Desipio Message Board

... Ryan Dempster?

• Looking at a few things: His LOB% this year is 59% (Percentage that batters are stranded). The last few years before that: 76.7%, 73.2%, and 71.0%. So, that's a definite issue. His BABiP isn't ridonkulously higher than before: .326 while the career mark is .302.
• His HR/FB% has shot all the way up to 22% while averaging around 11% during his career
• He is throwing roughly half his pitches into the strike zone, which is fine, but his SwStrk% is 8.5% while it's been in the 11 range for 2008-2010
• Another thing that I found intriguing is that on his pitch type percentage, it show the FB, SL, and SF with percentages all adding up to 100, but then on the side it shows "XX" (unknown) at 20% while it's been around 4% most of his career. Looking at the leaders in this stat, the leader is Alexi Ogando with 34%. One thing peculiar is that there are about 20 people above 15% and then it drops off to 7.6% for Michael Pineda and then to the (what I presume to be) normal numbers of 4% and below. So, maybe Ryan is throwing up some meatballs? I'm not sure. There are plenty of pitchers doing very well with high numbers of XX%

Really, I'm not sure if I can see an explanation of why he sucks now. I haven't been able to watch him for more than the last start against Colorado and I was doing other stuff around the house while it was going on. Plus, I usually choose to not trust my eyes in trying to evaluate someone, because we all have confirmation biases and once we decide a player is some arbitrary classification, then we will be sure to see that in each subsequent instance each time it occurs.

One thing that I have noticed is that Ryan's numbers have gone down each year from 2008-2010 (and 11 of course). To me, the one thing that is encouraging is the face that his xFIP is 3.70, so maybe he won't suck the rest of the year.

Gerard Smith, bassist for TV on the Radio, at 34 from lung cancer

Also considered:
Return to Dead Mountain
He Let the Devil In

Gather 'round ladies and gents. Have I got a deal for you today! We're going old school with this one! A lightly used Motorola MPX220:


This was the world's first Quadband Windows Mobile smartphone. A pure classic. Let me tell you, this phone served me well for so long, I can't think of anything else to do but pass this glorious thing along.

Built in 1.3 MegaPixel camera WITH A FLASH
Upgradable storage with a MiniSD slot
FLIP PHONE

I'm thinking this great deal will only set you back $100.00. What do you say?

Cannot be linked to an IED :(
I do not have a charger and charging has proved to be very difficult.
Videos are taken as 3gp and not easy to upload to facebook.
All deals are final

For the non-Apple and video game console people here.

Mayor of Springfield found dead: http://www.sj-r.com/carousel/x860697770/Shooting-investigation-under-way-at-mayors-home

He was going through an issue where he owed the IRS like $100,000. That's one way to avoid taxes

Fuck New England in their ass.

Chris Williams is good

The ones I'm watching are Hawaii 5-0 (more actiony than traditional police drama) and Detroit 1-8-7. I think both are pretty good. Tweeder comes back in 5-0 and does really well. It's a fun watch. Jin is in this, too. Boner. Plus a hot Asian chick. Major boner.

As far as Detroit 1-8-7, I think it's a pretty good show. Michael Imperioli does a pretty good job. His tactics make me chuckle on occasion, such as calling his partner on the phone while their desks are right next to each other and then calling the Hispanic chick he likes on the phone to compliment her hair.

PS Move and Natal. Anyone getting these? A buddy of mine just got the Move tonight and we were playing it a bit. I do have concerns that it will be like the Wii and lose it's fun over time but with some integration into more complex games it could be fun for a while. For example, you can use two of the Move remotes at one time. It makes games with swords a little entertaining.

Natal has yet to come out but it's on my agenda to get in november. I have a feeling it will be a little more entertaining than the Move. Plus, with the Natal coming out, that means the new Xbox Live update is out which will, from what I heard, include hulu.

With the recent uproar over concussions at the HS and youth levels, there's some speculation that the participation in HS and youth football will suffer a decline.

As a football meatball, I am inclined to say I'd let them play regardless. {football story-ish} Although, many may beg to differ, I don't recall any situation personally about being concussed or having any sort of head issues from playing. I distinctly recall getting kneed in the head while trying to do a chop block, but I can't imagine a time where I have gotten hurt like that. That failed chop didn't hurt from my recollection. {/football story}

But was it the RIGHT Bronco?
sorry, it wasn't Tebow.

One week, bitches. One fucking week.

GAME. CHANGER.

Who is getting this one? I've been venturing back through Fallout 3 cleaning up some achievements, finding all the locations, bobbleheads, etc. I'm pretty geared up about this one. The visuals in F3 were pretty awesome, and I'm expecting more of the same, especially since Vegas hasn't been struck with nukes and isn't completely fucked up.

