text:
Optimal Length of Labor Contracts
AbstractNo abstract is available for this item.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version under "Related research" (further below) or search for a different version of it.
Bibliographic InfoArticle provided by Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association in its journal International Economic Review.
Volume (Year): 26 (1985)
Issue (Month): 1 (February)
Pages: 251-70
Contact details of provider:
Postal: 160 McNeil Building, 3718 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6297
Phone: (215) 898-8487
Fax: (215) 573-2057
Web page: http://www.econ.upenn.edu/ier
More information through EDIRC
Order Information:
Web: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/subs.asp?ref=0020-6598
Related researchKeywords:
ReferencesNo references listed on IDEAS
You can help add them by filling out this form.
CitationsCitations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
Cited by:
- Barcena-Ruiz, Juan Carlos & Campo, Maria Luz, 2000. "Short-term or long-term labor contracts," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 249-260, May.
- Robert Rich & Joseph Tracy, 2011. "Early contract renegotiation: An analysis of U.S. labor contracts from 1970 to 1995," Staff Reports 521, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
- Andersen, Torben M. & Stampe Christensen, Morten, 2002. "Contract renewal under uncertainty," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 637-652, April.
- Ferdinando Colombo & Guido Merzoni, 2008. "For how long to tie your hands? Stable relationships in an unstable environment," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 95(2), pages 93-120, November.
- López-Bayón, Susana & González-Díaz, Manuel, 2010. "Indefinite contract duration: Evidence from electronics subcontracting," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 145-159, June.
- Louis Christofides & Amy Chen Peng, 2003.
"Contract Duration and Indexation in a Period of Real and Nominal Uncertainty,"
CESifo Working Paper Series
994, CESifo Group Munich.
- Christofides, Louis N. & Peng, Chen, 2006. "Contract duration and indexation in a period of real and nominal uncertainty," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 61-86, February.
- Christofides, L. & Peng, C., 2004. "Contract Duration and Indexation in a Period of Real and Nominal Uncertainty," Working Papers 2004-3, University of Guelph, Department of Economics and Finance.
- Louis Christofides & Chen Peng, 2006. "Major Provisions of Labour Contracts and their Theoretical Coherence," CESifo Working Paper Series 1700, CESifo Group Munich.
- Fregert, Klas & Jonung, Lars, 1998. "Monetary Regimes And Endogenous Wage Contracts: Sweden 1908-1995," Working Papers 1998:3, Lund University, Department of Economics, revised 21 Apr 1999.
- Danziger, Leif, 2010.
"Uniform and Nonuniform Staggering of Wage Contracts,"
IZA Discussion Papers
5023, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Danziger, Leif, 2010. "Uniform and nonuniform staggering of wage contracts," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 1038-1049, December.
- Leif Danziger, 2010. "Uniform and Nonuniform Staggering of Wage Contracts," CESifo Working Paper Series 3112, CESifo Group Munich.
- Danziger, Leif, 2008.
"Extension of labor contracts and optimal backpay,"
Labour Economics,
Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 18-36, February.
- Danziger, Leif, 2006. "Extension of Labor Contracts and Optimal Backpay," IZA Discussion Papers 2366, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
- Broz, J. Lawrence & Grossman, Richard S., 2004. "Paying for privilege: the political economy of Bank of England charters, 1694-1844," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 48-72, January.
- Colombo, Ferdinando & Merzoni, Guido, 2006. "In praise of rigidity: The bright side of long-term contracts in repeated trust games," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 59(3), pages 349-373, March.
ListsThis item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
CorrectionsWhen requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ier:iecrev:v:26:y:1985:i:1:p:251-70. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Wiley-Blackwell Digital Licensing) or ().
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
Dairy Queen $5 deal... wigglewaddle 2 kids; Wichita, Kansas 2399 posts9th Nov '12
I want it now... like 10 minutes ago actually.
Boots+3 3 kids; Alberta 328 posts9th Nov '12
AH! I want it too!!!
ElleBelle (37 weeks) Due September 22; 1 child; 1 angel baby; Rio Rancho, NM, United States 22493 postsstatus 9th Nov '12
Me too. I iz so hungreeeere
Moses. Due October 27; 3 kids; Texas 16003 posts9th Nov '12
OMG too bad the closest to us is 15 minutes away, my food would be cold and ice cream melting :(
*Lindsey* 3 kids; Alberta 8798 posts9th Nov '12
What a deal! haha
wigglewaddle 2 kids; Wichita, Kansas 2399 posts9th Nov '12
Trying to convince SO to go get it for me.
