October 2015
Let's see whether this one's got the distance...
Posted by jemanji on 10/31/15
Posted to blog
7 Comments
.
At Prospect Insider, Luke Arkins wrote a model article on the question of 'Did Edgar Fix the Mariners' Offense?' Dr. D enjoyed it, structurally at a bare minimum, because it is:
Concrete and specific, rather than vague or evasive
Open-minded, as opposed to "This is the answer you must accept"
Evidence-based, so we can think for ourselves, rather than "I and the scouts are agreed here"
Aimed at areas of local interest
Anyway, Arkins offers a few thoughts on how each individual Mariner might have been affected by The Edgar. Dr. D will follow on...
.
WHAT THE QUESTION ISN'T
Can a batting... Read More
and a bit of Wobal Glarming shtick into the bargain
Posted by jemanji on 10/31/15
Posted to blog
8 Comments
.
In Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, at long last we find the smartest guy in the universe. He is a soft-spoken, bizarrely humble man. He lives in a small shack, is kind to everyone, and is far less sure of himself than is every person dumber than him. Which is, of course, everybody.
As it turns out, the Earth is in fact in exactly that situation.
Freeman J. Dyson is an “infinitely smart,” kindly old man who has lived in the same house for 50 years, with the same woman. He is a Christian but he votes very liberal, so there’s something in him for everybody.
;- )... Read More
the Final Chapter, as it were
Posted by jemanji on 10/31/15
Posted to blog
10 Comments
In September, we 'all had a ball with the Double-Slit Experiment. Here's the link to the SSI article.
The Exec Sum is this: photons, neutrons, and even atoms are out there existing only in possibility. It is only when (as Dr. D understands it!) the particle is LOOKED AT BY HUMAN BEINGS that the particle DECIDES which possible form it will take. The universe "snaps into place" only when somebody looks at it.
This amazing discovery was pleasing and delightful to most SSI readers, and was an interesting debate for all SSI readers. You might want to meander though the article and the... Read More
Discover the stats about the T-Birds captain
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/31/15
2 Comments
Jerret Smith is a Defenseman for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Smith shoots right and weighs 212 pounds. He stands at 6’2.5. He was born in Surrey, British Columbia on April 21, 1995. Smith has been with the T-Birds since the 2012 to 2013 season, during which he played in 71 games and scored one goal. During the same season, he made 19 assists, giving him 20 points for his first year on the team. He had a total PIM of 33 minutes.
Smith’s overall career stats center around a total of 226 games played with the Thunderbirds. He has made 17 goals and 65 assists for a total of 82 career points. His... Read More
The details on #11
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/31/15
2 Comments
Aaron Kovar was born and raised in Seattle, so it’s no wonder that the team he plays for is the Seattle Sounders, wearing the #11 jersey. The 22-year-old soccer player was born on August 14, 1993. He is a middle fielder. He stands at 5’10 and weighs 155 pounds. Like several other Sounders, he was signed on as a Homegrown Player, “graduating” from the Sounders FC Academy onto the First Team. He was signed on to play with the team on January 8, 2014, the same day as fellow Homegrown Player, Sean Okoli.
Kovar has played a total of nine games during the regular season in his time with the First... Read More
Find out more about First Team newbie #17
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/30/15
2 Comments
Darwin Jones is a forward for the Seattle Sounders. He is player #17. Although his birthplace was Chicago, Illinois, his hometown is Des Moines, Iowa. The 23-year-old player was born on April 4, 1992. He stands at 5’10 and weighs 175 pounds. On January 9, 2015 he was signed on to play with the Sounders as a Homegrown Player.
So far, Jones’ career with the Sounders has included nine games played. Jones has not yet started in any games, nor has he scored any goals, largely due to an injury he sustained that prevented him from playing many more games. He has played a total of 107 minutes on the... Read More
Discuss T-Birds #39
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/30/15
3 Comments
How well do you know Nick Holowko? He wears the #39 for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Holowko is a left wing and shoots left in the rink. He stands at 6’.5 and he weighs 186 pounds. Holowko was born in Burnaby, British Columbia on June 26, 1997. His youth league team was the Burnaby Winter Club.
Some of his career statistics include the 74 games he has played, six goals and six assists he has made, and the 12 points he has accumulated while playing with the T-Birds during regular season. Of these games, Holowko played 63 during the 2014 to 2015 regular season, during which he scored five goals... Read More
Royals marry Moustakas types, laugh all way to bank
Posted by jemanji on 10/30/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
.
... 'anti-sabermetric' being a term that SSI has coined, apparently. It's borrowed from chess, where a move can be accused of being 'anti-positional.' The chessmaster who wrote the Wiki entry on this term did a lousy job, but here's what he came up with:
.
antipositional A move or a plan that is not in accordance with the principles of positional play. Antipositional is used to describe moves that are part of an incorrect plan rather than a mistake made when trying to follow a correct plan. Antipositional moves are often pawn moves; since pawns cannot move backwards to return to... Read More
Greed for success, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 10/30/15
Posted to blog
8 Comments
.
We axed, are the 2014-15 Royals 'anti-sabermetric' or are they not? Dr. D is not going to resolve this with a mathematical proof. That's point A. What he will do, is point yer in an interesting direction. There's point B.
.
AN (ACTUALLY) SABERMETRIC INTERLUDE
Sabes don't generally believe that there is clutch hitting. Nor do they believe that there is hot-or-cold hitting. Nor do they believe that there is streaky hitting. Nor do they believe that there is such a thing as a "hard RBI" vs a soft RBI.
Usually they prove this with an --- > industrywide study < --- . They'll say, "... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/30/15
Posted to blog
.
VE GET TO ZE BOTTOM LINE? VOT NEXT?
Dr. Detecto does not believe that "contact hitting" is good or bad.
But! He does believe in such a thing as "tough hitting." It's partly armed by a lack of greed. Nelson Cruz showed the same lack of greed that Ketel Marte did, but the attitude manifested in a different way. "Greed" isn't as simple as "home run hitter" vs "singles hitter." There are plenty of big guys who let the game come to them.
....
And by the way, let's give a nod to Lloyd McClendon (RIP) who -- as a tough hitter himself -- processed baseball in terms of "excellent pitching vs... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/30/15
Posted to blog
Last weekend featured a few interesting matchups in Spain with leaders Real Madrid traveling to Galicia to take on surprise fourth-place side Celta Vigo. Although the final score of 3-1 in favor of Real might indicate an easy win for the madristas, it was anything but. Keylor Navas showed his World Cup form making six saves to keep Celta at bay and seal the win.
This week Madrid hosts top-flight newcomers Las Palmas at the Bernabeu. Coach Rafa Benitez let it slip that Navas is suffering from fatigue according to Spanish site marca.com and will not start in the match. Providing a possible... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/29/15
Posted to blog
The Seahawks are on the road this Sunday in Big D, though Dallas is playing more like Little D, Seattle should not take them lightly. Lots of focus in on the possibility of Dez Bryant making his return from a broken foot, but the real focus should be on veteran tight end Jason Witten.
