I was watching a game on TV last week during which the commentator related a conversation he had had with a catcher who had played for Mike Scoscia. The catcher indicated that Scoscia placed tremendous emphasis on the 1-1 pitch as the key pitch of an AB because of the difference between facing an opposing batter with a 1-2 count rather than a 2-1 count. So, I thought to myself “I wonder if Scoscia is right?” and decided to find out.

What follows, then, is an analysis of pitch count data available through Baseball-Reference.com. I learned a few things that surprised me. Maybe you will too.

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A look at action over the weekend involving the front-running teams. Included were some marquee matchups, starting with the Missouri showdown series.

More after the jump.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 95th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1896. Rules and lists are after the jump.

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Frankie Frisch, aka the “Fordham Flash”, wins election to the Circle of Greats in the 94th round of COG balloting. In his first ballot appearance, Frisch was the clear favorite in a crowded field. A complete player, Frisch compiled 140 Rbat and 140 Rfield while stealing over 400 bases, a combination unique among second baseman, and matched only by Barry Bonds and George Davis among players at other positions (Jack Glasscock, with 372 stolen bases, and Bill Dahlen, just a hair below the line for Rbat and Rfield, are the only other players close to this group). Frisch’s career totals exceeding 50 oWAR and 20 dWAR have been matched by only 14 others, none of them second basemen.

More on Frisch after the jump.

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Doug’s doing all the heavy lifting around here this spring, and acquitting himself admirably, but I thought I’d lend a hand.  I don’t have much of substance to offer, but here’s a frivolity I adapted from my own site.

Who are the greatest active players in Major League Baseball?  Are they the guys with the most career WAR?  The guys who have never turned in a bad season?  The guys who had the highest peaks?  I think we’d all agree the answer is a combination of those three things, perhaps weighted toward the former.  I developed a simple formula using fangraphs WAR to combine accumulated value, consistency, and peak:

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A look at some of the action this week.

Braves@Reds – Reds take two of three in closely contested set

• In the opener, the Braves prevailed 2-1, getting to Reds’ closer Aroldis Chapman in the 9th inning of a tie game. Philip Gosselin was the hero, posting a .508 WPA after he delivered a one-out pinch-hit single, advanced to second on a following single by Nick Markakis, stole 3rd base, and scored on a two out wild pitch. It’s only the second searchable game that a Brave pinch-hitter has posted a WPA above 0.5 with a hit, run and stolen base.

More after the jump.

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Asked to choose their poison, COG voters had no qualms about going Big! Paul “Big Poison” Waner was the clear favorite in winning election in the 93rd round of COG balloting. A Pirate mainstay starting from his 1926 rookie season, Waner would author a 3000-hit career highlighted by numerous franchise records, many of which still stand today.

More on Waner after the jump.

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This post is for voting and discussion in the 94th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1897. Rules and lists are after the jump.

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Here’s a quick look at selected series this week, with a focus on the front-running teams.

More after the jump.

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This was a peaceful hubbub, though, as “King” Carl Hubbell, near the top of the voting in his first five COG ballot appearances, was a popular selection in earning induction in the 92nd round of COG balloting. In a close two-way race, Hubbell edged Paul Waner, with Roy Campanella placing third and collecting an additional round of guaranteed COG eligibility.

More on Hubbell after the jump.

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