tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post7960695852459482462..comments2024-03-27T19:03:23.094-04:00Comments on The Armchair Squid: The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: December 2013The Armchair Squidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-63920596790358909742013-12-28T21:45:38.115-05:002013-12-28T21:45:38.115-05:00Happy to have enlightened, Jennifer!
This book ...Happy to have enlightened, Jennifer! <br /><br />This book isn't for everyone but Freakonomics is well-suited to a broader audience - very little math in that one.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-84858262128924563012013-12-28T21:42:26.151-05:002013-12-28T21:42:26.151-05:00The book makes the interesting point that the Yank...The book makes the interesting point that the Yankees' run in the late '90s was built around homegrown talent. The free agents were simply add-ons. Building around the guns for hire hasn't worked so well in the current century. The Sox have been smarter, especially after they got bitten big time by Carl Crawford.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-66865644941172867582013-12-28T18:18:22.412-05:002013-12-28T18:18:22.412-05:00Interesting choice. I don't know much about ba...Interesting choice. I don't know much about baseball, but I am aware of the trend towards using sabermetrics (I didn't know what they were called until I read your post though. I learned something today!) I guess this is a great choice for a true fan of baseball and a numbers geek (I am neither).Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00010016525886790065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-27627821396641883582013-12-28T14:46:23.303-05:002013-12-28T14:46:23.303-05:00That's been sporadically true of the Sox. The...That's been sporadically true of the Sox. They've had their best success from smartball players, though. That was true of the "gang of idiots" in 2004 and definitely this year's team as well, which was the rebound of the paycheck team that tanked so badly before them. I believe the same is true of the 2007 club, but I keep finding it difficult to remember that win. Took it for granted, alas. (An amazingly awesome statement for a team that spent 86 years in a championship drought!)Tony Laplumehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07854455859399339169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-72003394161027733972013-12-28T12:19:44.775-05:002013-12-28T12:19:44.775-05:00You should start with Moneyball. I'll lend yo...You should start with Moneyball. I'll lend you my copy - this afternoon! If anything, it will give you a deeper appreciation for the organization the Sox have become and how they, not the Yankees, are positioning themselves to be the team of the era.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-54019451929638246052013-12-28T10:25:32.347-05:002013-12-28T10:25:32.347-05:00I might give this a look-see. I worry sometimes t...I might give this a look-see. I worry sometimes that pulling back the curtain might dampen my love of the game. But on the flip side, I do keep score at all the games I attend...MOCK!https://www.blogger.com/profile/02854497329647596811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-60945595678147428222013-12-28T08:31:17.723-05:002013-12-28T08:31:17.723-05:00Baseball's international profile is limited. ...Baseball's international profile is limited. It's huge in Japan, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It has made inroads in other East Asian and Latin American countries. But that's about it.<br /><br />American football is the same as Aussie Rules - once a week. I'm sure it's more a matter of needing the time to heal rather than laziness.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-57160666475033836802013-12-27T23:36:17.855-05:002013-12-27T23:36:17.855-05:00I guess I would give this one a miss because I'...I guess I would give this one a miss because I'm not that into baseball AND I am not particularly good with numbers? :P Not that I think baseball's boring - I certainly don't! Golf and cricket on the other hand ...- but it's just not a big sport here in Aus, I guess. I did used to play teeball though as a kid. It was heaps of fun. :)<br /><br />I had no idea the major teams played that number of games - in Aus our footy teams only play between Feb or March and September, and it's one game a week. Guess we're a bunch of slackers here!Trishahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16927558937796802496noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-38865748176265721222013-12-27T20:54:10.447-05:002013-12-27T20:54:10.447-05:00Have you ever seen Bull Durham? That movie, in pa...Have you ever seen Bull Durham? That movie, in particular, plays on the superstitions quite a bit.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-82894400940180100882013-12-27T20:11:23.728-05:002013-12-27T20:11:23.728-05:00The only thing I know about baseball is that its p...The only thing I know about baseball is that its players are extremely superstitious. More so than other professional athletes. Sounds like a great book for the fan.Stephaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02187854108656107958noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-67053310300310022952013-12-27T20:04:29.762-05:002013-12-27T20:04:29.762-05:00Yup. The owners make a quick profit while the cit...Yup. The owners make a quick profit while the city's stuck with enormous debt. Promises of jobs and benefits to local businesses never even come close to being fulfilled. The book does make the point that building and renovations are fine in and of themselves. It's the funding structure that's the problem.