Liberty Belle 2 kids; Michigan 622 posts10th Nov '12
Ah! Wish I would have seen this before actually making myself something. The closest dairy queen to me is literally across the parking lot. Haha

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I have a
Viewbox with a number of
TextBlocks that are scaled and positioned perfectly by the
ViewBox. Something like this:
<Viewbox Stretch="Uniform">
<Canvas Width="100" Height="100">
<Ellipse Width="100" Height="100" Stroke="Black"/>
<TextBlock Width="100" TextAlignment="Center" FontSize="12">Top Center</TextBlock>
If the user resizes the
Viewbox its contents are perfectly scaled to match. However I would like to keep the
FontSize to 12 regardless of the actual size of the
How can I do this? Can I do this in XAML without attaching to an
Resize event?


text:
New subscription
Renew my subscription
Give a gift
Pay my bill
Change my address
Active within 959 Days
Hi! My name is Jasper
I am a Siamese from Farmersburg, IA
Nicknames: Jelly Bean, Jasper Jasper Jones (don't know why - don't know anyone names Jones!), Jasperoni
Age: 7 years old
Gender: M
Coat: short haired
Education: I won Cat of the Day (thank you) April 14,2007!!
My favorite tricks and treats are: I can catch catnip toy mice! I learned to work the can opener. and Feline Greenies
Where I hang out: in the kitty condo - I will get the top spot of the condo away from Leo!!
My favorite grubs: Royal Canin Siamese Blend & Friskies soft
My pet peeves:
What I love about my owners: She cuddles with my any time I want.
My cat hobbies: Play in my mama's hair then cuddle in and sleep there. I jump on mama's back and rub my face all over her hair.
Pet motto: I am the best looking cat here.
See all awards »
I was born here on November 12, 2006 - Sami is my mama.
I've had 21261 friends visit me.
I'm the 6,150th member on CatChannel.com.
4,137 friends have voted for me since I joined Club Cat!
Come visit me, Team RAGDOLL PAWesome PURRsonality #235194, :¦:Chloe:•:(¯`v´¯):•- :208036:¦: & Team CHLOE, a PAWSitively PURRfect NAME #234964.
Come visit me, Dave.
Come visit me, Van Gogh.
Come visit me, ♥ K Casper Todd ♥ COTM August 2007, ♥ Q MerryBelle ♥ COTM December 2007 & ♥Q Sissy♥ COTM July 2007.
Come visit me, Crush, Thunderclan MHL Team Page, Trucker, Cashmere & Angel Easy Goin (K7/11) Capt. Thunderclan MHL.
Come visit me, Princess-Countess Wan-Lea Kaylin, Queen Angel Wendy - What a Great Month It Was!, Queen Angel Wendy - July, 2014, at the Castle & Princess Angel Mei Li.
Come visit me, K. Cody Lee ♥ Angel Yum Yum -:¦:-, Q. Amber Lee -:¦:-Happy Easter-:¦:-, Q.Lelu Sabrina♥ -:TY for Your Friendship:- & The Chubbie Cubbies :¦:Vote A. Bootz & Meeko :¦:.
Come visit me, Mia #180149, Lucy #193677, Angel Moki #193429, Angel Sabrina #204665, Luke #193428 & Tunie #193430.
Come visit me, Angel Kato RIP-Congrats King Spanky Jack!!, Kitty Avalanche Waiting for Oct 2014 New Season!!!, K.Indie loving the sunshine through the windows!, K Shadow May'10-Vote LIL' BEAR #188146 & Dame Terri-Vote LIL' BEAR #188146.
Come visit me, Dean, ORANGE CRUSH hockey cheers written by YUM YUM, Angel King Anderson COTM Sept 2009 THANK U 4 COTD!, Angel Anderson 6/19/14 we miss you so much!, Legend Adopted 8/23/14 Thanks 4 COTD! & The Orange Crush Hockey Club.
Come visit me, QUEEN JOSIEMAE PLEASE PRAY FOR MY MONTY 205803, MONTGOMERY AND JOSIEMAE'S WEDDING PAGE, ANGEL SCOOTER LETS PRAY FOR ALL OUR SICK ONES, COUNTESS A DOODLEBUG; FOUND A HOME, FAMIY & LOVE, PRINCE SIR THUNDERFOOT 210289 & EARL SIR SHADOWFOOT :LETS JUST PUTT DOWN THE HWY.
Come visit me, Princess's maia & lia, K Sammy ♥ Pandy & Princess jo jo.
Come visit me, Q Angel Yum Yum - vote for King Spanky-Jack #38743, Q Angel Yum's COTM Catpaign & Reign & Ammie - vote for Lil' Bear #188146 in August.
Come visit me, Artemis ♥ Sammy B ~Offline~.
Come visit me, Simba & Mrs.Pucca, Queen Memories, Angels Blackie & Lady Lucy, Sally ♥ Felix, Queen Lola - VOTE LIL BEAR COTM! & Willow & Charlie.
