As I wrote in my review of The Numbers Game the other day, much of Alan Schwarz’s book revolves around Bill James. He not only pops up in conjunction with nearly every development in the statistical landscape of the past 30 years, but Schwarz often references him in discussing the work of his precursors, from …
In last year’s smash hit Moneyball, author Michael Lewis wove a compelling narrative about how a statistically-oriented revolution that took hold in the early ’80s among baseball followers had finally penetrated the front offices of a major-league team, the Oakland A’s. In doing so, he brought a stereotypically nerdy take on the game, called sabermetrics …
Continue reading ‘Stat Crazy After All These Years: The Numbers Game’ »
In the hectic week and a half since my latest Baseball Prospectus piece, a look at the prospects the Yankees have traded over the past decade, several of them have popped up in the news. Having already mentally dog-eared their profiles and accomplishments, I figured I’d share what I’ve found. The first up is none …
On Saturday afternon I went over to Tompkins Square Park for a leisurely game of catch with Nick and Andra (a fiancée with a live arm). Leisurely, that is, if you consider the shrill blare of a hardcore band playing an outdoor show elsewhere in the park to be none too disrupitve. Suffice it to …
Before I get back to the business of baseball, I’d like to thank everybody who responded to Monday’s post. Whether it’s my New York-area pals who’ve had the chance to meet Andra or just well-wishing readers offering a tip of the cap, it does mean a lot to me. In the past week, the only …
The following is a special guest piece by my brother-in-law-to-be, Aaron Hardt, Jr. of Milwaukee. When it comes to both music and baseball, Aaron is a passionate and intrepid fan who will go to great lengths to chase down his favorites. Last spring, he accompanied me on a fantastic Grapefruit League trip. More recently, he …
Thursday was already shaping up to be a banner day by the time I walked out the door. Not only was I hotly anticipating the publication of my latest piece at Baseball Prospectus, in a matter of a few minutes I’d come up with another blog entry that ended up getting linked via Baseball Primer’s …
Not that I want to wipe this contest off the top of the page, but I’ve got an article up at Baseball Prospectus related to the Yankees and the trading deadline. It’s my fifth Prospectus piece, a lengthy (and I mean lengthy) analysis of the prospects the Yankees have traded over the past decade, using …
The world of baseball blogs doesn’t have very many women, but quality helps to make up for quantity. Batgirl, a Minnesota Twins fan, has a VERY unique way of getting her points across — Lego re-enactments. You absolutely have to check out her latest one. Thanks to All-Baseball.com for the tip. I should have some …
Continue reading ‘Now THAT’s A Brawl! Plus Other Morning Notes and a Contest’ »
Rather than belabor the finale of the Yankees-Red Sox series — let’s just say that Jose Contreras should never, ever be let near that lineup — I wanted to take a quick look at what’s separating the two teams. Over at Bronx Banter, my old sparring partner Sully, who runs a blog called The House …