AthlonSports.com - Short Hops

Short Hops: Unmanageable situations

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500

With apologies to Joe Maddon (the right man for the right team at the right time), managers exert far less influence on a club’s fortunes than most fans think. Short Hops explains.

Short Hops: When I'm 64

Wed, 24 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0500

Jamie Moyer still knows how to get the job done on the mound, even though he's so old that the pitcher he beat in his first major league start — Steve Carlton — is about to celebrate his 64th birthday.

Short Hops: Stupid manager tricks

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0500

Always opinionated, Short Hops sounds off on former Brewers manager Ned Yost and Giants manager Bruce Bochy and looks at Jon Rauch's contribution to the flailing Diamondbacks.

Short Hops: What's a platoon Werth?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 08:30:00 -0500

Our nomination for most underutilized player of 2008 is Jayson Werth. The Phillies flychaser is an above-average defender at all three outfield posts, can steal a base and can flat hit.

Short Hops: No-no, a thousand times no

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 09:10:00 -0500

While we can’t blame the Brewers and manager Ned Yost for sticking up for their guy, Yost’s snotty vilification of the Pirates official scorer in CC Sabathia’s near-no-hitter was over the top.

Short Hops: Weighted Average

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 05:45:00 -0500

The most unlikely 13-game hitting streak in baseball belongs to Carlos Zambrano. The “deceptively huge” Cubs hurler is batting .365 this season, including .429 in since May 23.

Short Hops: Bradley not an everyday player

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:20:00 -0500

By at least one criterion — OPS — Milton Bradley (1.020) is the best hitter in the American League. When he plays, that is.

Short Hops: Running before you walk

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:00:00 -0500

Willy Taveras appears to be a lock for the NL lead in stolen bases. The Rockies outfielder has 51 of them despite a skimpy on-base percentage of .302. Over a full season, only eight players have stolen 50 bags with a lower OBP.

Short Hops: Just the Bucs being the Bucs

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 09:30:00 -0500

After another questionable trade, it's clear that folks in the Pirates front office should just take a vacation the week before the trade deadline and return at 12:01 on August 1.

Short Hops: Any given Sunday

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:05:00 -0500

For the Orioles, it truly is a day of rest. The last time they won on a Sunday was April 6, the first Sabbath of the season. Since then, Baltimore has dropped 15 consecutive Sunday matchups, including eight of the last 12 by one run.

Short Hops: Rare Air

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:11:14 -0500

Randy Johnson’s two-run double was the knock that broke open the game in the D’backs’ 10-4 win over the Red Sox on Saturday, but such feats have been uncommon occurrences in The Big Unit's 21-year career.

Short Hops: Peter Gammons is gonna love this

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:45:00 -0500

In this 100th-year anniversary of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” arriving at a music store near you, is “Ted (Bleeping) Williams.” That’s track two on a new CD entitled “Volume One: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails” released by an ad hoc indie rock duo dubbed The Baseball Project. This and more in this week's Short Hops.

Short Hops: The beasts within

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:45:00 -0500

The Rays had the best record ever at the midway point by a team that had the worst record in the Majors the year before despite not having a hitter among the AL’s top 10 in batting, doubles, extra-base hits, hits, OPS, RBIs, total bases or walks; nor a pitcher in the top 10 in ERA or strikeouts.

Short Hops: Questions and answers

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:30:00 -0500

Short Hops answers a few questions in this week's edition, including: Where do all those authenticated balls from key games come from? and Who’s the best pitcher in baseball?

Short Hops: Mets mess is Minaya's

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:45:00 -0500

How does this trade strike you? Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips for Jeff Liefer and Rocky Biddle. Short Hops explains why Mets fans might not be amused.