Steve has written a script that takes any group of nine players and suggests the best lineup. In this year’s first Ask Rotoman column this year I took a look at the Mets lineup mainly to argue that they’d better off with Carlos Beltran leading off. Steve, based on 2005 stats, says Paul Lo Duca should be the choice. At least he explains his methodology, which for a mechanical process sure makes a good deal of sense.
MLB
Stats Geek
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh has an analytical sabermetric baseball columnist! Plus he writes well, thinks clearly about the game, and has a sense of humor. Excellent!
Adam Kennedy Statistics
As Adam Kennedy reaches 30 there is a whirling dervish of a hitter named Howie Kendrick nipping at his heels. Some will tell you that the Angels will be looking to move Kennedy come midseason to make way for Kendrick, and clearly AL only players should worry about such a thing. Kendrick brings a very tough approach to the plate, and he has an impressive swing, but he’s probably not ready for the majors now, and the usually conservative Angels are likely to wait rather than push aside a regular in midseason.
This wouldn’t matter if Kennedy was going for full price, but if he’s discounted because of this talk, jump all over him. Howie Kendrick would. I think.
Sportsticker Baseball Notebook
This innocuous drivel about Dodger ownership was written by noted “journalist” Fred Claire, who also was once the Dodger General Manager. Not news.
Mariners CF Reed wrist not broken as originally thought
Oh, boy. In leagues that drafted over the weekend Reed suddenly becomes a 2007 keeper, if he takes the extra month he’s suddenly gotten and proves he can play in the bigs. I think he will.
Rolen shoulders the load
In Tout Wars NL Rolen went for $20, which made him either the most underpriced star or the most overpriced hurt guy. No one knows at this point, as this story makes clear, especially Rolen and the Cardinals. That makes Rolen a great pick up if you have bad freezes and may be playing for 2007, but a very risky play in a startup league. It’s tough to drop $20 on a guy, hoping to get $25 out of him, when you might get nothing.
2006 Commercials
My oh my. Very nice.
Major League Baseball : This Week’s Ask Rotoman
Major League Baseball : Fantasy : Fantasy
The new one is up over at mlb.com, with a perhaps too-lengthy look at league differences, a survey of the big bounceback candidates, an attempt to find this year’s Jon Garland, and a little chatter about Mark Prior.
Do-or-Die Baseball – The World Baseball Classic proves baseball seasons don’t have to be endless. By Seth Stevenson
I love it. A completely different perspective on the nature of the game of baseball. I’ve long thought that basketball might become a much better game if they dumped the transition and the game became a series of set plays launched from scrimmage, like football. No tackling, though, I don’t think. Stevenson’s thought experiment recasts the nature of the baseball schedule, and suggests how it might change our perceptions of the role of luck and small differences. Good stuff.
Hardball Dollars
Lots of information here about contracts and salaries, set up in such a way that you can scan a team’s coming obligations. I get lots of calls for lists of upcoming free agents. This site will let you find your own.