57.10- Odds and Ends

[chicoruiz]

Just a few random notes from the first months of what looks like another season from hell:

1. What is it about putting on an Atlantic City uniform that makes a pitcher immediately add a run or two (or more) to his ERA? Over the offseason I acquired a number of new arms, all of which were at least league-average pitchers over several years. And so far here are the results:

Steve Anderton- 5.79 ERA
Bruno Bugbie- 5.48
Todd Schroeder- 6.75
Augusto Ayala- 10.80
Eddie Armstrong (actually in his 2nd year with us)- 8.84

Only Anthony Jones and Scott Bugbie have escaped the curse so far. I mean, it's only April 22, so it's a really small individual sample size, but you have to say, there's a trend developing here...

2. As my 2057 season begins to look as grim as the last few, I've tried to retain what's left of my sanity by basically ignoring the team and focusing on the imminent draft, in which I own the very first pick. I've been consulting stats, scouting, astrology, tarot, tea leaves, and the entrails of birds, and I've been able to narrow it down to two pitchers. Or a power-hitting first baseman. Or an ultra-high-average DH. Or one of three middle infielders. Or maybe a center fielder. There's a Far Side cartoon of a percussionist in a symphony orchestra getting ready to clash his cymbals in the climactic moment of a piece, and thinking "Don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up"... but he's mistakenly holding only one cymbal. That's what I feel like...

3. Spencer Clough, one of my catchers, has had a reputation of not being too bright, and he's aware of it. So, as an Englishman, he hit upon the idea of studying the works of Shakespeare in an effort to appear more intelligent. I think it may have gone too far. An opposing pitcher recently threw a high and tight fastball at his head, and after he got back to his feet, he yelled at the pitcher "Villain! I have done thy mother!" (Titus Andronicus, Act 4, Scene 2). And when he disagreed with the umpire on a called third strike he called the ump a "cream-faced loon" (Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 3). The ump was so surprised he didn't even eject him.

I hope this phase passes before he gets to Romeo and Juliet... It could get a bit awkward.

[BaseClogger]

1) Your team .673 defensive efficiency explains some (not all!) of it.

3) that’s cool Shakespeare named a play after the band from New Jersey that made “The Monitor”.