Grantland so far

If anyone's interested in reading James in his prime, Rich Lederer of The Baseball Analysts put together a sort of "Best of the Abstracts" a few years ago. I've linked the first part below. The other 11 parts are linked on the left rail of that page:

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2004/07/abstracts_from_12.php

I'd also highly recommend the original Historical Baseball Abstract. It came out in 1988, so it's obviously very dated in a lot of ways, but the writing is fantastic.

http://www.amazon.com/Bill-James-Historical-Baseball-Abstract/dp/0394758056

The 2001 update is also pretty good, but not quite up to par with the original.

 

It's pretty much been proven over the last 30 or so years that plenty more people than just those who stood on a baseball field have valid opinions about those who stood on a baseball field.

 

I'll guarantee you that James has watched far more baseball than you. The old basement crack, you really are a dinosaur.

Winners win!

 

The old dinosaur crack, you really are in the basement.

My two biggest mistakes on this site, arguing with soccer fans and stat heads.

 

Yes I am, of the house I own.

You clueless about soccer as well?

Wins and RBI, that is how you judge a player.

 

Of course, two things can be mutually true: that Ryan wasn't an extraordinary crowd draw and not a way-extraordinary ninth-inning machine; and that his peers will testify that they feared no one more than him.

Of course, the well has been so poisoned that that won't be seen.

 

I'll trust your expert opinion.

 

You're right, they can be mutually true and most likely are

 

Are you as close-minded and condescending when "arguing" with soccer fans. I don't read those threads as I don't follow that sport.

 

I don't read the soccer threads either after trying it once and found those followers to be the close-minded ones ready to attack anyone who doesn't like their sport.
As for statheads, same thing. That stuff is NOT going to make me appreciate baseball any more than I do now. The comment about James having watching more baseball than me, probably true now, but not back at the time we're talking about.
And one thing that has bothered me is that the statheads seem to take over EVERY baseball thread lately. Yes, I probably am close-minded about SABR, but it failed the "try it, you'll like it test" ... FOR ME.

 

So, how 'bout that redesign on Grantland, guys?

Totally breaks with the vibe of the site, amiright?

 

No stathead took over this thread. You started screeching about Bill James because he wrote something you didn't like (and it wasn't even what you claim it to be), using facts and evidence to back it up.

Not sure how it makes Bill James a "stathead" to write that (1) Nolan Ryan is vastly overrated, (2) debunk the stat that people put out that Nolan Ryan was 180-1 or whatever after eight innings with a lead by showing that almost everyone had that type of record, and (3) debunk the stat that Nolan Ryan drew bigger crowds.

I would assume you would have more problems with the people who put out erroneous stats in support of the Nolan Ryan legend than with the person who debunks those stats.