Bill James became famous exposing readers to a world of new statistics in his Baseball Abstracts of the ’70s and ’80s. Although his name remains synonymous with sabermetrics — “the study and mathematical analysis of baseball statistics and records,” according to the Dickson Baseball Dictionary — James’ latest work, the New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, has much to offer the statistically disinclined.
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
Of Gonzos Past?
I’m not much of a crier or a weeper. As a bit of a throwback in the sensitivity area, there isn’t much in sports that moves me to the point of tears anymore. The Astros haven’t won anything of significance in well, forever, so I can honestly say, baseball wise, the last time I got visibly emotional about the game was either the Astros/Mets playoff series or Cal Ripken setting the perfect attendance mark to end all perfect attendance marks. Probably the latter.Read More
In the midst of a World Series that would become a seven-game classic, baseball’s steward, Commissioner Bud Selig, raised the white flag of surrender incuring the sport’s economic disparity: “As the problems have exacerbated, it has become clearer to me that everything should be on the table, including contraction. Can it be worked out for 2002? Time will tell. But I wouldn’t rule it out.”
By Noe in Austin
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com on October 23, 2001.
The other day I was wondering if one could channel the same spirit that invades columnist John P. Lopez of the Houston Chronicle to write a Bleacher Rap. Then I wondered why one would want to. Yeah, what’s so good about writing a column or article chock full of my own opinions, conspiracy theories and paranoia’s all rolled into one. Well come to think of about it, this could be fun in the trying to park a M4 Sherman Tank in a compact car parking space sort of way. You can do it; you’re just going to have to accept that you’re going to have to squash, maim, destroy, push, run over and generally stomp a few things along the way to gain your objective. Damn the destruction, full speed ahead, let’s see what a Lopez-like diatribe? err? column about the media and all it’s foibles in the current Astros situation might read like. Here goes, my try at satire (from a bunker somewhere in the hills of central Texas):Read More
Here’s a pair of hypothetical line-ups:
Line-Up A Line-Up B Roy Campanella, C Ron Hassey, C Orlando Cepeda, 1B Willie Aikens, 1B Joe Morgan, 2B Steve Lombardozzi, 2B Mike Schmidt, 3B Luis Salazar, 3B Rogers Hornsby, SS Spike Owen, SS Ted Williams, OF Dan Iorg, OF Willie Mays, OF Jeff Leonard, OF Ty Cobb, OF Larry Herndon, OF
Editor’s note – This article originally appeared on AstrosConnection.com.
Wow… nothing like an Astros playoff game to suck your scrotum into your stomach and make you lay in a fetal position all afternoon. Dropping 2 in a row to the Braves is nothing new to the Houston nine…and unfortunately nothing new to anyone who has been following this baseball team for the last 10 years.Read More
