Casey Blake

[GatorTribe]

New to the boards, yes I'm a Clevelander who went to school in Gainesville, it is what it is.

I need to know how many runners Casey Blake has left on this year. Again tonight at least 3 more. How come he is playing every day??!!!

[Chris Bando]

Casey Blake makes Scott Norwood seem clutch.

[GatorTribe]

Nobody on right now and he's up, this is when he usually gets a hit.

[consigliere]

I couldn't find a stat compiled anywhere....so luckily we are early in the season where I could go through each game. CBS has the LOB numbers in the box scores for each player in each game. Here is Blake's LOBs per game:

4/2 CHI: 2
4/4 CHI: 9 (NINE!!!!!!!!)
4/5 CHI: 1
4/10 LAA: 3
4/11 LAA: 1
4/12 LAA: 1
4/13 CHI: 3
4/14 CHI: 0 (WOO HOO!....although 0-4)
4/15 CHI: 2
4/17 NY: 0
4/18 NY: 2
4/19 NY: 7 (SEVEN!)
4/20 TAM: 2 so far tonight....

So Blake has 2 RBIs.....and a total of 33 LOBs in 13 games.

[GatorTribe]

He's got three tonight...A Greg Pruitt worth of LOB's

[sandlot33]

I couldn't find a stat compiled anywhere....so luckily we are early in the season where I could go through each game. CBS has the LOB numbers in the box scores for each player in each game. Here is Blake's LOBs per game:

4/2 CHI: 2
4/4 CHI: 9 (NINE!!!!!!!!)
4/5 CHI: 1
4/10 LAA: 3
4/11 LAA: 1
4/12 LAA: 1
4/13 CHI: 3
4/14 CHI: 0 (WOO HOO!....although 0-4)
4/15 CHI: 2
4/17 NY: 0
4/18 NY: 2
4/19 NY: 7 (SEVEN!)
4/20 TAM: 2 so far tonight....

So Blake has 2 RBIs.....and a total of 33 LOBs in 13 games.

didn't he come up with the bases loaded and popped out, so make it 3

[DarNoor]

He left NINE?!? I knew he was bad, but that is just terrible!

[Chris Bando]

2 RBI's with 33 guys left on base? Wow. Just wow.

[consigliere]

According to MLB.com, he actually has two more LOBs. Game 1 they have him with 3, and tonight with 3.....so he has 2 RBIs and a total of 35 LOBs in 13 games. And, remember that one of those RBIs is his customary solo HR shots. So, only ONE base-runner has scored with Blake at the plate. ONE in 35 baserunners. Not even a groundout or a sac fly. Man, that is awful.

[lovsgrady]

He just hasn't gotten hot yet. He has it in im. I think those few games off has messed everyone up. Let me remind you that in the past few series, even Travis Hafner left the bases loaded and got out to end the inning, so it's not just Blake leaving people in scoring position...everyone is guilty.

[GatorTribe]

Know what the difference between hitting .250 and .300 is? It's 25 hits. 25 hits in 500 at bats is 50 points, okay? There's 6 months in a season, that's about 25 weeks. That means if you get just one extra flare a week - just one - a gorp... you get a groundball, you get a groundball with eyes... you get a dying quail, just one more dying quail a week... and you're in Yankee Stadium.
-- Crash Davis

[consigliere]

He just hasn't gotten hot yet. He has it in im. I think those few games off has messed everyone up. Let me remind you that in the past few series, even Travis Hafner left the bases loaded and got out to end the inning, so it's not just Blake leaving people in scoring position...everyone is guilty.

Hafner:

4/2 CHI: 2
4/4 CHI: 2
4/5 CHI: 2
4/10 LAA: 1
4/11 LAA: 0
4/12 LAA: 1
4/13 CHI: 5
4/14 CHI: 1
4/15 CHI: 3
4/17 NY: 2
4/18 NY: 0
4/19 NY: 0
4/20 TAM: 0

19 LOBs....10 RBIs.

Guys are going to leave guys on base, it happens. But, the rate Blake is doing it is sucktastic. It makes Blakes awful 2005 performance with RISP look like A-Rod performance in April 2007.

