Baseball Toaster: Bronx Banter : Dropping Science like when Galileo Dropped the Orange

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Alex:
Ray Negron part 1 2 3 4
Dad, Reggie and Me
Slaughterhouse Five
Way Out in Brooklyn
Heat Fave
Passing
Love, Death and Baseball

Cliff:
First-Half Review
2008 Draft Roundup
July Farm Report
On the Offense
2008 Campers
All-Star Game: 1977, 2008
The Holy "Trinity": 1904 1949
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Alex:
Strikes and Gutters: A Year with the Coen Brothers: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
My 20 Favorite Hip Hop Albums
Greatest Singles from Hip Hop's Golden Era (1986-1994)
Ten Neglected Hip Hop Classics

Cliff:
Tin Ear
Pazz & Jop ballots: 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 (post), 2002, 2001
Clem Snide
Eminem
Sleater-Kinney

Bronx Banter Interviews

Roger Angell
Allen Barra
Jim Bouton
Howard Bryant: Part 1, Part 2
Ken Burns: Part 1, Part 2
Will Carroll
Ethan Coen
Malcom Gladwell
Bill James
Pat Jordan
Chuck Korr: Part 1 Part 2
Jane Leavy
Michael Lewis
Tim Marchman
Marvin Miller
Rob Neyer: Part 1, Part 2
Buster Olney: April 2003, Sept. 2004
Buck O'Neil
Joe Posnanski
Alan Schwarz
Joel Sherman
Tom Verducci

Excerpts

Juicing the Game by Howard Bryant Part 1 Part 2
Forging Genius by Steven Goldman Part 1 Part 2
How About That! by Stephen Borelli
The Crowd Sounds Happy by Nicholas Dawidoff
The Last Nine Innings by Charles Euchner
Clemente by David Maraniss
The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanaski
Glenn Stout and Richard A. Johnson:
Yankee Century: Part 1 Part 2
Red Sox Century: 1 2 3 4
The Dodgers: 120 Years of Dodgers Baseball

Players

25-man Roster:

Infielders:
J. Giambi BR BP E MLB
R. Cano BR BP E MLB
D. Jeter BR BP E MLB
A. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
W. Betemit BR BP E MLB mi
C. Ransom BR BP E MLB mi

Outfielders:
B. Abreu BR BP E MLB
J. Damon BR BP E MLB
X. Nady BR BP E MLB
H. Matsui BR BP E MLB mi
B. Gardner BR E MLB mi

Catchers:
I. Rodriguez BR BP E MLB
J. Molina BR BP E MLB
C. Moeller BR BP E MLB mi

Starting Pitchers:
M. Mussina BR BP BC E
A. Pettitte (L) BR BP BC E
S. Ponson BR BP BC E mi
D. Rasner BR BP BC E mi
C. Pavano BR BP BC E mi

Relief Pitchers:
M. Rivera BR BP BC E
J. Chamberlain BR BP BC E
D. Marte (L) BR BP BC E
J. Veras BR BP BC E mi
E. Ramirez BR BP BC E mi
B. Bruney BR BP BC E mi
D. Giese BR BP BC E mi
C. Britton BR BP BC E mi
A. Aceves BR E mi
P. Coke (L) BR BC E mi

15-day DL:
C. Wang BR BP BC E
60-day DL:
J. Posada BR BP E MLB
J. Albaladejo BR BP BC E mi
A. Brackman BC
H. Sanchez BC mi

Coaches:
J. Girardi (Mgr) BR BP BC
R. Thomson (Bench) BC
Kevin Long (Hit) BR
D. Eiland (Pitch) BR BP BC
B. Meacham (3B) BR BP BC
T. Peña (1B) BR BP BC
M. Harkey (Pen) BR BP BC

40-man Roster:
AAA
S. Duncan BR BP E MLB mi
J. Miranda BR BC mi
M. Cabrera BR BP E MLB
J. Christian BR BP E MLB mi
P. Hughes BR BP BC E mi
I. Kennedy BR BP BC E mi
C. Wright (L) BR BP BC E mi
D. Robertson BR BC E mi
S. Patterson BR BC mi
AA
F. Cervelli BR BC mi
J. Marquez BR BC mi DL

Designated for Assignment:
B. Traber (L) BR BP BC E mi

Select Minor Leaguers:

AAA Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees:
B. Castro BR mi DL
C. Basak BR BP BC E MLB mi
E. Duncan BC mi
N. Green BR mi
B. Broussard BR mi
M. Carson BC mi
C. Stewart BR BP E MLB mi
J. Brown BC mi DL
K. Igawa (L) BR BP BC E JB mi
M. Melancon BC mi
J.B. Cox BC mi
S. Strickland BR BC mi
S. Jackson BC mi
E. Milton BR BC mi DL
V. Zambrano BR BC mi DL

