So you see Snider as a plus defender? Is that more your personal observation or an organizational one?

So your you see Snider as a plus defender? Is that more your personal observation or an organizational one?

MW: Both. Snider has a great nose for the ball, a very good arm, and he runs well.

Nope, I did not see any TV yesterday, and only saw the Blue Jay hats on a video clip on their website.

Sorry for my ignorance — I suppose the hats were in honor of Memorial Day?

MW: Ah, now that makes sense. Yes, they were in honour of Memorial Day.

You’re correct to call me out on this. I used the term blowout, when I should not have. I should have said was from the perspective of determining the XWL, more that 9 runs scored for either side simply skews the results. A 15-14 slugfest for the purposes of improving the XWL should be viewed as a 9-9 tie.

MW: You’re the stat geek, so I’ll trust you, but I don’t understand why.

Perhaps I am fault for not listening to your post game show as much as I should, but the common theme I got from last year and this year so far was that you tend to focus on the positives more than the negatives and that is my point. The pitching staff was simply amazing last year and deserved the accolades that’s a fact, but the team is showing all the trends it did last year, but with a less experienced pitching staff. I noticed that when it comes to talking about individual players and statistics you are realistic. For example all those Overbay, Rios and Wells haters that frequent your show. However, when it comes to the success of the team you seem to take a little bit more of a positive slant and not look at the worse case scenario.

MW: Why look at the worst-case scenario? It’s not like I look at the best-case scenario either, though. I just look at what’s going on. I understand that there’s a forest, and not to get caught up in each individual tree (or group of seven trees).

Statistically it just isnt true…going by the numbers clearly there respective best seasons were about even although you could make a case if you use OPS/SLG/OBP as the determining factor that O-Dog was better…..I mean the years that they were both playing and getting AB’s the numbers done lie O-Dog has been at least as good offensively but i would say better in his best seasons…not to mention he is better defensively as well…Even Hill’s great start this year,outside of HR’s O-Dogs numbers are on par with Hill and i would argue better in categories a 2B should be better at.

I never understood that blatant homerism…..

MW: What I don’t understand is how the lion’s share of your comments are offensive, insulting, and often obscene, but then you throw one of these in.

On the subject of leading wire to wire, the only clubs to do so in the last 40 years are the 1984 Tigers and 1990 Reds. By wire to wire, I mean led thier division every day of the season and never trailed in any of their playoff series. The 2001 Mariners were in first place every day of the season, but lost to the Yankees 4-2 in the ALCS. The 1998 Yankees started 0-3 and 1-4 and never assumed first place until April 30th. The 1986 Mets took over first place after game #11 on April 14.

You’re right about the Rays of 2008. That bullpen did pitch way over its collective head. I watched last nights meltdown against the Indians and it was ugly. When you’re ahead 10-2 and only four outs left to go, you should never lose, but the Rays did. Jason Isringhausen was just awful. The Rays brought him in with two outs in the ninth inning after Ryan Garkos three run home run had made it 10-8. Isringhausen walked the bases loaded, then walked Grady Sizemore to make it 10-9, before Victo Martinez hit the game winner. It’s important the Indians win because GM Mark Shapiro has made no bones about the fire sale they will have if they fall out of the race. Boston covets Victor Martinez and they are very open about it. The Yankees are very interested in Cliff Lee and Mark DeRosa and Kerry Wood would be moved as well. Although the Tribe could retain all but DeRosa through the end of next year, the fact is, the Tribe is 13th in the AL in attendance right now (only the A’s are worse) and they are having trouble selling tickets for this weekends series with the Yankees. Unloading the four players mentioned would save around $40 million. Battling Boston and New York will be hard enough without them adding all star calibre players for the stretch run.

To continue on another tangent of that discussion. I would certainly like to see Wells shifted to right and Rios to Center. Rios is clearly a superior defensive player at this point and should man the more important defensive position. What are you thoughts on that?

MW: It’s not going to happen. You’re right, though, Rios has emerged as the better defender. Hopefully in a year or two’s time, it’ll be Wells-Rios-Snider left to right. But I doubt it.