There are a lot of cliches in baseball, a staggering amount really. I don’t think it has much to do with the game itself, simply how long it has been around. As decades have passed more and more nuggets of conventional wisdom have filled out the shelves of our collective consciousness like old VHS tapes. […]
Author: Nick Ashbourne
Stephen Drew makes all his money in right field
There is an inherent opportunism to writing that I occasionally find a bit uncomfortable. Often I find myself cheering for specific outcomes because they would make a long-standing idea of mine become timely. If I’m dying to write something about Alex’s Rodriguez’s opposite-field power and he puts one out to right field it won’t make or break a story, […]
Don’t let the ERA fool you, Dellin Betances is dropping off
Dellin Betances isn’t just extraordinary, he’s unique. The 27-year-old has unparalleled size, a breaking ball that defies categorization, and he’s thrown 16 2/3 more innings than any other reliever in the majors over the last two years. On the surface his success is easy to understand. He throws hard, he misses bats and he’s durable. […]
Brett Gardner is boringly consistent, but not consistently boring
When you watch a baseball game there’s always a chance you’ll see something you’ve never seen before. That’s because the sport is played in 30 different parks with countless variables that can affect play from weather conditions to fan involvement. For this reason, as well as human beings’ general attraction to novelty, we are always looking […]
Greg Bird is a talented impressionist
When Greg Bird was summoned from the minor leagues by the New York Yankees the goal wasn’t for him to replace Mark Teixeira. That would have been foolish. When Bird made his MLB debut on August 13th, Teixeira was performing like a fringe MVP candidate in the midst of his best season with the bat […]
Carlos Beltran Isn’t “Done” After All
When the New York Yankees signed Carlos Beltran to a three-year, $45-million contract prior to the 2014 season, it raised some eyebrows. It’s usually not a good idea to sign a player that old to that long a term when he has negative defensive value. While the terms “negative defensive value” and “Carlos Beltran” have traditionally […]
Alex Rodriguez gets a visit from the BABIP dragon
It’s no secret that Alex Rodriguez is scuffling a bit right now. At least I hope it isn’t, I don’t want to be in the business of spilling secrets willy-nilly. Assuming you knew that already, you may not have known the extent of his struggles. Over the last 14 days he’s hit .130/.231/.280 and since […]
Jacoby Ellsbury and the vagaries of ‘having power’
Imagine you are at a bar with a friend. Good. Now make sure you don’t get too drunk in this daydream. Alcohol has a nasty way of decreasing one’s interest in complex things like the statistical analysis of baseball. You are sitting with a friend who is not a big fan of the New York Yankees […]
Finding a kernel of bad luck for Dellin Betances
Based on all available information it would appear that Dellin Betances is a lucky man. He’s young, he’s immensely talented and he’s excelling in his chosen field. Presumably he has his health to boot. People who have never met him are interested in owning his likeness and this pleases him greatly. To be frank, Mr. […]
The Yankees and Blue Jays are having very similar 2015’s
Sometimes when you really look in the mirror you can surprise yourself. Most people have an internal idea of what they are supposed to look like, but the reality doesn’t always mesh than that. Just as one random example it’s possible that an unruly beard that looks like you’ve been a contestant on Naked and […]