PITCHf/x, QuesTec, and HBO
This guest post was written by C. Sven Jenkins PITCHf/x, QuesTec, and HBO Back in 2002 I met umpire Mark Hirschbeck. He informed me that even though baseball used QuesTec to rate umpires, the information from the findings would never be knowledge for the entire baseball world to see. Hirschbeck, arguing with Scott Brosius QuesTec […]
On the Offensive: Why Hitters are More Valuable then Pitchers in Fantasy Baseball
When it comes to building your fantasy baseball team, either at the draft or in-season, there is one very valuable piece of information to keep in mind: hitters are ALWAYS more valuable than pitchers. Keep this in mind at the draft table and when it comes to trades. That being said, your particular fantasy baseball league will […]
Happy Memorial Day!
This being Memorial Day, I thought it would be best to introduce those of you who are not familiar with the site, Baseball in Wartime! I’ve always wanted to write my own write up on MLB players who served our country in times of war, but I have yet to complete this project…maybe someday! This […]
Book Review: Ozzie’s School of Management
If anyone who even casually follows the game of baseball was asked to name the most controversial manager of the past decade, there is little doubt that the first name out of their mouth would be current Miami Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. In his new book, Ozzie’s School of Management: Lessons from the Dugout, the […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: Your Baseball Hitting Style Belongs To You Only!
Your baseball hitting style is what you do at the plate before you swing the bat and baseball hitting mechanics are what you do when you are actually swinging the bat. If a coach wants to help you improve your baseball hitting mechanics, that’s one thing. But your very personal hitting style is an entirely […]
You Can Now Play Fantasy Baseball Daily on Baseball Reflections
For those fans of daily Fantasy Baseball, you can now play here on one of our pages on Baseball Reflections thanks to our new partnership with FanSaloon.com! Feel free to challenge me or any of our other writers. It’s free to join a 10 team game and the winner has a chance to join a monthly […]
SMALLS TALK: Cole Hamels does the unthinkable!
I still can’t believe it. Premeditated, unwarranted, just disgusting. For those of you who haven’t heard, Cole Hamels recently launched a harpoon from the pitcher’s mound at rookie sensation Bryce Harper, piercing the slugger’s right shoulder and placing him on the DL indefinitely. The wound will likely keep Harper out for the rest of the season […]
Baseball Pitching Tips: You Absolutely Must Use Checkpoints!
Making good use of checkpoints is one of the best baseball pitching tips anyone will ever give you. Checkpoints are very simply mental reminders that a pitcher gives to himself before every pitch. They are something that will help any pitcher be the most effective! Usually, baseball pitchers have about three or four and they […]
SMALLS TALK: Foul Ball Etiquette
Fans go nuts over foul balls. It’s how it’s always been and it’s how it will always be. Even if you’re hanging on the game’s every pitch, you can’t help but get mesmerized by a foul ball’s mystique. With each ball that goes up into the seats, we wonder which fan will defy the 1 in 30,000 odds and win the Foul Ball […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: Focusing On Just This One Thing May Lead To Your Success!
Wouldn’t it be great if in order to be a very successful hitter you were only required to do one simple thing. Guess what? There is only one thing for you to do to be very successful at the plate. That one thing is to consistently get the “sweet spot” of the bat on the […]
Rundown of Mets alumni no-hitters
Phillip Humber threw a perfect game yesterday for the Chicago White Sox, adding his name to the list of former Mets pitchers who have thrown no-hitters. While a couple pitchers had accomplished the feat prior to joining the Mets, most have done it after they have left the team. Humber is the second former Met to ever […]
Factor 12 Leaders Week 2
The Factor12 Rating (F12) is an analytic measurement utilizing league average performance to compare the value of all MLB pitchers on 60ft6in.com. (1) Justin Verlander continued his dominating start to the 2012 season by pitching a complete game win against the Kansas City Royals. The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner hurled 9IP / […]
SMALLS TALK: The One Ear Flap Helmet
Nothing says Big Leagues like a one ear flap helmet. It’s unmistakable. Turn on the TV and see one of these babies, you know you’re watching the world’s very best. Its unusual lop-sided style is revered by all who play the game, not so much for its looks but its exclusivity. It’s the helmet that my generation saw […]
A Special Insight into the difference between Baseball in Japan & the US
I recently had the honor of interviewing Takahiro Sato, a former college baseball player in Japan and has coached baseball and taught mental skills in U.S. as well as in Japan. He thought that Sport psychology was such an intriguing area where athletes can learn how to prepare for competition and how to handle pressure or stress, so he studied it & received […]
Good Lamb-Hunting
Dancing between victory and heartbreak is a baseball routine Daniel Lamb-Hunt continues to learn. Recently, two days before he was due to fly out to Germany, his aspirations of a smooth travel were marred by an expired passport and a last-minute dash to Sydney making for “a very stressful day and a lesson learned” says […]
Factor12 (F12) Rating Leaders: Week 1
Aroldis Chapman dominated National League batters during the first week of the regular season. The Cincinnati Reds’ flame-thrower tossed 5IP/ 2H/ 0R/ 0BB/ 10K of 17 total batters faced. Chapman currently leads all MLB pitchers with a Factor12 Rating of 37.537 after one week of play. Justin Verlander opened the season with a dominating […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: How Practice Is Mandatory For Your Success!