I know they have done some changes on VATS for melee weapons. For example, if hitting someone with a 9-iron using VATS, you'll get a special option for a "Fore" hit, which will be a unique animation. Could be fun, but I rarely melee'd, so I may not see it at all.

Upgradeable guns will be nice, instead of just repairing a weapon over and over. There is a Hardcore mode that will be cool, but I'm a pussy so I won't do it probably. Some of the features in that are:

Quote# Healing over time rather than instant healing.
# Healing of crippled limbs requires a high medicine skill and medical equipment.
# Ammunition has weight.
# Currency has weight
# Requirement of water consumption to avoid dehydration and eventual death.
# Requirement of food consumption and sleeping to avoid starvation and sleep deprivation.

Trey McNutt

He's my new prospect crush.

Anyone getting this? Or did anyone try the first one? I bought it last night, and spent some time playing it. It is very similar to the first. Same city, with a similar orb collecting premise. The physics are ridiculous still, which is fun. I think the most recent upgrade for me had me jumping 20 feet in the air. It seems like driving doesn't suck as bad as the last one, but when you can run almost fast as a car and jump over a building, there's little point for a car. Another nice thing about it is the co-op capabilities. Players can jump in and out seamlessly to another person's game. Plus there are special orbs for online co-op play only. If anyone gets this for the Xbox, maybe we can hit up some online and tear some shit up.

A while back, Sweet Uncle Lou included this book in the roundup. I ordered it and added them to my queue. I'm just now starting to get them from the Netflix. Has anyone else been indulging in these? I'd post a list but it's lengthy (151, to be exact), but here's a link

Before I started getting these I had seen precisely 6 of them: Dick, The Greatest Game Ever Played (Which is one of my favorite movies), How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (Great friggin movie), Matchstick Men, One Fine Day, and Resurrecting the Champ.

Thanks to Kerm (or whoever sent the link) for this. The Animal Factory, by the way, is a pretty damn good one.

Kerm's new boy toy apparently interviewed Scott Rolen and he had a few comments about Wrigley

QuoteDK: You have played a lot of games here at Wrigley Field during your career. Why do you think the Cubs haven't been able to win here?

SCOTT ROLEN:

I think I don't know is probably the politically correct answer. True answer? The facts or the truth? The facts? The facts as I see it, I think they have their hands full a little bit. I think they're limited in their facilities here, their batting cage, I think it limits their work. A little restricted obviously in the clubhouse and their weight room. A lot of facilities that other teams have. They play a different schedule than everybody in baseball. There's three things in my mind that are facts. I don't know if that's the truth because to me there's a difference between the facts and the truth. Well it's a night game now basically. You sleep in during the day, you play a lot of night games and you struggle with travel days and everyone struggles with day games. They're playing 50, 55, 60 whatever day games a year. It's a different schedule. So I know for us coming here playing four day games, we're beat. That's their season. That's what they're doing. It puts their backs against the wall a little bit. They have good players, they have good personnel, they know how to play baseball. They have a good organization, but you know honestly I think it's difficult for them. Like I said, when we're talking about facilities everyone talks about Wrigley Field. Great atmosphere we love coming here, the fans, batting practice, everything. Fantastic, the ivy the whole works. I'm in. There's a lot in the game today, there's a lot of beautiful facilities. That are geared towards working, towards perfecting you know your skill, towards video, you know a lot of things have changed in the game and I'm not sure what the other side looks like but you know batting cages and stuff, I think are a bit restricted. They have to work pretty hard, they've got their hands full. But great place to play, everyone loves playing here and good personel, good ball club, good players.

Now, just because Rolen said it isn't the main reason I want it gone. I've hated Rolen ever since he played for St. Louis. Fuck him and everything about him. But, he is right about the facilities being shit. No reason a major league club needs to play in a building that can't even have normal, 1990s parking, has 5 male bathrooms for 40,000 people (probably 25-30,000 being men),  has obstructed views, and has no fucking jumbotron. Just burn the fucker down and move the field. Put it in CT's backyard or something.

Time to start the planning. And the pool for the day it's going to take place. My vote is for 9/4/10.  (As far as I can see, the old thread has died.)

Anyone getting this game? I played the demo and it looked just as good as the last. They made an adjustment that will help balance out the game. Last year, you could power boost every shot, use a shitload of spin on every shot, and then use putt preview on the green. On the demo, they have changed it to where you have a certain amount of focus for a hole. Power boosting uses it. Spinning the ball uses it. Along with putt preview. This makes one be a little smarter and accurate with their shots without using tricks to get up to the green. I know I was guilty spinning the fuck out of the ball and using the power boost. Anyway, if you don't use all of your focus up, you can still use putt preview, but if you do use it up, have fun putting.

These games have been solid. I'm looking forward to getting it Tuesday.