THE BOOK--Playing The Percentages In Baseball

Chass’ insults seem to be directed more at human intellect and rationality than any given individual. I guess if you want to count yourself among those nerdy reasoning types, you can go ahead and feel offended.

The invaluable firejoemorgan blog has some good commentary on Chass’ new venture:

http://www.firejoemorgan.com/2008/07/i-felt-lot-better-about-giving-flooky.html

I too suspect the site is fake.

The only baseball site I have found that exists on the same server as this site is BaseballEvolution.com

Both sites also seem to be hosted by Yahoo.

Hmmm… re-reading under this light, the site does have a Baseball Evolution feel to it.  The layout, even the graphics at the top.

What was Baseball Evolution?

So you are saying that the article on the site, “Here we go again,” is a hoax (not written by Chass) also?

I think the whole site is a hoax, yes.  The graphics at the top look just like the other site.  The layout looks very similar.  Just my guess…

Someone suggested to me that the people talking here about Chass are “in the know”:
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/index.php/topic,58711.0.html

Apparently, that’s supposed to be a respected site.  I’ll have to check it out.

It’s possible that there is a link between Baseball Evolution (BE) and Chass, and that it’s legitimate.  Hard to tell.  The “about” page is written in third-person form, the layout is similar to BE, pre-ads, and the graphics on top are very similar to BE. 

“Chass” makes a huge gaffe here:

Baseball can’t wait until days or even a week before the World Series is scheduled to start to determine where Series game will be played. Airlines and hotels don’t work that way.

If baseball, on the other hand, based homefield advantage on the outcome of interleague games, the winning league this season would have been known before the end of June, leaving three months, or half the season, to make travel plans.

What’s he talking about?  Baseball MUST wait days or even a week, since there are 4 possible teams that can make the World Series. 

Where does this “three months of travel plans” come into play?  You still have a dozen teams that are in play here.  Is he suggesting that instead we only have half as many choices now, because the HFA has been determined? Big deal.

What about in the NHL, where they reseed teams after every series (it’s not like in tennis or NCAA where it is done by brackets).  They don’t seem to have a problem with airlines and hotels.

I can’t believe that the real Chass would mention this as an issue.

Anyway, someone else can take over here and figure out if this is the real Chass or not, and who his editor is.

Two people claim first-hand knowledge that the site is not a hoax:
http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/index.php/topic,58711.75.html

Tracy Ringolsby posted that Murray will allow for a feedback system.  I was reminded of this:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=409
Jan 17, 2008:

J (MA ): Why is BP scared of allowing users to post comments? Seems most other sports site allow for this.

Christina Kahrl: A great question, J, and one I hope we’ll answer by adding a feature where subscribers will be able to comment on BP content during spring training.

What is BP waiting for?