Look to the Future

No one knows what tomorrow will bring – that’s not going to stop us from making wild guesses though. Which players are going to bounce back from bad years and which ones are going to come back down to Earth? Did a team make a change that will pay off big? Is that big free agent going to live up to his even bigger contract? (hint: probably not)

If we do better than a coin flip, we’re calling it a win.

NL Cy Young Prediction: DeGrom should be the death blow to pitcher wins

A Very Simple Game Award Predictions
NL Cy Young Prediction: DeGrom should be the death blow to pitcher wins

Jacob DeGrom has been the best pitcher in Major League Baseball this season (much less the National League). He’s also been the best player, position or pitcher, in the National League. In both cases, it’s not even all that close.

Still, there likely are folks who aren’t going to vote for Jacob DeGrom to win the NL Cy Young because his record currently stands at only 9-9. He has so few wins only because his team, the New York Mets, suck and don’t score for him. “Having bad teammates” is an objectively awful reason not to vote for someone for an individual award and pitcher wins are an awful stat for the same reason. Read more

Top Nine Predictions for the 2017 MLB Season

A Very Simple Game Award Predictions, Top Nine Lists
Top Nine Predictions for the 2017 MLB Season

Baseball is back for the 115th MLB season. Last season, the Chicago Cubs broke the longest running curse in sports and Mike Trout actually won another MVP award, making him two for five in seasons where he was the best player in baseball. What does the 2017 Major League Baseball season hold for MLB fans? We’ve got some ideas. As always, if we beat a coinflip’s accuracy, we’re calling it a win. Read more

The NL Cy Young Race is…Interesting

A Very Simple Game Award Predictions
The NL Cy Young Race is…Interesting

The 2016 National League Cy Young Award race poses several interesting questions this year. What is of more value: a great pitcher pitching fewer innings or a very good pitcher pitching more? What tools are best to measure run-prevention? What part will emotion and sentiment play in the minds of the voters? While the field worth considering in the National League is roughly as large as in the American League, unlike the AL there are three clear frontrunners in the National League – each with a compelling argument. Read more

Mike Trout Should win the 2016 AL MVP…but he won’t

A Very Simple Game Award Predictions
Mike Trout Should win the 2016 AL MVP…but he won’t

For each of the past four seasons, Mike Trout has been the best player in the American League (and likely in all of baseball), and he has only one MVP award to show for it. Baseball, a game that loves tradition like no other, will likely continue that trend this year, denying Trout yet again; this time in favor of the RedSox’ rising star, Mookie Betts (or maybe Josh Donaldson again…one or the other…like 80/20, Betts). Read more

Why Price vs. Greinke wasn’t (and isn’t) really that close

A Very Simple Game Contract & Trade Evaluations, Quick Takes (Blog)
Why Price vs. Greinke wasn’t (and isn’t) really that close

The two biggest free agent contracts in this off-season were handed out to a pair of aces: David Price ($217m/7yrs.) and Zack Greinke ($206.5/6yr.). All throughout the off-season, Price and Greinke were discussed as essentially equal properties and, in the end, Price got more total dollars, but Greinke got the higher per year salary. However, once we dig a bit into the numbers, these two aren’t actually as close as they might initially seem. Read more

Top Nine Predictions for the 2016 Season

A Very Simple Game Award Predictions, Bouncebacks & Breakouts, Look to the Future, Team Forecasts, Top Nine Lists
Top Nine Predictions for the 2016 Season

Spring has sprung and Spring Training has begun – we’re back for a new season of baseball with nine predictions for the coming MLB season. Who’s going to break out? Who’s going to regress? What teams will be celebrating at the end of the season, and which will be wishing they spent their money better? We’ll break out the dartboard and the crystal ball and let you know (not by throwing the darts at the crystal ball though – that would make a mess) Read more

MLB Off Season: AL West – The Best Move (and a plan B) for every team.

A Very Simple Game Team Forecasts
MLB Off Season: AL West – The Best Move (and a plan B) for every team.

The Baseball off season is by far the most active and interesting of the four major North American sports. Superstars are routinely traded, prospects dealt for established players, and gigantic contracts handed out (all with guaranteed money – in MLB, that signature means something).

Because of that, the MLB off season is often as interesting as the games itself. Below we outline what we think is the best possible move – as well as a plan B – for each team. We’re not suggesting these are the most likely things to happen, nor are we suggesting that they all can happen, just that these are the optimal moves for each club. Read more