You’ve got to go out and hit, hit, hit and then hit some more. Some professional players take 500 swings a day in the off season. It’s not by accident or good fortune that some of them bat .330 or hit 45 home runs. Maybe that’s why they are professional hitters, because they pay the […]
Thirty Something: The Verducci Effect in Fantasy Baseball
Fantasy baseball owners are always looking for an edge. From the latest news to the latest stats, trying to get a leg up on your opponents is often enough to carry you to victory. Predicting the future would be ideal (although highly unlikely) so fantasy owners have to settle for indicators of what the future […]
Phillies 2012 Predictions
Opening Day is upon us, so it is time for our 2012 Phillies predictions. If you haven’t already, check out the predictions for pitching and hitting. Phillies Run Differential Wins and losses generally come down to run differential: how many more(or less) runs did you score than you gave up? Last year, the Phillies had […]
April Twins Reflection
Who is ready for some baseball, or at least regular season ball? Tell you what, I am. The Twins seem to be ready for it too. They are down to 27 on the roster with Baker going to the 15-day DL and Marquis hitting the bereavement list. The entire roster as listed on MLB right […]
SMALLS TALK: O’s lose to college team – big deal?
It’s not out of the ordinary for a Big League team to face college competition at some point during Spring Training. It’s a tradition that several clubs have honored for years as both a showcase for fans and a special treat for the college kids. It is out of the ordinary, however, for a Big League team to lose to […]
SMALLS TALK: Tito on Baseball Tonight – in over his head?
I love Terry Francona. I think he’s a great manager and an even better guy. I agree that it was time for him to part ways with the Red Sox, but his managerial career at Fenway will be argued as the best of all-time for years to come. As a broadcaster, however… To put […]
SMALLS TALK: The Curtain Call
Just when you think a crowd can’t get any more hopped up, it happens. The hero that just brought the stadium to its feet pokes his head out of the dugout, jumps up on the top step, and offers a tip of the cap to the home town fans. And just like that, the steady […]
DUGOUT LINGO: “Cage-Killer”
Sometimes, you just can’t get out of the cage. We’ve all been there – you hit ball after ball after ball up into the netting above you. You try to comfort yourself – How far up is this thing today? – as though the cage’s location on the field was robbing you of no-doubt homers. You […]
Baseball Tips On Hitting: How You Stride When Hitting Is Critical!
Exactly when you should start your stride varies among hitters. Usually, the stride begins a fraction of a second before the pitcher releases the ball and that’s my preference. Many teach that the stride should start when you see the pitcher pivot on the rubber and the hitter can see the pitcher’s rear end. That […]
SABR is launching a digital library
The following post is an official press release from SABR – The Society for American Baseball Research is introducing a new publishing initiative this spring. The SABR Digital Library will be publishing new titles as well as reviving historical SABR publications that have gone out of print. Two books mark the inception of the library: […]
Baseball Umpiring In High School: How To Communicate With Your Partner!
For the many who have read my many articles on playing and coaching baseball, hopefully you believe that I have a pretty good understanding of how baseball should and should not be played. At least I hope you feel that way. Now that I have become a certified high school umpire, I have found that […]
Golf And Baseball: Not Worlds Apart
Athletes that compete in fast paced, explosive sports like football and basketball tend to turn to golf as a change of pace. They like the fact that they can still take part in a competitive game, but it’s completely different from the contact sports they play (you can’t tell me basketball isn’t a contact sport). […]
Interview: Adrian Burgos, author, Playing America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line
Interview of Adrian Burgos, author of Playing America’s Game: Baseball, Latinos, and the Color Line By Ishmael Nunez Originally posted on19 November 2010. 1-A single Latin-American was not voted to the all-century team? Does that still hurt, still mad? The absence of Roberto Clemente from the all-century team is a major issue on several […]
Baseball Umpiring In High School: You Blew The Game Coach And Not Me!
I umpired an extremely competitive and closely fought high school baseball game a couple of days ago. My assignment was to be the field umpire and my partner was assigned to home plate. We had our pregame conference with both head coaches and they both seemed like terrific guys. We shake hands and we all […]
