Monday, January 14, 2013
What was your favorite baseball article of 2012?
Posted by Dave StudemanIn a couple of months, at the SABR Analytics Conference, the organizers plan to present awards for three types of baseball writing:
- Contemporary Baseball Analysis: Honoring the best analysis focusing on a subject related to the modern game(s), team(s) or player(s).
- Contemporary Baseball Commentary: Honoring the best commentary focusing on a subject related to the modern game(s), team(s) or player(s).
- Historical Baseball Analysis/Commentary: Honoring the best original analysis or commentary focusing on a subject related to a game(s), team(s) or player(s) throughout baseball history.
Works of "Analysis" will be judged on the following criteria: thorough examination of the subject matter; originality of research; factual accuracy; significance in advancing our understanding of baseball. Works of "Commentary" will be judged on the following criteria: distinguished writing; profound insight; factual accuracy; significance in advancing our understanding of baseball.
SABR has asked us to submit articles from The Hardball Times (or any other baseball website) for consideration. Could you help?
By canvassing our writers, I developed this list of potential articles from the THT site:
Contemporary Baseball Analysis:
Matt Swartz' series on Game Theory and Baseball (the link is to the final article)
Kyle Boddy's analysis of Tim Lincecum's velocity
Shane Tourtellotte on what happens after long games
Glenn DuPaul examined whether teams that went for broke succeeded (followup too)
Contemporary Baseball Commentary:
Chris Lund on why a certain trade won't fix Miami
Ed DeCaria's moving ode to Marvin Miller
Azure Texan remembers a special moment
Historical Baseball Analysis/Commentary:
Dave Studeman lists the most critical at-bats of all time
Shane harks back to the famed steals of home by Jackie Robinson
Chris Jaffe reviews ten things he didn't know about game-ending hits
Dave Studeman on the history of money and wins
Max Marchi proves that games really were more exciting in the old days
Bruce Markusen reflects on the connection between Hank Aaron and Stephen Straburg
I have a feeling that I'm missing some really worthy articles. Could help us out by telling us what you think of these articles, or nominating other THT articles or articles from other sites for this honor? They have to be published on the Internet to qualify (not in a book or magazine).
Remember, great baseball writing is its own reward! Thanks for your help.
Dave was called a "national treasure" by Rob Neyer. Seriously. Comments about this article can be sent to him through the miracle of e-mail.
There are some good ones in there, but Kyle Boddy’s Lincecum analysis is one that stood out for me.