No Pepper

The latest issue of the journal Bayesian Analysis contains a series of articles on Bayesian modeling of hitting in baseball. It includes a contribution by Phil Birnbaum.

Should instant replay in sports be conducted de novo or with deference to the call on the field? Joseph Blocher makes the analogy to appellate procedure and argues that none of the reasons for deference in appellate review (most notably, that lower courts are better at determining questions of fact) apply to instant replay. Does it matter that, under some systems, the people reviewing the call are the same as the people making the call?

Sky Andrecheck attempts to determine the cost of WAR in each of the compensation regimes. For an interesting discussion, including smart critiques of his method, see the comments at Tango's blog.

Jerry Crasnick has a thorough and interesting article about Marvin Miller's HOF credentials. For the record, I think if we're going to allow people other than players, managers, and GMs, we ought to allow people who did not work directly for teams. Once that move is made, the game is over and Miller deserves enshrinement. But all of that assumes a dispassionate voting mechanism.

Finally, congratulations to Larry at wezen-ball, who is celebrating the anniversary of his site. We wish you many more to come.