Looking For New Site Ideas and Contributors

by Sky Kalkman on Jun 15, 2009 9:00 AM EDT

BtB has grown a lot over the past year, and I'm hoping that trend will continue. We're always looking to add new features -- and not just original research -- but it can be difficult to nail down the great ideas or identify folks with the skill sets to do crazy new things. I'm sure there are a lot of you out there thinking, "why in the heck isn't BtB doing this" or "I could so rock this idea!" So, tell me, whudda you got?

You got ideas for new regular features? Would you like to help bring back the Saber-Friendly Blogging 101 series? Do you have an interest in non-article content such as podcasts, newsletters, behind-the-scenes databases and coding, or logos and images? Do you read everything on the inter-tubes and enjoy compiling links? Would you like to write introductory arguments against traditional viewpoints, like this one? Do you have the ability to talk about baseball intelligently without using a single number? Do you have a plan to make BtB a better, tighter community? Do you want to organize a team of commandos to invade front offices and replace their interns with Josh Kalk clones?

One reason I'm asking for you to come to me -- in addition to the points that I don't have all the good ideas and I'm really not sure what most of your specialties are -- is that I'm extremely wary of poaching contributors from other blogs. I've invited people to write here who have blogs in different niches, but I steer away from people at saber-slanted sites. If you do currently contribute to a saber-slanted blog and would be interested in contributing to BtB in any capacity, please let me know. There are tons of people out there whom I'd love to work with at BtB but haven't invited for fear of insulting them and their websites. Not that we're just looking for people who are already blogging.

If you want to shout out suggestions, feel free to do so in the comments. If you'd like to talk about developing a relationship with the BtB gang and providing your own touch to the site, please email me at skyking162@gmail.com.

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Comments

Guess I better get some material out before Sky fires me.

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 15, 2009 12:27 PM EDT reply actions

No worries.

You’ll still have like 8 blog “jobs” to lose after this one.

Brandon McCarthy: Scap Load Failure - TexasLeaguers.com

by NoNameOnCard on Jun 15, 2009 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions

One thing I have always wanted to see

Was a review of managers by pre-season projections. Like which manager’s gets the most out of the players? Like which teams regularly get their hitters to outperform their wOBA’s?

I honestly wouldn’t know where to begin. Should you use stats that take in account of defense or no? How many years of data should you use 1,2,3,…? Lot’s of questions but honestly it seems like a good question to me.

Stat Whore

by FlimtotheFlam on Jun 15, 2009 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

Your first paragraph

deals w/ 2 separate issues. Are you looking for numbers on managers whose players outperform their projections or those whose players outperform their career wOBAs? To me, the 2nd is a much more substantial and meaningful endeavor. If I’m not mistaken, one of the books put out by THT looked at managers whose players outperform their career offensive numbers. La Russa’s numbers weren’t that good at all. Dusty Baker’s were very good. Maybe this was on the THT website but I’m almost sure it was THT. Does anyone else have any recollection of this?

by chuckb on Jun 15, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I first thought of projections

I could see some problems with career numbers. Both though seem worthwhile to look at

Stat Whore

by FlimtotheFlam on Jun 16, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Wasn't there some effects of managers in Baseball Beyond the Numbers

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 16, 2009 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions

I think a wiki would be valuable

Make a requirement that it use plain language when possible. Often “definitions” of phrases or statistical measures are merely hotlinks to what is essentially a sales pitch. Also including strengths and weaknesses of various measures would be good.

I also think making criticism and discussion more acceptable would be a plus. I realize you probably can’t say that you don’t want that, but in practice there is a cliquish, elitist attitude that doesn’t accept challenge or even questioning.

by ol Pete on Jun 16, 2009 10:48 AM EDT reply actions

Good to know. If anyone wondering if we want to hear negative feedback or not, we definitely do.

In fact, specific examples or more detailed critiques, when possible, would be great. If you don’t want to comment them, feel free to email me.

Beyond the Boxscore // Calling BJ Upton lazy is lazy.

by Sky Kalkman on Jun 16, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions

On the first point, it is tough to explain everything, all the time. There have been a few primers and if you don't follow a stat just ask. There are plenty of people wanting to show off how much they know.

On the second part, feel free to criticize and discuss all you want as long as you back it up in some way.

The work is too complex. -acceptable
There are too many acronyms -acceptable.
What is the impact of this work – acceptable
Work is hard to follow – acceptable
Why don’t you just use X stat instead – acceptable
Jeff Zimmerman is a lazy POS – even though true, unacceptable

If you feel you can’t comment on someone or something, let me know.

Jeff Zimmerman - Protecting the world from RBI's and Wins from my mom's guest house.

by Jeff Zimmerman on Jun 16, 2009 7:39 PM EDT up reply actions