Okay, it's time for the annual edition of Batter's Box's The Contest, whereby you predict various things about the forthcoming 2009 season -- standings, awards, achievements, etc. Your answers -- well, the correct ones anyway -- earn you points on a carefully-considered, awesomely well-thought-out (translation: randomly-assigned) basis.
The Bauxite who compiles the highest number of points will be awarded the title of Unbelieveably Awesome Basebally Predictor-Head of the Internets and win a standard Batter's Box No-Prize, which in the past has included a cuttlefish, multiple cuttlefish and once, if I recall correctly, an entire school of cuttlefish. Note: your deadline for entering The Contest is Monday, April 13 at 5 p.m. -- but enter early, for each day you wait to post your predictions past Wednesday, April 8, 10 points will be deducted from your score. Unless you have a really excellent excuse that we buy, fictional or otherwise. (See, it really is random!)
Anyway, on with The Contest '09 ... your 38 predictions-to-be-made, worth up to 700 points in total, are as follows ...
Cleverly, I waited until the roster had been set before I started to write this. No point in previewing a bunch of guys who won't be on the roster, right?
Is there an economist in the house?
Posted by
Magpie on Friday, April 03 2009 @ 08:10 PM EDT.
Most Recent Post: 04/05 08:10PM by christaylor [
5 featured comments]
Help me -> help everyone -> help you
http://www.tangotiger.net/survey/
Everyone at Batter's Box is shocked and depressed to learn of the untimely passing of John Brattain.
Season previews have been a popular staple here on Batter's Box for the past several years, and given that it's March 20, some Bauxites are starting to ask, "Hey, where the *&^% are the team-by-team season previews?"
Well, we're doing things a little differently this year, but it all starts on Monday. And we come to you now with an invitation to help. Updated (again) 3/30.
Posted by
Mick Doherty on Friday, March 20 2009 @ 01:15 PM EDT.
Happy St. Patrick's Day, O'Bauxite Nation! Ireland - the home of Guinness Beer where an occasional pint will probably be consumed today. Where U2, Padraig Harrington, and Pierce Brosnan hail from. Where sports like hurling, gaelic football, rugby and soccer dominate the sports landscape. Ireland is not known as a baseball power yet but the sport has been picking up momentum as detailed in the DVD "
The Emerald Diamond".
Time for a little story-telling, debate and meanderings down memory
lane. In another thread this week, there was some mention of Roy
Halladay's dominant nature (oh hell, that's been true every week this
site has existed, hasn't it?) with sidebar mentions of Steve Carlton's
1972 season and others of that ilk. Which got me to thinking -- and
now, gets me to asking, all ye loyal readers and posters in Bauxite Nation -- what's the most dominant pitcher season you recall ever seeing?
For the record, now -- screw the "records," now. Nobody say
anything about statistical dominance or best ERA+ or anything of that
nature. No mentions of Christy Mathewson or Ed Walsh unless there are
truly elderly Bauxites out there who actually saw Addie Joss and Pete Alexander pitch. For me, there are four names that come immediately to mind ...
On the heels of the release of
Vegas' over/unders, I got to thinking: Bauxites are pretty smart, think you can out-predict the oddsmakers?
Update: contest entry closes Monday, so get your picks in!
Update 2: Contest closed! Thanks for all the entries everybody!
The good folks in Vegas have come out with the Win total Over/Unders for 2009.
Posted by
Gwyn on Tuesday, March 10 2009 @ 02:16 PM EDT.
Most Recent Post: 03/17 07:31AM by timpinder [
70 featured comments]
The last stop on our minor league organization tour is with the relievers and there are a lot of them. By my count there are at least 65 relievers in minor league camp plus a few more already assigned to extended spring training. With smaller roster sizes in some minor league stops there are probably 40 jobs available plus I assume about 10 DL spots. That's 50 places for 65+ guys. The other change we see is a very large number of imports, whether by signing or claiming, that could fill the AAA and AA bullpens. Where is the room for home grown guys like Sean Stidfole, Mike MacDonald, Zach Dials, Daryl Harang and Seth Overbey?
Posted by
Gerry on Thursday, February 26 2009 @ 11:39 AM EST.
Most Recent Post: 02/28 09:31AM by Nick Holmes [
16 featured comments]
Now that we have all the position players allocated it is time to look at pitchers and there are a lot of them. Today we will look at starting pitchers and tomorrow we will finish with relievers.
Posted by
Gerry on Tuesday, February 24 2009 @ 08:00 AM EST.
Most Recent Post: 02/25 04:03AM by Alex Obal [
18 featured comments]
Thirty-six guys come to camp fighting for approximately thirty spots throughout the organization. Where will they all go? I hope you don't expect me to know.
Posted by
braden on Monday, February 23 2009 @ 10:16 AM EST.
Most Recent Post: 02/27 08:47PM by cybercavalier [
36 featured comments]
TGIF. Friday is the end of the working week and it must be time for us to look at the cornerstones, the third basemen.
The venerable Sporting News, which has become a better magazine
recently with its move to a more feature-oriented bi-weekly publication
schedule, has in its latest issue its annual MLB preview, including
"Offseason Grades" for each big league club. Just four major league
teams received a "D" -- the Twins, Astros, Padres and Pirates -- for
their offseason work. There were all sorts of Bs, a few C's, some A's
-- even an A+ for the Yankees.
Oh wait,. There was one "F" ... ladies and gentlemen, your Toronto Blue Jays!
Here's the entire Jays preview, brief but pointed ...