[pup]

Know what the difference between hitting .250 and .300 is? It's 25 hits. 25 hits in 500 at bats is 50 points, okay? There's 6 months in a season, that's about 25 weeks. That means if you get just one extra flare a week - just one - a gorp... you get a groundball, you get a groundball with eyes... you get a dying quail, just one more dying quail a week... and you're in Yankee Stadium.
-- Crash Davis

I don't care where you went to school, anyone who quotes Crash DAvis is more than all right in my book. Welcome to the Boards.

[furls]

Casey Blake is a very very good.....


















UTILITY PLAYER, why the hell are they starting him again?

[FUDU]

Not to go over the top and be mean about the guy but is there ANYTHING about Casey Blake that screams he should be in the majors, let alone in professional sports?

In the day and age of sports in which players today are ALWAYS bigger, stronger, faster he looks like something straight out of 1982. No physicality to him what so ever. He is not built, not fast, not strong, he doesn't even look mean or intimidating...matter of fact I think he is reincarnated as Charles Nagy the position player by the look on his face. He just has this aura of mediocrity around him.

If he was a card player he would stay on 20 to lose to a 5 card 21.

If he was a fisherman he would catch a bunch of fish but none of them would be keepers.

He's the little train that just might but never will.

Needless to say he bothers the crap out of me.

[comish]

RACK FUDU!

Seriously.....why is this dude still getting major innings

We HAVE to HAVE somebody in the minors

[jfiling]

I totally agree that Blake is a waste of ABs, but I hate seeing any kind of comparison that degrades Chuck Nagy. Nagy was here before and after guys like Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, Jose Mesa, and pretty much everyone else from the great run except Jim Thome, who left the same season as Nagy.

Nagy came to the Indians the same year as Sandy Alomar, and finished his stint the same year that a rookie named Victor Martinez was getting his first taste of Major League ball.

I'm just appealing to nostalgia (if you've read me, you might understand it), but please, a little respect for Nagy.

[jfiling]

Whoa, looking back at the pitching from 2002 is wild (and sorry for derailing the topic).

Rotation of CC, Baez, Drese, Finley, and Colon, with young arms in the bullpen like Westbrook and Cliff Lee. And Jaret Wright's 15.71 ERA.

[diminishingskills]

Know what the difference between hitting .250 and .300 is? It's 25 hits. 25 hits in 500 at bats is 50 points, okay? There's 6 months in a season, that's about 25 weeks. That means if you get just one extra flare a week - just one - a gorp... you get a groundball, you get a groundball with eyes... you get a dying quail, just one more dying quail a week... and you're in Yankee Stadium.

By that standard, Casey Blake is at least a covey away from being adequate with runners on base.

I'd suggest that we familiarize him with another part of the movie:

This is the toughest job a manager has to do...

[consigliere]

I think he is reincarnated as Charles Nagy the position player by the look on his face. He just has this aura of mediocrity around him.

I don't necessarily agree with the rest of the take, but I thought this was funny as hell.

Not ability-wise, but more facial expression and the way he carries hmself-wise....the Blake comp to Nagy is spot on. Beautiful Donny. Just beautiful. Charlie Blake anyone?

Anyway, I still can live with Blake in this lineup hitting 8th or 9th, and playing 5-6 days a week as a SUPER UTILITY player. Which, really, is what he has been doing, although Wedge has yet to sit him. Casey Blake is the best example out there for what the average ballplayer is. He is not good, but he is not awful either. Just right-down-the-middle average.

[pup]

but he is not awful either

Yes he is. Epically awful, if you ask me. Hide the women and children awful.

I like to joke that the Browns should punt on 3d down more.
Now, the Tribe shoud hit with 8, take the auto out, and save me from having to type anything else negative about Blake.

