2017 MLB Season Thread

[bdeuce22]

Gotta pay Miggy, Verlander, and Prince somehow.

 

[ethanm]

I love bacon but that looks gross.


Anybody remember when the Bombers weren't going to bomb this year?

 

[dcg]

Mets fan gets Eiffel Towered by his buddies last night:

 

[edinatlanta]



Enlighten me. The season is only 2 weeks old and it might help.

For one, fantasy baseball =! real baseball (this should be prima facie obvious but I understand with you, people have to hold your hand to walk through things).

Also, you win fantasy not by tracking sabermetrics but the traditional stats, many of which have value but many of them have little to no value.

I love bacon but that looks gross.


Anybody remember when the Bombers weren't going to bomb this year?

Yes, with two weeks into the season we can start predicting exactly how teams will shake out.

Side note: on Sportscenter this morning they honestly led in with.... "Remember when Oakland was 0-2? Now they've won six straight!" I literally facepalm-ed.

 

[lawyerdad]

Steve, I'd recommend picking up a copy of Bill James' Baseball Handbook, or a cheap old version of one of his Baseball Abstracts. James is pretty much the original guru of sabermetrrics and a pretty good writer to boot. I don't know how immediately useful it will be for fantasy purposes (especially if you go with one of the older ones), but I think you'll find it interesting and enjoyable. And I really think that one of his books should be required reading for any semi-serious baseball fan. Regardless of whether you think all of his methods and arguments are useful (I agree with many, but not all, of them), just considering them really helps you think more critically about what traditional stats do and don't measure effectively.

 

[Steve B.]

Thank you.

I have thought of doing that for quite a while, just felt my head would explode whilst reading it.

And it WOULD count toward my 50...

 

[lawyerdad]



Thank you.

I have thought of doing that for quite a while, just felt my head would explode whilst reading it.

And it WOULD count toward my 50...

It lends itself well to skimming and picking-and-choosing, since it's organized more as a reference tool than as single narrative or exposition. I was an English major, and my last math class was in the 11th grade (and let's just say it was not by best grade). If I could muddle through and grasp the main concepts anybody can.

 

[ethanm]

Yes, with two weeks into the season we can start predicting exactly how teams will shake out.

Can't a guy be excited about a team going from the 4th lowest scoring team to the 2nd highest in a week?

Also, **** you rain.

 

[edinatlanta]



Can't a guy be excited about a team going from the 4th lowest scoring team to the 2nd highest in a week?

NO!

 

[Steve B.]



It lends itself well to skimming and picking-and-choosing, since it's organized more as a reference tool than as single narrative or exposition. I was an English major, and my last math class was in the 11th grade (and let's just say it was not by best grade). If I could muddle through and grasp the main concepts anybody can.

How would it differ from Baseball Digest?

Isn't Silver just "descended" from James?

 

[IrateCustomer]

Well well well...I'm liking Barry Zito's start to the season. Especially after the way he threw at the end of last year's campaign. Lincecum needs to get his between-the-ears fixed before we'll see the old Timmy. He has one blow-up inning every game, and walking the opposing pitcher twice isn't going to help much. Finally got some offense rolling in the last couple of games as well. Hunter pence showing some signs of POWAH!

 

[ethanm]

Well well well...I'm liking Barry Zito's start to the season. Especially after the way he threw at the end of last year's campaign. Lincecum needs to get his between-the-ears fixed before we'll see the old Timmy. He has one blow-up inning every game, and walking the opposing pitcher twice isn't going to help much. Finally got some offense rolling in the last couple of games as well. Hunter pence showing some signs of POWAH!

According to Ed you are not allowed to like anything this early. Remember, baseball isn't about enjoyment or entertainment, it's about numbers and serious business.

 

[edinatlanta]

If you are having fun you are doing baseball entirely wrong! ENTIRELY! (real talk: beat writers for really bad baseball teams enjoy literally nothing about baseball).

 

[ethanm]

I actually really enjoy the numbers during the off-season (for football too, advanced NFL stats anyone?) and for other teams but I suspend reason when it comes to the Yankees. Kind of like a religious scientist.

 

[LawrenceMD]



I actually really enjoy the numbers during the off-season (for football too, advanced NFL stats anyone?) and for other teams but I suspend reason when it comes to the Yankees. Kind of like a religious scientist.

does that make Michael Kay the minister giving a sermon every game on Yes?

the thing that gets me about Michael Kay is that his voice is actually inviting, almost sounds like a naturally nice guy, but he'll get on these inane self parody rants where you can tell he's smiling on the inside at the BS he's spewing, but can't help himself.