On Sunday, the Houston Astros’ Jeff Bagwell will enter the Hall of Fame. We’re particularly pleased with Bagwell’s election, since it seemed for a little while that he might unduly suffer from PED speculation (while in a certain sense it’s reasonable to suspect any player from the era, there is *zero* evidence specifically against Bagwell). Bagwell is a clear Hall of Famer, 6th all time in WAR among first basemen and possessed of one of the best batting eyes in Major League history. Read more
Aaron Judge and Baseball’s “Youth Movement”
Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ rookie phenom, has spent the first half of the season ripping the covers off of baseballs and sending them into low earth orbit. A mountain of a man with a charismatic smile, Judge has already been dubbed the ‘new face of baseball’ by many (including commissioner Rob Manfred). The rookie slugger has also been heralded as the next superstar in Major League Baseball’s “Youth Movement,” potentially eclipsing even MVPs Mike Trout and Bryce Harper. How does Judge actually stack up to his peers? And is MLB’s Youth Movement a reality or just perception? Read more
Top Nine Seasons by Players 40 and Older
Last Sunday, Ichiro set a record as the oldest player to start a Major League Baseball game in centerfield during the modern ERA at 43 years old. This got us thinking: which players have put up the best seasons on the shady side of 40. Here are the Top Nine season by players over 40 years old. Read more
Burning Question: Who was the Most Average Major League Player of All-time?
An entirely average Major League starter is still among the few hundred best baseball players on the planet. The average Major League starter produces around 2.0 Wins Above Replacement – in most seasons, fewer than 100 position players reach that mark. So when we ask “Who was the most average Major League player of all-time?” it’s not meant as an insult. It does however make for an interesting question. Read more
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
Prediction Review, 2016 Season
A prediction is meaningless unless someone can point to it and gloat about how right or wrong they were. With that truth in mind, here’s our review of our Top Nine Predictions for the 2016 Major League Baseball Season. Read more
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