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Mike Ekstrom and Lance Cormier Come Together Like Two Pieces of Metal

How can you tell that we're in the final two weeks of the off-season? Because Mike Ekstrom is getting entire posts devoted to him. Some random thoughts:

  • Ekstrom is a former starter who dabbled in relief work for the Portland Beavers last season. He averaged 5.71 batters faced per appearance. During his 2007 stint as a full-time starter, he averaged 23.8 batters faced per appearance, and once he arrived in San Diego as a full-time reliever, he averaged 6.9 batters faced per appearance. Why does that matter in the least? Well, last season Lance Cormier averaged 6.2 batters faced per appearance and a little over 7 per in 2008. Ekstrom's starter history combined with the fact that he's not as good as Cormier could lead to a little role reversal if both break camp in the pen.
  • When Ekstrom pitched last season, he did so usually in wo inning spurts. There's a difference between throwing two innings in one outing and throwing in back-to-back days - the latter of which the Rays heavily value* -- but his usage wasn't that of a ROOGY.
  • The Book states that leverage doesn't affect pitcher performances. So, if Cormier is really a 4 RA reliever, then he should be a 4 RA reliever whether he's pitching in low leverage or medium leverage situations. I don't doubt that this works out if the sample size is large enough, but as soon as Cormier blows a lead or two, watch for the torches and pitchforks to come out.
  • The transition may have began already, although this is going to look like a series of arbitrary periods, here's how Cormier's seasonal leverage index breaks down:

April: 18 IP 0.21 pLI

May: 19 IP, 0.86 pLI

June: 7 IP, 0.60 pLI

July: 11.1 IP, 0.26 pLI

August: 10 IP, 1.08 pLI

September/October:  12 IP, 1.50 pLI

  • Obviously 22 innings of data is going to come with some pretty huge error bars, but Cormier held a .716 OPS against in high leverage situations and a .641 OPS against in low leverage situations. That means pretty much nothing, so yeah.

Star-divide

*There's an entire chapter in the DRB Annual about Joe Maddon's managerial usage tendencies. Here's a spoiler: he loves changing pitchers. Hal McRae was essentially a managing atheist though.

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Co-Sign (you taught me that)

Still surprised at the amount they gave him.

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 4, 2010 1:58 PM EST up reply actions  

Did you mean to put diddled and Beavers in the same sentence?

WE’RE SOOOOO CLOSE. Also, check out this castle that I’m bunking at for the weekend:

BALLIN

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 4, 2010 2:27 PM EST reply actions  

Yeah I was like "WHAT?!?!"

Did he mean “dabbled?”

did·dle 2 (ddl)
v. did·dled, did·dling, did·dles
v.tr.
1. To jerk up and down or back and forth.
2. Vulgar Slang
a. To have intercourse with (a woman).
b. To practice masturbation upon.
v.intr.
1. To shake rapidly; jiggle.
2. Slang To play experimentally; toy: The children diddled with the knobs on the television all afternoon.
3. Slang To waste time: diddled around all morning.

by rglass44 on Feb 4, 2010 3:43 PM EST up reply actions  

Old hat

Something new that an old man hasn’t heard of. I wanted to hear Broken Bells but its not available on Pandora yet

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 4, 2010 2:48 PM EST up reply actions  

My Black Keys channel kicks out great blues, which I find perfect for getting through the work day

My Al Green station suffices when you want to hear some baby-making music.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 4, 2010 2:50 PM EST up reply actions  

black keys it is

Follow Me on Twitter @FreeZorilla

by FreeZorilla on Feb 4, 2010 2:52 PM EST up reply actions  

Get ready for some John Lee Hooker, Junior Kimbrough, and other filthiness.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 4, 2010 2:55 PM EST up reply actions  

good call

Mira Sorvino...Paul Walker...T-Pain...Fall 2010...HEADSTONE MAFIA, A LOVE STORY OF REVENGE. "5/5 stars!!!" - DRB User "Andy Hellicksonstine"

by PlayOnWords on Feb 4, 2010 4:53 PM EST up reply actions  

DRB Annual. Spoiler: David Price

I am almost finished.

rzar.wordpress.com

by RZ on Feb 4, 2010 2:42 PM EST reply actions  

"The Book states that leverage doesn't affect pitcher performances"

The Book states that on average leverage doesn’t affect pitcher performances. It would be pretty tough to argue that it doesn’t have an effect on certain individual pitchers’ performances. Some people let pressure get to them and just fall apart in ‘clutch’ situations, and heck, some people are able to focus better and thus perform better when they have an adrenaline rush.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Feb 4, 2010 4:18 PM EST reply actions  

Dammit, I wish we had Percy for times like those.

The man has ice-cold Natty flowing through his veins.

Be peaceful, be courteous, obey the law, respect everyone; but if someone puts his hand on you, send him to the cemetery.

by Andy Hellicksonstine on Feb 4, 2010 5:32 PM EST up reply actions  

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