Episode 1094: Not-Live Listener Emails

## Summary

*Ben Lindbergh and Jeff Sullivan banter about live shows, bounced throws, the spread of “such is life,” stats displayed on baseball broadcasts, more strange fields, a Dan Haren rules question, and the best non-All-Star seasons, then answer more listener emails about the Angels and Albert Pujols, an odd Brian Dozier game, crooked numbers, Chris Tillman’s first-inning problems, the Dodgers’ World Series odds, Corey Kluber’s breaking-ball usage, and more.*

## Topics

* Playing time for Albert Pujols
* Best and worst starters in the 1st inning
* Crooked number
* Defining a 'good' offensive game
* World Series odds for the Los Angeles Dodgers
* Corey Kluber's breaking ball usage

## Banter

* Ben describes a presentation at Saber Seminar by Andrew Dominijanni about the physics of bouncing throws across the infield.
* Episode 1048 follow-up: One listener wrote in about the Cubs' broadcast using the phrase 'such is life'.
* Episode 1090 follow-up: Andrian Beltre's 2004 season (9.7 WAR) was the best non All-Star season of all time. Billy Hunter had the worst ever All-Star season in 1953 (-0.5 WAR)
* A listener wrote in about Duncan Field in Kansas which featured an unpadded brick wall and two light poles within the field of play.
* Listener Mike compiled a list of what statistics that each TV broadcast includes. Eight teams show OPS.
* Dan Haren wrote in that a teammate of his in the minor leagues lost a no-hitter on runner's interference (the batter is awarded a hit).

## Email Questions

* Jamal: "Should the Angels just bite the bullet and DFA Albert Pujols? Can't the Angels just give him the Bonilla deal and give him payments once a year for the next 30 years? There's no way you can play him, right?"
* Kyle: "Who are the worst 1st inning starters of all time?"
* Brian: "What qualifies as a crooked number for one half inning? 5? Fewer? I also wasn't sure if there was any other meaning to crooked in this context."
* Andrew: "In a game against the A's Brian Dozier went 1-6 with a home run and 5 strikeouts. Would you say Dozier had a good day at the plate? If someone did this for a whole season would they be a good offensive player?"
* Stuart: "With the big Yu Darvish acquisition all I'm hearing around southern CA is how the Dodgers are absolutely 100% going to win the World Series. I'm trying to persuade my friends that betting their houses or significant others on the Dodgers is a bad idea. My rationale is based on this: it's baseball. It's a weird game and stuff happens. Can you come up with any statistical or matchup reasons why the Dodgers won't win it all?"

## Stat Blast

* Jeff's Stat Blast is inspired by Kyle's question about worst 1st inning starters.
* In 1996 Jim Bullinger started 20 games and gave up 35 runs (15.75 ERA) in the first inning of those starts.
* In 1997 Pedro Martinez did not allow an earned run in the first inning of any start.
* This season the New York Mets' starters have an ERA of 7.04 in the first inning.

## Notes

* Jeff says that the rule stating that runner's interference also results in the batter getting a hit is the stupidest rule in baseball.
* Josh Reddick has reached seven times this year on catcher's interference.
* Crooked number refers to scoring more than one run (and fewer than 10) in a single inning. Jeff says that 8 is the most "sexually attractive of all the integers".

## Links

* Effectively Wild Episode 1094: Not-Live Listener Emails
* The Physics and Timing of the Bounce Throw by Andrew Dominijanni
* Chart of which broadcasts display what statistics
* Photo of Duncan Field