Come visit me, Angel Storm Cloud *Happy Valentine's Day!* & Angel BooBoo *Happy Valentine's Day!*.
Come visit me, A. Frosty-Pray 4 all sick kitties and hoomans!, Angel Moki-Please, Praying for Mom Lynn's recovery, Q. Duchess-Vote Lil' Bear, #188146 daily in August, Angel Red-RIP, 7/19/11-Welcome Jesse,Kieara & Bait, Dayzee-Praying for Maggie,Tony,and Monty & Mischief - Praying for the sick and the lost!.
Come visit me, Missing our sweet angels - & Q. Charlotte.
Come visit me, Ginger Spicegirl.
Come visit me, Hannah.
Come visit me, luke, quincy ♥ leo! & sammy-kara owns my ♥ ! THKS 4 COTD!.
Come visit me, Angel My Valentine is Eddie, Smokey, Angel Sassy Welcoming new Angels, Q Spunky 5/2013 & Q.Angel Callie 4/ 2010. Going to miss my CC family.
Come visit me, THE SENIORS ~, THE LADIES ~ & THE KIDS ~.
Come visit me, OJ & MJ's Wedding ~ Lil Bear #188146 for COTM!, Evie ♥ Angel Shai, ~ Angels Jezebel & Pierre ~, A Mallow ♥ her hubby Oscar Jon~flyin' high!, K. Mike ♥ my darling Q. Lady Dolly, Angel Smokey ~ always in our ♥, Dame Mojo BB ~ my brother's my big buddy! & Angel Shai & Evie's Wedding.
Come visit me, Angel Gypsy,RIP My Sweet Angel Baby,I Love You, Angel Buddy,Love,Miss You Sweet Boy, Baby,Angel Wicket,Miss You Sweet Wicket, Angels Rambo,Cindell,Love,M- iss You My Sweet Angels, K. SpongeBob-Hi,meet the whacking paw!!, Angels Muffy, Blossie,Missy together again & Bootsie,RIP My Angel,Welcome Wicket.
Come visit me, THE BOYS ~, DARN BEE GEE ~, CATTY SHACK ~ & THE GIRLS ~.
Come visit me, Wally, Angel Mickey, Priscilla-THANK YOU FOR MY COTD, BAC Central-Inactive as of 1/1/2014, Angel PK, Angel Gabby, HAYLEE LOVES HANDSOME OLIVER!, Angel McFluff, Missy & Holly-THANK YOU FOR MY COTD!.
Come visit me, Q Trixie~PLZ vote daily for LIL' BEAR #188146 COTM, Piglet & Sneakers~Catgrats KING SPANKY-JACK #38743, Monkey~PLZ vote COTM for LIL' BEAR #188146~, Fluffinella~happily married to Joey~, Angel Sherman, Angel Cloudy♥Angel Oscar, ☆Angel K Zaboo☆ & Patches~Thank you for 8/21 COTD~.
Come visit me, RennieBoots, ♦♦Q Lily ♦♦ & ♦Lily's Memory Page♦.
Come visit me, Peaches, Nudnik, Angel Dumbo, R.I.P. 1/15/98 - 12/26/13, Bandit (4/27/93-9/10/07) R.I.P. vote 9/17 ACOTD, Blue (COTD 7/1/08, 2/24/12, 2/24/13) & ANGEL COCOA PUFF 3/17/97-10/01/10 REST IN PEACE.
Tell a Friend |
Report inappropriate content on this page.
Hi, my name is
Angel Lucy-Fur COTD 10 18 2008.
Visit the photo gallery to cast your vote »
Get quick tips for happy cats, food recall info, news alerts and best behavior advice.
Sign up to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
CatChannel takes your privacy seriously. To learn more, please read our privacy policy.


text:
Narrow your search
All the news from Computex 2014, the largest IT tradeshow in Asia.
The 2014 Nissan Rogue comes out with many tech features not available among the competition and offers excellent utility for an economy crossover, but it could use further refinement, such as better integration for connected features.
With high-end parts and a high-res screen, this new model from Dell's gaming brand is ready for top-notch gaming on the go.
Pricing not available
Although not as sporty as its GTI sibling, the iconic 2014 Volkswagen Beetle comes through with good power and an enjoyable driving experience, but navigation isn't worth the option price.
The usefulness of connected features outweighs their hodgepodge organization in the 2014 BMW X5 xDrive35i, and the mediocre fuel economy might be a price worth paying for the excellent driving dynamics.
The Tesla Model S not only looks good, it drives exceedingly well while running with electric efficiency, but we would like to see more of the driver-assistance features found on comparably priced cars.
