Many baseball fans, and possibly some players and coaches, believe that a baserunner who reaches first at the same time as the ball is safe. Those under that impression often will declare, magisterially and emphatically, that the ‘tie goes to the runner.’ However, that exact phrase doesn’t actually exist anywhere in baseball’s rules. While that […]

The final “Dancing With The Playoff Stats,” in which we wrap it all up. Before we unveil the 2010 champion, you’ll need to know a few thoughts on this series of postings. The real “Dancing With The Stars” has provided some excellent fodder as luck would have it–or not, if you believe my keen intelligence […]

The Hardball Times Annual 2011 has been put to bed, which means that it’s been sent to the printer and will start shipping soon. I’m pretty excited about this year’s book, and I’ll be posting about it for the next couple of weeks. To whet your appetite, here is the introduction I wrote: This is […]

Giants 3, Rangers 1: Edgar Renteria rode pine for months this season, fighting, age infirmity and ineffectiveness and was seemingly marking time until he could retire and return to Colombia where family and business ventures wait. He wouldn’t have been playing much if at all in this World Series had it not been for Pablo […]

Two days ago, after Game Two of the World Series, I wrote a piece here at THT Live looking at what had happened in previous World Series when a team won each of the first two contests. Short version: Based on precedent, the Rangers had a one in five chance to win the Series. However, […]

Depending on when a given event occurs in a baseball game, it will have a different impact on the runs scoring differential. A single, for example, is worth almost twice as much with a runner on first than it is with the bases empty. These events, based on when they occur, are compared through the […]

Giants 9, Rangers 0: Aaron has the gory details of the bottom of the eighth inning here, and covers just about everything important about this game. I’ll simply add that watching Ron Washington manage the Rangers’ bullpen in the postseason has been like watching Richie Tennebaum against Gandhi at the U.S. Nationals tournament. All I […]

Well, the Giants just won Game Two, just as last night they won Game One. What does the future hold? Well, let’s see what the past holds. Prior to tonight, a team has gone up two games to none in the World Series 50 times. (That includes two long ago Series in which there was […]

Giants 11, Rangers 7: I’m trying to remember a sloppier World Series game, but I’m comin’ up empty. At least if you don’t count the earthquake. The big story today is obviously Cliff Lee, who saw his postseason ERA climb from 1.26 to 1.96 in the space of a couple hours. Then there are the […]

What you’ve missed… Since we last spoke (well, I spoke—hopefully you listened), the fall and winter seasons have taken shape and begun to form a life of their own. Bryce Harper has had two successful games in the Arizona Fall League, roping a two-run ground-rule opposite field double in his first game, and going 2-for-4 […]