Author: Ben

How Many Starters Do Teams Use in a Season?

One of the bigger stories of the 2023 season to this point, rather unfortunately, involves underperformance; specifically, the story of the highly paid and underperforming Mets. Through July 21st, the $445 million dollar (after...

How Meaningful are Opening Day Starts, Really?

Baseball, perhaps more than all other American sports, values tradition. That emphasis on existing conventions is part of what makes baseball special. However, a predisposition to doing things “how they’ve always been done” makes...

Looking Beyond the Defensive Spectrum

When I think of the defensive spectrum in baseball, sometimes I picture a baseball diamond-shaped table disrupted by constant tremors. In the center of that table are many orb-like objects (marbles, beans, very small...

Where on the Diamond do Defensive Statistics Agree?

Defensive metrics in baseball can be tricky to really grasp. Fortunately, as defensive metrics have become more popularized over the last handful of seasons, it has been correspondingly easier to at least contextualize them....

The Major Leagues, Arriving and Staying

Just days before the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Stephen Vogt announced that he would retire at season’s end. By all accounts, Vogt is a popular, well-respected person and (now former) teammate. On...

The Final Step: Hitting in the Major Leagues

Few things are so exciting as a promotion. A promotion generally represents a lot of time, energy, and focus devoted to a role. While all promotions are special, there is a legitimate argument to...

A Brief Investigation of Spiked Curveballs

This post is all about curveballs; specifically, those that are spiked. Of course, unavoidably, all types of pitches get spiked at least once in a while, but curveballs likely end up in the dirt...