The 2014 Lexus LX 570 blends the off-road pedigree of the legendary Land Cruiser with on-road comfort and manners befitting its luxury Lexus badge.
The 2014 Lexus RX 450h isn't a sexy choice, but it is a strong performer and a comfortable luxury cruiser with one of the quietest power trains in its class.
The 2014 Mazda MX-5 Miata is an excellent driver's car that is best experienced without expensive bells and whistles. Skip the options and just enjoy the ride.
With the Inspiron 11 3000, Dell delivers an everyday ultraportable hybrid with an excellent battery life at a good price.
Bigger, sleeker, and more advanced than the first time around, this encore YotaPhone has updates to both its Android and e-ink faces.
Pricing not available


text:
'Boondocks' Creator Aaron McGruder Not Onboard Latest Season
- Written by Zechs on Sunday, March 23 2014 and posted in News with Benefits
Source: 'The Boondocks' returns, but without creator Aaron McGruder
We already let you in on that the Boondocks will be returning on April 21st with twenty new episodes. Sadly, the creator of the show (and the strip it's based on) Aaron McGruder won't be returning for the show's fourth season. The LA Times reports that Sony Pictures Television (that produces the show) has announced that the final season had no input at all from the man who created the comic strip to begin with.
It should be noted though that McGruder's next project on Adult Swim, Black Jesus is still in development. The move is still startling given McGruder has in the past been very protective with the property in the past. This reporter can only theorize that BET finally got their revenge on the creator, for revealing the true inner workings of the network in the Season Two two-parter "The Hunger Strike" and "The Uncle Ruckus Reality Show" which was only available on the Season set due to Adult Swim:
Our friends at Nix Comics are sponsoring The Outhouse this week. Show them you appreciate it by checking out their comics. One dollar from every Nix Comics sold this month will go to Kirby-4-Heroes.
You Might Also Like:
Comment without an Outhouse Account using Facebook
Note: while you are welcome to speak your mind freely on any topic, we do ask that you keep discussion civil between each other. Nasty personal attacks against other commenters is strongly discouraged. Thanks!
About the Author - Zechs
Zechs is the lord and master of The Toy Shed, Character Spotlight, and Cartoon Reviews. He's also an aspiring comic book writer trying to get some of his works published on the Outhouse. If there's any greater quality to Zechs, it's that he's an avid fan of comic book characters and would defend them to the bitter end against the companies that use them wrongly. Zechs walks the lonely path in Chicagoland area.
More articles from Zechs


text:
Staff was very nice & polite. Everything else was horrible. Rooms fithy hotel reeks of smoke urine damp musty filth. Wifi didn't work at all in either of the 2 rooms we tried. Aircon woy ldn cool bwlow 24c.. matress was a disaster. Brwakfast buffwt lookws great but was 1 notch north of poison. Coffew was burned. Hot buffet items... More
- Reservation Options:
- TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Agoda, Booking.com, Priceline, BookingOdigeoWL, HotelsClick and Otel so you can book your Garden Permata Hotel reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers.


text:
Search old New York Times editions
Described as 129 years of New York Times journalism, as it originally appeared, the Times Machine shows you all past editions of the newspaper. You can browse old editions but also search - full text, apparently - across all past editions.
See, for example, a 1931 comparison of European vs American college libraries (my "Vassar College" search brought this up).


text:
Always hangs up
100 | 100 Phone Number Reports
100 Phone Call Reports
I don't want to have anything to do with him.
needs to be an entry for PHISHING and handle SIP app numbers.
they dont take my calls to explain how my airtime is getting lost
spam sender
Continuously calls from 100, 400, 000 ect. scam to get credit card or bank information
there were very disturbs to me
muito caro
harassing, threatening


text:
Nathan endures boos, baserunners in return, but gets save
Joe Nathan was going to have to get back on the mound and face the boos at Comerica Park eventually. David Price's home debut as a Tiger, with a three-run lead, seemed like as good a time as any.
"At some point, he's going to have to pitch again in this ballpark," manager Brad Ausmus said. "In my mind, really, it's better to do it sooner than later."
Said Nathan: "I knew my nerves would be a little extra. When I was apologizing, I've never been a part of any type of controversy, and I will not be a part of it again."
The boos began, albeit just a few, before Nathan had made it from the bullpen to the mound. They multiplied before he began warming, then really picked up upon introduction. A leadoff single amplified them. Each time, the boos would start and eventually stop for the next at-bat, though they would resume at some point.
The runner eventually scored, but Nathan held it there, getting a game-ending double play to finish off a 4-2 win. And as the boos turned to cheers for a big win finished, Nathan kept his celebration to a point at his catcher, Alex Avila, and congratulations from his teammates. There was no chin-flick, no look into the stands.
