Research
Always the Bridesmaid: The best players to never win MVP
Constructing a lineup of the best players to never win MVP while diving into how close they came to the hardware
There have been more no-hitters than 13-inning games
Some mundane things have become less common than no-hitters.
The Giants could lead the majors in home runs and not have a 30-homer hitter
The Giants haven’t had a 30-homer hitter since Barry Bonds in 2004.
Spin Doctors: the teams that have added the most fastball spin
The Dodgers are the king of spin, but who are the two princes?
Understanding pitch design: an introduction
The way we understand pitching has changed, and it is about to change again.
The price for a solid player in the COVID-19 offseason
The Cardinals’ decision to decline Kolten Wong’s option is emblematic of what’s to come.
What’s up with these long outs at Globe Life Field?
It seems like so many crushed baseballs are falling short of leaving the yard.
Rooting for seeding just isn’t interesting
The effects of playoff seeding are slight and inconsistent.
How much better is the pitching in the postseason?
Baseball’s best are on display in October, so the quality of pitches should improve.
Inefficient Swinging Strikes: Looking into how pitchers suppress their strikeout numbers
An uneven distribution of swinging strikes can hurt a pitchers strikeout numbers.
Recalibrating 50-grade power in 2019
Given the home run explosion, what does an "average" power hitter look like?
Measuring predictability in hitters
With the rising prominence of the shift, the trait of being unpredictable at the plate has more value.
If velocity is good for pitchers, is it bad for hitters?
Let’s compare fastball velocity with wRC+.
Pitch changers: who’s throwing something different in 2019
Which pitchers have increased or decreased usage of certain pitches?
Introducing KILA Projections: An attempt at forecasting major league hitting performance
No system of projecting a prospect’s future, whether analytical or scouting, is definite. But adding context and accuracy can help.
Walker Buehler figured out his slider and cutter
Thanks to some advice, tinkering, and adjusting, the 24-year-old right-hander added to his already scary arsenal.
If home runs didn’t count, who would be good at baseball?
Khris Davis wouldn’t. Neither would Chris Davis, but for different reasons.
Who won arbitration in 2019— players or owners?
More than 200 players were eligible for arbitration. Using MLBTR’s projection model, let’s analyze how they fared.
Starting catchers are disappearing
If backups get more playing time, can we still call them backups?
The fastball: comparing “stuff” and results
We always here about pitchers with good "stuff," but what if there was a way to quantify it, while comparing it to their results.
Baseball is back to reining in stolen base attempts
As home runs have gone up, teams realized that it makes sense to stay below the natural run environment’s break-even point.
It’s time to consider that baseball is trying to de-juice the ball
After two years of lofty home run totals, they have crashed down to Earth in 2018 despite batted ball data that would tell you the contrary.
What the Vegas Golden Knights could mean for MLB expansion
Vegas’ success helps set a price tag for new baseball teams
Checking in on late-signing free agents
Did a longer-than-usual wait for contracts have an impact?
Marwin is bringing more wins to Houston
In his sixth season, Marwin Gonazlez has changed his approach at the plate and turned into a surprising offensive star for the Astros.
Who is Matt Shoemaker?
At times in 2016, the Angels righty looked like Mike Pelfrey; at other times, like Clayton Kershaw. But beyond his scar and his splitter, there’s a story hidden in Shoemaker’s 2016 indicating that expectations for him may still be too low.
How valuable is Matt Carpenter, first baseman?
The Cardinals think Matt Carpenter’s blend of plate discipline and newfound power makes him a good fit for 1B; could they be mistaken?
Six players who really need another shot at the playoffs
Felix Hernandez has been one of the league’s top pitchers since 2005. Will he ever get a shot at the postseason?
Arizona Diamondbacks’ Robbie Ray is having a strange season
Most pitchers who are great at getting strikeouts are also great at preventing runs. Why is Robbie Ray different?
Introducing hard-hit rate batting average
Introducing—and immediately regretting—hard-hit rate batting average.
Young teams are underrated by projection systems
Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna have propelled the Miami Marlins to a season that has been better than expected. Does this testify to a larger pattern?
Chris Davis is swinging at the wrong pitches
Chris Davis hasn’t had the same amount of success for the Baltimore Orioles in 2016.