History

The 3 Stages of Rotisserie Grief

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BBTF’s Primate Studies Discussion :: Eugene Freedman

It sounds like this is Eugene’s first fantasy baseball article. He does a good job of explaining Patton’s roto stages and teases his next story, but things really take off when the discussion starts. There are no answers here, but it’s good to hear the chatter.

One suggestion: Do what you like. I’ve never played in a league with holds. Changing BA to OBP is the best move any league can make.

Changes in home run rates during the Retrosheet years

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The Hardball Times

Tom Tango methodically and revealingly demonstrates, using information gleaned from Retrosheet and MLB’s ball-testing lab, that there is real evidence that the home run boom that began in 1993 was a product of a juiced ball. Don’t believe me? Read the story.

Which isn’t to say that this is the final word. Tom’s data relates to balls put into play as they relate to home run rate, which is the best way to figure out the effect of hitting the ball farther, but not so good for determining changes that might stem from the umpires’ calling of the strike zone (in which case the ball might be hit less often).

Plus, I find it hard to believe that given the potency of Mile High in Denver, that the control group of players had a similar increase in home runs to those who didn’t play in Colorado. That’s something to think about while reading Tom’s story.

David Pinto, of baseballmusings.com, says that manufacturing standards tightened up for the ball manufacturers in 1993, and that balls were tested more often. His theory is that the manufacturers established a more tightly wound ball (but still within the official specs) as the de facto standard. Unlike times past, when the equipment would slide and the balls would loosen up and a range of tightnesses were created, the modern ball is uniform and tightly wound.

In no way does this argument rule out the possibility that other factors played a part in the recent power boom (Tom doesn’t publish the numbers after 1998 for one thing), but it does establish that only modest changes to the ball could readily explain much if not all of the changes. That’s worth remembering when it is tempting to overreact.

James White vs. a Jumping Myth

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ESPN: TrueHoop

This is an excerpt from a book by Todd Gallagher, called Andy Roddick Beat Me With a Frying Pan, answering abiding sports questions that, in this case, have nothing to do with baseball. But it reminded me of my summer at basketball camp, when I was in between the eighth and ninth grades, at Kutscher’s in the Catskills. Wilt Chamberlain was the big name at the camp, but my best time was spent chatting with Walt Frazier in the parking lot. Still, reading the linked story reminded me of something else.

“Jumping” Johnny Green was our guest coach and apropos his nickname someone asked if he really could pick a dollar bill off the top of the backboard.

“For a dollar bill, no,” he said, as if he’d answered this question a million times (and probably had, what with that nickname of his), “But put a $20 bill up there and I’ll show you how it’s done.”

Needless to say, the scores of 11 year olds that surrounded him in their basketball togs didn’t have a dollar between them, much less a double sawbuck.

Too bad.

The Hall Feels The Need For Speed

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Baseball Crank

A nice trend chart from the Baseball Crank shows that the longer you stay on the ballot the more writers support you for the Hall, though I can’t think of a good reason why that should be. I don’t take the Hall seriously enough to worry about the borderline cases. They make it or they don’t, and that’s fine.

I do find it hard to see why Tim Raines or Mark McGwire look like they should be in, if only there wasn’t the cocaine and the steroids. Based on the numbers both were very good ballplayers who were at best borderline when it comes to induction numbers. Given their questionable pasts the voters’ reluctance to enshrine them doesn’t seem that crazy.