Summary
In this article I present a method for comparing the quality of baseball across different leagues or different seasons, based on four factors that contribute to the quality of baseball from the perspective of a spectator. I then use the method to compare the National Baseball League season of 2008 against other country’s leagues and against other British seasons.
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Please leave comments on the article below.
Another fascinating article Joe. It’s particularly fun for me thinking back to us throwing a few ideas around about this topic in a Cambridge park last September. Your research was certainly time well spent.
Like any good article of this nature, it poses as many questions as it does answers. I definitely think it’s a worthwhile exercise to explore this further.
While it would be unpopular with some, I think the suggestion of stopping players getting a lead at first and second might be worth pursuing in some leagues. Basestealing is a fundamental and exciting part of the sport; however if players can steal bases at will then it stops the game from being competitive.
Top stuff!
It certainly is more enjoyable to get to discuss these ideas before starting tapping away on the keyboard.
And that’s exactly the thing about base-stealing. It has to be finely balanced. In leagues where it is not, the question is what is more important to the heart of baseball?… Base-stealing balance or players being able to take a lead off first and second.
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