Random Sportsy Thoughts

Elias just came out with their free agent rankings: AL and NL

...Take a minute and look at the crazy ridiculous job that these guys do. I'm not going to lay all the blame with Elias since they just plug-and-chug the formula that was agreed on by the players and owners in the collective bargaining agreement. But that agreement came in 1981 and they haven't changed it all since then.

Cano ahead of A-Rod? Nice to know that intangibles are factored in.

For what ever reason the specific formula used to determine the rankings has been hidden, but after some sleuthing I was able to find it.

The rankings use two-year samples that are averaged out.

The rating system groups players into five categories -- catchers, starting pitchers, relief pitchers, infielders other than first basemen, and first basemen/outfielders/designated hitters. Players are ranked in five to seven statistical categories, with the specific categories varying by their position grouping (e.g., there are no fielding stats used in the 1B/OF/DH group, but the catcher and infielder groups each include two defensive stats). Cumulative statistics may be adjusted for players who spent time on the disabled list, restoring stats for up to 60 days of missed playing time.

1B/OF/DH: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI

2B/3B/SS: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding percentage, Total chances at designated position

C: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding percentage, Assists

SP: Total games (total starts + 0.5 * total relief appearances), IP, Wins, W-L Percentage, ERA, Strikeouts

RP: Total games (total relief appearances + 2 * total starts), IP (weighted slightly less than other categories), Wins + Saves, IP/H ratio, K/BB, ERA

Each player is then given a point total for each statistical category that is inversely related to his actual ranking. For example, if there are 100 starting pitchers in the ranking, then the pitcher with the lowest ERA gets 100 points, the pitcher with the second-lowest ERA gets 99 points, and so on, until it reaches the pitcher with the highest ERA, who gets one point just for writing his name. This system has several obvious flaws, of course, as it gives no weight to the distance between any two players: If the top pitcher's ERA is 0.1 or 0.01 or 1.0 runs better than the ERA of the next-best pitcher, it doesn't matter, as he still only gets one extra point - the stats used have little reliability and great variance from year to year and do not accurately reflect a players value, age and market forces are not taken into account at all. Point totals within each position are then scaled to make 100 a perfect score

Moises Alou over Prince Fielder...moving on before my head explodes

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Jason Witten is an absolute beast. He's now the second best tight end in the game.

I would hate to tackle Marion the Barbarian.

What were the reasons 6 teams gave for passing on All-Day again??

He had 250 yards more than LaDainain in that game.

He was great in college but Vince Young is awful in the pros...hrmmmmmm I wonder who could have seen that one coming??

I would love to see Kerry Wood pitching for the Rangers this year, more because I love the dude than anything else.

Rather than spending a billion dollars on Torii Hunter how about trading something like Laird to Boston for Coco Crisp?

There's been talk that Tim Linecum could be had...if that is true (and I don't believe it is)... you call up the Giants and don't let them off the phone until tiny tim is pitching in Arlington.

Timmy, Santana, Bedard, Kazmir, D-Train are all said to be on the trading block.

Nice time for JD to have added a lot of young talent over the summer.

Great Mavs win last night v the Rockets. Devin, Damp, George and Bass were all hurt...refs made a couple indefensible calls and you're playing a really tough team. Dallas came through, the AAC crowd was really into it. Sweet Action.

Jet has really taken to his new role.

JJB ... all-star...?

Glad that Gana Diop no longer feels that the ball is made of lava.

Dirk is playing harder and more aggressively than ever. That is a great sign.

College hoops just started. Go to BasketballProspectus for the best coverage/analysis on the interweb.