April 5, 2010

No Pepper

Against the Fence

by Tommy Bennett

Printer-friendly

Dajafi from The Good Phight looks at how recent dynasties have ended.
Surprisingly enough (to me at least) was that none of them involved a frozen Rhine. I also found the selection of dynasties provocative: I don't usually consider the '95-'01 Indians a dynasty, but it makes a certain amount of sense.

I have said it before and I will say it again. If you don't like Vin Scully you don't like baseball.
This interview with the great broadcaster came on the cusp of his 61st (!) season with the Dodgers. A characteristic quote: "I'll always remember Walter O'Malley said to me: 'You know the amazing thing about baseball is that the cheapest seats are the most expensive and the most expensive are the cheapest.'"

Eric and Pitchers & Poets wonders to what degree we can rely on statistics we cannot personally comprehend.
But if you cannot at all, then you're just letting Colin Wyers win, and where's the fun in that? Besides, what about the fun in trying to figure it all out? You know the old saying, "He who dies with the most Excel spreadsheets open wins."

Justin Inaz gives a nice, simple, game-theoretic model of pitch selection and batting strategy.
Be sure also to read the comments, which are excellent. Of course, with repeat players and impact on players outside the batter-pitcher matchup (other hitters and pitchers, for example), you can make this model much more complex. But then it loses some of its elegance.

Jay at Fack Youk on baseball in China.
The post is thorough and worth sticking out until the end.