The Best of FanGraphs: July 14 – July 18, 2014

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, purple for NotGraphs, dark red for The Hardball Times and blue for Community.

ALL WEEK
This week didn’t feature much on-field action, but Dave Cameron’s always-excellent Trade Value Series gave us plenty of off-field action. Here’s the rundown:

• Intro and Runners-Up
• #50 – #41
• #40 – #31
• #30 – #21
• #20 – #11
• The Top 10
• FG on FOX: The Anti-Trade Value Guys

MONDAY
Top 25 Prospects: A Midseason Update, by Marc Hulet
There’s a new sheriff in town, and his name is Kris Bryant.

A Glance at Rest-of-Season Strength of Schedule, by Jeff Sullivan
No one team’s schedule should affect them by more than a win and change for the remainder of the year, as Jeff astutely points out. This could be good news or bad news, depending on your rooting interests.

TUESDAY
Poll v 2014: Which Group of Pitchers Performs Better?, by Mike Podhorzer
Mike is back with his poll that asks whether we think SIERA outperformers or underperformers will do better in the second half. Perform your civic duty and vote!

Erick Aybar Admiral Ackbar, by David G. Temple
Sometimes, it’s the little joys that make life worth living.

A Zen Koan Featuring Max Scherzer, by Carson Cistulli
Carson has returned from his European sojourn, and has thusly rediscovered his good ole’ American bloodlust.

On Sabermetric Rhetoric, by Kevin Krueger
This article takes the old school vs. new school debate and frames it in a new, refreshing, light.

Historic Lack of Positional Development All-Star Team, by Brian Henry
Across its franchise history, Rockies’ second basemen have accumulated less WAR than Babe Ruth did in 1923.

WEDNESDAY
Everyone Looks Bad In the Brady Aiken Mess, by Mike Petriello
And on Friday afternoon, the situation only got worse.

Tyler Skaggs Having Trouble with Men on Base, by Chris Cwik
Is he too reliant on his curveball?

6-4-3, by Craig Robinson
Kevin Youkilis, like Miley Cyrus, never hit so hard in love.

The Problems Baseball’s Next Commissioner Will Face, by Alex Remington
Alex tackles five big picture issues with which the next man in charge will have to wrestle.

THURSDAY
Jeremy Giambi: “I Purposely Slowed Down”, by Jeremy Blachman
Both shocking and breaking news, this.

FRIDAY
Dropping Allen Craig for Lucas Duda, by Karl de Vries
It’s no secret that Allen Craig has been off this season, but replacing him has been challenging. Until now.