[FUDU]

Whoa, looking back at the pitching from 2002 is wild (and sorry for derailing the topic).

Rotation of CC, Baez, Drese, Finley, and Colon, with young arms in the bullpen like Westbrook and Cliff Lee. And Jaret Wright's 15.71 ERA.

Colon and Lee on the same team?

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Lee acquired through the Colon trade somehow?

2005 Blake hit like .220 .221 for more than half the season right?

This year he is off to a sweltering .188 start?

Let's put it this way Mel Allen never would have called Blake for an appearance on his This Week in Baseball show.

[leadpipe]

I'm not a Blake fan, but if he's hide the women and children awful, then what is Ramon Vasquez?

[pup]

then what is Ramon Vasquez?

Who? I do not recall ever refering to a Major League player by that name.

[Steve Buffum]

I'm not a Blake fan, but if he's hide the women and children awful, then what is Ramon Vasquez?

A fungus, of course. Duh.

[sandlot33]

Whoa, looking back at the pitching from 2002 is wild (and sorry for derailing the topic).

Rotation of CC, Baez, Drese, Finley, and Colon, with young arms in the bullpen like Westbrook and Cliff Lee. And Jaret Wright's 15.71 ERA.

Colon and Lee on the same team?

Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't Lee acquired through the Colon trade somehow?

you are correct we got Phillips, Sizemore and Lee for Colon

[jfiling]

Yeah, I goofed up. I was just looking at the season stats and completely went brain dead re: the Colon trade. I really don't know what I was thinking there.

[consigliere]

Blake with four outstanding plays at 3B today....argueably saved the game several times. No idea of Marte's status, but if he goes down, I can live with Blake at 3B if it means Garko gets in the lineup regularly at 1B.

[leadpipe]

then what is Ramon Vasquez?

Who? I do not recall ever refering to a Major League player by that name.

It so clear to every god damned person on the planet that he wasn't close to being a major league player, save those who run fake competitions in spring training.

[Hoover]

Blake is actually the worst hitter with RISP in all of major league ball.

The stats below show the difference between a players' OPS w/RISP and his OPS with nobody on base, for hitters with more than 500 plate appearances since March 2000:

Worst Hitters w/RISP
------------------------
Casey Blake -178
Richard Hidalgo -146
Doug Glanville -135
Luis Rivas -122
Mike Lieberthal -101
Eric Young -100
Raul Mondesi -98
Alfonso Soriano -93
Andruw Jones -74

But Wedge wants to use him every day. Just another reason why Einstein Wedge must go. Bring on Buck or somebody else who knows the game.

[consigliere]

By request, here is an update with Blake's LOBs:

(Through 4/20: 35 LOB's in 13 games for Blake)

4/21: 0
4/22: 0
4/23: 3
4/24: 1
4/25: 2
4/26: 1
4/27: 3
4/28: 3
4/29: 1
5/1: 1
5/2: 2
5/3: DNP
5/4: 0
5/5: 4
5/6: 3
5/7: 4

28 LOB in the next 15 games. Improvement!

So, in 28 games, he has 63 LOBs and 11 RBIs.

And, season-to-date: 2 for 29 with RISP hitting .069/.176/.103/.279.

[sandlot33]

I wonder how many of those are with runners in scoring position

[consigliere]

Unsure, but I believe roughly 36.

[hermanfontenot]

Charting Casey's struggles with RISP is almost becoming a rite of summer around here.

[Dozen]

Charting Casey's struggles with RISP is almost becoming a rite of summer around here.

Lets not forget about his gold glove

[hermanfontenot]

Charting Casey's struggles with RISP is almost becoming a rite of summer around here.

Lets not forget about his gold glove

+

[Dozen]

[consigliere]

I've compiled a list of LOB's for all the Indians players to date, and will be tracking this on a game by game basis with an Xcel sheet I made all season. By request of some of the STO guys.

