Category Archives: Sports

HOW IMPORTANT ARE UMPIRE ERRORS ON BALLS AND STRIKES?

Posted on April 19, 2014 by Philip

HOW IMPORTANT ARE UMPIRE ERRORS ON BALLS AND STRIKES? In his article, Todd Lindbergh cites studies by sabermatricians that estimate the average value of turning a single ball into a strike at 0.13 runs. I posted here about a study … Continue reading →

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THE IMPORTANCE OF PITCH FRAMING.

Posted on April 18, 2014 by Philip

THE IMPORTANCE OF PITCH FRAMING. Pitch framing is currently a hot topic in baseball because sabermetric studies have come up with very large estimates for the number of runs that can be saved during the course of a season by … Continue reading →

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HOW CATCHERS FRAME PITCHES.

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Philip

HOW CATCHERS FRAME PITCHES. Here is an excellent article on the Grantland website by Ben Lindbergh with wonderfully chosen examples which illustrate the subtleties of the art. Videos at the site compare two catchers receiving pitches which are just the … Continue reading →

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MOST PITCHES IN AN AT BAT—LUKE APPLING.

Posted on April 16, 2014 by Philip

MOST PITCHES IN AN AT BAT—LUKE APPLING. I posted here about White Sox fan Jean Shepherd (the auteur of A CHRISTMAS STORY) and his pride in Luke Appling’s ability to foul off pitches. I was watching a game last week, … Continue reading →

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WHAT FRAMING A PITCH DOES.

Posted on April 15, 2014 by Philip

WHAT FRAMING A PITCH DOES. There is currently a great deal of attention to what seems the simplest and most basic event in baseball. A pitcher throws a ball and the catcher catches it. But how well does the catcher … Continue reading →

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FAN BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT.

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Philip

FAN BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT. This article from Sports Illustrated (November 25, 2002) by Franz Lidz tells how Mike Veeck was continuing the Veeck family tradition. Some of his ideas for promotions echoed earlier Bill Veeck efforts. Marriage Counseling Night relied on … Continue reading →

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A BASEBALL GAME WITHOUT UMPIRES.

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Philip

A BASEBALL GAME WITHOUT UMPIRES. Mike Veeck is the son of Bill Veeck. As I posted on here, Bill Veeck is best known for sending a midget to the plate as a pinch hitter in a major league game. With … Continue reading →

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TATTOO NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK.

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Philip

TATTOO NIGHT AT THE BALLPARK. Baseball America (April 11 to 25) reported on some of the special promotions the Syracuse Chiefs are having this year: April 4 Deport Justin Bieber Night. Support the cause of sending Biebs back to Canada. … Continue reading →

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POSITIONING AGAINST INDIVIDUAL BATTERS.

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Philip

POSITIONING AGAINST INDIVIDUAL BATTERS. Futterman gives an example in a sidebar of how the statistics give different guidance for pitching to two outstanding hitters, Jose Bautista and Andrew McCutchen. Bautista, before he had two strikes on him, pulled 88% of … Continue reading →

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WHY DON’T MORE BATTERS HIT THE BALL AWAY FROM THE SHIFT?

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Philip

WHY DON’T MORE BATTERS HIT THE BALL AWAY FROM THE SHIFT? Mathew Futterman in a sidebar asks the question that most fans ask when they see a shift: “Why doesn’t the batter hit the ball into the gap that has … Continue reading →

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