Archive for April 2010

John measures the strike zone and learns about the nature of umpires.

Twenty-five years ago Bill James predicted that baseball would wise up and figure out what kind of player should bat leadoff. Was he right?

Wherein we learn about Ruth’s difficulties hitting the long ball in Boston and Ott’s easy time at the Polo Grounds, with some bonus material on The Splinter and The Clipper.

Mantle and Robinson meet in the 1952 World Series. I think.

The second half of John’s investigations of batsmen grounding into double plays, including the best and worst rally-killers of the last half century.

Should Mets fans be hopeful or worried about the upcoming season?

A look at something that OPS overlooks. Or, why Miguel Tejada is not Grady Sizemore.

John gives his annual report on outfield arms. We find some new names at the top of the list and some familiar ones at the bottom.

Wherein we continue our comparison of two Red Sox greats: Carl Yastrzemski and Manny Ramirez. Will Carl’s defense overcome Manny’s superior bat?

Wherein we examine the relative claims to second-best Red Sox left fielder ever, taking into account hitting, baserunning, catching the ball and throwing the same.