Right now, LOB's through 5/7:

Blake: 63
Barfield: 60
Peralta: 50
Hafner: 45
Garko: 43
Martinez: 41
Nixon: 38
Delucci: 35
Sizemore: 32
Michaels: 31
Marte: 17
Shoppach: 17
Rouse: 12
Choo: 4
Francisco: 0
Gutierrez: 0

[pup]

Not that you don't do enough right now, but how about an "opputrunity" column?

[Steve Buffum]

Not that you don't do enough right now, but how about an "opputrunity" column?

What do you mean by that (assuming opportunity)?

I mean, they're ALL opportunities, right?

[pup]

What do you mean by that (assuming opportunity)?

Good assuming skills.

I mean, they're ALL opportunities, right?

Yes.

But looking at that, you can say Michaels and Sizemore are equal at not getting the job done, when in fact Sizemore has had many more oppurtunities so he has done a better job of not stranding runners.

[Steve Buffum]

But looking at that, you can say Michaels and Sizemore are equal at not getting the job done, when in fact Sizemore has had many more oppurtunities so he has done a better job of not stranding runners.

Ah, you want LOB + (hits+walks with runners on base), I guess.

[pup]

I want AB's with runners on base, and how many runners were on base. That would equal the number of oppurtunities one had. It was more of a little joke about Consig doing so much already and me being a pain in the a$$.

As a backup question, because I am too lazy to check, does it count as LOB if you get a hit with a guy on base, but he does not score?

[Steve Buffum]

As a backup question, because I am too lazy to check, does it count as LOB if you get a hit with a guy on base, but he does not score?

I believe that, the way they are done on, say, ESPN's box score, it does not.

[consigliere]

I want AB's with runners on base, and how many runners were on base. That would equal the number of oppurtunities one had. It was more of a little joke about Consig doing so much already and me being a pain in the a$$.

As a backup question, because I am too lazy to check, does it count as LOB if you get a hit with a guy on base, but he does not score?

LOBs only count when you make the last out of an inning whether yourself or by fielder's choice. So, your HBP scenario would not count as any runner's left stranded. LOBs are only considered when there are two outs (or one out and you hit into a DP).

As for opportunities, I considered doing it....but I have no way to figure just how many opporunities the guy had. It only counts when there are two outs, and I can't find a trustworthy stat or cacluation to do this.

[pup]

As for opportunities, I considered doing it....but I have no way to figure just how many opporunities the guy had.

E,x,c,e,l,e,n,t, p,o,i,n,t.

[dmcdougal]

are you sure a LOB is only when you end an inning? I thought it was every out?

[consigliere]

are you sure a LOB is only when you end an inning? I thought it was every out?

Yes, LOB is only calculated when a team/player leaves men "stranded" to end an inning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_on_base

In baseball, a baserunner is said to be left on base (abbreviated LOB) when the half-inning ends, he has not scored, and he has not been put out. This is to include a batter-runner who, say, has hit into a fielder's choice, causing another runner to be put out as the 3rd out. Team LOB totals are commonly reported in a baseball box score. Individual LOB statistics can also be tracked.

[skatingtripods]

are you sure a LOB is only when you end an inning? I thought it was every out?

Yes, LOB is only calculated when a team/player leaves men "stranded" to end an inning.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_on_base

In baseball, a baserunner is said to be left on base (abbreviated LOB) when the half-inning ends, he has not scored, and he has not been put out. This is to include a batter-runner who, say, has hit into a fielder's choice, causing another runner to be put out as the 3rd out. Team LOB totals are commonly reported in a baseball box score. Individual LOB statistics can also be tracked.

Individual LOB is kept in box scores though. Team LOB is at the bottom of the extra things like XBH and whatnot.

[consigliere]

Individual LOB is kept in box scores though.

Yep. And, unfortunately, it is the only place it is kept. No site tracks it that I know of, hence my Excel sheet I made up.