The Seahawks defense has been burned throughout this season by tight ends. Week 1 against the Rams of course we saw Lance Kendricks score a later touchdown to complete their comeback, granted Dion Bailey slipped, but it was the first in what has become a disturbing trend. Against Cincinnati they had absolutely... Read More
Meet Sounders #23
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/29/15
2 Comments
Although he has only been with the Seattle Sounders for a few months, Andreas Ivanschitz has an impressive soccer career spanning back to 2000. He was signed on to play with the Sounders on August 4, 2015 as a Discovery Signing. Since he joined the team, he has started in five of the six games he has played. He has played a total of 439 minutes and scored one goal. He has had a single yellow card and no red cards as of yet.
Ivanschitz was born on October 15, 1983. His birthplace is the same place as his hometown, Eisenstadt, Austria. He weighs 180 pounds and stands at six feet tall. A middle... Read More
Get to know more about #34
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/29/15
2 Comments
How many facts do you know about Luke Osterman, Seattle Thunderbirds player #34? You might already know that he plays right wing, and you might know that he shoots right. But did you know that his hometown is Stillwater, Minnesota? Or how about that he weighs 189 pounds? Osterman also stands at 6’.5 tall. He was born on June 20, 1997.
Seattle Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell announced that Osterman was joining the team on August 28, 2014, stating that he was given a WHL Standard Player Agreement along with four other newcomers. He was the 161st draft pick in the 2012 Bantam Draft and... Read More
#12 has been a Sounders Defender since 2009
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/28/15
2 Comments
There aren’t many Seattle Sounders left from the team’s very first season, but Leonardo Gonzalez, also known as “Leo,” has that claim to fame. Born on November 21, 1980, he is a defender for the team. Gonzalez’s number is 12. He weighs 174 pounds and stands at 6’1. Some say that Gonzalez is the face of the team, having been around this long and still playing strong.
During his career, Gonzalez has played in 137 games, starting in 120 of those. He has scored two goals and played a total of 10,638 minutes on the field during the regular season. He has both played and started in 12 post-season... Read More
#28 made the NFL this year
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/28/15
2 Comments
Keegan Kolesar is Seattle Thunderbird #28. He shoots left and pays right wing. Kolesar is 6’1.5 and weighs 220 pounds. He was born on April 8, 1997 in Winnipeg, MB. During the regular season, Kolesar has played 136 games, scoring 30 goals in his career. He has also made 33 assists, giving him a total of 63 points in the league. His PIM is 141.
During his playoff games with the T-birds, Kolesar was in 11 games in which he made no goals but made two assists, giving him a total of two points. He suffered an arm injury during the 2014 to 2015 season, but otherwise had a very strong season.
Before... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/27/15
Posted to blog
Nine games into La Liga’s season in Spain and things are starting to look familiar. After jockeying for the top spot early, Villarreal have seemingly fallen back to Earth though are still within striking distance in fifth place with 17 points, just four behind leaders Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Both Spanish giants are even on points with 21 but it is Madrid that sits atop the table based on goal differential. Los Blancos have failed to capitalize on Messi’s absence so far tying twice in the month the Argentine superstar has been out with a knee injury. Still the Catalan side’s performance... Read More
What's the skinny on #28?
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/27/15
2 Comments
Major League Soccer has no shortage of stars that hail from Sweden. Erik Friberg is definitely such a player. Born on February 10, 1986, he comes from Göteborg, Sweden. He is a huge fan favorite in the Seattle area. The 29-year-old’s full name is John Erik Gunnar Friberg and he is 5’11. He also weighs 154 pounds. His last name is pronounced “free burg.” He plays midfielder for the Seattle Sounders. Friberg has played in 39 games with the Sounders during the regular season. In the postseason, that number is only two. In his league career, he has only scored a total of 12 goals but fans admire... Read More
Discover more about #26
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/27/15
2 Comments
Know much about Nolan Volcan? He wears the #26 jersey for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Volcan is a left-shooting player. He plays left wing for the team. Volcan stands at 5’9. He weighs in at 194 pounds. Volcan is from Edmonton, Alberta and was born on July 4, 1998.
Volcan has a respectable litany of career statistics since joining with the Thunderbirds. He has played in a total of 80 regular games, with 12 goals scored and 14 assists made. This adds up to a total point value of 26 for Volcan, with a PIM of 38. Volcan played the most games during the 2014 to 2015 season, where he played 67 games... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/27/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
.
A week ago, SSI snipped this bit of whimsy on JeDi's new player-development guru. Greg Brumley googled us and was kind enough to post this:
.
I coached against Andy McKay -- and despised him (to this day). We were arch rivals and there was no love lost.
That aside, the man is a brilliant mental game coach.
Reading this post and the comments, it becomes obvious we are in a realm which fans and pundits profoundly do not comprehend.
Mental game is ABSOLUTELY NOT something every college team teaches. The few coaches who succeed do so because they teach it with more intensity than anything... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/26/15
Posted to blog
News out of Seahawks practice is that former second-round pick Paul Richardson is back practicing with the team this week. Optimists say he could be ready in time for this Sunday’s game in Dallas, although Pete was cautious in guaranteeing any return at all.
This could be a huge boost for an offense that hasn’t overwhelmed any teams yet this season and could be coming at the perfect time. Russell Wilson has been taking more shots downfield lately and connecting, as evidenced by the 40+ yard touchdown passes to Ricardo Lockette and Tyler Lockett against Carolina and San Francisco,... Read More
Trying to avenge a roller-coaster first half
Posted by hawksinsider on 10/26/15
The Seahawks have an opportunity to get to 4-4 in week 8 in Dallas. This will be of utmost importance for the team to try and begin anew on 11/1.
The team will have to make the trip down to At&t stadium against yet another beatable team.
Dallas provides perhaps the worst home field advantage in the entire NFL. Despite their large capacity 100,000 plus seat venue, many teams find themselves looking at a crowd that displays much more color than just white and blue.
The Cowboys had a chance to get to 3-3 themselves This Sunday when they faced the Giants in New York, but have found... Read More
Well... almost everything
Posted by hawksinsider on 10/26/15
Wow… as I have said before, what a difference a game makes.
Suddenly the Hawks go from Goat to Hero. The impressive win on Thursday night football, against divisional opponent San Francisco, suddenly has catapulted the team right back into NFC front of the pack.
The legion of boom certainly was back, but the 49ers sure made it look easy at the same time on Thursday.
Capernick was a human Dartboard back there getting plunked by Hawk defenders left and right. Often times I thought Bennett must have been hiked alongside the football as he was eating defenders alive and getting to Cap... Read More
Exit Velocity article? Or Trumbo jettison? You be da judge
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
.
POINT A
Where is a frazzled Doc to get any decent M's reads any more? I mean, outside of re-reading his own classics, of course. Lookout Landing is always quality, if not my taste. Bob Dutton's Twitter account occasionally points to interesting reads. Prospect Insider now and then. Other than that, this town could use a really good salad bar. And by "this town" I mean my bookmarks.
The typical Dr. D morning baseball read consists of Hey Bill, and then the comments threads here, and maybe LL once a week, and then ... Surely you mooks have a little list of places to go? I'm serious... Read More
The heroes lose 60 and the clowns win 60 ...
Posted by jemanji on 10/26/15
Posted to blog
16 Comments
ex·pe·ri·ence
[ˌikˈspirēəns]
NOUN
practical contact with and observation of facts or events:
"he had already learned his lesson by painful experience"
synonyms: involvement in · participation in · contact with · [more]
....
