One of the principles we’d most like to see baseball embrace is accountability. All too often organizations make excuses for managers who let promising young players rot on the bench while some 33-year-old hits .240 but leads the league in intangibles. They employ GMs who give a good outfielder coming off one great year $14…
Since the original appearance of " Field General or Backstop?" in last year’s Baseball Prospectus, we’re received a great deal of praise and compliments on the article, for which we’re grateful. We’ve also received some thoughtful criticism that is worth responding to (there’s also been some not so thoughtful criticism, but that’s what the Delete…
Tuesday, the Baseball Hall of fame announced its newest inductees, catcher Carlton Fisk and first baseman Tony Perez. Here’s a brief Baseball Prospectus look at each player. Carlton Fisk NAME AGE YR TEAM AB H DB TP HR BB+ SB CS OUT RUN RBI BA OBA SA UEQR EQA EQR RAR WAR CARLTON FISK 21…
ANAHEIM ANGELS Signed LHP Greg Cadaret to a minor-league contract. [1/5] Signed 2B/3B Scott Spiezio to a one-year contract, and IFs Pat Kelly and Jason Bates to minor-league contracts. [1/7] Unless Keith Luuloa convinces a Disney exec that Sneezy was the Hawaiian-American dwarf, Spiezio has a lock on the Angel second-base job. There are a…
Many thanks to the record 518 participants in this ninth edition of the STATLG-L Hall of Fame voting. The results are in the book … and nobody won. None of the 30 players on this year’s Baseball Writers Association of America ballot were named on the requisite 75% of the submitted votes. Fact is, no…
TRADES “Fernando [Vina] is the type of player we have been seeking for some time. He’s a proven leadoff hitter who runs well, plays solid defense, and will serve as a catalyst for our offense.” — Walt Jocketty, Cardinals GM “San Diego is where I would love to play. And I think Bret [Boone] and…
What do we know about catching?
It happens every year. Every year I find some way to believe. Every winter I shed my analyst’s glasses and look at my Kansas City Royals through the eyes of a fan. A fan looking for a ray of hope. A fan willing to overlook holes at half a dozen positions. A fan willing to…
Looking for the Lost Transaction Analysis? Click here. ANAHEIM ANGELS Non-tendered INF Andy Sheets, making him a free agent. [12/20] Sheets went from being a very useful utility infielder for the Padres to a completely worthless regular for the Angels, with the added upset that getting him to replace Gary DiSarcina last spring cost the…
Amidst the chaos of a Prospectus autumn it came, destined to be buried deep on a hard drive, next to the Excel 95 version of a long-forgotten office pool. As with so much lost treasure before it, a long and arduous search was undertaken, a search by men strong of breath and wide of waist….
TRADES “If I pitch the way I should pitch, I’m a groundball pitcher and those don’t go over the fence. If I don’t pitch well, it doesn’t matter what park I’m pitching in.” — Scott Karl, pitcher, on being traded to the Rockies “I know there will be expectations put upon me because Vinny [Castilla]…
Looking for the Lost Transaction Analysis? Click Here. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS Signed SS Tony Womack to a four-year contract extension. [12/12] Acquired RHP Brad Clontz from the Pirates for a PTBNL. [12/13] Acquired SS Luis Ordaz from the Cardinals for CF Dante Powell. [12/15] Talk about hedging your bets: the Snakes give Tony Womack a few…
Remember the days when 30 home runs was a lot? It wasn’t that long ago, really. In 1992, 30 homers would have placed a hitter fourth in the National League. These days, a player could hit 30 home runs and never show up on the typical fan’s radar. We’re in the middle of the biggest…
UMPIRES FORM NEW UNION “Today is a statement by all umpires that it’s time for a change. We want a union that is run by umpires and advised by attorneys.” — John Hirschbeck, umpire “The other union won. I’m upset.” — Jerry Crawford, former union president SIGNINGS AND HIRINGS “We walked away from more money…
The full results of the voting are in.
TRADES “When I got the phone call that I was traded, especially for a talent like Dante Bichette, I knew [the Rockies] had plans for me. I’m looking at this as the opportunity I’ve been waiting on.” — Jeffry Hammonds, new Rockies outfielder, on winning the lottery “If you’re going to deal with premier players,…