We're rolling out a new daily feature on MLB Daily Dish - MLB Leftovers. Each day you will find the best handful of stories from the thirty-seven baseball blogs we have on SB Nation. Let's check out what's in store for us today:
The Limits Of War or Ben Zobrist Isn't Really A Superstar? - Baseball Nation's Rob Neyer.
Neyer's article is a fantastic rebuttal to a piece on WAR (Wins Above Replacement) from a Yankees blog; the lead:
Sep 6, 2011 - Over at It's About the Money Stupid, someone named Hippeaux leads this piece with the story of Tony Batista, who collected 110 RBI in 2004, while also posting a .272 on-base percentage. Batista is portrayed as the poster child for the meaninglessness of RBI; apparently we all learned a lesson from this ... but maybe not the right lesson?
Washington Nationals' Skipper Davey Johnson On Stephen Strasburg - Federal Baseball's Patrick Reddington.
With Stephen Strasburg returning tonight, Reddington quotes Davey Johnson's experience with the pitching phenom and much more; the lead:
Stephen Strasburg's first start of 2011 won't be his first start on a Davey Johnson-managed team. A then 19-year-old Strasburg pitched for Johnson on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team in Beijing. In his first start against the Netherlands, the San Diego State University right-hander threw six no-hit innings, and ended up allowing just one hit over seven innings pitched in which he struck out 11 and earned the win.
Tasty, tasty sour grapes -- Or, what to look forward to for the next month - McCovey Chronicles' Grant Brisbee.
It looks like the Giants playoff hopes are all but gone, but that doesn't mean fans shouldn't stop watching. Brisbee eats some sour grapes and takes a look at some things he's hoping to see in September, even if it isn't a playoff spot; the lead:
Sour grapes. Mmmmm. So sweet and delicious, except for all that sour part. The parable isn't about a fox who loses, gets butt-hurt, and lashes out on the internet, possibly with all-caps fury. That's what a lot of folks think sour grapes means. But it's about a fox who convinces himself that his life is better without what he can't get. I love baseball. I love the Giants. When the Giants make the playoffs, it's swell and exciting and amazing and swell. There's a hum in the air. Them's good grapes.
Today In Brewer History: Prince Fielder And Company Bowl Over The Giants - Brew Crew Ball's Kyle Lobner.
Even if you weren't watching the game, you surely remember Prince Fielder's walk-off HR and the celebration at home plate. Lobner relives the game, and the moment from two years ago; the lead:
It's been two years as of today, but some of the highlights from the game between the Brewers and Giants on this day in 2009 are still replayed time and again.