This Circle of Greats (COG) vote is not to induct anyone into the Circle, but only to select two players who will be restored back on to the main ballot after having been previously been dropped from eligibility.  This seventh “redemption round” (we’ve been holding such redemption votes interspersed among the regular voting rounds every tenth voting round or so) gives voters a chance to reconsider past candidates who have previously fallen off the regular induction ballots. Continue reading →

‘Tis the season to be voting, this post being for voting and discussion in the 80th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round begins to add to the ballot those players born in 1907. Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

The last time the Cleveland Indians won a World Series, their shortstop, Lou Boudreau, was both the indisputable MVP of the league as well as the team’s manager. Boudreau has come very close to COG induction in the past, and this vote was in doubt until the last day of balloting. But in the end it was indeed Boudreau who earned induction as the 79th member of the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Lou, and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading →

Suppose we sorted by salary all the 2014 position players. What salary lines would you guess might split them in two equal groups, by (1) total plate appearances, (2) total WAR, and (3) total salary?

Those answers, and more, after the jump.

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The Mount Rushmore election for the Atlanta Braves closed yesterday (Dec 17th) with Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn and Chipper Jones taking the top 3 spots. But, Eddie Mathews and Greg Maddux finished tied for the fourth and final Mount Rushmore spot.

This run-off election will decide the fourth player on the Braves’ Mount Rushmore. To participate, please cast one vote for either candidate. The election closes at midnight (24:00) Pacific time on Mon, Dec 22nd.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 79th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1908. Rules and lists are after the jump. Continue reading →

Ott Ott Ott!

Mel Ott’s great years were before World War II; he died as a relatively young man almost sixty years ago; his franchise left New York, where he played his whole career, before most current fans were born; and his career total of 511 homers no longer seems as stupendous as it once did. All these factors mean he may not be remembered by casual fans (other than crossword puzzle aficionados) as much as other ballplayers of comparable stature. But that didn’t stop the Circle’s voters from embracing Ott overwhelmingly. By a wide margin, Mel becomes the 78th inductee into the High Heat Stats Circle of Greats. More on Master Melvin, and the voting, after the jump. Continue reading →

After a five-year slide in scoring landed on the lowest mark since 1981, everyone’s scrambling for offense. That’s a natural response, but maybe not a sensible one.

Stating the obvious, there’s no fixed scoring level that wins ballgames. You just have to score more runs than you allow. And the “pythagorean formula,” which predicts winning percentage from runs scored and allowed, has two corollaries that speak to the most efficient path to improving a team’s record:

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What distinguishes these eight players from baseball’s other greats? That’s for you to tell me when you find the career accomplishment that distinguishes these players from among all others?

Hint: the active player (assuming he can find work) who is closest to joining this group is Ichiro Suzuki.

Congratulations to David P, John Autin and bstar! They teamed up to identify that only these eight players had eight of more consecutive seasons scoring 100+ runs, and also had eight or more games in their careers scoring four or more runs. Those seasons and games are after the jump.

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Following up from the post on the AL teams, here is a team-by-team look at some singular statistical markers from the 2014 season.

More after the jump.

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