Bill has graciously given us explicit permission to --- > clip his ideas for re-paste at SSI. It's not that we're best buds, by any stretch of the imagination. What's actually up is that Bill hates hates HATES the idea of copyrighting a blinkin' essay and charging people $1 every time they read it in the library.
Let's take all those authors,... Read More
Find out more about #24
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/24/15
2 Comments
The goalkeeper of the Seattle Sounders is none other than Stefan Frei. Frei is 29 years old and was born in Altstaetten, Switzerland. He was born on April 20, 1986 and his name is pronounced “STEF-in FRY.” The Swiss player weighs in at 195 pounds and stands at 6’3. He plays #24 for the team. Frei says that if he had to face off anyone on the field, it would be Edwin van der Saar.
Frei has spent his entire professional career playing in Major League Soccer. Frei first came to the Sounders through a trade with the Toronto FC team, which occurred on December 10, 2013. The trade was for a 2015... Read More
The scoop on #21
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/24/15
3 Comments
T-bird fans, what do you know about Matthew Wedman? Did you know that he plays left wing AND he shoots left? He was born on May 25, 1999 and his hometown is Edmonton, AB. Wedman stands at 6’1 and his weight is 189 pounds.
Prior to his involvement in the Seattle Thunderbirds organization, Wedman played for the SSAC Bulldogs Minor Midget AAA during the 2014 to 2015 season. The team is a part of the AMMHL. During his time with the Bulldogs, Wedman was able to score 28 goals in the 37 games that he played. He also made 54 assists. These stats brought his point value up to 82 for that single... Read More
Well, after a fashion it is
Posted by jemanji on 10/24/15
Posted to blog
14 Comments
.
Life plays you some funny hands sometimes.
No sooner do you paste up a wild shot of Gene's hair, and make that your icon, than ... your own hair starts falling out. Or you sign on with a 'net company to write astronomy articles and --- > get shoved into the Mariners cubicle. Or you spend $0.5 billion to make a baseball stadium with a Hit It Here neon sign in right field, and your lefty basher demands a move to Cincinnati.
......
In 6th grade, Dr. D met a pretty cool kid on the basketball playground and it turned out the kid lived one street over. Played a bunch of baseball and hoops... Read More
Are we not men? We are DEVO
Posted by jemanji on 10/24/15
Posted to blog
5 Comments
.
A Hey Bill this week was especially interesting:
.
Hey Bill, I remember you wrote in an early abstract concerning Royals stadium, "if you don't have speed in the outfield, you will not win here period." Is that still true. I'm trying to gauge the Mets' chances.
Asked by: manhattanhi
Answered: 10/23/2015
The park is a lot different. It used to be an artificial turf park, and a very fast turf. If a ball got loose in the outfield, it was big trouble.
I would say it is still a park where speed in the outfield matters; the Royals' outfield is very fast, and you see the effects of that in... Read More
Dominant win over 49ers reminiscent of 2014 streak
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/24/15
Posted to blog
Over each of the last three years, the Seahawks have had one stretch in which they have won at least seven out of eight games. It has led to 36 wins, three playoff berths, two Super Bowls and a championship.
They should be on the start of another such run after their 20-3 win over the 49ers on Thursday.
In 2012, they finished with seven wins in the final eight games to go 11-5 and make the playoffs as a wild card. In 2013, they started 11-1 on the way to 13-3 and the first Super Bowl title in franchise history.
Last season, they finally broke through and won in San Fran for the first time... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/23/15
Posted to blog
The Seahawks this year are a tale of two teams. One team is able to look elite and compete with other elite teams before spontaneously combusting in the fourth quarter. The other dominates lesser competition and tricks itself into believing they are back at Super Bowl strength.
Last night they were the latter, therefore rather than review that game, let’s worry about what lies ahead and see if Pete & Co. can recover to even make the playoffs.
As it stands right now they have five games against losing teams. Yes they play the Rams again, but that’s at home where the Rams have not been able... Read More
Inspiring words from #91
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/23/15
1 Comments
He’s a midfielder and defender for the Seattle Sounders FC. He wears the #91 jersey and believes that “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.” Oniel Fisher was born in Portmore, Jamaica. The man stands at 5’9 and weighs 155 pounds. His birthday is November 22, 1991.
During the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, Fisher was selected as the 40th player during the Second Round for Seattle Sounders acquisition. As of 2015, Fisher has played 11 games, during which he has scored a total of 9 goals. He has played a total of 844 minutes during the season.
Prior to his membership to the Sounders,... Read More
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/23/15
2 Comments
He plays leftwing, but he can also play center. He wears the #20 uniform on the Seattle Thunderbirds hockey team. He’s Gustav Olhaver, and he comes to the team from Angelholm, Sweden. Olhaver is a tall player, standing at 6’7. He weighs an impressive 220 pounds. His birthday is July 3, 1997.
So far, Olhaver has played seven games during his first season with the Thunderbirds. He has scored one goal and made two assists, giving him three points and six PIM so far. NHL Central Scouting ranks Olhaver as 89th in European players eligible for the 2015 NHL.
Olhaver comes to the T-birds from the... Read More
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/22/15
1 Comments
He’s a defender and middlefielder, and he wears the #3 jersey for the Seattle Sounders. His name is Brad Evans and he’s known as the Sounders’ “Humanitarian of the Year,” a title he achieved through his work in the community in 2015. His career statistics include 195 games played, 170 goals scored and 14,915 minutes played.
Evans stands at 6’1 and weighs 170 pounds. He was born on April 20, 1985. Some of his awards include 2005 Big West Offensive Player of the Year, 2006 All-American, 2006 Big West Offensive Player of the Year, Player of the Week in Week 33 during 2012 and MLS Team of the... Read More
Discover more about player #19
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/22/15
2 Comments
Donovan Neuls is the #19 player for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Neuls shoots left and plays center on the ice. He is 5’10 tall and weighs in at 181 pounds. He was born on October 24, 1997 and hails from Grenfell, SK. Neuls’s career statistics since signing on with the T-Birds include 77 games played and 7 goals. He has 20 assists, giving him a total of 27 points during his membership with the organization. His PIM is 36.
The T-Birds signed Neuls on to play in March of 2014. He received a WHL Standard Player Agreement. Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell confirmed the acquisition,... Read More
Seattle defense needs complete effort vs. Kaepernick
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/22/15
Posted to blog
Once upon a time (and we're talking a mere two years ago), the Seahawks-49ers rivalry was must-see TV for the entire NFL.
Now it's just must-win TV for the Hawks and Niners, who both are 2-4 as they enter their game tonight in San Francisco. The loser can all but kiss the playoffs goodbye -- assuming Arizona (4-2) doesn't take a nosedive the rest of the way.
Pete Carroll's Seahawks are just 1-4 in Carroll's hometown of San Francisco, but that win came last season, when the Hawks won 19-3.
That win came at the beginning of a dominant defensive run for Seattle, which branded consecutive 19-3... Read More
And by "most" he mighta meant "1950s Baseball Men"
Posted by jemanji on 10/21/15
Posted to blog
18 Comments
.
Andy McKay being the new player-development guru. Via Dutton as channeler, quoth he:
.
"It would be hard to find anyone who has read more on the topic of performance psychology than I have," he said. "I’ve been able to take a huge volume of literature and whittle it down into a usable program."
