In the opener of a recurring series, Steve examines the workloads of minor league ace pitchers. Health advisory: those who are inclined to recoil in horror at the sight of high pitch counts and young arms should not view the following without medical supervision.

Just how different from today’s was the profile of the major-league ballplayer in 1940? Come along with Steve as he explores a treasure trove of data he excavated from a musty little used book shop in Cooperstown.

Dan takes another look at an aging sabermetric conclusion

Mostly Nationals in the Independence Day version of the report

J.D. Drew might be out for the rest of the season, Troy Glaus hit his 200th career HR, Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 1st July 4 HR and the rest of the news around the majors.

In the first of an occasional series, Steve examines each of MLB’s expansion franchises: how did they approach the challenge of constucting a roster, and how well or poorly did they pull it off? This time we look at the true pioneers, the Los Angeles Angels and the (new) Washington Senators.

The more things change…

Looking back on a monster performance by Joe Gordon

Steve, er, closes his four-part series focusing on modern bullpen usage — how it came to be, and where it might be headed. And he (finally!) gets around to offering answers to those questions he’s been dragging around for three weeks!

Steve’s examination of the modern bullpen has been through the LOOGYs: we’re ready to bring on the Closer.