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-56444218685851777792013-12-27T18:27:26.876-05:002013-12-27T18:27:26.876-05:00I heard on the radio that stadiums never have a go...I heard on the radio that stadiums never have a good return on investment for the city. Statistics often show the truth so this sounds like a fascinating book. I hate typos. Maurice Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15338165486757095191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-36385807252201883552013-12-27T18:24:34.982-05:002013-12-27T18:24:34.982-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Maurice Mitchellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15338165486757095191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-5887502531909199192013-12-27T12:13:27.896-05:002013-12-27T12:13:27.896-05:00Even beyond sports, I think it's really import...Even beyond sports, I think it's really important for all of us living in the Information Age to understand statistics. Numbers can be manipulated to say just about whatever you want and misinterpreted statistics can and do wreak all sorts of havoc.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-2017077139856157462013-12-27T12:10:44.613-05:002013-12-27T12:10:44.613-05:00I have not seen the movie and am rather hesitant. ...I have not seen the movie and am rather hesitant. The book was absolutely mind-blowing and the film could only be disappointing.<br /><br />Interestingly, the book reveals that plenty of writers had questioned the traditional stats well before the '70s, especially the fielding metrics. But I think advances in computer technology have fueled this revolution more than anything.<br /><br />Don't worry about the link list. I couldn't get it to work when Tony did his blogfest. I blame Google. I think something funky happens with the code when it goes via e-mail. Some get it to work, though, so who knows? Not I!The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-9074829433292443352013-12-27T12:06:29.759-05:002013-12-27T12:06:29.759-05:00The advanced stats movement, started by people lik...The advanced stats movement, started by people like Pete Palmer has spread to other sports these days like football, basketball and soccer. The stats heads will eventually inherit the earth I think.Sultanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06506141014376919585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-79523614271584837322013-12-27T12:03:59.249-05:002013-12-27T12:03:59.249-05:00The Red Sox have the advantage of combining smart ...The Red Sox have the advantage of combining smart spending with deep pockets. The Yankees are falling behind because they've got way too much invested in a small number of players, all past their prime.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10739833215220853127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-35348055036705338662013-12-27T11:24:13.479-05:002013-12-27T11:24:13.479-05:00Although Moneyball was a tough movie to sit throug...Although Moneyball was a tough movie to sit through (it's probably one of the most boring baseball movies I've watched, and I love baseball movies), I found the whole statistical analysis of the game and players fascinating. I wondered why they hadn't thought of this long before the 70s. Right now I'm in the middle of watching Ken Burns' documentary on baseball and, like usual, am enjoying it!<br /><br />P.S. I tried like crazy to get the linky tool to work, but without any luck, so sorry it doesn't show up on my post.Mary Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09429769115085903305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-79146553444048877532013-12-27T11:09:18.671-05:002013-12-27T11:09:18.671-05:00The Red Sox won a World Series this year by recogn...The Red Sox won a World Series this year by recognizing all over again the possibilities of players who would otherwise have meant nothing to anyone. So I'll always support smartball like this.Tony Laplumehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07854455859399339169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-76423120368593624922013-12-27T09:20:32.753-05:002013-12-27T09:20:32.753-05:00Who's your team, Huntress? And have you read ...Who's your team, Huntress? And have you read Moneyball?The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-13115995894917772712013-12-27T09:13:37.122-05:002013-12-27T09:13:37.122-05:00I must be a geek then cuz I love baseball and all ...I must be a geek then cuz I love baseball and all its statistics. Huntresshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08155372788872245758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-28148954421166052013-12-27T08:22:52.862-05:002013-12-27T08:22:52.862-05:00Moneyball is probably a better place to start - a ...Moneyball is probably a better place to start - a more accessible read overall. Between the Numbers was published a few years later and also provides some interesting reflections on the earlier book.The Armchair Squidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13509001761075530940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8586403344533829376.post-8500316691410647352013-12-27T07:18:02.497-05:002013-12-27T07:18:02.497-05:00An interesting choice, Mr. Squid. Being a lifelong...An interesting choice, Mr. Squid. Being a lifelong baseball fan and a confirmed numbers geek in my alter ego I may just give it a look-see. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18159799725109784001noreply@blogger.com