"A lot of learning happens just through experience," he said, "but I’d like to take the idea that we can formalize that process and hold people accountable for their continuous growth and a never-ending improvement process.
"In my opinion, there’s nobody who is doing it well. I think everyone is... Read More
is Kam's absence from offseason now showing up?
Posted by hawksinsider on 10/21/15
Posted to blog
The picture heading this article was most likely not taken this past offseason, as Kam did not find himself wearing shorts much while he tried negotiating a better contract 2 years before expiration.
Many have said he should have got paid and many not. Either way, he sat out while the team fell to 0-2 versus very tough early competition.Teammates, never-the-less, found themselves airing off all offseason.
Even a week prior to This past week's Carolina game when Kam, and the referees, saved the game against the Lions...the topic once again came up. This time in the form of recently payed... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/21/15
Posted to blog
When the 49ers and Seahawks went head up in the NFC championship just two years ago few would have imagined the currently scenario in their Week 7 match up this year. Two 2-4 teams doing battle to stay out of the NFC West cellar.
Both teams still have young talented quarterbacks, although Colin Kaepernick hasn’t seemed to progress like many suggest he should. On the other sideline Russell Wilson hasn’t been without his own problems, failing to move the ball on third down with any consistency this year. Curse of Ciara maybe?
Aside from the juicy headline of two of the game’s young QB’s dueling... Read More
The lowdown on #2 and his many accomplishments
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/21/15
2 Comments
Seattle Sounders player #2 is Clint Dempsey. Dempsey is a forward for the team and weighs in at 170 pounds. He stands 6’1 tall. The 32-year-old is a designated player from Nacogdoches, Texas. Dempsey was born on March 9, 1983 and is often identified by his many tattoos. The Seattle Sounders signed Dempsey on to play as a Designated Player on August 3, 2013 after he’d already established a career full of great stats, wins and awards.
In his regular season play, Dempsey has a record including 125 games played. He has scored 118 goals during his regular games with the Seattle Sounders and New... Read More
#18 has size and strength
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/21/15
2 Comments
Wyatt Bear plays right wing for the Seattle Thunderbirds. Player #18, he is 6’5.5 and weighs 227 pounds. His birthday is May 2, 1999 and his hometown is Hodgson, MB. He grew up in Peguis First Nation and began skating at the age of two.
Bear signed on with the Thunderbirds for the 2014-2015 regular season in August with a WHL Standard Player Agreement and remains with the team. He was the T-Birds’ fifth round selection and 102nd in the 2014 Bantam Draft. He was signed on along with four other players, including Luke Osterman, Reece Harsch, Nick Holowko and Mackenzie Wight. During his career,... Read More
Pretty much how you expected it.
Posted by nicholas_fusaro on 10/20/15
Yesterday, Kazakh punchmonger Gennady Golovkin (now 34-0) handed down a predictable loss by technical knockout to Quebecois wrecking machine David Lemieux (now 36-3). He did it in a very interesting way.
Lemeiux, who entered the ring rocking a haircut that could best be described as a 'severely receding Macklemore,' or perhaps a 'Trevor Moorehawk' had stated in prefight intereviews that he intended to fight such that Golovkin's impressive skill advantage (375 fights, Olympic silver medal, complete technical perfection) would, somehow, cease to matter. Presumably, Lemeiux intended to turn the... Read More
Find out more about #99
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/20/15
2 Comments
Number 99 for the Seattle Sounders, Andy Craven is a forward. He was born on January 21, 1992 and is from St. Simons Island, Georgia. Craven is 5’11 and weighs 167 pounds. As a newbie on the team, Craven has only played three games in the league so far, with no goals scored yet. He has played a total of 67 minutes on the field so far.
Craven was promoted play with the Sounders First Team Squad on June 27, 2015. He was the 48th selection of the third round during the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. Sounders FC General Manager and President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey says that he has played so well with S2... Read More
Find out more about #17
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/20/15
2 Comments
He’s number 17 for the Seattle Thunderbirds. He plays right wing and hails from Calgary, AB. But who is Jamal Watson?
According to Thunderbirds general manager Russ Farwell, he is a man known for his speed. When the T-Birds acquired Watson on May 14, 2015, he expressed his excitement, saying that Watson has the ability to make “game-breaking plays” because of his agility and quickness on the ice.
Watson stands at 5’11.5 and weighs 181 pounds. Born on January 14, 1995, he was traded for Corey Milette, a former T-Birds left wing player. Prior to playing with the Thunderbirds, he played for the... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/19/15
Posted to blog
It’s like déjà vu all over again, a blown fourth quarter lead against an undefeated team. The defense forcing turnovers and playing lights out for the first 45 minutes only to implode before my eyes. I took a look at the schedule earlier, finding it completely plausible that we can still finish 10-6 which would put us on the cusp of the playoffs, but from what I’ve seen this year it seems more unlikely than anything else.
Many are saying that we’re only a few plays away from being 5-1. If Dion Bailey doesn’t slip, if we run some more clock against the Bengals, or if Sherman and Thomas get... Read More
POTD Jin Kwon, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 10/19/15
Posted to blog
5 Comments
.
PRETTY CONVINCING CGI ON THAT ONE, dept.
"Final Boss" being Oh's nickname in Korea. Dr. D has got to say, he prefers that one to "Great Demon God," or certainly to "Ganondorf," probably to "Kaiju," and even to the roided-up Bane Joker. As Pacific Rim monster closers go, this one looks relatively feasible.
The MLBTradeRumors squib on him lists 4 teams rumoured, those being the Yankee$, Pirates, Orioles and, um, Mariners. Sueng-Hwan Oh is a pure free agent this winter, and his reps have thrown a preemptive Bruce Lee stop-hit on any team that fancies a dance with Final Boss:
.
“We first... Read More
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/19/15
Posted to blog
It's official: This fourth-quarter meltdown thing is on the verge of ruining Seattle's season.
It has turned from a one-time deal (the Super Bowl) to an annoying hangover (at St. Louis in the opener) to a troubling trend (at Cincinnati last week) to a season-threatening problem.
After Carolina overcame a nine-point deficit in the final four minutes to win 27-23 on Sunday, the Seahawks now have blown three fourth-quarter leads this season. At 2-4, they have to knock it off now or they will be sitting home for the playoffs.
When a team loses like that, the ones who deserve the most blame are... Read More
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
A defender from Medellin, Columbia, Andres Correa is a 21-year-old defender for the Seattle Sounders. Born on January 29, 1994, Correa is 5’10 and weighs 175 pounds. He is a new player for the Sounders without any stats to report from experience on the team yet. He wears the number 13 jersey. Since he is from Columbia, his membership on the team was pending his P-1 Visa and International Transfer Certificate.
The Sounders signed Correa on February 10, 2015. Prior to his tie with the Sounders, Correa played in 10 games with the Colombian Youth National Teams. He aided his team in achieving... Read More
Number 18 is already known for his victory dance
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
A Midfielder from Minas Gerais, Brazil, Thomas is Sounders number 18. He stands at 5’10 and weighs 160 pounds. Thomas is a young player, born on February 24, 1993 and new to the Sounders as of 2015. Fans now that his name is pronounced “Toe MOS,” and that the player goes by his first name only. His real full name is Thomás Jaguaribe Bedinelli. He started playing professional soccer in 2011 at Flamengo, where he appeared nine times and started in four of those. He continued with Flamengo for two more years, setting a career high of 12 starts and 909 minutes in 2012.
