Another busy week at Baseball Prospectus. On Wednesday, I examined the Hall of Fame’s announcement of new voting procedures to consider manager, executives, umpires and long-retired players — basically a rebranding of the unloved Veterans Committee in any of its forms, including the expanded format one which begat us hearing that Reggie Jackson didn’t think …
Continue reading ‘Friday’s Child: The Trade Deadline Approacheth’ »
“Is this really the worst-ever era in MLB facial hair, or just the first in HD?” —@ataccini, July 25 Facial hair is always a lively topic on Twitter, my own mustache included. Last night, as Matt Garza was en route to a no-hitter, I mocked his beard, suggesting it could overtake that of Boone Logan …
It’s been a big day — a big week — for me at Baseball Prospectus, with the Replacement-Level Killers piece on Tuesday, the NL Hit List on Thursday, and then a double dip today featuring the AL Hit List and a piece comparing Tim Raines’ Hall of Fame case to that of Andre Dawson, who’s …
Gotta call bullshit on Joel Sherman’s suggestion that Joe Girardi could consider the soon-to-be-vacant Cubs managerial position upon Lou Piniella’s retirement at the end of this season: Joe Girardi’s free agency be came a little more interesting yesterday when Lou Piniella announced his retirement as Cubs manager, effective at the conclusion of the season. It …
This morning, Steven Goldman and I had a lively conversation about whether or not the Yankees should trade Joba Chamberlain. Steve initially came at the question prepared to argue that it made sense to use Joba as trade bait while he still had some mystique about him, but a look at his peripherals changed his …
It’s that time of year again: When it comes to playoff races, every edge matters. Yet all too often, managers and GMs fail to make the moves that could help their teams for reasons rooted in issues beyond a player’s statistics, allowing sub-par production to fester until it kills a club’s post-season hopes. Back in …
Continue reading ‘Here Come the Replacement-Level Killers’ »
Defense is a slippery beast to get a handle upon. As my Baseball Prospectus colleague Colin Wyers points out, the current generation of defensive metrics — such as Ultimate Zone Rating, Plus/Minus, and BP’s own Fielding Runs Above Average — aren’t as objective as we’d like to believe due to questions about the quality of …
It’s been a rough whirlwind of a week in Yankeeland, not only with the passing of Bob Sheppard but also the Big Boss Man, George Steinbrenner, but as the second half dawns, things are looking up in terms of their on-field situation. I’ve got a pair of pieces up at Baseball Prospectus and ESPN Insider …
Death comes a-callin’ again at 161st St. I just posted this at Baseball Prospectus: A titan has fallen, and an era has ended. Just two days after legendary Yankee Stadium public address announcer Bob Sheppard’s death, and nine days after celebrating his own 80th birthday, principal Yankees owner George Steinbrenner passed away Tuesday morning due …
Continue reading ‘Bluster and Luster: George Steinbrenner (1930-2010)’ »
Like virtually anyone who set foot in any iteration of Yankee Stadium over the past 60 years — Yankees fan or tourist — I’m greatly saddened to learn of the passing of public address announcer Bob Sheppard. The New York Times obituary‘s first sentence says it all: Bob Sheppard, whose elegant intonation as the public-address …