"I held it in," Nathan said. "I definitely didn't want to have any reaction tonight, kind of just get back to trying to finish games, try to keep my emotions in check. But I knew it was important, my first time back on the mound since the incident. Just wanted to give the fans something to cheer about before they try to battle traffic with One Direction going on [next door at Ford Field]."
Saturday's lineups: Tigers vs. Mariners
Though Rajai Davis has respectable numbers off Felix Hernandez at 4-for-14, Brad Ausmus is going to give Ezequiel Carrera an opportunity. He'll bat second, with Ian Kinsler moving up to leadoff for the night.
"I don't want to put too much of a magnifying glass on Carrera hitting leadoff right now," said Ausmus.
Most of the Tigers numbers off Hernandez aren't as bad as you'd think, though the power numbers are very limited.
TIGERS (career numbers off Felix Hernandez)
- Ian Kinsler, 2B (19-for-77, 3 doubles, 4 HR, 11 walks, 11 K's)
- Ezequiel Carrera, CF (1-for-5, 2 walks, 3 K's)
- Miguel Cabrera, DH (10-for-24, 2 doubles, 3 walks, 4 K's)
- Victor Martinez, 1B (6-for-21, HR, 4 walks, K)
- Torii Hunter, RF (23-for-72, 3 doubles, 4 walks, 20 K's)
- J.D. Martinez, LF
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Alex Avila, C (3-for-11, 4 K's)
- Eugenio Suarez, SS
Max Scherzer David Price
MARINERS (career numbers against Price)
- Austin Jackson, CF (3-for-17, double, 10 K's)
- Dustin Ackley, LF (2-for-5, double, walk, 3 K's)
- Robinson Cano, 2B (18-for-64, 3 doubles, triple, HR, 3 walks, 7 K's)
- Kendrys Morales, DH (3-for-12, 3 K's)
- Chris Denorfia, RF
- Kyle Seager, 3B (0-for-8, 2 K's)
- Mike Zunino, C (1-for-7, double, 6 K's)
- Logan Morrison, 1B (1-for-3, double, K)
- Chris Taylor, SS
P: Felix Hernandez
Traffic/parking note for tonight's Tigers game
Between a sellout crowd at Comerica Park for tonight's game, a huge crowd across the street at Ford Field for tonight's One Direction concert, and the road closures on Woodward, expect traffic chaos downtown tonight — and that doesn't include Woodward Dream Cruise traffic if you're in the northern suburbs.
The Comerica Park operations people sent out an advisory via their twitter account today. The Olympia-owned parking lots and garages on the east side of Woodward are being reserved for people going to the Tigers game. To get in, you'll need either a parking pass or proof of your ticket to the game. On the west side of Woodward, the lots and garages are open to everybody on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are plenty of other parking lots available downtown, but keep in mind that the Grand Circus stop on the People Mover is closed for renovation. That makes Broadway the closest stop to the ballpark.
The most basic advice is to give yourself as much time as possible, and bring your patience. Also, have your maps app handy on your phone. Depending on how many streets are closed, it might come in handy.
Friday's lineups: Tigers vs. Mariners
Rick Porcello spent 4 1/2 seasons on the same team with Austin Jackson. He said yesterday he has not talked with him since the trade, but he hopes to do so this weekend. Before that, however, they have a game to play.
"It's obviously going to be a little strange to see him on the other side," Porcello said, "but honestly, at this point right now, the way things have been going, I really don't care. I'm trying to get his ass off just the same as everybody else."
Jackson has been relatively quiet lately atop the Seattle lineup, but he has scored each of the last three times he has reached base.
- Rajai Davis, CF
- Ian Kinsler, 2B
- Miguel Cabrera, 1B (1-for-2, walk vs. Paxton)
- Victor Martinez, DH (1-for-1, double, 2 walks vs. Paxton)
- Torii Hunter, RF (1-for-3, HR, K vs. Paxton)
- J.D. Martinez, LF
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Bryan Holaday, C
- Eugenio Suarez, SS
P: Rick Porcello
MARINERS (career numbers vs. Porcello)
- Austin Jackson, CF
- Dustin Ackley, LF (2-for-6, K)
- Robinson Cano, 2B (7-for-20, 2 doubles, 3 walks)
- Kendrys Morales, DH (4-for-19, double, walk, 6 K's)
- Kyle Seager, 3B (0-for-2, walk)
- Mike Zunino, C (0-for-3, 3 K's)
- Logan Morrison, 1B (1-for-1)
- Endy Chavez, RF (1-for-3, 2 K's)
- Chris Taylor, SS
P: James Paxton
Scherzer: Better than last year?
