Erstad goes to ChiSox

Erstad has signed with the Chicago White Sox. It won't look right having Darin in another team's jersey. Many players have worn an Angels uniform but Darin Erstad is the player who looks right in an Angels uni. Erstad stands apart because he simply played. All. Out.

Nothing can say it better than this quote from Halo's Heaven by Angel Lifer Brent Carter:

With Erstad you either get it or you don't, and if you don't it's just too bad for you.

Amen.

Angel Fan Fest 2007

The fan fest is one Arte's better ideas at marketing the team and generating fan interest. My kids and I were disappointed (okay, I was disappointed) that there was no fan fest last year. But it is back this year and I'm looking forward to going.

McGwire Gets Slighted?

Mark McGwire didn't get voted into the Hall of Fame. He finished with just 128 votes or 23.5%. No doubt the number one reason he didn't get in was his steroid use. In fact I'm sure it was the reason he didn't get in. A quick look at his stats shows (and comparing him to the two new inductees) he was one of the best.

AVG/OBP/SLG OPS OPS+ RC/27
McGwire .263/.394/.588 .982 163 8.16
Ripken .276/.340/.447 .787 112 5.38
Gwynn .338/.388/.459 .847 132 6.77

McGwire was far and away the best hitter of the three. Yeah, I know that Ripken was a shortstop and should be given some slack. But giving Ripken some slack brings him up to Gwynn but gets him nowhere close to McGwire. Gwynn was a rightfielder, a position where he won 5 gold glove awards but it is still a position that is mostly rated by the players' offense (unlike centerfielder). He still finishes short of McGwire.

So clearly it was his steroid use that caused his low vote count. Which I think needs to be pointed out was not illegal when he was playing. So the question now comes up are the baseball writers punishing McGwire for just one year and will let him in next year or is this something that is permanent.

Something toThink About

From the Sports Economist comes this rebuttal to Matthew Zemek.

First Matthew Zemek,

This trend of rapid upward escalation in coaching salaries — while evidently necessary to land or keep big-name coaches, as this Alabama deal proves — is simply not a healthy development in American society. While loads of problems exist in the world of primary education, this country's secondary institutions are throwing around ungodly sums of cash so that King Football will succeed on Saturdays.

Then the reply,

Saban's high salary is *not* a sign of an unhealthy society. .....the diamond-water paradox applies. According to the paradox, water is necessary for life but diamonds are not, yet the price of diamonds is much higher than water. Understanding the solution to the paradox comes from understanding two things: 1. the value of any good is determined by the satisfaction consumers obtain from it at the margin; 2. the price of anything is determined by its relative scarcity. It's quite possible for there to be quite a gulf between the two (the so-called consumer surplus).

Diamonds are more pricey than water because they are relatively scarce while water is relatively abundant. The price that people pay for diamonds is much closer to the marginal satisfaction they obtain from them while the difference between the marginal satisfaction obtained from water and the price of water is much greater. The fact that water is necessary for life and we can get it for a cheap price is a cause for celebration, not general alarm.

BCS Prediction: Ohio St. over Florida

Ohio State will win but I'm rooting for Florida. The Buckeyes are strong on the lines and have just as much speed as Florida.

Final Score: Ohio St. 26, Florida 17

Wild Card Predictions - Updated

UPDATE: Well, I went 2-2, that's not too bad considering Romo botched hold could of brought me to 3-1. But on the bad side my four year-old daughter went 4-0 and my seven year-old went 3-1.

Chiefs 21,Colts 16
I'm calling an upset here. I think the Chiefs are going to be able to run over the Colts very bad run defense (NFL rank: dead last). Thus keeping the ball out of Manning's hands.
Okay, I blew this one. I sure didn't think the Colts defense was going show up.

Cowboys 24, Seahawks 17
The Cowboys are just slightly better than the Seahawks and even though Seattle has home field advantage I think the Parcells-coached Cowboys will come out on top.
Wow, thanks Tony.

Patriots 30, Jets 14
The Patriots are just plain better on both sides of the ball.
About what I thought.

Eagles 27, Giants 23
This should be an entertaining game. This is two division rivals going at it in a high stakes game. But the Eagles are on a roll and should be able to win at home.
I was right on about this being entertaining.

The Rose Bowl and I'm Kicking Myself

Watching USC dismantle Michigan in the second half I realized that it was probably for the best that the Wolverines didn't get to the championship game. Lloyd Carr doesn't seem like the kind of coach who will make the adjustments necessary to win the big game. Especially if he is given enough time.And now I'm kicking myself. I didn't see the second half of the Fiesta Bowl. I didn't see Oklahoma come back from an 18 point deficit. I didn't see Boise St. score on a hook and ladder with just seconds to go. I didn't see Adrian Peterson score on a 25 yard run on the first play of overtime. I didn't see Boise St. score on fourth down in OT and then I definitely didn't see Boise St. go for two and get it with a Statue of Liberty play.

Nope, I didn't see any of it. And now my butt really hurts.