The results are in, and thanks to the hundreds of readers who responded, I think we have a pretty grasp on what Albert Pujols’s next contract might look like. The median estimate submitted by Hardball Times readers was 8 years and $250 million (coincidentally, that’s what I voted), while the mean was very similar at […]

Headline from the great Ken Rosenthal (4/9): “Is Crawford destined to wear pinstripes?” If you asked me at the beginning of the season, the answer to that question would have been a resounding yes. Just take a look at some of these articles from the beginning of the season: Jon Heyman (3/22): Still, as one […]

Giants 3, Marlins 2: Barry Zito is now 5-0 after throwing another gem (7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 4K). But give mucho credit to Sergio Romo, who atoned for blowing Tim Lincecum’s game on Tuesday by coming into a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the eighth to (a) fan Hanley Ramirez on three pitches; and […]

Sean Forman has added yet another great feature to Baseball-reference.com. Total Zone defense for the 2010 season is now updated daily. I’m the inventor of the stat, but even I can’t do that. I wait until the season ends and retrosheet provides the play by play files. Sean has the data, and I worked with […]

With Ryan Howard signing a 5-year, $125 million extension, there’s been a lot of talk about how that might affect Albert Pujols’s next deal. Pujols will be a free agent after the 2011 season (assuming he does not receive an extension before then), and at 31 years of age, that will be his big chance […]

Twins 4, Tigers 3: Nick Blackburn gave up 11 hits in a complete game. This had me thinking about the concept of “scattering” hits last night. I mean, I wanted to say that Blackburn scattered 11 hits over nine innings, but 11 seemed like too many. I was thinking that scattering applies to eight hits […]

Nick Swisher has been merry in the month of May. Over the last three days, Ozzie Guillen’s favorite player has gone 8-for-12 with a double and two home runs. Bill James Online says he’s the third-hottest batter in the majors, with a temperature of 104 degrees. But the two hottest batters (Alfonso Soriano and Andre […]

Rockies 5, Padres 2: Ubaldo Jimenez? Yeah, Ubaldo Jimenez: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 13K. Your move, Messers Lincecum and Halladay. Blue Jays 5, Indians 1: Brett Cecil took a perfect game into the seventh and ended up giving up only one hit while striking out ten. In other news, whenever I read the […]

Alex Gordon needs to be playing every day, especially for a team like the Royals. After skipping AAA entirely, Gordon was worth 2.1 and 2.3 wins his first two seasons in the majors. Last year was entirely lost due to injury, but now Gordon finds himself right where he needs to be: starting each game […]

We just updated THT Forecasts today, and a month into the season the projected standings have changed quite a bit. In the AL East, the Yankees still project to finish on top, but the Rays have clearly surpassed the Red Sox as the Wild Card favorites. Not only are the Rays 7 games up in […]