Featured stories
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Best team in baseball: the team after the Red Sox
Dear next team: we have abused the pitching staff you're about to see. Have fun. Love, the Boston Red Sox.
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How does the WBC affect MLB players' performance?
Comparing the performance of the pitchers and hitters who participated in the three World Baseball Classics to their preseason projections, including a group of "controls," or similar players who didn't participate in the WBC, and found no difference in performance between the two groups.
The Very Best of Beyond the Box Score
Could the Orioles benefit from more grounders?
The Orioles' pitchers seem to like fly balls despite their disadvantages. Could a switch to a more grounder-centric strategy benefit the team?
MLB Attendance, 1950-2013
See how attendance has changed over the past 60 years or so. Is the current trend of growing attendance the real deal or a mirage?
Maicer Izturis and bouncing back from rock bottom
Having an off-year is not an uncommon phenomenon, but how do players respond after seasons where they are the worst player in the league?
Biggest differences between FIP- and ERA-
Often a pitcher's FIP- and ERA- will be similar, but not always. How many seasons show significant differences between the two?
The Edinson Volquez project
Edinson Volquez was really good in 2008. Since then he's been really bad. The Pirates resuscitated the careers of A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano the last two seasons. Can Pittsburgh pull off another reclamation project with Volquez?
Should you build your team with money or talent?
Do high payrolls really lead to winning more games? Do strong farm systems build consistent winners? Take a look at some multi-year trends in baseball and decide how you would build your ideal team!.
Finding WAR without power
There aren't many position players who are able to post high WAR totals without hitting a lot of home runs, but this special group is the exception to the rule.
Mike Trout: Four tool player?
Mike Trout has been widely praised for his all-around game, but there is one thing missing.
Koji Uehara's second-half dominance
From July through the end of October, Red Sox closer Koji Uehara dazzled the American League, compiling a 0.58 FIP and a 0.313 WHIP. What changes did Uehara make over the course of 2013 that explain his otherworldly success?
Detroit's other great pitcher and his best pitch
Anibal Sanchez was terrific last season, success that was partially built on his changeup usage. The pitch, something that Sanchez has seen improve over the past few years, gives him a tremendous tool with which to fool hitters.
Determining the most well-rounded player seasons
In baseball, well-rounded five-tool player production is highly coveted. Which players have produced baseball's most statistically well-rounded seasons?
MLB Salary Trends
Clayton Kershaw will be paid $30+ million a year--is there a limit to baseball salaries?
Are innings limits outdated?
Pitcher and team's well-being are at stake with the use of innings limits to determine a pitcher's workload.
How has sabermetrics changed baseball?
Sabermetrics and objective analysis have given many a better understanding of the game of baseball. Does a deeper understanding make the game more enjoyable?
The Best Fourth Outfielders in Baseball
To be a good fourth outfielder, a player may need to be adequate offensively and to have the ability to play multiple positions. But the best fourth outfielders also have at least one of a few varieties of "special sauce" that makes them more useful.
Mike Trout's one weakness
Mike Trout has been the best player in baseball by a wide margin for the last two seasons. However, he was woeful in this one aspect in 2013.
Re-imagining the Hall of Fame
Most of us are tired of Hall of Fame arguments. Instead of abandoning the endeavor entirely, let's simply take a different approach. If we were building a Hall of Fame from scratch, who would be the first ten players we'd induct?
Are elite GB% relievers undervalued?
Part of what makes a high-GB% reliever valuable is the increased likelihood of double plays. But how much value does that add?
Which pitchers give up the most home runs and why?
Although home run rates are essential random from season-to-season across baseball, some pitchers are particularly home run-prone. Why is that, and how can we identify them?
Sonny Gray: Why He'll be an Ace for Oakland
PITCHf/x shows why Oakland may have found themselves an ace in Sonny Gray. Taking a deep look at Gray's pitch usage, release points, and pitch mix allows us to see why the young pitcher was so successful in 2013, and could be an ace in the making.
K/PA+: A proposed new stat
Every other stat in baseball is normalized -- why not strikeouts?
How today's starter affects tomorrow's game
Managers have long stretched starters under the guise of "saving the bullpen" after periods of heavy usage. But what effect, if any, is there between reliever usage yesterday and win probability today?
Where are Home Runs Hit?
Which parks have the most home runs hit per game at different areas in the park compared to average?
Which Pitchers Are the Most Similar?
In this piece, we compare pitchers' arsenals through speed, break, location, and usage to determine which pitchers are the most similar in the Majors.
Dan Uggla and the Probability of Getting a Hit
How do we figure out the probability of getting a hit? Dan Uggla's 2011 hitting streak motivates the creation of a statistic PresAvg, which estimates the probability of getting a hit at any one time.
Sloan Reaction: The Automated Prospect Model
Every spring, prospect experts compile top-100 rankings by exhausting their industry contacts. Would using an automated system actually improve these rankings?
When do prospects break out?
By what age should you expect a prospect to have broken out? Is it too late for Justin Smoak, or your favorite missed prospect?
An Alternative To The 3000 Hit Club
Joining the 3000 Hit Club, and base hits overall, is a widely celebrated accomplishment for a player, but it caters to a specific style of hitter. How would these records look using Times on Base?
What could a full Manny Machado season look like?
While Baltimore is projected to regress, O's fans are hoping that their young star will keep that from happening. What could we see from Machado in his first full season?
Secret ballots = Terrible votes
There is no greater threat to Cooperstown's integrity than the BBWAA's use of secret ballots.
R.A. Dickey can't do this forever, right?
How long can R.A. Dickey maintain such a high level of success? Let's take a look.
Which pitches lead to Tommy John Surgery?
A look at pitch mix of pitchers in years immediately preceding Tommy John surgery as compared to the league average pitcher.