The Platoon Advantage

The Platoon Advantage: What We Mean By Worthless

Almost no popular statistic will be "worthless," exactly, and a good discourse might require more specific objections.

The Platoon Advantage: Is 12 Enough for Ichiro?

Ichiro Suzuki's major-league career has been great, but, because of where he was born, it will be short. Will it be enough for Hall of Fame voters?

The Platoon Advantage: The Year of Everything But the Shortstop

by Bill Parker 9/12

Why are shortstops so bad this year, and does it mean anything for the future?

The Platoon Advantage: Shaving an Icon

by Michael Bates 9/05

What's a 'stache? Maybe immortality.

The Platoon Advantage: Plunk Cost

by Bill Parker 8/22

Some players get hit by pitches so often that it must be a skill. But is it a good skill to have?

The Platoon Advantage: At What Price Revolution

by Michael Bates 8/15

The Red Sox aren't the first team to fight with their manager, and they won't be the first to regret it, either.

The Platoon Advantage: Who is Jason Heyward?

by Bill Parker 8/08

Bill revisits a question raised on this site earlier in the season, and asks whether Heyward's excellent two months give us a more definitive answer.

The Platoon Advantage: Remain Calm, All is Well in Minnesota

by Michael Bates 8/01

The Twins are the type of team that usually sells aggressively at the deadline, but they stood pat. Why?

The Platoon Advantage: The 24-Year-Old Masher Who Can’t Get A Call-Up

by Bill Parker 7/18

The Blue Jays called up a promising minor-league outfielder to replace Jose Bautista. The Blue Jays called up the wrong promising minor-league outfielder to replace Jose Baustista.

The Platoon Advantage: Fixing the Worst Days of the Baseball Season

by Michael Bates 7/11

MLB lets everything go dark for two whole days after the All-Star break. That's a mistake.

The Platoon Advantage: The Eternal Shortstop

by Bill Parker 6/27

Do you appreciate what Omar Vizquel has done? That is to say, do you really, really appreciate it?

The Platoon Advantage: Venting About Bullpen Woes

by Cee Angi 6/20

Fredi Gonzalez's bullpen usage has had a major overhaul, but one reliever is resisting the change.

The Platoon Advantage: Cheating Cheaters and Their Awful Excuses

by Michael Bates 6/13

Was Jose Valverde cheating when he faced the Reds this weekend? If he was, his excuse ranks up there with the best of them.

The Platoon Advantage: Oakland is Just Terrible (No Offense)

by Jason Wojciechowski 6/06

Is it too soon to write the obituary for the 2012 Oakland A's?

The Platoon Advantage: On the Padres, Cycles, Supercycles, and Pseudocycles

by Bill Parker 5/30

No Padre has ever hit for a cycle, but as far as interesting achievements go, they've done much better.

The Platoon Advantage: Life and Ed Whitson

by Cee Angi 5/23

We can learn a lot from our most difficult seasons.