The question has come up a couple different times to Max Scherzer, whose Cy Young season last year was downright dominant. After eight shutout innings and a season-high 14 stirkeouts, the question came up again.
After going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 240 strikeouts last year, is Scherzer actually better this year?
"Coming off these last two starts and where I'm at, I'm a better pitcher than I was last year," Scherzer said. "That was my mindset coming into this year: I was going to be a better pitcher than I was last year. Take all the numbers, throw them out. I'm not referencing wins and losses or anything. If you look at how I'm pitching, and what I'm able to execute, I'm executing all my pitches at a higher level right now. That's something I strive for, and really it's taken to the second half to kind of get everything in sync to be at that level. But I feel like I'm at a level where I'm better than I was last year. That's my goal, to keep getting better."
Statistically, he's pretty close. His Fielding Independent Pitching is very close — 2.87 this year compared to 2.74 last season.
If you're looking at the repertoire, though, he has an argument that he has improved. The transition he made away from being a fastball-slider pitcher and towards a four-pitch pitcher has continued this year, and with more progress.
His fastball, which comprised 60 percent of his pitches two years ago, was down to 53.6% entering this season, according to Fangraphs and STATS, down from 56% last year. His slider usage has dropped from 15.2% to 13.8%.
His curveball and changeup usage, in turn, have rise. The curveball, a pitch he didn't use in games until around this point two years ago, now comprises 11 percent of his pitches.
That mix was on display Thursday, though maybe with a couple fewer curveballs than the season rates. According to data from MLB.com's Gameday app and brooksbaseball.net, Scherzer threw 60 fastballs among his 115 pitches. Fifty-four were his traditional power four-seamers, drawing nine swings and misses out of 23 total swings. The data, however, suggested six other fastballs were the two-seamer Scherzer has been honing this season and keeping in his pocket for situations.
Scherzer threw more changeups (24) than sliders (22), threw nearly all of each for strikes, and drew a dozen swings and misses between the two. The nine curveballs he threw were effectively, including two whiffs.
"His fastball's generally always good," manager Brad Ausmus said after the game. "His changeup was very good. But his curveball, he threw a couple curveballs today harder than normal down and in on left-handed hitters, and he got a strikeout one. Usually his curveball's more of an offspeed pitch on the outer half of the plate, and he's been working on it a little bit throwing it harder on the inside part of the plate to lefties."
Scherzer said he's not throwing one or the other curveball differently; he's just throwing them with a different amount of pressure.
For the season, data from STATS suggests those secondary pitches are better now. He's throwing his slider, curveball and changeup for a higher percentage of strikes, getting a higher percentage of swings and misses from the changeup and curveball, and getting hitters to chase the changeup out of the zone nearly 40 percent of the time.
His fastball and slider are both getting hit harder (a .447 BABIP off the slider, compared to .212 last year). His curveball is getting hit at a slightly higher rate. The changeup is a better pitch all around.
"The fastball maintains a finish through the zone," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "The two-seamer, four-seamer, breaking ball plays extremely well against the right-handers. The changeup for the left-handers. He's a horse out there. The volume of pitches he can throw and maintain velocity and command is impressive."
When the Pirates put pitches in play Thursday, they tended to hit them well. Two of the three hits off of him were doubles, the other a line-drive single. All three were off the four-seam fastball.
They didn't make contact often enough Thursday, though, and as long as he isn't giving up many walks, it's hard to make them count. He has now gone five starts without allowing a home run, one shy of his best mark from last year around the same time. If he can keep the ball away from catwalks at Tropicana Field next week, he'll get it.
But there's plenty more to like about the way Scherzer is throwing right now — and the way he's feeling about the team around him.
"I feel great," he said. "Arm's healthy, especially now. We're going to get a couple of off-days, which will kind of give me a chance to freshen up. We've got playoff baseball. These games are huge for the rest of the season. We're in a fight right now, but that doesn't change what I believe, that if we come to play we're going to win this.
"I completely respect the other teams in our division — the Royals, Indians. It's just that I believe in everybody in this clubhouse. I believe we have the talent to get it done. We just need to go out there and do it. We just need to play our game, bring our best every single day, bring our 'A' game, and let's go win the American League Central."