AA Trenton Thunder:
K. Russo BR mi
R. Peña BC mi DL
C. Malec BC mi
M. Vechionacci BC mi DL
A. Jackson BC mi
C. Curtis BC mi
E. Gonzalez BR mi
P.J. Pilittere BC mi
J. Jones BC mi
G. Kontos BC mi
J. Nuñez BC mi
B. Smith BC mi DL
A. Claggett BC mi
O. Perez BR BC mi
M. Gardner BC mi
K. Whelan BC mi
W. Arias (L) BC mi

A Tampa Yankees:
E. Nuñez BC mi
C.J. Henry BC mi DL
T. Battle BC mi
K. Anson BC mi
J. Gil BC mi
A. Horne BC mi DL
Z. McAllister BC mi
W. De La Rosa (L) BC mi
C. Garcia BC mi

Low-A Charleston RiverDogs:
J. Snyder BC mi
M. Cusick BC mi
B. Suttle BC mi
A. Romine BC mi
J. Montero BC mi
D. Betances BC mi
J. Heredia BC mi
J. Ortiz BC mi
C. Heyer BC mi

Low-A Staten Island Yankees:
D. Adams mi
P. Venditte mi

Rookie Gulf Coast Yankees:
C. Joseph mi
C. Smith mi
K. Higashioka mi

Key:
BR = Baseball-Reference
BP = Baseball Prospectus
BC = Baseball Cube (past mL stats)
mi = MiLB.com (current mL stats)
E = ESPN (current splits, game logs)
MLB = MLB.com hit charts
JB = Japanese Baseball.com

The Recently Departed

2008 Yankees:
R. Sexson BR BP E MLB
M. Ensberg BR BP E MLB
A. Gonzalez BR BP E MLB mi
K. Farnsworth BR BP BC E
L. Hawkins BR BP BC E

Nady/Marte Trade:
J. Tabata BC mi
R. Ohlendorf BR BP BC E
D. McCutchen BC mi
J. Karstens BR BP BC E mi

2008 Campers/mLers:
C. Woodward BR BP BC E MLB PHI mL
J. Lane BR mi BOS mL
G. Porter BC mi WAS mL
J.D. Closser BR mi SD mL
S. Henn (L) BR BP BC E mi SD
H. Phillips (L) BR BC mi TB mL
S. White BR BC mi

2007 Yankees:
J. Torre (Mgr) BR BP BC LAD
D. Mientkiewicz BR BP BC E MLB PIT mL
A. Phillips BR BP BC E MLB mi CIN mL
J. Phelps BR BP BC E MLB STL mL
M. Cairo BR BP BC E MLB SEA
K. Thompson BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT
B. Sardinha BC mi SEA mL
W. Nieves BR BP BC E MLB WAS mL
R. Clemens BR BP BC E mi
T. Clippard BR BP BC E mi WAS
L. Vizcaino BR BP BC E COL $7.5m/2yrs
M. DeSalvo BR BP BC E mi ATL mL
M. Myers (L) BR BP BC E LAD mL
R. Villone (L) BR BP BC E mi STL mL
S. Proctor BR BP BC E LAD
J. Brower BR BP BC E mi CIN mL
C. Bean BR BP BC E mi ATL mL

2007 Campers and mLers:
E. Durazo BR BP BC E MLB mi
A. Cannizaro BR BP BC E MLB mi TB mL
A. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi LAD mL
K. Reese BR BP BC E MLB mi
R. Chavez BR BP BC E MLB mi PIT mL
O. Santos BC mi BAL mL
T. Pratt BR BP BC E MLB
T.J. Beam BR BP BC E mi PIT mL
B. Kozlowski (L) BR BP BC E mi Japan

Molina Trade:
J. Kennard BC mi

Abreu Trade
M. Smith (L) BR BP BC E mi PHI
C. Monasterios BC mi PHI
J. Sanchez mi PHI

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Dropping Science like when Galileo Dropped the Orange

2008-05-30 10:40

by Alex Belth

Excellent post by Tyler Kepner over at Bats today. I'm tempted to excerpt it but I like the whole damn thing and can't make up my mind what to choose without lifting it all. So, just go over and check it out.

And speaking of dropping science, well, I just can't resist.

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Comments

2008-05-30 11:00:06

1. williamnyy23

Excellent post by Kepner...especially the part about beat writers having plenty of access to ballplayers. It isn't surprising that those complaining are columnists, whose subject matter often has more to do with off the field than on the field matters. From the HBO special, I know that Selena Robert's problem was not being able to schedule time with Lebron James to discuss his relationship with Jay Z. Well, I am sorry Selena, but that's really none of your business. If Lebron wants to keep his personal relationships, well, personal, he has no obligation to share it with you. Instead, maybe Ms. Roberts could have requested a conversation about something novel like basketball?

I'm sure athletes have more respect for beatwriters because they see them everyday trying to make a living, whereas columnists are interlopers simply trying to exploit an an event.

2008-05-30 11:20:53

2. rsmith51

I predict Luke Scott becomes a coach/manager in the future.

