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Friends, things are looking up. It is officially the month of Opening Day. It's Friday. Spring Training is in full force. In honor of all the good things that are happening right now, you're going to see a bit of a Sabersphere revamp today. There are more links than ever before, a trend that I hope to continue moving forward. We want to provide you with the one stop saber shop every morning. Without further ado, let's jump in.
Must-Reads on Beyond the Box Score
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History's Most Lopsided Teams | Beyond the Box Score
Have you ever wondered which teams are the most offense-heavy or pitching-heavy historically? Yes? So have I! And so has James Gentile. But unlike you and I, James actually answered the question. -
2013 Top 5 rotations - Toronto Blue Jays | Beyond the Box Score
Who has the best rotation in baseball? Alex Kienholz asks if it's the Blue Jays. -
BtB Fantasy Baseball: still want to play? | Beyond the Box Score
Do you want to play fantasy baseball with the Beyond the Box Score crew, but miss a spot in the first league? Don't panic! We are opening up a second league for those who are interested. More info after the jump. -
True "GRIT": Quantifying the Game’s Grittiest Players and Teams | Beyond the Box Score
Does grit equate to wins? Is it even possible to quantify such a qualitative trait? BtB's newest addition, Max Weinstein, investigates: -
Reforming the triple-slash line (part 2): Slugging Percentage | Beyond the Box Score
I love using the classic batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage triple slash line, but I'm also fully aware of the many problems with using it to evaluate players. On Monday, Spencer Schneier offered an alternative to slugging percentage.
Around the Sabersphere
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Zack Wheeler And "The Zing" | FanGraphs Baseball
How has Zack Wheeler matured over the years? Is he ready to make an immediate impact on the Mets? Mike Newman asks and answers. -
Out of Left Field: Revisiting a Blockbuster | Baseball Prospectus
Matthew Kory revisits the huge 2005 blockbuster trade between the Red Sox and Marlins, which sent involved Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett, Anibal Sanchez, and more. Find out who won the trade years later. -
Cardinals Outfield: Depth Chart Discussions | FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball
You should check out Bryan Grosnick's first article on RotoGraphs, discussing the Cardinals' outfield. As a side note, Bryan is the new managing editor of Beyond the Box Score, and we're all really excited about what he's going to do with the site. Congrats Bryan. -
The WBC, March Madness Style | FanGraphs Baseball
Dave Cameron suggests that the World Baseball Classic should look more like March Madness. Do you agree? -
Will Adrian Gonzalez Rebound? | FanGraphs Fantasy Baseball
Chris Cwik examines Adrian Gonzalez, who had a very up and down season in 2012. Will his 2013 campaign look more like his first half or second half?
Around SB Nation
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Will Middlebrooks injury: No structural damage to wrist | MLB Daily Dish
Will Middlebrooks had a scary injury in Wednesday's spring training game, one that looked eerily similar to Jose Bautista's season-ending wrist injury last season. Luckily, it looks like the injury isn't serious, and he should be ready for Opening Day. -
The 10 worst moves of the offseason | Baseball Nation
No one cares about so-called "smart" trades or signings. Yawn. All we really care about is which teams we can make fun of for screwing up. Grant Brisbee tells us: -
Know Your 40: Melky Mesa | Pinstriped Bible
Could Melky Mesa replace Curtis Granderson? Tanya Bondurant tells us why or why not.
Outside the Sabersphere
- Op-ed: Seth MacFarlane Isn't The Problem | Advocate.com Whatever you think about Seth McFarlane's "performance" at the Academy Awards, he certainly wasn't boring. I thought this article was an interesting take on his jokes and the criticism he has received from some following the Oscar's. Agree with the author or not, the appropriateness of certain types of humor, as well as the culture of Hollywood, are certainly topics worth discussing.
- I'm ambivalent on the Harlem Shake meme, but this hockey-themed one is pretty hilarious.
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If you'd like to submit something to Sabersphere, send an email to Sabersphere@gmail.com.