Thursday's lineups: Tigers vs. Pirates
TIGERS (career numbers against Francisco Liriano)
- Rajai Davis, CF (5-for-17, 2 doubles, walk, K)
- Ian Kinsler, 2B (3-for-15, 2 doubles, HR, 3 walks, 4 K's)
- Miguel Cabrera, 1B (9-for-29, 3 doubles, 2 HR, 8 walks, 8 K's)
- Victor Martinez, DH (13-for-27, 6 doubles, HR, 2 walks, 6 K's)
- Torii Hunter, RF (5-for-15, HR, 3 walks, 2 K's)
- J.D. Martinez, LF
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Alex Avila, C (4-for-8, double, triple, 2 K's)
- Eugenio Suarez, SS
P: Max Scherzer
PIRATES (career numbers off Scherzer)
- Gregory Polanco, RF
- Travis Snider, LF
- Josh Harrison, 3B (0-for-5, 3 K's)
- Ike Davis, 1B (2-for-2, double, walk)
- Starling Marte, CF
- Pedro Alvarez, DH
- Jordy Mercer, SS
- Chris Stewart, C (0-for-3)
- Michael Martinez, 2B (0-for-2, K)
P: Francisco Liriano
Nathan apologizes for gesture
Joe Nathan tried to joke that he didn't use Head and Shoulders in his beard last night, but it didn't go over well. Then he got into his apology for the chin flick after his final out.
"I think both sides were frustrated," he said. "I was frustrated. Fans obviously were frustrated. I think for myself, I apologize for that. I have two kids and I need to be a better example for them thinking how they're still young enough that they won't know about this. I do know, and I do need to be better for that. I know both sides are frustrated, but the thing is, we're on the same page. The fans want to win, want us to win. We obviously want to win. I do apologize for that, but again, we're on the same page here. We're trying to accomplish the same thing. Unfortunately, this incident happened.
"Listen, there's no hard feelings. There's no frustration towards them. I know when they're behind this team 100 percent and they want us to get to the same place. They want us to get to the postseason. I know they want us to go out there and be perfect every time. I wish it was that easy, too, but this game isn't easy sometimes. You're going to go out and have struggles. The thing is, I don't feel like I have been struggling lately. I think it's gone pretty well. Sometimes when you walk a guy and frustration comes out on their end, trust me, I'm just as frustrated. I'm not out there trying to walk guys or trying to do this. I'm trying to win games, period. I don't care how it gets done. We're on the same page. I think it's just one of those things right now where I think fans just have a short leash on how they want me to go out and pitch. I think they have a perception of how it should go, and if it doesn't go exactly that way they get frustrated. Understandable. Like I said, we both want to win. We both want to get to the same goal, the World Series. That's what we're trying to do here. I do understand their frustrations and I apologize for my actions."
Asked about expectations and struggling to meet them, Nathan said, "I think just expectations, expectations of our team, what you guys have put on us for expectations. I think that all goes hand-in-hand on what the fans expect from this ballclub, and because of that, there will be an expectation to go out and be as good as we can be. Unfortunately, this happened. Both sides frustrated, but I do apologize for my actions. I want to put it behind us as quick as I can and move on to what's important, and that's winning games."
Asked about the fairness of expectations: "Are they unfair? No. We know what we expect. We expect that from us as well. We know we have talent in here, and we go through stretches where we aren't playing the way we'd like to, and I think this coincided with how we've been playing the last few weeks too. Like I said, I'm going to be better for my kids. I'm going to be a better example for them. This is something that's never happened to me. I feel bad for that and want to be a better person for that and a better leader for my kids and someone they can look up to, so I apologize to them as well."
The frustrations, he said, got the better of him.
"I know I'm better than that," he said. "I know I'm better than that as a person."
Farmer swapped for Mercedes
Give this to the Tigers: Of all the names that have come and gone through Detroit in recent years, especially this season, this might have made for the best headline.
After Buck Farmer's spot start was finished, he was sent back to the minor leagues. However, instead of a return to Double-A Erie, he gets his fourth different level in the Tigers organization this year. He'll join Triple-A Toledo Thursday.
The move makes room for the Tigers to bring their bullpen back to full strength. The much-speculated move that was Jim Johnson, who delivered two perfect innings earlier in the evening for Toledo, would be on his way to Detroit. However, Johnson told John Wagner of the Toledo Blade that he could use at least one more outing with the Mud Hens to work on some things.
So instead, the Tigers called up Melvin Mercedes, the large right-hander who began the season as the Mud Hens closer but now serves in middle relief. By all appearances, the 23-year-old sinkerballer is getting his first shot at the big leagues to provide a fresh arm.
Mercedes owns an 0-2 record and a 4.33 ERA, allowing 55 hits over 52 innings, includes six home runs. While his 12 walks mark a low rate, his 27 strikeouts comprise one of the lowest rates of his pro career.
If Mercedes gets into a game, he'll become the 26th different person to throw a pitch for the Tigers this season, their highest total since 2011. He'd be the ninth Tigers pitcher to make his Major League debut this season.
Verlander to get more input on sore shoulder
Justin Verlander spent Wednesday visiting with team doctor Stephen Lemos to work up a plan to rehab his right shoulder. At the same time, test results were being sent to specialists to make sure experts are in agreement on the diagnosis of inflammation in his shoulder capsule, but no major structural damage.
