MLB All-Star game, Fixing baseball, future of football and more – WFNY Podcast – 2013-07-18
July 18, 2013NBA Rumor: Internet speculation on a Kyrie Irving departure
July 18, 2013“While We’re Waiting” serves as the early morning gathering of WFNY-esque information for your viewing pleasure. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email at tips@waitingfornextyear.com.
“Every team strives to find its identity. With a revamped roster and new manager, the Indians knew it might take time for them to find theirs this season. As this campaign rolls into the second half, the Tribe believes it has determined its brand of baseball.” [Castrovince/MLB.com]
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“The Cavs new/old head coach doesn’t seem like the same guy he was during his first stint with the Wine and Gold. A more confident, demonstrative Brown was in full hands-on teaching mode during his three-plus hour practices at Desert Oasis HS just outside the Strip. His pillars are still there from the first time around – physicality, playing smart, no excuses/complaining to the refs and, of course, defense, defense, defense. But he’s doing it in a more forceful manner and maybe with a little more cussing.” [Joe G/Cavs.com]
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“Clint Frazier is the perfect example of why you never judge a book by its cover. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, he’s not the most imposing player, but this kid can rake. He clubbed 17 home runs and slugged .561 in 32 games as a senior in high school. He went on to win Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year honors, joining the likes of previous winners Dylan Bundy, Clayton Kershaw, Justin Upton and Zack Greinke. Frazier homered in his professional debut and has a .596 slugging percentage through his first 15 pro games. Given how well Buxton and Frazier have transitioned so quickly from high school to the pro ranks, they are changing the landscape of baseball and how high school hitters should be evaluated.” [White/CBS Sports]
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“Since returning from the disabled list, Perez has gotten back to pitching maybe even better than he was in the first 14 appearances this season. In the 10 outings since returning, Perez and is 7-for-7 in save opportunities and has allowed just one run with an ERA of 0.90.
What might be impressive of all in those 10 outings, however, is the efficiency that Perez has shown. He has faced just three hitters five times, which equals the amount of times he did so in those first 14 appearances. He is averaging just four batters faced per inning in the last 10, compared to 4.3 batters faced in the first 14 times out.
There is also an improvement in efficiency when it comes to pitches thrown. The 28-year-old closer has thrown an average of 13.8 pitches per inning as compared to 19 pitches per inning in his total outings prior and 17.5 pitches per inning in his first 14 appearances. Perez tossed 12 pitches or less six times in his 10 outings since June 28. In the first 17 times he took the mound this season? He threw 12 pitches or less just twice.” [Isley/More Than a Fan]
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Finally, the correlation between uniform choice and winning percentage. Excellent work sir. [Creamer/SportsLogos]
5 Comments
Great stuff today, Rick.
It’s fascinating that Mike Brown, the former newbie forced to kowtow to LeBron and his merry band of idiots and whose firing was in part a sacrificial offering to him, returns more confident and empowered. Sometimes sports teams surround a coach with former head coaches to ease the burden or just in case, as with Chudzinski now. Sometimes, like here, the HC feels so secure that he just wants the very best assistants fully capable of doing his job, and feels completely unthreatened. I cannot remember a fired coach/manager returning to the same team more powerful than when he left in any sport.
You took the words right out of my keyboard, Harv. One gets the feeling that Brown told himself, Now we do things my way. No more kid gloves and no more kissy-butt. If I’m going to get fired again, then it’s going to be my fault, not some prima donna’s.
Love the jersey link. Also, love that my favorite Indians combo is doing so well this year (8-5 w/ the cream & red look).
right. And I like what the re-hire says about Gilbert. One of my uncles was a self-made successful businessman, who used to preach that when you make a mistake you have to be brutally honest about it, rectify it and then let it go and move on. Gilbert had to look Mike in the eye and say, I screwed up, you deserved better, come back and it’s your show now. Not so easy for anyone, maybe especially a self-made billionaire, to do.
Thanks Harv.