Sean Forman has implemented a new search modification to his Baseball Reference database. 

For those searching on a common player name (or part thereof), you can put the word “the” in front of the search term and the database will bring up the most popular searched player.

From B-R’s blog:

I just added a mod to the search box on the site. With the addition of all of the minor league pages, getting to someone like Alex Rodriguez’s page via a search “A Rod” returns like 50 people. Now, if you type in “the A Rod” it looks through our db and returns the most popular major league player who matches the search “A Rod”. Adding “the ” to the front of any player search will send you to the most popular player matching that search.

I did my own test.  I searched for “ramon martinez” and got back three results including two minor leaguers.  When I searched for “the ramon martinez”, it took me directly to the page of Ramon Martinez who pitched for the LA Dodgers.

This trick works with initials too though your mileage may vary.  “the jason v” did return Jason Varitek as I intended it too.  For that matter, so did “the j v”.

Anyway, this mod might save a few mouse clicks for those of us who search Baseball Reference’s database on a frequent basis. 

Related posts

• Should they walk Pujols with bases loaded? (0)
• Lowest BA during hitting streaks (0)
• Phillips: "OBP overrated" (0)

Posted in: Baseball Blogs and Web Sites | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // 1 Comment »

I’m fan about old baseball stadiums.  Reading about their history, viewing what little photographs we have of them. 

Chris Epting has put together a cool slideshow video of old photographs of historic baseball stadiums in their heyday and then comparing them with current photographs of the locations of where once stood.  Sort of like VH1’s Where are they Now? but more depressing.

Sappy, sentimental, but poignant too for us amateur baseball historians.

Epting is the author of Roadside Baseball: The Locations of America’s Baseball Landmarks which I haven’t read yet but it is on my “to-get” list. 

Related posts

• Wrigley fuss (0)
• Old Tiger Stadium ruled to be demolished (1)
• Breakdown of #1 picks in the First-Year Player Draft (1)

Posted in: Baseball History | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // Add Comment »

As hard as it may seem to believe, Rich Hill’s ERA jumped a full point in his start against the Red Sox last night.  Hill allowed 9 hits 9 runs in 3 plus innings.

Fortunately for Baltimore, the Oriole bats were working overtime.  They achieved the biggest comeback in franchise history saving Hill from being the goat.  Baltimore won by the score of 11-10. 

It was also the biggest comeback by a last-place team over a first-place team.

George Sherrill the young stopper for Baltimore, got his 17th save of the year. 

"One-run saves are tough.  I haven’t been part of a winning team yet, so I guess when we get to 83 wins, that will be more exciting. Until then, this is probably one of the biggest."

One-run saves are indeed tough.  That’s why the good ones get paid the big bucks.

By the way, I’m don’t follow the Red Sox too closely but why is Julio Lugo leading off and Jacoby Ellsbury batting eighth?  Lugo seems to be one of those players that just won’t retire.  And I’m not sure if I mean that in a good way or a bad way. 

Related posts

• Jacoby Ellsbury: Put Me in the Game (0)
• Satirical piece tells the truth of Drew? (0)
• Hill to skip his first start with Orioles (0)

Posted in: Good guys | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // 1 Comment »

Sometimes info is easier digested in graphs, at least for me.  Check out the website Flip Flop Fly Ball and you’ll see what I mean. 

It’s full of neat baseball-related graphs, maps and images that are kinda neat.  For my buddy DonS, they even have a video montage of Ichiro Suzuki. 

Related posts

• Good places to find info on the upcoming MLB First-Year Player Draft (0)
• Quit messin’ wit’ my box scores (0)
• SABR giving away Emerald Guide to Baseball 2009 (0)

Posted in: Baseball Blogs and Web Sites | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // Add Comment »

Here’s a fun boxscore to look over.

Yesterday, High Desert had 8 players with a multi-hit game, four players with four rbis and 5 homeruns for the game… and they lost.

No, it was the Lake Elsinore Storm who defeated High Desert Mavericks 33-18 in a Class A California League matchup.  Storm leadoff hitter Brad Chalk had 9 at-bats in the regulation nine inning game.  Six Storm players had four or more hits.  Matt Clark and Felix Carrasco combined for 11 rbis. 

When the eighth inning started, the score was “only” 22-11.  The Storm managed to put across eleven more and High Desert weren’t about to give up.  However, their seven runs in the last two innings weren’t enough. 

Looking at the scoreboard today… no score yet.

Bats must be tired.

Related posts

• MLB Draft: Lotsa pitching and Indiana does pretty well (0)
• ‘Oil Can’ hopes to pitch up north (1)
• Champaign-Urbana minor league team will have to wait (0)

Posted in: Minor Leagues | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // Add Comment »

Want Magglio Ordonez’ chopped hair clippings?  Me neither.  But somebody does.  Ordonez cut his hair and it’s being sold on Ebay for a good cause. 

If you are itchin’ (poor choice of words, I know) to run your fingers through Mags’ locks, be prepared to pony up because the current bid is $5100. 

