Game 52 Unfair Win Shares

How do you spell the name that sounds like h-o-f-m-a-n? If it's baseball royalty then it's Hoffman, like Trevor. But for new Dodger Jamie, more letters than just the "f" are doubled, so it must be Hoffmann, since none of the other letters would look right doubled. If Jamie Hoffmann hit a lot of doubles, we could call him Mr. Double, which would also describe his name. But though two of his three major league hits have been doubles, he's never been a great doubles hitter in the minor leagues, so that doesn't work. If he was a power forward who averaged more than 10 points and 10 rebounds, then we could call him Mr. Double-double. But Hoffmann is only 6-3, which is fairly tall but not tall enough to imagine him as a power forward or center, so that's out.

But say, what about Mr. Double Play? Not for hitting into them, but for starting them? Hoffmann's diving catch and subsequent throw home to double up Johnson at home is good enough to inspire a nickname, isn't it? He's started eight double plays from the outfield in five minor league seasons: that's good enough for me. If only "Mr. Double Play" was snappier. It sounds like the nickname of a low-level mafia guy. "Call Mr. Double Play. --- Why, are we finally going to whack the Zamboni twins? --- No, we need someone to babysit the Don's two kids."

Hoffmann is easy to spell, actually. Schlichting is the difficult one. ( Travis Schlichting was called up to the Dodgers after Stults was placed on the DL yesterday. ) If Schlichting has a sweet tooth, then he can be nicknamed the "C&H sugar man", which will help us remember that there are lots of "ch" combinations in his name.

I want to give "Mr. Double Play" an unfair win share for his great catch and throw out in the second inning yesterday, but Loney and Milton and Loretta just have better cases than him. Loretta especially was crucial --- after Kemp's strikeout with the bases loaded it seemed that the inning was on the verge of becoming a disappointment. A ground ball double play and the Dodgers would have to settle for only two. Instead Loretta turned on a pitch and doubled down the left field line, two runs came in and a third was set up for Mr. Double Play's sac fly, and the Dodgers were on their way to an easy win.


Unfair Win Shares ( Dodgers )

Loretta -- 1
Loney -- 1
Milton -- 1

Unfair Loss Shares ( Cubs )

Marshall -- 3