In 2014, Thomas went on... Read More
What's the story on number 19?
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/18/15
1 Comments
Hailing from San Diego, California, Chad Barrett is Seattle Sounders number 19. He plays forward for the team. Barrett weighs 185 pounds and is 5’11. His birthday is April 30, 1985. Barrett’s middle name is Randall.
Barrett attended Southridge High School and gained his soccer experience with the Westside Metros Club Soccer team in Beaverton, Oregon. Prior to playing for the Sounders, Barrett played for his college team at UCLA Bruins for two seasons. During the second year, Barrett made headlines by leading the UCLA team in number of assists during the year.
Barrett did not finish college,... Read More
Discover more about player #42
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/18/15
1 Comments
Seattle Sounders player number 42 is Middlefielder Micheal Azira. Azira is 5’10 and weighs 160 pounds. He is from Kampala, Uganda and was born on August 22, 1987. He signed on to play with the Sounders on March 6, 2014. During his first game for the team, Azira subbed for Kenny Cooper in the 66th minute of the game against Montreal Impact on March 23 of that same year, less than a month after joining the team. In addition to middle field, he also plays a role on the team as a defender.
Prior to his role with the Sounders team, Azira played for several other organizations. During his youth... Read More
He wears jersey number 6.
Posted by SeattleSoccerInsider on 10/18/15
Sounders player Osvaldo Alonso is number 6 on the team. He is a middlefielder who weighs 155 pounds and is 5’11. His hometown, which is also his birth town, is San Cristobal, Cuba. Alonso’s birthday is November 11, 1985. He signed on to play with the Seattle Sounders on January 29, 2009, coming to the team from Charleston Battery. Just a few years later, Alonso became a citizen of the United States on June 16, 2012.
The Sounders started Alonso during 28 out of 29 of his games during his first season, and in 26 of those games, he played the full 90 minutes from start to finish. Although he... Read More
Learn a bit about player #16
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
Seattle Thunderbirds center player Alexander True started his career in Denmark, where he played in three different leagues during the 2013-2014 season. During his 16 games with the Rungsted U17 team, he scored 62 points between 38 goals and 24 assists. Following this record, he received a second division promotion to the Rungsted IK team.
Shooting left, True weighs 196 pounds and is 6’4.5 tall. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark, True’s birthday is July 17, 1997, making him newly eligible for NHL draft picks this year. Thunderbirds manager Russ Farwell introduced True as a Thunderbird last year, on... Read More
Number 13 is a bold player
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
Seattle Thunderbirds Center Matthew Barzal knows how to work a crowd. The 15th draft pick in 2015, he is known for both his skill and confidence, assets that make him one of the most coveted players in the league.
Player Steve Bernier says of Barzal, “He's trying plays that you don't see many young guys try, and he's got the confidence to think he's going to pull them off."
Weighing in at 187 pounds, Barzal is 6’0 and shoots right. Hailing from Coquitlam, British Columbia, he was born on May 26, 1997. Barzal started his career in the 2011-12 season with the Burnaby Winter Club Bantam 1A team... Read More
Learn about player #12
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
Fans of Seattle Thunderbirds player Ryan Gropp know that the left side forward is player number 12. Gropp, who shoots left, was born on September 16, 1996 and is 6’2.5 tall. He weighs in at 189 pounds. Gropp was born in Kamloops, British Columbia and was the sixth draft pick during the 2010-2011 season, which was when the Thunderbirds signed him on as a player.
Throughout the regular season, Gropp has scored 104 points during his 130 games played. He has scored 50 goals and 54 assists, with 68 PIM. During playoff games, he has accumulated 12 points, with two goals, ten assists and 8 PIM... Read More
Details about #11
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/18/15
2 Comments
Playing Center position and shooting from the right, Kaden Elder hails from Saskatoon, Canada. Elder was born on March 16, 1998 and weighs 172 pounds. He is 5’9 and wears the Seattle Thunderbird’s #11 sweater.
Elder is a relative newcomer to the T-Birds. He started his hockey career with the Notre Dame Hounds Bantam AAA Team in the Saskatchewan Midget AA Team in the 2012-2013 season. During his time with the Hounds he had 64 points, with 27 goals and 37 assists.
He just joined the Thunderbirds during the 2013-2014 season, with Thunderbird manager Russ Farwell announcing his acquisition on... Read More
Get to know #8
Posted by SeattleHockeyInsider on 10/17/15
2 Comments
Born on January 3, 1996, Scott Eanser is Seattle Thunderbirds player number 8. Weighing in at 172 pounds, the 5’8 Center player hails from Engelwood, Colorado. Eansor shoots left and has played in 72 games in the 2014-2015 season. He started playing for the Thunderbirds during the 2013-2014 season during a home game against Portland.
Dubbed as “scrappy” by the media, Eanser is known for working hard, during hockey season as well as during the off-season. He’s also now considered a team veteran as he enters his third season with the Thunderbirds. With career highs like 14 goals and 37 points,... Read More
Chancellor & Co. face another good one in Carolina's Olsen
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/17/15
Posted to blog
The Seahawks gave up just 17 passing touchdowns last season — second least in the NFL. But 11 of them were scored by tight ends -- tied for third-most.
It's a problem area the Seahawks tried to focus on during the offseason. K.J. Wright, one of the key defenders against tight ends, said one of his goals was to do better against the big receivers.
But the Seahawks clearly have not improved in that department, as Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert's success in Week 5 proved. And now here comes Carolina's Greg Olsen.
Last year, the Seahawks were burned by San Diego’s Antonio Gates (three TDs),... Read More
Posted by Cat5 on 10/17/15
2 Comments
Game 5 in Target Center, Minneapolis: Minnesota 69, Indiana 52
Key Players (Lynx):
Sylvia Fowles- 20 points, 11 rebounds
Seimone Augustus- 16 points, 3 rebounds
Rebekkah Brunson- 10 points, 14 rebounds, 3 steals
Renee Montgomery- 9 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
Maya Moore- 5 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks
Key Players (Fever):
Tamika Catchings- 18 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers
Briann January- 13 points, 3 assists, 5 turnovers
Shenise Johnson- 10 points, 5 rebounds
Game Story:
As lopsided as Game 4 was in favor of the Fever, Game 5 was just as lopsided the other way... Read More
Dr. D is 'out' of this one before he was ever 'in'
Posted by jemanji on 10/17/15
Posted to blog
4 Comments
.
Here's a Hey Bill from January 2012:
.
bill, i know your statistics are great for evaluating what players have done and figuring out who to get on your team and how much each player is worth, but hove you ever done anything to figure out what order to put guys in in a line up, or what pitchers to use when?
Asked by: bill byrd
Answered: 1/30/2012
Not very much. I don't really believe in it, to tell you the truth.
I haven't seen the evidence that those kind of decisions can make a meaningful contribution to making a team successful. I have had major league managers ask me about... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/16/15
Posted to blog
Another week, another unbeaten team facing the Seahawks. The Week 6 scenario leading up to its matchup versus the Carolina Panthers is much like the narrative leading up to last week’s loss to the Bengals. An undefeated and largely untested team looking to test themselves versus the two-time NFC champs. And much like Andy Dalton, Cam Newton is playing the best football of his career thus far.