Magglio post-haircut

The proceeds will go to Imerman Angels which is a foundation which in their words “connects a person fighting cancer today ("cancer fighter") with someone who has beaten the same type of cancer ("cancer survivor"). The relationship provides a fighter the opportunity to ask personal questions and receive encouragement from someone who is uniquely familiar with the situation.”

The auction winner also gets 18 tickets in his skybox for the September 15th game plus an autographed bat.  Act now!  The listing will only be up for 10 days. 

Related posts

• Old Tiger Stadium ruled to be demolished (1)
• Mark “the Bird” Fidrych Has Flown Home (2)
• 4/10/09: Linscore of the Day (0)

Posted in: Good guys | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // Add Comment »

So Geovany Soto has been found tested positive for marijuana earlier this year at the World Baseball Classic. 

Great.  I drafted a stoner with my first pick in my APBA league last year. 

Of course, the media is handling the way they always do.  They trot out their trite template they use for articles in these situations.  Such articles include the apology from the player (“I fully understand the ramifications of my actions. I have and will accept any and all consequences”.. blah blah), how disappointed the team and league is in the player but they will support him and meaningless accolades in this inappropriate time (Asst GM Randy Bush:  "I think he would never make excuses.  That’s the kind of guy he is…").

Of course in this situation we can’t neglect the over-analyzation by countless journalists and bloggers of Soto.  Jjust maybe this all might have to do with his year long slump, right??.  

ESPN’s Nick Friedell seems to think so.

  In all seriousness, though, this news is embarrassing for everyone involved, most notably Soto. The Cubs’ catcher is hitting just .228 on the year and looks like a shell of the player that was the NL Rookie of the Year last season. He doesn’t look nearly as powerful, or as fit, as he did when he clubbed 23 homers and 86 RBIs in 2008. In short, he’s been a disappointment, and now with this news being public plenty of fans will wonder if all the adulation got to his head.

A little over two years ago we had a similar situation when then White Sox pitcher Freddie Garcia was found to have been found to have tested positive for pot at the WBC.  We all know what happened to Garcia’s effectiveness after that. 

Maybe Friedell has a point.

Related posts

• Sammy Sosa, Steroids, and Anonymity (1)
• Wrigley fuss (0)
• Andre Dawson: Best free agent money could buy? (1)

Posted in: Cubs | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // 1 Comment »

Good news for baseball fans who use Boxee. MLB games will be coming to Boxee, the streaming video service.

From the Boxee blog:

We are excited to announce a partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB.com) to offer MLB.TV Premium to boxee users.

MLB.TV Premium on boxee means you can now watch thousands of baseball games, live and on-demand in HD (where available). on top of that, MLB.TV Premium offers DVR functionality to pause and rewind a live game. MLB.com represents a big step for boxee as we hope this is the first of many different live sports offerings we can bring to you. We hope other sports follow MLB.com’s lead of giving fans a choice of how they enjoy watching their favorite teams….

I’ve never used Boxee but if anyone does, I’d love to hear how well this works once it gets up and running.

Related posts

• Manny, PEDs and the media (1)
• Quit messin’ wit’ my box scores (0)
• MLB signs with IntelSat for International baseball access for ‘09 (0)

Posted in: Technology and Baseball | Other posts by The Baseball Zealot | // Add Comment »

Game one saw LSU overcome five Texas home runs, winning in the 11th inning when Mikie Mahtook singled home D.J. LeMahieu for a 7-6 win.  The Longhorns rebounded to win game 2 behind Taylor Jungmann, who pitched a complete game, allowing only 5 hits, & one run, as Texas won 5-1.  A five run LSU sixth inning busted open a close game as the Tigers cruised to an 11-4 victory, and the NCAA Baseball Championship.

LSU Tigers drafted were outfielder Jared Mitchell in the 1st round by the White Sox, D.J. LeMahieu a secondbaseman was drafted in the 2nd round by the Cubs, the 152nd player taken was righthanded pitcher Harold Coleman by the Royals, the Blue Jays selected outfielder Ryan Schimpf who was the 160th player taken, the Twins chose outfielder Michael Dean, and firstbaseman Sean Ochinko was taken by the Blue Jays.

Texas Longhorns drafted were Brandon Belt a firstbaseman taken by the Giants and lefthanded pitcher Austin Wood was selected by the Tigers.

Related posts

• Seminoles Put a Hurtin on the Buckeyes (1)

Posted in: College Baseball | Other posts by Teddy Ballgame | // 1 Comment »

The bloodlines were strong in this year’s MLB First Year Player Draft, almost 50 players have some blood tie to a former player.  Brett Wallach, a righthanded pitcher, was selected in the 3rd round by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  While the White Sox are hoping lightning will strike twice as they reached into the bargain basement, selecting the son of Harold Baines, HB2, in the 45th round.

Posted in: 2009 First-Year Player Draft | Other posts by Teddy Ballgame | // 1 Comment »