It looks like Randy Johnson is going to announce his retirement tomorrow morning. If so, the Big Unit has timed this one nicely, coinciding the Hall of Fame hoopla with his trot into the sunset. Johnson will end with career totals of 303 wins, 4875 strikeouts, 3.29 ERA, 3.19 FIP, 10 All-Star selections, and 5 […]

When asked how he passed the time during the offseason, Rogers Hornsby once replied, “I stare out the window and wait for spring.” Those with hardball on the brain can sympathize. Sure, the hot stove provides some solace, but it’s not the same as kicking back and taking in a ball game or culling those […]

I doubt many prospects have had a more tumultuous off-season than outfielder Michael Taylor. I profiled Taylor back in July when he appeared to be on the fast track to Philadelphia after scorching the Eastern League to a tune of .333/.408/.569. He enjoyed similar success in Triple-A where he posted a .375 wOBA in 128 […]

The THT Live crew is back with another set of interesting links from the last few days. We haven’t overtaken Neyer (yet) like Pat hoped last week, so this will have to do for now… Tom Tango took questions from a sabermetrics apostate. The answers are worth reading. The questions…not so much. Capitol Avenue Club […]

Free agent second baseman Felipe Lopez is fresh off a season in which he compiled 4.6 Wins Above Replacement. The switch-hitter only qualified as a type B free agent, meaning he won’t cost potential employers a draft pick (the Brewers didn’t offer him arbitration anyway). Lopez will not turn 30 until May, making him a […]

The Jason Bay saga is over, as the left-fielder has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $66 million deal with the New York Mets. The deal includes a fifth-year option that would bring the total amount of the deal to $80 million. The concern surrounding Bay, which has caused many to be hesitant to commit a […]

Hi there. Here’s a visual portrait (both figuratively and literally) of Josh Beckett’s 2009 season. Sort of a blend of pop art and the baseball box score. Some notes (for those curious): First, I’m using red to indicate a quality start (min 6 IP, 3 ER or less). Sometimes I wonder about the notion of […]

At the beginning of the offseason, nearly everyone had Johnny Damon pegged for a return to the Bronx. It’s become apparent, however, that the likelihood of his returning to the Yankees is slim to none and slim’s as likely as Milton Bradley Day at Wrigley Field. Ok, so the Yankees have decided, with the prospect […]

As Ken Gurnick reports, the Dodgers and Matt Kemp don’t seem all that close on the concept of an extension. In the article, Kemp’s agent Dave Stewart (yeah, that one), told Gurnick that Kemp has an early record similar to those of Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones. The Jones comp works, but it’s not perfect; […]

Eric Simon has penned a review of the THT Annual at Amazin’ Avenue. In a nutshell, Eric likes it a lot and talks in-depth about a few of his favorite articles. I was glad to see that he particularly liked Jack Marshall’s article about the importance and definition of “character” in Hall of Fame arguments. […]