This is the fourth consecutive year the Seahawks and Panthers have faced each other in the regular season, and each time they have played in Carolina with Seattle coming away with the victory. Each time... Read More
Posted by Josh on 10/16/15
Anyone else manage to catch a glimpse or get an autograph from #37, Shaun Alexander this afternoon?
If you are still around 5th and Pine as of this posting (3:28PM PST) you may still be able to catch him!
You had me at nose-to-leather, Paul
Posted by jemanji on 10/15/15
10 Comments
.
The Arizona Fall League jams players from 30 ML franchises into an itty-bitty 6-team Volkswagen. Under the circumstances, we'd expect a few sharp elbows jabbed neck-high. And under the M's 'get more athletic' circumstances, we'd be forgiven if we expected the seven draftees to be fresh off American's Ninja Warriors.
Alas, the focus is on PD even more than it is on 5-tool skillsets. Either way, the Mariners' horse in the race -- the Peoria Javelinas -- is 1-2 and facing a "magic number" of, um, 28.
A glance at DiPoto's DeCisions:
.
1. James Paxton. This is NOT the "marginal choice"... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/15/15
Posted to blog
1 Comments
So far in this rapidly aging 2015 season, one trend remains more disturbing than any other, the Seahawks inability to close out games on offense. Sure, other than in their two wins the defense has given up at least 27 points in each loss. Though upon further review that number does not tell the whole story.
Against St. Louis and Cincinnati the Seahawks carried a lead into the fourth quarter, which one might say the defense blew. But one most consider how have failed to produce long drives on a consistent basis in the second half, thus leaving the defense on the field longer. As a result, the... Read More
In Cincy, QB failed to get fifth OT win
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/14/15
Posted to blog
Russell Wilson has 15 game-winning drives since he came into the league in 2012.
But he has none this year -- having come up short in overtime games in St. Louis and Cincinnati. He had been 4-0 in overtime games before those tough losses.
So, what has happened to Wilson's comeback magic?
We know how the 34-31 loss to the Rams game ended: Marshawn Lynch was stopped on fourth-and-1 in OT. No comeback there.
But why couldn't the Seahawks beat the Bengals? After taking a 24-7 lead, Wilson & company had six more chances to score and put the game away -- and failed on every one. How?
Wilson... Read More
The King with 2,142 strikeouts so far, by the way
Posted by jemanji on 10/13/15
Posted to blog
1 Comments
.
Dr. D is here to tell you that "Munenori's Espresso Stand" is a galactic-class Blog Title, much less handle for a commenter. For this article, MES Network got 35 recs (wrecks?) when he claimed that "Felix is Ours And You Don't Want Him." Terrific job by Muni (or, more feasibly, his agent's ghostwriter). Dr. D processes the article for you:
.
EXEC SUM
1 Felix Hernandez' performance got consistently worse as the 2015 season went on
2 Could be that it was the early ankle injury, but Muni is skeptical
3 Felix claimed mechanical fixes. This claim was dubious. Here is the great Jeff Sullivan... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/13/15
Posted to blog
.
If you are visiting the Baseball SSI subdomain only, don't miss the fact that SABRMatt has a baseball article rat cheer.
Matty's article got accidentally filed under the "All" subdomain, so here's a redirect for yer. Also, Dr. D has a Seahawks article in the "All" domain. As he is wont to do about once a week, there being a football dynasty in town at the moment.
Also, there are actual professional football writers working at SSI, as well as other Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Therefore if you like sports better than you like your job: click n read.
Things have settled into a nice... Read More
We know, we know
Posted by jemanji on 10/13/15
Posted to blog
.
How much confidence has jemanji lost in the Seahawks? Right around 0%, plus or minus an xFIP point or two.
You lose two games in OT on the road, against opponents playing great? You score only 13 points against Detroit, despite racking up 350 yards? Your offensive line is supposed to be a tragicomedy but the least yardage you've had all year is 324? You play the Packers and Bengals on the road, not to mention the house of horrors that is St. Louis, and you go 2-3? All of this is, sabermetrically, a little bit like Hisashi Iwakuma starting a year 1-2, 7.14 despite having 31 strikeouts... Read More
Alternatively: Why I Failed to See the Obvious
Posted by SABR Matt on 10/12/15
6 Comments
For those few hearty souls who have attempted to read my disorganized rantings in the baseball shout box regarding my efforts to create a baseball player elo rating system based on match-up to match-up results, in sequence, allow me to summarize my experience to date, in a language so simple that it can be reduced to emojis:
IDEA PHASE:
:0
EXECUTION PHASE:
:D
DEBUG PHASE:
:|
RE-EXECUTION:
>(
SECOND DEBUG:
:) (!)
FINAL RUNS:
*DANCING*
NOTICE IDIOTIC TYPO:
:(
RERUN:
*headdesk*
Yep...the first serious attempt to turn the game of baseball into an elo-rated (and thus strength of schedule and... Read More
My over-the-top reaction to Sunday's loss
Posted by jschario on 10/12/15
Posted to blog
Sunday was tough, while I would have to have written about the game yesterday, it was just too painful. With the anger subsiding but still not gone, here's what I can't understand after the loss to the Bengals.
Why is Michael Bennett so stupid?
I mean the man is very entertaining and witty, yet this season he has just not been thinking. First he threatens to hold out, one year after signing a new contract, and continues his pattern of being drawn offsides. Again Sunday he was drawn offsides and draws a bone-headed personal foul call bringing back Earl Thomas' interception for a good chunk of... Read More
I'm In, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 10/12/15
Posted to blog
5 Comments
.
Probably 75% of us haven't yet read this 2014 ESPN piece on the DiPoto/Servais approach to player development. The article starts with a bang. Spring Training 2013, Servais yells "Take a knee!" at 165 Angels minor leaguers, while 55 coaches stand with thumbs at piping at their pants. (Fifty-five?! Come off it already)
Servais asks for a show of hands, "Anybody in the playoffs last year?" Kinda nobody was. Servais pulls the string: "You're the worst organization in baseball. How does that make you ... FEEEeeeeeel?" :: vince vaughn voice ::
You're a busy man, so we'll read the... Read More
Minor League Guy throwing sliders, Dept.
Posted by jemanji on 10/12/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
.
CARSON SMITH
Dr. D had failed to notice that Smith was one of 4 pitchers, both leagues, to score over 2 WAR from the bullpen. There was Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, some 13K guy for the Indians :- ) and him. As a Twins GM once said after losing to a 19-loss Scott Erickson in arb: "Some guys had better years than I remember them having."
No, more seriously. Smith did wind up looking pretty cappuccino-ed out during his first Go at closer. But there's a real shortage of 11.83-strikeout righties, and an even greater shortage of 11.83-strikeout guys with invisible pitches. Smith goes... Read More
Indiana Fever ties series 2-2 vs. Minnesota Lynx
Posted by Cat5 on 10/11/15
1 Comments
Game 4: Indiana 75, Minnesota 69
Key Players (Lynx):
Maya Moore- 20 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals
Lindsay Whalen- 16 points
Seimone Augustus- 10 points
Sylvia Fowles- 5 points, 5 rebounds
Key Players (Fever):
Shenise Johnson- 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
Marissa Coleman- 14 points
Briann January- 13 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists
Tamika Catchings- 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 6 turnovers
Game Story:
Once again, foul trouble was a big story for the Lynx. Sylvia Fowles picked up two in the span of about a minute and sat for the final 6:30 of the first quarter. For the... Read More
Chancellor one of many failures in epic collapse
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/11/15
Posted to blog
A week ago, Kam Chancellor was being hailed as the savior of Seattle's season -- thanks to one big play that averted another collapse by the Seahawks' defense.
