The Best of FanGraphs: April 27-May 1, 2015

by
May 2, 2015

Each week, we publish north of 100 posts on our various blogs. With this post, we hope to highlight 10 to 15 of them. You can read more on it here. The links below are color coded — green for FanGraphs, brown for RotoGraphs, dark red for The Hardball Times, orange for TechGraphs and blue for Community Research.

MONDAY
Welcome Yourself to NERD Game Scores for 2015, by Carson Cistulli
Yes, let’s!

The Starting Pitcher Strikeout Rate Surge Candidates, by Mike Podhorzer
Great sentence alert: “So maybe Nick Martinez shouldn’t be absolutely terrible, just bad?”

TUESDAY
The Month That the Pitchers Just Stopped Trying to Hit, by Jeff Sullivan
It wasn’t a pretty April for the moundsmen at the dish.

The Twilight Strike Zone, by Frank Firke
Is the strike zone different during day games than it is during night games? Frank offers proof that it just may.

WEDNESDAY
Chris Iannetta’s Transformation, by Eno Sarris
Chris Iannetta just wants what’s coming to him.

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How Does Eye Color Affect Day/Night Splits?, by Gerald Schifman
Gerald’s rigorous study didn’t turn up what he thought it might, but his efforts here were outstanding, in what was his debut post at THT. We’ll be looking forward to more!

How to Make a Sports Podcast That Doesn’t Suck, by David G. Temple
David gives you the tools. Do you have the talent? Because if so, then it’ll be Miller Time!

Pitchers Aren’t Just Bad Hitters, by hscer
Just in case you needed a reminder. Also, I know what the “HSC” stands for in the author’s name and you don’t.

THURSDAY
Julio Urias, the Dodgers, and the History of Teenage Pitchers, by Carson Cistulli
Some very compelling research, this. A counterargument – age ain’t nothing but a number.

Scott’s Miscellany – Stolen Base Opportunities, by Scott Spratt
Contained within are arguments for acquiring both Jonathan Villar and Matt Kemp.

How a Tech Company Can Influence the NFL Draft, by Seth Keichline
The subject of this piece, Michael Weinstein, has an intimidating and impressive resume. Just as intimidating is his goal of standardizing athletic tests, and it will be incredibly impressive if he can achieve it.

FRIDAY
MLB’s Evolving Luxury Tax, by Nathaniel Grow
Great stuff here.

Brady Anderson on Analytics, by David Laurila
It definitely is hard to find guys who can play 160 games a year.

MLB Fixes the Trea Turner Problem for Everyone Else, by Dave Cameron
This is great news. Perhaps we’ll eventually call it the Trea Turner rule? Though there are certainly others who could lay claim to the title.

Scheming For Relief: Scribner, Rosscup and Martin, by Alan Harrison
If your league is like mine, it may seem like good relief pitching is getting harder and harder to find. Here, Alan sets up a great framework for finding those diamonds in the rough before your leaguemates do.





 

Paul Swydan used to be the managing editor of The Hardball Times, a writer and editor for FanGraphs and a writer for Boston.com and The Boston Globe. Now, he owns The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, an independent bookstore in Acton, Mass. Follow him on Twitter @Swydan. Follow the store @SilUnicornActon.

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