40 more if you want to watch the Devil Rays pound the bejeesus out of the O's)
But, hey, they brought back the live pregame show with Ray Knight!!!!!! Yay!
Oh, wait, that's bad!
Cheap bastards.
Hallelujah!
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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CHILI NACHOS!!!!!
/puts on thirty more pounds
//doubles as Dmitri's thigh
Shopping At A Different Market
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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The story of the day is Bowden's comments about the Zimmerman extension "negotiations."
"We've made it clear to [Zimmerman and Van Wagenen] that if Ryan is willing to sign a contract that is similar to what all the other good young players are signing for --...
The Rite of Spring
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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First, the groundhog didn't see his shadow.
Then the swallows returned to Capistrano.
Next, Mike Bacsik gets lit up.
Then the buzzards return to Hinckley (Ohio, not Mike)
Answering His Own Question
March 15, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Sheinin gives the short version of Manny's first team meeting of the season:
1) Cut down on the errors
2) Improve the team's OBP.
I asked Acta if he could foresee a scenario where both Nick Johnson and Dmitri Young make the team, with Johnson the starter and Young in the lineup...
The Reviews Are In
March 14, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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How does the general stathead public view the stadium and the prices?
After looking at the transportation and the ticket prices for this new stadium, I can only hope that the Nats get good and the economy picks up, and real fast in both cases. This stadium seems positively designed...
Why You Should Love Manny Acta
March 14, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Part one thousand-something...
"I'm not the biggest stolen base fan in the world," Acta said. "I was there with the Mets, two years in a row we led the league in stolen bases and we didn't win the World Series. They did it again last year and they didn't...
Mystery Pitcher
March 14, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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With Shawn Hill's injury, the Nats seem ready to break the [penny] bank and dip into the free agent pitching market.
Acta said: "We are not releasing the name yet. Some things are in the works. We just can't post it."
Does that mean the Nationals are about to add...
CRAP: Outfielders
March 14, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Yesterday, we looked at the infield, seeing what various projections say about our fair-to-mediocre team.
We'll continue along, using the same stats and the same sources. See that post for an explanation, if you missed it.
Austin Kearns
HR RBI AVE OBP SLG
BJ 22 88 272 368 4...
Church In Hell
March 14, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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I'm really getting tired of Ryan Church. The guy took a lot of crap. Far too much crap. But, jesus, the guy has to be the dumbest guy on the planet. He doesn't know when to shut the hell up. What's that about opening your mouth to remove all doubt?
"How would you feel...
The Best And Worst Of Cordero
March 13, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Following up on my best and worst offensive plays of the season as measured by win probability, I was going to do one on the best and worst pitches. The catch, I discovered, is that it's dominated by relievers -- either Cordero nailing down a save, Rauch yacking one, or Billy Traber...
StanSpeak: Speak For Yourself Edition
March 07, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Stanley steams through an interview with Bugs and Cranks on a wide range of issues. It's got lots of interesting stuff, including why he hates blogs almost as much as agents. Read the whole thing. I'm just going to note a few things that I thought as I read.
1) He complains...
Ten Burning Questions: Spring Training
March 07, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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For each of the last three seasons, I've previewed spring training with what I was looking at. What are the key questions? What needs to be resolved? You see some recurring themes: Is Patterson an ace? How much does Guzman suck?
This year's not really different. And although...
Not All Academics Stink
March 07, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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God Bless Sam Riley
When it comes to the "O," [shouted during the National Anthem] the problem is strictly geographical. Like creeping fescue, or a rash, it even has spread beyond D.C. environs to places like Blacksburg, Va., the home of Virginia Tech.
"It just seems...
Screw Vegas!
March 07, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Right in the ear!
200-1, my ass!
Apparently word of "The PLAN!" hasn't reached that far west. Underestimate it at your own peril, goons!
You Say PECOTA, I Say PECATA
March 07, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Baseball Prospectus released their PECOTA projections the other day. Although, yes, they fall under the category of "BS Projections", they are an interesting look, and give you a perspective on our players and their potential.
Essentially, PECOTA compares a player to every...
The Dukes of Asia
March 04, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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So the Nats signed themselves a left-handed import, who threw up a 5+ ERA in Japan and who hasn't had 100 IP in a season since 2002.
Great!
It gets better:
The Orix Buffaloes said Sunday they have suspended left-hander
Katsuhiko Maekawa indefinitely after he was arrested for...
W-Rorschach
March 04, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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What do you think of when you see this?
1) A Tasty Treat?
2) Mr. Binkles, your fox terrier?
3) Before/after slides from a Viagra clinical trial?
4) A discarded photo from an old college textbook on hygiene?
5) Baltimore?
6) The tapeworm you caught after you ate Kasten's brisket...
Nats PR Fail History
March 02, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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Yes, I'm a negative prick. Deal with it.
I'm perusing the ol' promo schedule at nationals.com, and this is driving me crazy. Check the promo scheduled for May 3.
While I suppose it's possible that they're celebrating one of the Negro Leagues, I'd bet that...
Perez Perhaps
March 02, 2008 by
Capitol Punishment
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The Nats have offered left-handed SP Odalis Perez a contract, and they expect to hear back today.
Not a great pitcher, obviously, but there's reason for a tiny bit of optimism... 1) he's youngish... just 30. Of course we said the same thing about Jerome Williams last year...
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