On Sunday, Chancellor was one of the bigger goats in Seattle's major meltdown in Cincinnati -- as the Seattle defense once again fell prey to a good quarterback, a good tight end and a short passing attack.
The Seahawks lost in St. Louis and Green Bay because Nick Foles and Aaron Rodgers picked on Seattle with short and intermediate passes.
Because Chancellor was holding out for those games, many people claimed: "If Kam were here,... Read More
Maya hits game-winner, Lynx lead series 2-1
Posted by Cat5 on 10/10/15
Game 3: Minnesota 80, Indiana 77
Key Players (Lynx):
Maya Moore- 24 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 22 minutes!
Seimone Augustus- 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Sylvia Fowles- 11 points, 11 rebounds
Anna Cruz- 10 points, 5 assists, 2 steals
Key Players (Fever):
Shenise Johnson- 17 points, 4 assists
Briann January- 15 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 turnovers
Tamika Catchings- 10 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
Erlana Larkins- 8 points, 9 rebounds
Game Story:
Catchings was once again benched early on with two fouls in the first 8 minutes. Moore sat about a minute later with... Read More
Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever
Posted by Cat5 on 10/10/15
Game 2: Minnesota 77, Indiana 71
Key Players (Lynx):
Sylvia Fowles- 21 points, 9 rebounds
Maya Moore- 19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers
Seimone Augustus- 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals
Anna Cruz- 6 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Key Players (Fever):
Briann January- 17 points, 5 assists, 5 turnovers
Tamika Catchings- 11 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 6 turnovers
Shenise Johnson- 10 points, 5 rebounds
Erlana Larkins- 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals
This game started out with significantly better-executed offense on both sides. Sylvia Fowles had a... Read More
Mebbe Aaron figured a few things out, but Andy Dalton?!
Posted by jemanji on 10/10/15
Posted to blog
.
Yes, the Seahawks could lose, too. According to Vegas, they will lose, unless the Bengals spot them from -1 to -3 points.
.
1. The Legion of Boom. There was a stat going for awhile ... somebody look it up fer poor addled Dr. D. ... where Russell Wilson was running 6-0 or 7-0 against the Bradies, Breesies, Rodgerses and Manningses of the NFL. Granted, the Seahawks have had two reversals recently. But in one of the reversals, every single member of the LOB was playing with ambulance-worthy injuries, and in the other, they had some excuse we forget.
The LOB has been progressing steadily... Read More
As Mission Statements Go, It's Been Working Across the Street
Posted by jemanji on 10/10/15
Posted to blog
9 Comments
.
It seems kinda quaint, doesn't it? The idea that a hard-grizzled MLB field manager could even hope to "inspire" his jaded millionaires with "positive energy." A couple of DiPoto quotes from the St. Louis Dispatch:
.
"Everything we do is as a group," Dipoto said. "This isn't an indictment of Lloyd. This is a representation of what we would like to build going forward. That is what we'll do."
"This was an opportunity to come into an organization and create a vision and I feel like this is the best way to do that," Dipoto said.
"Leadership will be an important element to me and energy will... Read More
These aren't the Seahawks we'll see in November and December
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/10/15
Posted to blog
A year ago, the Seahawks started 3-3 and everyone wondered why they were suddenly such a middling squad. Then they rediscovered their old mojo and rattled off nine wins in the final 10 games to win the NFC's top seed again.
Now, here they are at the quarter pole of the 2015 season, sitting at .500 again. And, while it will only get tougher in the second quarter and a 4-4 record is very possible, if not likely, the Seahawks we see now are not the Seahawks we'll see in November and December.
As Pete Carroll recently said, "I know you like to see everyone go perfectly as they roll through this... Read More
2013, at least?
Posted by jemanji on 10/10/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
.
Shaking his head clear of the cobwebs, Dr. D looks around the 'net and ... notices that the Seattle Mariners have a new manager. Surfing about for any conventional wisdom that might be available on the matter, the first three waves carry him to a few streams of thought as to why JeDi would do such a thing:
(1) "McClendon was doomed from the start because he just met DiPoto in late September." Hey, clubhouse relationships matter. Loyalty is a Core Virtue. There aren't too many tell-it-like-it-is Geoff Bakers that hang around the same clubhouse for 10 straight years. Suffice it to say... Read More
Smurf City, Here We Come?
Posted by jemanji on 10/08/15
Posted to blog
11 Comments
.
The Think Tank plumps for Robinson Cano at 1B, with subvariation N-C5 slotting Marte to CF, Brad Miller and Chris Taylor to DP. This would also be an all-kids-all-the-time cutback, sparing us $9M Trumbo bucks that (we hope!) would be deployed elsewhere.
Dr. D is a position scarcity guy; he always drafts 2Bs and SSs in the first round. This is how you set up a core of Stars, which --- > allows you to stay light on your feet, grubbing values at corner Scrub slots. But let's take a look-see:
.
2016 Mariner
Off (wRC)
Def
TOTAL
Cano, 1B
90
+10
+100 runs
Crazy Legs, 2B
65-70 (proj in 600... Read More
In a world where the core Mariners have eons to live
Posted by jemanji on 10/08/15
Posted to blog
5 Comments
Stupid Human Tricks Dept.
What was that Facebook satire? The one where they tested their programmers with about 12 shots of Stoli and sat them down at an unsolvable coding fix? “Yeah,” said the CEO when his friend objected, “Much better test to see if they can carry about a chicken for 10 days."
No, Dr. D doesn’t do 12 shots of Stoli, but believe you him, he could do a smoother bit of shtick under those circumstances than under the Rx recipe that the UW rocket scientists have cooked up.
The screen looks like one those optical illusion meters they used in the Adam West Batmans (Batmen). ... Read More
Hey, whass baseball wifout a little fun
Posted by jemanji on 10/08/15
Posted to blog
.
NELSON CRUZ
Said all that to say this, Dept --- > Boomstick is currently thumping along to the tune of 39.8 homers per season. True, this is a recent development. Two years ago, you wouldn't have signed off on 39.8. But then again, the facts is the facts, and this is a hitter who is visibily gaining steam as he puffs along.
Time left? age until 42, cut in half ... he'll be 35, so ... read it and weep, Arte and Sosh. The midrange historical projection is for Boomstick to mash 139.8 homers before an Angels sign-stealer snipes him from the top deck. Bear in mind, this could be 37... Read More
Posted by jschario on 10/06/15
Posted to blog
Our O-line, is terrible.
Nothing new stated there, but they are consistently letting sub-par pass rushers look like pro bowlers each and every week. I’m not sure how they’re going to improve enough for Cincinnati next week, but I hope Pete Carroll and Tom Cable do.
