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Happened to see this on WAR in Joe Posnanski's profile of Bill James last week. Here is Bill James on Wins Above Replacement, perhaps the hottest advanced statistic in the game right now: “Well, my math skills are limited and my data-processing skills are essentially nonexistent. The younger guys are way, way beyond me in those areas. I’m fine with that, and I don’t struggle against it, and I hope that I don’t deny them credit for what they can do that I can’t. “But because that is true, I ASSUMED that these were complex, nuanced, sophisticated systems. I never really looked; I just assumed that the details were out of my depth. But sometime in the last year I was doing some research that relied on these WAR systems, so I took a look at them, and … they’re not very impressive. They’re not well thought through; they haven’t made a convincing effort to address many of the inherent difficulties that the undertaking presents. They tend to get so far into the data, throw up their arms and make a wild guess. I don’t know if I’m going to get the time to do better of it, or if it will be left to others, but … we’re not at anything like an end point here. I assumed that these systems were a lot better than they actually are.” Colon might be a decent example of the shortfall James senses.

Think the Wilpons are solid owners? ***k you, read this. Rob Silverman, MMO, well executed: http://metsmerizedonline.com/2014/11/management-needs-to-realize-loyalty-goes-both-ways.html/

Kevin Youkillis says goodbye.

I will never not think of Dirk Hayhurst's recollection when I think of Rick Renteria. I doubt that Cubs manager Rick Renteria remembers the day that, back during his minor league managing tenure, he told my High-A team that our opponents, the San Jose Giants, bent us over and stuck it up our collectives asses. I remember. As a matter of fact, it's hard to forget when a man as relentlessly positive as Renty loses his cool and, in lieu of the normal postgame chitchat, pounds his fist violently into his open palm screaming, "Boom, boom, boom! No grease!" That's right, No grease, because if the image of getting sodomized by the other team wasn't stark enough to paint a picture of how you badly you've failed, knowing they didn't even respect you enough to use lube should drive the point the rest of the way. No pun intended. Ironically, none of us thought too hard about Renty's words at the time. We didn't dwell on the symbolism or substance. The point of the lecture wasn't the words themselves, it was that we played bad, beat ourselves and that the other team had no reason to respect us because we didn't respect us. We all sat at our lockers, heads down, tails between our legs, whimpering at Renty's words, not because we necessarily agreed with the analogies used to describe us, but because our master was angry and he only gets angry when we do wrong. Days later, when the team righted its bad play, we thought about the words more. The meaning, the implication, even the humor -- Did he really scream no grease? I mean, who on God's green earth uses grease for what he was implying? Goose grease? Axle grease? That's hardcore, bro. How could a man yell something that silly? Stranger still, how could something that silly be so impactful? I mean, we were playing better because of it.

The Brewers have claimed the first catcher to stop Billy Hamilton (the first pitcher to throw him out? Jacob deGrom, from ROY consideration, one hopes). They never could agree on how to pronounce Centeno. Perhaps he will find clarity among the Ueckers.

Fourth/Fifth Outfielder claimed by Oakland. On track to become yet another of those "the A's have done it again!" stories by May 15. Had a great Opening Day in 2014, homering and all. Was part of the fleeting midseason revival of 2013, when Brown, Satin and Young lifted the Mets from pathetic to respectable for a month or so.

Very strange guy...and not in a good or fun or eccentric way. Proceed with caution. But go Gil!

Madison 6.0 Bumgarner 4.0

MFS62 wrote: According to ESPN radio, the last team to win game 7 of a World Series on the road was the '79 Pirates. BTW- who are the two guys in the booth on radio? They are very good. I'm guessing the color guy is an ex player - excellent insight. The PBP guy makes me think this isn't his first rodeo, either. I've been waiting, coming back from break, for them to say "This is ______ and _______" but if they've said it, I've missed it. Dan Shulman and Aaron Boone are doing the radio. Shulman's a little slow calling developing plays but they're a pleasant listen.

I'm fond of how Matthew Callan wrapped up his 15th-anniversary retrospective on the 1999 Mets. http://www.amazinavenue.com/2014/10/24/7026663/1999-nlcs-mets-braves-they-should-feel-like-champions

How terrible.

Juan a finalist, alongside Denard Span and Billy Hamilton, for NL CF GG. Three nominees. Only one choice. gSq8ZBdSxNU GPjhHcLpfr4 PSbj2Mx2By8

Eight best-of-seven series since the 2004 ALCS have seen one team go up 3-0. All have wound up sweeps.

[fimg=200:1bafbric]http://gb.fotolibra.com/images/previews/537928-old-usa-beer-label-anchor-steam-brewery.jpeg[/fimg:1bafbric] Bumgarner 4.5 Pence 3.5 Sandoval 2.0

Also, TSN picked Marichal over Seaver as its RHP in 1969 (as every other pack I opened in 1970 informed me). Such anti-Seaver bias!

Kooz won Rookie Pitcher of the Year, Bench ROY, which was how TSN delineated for decades. The year before, they picked Dick Hughes over Seaver. So they need to pick deGrom 10-20X to make up for that nonsense.

Mets � Willets Point wrote: Lefty Specialist wrote: Wonder how many KC fans said after the All-star game, "Great! Now we get home field advantage for the World Series!" Jeter's last gift to baseball. Waino's revenge.

Frayed Knot wrote: [fimg=425]http://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/royalgiants.jpg[/fimg] Musically speaking: they'll never be Royals, but they might be giants. And ain't nobody meetin' nobody in St. Louie.

Like Aaron Fultz a year later, I wouldn't swear I could've identified Kevin McGlinchy as an opposing pitcher in the Mets postseason until the moment of truth. Cox didn't need to delve that deep into his pen between Games 1 and 4.

Lyle Spencer used to cover baseball for the Pest. Every column was a ludicrous trade proposal designed to benefit his childhood team, the Dodgers. He eventually returned to the West Coast, where he truly belonged. How many times did he try to convince us the Mets had to pull the trigger on a Strawberry-for-Mike Marshall straight-up deal? I always expected this, c. 1987: Dwight Gooden to the Dodgers for Alex Trevino. Gooden loves the high mound at Dodger Stadium. He would benefit from the change of scenery. Trevino no stranger to the pressures of New York. Great defensive catcher, capable of giving Carter a blow. Met staff plenty deep enough to withstand loss of Doc. That's the thing. Spencer would have made the swapping of an ace pitcher for a backup catcher sound totally reasonable. One of the reasons I fell in love with Howie Rose, so to speak, is he referred to Spencer's columnizing as "California dreaming".

Great mystery surrounded the destiny of the last ball hit into a crowd to win the Giants a pennant. http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Ball-Heard-Round-World/dp/0307452697 Less so this time. http://wapc.mlb.com/cutfour/2014/10/17/98811122

Mets � Willets Point wrote: The headline writer for MLB.com seems to be one of those people who works too hard to come up with clever nicknames. At least I'm hoping no one else uses "MadBum" and "Waino." Those are genuine, industry-approved nicknames. They're dismal, but not recently fabricated. Lyle Spencer used to cover baseball for the Pest. Every column was a ludicrous trade proposal designed to benefit his childhood team, the Dodgers. He eventually returned to the West Coast, where he truly belonged.

Lena D.'s Ob Gyn?

Good quiz! Realized, as the likes of Darling and Koosman were nixed, that once the other elite guys were accounted for there was more merit in shorter stints that packed a punch.

Carlton W.