There’s been discussion here and elsewhere about the decline in run scoring across the majors this season and in recent seasons. Yes, across the majors the average runs scored per game is currently at 4.14 so far in 2014, down slightly from 4.17 for the full 2013 season, and from 4.32 for the full 2012 season. OPS (On Base Percentage plus Slugging Percentage) across the majors as a whole is down from .724 in 2012, to .714 last season, to .707 so far this season. But the decline in hitting performance has not been uniform across the batting order, and in this post I want to focus on the particularly dramatic drop in the average performance of clean-up hitters in the majors. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 64th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round begins to add those players born in 1919.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

For the second round in a row, one candidate dominated the voting by an overwhelming margin. This time it was Stan Musial, appearing on a COG-record 94% of the ballots cast. Musial becomes the 63rd inductee in the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Stan and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 63rd round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the ballot those players born in 1920.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

After a number of closely contested voting rounds, this week voters strongly embraced Warren Spahn from the outset and put him on 54 ballots, the most for any candidate in a single round since Mantle and Mays in the 1931 voting. Spahn becomes the 62nd inductee in the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Warren and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 62nd round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG). This round adds to the ballot those players born in 1921.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

The right time, the right place and the left arm combined to place Sandy Koufax among the most famous and popular baseball players ever. High Heat Stats voters were a bit skeptical, but he’s now been elected, in his 19th round on the ballot, as the 61st inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Sandy and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading →

This Circle of Greats (COG) vote is not to induct anyone into the Circle, but only to select three players who will be restored back on to the main ballot after having been previously been dropped from eligibility.  This fifth “redemption round” (we also held such rounds after the 1960, 1950, 1940 and 1930 rounds of voting) gives voters a chance to reconsider past candidates who have been rejected. Continue reading →

This post is for voting and discussion in the 61st round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round completes the addition of those players born in 1922.  Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

Way back in the 13th round of the Circle of Greats voting, Edgar Martinez appeared on only 9.9% of the ballots cast, dropping off the ballot. But shortly thereafter he received the most support in our Redemption Round #2 (one vote more than Kenny Lofton), allowing him to return to the main ballot. Now, 38 rounds on that main ballot later, Martinez becomes our first candidate to be inducted after having earlier fallen off the main ballot, and overall becomes the 60th inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Gar and the voting after the jump. Continue reading →