It is hard to follow a post where we interview Bill James, since not much we can do here will amount to much more than a fraction of what Bill James has accomplished, but we can’t just rest on our laurels and live off that glory forever. We will not stand idly by while the Interview with Bill James becomes …
An Interview with Bill James
What the hell do you say about Bill James? No introduction is necessary, but not having one seems lame. It’s Bill James. Obstructed View: You’ve mentioned in recent years how talking with scouts in Boston has helped you see the game in a way you hadn’t explored before. Has this changed the way you view some of the conclusions you …
2012 Cubs Bill James Projections, Part 1
Over the years a lot of people have claimed that the Bill James projections are optimistic. In a straight player to player comparison it will often seem that way, but the league average of these projections is important to consider. For example, let’s consider a couple examples. Player A is projected to hit .330 wOBA, league average is .330 wOBAPlayer …
Superfriends admit a new member
Per Bruce Levine and other sources, the Superfriends have opened the Hall of Justice and added a new member to their ranks. Joe Bohringer has been hired as the Cubs director of pro scouting. Technically he’s taking on one of Tim Wilken’s roles, but it’s a responsibility that was largely handled by Randy Bush in the past. Bohringer had been …
Cubs managerial candidate test
The Cubs managerial candidates are going to be put to the test in their interviews with the Superfriends. This will be no ordinary interview where Jim Hendry asks them what their favorite donut flavor is, this is going to be some hard-hitting, real-life game situation stuff that will undoubtedly face the new Cubs manager once the season begins. Once again, …
Cubs managerial candidate test
The Cubs managerial candidates are going to be put to the test in their interviews with the Superfriends. This will be no ordinary interview where Jim Hendry asks them what their favorite donut flavor is, this is going to be some hard-hitting, real-life game situation stuff that will undoubtedly face the new Cubs manager once the season begins. Once again, …
The Keltner List and Sammy Sosa
I was reading the most recent article on Nate Silver's Five Thirty Eight and he brought up the Keltner List. I had meant to do this for Sammy Sosa a few years, but completely forgot. So I'll do it now. Bill James came up with that back in 1985 and I'll let Wikipedia explain it: The Keltner list is a …
Cubs and Quade Call It Quite
The Cubs have fired Mike Quade. Theo Epstein broke the news to Quade in person. Given the length of time the new leadership spent meeting with Quade, I think it’s a sign that the front office seriously considered the possibility of keeping him on (or at least didn’t enter the situation with their minds made up) and/or that Quade was …
Fates of the Cubs Coaching Staff
Ever since Jim Hendry was fired last summer, most of us assumed that Mike Quade was fired as well, he just didn’t know it yet. Perhaps Ricketts gave Quade’s pink slip to a spare Molina brother to deliver, so he should get the news sometime this month. A few names have been floated as possible new managers, but it hadn’t …