30 Copyright 2009, CBSSports.com http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/8837836 en-us Statistics and analysis are how real sportsmen debate, and that's all you'll get from me. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:37:59 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18134312?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18134312?source=rss_blogs_MLB The supreme majority of baseball writers predicted that the Boston Red Sox would win the 2009 World Series. The Phillies were disrespected, the Tampa Bay Rays were disrespected, the two participants of the previous World Series The Yankees were disre ... Sun, 08 Nov 2009 6:24:46 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18134312?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18132297?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18132297?source=rss_blogs_MLB Since the Yankees won the World Series Wednesday, the media and fans alike have been harping with the obligatory payroll complaints. I'd like to once and for all lay down the facts and see what conclusions we can draw from them. Using a rather simple ... Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:50:37 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18132297?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18099218?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18099218?source=rss_blogs_MLB The old saying goes that pitching wins in the post season. And thus far, that has been abundantly clear this World Series. The Phillies won game one behind an all-time pitching performance from Cliff Lee. The Yankees won game two because A.J Burnett ... Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:48:23 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18099218?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18082722?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18082722?source=rss_blogs_MLB Note: To all the sports writers on any and all the major sports sites who wrote articles today about how poor a decision it was for the Yankees to start A.J. Burnett on three days rest, I'd like to remind you that before the game you were all writing ... Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:38:20 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18082722?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18005272?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18005272?source=rss_blogs_MLB The most tell-tale sign of this World Series was an Article on Si.com about Cole Hamels, in response to the Phillies decision to start Blanton in game 4. Hamels has been atrocious this season, in the regular season and the playoffs. They are banking ... Sat, 31 Oct 2009 19:11:25 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/18005272?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17985472?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17985472?source=rss_blogs_MLB Today, there was an article on cbs sports about the Phillies confidence that they will break Mariano Rivera. They said by forcing him to throw 39 pitches in game two of the world series, they've improved their chances, and will now study those pitche ... Mon, 02 Nov 2009 0:19:37 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17985472?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17758011?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17758011?source=rss_blogs_MLB They say that pitching wins Championships, and that has never been more true then in the postseason this year. The four teams that advanced to the Championship series all featured team ERA's under 4. The surprise lies in which teams have had the best ... Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:26:35 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17758011?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17560499?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17560499?source=rss_blogs_MLB Predictions are probably moot considering we all know which team is going to win the World Series but... ... Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:47:49 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17560499?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17518704?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17518704?source=rss_blogs_MLB Today, the regular season ends for all but the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins. So that means that it's time for the awards. Now, without further ado, we have the awards, starting off with the most contentious. ... Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:52:27 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17518704?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17050254?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17050254?source=rss_blogs_MLB It is pretty widely acknowledged that the AL MVP race is down to two people, Joe Mauer of the Twins and Mark Teixeria of the Yankees. I'm going to tell you right now, Joe Mauer should not win the Most Valuable Player award. The thing about Baseball i ... Mon, 28 Sep 2009 1:19:56 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/17050254?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14946523?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14946523?source=rss_blogs_MLB The entire world has probably heard by now that Alex Rodriguez hit the first pitch he saw all season for a three run homerun. They've probably also forgotten that it was his only hit of the evening. But what matters is that Rodriguez made an impressi ... Sat, 09 May 2009 0:06:32 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14946523?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14930580?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14930580?source=rss_blogs_MLB Three months ago, we would not have been calling Alex Rodriguez the Yankees savior. Three days ago we would not have called Allex Rodriguez their savior. But today, Rodriguez returns and suddenly he is no longer the brunt of the Steroid conversation. ... Fri, 08 May 2009 8:44:38 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14930580?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14913549?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14913549?source=rss_blogs_MLB I'm going to go ahead right now and say that I am a Die-hard Yankees fan, and thus very Anti-Red Sox. But I'm not willing to say that the Red Sox World Series win in 2004 is void by the fact that Manny has tested positive for Steroids. Here is Manny' ... Fri, 08 May 2009 8:17:46 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14913549?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14912170?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14912170?source=rss_blogs_MLB The bigger they are, the harder they fall. We never even considered that Manny Ramirez would test positive for steroids. The wacky, crazy club-house destroying masher with a work ethic that defies the laws of humanity. Sound familiar...Mr. Alex Rodri ... Thu, 07 May 2009 12:06:07 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14912170?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849200?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849200?source=rss_blogs_MLB I'll be at the game tomarrow, twittering live from the stands. Seats aren't as great as last time (where I was 5 rows back from the Yankees dugout), but college kids can't afford $1250 seats. My twitter page is this...I'll also blog from here if I ca ... Fri, 08 May 2009 20:11:48 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849200?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849012?