1. Cleveland Indians WAR Spreadsheet

    Thanks to the hard-working Sky Kalkman over at Beyond the Boxscore, here's a spreadsheet of the Indians 2009 predicted Wins Above Replacement (WAR).Some notes: For hitting and pitching, I used the CHONE projections...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 109 reads 0 comments

  2. AJ Pollock's Accolades and Other Notre Dame Baseball Updates

    Former head coach Paul Mainieri quietly released a book, The Mainieri Factor. I say "quietly" because I came across it accidentally a few weeks ago despite the fact that it was published last year...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 266 reads 0 comments

  3. Cleveland Indians Sabermetrics 101: DIPS and RAR

    In the last installment, we discovered that all pitchers' BABIP tend to fall in the .290 to .310. It follows then that if we want to gauge a pitcher's talent level, we need to look at everything besides balls hit into play...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 543 reads 3 comments

  4. Notre Dame Winter Sports Schedule

    Are you like me? Now that you're no longer on campus, you have trouble following Notre Dame basketball and hockey? It's not like football, playing every Saturday...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 168 reads 0 comments

  5. Cleveland Indians' Sabermetrics 101: BABIP

    Inspired by this post at Beyond the Boxscore, here's my first "homework assignment" for Saber-Friendly Blogging 101.Batting Average on Balls In Play, BABIP, is essentially batting average for everything except strikeouts and walks...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 259 reads 1 comments

  6. Cleveland Indians: Is Being Average an Improvement?

    Recently, Walk Like a Sabermetrician took a look at 2008 hitting by position. They calculated runs created and runs created per game for each position and used that to create a Runs ...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 198 reads 2 comments

  7. Cleveland Indians: A Look at Baseball America's 2009 Top Prospect List

    Baseball America recently released their Top 10 Cleveland Indians prospects for 2009. Along with the top 10 list is a list of the Indians best tools, and an always-fun look at what the Cleveland lineup may look like a few years in the future...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 1,115 reads 5 comments

  8. Notre Dame Women's Basketball 62, LSU 53

    Notre Dame's women's basketball team kicked off their season on national television Sunday in the State Farm Tip-Off Classic. The 14th/16th ranked Irish took on the 22nd/24th ranked LSU Lady Tigers on the Tigers' home court...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 272 reads 2 comments

  9. Notre Dame-Navy Wrapup: The Irish by Position

    Quarterback Jimmy Clausen finished a very deceiving 15-of-18, as almost all of his passes were screens or dumpoffs over the middle. When he did throw downfield, he added two more interceptions to his total...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 341 reads 1 comments

  10. Notre Dame Football Preview: How the Irish Can Sink Navy

    Navy Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense As usual, Navy runs the triple option to perfection. And as usual, at least in recent years, the quarterback and fullback position are getting the bulk of the carries...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 635 reads 0 comments

  11. Notre Dame News and Notes

    Jake Peavy is a hot item on this winter's MLB trade market, and the Cubs are one of the teams who want him. Rumor has it that the Padres would want Jeff Samardzija (among others) in return for Peavy...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 550 reads 0 comments

  12. Notre Dame Football Preview: Boston College

    Boston College Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Predictably, a year after Boston College lost its star quarterback, it is relying on its running game. What may come as a surprise, though, is that BC's top two runners are freshmen...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 508 reads 0 comments

  13. Notre Dame Football Preview: Pittsburgh

    Pittsburgh Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Without a doubt, running back 25 LeSean McCoy is the star of this Pittsburgh football team. The workhorse sophomore is averaging 21 carries, 119 yards, and two touchdowns per game...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 243 reads 0 comments

  14. Notre Dame Football Preview: Washington

    Washington Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Washington looks to be without its top rusher, quarterback 10 Jake Locker, and will employee a running back-by-committee in his absence...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 536 reads 0 comments

  15. Why I'm Fired Up About the Tampa Bay Rays (in 1,000 Words or More)

    Recently I was asked to explain in 3,000 words or more why I'm cheering for the Tampa Bay Rays this postseason. Forgive me for barely topping 1,200 words, but I hope you at least enjoy my tale...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 102 reads 0 comments

  16. Cleveland Browns: Regression, Injuries, and Schedule Strength

    Cleveland fans are all too familiar with the story: a successful but unsatisfying 2007 season leading to a disappointing 2008 season. It started when the Cavs lost in the NBA finals and failed to repeat that success the following year...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 116 reads 1 comments

  17. 2009 Cleveland Indians: A Modest Proposal

    Choo RF Sizemore CF Garko 1B Hafner DH Martinez 3B Shoppach C Francisco LF Peralta 2B Cabrera SS How's that for a lineup in 2009? It just might work...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 561 reads 2 comments

  18. Notre Dame-North Carolina: The Irish By Position

    You'll have to forgive me (and correct me when necessary) since I didn't get to see this game. Ohio State-Purdue was on at the same time, so ND-UNC was blacked out in my area...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 215 reads 1 comments

  19. Notre Dame Football Preview: North Carolina

    North Carolina Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense North Carolina has run 165 times to 101 passes; those numbers may be due to uncertainty at the quarterback position (see below)...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 990 reads 2 comments

  20. Notre Dame-Stanford Wrapup: The Irish by Position

    Quarterback: Jimmy Clausen showed great poise and decision-making, and it led to a career day. Clausen completed 29-of-40 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns. He hit the deep balls...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 324 reads 0 comments

  21. Notre Dame Football Preview: Stanford

    Stanford Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Stanford has gone with a 60/40 run/pass mix this year, with 7 Toby Gerhart getting a majority of carries. The 232-pounder is averaging 25 carries, 84 yards, and one touchdown per game...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 595 reads 0 comments

  22. Notre Dame-Purdue Wrapup: The Irish by Position

    Quarterback: In several ways, the sophomore outplayed the fifth-year senior. Curtis Painter may have finished with more yards than Jimmy Clausen, but Clausen had the edge in completion percetage and touchdown passes...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 325 reads 1 comments

  23. Notre Dame Football Preview: Purdue

    Purdue Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Maybe it's a product of their opposition to date, but pass-happy Purdue has run the ball almost as many times as they've thrown it this year...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 328 reads 0 comments

  24. Notre Dame Football Preview: Michigan State

    Michigan State Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Irish fans are very familiar with the name 23 Javon Ringer by now. The senior has been a workhorse for the Spartans so far, with 104 carries in just three games...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 347 reads 0 comments

  25. Notre Dame Football Preview: Michigan

    Michigan Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense Michigan is running the spread option, but they've yet to set the world on fire with it...

    Kanka Written by Kanka about over 4 years ago 150 reads 0 comments