What hasn’t been talked about as much is the loss of Zach Miller. When the Seahawks acquired Jimmy Graham, everyone knew Graham’s blocking struggles, and many are quick to ask if we should have kept Max Unger. What many forget to ask is if we should have resigned Zach Miller.
Ever since Miller arrived in Seattle he has been used in... Read More
For The Hawks, For The Lions, Lightning Strikes
Posted by DaddyO on 10/06/15
Same stadium. Same end zone, same side of the end zone. Same Monday night.
Another play at the end of the game, another desperation play, last time on offense, this time on defense. Another blown call by the officials. Another miracle Seahawks win.
Honestly, I don’t know how these guys do it. Their offensive line is broken through as easily as tissue paper, resulting in no running game and Russell Wilson being pummeled by free rushers. Because of injury they are down to an unheralded rookie running back. Their offensive coordinator has the imagination of a rock. Three turnovers to zero (... Read More
Kam didn't save the season; the refs didn't give the game to Seattle
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/06/15
Posted to blog
1 Comments
There are two competing storylines from Seattle's ugly 13-10 win over Detroit on Monday night: (1) Kam Chancellor saved Seattle's season and (2) the refs gave the Seahawks the game at the end.
The first is preposterous hyperbole, and the second is not true.
To recap: Chancellor knocked the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hand at the goal line in the final two minutes, helping the Seahawks improve to 2-2. Those who hailed Chancellor as the Seahawks' messiah when he returned last week began hollering hallelujahs even louder after the desperate, fortuitous play.
But it's all a lot of emotional... Read More
With Lynch and Mebane (and maybe Irvin) out, you're going to get it
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/04/15
Posted to blog
The Seahawks are about to get a peek at how their 2016 team could look -- especially if Bruce Irvin joins Marshawn Lynch and Brandon Mebane on the sideline.
When the Seahawks host the Detroit Lions on "Monday Night Football," Lynch (hamstring) will miss a game for only the second time in five years (he had played 61 straight games), and Mebane (groin) will sit out for the 11th time in the past 14 games (including playoffs).
Meanwhile, Irvin (ankle) has joined Kevin Pierre-Louis (knee) on the injury report, both listed as questionable.
Without Lynch, the Seahawks will start Thomas Rawls again... Read More
Minnesota Lynx vs. Indiana Fever
Posted by Cat5 on 10/04/15
What To Expect:
This series is a best of 5 featuring the Minnesota Lynx against the Indiana Fever. Because Minnesota had a significantly better record during the regular season, they will have home court advantage for three of those 5 games (if the series gets to 5 games- the last 3 championships have been sweeps). At home during the playoffs, the Lynx are 19-2.
Most people, myself included, never thought that Indiana would make it to the Finals this year. In both of their playoff series this year, they started out with a loss and came back to win the next two, first against Elena Delle... Read More
Maybe the 'bage isn't always greener in the other bin
Posted by jemanji on 10/04/15
Posted to blog
13 Comments
.
Keith-O gave us a rundown of young, ML-ready center fielders that we fans might keep our longing eyes on. He said Dalton Pompey was the pick of his litter:
.
Pompey: There is a lot to like here (as Matt has pointed out): He's only 22, already has OPS'ed 85 in 150-ish MLB PA's, had 3 assists in 24 Toronto OF starts this year, his dWAR was 0.7 in just 33 games, steals bases and is a .308-.380 guy in AA/AAA.
This is a guy to try to get. He's a switch hitter without much split difference who has a bit of tater pop.
Baseball-America had him as the #30 prospect pre '15. Nothing he did... Read More
Here's to hoping Thomas Rawls is Beast Mode's successor
Posted by jschario on 10/03/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
Maybe calling Thomas Rawls a revelation is jumping the gun, but he sure looked good on Sunday. For years now the Seahawks have been looking to groom an eventual replacement for Marshawn Lynch but have failed, as proven by letting Robert Turbin and Christine Michael go. But judging by the early returns with Rawls, they may have hit undrafted gold yet again.
In the preseason Rawls was one of the NFL’s leaders in yards from scrimmage, but was dismissed as many said, “yeah but that’s preseason.” Though when given a chance against the Bears, he showed he at least has the potential to do it when... Read More
All the best ones are taken, but........
Posted by moethedog on 10/03/15
3 Comments
OK, we just may need a pretty CF prom date for '16. All the hottest chicks (like that Trout babe) are taken. But there may be some good ones still out there, ones without a date for the Big Dance in '16
I threw out an International League list of Ben Gamel in Scranton, Dalton Pompey in Buffalo, Darin Mastroianni in Syracuse, Jackie Bradley (who has a +dWAR CF MLB glove), Julio Borbon in Norfolk (he was a +1.4 CF glove in Texas in '10), Trayce Thompson in Charlotte (But he's had a great initiation for the White Sox and may be off-limits), Abe Almonte (Really!) in Columbus, Daniel Fields in... Read More
As he prepares to face Seattle, the receiver is still creating controversy
Posted by ChrisCluff on 10/03/15
Posted to blog
Golden Tate is nothing if not controversial. So it's appropriate, as he returns to Seattle with the Detroit Lions on Monday, that he is once again stirring the pot. (And we're not talking about Top Pot.)
So far this season, he has accused the Minnesota Vikings of taking cheap shots on Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford and accused his own offense of being too predictable. It's just the latest in a litany of controversies -- both on the field and off -- during his career.
He has tried to smooth over the comments about the 0-3 Lions' offense, saying he was not throwing any "subtle punches at... Read More
Hey Jerry, we got your nautical M's theme for '16
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/15
Posted to blog
3 Comments
.
Q. Wow, Tony Zych. Is it possible that he got the start in the Johnny Bullpen game for any real purpose?
A. Here's hoping. Zych's power RH fastball-slider game is in the same template as --- > JeDi's pride-and-joy SP, Garrett Richards. Forget the same template. Zych is one of the most-comparable pitchers in the majors to Richards, as far as weaponry goes.
We're guessing, off-handedly, that this similarity might occur to Jerry DiPoto.
.
Q. How open is Dr. D, much less Jerry DiPoto, to two-pitch starters?
A. . ...
It's true, as a very general principle, that Fastball-Slider is... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/15
Posted to blog
2 Comments
.
We start our George Michael Sports Machine with a look at the recent SSI thread on DiPoto and K:BB rate. Diderot and GLS raised this interesting question:
.
OK, minor leaguers and the strike zone paradigm--I'm in...
but is it possible to also teach this to people already 'established' in the majors? Or in Zunino's case, previously present in the majors? (Did 'er wrote)
Good question
We know so little about player development, both in the minors and the majors. How long does it take for a young player's skills to "set"? If a player makes it to AA and AAA with a certain set of... Read More
Posted by jemanji on 10/02/15
Posted to blog
11 Comments
.
BRAD MILLER's CRAZY LEGS
Hip-banging in the mosh pit off, um, Myself ... to the dance tune of K:BB ratio vs Reflex Decline.
The Logo has been, at ages 23-25, a league-average hitter (100 OPS+ exactly!). This despite being mildly unlucky on balls landing on grass and on fly balls going over the fence. The magic age for Post-Hype Syndrome is next year for him. John Benson's fantasy maxim for major, league-winning breakouts: Age 26 With Experience.
You may narrow your eyes suspiciously at this maxim. However, Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley, and Michael Saunders do not single-handedly*... Read More