Prospectus Today: Feel the Love
4/28Sometimes, the game loves you back. I spent last week on the road, first on a trip with my wife, Sophia, then off to see an old friend from the East Coast who was out on this one. I didn't see much baseball from the 19th through the 26th, even missing the highlight shows most of the time. It was a good break; I remarked to Sophia on Tuesday, as a game aired on a television in the back of a restaurant, that I was really starting to miss the game. While I was enjoying our trip, I was also looking forward to getting back to "normal" life a little, immersing myself in the game and writing again. With my travel complete, yesterday was the first time in a while I'd had a chance to follow a day of baseball the way I usually do, watching games on television and following the untelevised ones online. I picked a pretty good day to return, because almost as if the game missed me and wanted to show me just how much, baseball provided a ridiculously entertaining day of highs and lows.
Prospectus Today: Stroll Through the Sortables
4/18I was messing around with ESPN.com's sortable stats late Thursday night, when I began to realize something. We're on the cusp of when the performances we're seeing start to have some meaning; guys are making their fourth starts, hitters are edging towards 100 plate appearances. For a performance analyst, it's a fun time to take a global look at the numbers.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Hiding Your Weakness
4/17The Phillies are 9-6, tied for first in the NL East. Even after a couple of low-scoring nights against the Marlins, they lead the world in runs scored. I mention that because this is going to seem like a strange time to pick on their offense. Bear with me. In my NL East preview, I wrote the following: "It is interesting to look at the Phillies' lineup and see just how many slots have major platoon issues. Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu routinely lose 150 to 300 points of slugging against lefties, while Polanco and Mike Lieberthal are everyday players in name only; neither hits right-handers well enough to justify his lineup spot or salary. The Phillies might get away with this during the regular season, but it's hard to envision them winning a short playoff series against a good manager, one willing to exploit these weaknesses." Here are the career platoon splits, through Tuesday, for the eight Phillies starters and their current center fielder. They're listed in the most common order in which they've appeared.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Relief or Something Like It
4/15You know what the world needs? The world needs another article on the lousy work an AL East contender is getting from its relievers. Except, this one isn't about the Red Sox and their closer-free bullpen. This is about the Yankees and their talent-free bullpen. Let's compare the two...
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Forwarding a Stereotype
4/14One of the completely ridiculous statements leveled at perfromance analysts--or "statheads," if you prefer--is the idea that they need to get their heads out of a stat book and watch a game once in a while. It's silly, because the analysts I know not only watch a ton of baseball, they have a love for the game that's not found in many places. Personally, I watch as much MLB as I can, and most of my column ideas come from watching games, both in person and on television.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Speaking Out
4/12I was reading the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated yesterday, which includes an article chastising Tiger Woods for not being more involved in the effort to get Augusta National Golf Club to admit a woman member. Going over the article, I couldn't help but think of the controversy surrounding the Hall of Fame's decision to cancel festivities celebrating the 15th anniversary of the release of "Bull Durham." Hall president Dale Petroskey called off the event, citing the anti-war views of stars Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, and the possibility that the two would turn the ceremonies into a platform for their opinions.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: www.reallygoodrighthandedpitchers.com
4/10From Mark Prior to Greg Maddux to Rich Harden, Joe Sheehan discusses the performances of stud starters--present, past and future.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Sox Fumble Pedro’s Option Play
4/08Monday, the Red Sox picked up the option on Pedro Martinez's contract. The move, which Martinez had been agitating for since last winter, guarantees Martinez $17.5 million in 2004. To understand just how far through the looking glass we are on this issue, consider the headline on ESPN.com's baseball page: "Red Sox finally pick up Pedro's 2004 option." Finally. An option with a deadline of November 5 gets picked up on April 7, and the word used to describe this is "finally"?
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Small Sample Size Tzuris
4/07For the second time in five days, Joe Sheehan explores the options available to a team losing a star to a dislocated shoulder. Plus, the Disar Awards return!
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: New Causes
4/04Joe Sheehan spots two underdogs making early noise, grabs Ronnie Belliard, Jay Payton and Endy Chavez at bargain-basement prices in roto, and starts saber-rattling for a new cause with Erubiel Durazo justly freed.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: Solving the Jeter Problem
4/02Joe Sheehan offers a darkhorse candidate to replace Derek Jeter, defends Boston's bullpen set-up, and chronicles the exploits of a free man.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: NL West Preview
4/01The best division in the National League features three solid playoff contenders, and two teams that might be no more than a year away.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: NL Central Preview
3/30This will be a transition year in the NL Central, as the teams that have been at the top for years cede control to a pair of up-and-comers. Don't worry, though: Those of you desiring sameness can still take comfort in the Brewers.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: NL East Preview
3/28The NL East is a mess, with overpaid teams, overrated teams, teams with no ownership and teams that might be better off with no ownership. It's possible that no team will win 90 games, and that the spread from top to bottom won't be 20 games.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: AL East Preview
3/27The American League East is moving slowly from a 2-3 configuration to a 2-1-2, as the Toronto Blue Jays put together not just a good team, but an organization that will sustain success. The division will be 3-2 by 2005, but for now, it's the same rivals dueling for supremacy.
continue reading chevron_rightchevron_rightProspectus Today: AL Central Preview
3/26Are the Twins standing too pat? Are the White Sox finally ready to fulfill expectations? Are there really five teams in the AL Central? Joe Sheehan comes back from vacation to answer these questions and more.
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