Sunday, October 20, 2013

Survey Says!

The results from G4's latest survey are in and the results follow. Thank you to G4 for doing this and thank you to all participants.

We had a total of 54 participants in three days, which was pretty good and fairly consistent with past surveys. We’ve gotten as high as 100 responses, but those occurred at higher times of interest (Spring Training). With PG Plus just falling apart last month and the season just ending, this was a solid showing.
The results are rounded off to the nearest percentage, so they will not always add up to 100%.

Q1.  I thought this was a little surprising that Win 82 didn’t score higher, but the dramatic end to the Cubs game won the day. Also interesting, in other seasons I think the Cole moment would have been best…your prospect finally shows up, the crowd shows up riled, etc. But alas, we had bigger fish to fry this year.
Best Moment of 2013?
44%        Win at Chicago, out at home for the playoffs
22%        Cueto dropped ball, Martin HR
20%        Last out, Wild Card win
13%        Last out, win 82
0%          Cole debut

Q2. Mr. Cole has certainly made an impression
If you have the ability to sign just one of these three to be a cornerstone of the franchise, who do you pick?
69%        Cole
19%        Alvarez
13%        Marte

Q3.  You always know you have a terrible question when the answer is almost entirely unanimous. So yeah, we all want AJ back unless the price is silly.
AJ Burnett?
91%        I want him back if the price is reasonable
6%          I want him back at any price
4%          I do not want him back

Q4. This one was pretty split. Almost half of the crowd is comfortable with Mercer being the SS, and the other half isn’t. Hmm…
Jordy Mercer?
50%        The team should bring in a veteran and let them fight for the job
43%        The job should be Mercer’s regardless of Spring Training
7%          The team should bring in a veteran to start with Mercer as utility again

Q5.  So the way these questions work is you get 5 points for every 1st vote, 4 points for every 2nd vote, and so on. So the higher average score, the better. Was a little surprised that RF didn’t show up right behind 1B, but starting pitching squeezed in there as a top priority. RF overwhelimingly had the most 2nd place votes overall, but because starting pitching got a good number of 1st place votes it averaged higher.
With limited financial resources, how do you rank where the dollars should be spent?
4.30        First Base
3.69        Starting Pitching
3.24        Right Field
1.94        Shortstop
1.83        Relief Pitching

Q6.  Looking at these numbers, it tells me 78% of folks do not want to see the mix of folks we used last year at first base, but there also isn’t overwhelming support to break the bank either.
First base?
54%        Don’t go all in, but look for affordable new faces
28%        I’m fine with Gaby and any one of Jones, Morneau, or Lambo
19%        Let’s go all in and get a fulltime starter

Q7.   This might be my favorite question, so I’m going to break it down to show the full results. A little shocked that 8 people picked Hurdle last which probably sank him to 3rd behind Cutch, but look at the spread…every guy falls at least once in every position. And for Nutting to get a dozen first place and 17 last place is really interesting in a love him or hate him way.
Rank these individuals from 1st place to 6th as who you give the most credit to for the turnaround of the last couple of years?
                                       1 –
2 –
3 –
4 –
5 –
6 –
Total –
Neal Huntington
37.04%
20
25.93%
14
11.11%
6
9.26%
5
12.96%
7
3.70%
2
4.54
Andrew McCutchen
18.52%
10
11.11%
6
27.78%
15
22.22%
12
16.67%
9
3.70%
2
3.81
Clint Hurdle
14.81%
8
18.52%
10
27.78%
15
14.81%
8
9.26%
5
14.81%
8
3.70
Ray Searage
3.70%
2
27.78%
15
14.81%
8
18.52%
10
22.22%
12
12.96%
7
3.33
Robert Nutting
22.22%
12
7.41%
4
5.56%
3
12.96%
7
20.37%
11
31.48%
17
3.04
AJ Burnett
3.70%
2
9.26%
5
12.96%
7
22.22%
12
18.52%
10
33.33%
18
2.57

Q8. A lot of talk on the blog about making him a starter, but when people went behind the curtain to vote they want Justin Wilson to be our next great closer.
Justin Wilson?
50%        Groom him to be closer, more 8th and 9th inning work
28%        Stretch him out to be a starter
22%        Keep him in the same role next year
               
Q9. This was another dog question, we all pretty much agree we want Byrd back if he’ll come for one year. Beyond that, not a huge desire for a longer commitment.
Marlon Byrd?
67%        Want him back for 1 year, no more than that
17%        Whatever it takes to get him back including a 2 year deal
11%        Don’t want Byrd, happy with Tabata, Lambo, or Jones until Polanco
6%          Don’t want Byrd, but find another stopgap

Q10. This season has certainly changed how the fans look at next year. Every year the expectations get higher, which is a good thing.
Expectations for 2014?
39%        .500 or better, maybe a Wild Card
36%        90+ wins and a playoff appearance at minimum
22%        90+ wins and a playoff series win at minimum
4%          A significant decline from this season

Morning Links October 20








Song Three Coins in the Fountain Frank Sinatra  From the 1954 film of the same name

JALs Three Coins in the Fountain Morning Links



GENERAL DAILY UPDATED BASEBALL SITES

1- MLB Transactions


2-MLB Trade Rumors-Pirates


3 Pittsburgh Pirates Stats



BLOGS and such

 

4Pirates Prospects


AFL Recap: Phil Irwin Throws Three Shutout Innings, Dickerson Provides Walk-Off Hit


Pittsburgh Pirates 2013 Season Recap: Center Field


AFL Recap: Big Day At The Plate For Alen Hanson



5 Bleacher Report

Critical Managerial Moves That Shifted the ALCS, NLCS




6 Rumbunter

Welcome Back Philthy Phil Irwin


7 Rant Sports

Pittsburgh Pirates Should Not Look To Acquire David Price This Offseason


8 The Green Weenie

Pittsburgh - Shortstop 2014


9 ESPN

Ban on plate collisions seen as likely




10 City of Champions

Pittsburgh Pirates: Grading the Pirates third baseman


NEWSPAPERS and MAGAZINES and Other Media

11 New York Times

Moments Are Made Great, in Part, by What Happens Next



12 Lancaster News

Here's a season extender for Bucs fans



13 Boston Globe

Baseball, shaper of language


14 Detroit Free Press</b>

Mitch Albom: Tigers will kick themselves for squandering a shot at a ring


15 Boston Herald</b>

Grand prize winners



16 San Francisco Chronicle

La Russa - Baseball has room for intensity



17 St Louis Post Dispatch

Matheny won't take credit for Series run



18 Chicago Sun Times

Baseball by the numbers with Bill Chuck



SPORTS WEBSITES

19 Baseball Nation

Who's responsible for the Dodger collapse?



20 Fangraphs

Can We See Double Plays Coming?