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849012?source=rss_blogs_MLB Power Rankings edition two, here we go. First, I want to apologize for the Carlos Santana mistake. I blog pretty late at night usually so I probably wasn't thinking clearly. Great job picking up on that though. I also need to apologize since these ra ... Mon, 04 May 2009 0:51:54 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14849012?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14631167?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14631167?source=rss_blogs_MLB 1. Florida Marlins. In my preseason divisional rankings, I said the Marlins would finish in second place in the NL east. That assesment is looking pretty decent right now. I still think the Mets will win it, we'll find out soon enough whether the Mar ... Sun, 03 May 2009 23:12:25 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14631167?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14373500?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14373500?source=rss_blogs_MLB The day has finally come..or at least it comes tomarrow. The start of the Maor League Baseball season, or in my eyes, the Yankees quest for what I see to be an inevitable World Series win. But that's revealing my pick to early. Before we get to that ... Sat, 04 Apr 2009 23:30:06 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14373500?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14228901?source=rss_blogs_NFL#comments NFL http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14228901?source=rss_blogs_NFL If you have been keeping up with NFL news lately, you'll have heard about the sad incident that Ryan Moats endured recently. Having been through the death of a parent before, I find this outrageous. If you haven't here's the gist of the story. Ryan M ... Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:52:25 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/14228901?source=rss_blogs_NFL http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13552739?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13552739?source=rss_blogs_MLB The most devilish of all fantasy baseball leagues, the roto league. Many are confunded by the subtle rules by which the roto league is won. In H2H leagues you can live without the stolen base, or worrying about your pitchers apptitude for keeping run ... Mon, 16 Feb 2009 1:30:49 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13552739?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13492845?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13492845?source=rss_blogs_MLB If what Alex Rodriguez admitted to today is true, then he just took a major step forward. And I take it as a good sign that he admitted to using them in not just 2003, but the two years prior as well. So if that is the only time he used them, then th ... Wed, 11 Feb 2009 1:13:14 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13492845?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13470976?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13470976?source=rss_blogs_MLB Now we have come to the final chapter of the Steroids era in baseball. There is no one left, no player greater than Alex Rodriguez to expose. Not even if we were to find out that the infalliable Derek Jeter used steroids, would we reach a lower point ... Wed, 11 Feb 2009 1:08:53 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13470976?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13452083?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13452083?source=rss_blogs_MLB This is the first of the Fantasy Baseball drafts that I will be doing over the next few days. A 10 team, superstar only, H2H league for AL and NL. ... Sat, 07 Feb 2009 13:45:56 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13452083?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13347301?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13347301?source=rss_blogs_MLB In ten days, Pitchers and Catchers report for Spring Training . As most teams have solidified their rosters for the upcoming season, it's time to preview the divisional Races. The AL east is by far the strongest in division in baseball, and might jus ... Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:48:47 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13347301?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13208717?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13208717?source=rss_blogs_MLB So in the end, Andy Pettitte returned to the Yankees to be their 5th starting pitcher. Last year, he collapsed after the All-star break and posted an ERA over 6. Afterwards he complained of a sore shoulder. Justifiably so, his new contract is incenti ... Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:44:10 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/13208717?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12595171?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12595171?source=rss_blogs_MLB The Red Sox recently made gains in regaining their position as the the best pitching staff when they acquired Brad Penny. A great signing in my opinion. If he pitches circa 2007, he gives the Sox another ace to add to Beckett and Lester. I won't coun ... Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:37:47 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12595171?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12582918?source=rss_blogs_NFL#comments NFL http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12582918?source=rss_blogs_NFL Well, the NFL playoff seeds have now been decided. First off, I gotta say, I'm no Patriots fan, I dislike all Boston teams. But I can't help but feel bad for them. They played quite well all season, but in the end, things were just stacked against th ... Mon, 29 Dec 2008 23:10:34 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12582918?source=rss_blogs_NFL http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12358737?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12358737?source=rss_blogs_MLB ERA+ is one of those new fancy baseball stats such as VORP and OPS+. Basically, it measures your ERA against the league average, and adjusted for park factors. An ERA+ of 100 is average, below 100 is below average, and above ia above average. Now, he ... Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:30:30 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12358737?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12357750?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12357750?source=rss_blogs_MLB In the past two months, baseballs hot stove has been heating up. They Yankees might not have been the most active team but they defiently made a big splash, This mostly involved a drastic overhaul of the starting rotation and a steal of a trade for N ... Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:36:58 EST http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/12357750?source=rss_blogs_MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/10849948?source=rss_blogs_MLB#comments MLB http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/10849948?source=rss_blogs_MLB Well, end of the Baseball season and award time is a coming. So it's time for my own version of awards, and some respect that has long been do from my quarter this year. But first, we'll do the awards. ... Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:25:02 EDT http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8837836/10849948?source=rss_blogs_MLB 100 http://images.cbssports.com/images/cbsdm/spec/cbssportscom.gif http://iroh.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/view/8837836 100