Comments on: The Best First Third

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 18:18:24 +0000

Thanks for the comments.

Ember, Why must you be so level-headed?

Andy, I think the Griffey story is big in any season, and possibly the Strasburg story too. You make a fair point about the news cycle, though.

Terry, I’m not sure what’s desperate here. I’m excited about the baseball season we’ve had so far. I imagine you arrived here via Rob Neyer’s link. If you keep reading PnP — and I hope you do — you will learn that we aren’t in the business of creating stories where they ain’t, providing timely analysis, or writing lists just to build up traffic. We just enjoy baseball a hell of a lot.

As far as the pitching stories — yes they are fascinating. And yes Roy Halladay is amazing. I actually wrote about complete games about a year ago:

http://pitchersandpoets.com/2009/04/22/the-decline-and-fall-of-the-complete-game/

By: terry the censor

terry the censor — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:49:36 +0000

This is a ridiculous post. MLB seasons aren’t spoken or thought of in thirds, to start with. Such a “mark” smacks of desperation.
The pitching stories are fascinating so far — maybe that should have been the focus. After all, Milton Bradley going nuts is an annual story.
Another annual story that is so boring no one talks much about it: Roy Halladay is leading the league in complete games. He’s done it five times before, including the season he broke his leg and made only 19 starts. He just turned 33 years old, yet he is the MLB active leader in complete games, finishing 54 of his 300 starts (18%). Number two is Livan Hernandez, who has finished 48 of 424 (11%). Jamie Moyer is third (33/621=5.3%). Wakefield is fourth (32/431=7.4%).
Halladay has five complete games already this year, and it’s only June. That’s quite a story in an age of pitch counts and one-inning closers.

By: Andy II

Andy II — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:17:04 +0000

I feel like many seasons of yore may have been as story-filled or exciting, but the 24-hour news cycle just hadn’t yet been invented. The only stories that would have been really big in the past would have been the perfectos and the blown call. Still, I’ve been sated by this season–it’s been damn exciting. Let’s just slow the hyperbole train down.

By: Ember Nickel

Ember Nickel — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:49:46 +0000

I feel like the last few years, MLB has always posted some end-of-year roundup about how awesome and unique the year was.

And to a point, they’re right–they /are/ awesome seasons–but I’m not sure how to pick and choose between them.

By: Rhino

Rhino — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:59:47 +0000

Heyward, for sure. Mike Stanton could even be thrown in there with his minors stats. The struggles of last year’s Cy Young winners, Lincecum and Greinke. And one of the oddest, all the trouble with Phillies fans….vomiting on eachother, getting tazed, children drinking beer. This has been a great season and I can’t wait to follow all the tight races as Paul pointed out.

By: Adam Darowski

Adam Darowski — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:52:36 +0000

This Daniel Nava story is pretty damn compelling, too.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:21:47 +0000

Thanks for the comments. I can’t believe I missed Heyward. Regarding gossip…I see what you mean but I still consider the stories I listed above newsy. Especially Junior’s retirement.

By: Joe

Joe — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:11:44 +0000

Heyward.

By: Uncle

Uncle — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:31:12 +0000

Maybe it’s just me, but the quality of the list seems to fall off rather dramatically after the first three items.

I long for return of the days when we knew how to distinguish between “news” and “gossip.”

By: Paul Catalano

Paul Catalano — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:24:21 +0000

Good point. It really has been a great season so far. And its shaping up to have some excellent races. Every single division has teams 2.5 games out or less. Should be a nice summer.