Mike Trout – Bat Flips and Nerds

An Analytic Glance at the first “Half”

July 14, 2019 Russell Eassom Baseball

We have just started the second “half” of the MLB season. The reason for the air quotes is that the definition of half a season in MLB is determined by if a game was played before or after the All-Star

Talk the Talk and Intentionally Walk the Walk

May 18, 2019 Russell Eassom Baseball

Intentional walks or base on balls have been around for a long time in baseball. Early on in baseball, the catcher could set up much further away from the plate than they can do know. They would receive four wide

Early season stat leaders

May 12, 2019 Gavin MLB UK, Opinion

You know that Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger lead MLB with 16 and 14 home runs respectively. Without doubt, it is an incredible tally this early in the season, but you might not realise that Twins’ outfielder Eddie Rosario or

Can We Play You Every Week

April 21, 2019 Russell Eassom Analytics, Baseball

“Can we play you, can we play you, can we play you every week. Can we play you every week.” Those of you more familiar with British football will recognise this chant. It is one that the fans will sing

This year Albert Pujols will lose his crown as Player of the Century. You’ll never guess by whom.

March 16, 2019 Gavin MLB UK, Opinion

Clickbait headlines are detestable, but it was too difficult to resist. So the premise of the article is that Albert Pujols has been the best player this century, but he could be overtaken this season. Since Opening Day 2000, Pujols

JUST ACCEPT IT, PECOTA HATES YOUR TEAM

February 10, 2019 Gavin Baseball, MLB UK, Opinion

Baseball Prospectus has just released their PECOTA projections for 2019, and you know what? They hate your team. The funny thing is, PECOTA is not opinion, yet MLB players, managers and fans take it personally. An acronym for Player Empirical

Three minutes on the Los Angeles Angels

February 9, 2019 Gavin MLB UK, Opinion

It is hard to argue that the Angels were not the most exciting MLB team to watch last season: Shohei Ohtani pitching, Shohei Ohtani hitting, Andrelton Simmons’ wizardry at shortstop and of course, Mike Trout, the greatest player on the

Size doesn’t matter: The vertically-challenged team

January 25, 2019 Gavin Baseball, MLB UK, Opinion

What is the ideal body shape for a baseball player? Does size matter? Check out the stars in our “vertically-challenged” team before you decide. When you see Aaron Judge swaggering around like some sort of Adonis, it’s difficult to believe

What does each MLB club want in their Christmas stocking? Part One

December 10, 2018 Padraig Whelan Baseball, Pinch Hitting

Ho-ho-ho. It is that time of year again. Unfortunately for baseball fans though, Christmas comes at a time of year when, save for off-season signings and Winter Meetings, there is little happening in the sport. But that doesn’t mean anyone

No shift! What if defensive alignments are making hitters better?

December 9, 2018 Russell Eassom Analytics, Baseball

The infield shift is a much-maligned defensive strategy, hounded as one of the worst analytics-based changes to baseball. Multiple times each season there will be some conversation about banning the shift and each time pros, ex-players/managers, commentators and analysts will