Books
-The Eastern League in Baseball: A Statistical History, 1923-2005
-Baseball in the Classroom: Essays on Teaching the National Pastime
-Jews And Baseball: A History, 1871-1948
-Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero
-Pro
Football Prospectus 2006
-Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game
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Motor city madness
October 21 2006
If you were looking for evidence that baseball isn't fixed it doesn't get much stronger than this. Game 1 of the World Series is tonight, and the 83-78 St Louis Cardinals will be facing the 95-67 Detroit Lions. Half of the six teams eliminated from the playoffs were from New York or Los Angeles.
Righties Justin Verlander (17-9, 3.63) and Anthony Reyes (5-8, 5.06) will be on the bump tonight. Reyes is the older of the pair -- he turned 25 on Monday.
Verlander has made two starts in the post-season, going 1-0 with a 5.91 ERA. In 10 2/3 innings he's throw he's allowed 14 hits, five walks and three home runs. On June 23 he started against the Cardinals in Detroit and got the win. The Tigers pounded Chris Carpenter for seven runs that day on their way to a 10-6 win. Verlander allowed four runs over six innings on seven hits and three walks. He kept the Cards in the yard, but allowed four doubles, two to Molina, one to Pujols and one to Rolen.
Reyes made one start for the Cardinals in the post-season, Game 4 of the NLCS against the Mets. He went just four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks. LaRussa pulled him early and the Mets went on to pound the Cardinals pen, eventually winning 12-5. Both of the runs he allowed in that game came on homers, and during the season he allowed 17 in just 85 1/3 innings.
In the Arizona Fall League, the Big Cacti fell to the Mesa Solar Sox 6-3 yesterday to drop to 5-5 on the year. Gio Gonzalez started for Peoria and threw three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three. He lowers his ERA to 5.06 in his three appearances.
The team of MLB players, including Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, headed to Japan in November will be coached by Terry Francona and not Ken Macha.
If you're ready for Cory Lidle humor, you can't beat The Onion.
Tom Goodman hasn't gotten nearly enough kudos for working the word "passel" into yesterday's post at his excellent blog Swing and a Miss.