Okay, so this is an Instagram image. But it’s a good one. It is of Opening Day in San Francisco this season. And, by the way, only about a month and a half until pitchers and catchers report, about two months until the WBC and about three months until we see stuff like this again:
Photo by Shaketini, used under a Creative Commons license.
Happy New Year!
It’s time for another round of WBC projections for Team USA! Like last time, players who have been absolutely super-confirmed to be playing are in italics. I note the changes from last time where applicable.
A refresher on my selection rules/assumptions:
Go after the jump for the projections:
The 2012 World Series MVP, Pablo Sandoval.
Photo by Geekstinkbreath, used under a Creative Commons license.
The news tonight on people dropping in or out of the World Baseball Classic:
As always, go below the jump for the full list:
Despite claims to the contrary, the Baltimore Orioles continued to win. And win. And win. Making the playoffs for the first time since 1997, defeating the favored Texas Rangers in the Wild Card Game and then going the distance against the New York Yankees before finally falling in the fifth game.
The Orioles had a habit for the dramatic, with close victories and walk-off wins, like the one below from September 12. That’s Nate McLouth getting lifted in the air.
(Image by Keith Allison, used under a Creative Commons license)
The latest news on participants in the WBC:
As usual, go below the jump for the full list:
In the final days of 2012 at the Baseball Continuum:
Stay tuned!
Images from 2012…
There were three perfect games this season, a record, but perhaps the most unexpected was the first one, by Phil Humber. He no-hit the Mariners in April. He’s somewhere underneath his teammates in the picture below.
(Photo by Blake Handley, used under a Creative Commons license.)
What’s amazing about this, despite the fact that every perfect game is unexpected, was that both before this game and after it, Humber had been unexceptional. In fact, by the end of the season, he was an afterthought with a 6.44 ERA who was let go by the White Sox at season’s end. Sports Illustrated noted that this made him the pitcher with the worst ERA in the league with at least 100 IP this season.
He’ll try to resurrect his career next season in Houston. But no matter what happens, he will always have that April day against Seattle, where he saw 27 come up, and sent all 27 down.
The latest news on the WBC:
Go after the jump for the full list:
The Baseball Continuum 