Clik here to view.
More on Home Runs Per Game
In the previous post, I looked at the trend in home runs per game in the Major Leagues and suggested that the recent deviation from the increasing trend might have been due to the development of strong...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The 600 Home Run Almanac
People are interested in players who hit 600 home runs, at least judging by the Google searches that point people here. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some quick facts about the 600th home run...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Burnett, Hughes, and Playoff Rotations
There was much discussion of the Yankees’ specialized playoff rotation for the American League Division Series. As is conventional in the ALDS, Joe Girardi went with a three-man rotation. CC Sabathia...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Home Run Derby: Does it ruin swings?
Earlier this year, there was a lot of discussion about the alleged home run derby curse. This post by Andy on Baseball-Reference.com asked if the Home Run Derby is bad for baseball, and this Hardball...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is ‘luck’ persistent?
I’ve been listening to Scott Patterson’s The Quants in my spare time recently. One of the recurring jokes is Wall Street traders’ use of the word ‘Alpha’ (which usually represents abnormal returns in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is scoring different in the AL and the NL?
The American League and the National League have one important difference. Specifically, the AL allows the use of a player known as the Designated Hitter, who does not play a position in the field,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
June Wins Above Expectation
Even though I’ve conjectured that team-level wins above expectation are more or less random, I’ve seen a few searches coming in over the past few days looking for them. With that in mind, I constructed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Padre Differential
I was all set to fire up the Choke Index again this year. Unfortunately, Derek Jeter foiled my plan by making his 3000th hit right on time, so I can’t get any mileage out of that. Perhaps Jim Thome...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Home Field Advantage Again
In an earlier post, I discussed the San Francisco Giants’ vaunted home field advantage and came to the conclusion that, while a home field advantage exists, it’s not related to the Giants scoring more...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Jim Thome, Revised
In an earlier post, I predicted that if Jim Thome stayed healthy, he’d hit the 600 home run mark at some point in late July, with a loose prediction that he’d hit it around July 26 (the Twins’ 100th...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Jordan Lyles Show
Jordan Lyles put up a great line for the Rockies against the White Sox last night. Lyles threw 6 2/3 for the Rockies, striking out four, walking two, and allowing one run (which didn’t come until the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bartolo Colon, plus the Bullpen
The Mets were idle yesterday; after going 2-1 against the Reds this weekend, they’ll face Atlanta tonight with Bartolo Colon starting. I was a Bartolo skeptic at first, but having done a bit more deep...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tejada leads the team in OBP
Moneyball was an influential book for two reasons. First, it described the process by which a GM can attempt to min-max a winning team every year. That’s interesting. Second, it showed a lot of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
No earned runs to start the season
Fernando Rodney saved his second game for the Seattle Mariners last night, after being set up by the combined efforts of Danny Farquhar and Tom Wilhelmsen in the 7th and 8th innings. What really looked...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Vultures of Capistrano
As with the swallows returning to Capistrano, every April brings the return of the Vultures to Major League Baseball. A vulture win is a special kind of decision for a reliever. In its purest form, it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Conflicts
You’re trying not to smile, aren’t you? - My wife on Saturday morning Although the Dodgers are currently my favorite California team, it’s tough – I’m a huge Angels fan. It all started in 2004, when...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Everybody’s Stupid Except Me
Or, why is there a guy being paid to manage the team when I already do it? There have been quite a few extra-innings games this year for the Mets. The pitching situation has been stressed a couple of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Spring, When a Young Man’s Position Players Turn to Pitchers
Last week was an exciting time, because it marked the first instances of the year of one of the World’s Worst Sports Blog‘s favorite situations – a position player taking the mound. Position players...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Mets, Game 21: Tales Of Interest
Three interesting things happened last night: Kyle Farnsworth earned his second save of the year. Thus far, both saves have come against the Cardinals. Kyle is the third Met to earn a save this year,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Chone Figgins is below the Mendoza line, so why has he earned his spot?
It’s no secret to regular readers, if any, that I’m a fan of Chone Figgins. The Dodgers picked him up as a free agent and kept him on the roster this year. He’s hitting abysmally – in 15 plate...
View Article