2008-05-30 11:21:10

3. tommyl

1 I also think the Jeter attitude is a fine one. He's always happy to talk about the game, the team etc. but his personal life is personal. I care about whether Tom Brady can play in the Super Bowl, not what restaurant he and some model ate at. I see nothing wrong with wanting to keep some aspect of their lives to themselves. Also, Selena Roberts has written a host of just plain bad articles. Why the Times continues to employ her is beyond me.

2008-05-30 11:24:35

4. Marcus

Great post by Kepner. I, personally, am way more interested how the game is played than how Tom Seaver had Pat Jordan over for burgers back in the day. My baseball playing days are done and it's hard to pick up the details without really digging for interesting anecdotes like Kepner's. There is entertainment value in hearing about players' personalities and personal lives, but there isn't much informational value. I can't do anything with that except pass the time. Hearing about how baseball is played, how the pitch curves, when you decide to use a certain pitch, that type of information improves my experience of the game. That's what I'm interested in.

Coincidentally (and tangentially), there is an interview with Michael Crichton on slate.com (http://www.slate.com/id/2192382/) that deals with a similar issue as it relates to general news media. News (in particular, but not exclusively, cable news) deals more with opinions and speculation to interest the viewer, rather than informing the viewer.

2008-05-30 11:34:52

5. a O

Awesome!

2008-05-30 11:35:15

6. williamnyy23

4 What he said.

2008-05-30 11:45:19

7. JL25and3

0 Given your headline, I'd just like to say that I'm disappointed. Over on the Reggie Jackson thread I made my first, and presumably last, hip-hop reference, from Eric B. and Rakim. I was hoping it'd at least be recognized...

2008-05-30 11:46:06

8. Marcus

By the way, this is totally off topic, but interesting to me nevertheless. If you guys are into following the presidential election, you may have run across a site called fivethirtyeight.com by a pseudonymous blogger named Poblano. He has been analyzing poll numbers and demographics to determine the outcomes of the primaries and has been, for the most part, more accurate than the polls or poll averages.

Anyways, the reason I bring it up is that the blogger came out of anonymity today. He's Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus. Says analyzing political races is not all that dissimilar to analyzing baseball statistics.

2008-05-30 11:48:36

9. horace-clarke-era

Read the Kepner, and the Luke Scott Sweet Spot Dissertation and my immediate thought was ... THIS is as clear as it gets as to why no one can hit Mariano Rivera. Late hard horizontal movement = no chance at the sweet spot.

2008-05-30 11:49:55

10. rilkefan

From what I've read of her work, Roberts is a pure hack - faux moral scolding based on questionable interpretations of events. Kepner on the other hand is just doing good factual enlightening reporting.

3 Asking from nearly pure ignorance, does Jeter ever say anything about the game that goes beyond what you'd guess from the box score?

2008-05-30 11:53:39

11. rilkefan

8 I've touted that blog over at RLYW, using the baseball comparison. That's amusing.

2008-05-30 11:54:12

12. tommyl

10 Well it depends on the questions asked. The last few years they have been about either why he and A-Rod don't get along anymore or is the team dragging due to event or player X. I don't really expect him to answer those questions at all. I think if you instead asked him a question like Kepner asked Luke Scott you might get a more interesting answer.

2008-05-30 12:12:23

13. JL25and3

10 , 12 Jeter basically talks without saying much of anything. That's fine with me.

2008-05-30 12:18:31

14. Raf

8 Interesting. I would've guessed Lee Sinins.

2008-05-30 12:32:25

15. unmoderated

i've been waiting for a paul's boutique ref.

2008-05-30 12:49:22

16. Sliced Bread

Yo, thanks for the beat, Alex... and thanks fer the Kepner.
The "sweet spot" is easily 4x bigger on an aluminum bat, especially the wide-barrel ones, which is another reason they should be banned from the game.

2008-05-30 12:58:38

17. Raf

16 Given the costs of wood bats, aluminum bats probably won't be banned anytime soon.

2008-05-30 13:01:55

18. Sliced Bread

17 but given the cost of aluminum bats, upwards of $200, the cost of wood bats should not be a factor. Safety, of course, should be the number one reason to ban them.

2008-05-30 13:19:34

19. Chyll Will

7 Don't get upset, just kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug and then jet... >;)

2008-05-30 13:36:56

20. Alex Belth

Will, that's probably my favorite lyric ever.

2008-05-30 13:38:03

21. Murray

And the reason that most mainstream media sources think that readers would rather read platitudes out of the mouths of managers instead of perceptive comments about the game like Scott's is what, exactly??

No wonder print journalism is dying.

2008-05-30 14:04:48

22. tommyl

21 Personally, I prefer Woody Paige and his awesome costumes. They raise the level of dialog in our nation. Or, um, not.

2008-05-30 14:09:47

23. Raf

18 Wood bats aren't cheap. Pro quality bats can go for over $100.

I am unsure of how many bats a D-1 team carries, but I would think costs would make using wood bats prohibitive, considering that you'll have at least purchase 2-3 times as many bats. Not to mention if the supplier runs out and your bats are on backorder...

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