At this point, Verlander has no plans to visit a specialist for a second opinion, but he's keeping his options open.
"I'm going to get other opinions. Whether I need to go visit them or not, I don't know," he said. "The more minds you put together to look at something, the better. Hopefully they all come back and say, 'Hey, that's what we see, too.' If they say, 'Hey, maybe you want to come in and get evaluated,' OK, I might be willing to [make a visit]."
Verlander said again that he had been dealing with soreness in his shoulder since before his one-inning start Monday in Pittsburgh, but declined to say how long. He also said that while his exams showed no major structural damage, that doesn't mean there was no abnormal wear and tear.
"Structurally, my shoulder looks about as good as you can expect for someone that's been in the league for 10 years," he said.
As for whether he believes he can get back to full strength with the time off, Verlander said, "We'll see. I'm excited to get back out there. Whether it's 100 percent [strength] or not, I'll be ready to pitch."
Wednesday's lineups: Tigers vs. Pirates
Rajai Davis gets the night off after an 8-for-42 road trip. Considering Vance Worley is holding right-handed hitters to a .212 (25-for-118) average, there's a double reason for it. Ezequiel Carrera starts in center, with Don Kelly starting in left as an extra left-handed bat.
TIGERS (career numbers off Worley)
- Ezequiel Carrera, CF
- Ian Kinsler, 2B (1-for-3)
- Miguel Cabrera, 1B (1-for-6, HR)
- Victor Martinez, DH (2-for-6, double, K)
- Torii Hunter, RF (3-for-6, 2 doubles)
- Don Kelly, LF
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Alex Avila, C (1-for-5, HR, K)
- Eugenio Suarez, SS
P: Buck Farmer
- Josh Harrison, 3B
- Gregory Polanco, RF
- Russell Martin, C
- Ike Davis, 1B
- Starling Marte, CF
- Pedro Alvarez, DH
- Jordy Mercer, SS
- Travis Snider, LF
- Jayson Nix, 2B
P: Vance Worley


text:
- Sports
Another stumble begs questions about Notre Dame
Notre Dame's vaunted reputation for formidable athletics and serious academics is again sullied by a cheating scandal. Maybe the high standards of the Fighting Irish are just too good to be true.
OU player's suspension shows pitfalls of addressing sexual assault on campus
The University of Oklahoma's leading tackler is suspended for the season - or maybe not. Frank Shannon is still practicing with the Sooners amid a court battle over whether OU can discipline him after a sexual assault investigation. The tough issue of addressing assault on campus isn't just OU's problem.
College sports upended by NCAA vote, judge's ruling
Big-name conferences have leave to write their own rules, and a federal judge is forcing colleges to share television and marketing royalties with players. The guise of amateurism is gone from college athletics. What's next is anyone's guess.
Baseball still catching on to official reviews
The Marlins clung to a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning against the Reds last week when an official review of a play at the plate changed everything. The game's controversial outcome - Cincinnati won 3-1 - illustrates baseball's struggle to adjust to the new replay system.
Sterling not the only bad sports team owner
As the Donald Sterling era in with the Los Angeles Clippers looks to be winding down, many are calling him the worst owner in sports history. From being cheap with the players to his most recent racist comments, it's hard to argue against.
Yet, there are a few owners of athletic teams who can give Sterling a run for title of worst in history.
Grandstands feel a little empty at NASCAR races
Two decades after NASCAR started running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the crowds have thinned considerably. It's probably no reflection on the sport's massive following, which stretches from coast to coast, but it surely doesn't NASCAR's image help when the cameras pan across all of those empty seats.
Sideshows involving Rice and Dungy stain NFL's image
Pro football training camps should be all about, well, football. But the talk around the NFL is about Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice's two-game suspension, Tony Dungy's indelicate remarks about Michael Sam and Jim Irsay's largesse. What kind of league is Roger Goodell running?
Redskins not the only nickname to cause a stir
Daniel Snyder has come under fire for refusing to change the mascot of his NFL team, the Washington Redskins. The Redskins, however, are far from being the only controversial mascot in sports history. Here is a sampling of athletic teams from all areas of the sports world that were outside the norm.
'Rebel' mascot rising from the dead
Students and alumni from a Richmond, Va.-area high school are seeking to revive the school's historic mascot, a Confederate soldier known as the "Rebel Man," spurring debate about the appropriateness of public school connections to the Civil War and its icons.
Hall of Fame adds businesslike Braves, Frank Thomas, managers La Russa and Torre
Atlanta Braves pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, and their manager, Bobby Cox, dominated much of baseball during the 1990s. This weekend they went into the Hall of Fame together.
- More Sports Headlines
- Another stumble begs questions about Notre Dame