The Hardball Times and THT Live http://www.hardballtimes.com/main en mikefast@gmail.com Copyright 2008 2008-11-20T22:29:00-05:00 2009 Oliver projections http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/2009-oliver-projections/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/2009-oliver-projections/#When:22:29:00Z 2009 Oliver projections for batters over at Statistically Speaking. His projection system draws its appellation from Tangotiger's suggestion of Oliver the Chimpanzee being somewhat more sophisticated than Marcel the Monkey.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Mike Fast 2008-11-20T22:29:00-05:00 CC’s choices http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/ccs-choices/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/ccs-choices/#When:13:54:01Z posted a spreadsheet comparing CC's two offers. I hope this is the sort of thing agents are doing for their players. The upshot is that $140 million isn't necessarily $40 million more than $100 million, at least not when you account for contracts of different lengths, different costs of living and the present value of money.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Dave Studeman 2008-11-20T13:54:01-05:00 Hey, Bobby! http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/hey-bobby/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/hey-bobby/#When:11:10:02Z Eric Seidman rectifies the situation. Really, Abreu's salary demands are outrageous and he will be a good test of how rational or wacky the free agent market is right now.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Dave Studeman 2008-11-20T11:10:02-05:00 White Flag? http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/white-flag/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/white-flag/#When:04:35:00Z
Click the title to read more.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> John Brattain 2008-11-20T04:35:00-05:00 Do experienced players perform better in the postseason? http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/do-experienced-players-perform-better-in-the-postseason/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/do-experienced-players-perform-better-in-the-postseason/#When:04:28:00Z
Click the title to read more.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> David Gassko 2008-11-20T04:28:00-05:00 Life of Boswell http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/life-of-boswell/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/life-of-boswell/#When:19:46:00Z a biting, yet appropriate, critique of Thomas Boswell's position that giving the MVP to Albert Pujols is "nuts." This year's MVP debate is really separating the "gets it's" from the "doesn't get it's" for me. I believe that Howard wasn't even the most valuable player on his own team; once you take fielding, baserunning and position into account, Chase Utley was.

Now I'm willing to concede that's debatable to some extent, because it requires an appreciation of batting splits, fielding prowess and other kind-of-obscure stuff. But Pujols over Howard? Not debatable at all.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Dave Studeman 2008-11-19T19:46:00-05:00 Scott Karl interview http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/scott-karl-interview/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/scott-karl-interview/#When:15:36:01Z Brewerfan managed to scoop up an interview with Karl, and it's pretty interesting. You sometimes wonder why and how players start to lose their edge, and Karl provides one example:
...I had developed a genetic condition that limited the elasticity of my ligaments and tendons. I could still throw the ball where I wanted to, and make it move, but my velocity was going, and when that started for me, it went fast. I never had an arm injury in my career, but when that happened, I just lost the velocity.


Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Dave Studeman 2008-11-19T15:36:01-05:00 TUCK! sez: File under “Duh” http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tuck-sez-file-under-duh/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tuck-sez-file-under-duh/#When:05:05:00Z
Click the title to read more.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Tuck 2008-11-19T05:05:00-05:00 BOB:  Mark Cuban’s Troubles and MLB Network News http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bob-mark-cubans-troubles-and-mlb-network-news/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bob-mark-cubans-troubles-and-mlb-network-news/#When:05:03:00Z
Click the title to read more.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Brian Borawski 2008-11-19T05:03:00-05:00 New Fangraphs stats http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/new-fangraphs-stats/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/new-fangraphs-stats/#When:23:09:00Z looking at the relationship between some of these obscure stats (what is a Z-swing, anyhoo? Shouldn't definitions be included in the glossary and articles themselves?) and pitcher performance. This is good stuff, and understanding how these new stats relate to the more common baseball stats is important.

Order the Hardball Times Annual 2009 today!]]> ]]> Dave Studeman 2008-11-18T23:09:00-05:00