Overthinking It

Overthinking It: The Brief Wondrous Life of a One-Year Deal

One-year contracts are perfect fodder for analysis after just half of a season.

Overthinking It: A Prospect Named Shaq, a Streak of 16 Strikeouts, and the Pain of Playing Baseball

A 2012 draftee has struck out in his first 16 at-bats as a professional. What does that say about him? And more importantly, what does it say about baseball?

Overthinking It: Second-Half Risers and Fallers

by Ben Lindbergh 7/05

With 81 games in the books, Ben looks at which players are most likely to outperform, or underperform, their first-half results.

Overthinking It: Does Arbitration Drive Players Away?

by Ben Lindbergh 7/03

Is a team that takes a player to arbitration really running the risk of driving him toward another team down the road?

Overthinking It: Why Some Pitchers Don’t Get Injured

by Ben Lindbergh 6/29

'Pitchers are going to get hurt,' says one team executive, but a select few pitchers defy the rule.

Overthinking It: What Does Everyone Have Against Homers?

by Ben Lindbergh 6/25

Why anyone who thinks the Yankees' reliance on the home run is a problem should stop worrying and learn to love the three-run bomb.

Overthinking It: Melky Cabrera and the Mythical Age-27 Effect

by Ben Lindbergh 6/21

Melky Cabrera is having a breakout season, and he is 27 years old. Those are just two unrelated facts about Melky Cabrera.

Overthinking It: The Cincinnati Reds and the Benefits of Being Homegrown

by Ben Lindbergh 6/19

The Reds have the lowest payroll of any first-place team, in large part because they haven't had to reach outside the organization for talent. Can they keep it up?

Overthinking It: Who Is the Best Umpire?

by Ben Lindbergh 6/13

The difference between the best umpire and the worst is seven correct calls per game. Ben looks for the one who gets those seven right.

Overthinking It: Ten Reasons the Astros Aren’t Historically Terrible

by Ben Lindbergh 6/12

The Astros aren't exactly a success, but they certainly aren't a failure. We bet you didn't see that coming.

Overthinking It: Slow and Steady Wins Some Races

by Ben Lindbergh 6/07

Drops in fastball velocity usually lead to spikes in ERA, but a handful of pitchers have made slower fastballs work for them this year.

Overthinking It: Derek Lowe Goes Back in Time

by Ben Lindbergh 6/05

After a league switch, Derek Lowe took a retro approach to pitching. So far, it's working.

Overthinking It: Bryce Harper’s Brain is a Neural Net Processor

by Ben Lindbergh 6/01

How and why pitchers have dealt with Bryce Harper and Mike Trout in dramatically different ways, and how Harper has already adjusted.

Overthinking It: Adam Jones’ Unusual Breakout

by Ben Lindbergh 6/01

Adam Jones' power spike hasn't come with any newfound patience. Does this mean the Orioles will regret extending him by six years?

Overthinking It: Jonny Venters and What a High BABIP Looks Like

by Ben Lindbergh 5/29

Every bloop, bleeder, and swinging bunt that has contributed toward the Braves setup man's .458 BABIP in 2012.

Overthinking It: A Tribe’s Hard Quest

by Ben Lindbergh 5/25

Last year's Indians surprised everyone with a first-place start, then collapsed. This year's Indians have also surprised everyone with a first-place start. What's next?