Archive for 2021

by Ron Shandler Backed by undervalued, BABS-supported performances from players like Jesse Winker, J.D. Martinez and Charlie Morton, the Broad Assessment Balance Sheet (BABS) helped bring home a title in the LABR national experts league (12-team mixed). It was my first LABR title since 2001, though it was only the fourth time I’ve competed since…

[MEMBERS ONLY] Here’s a stat to blow your socks off… As of the All Star Break, 56 percent of the pre-season Top 300 players have already lost time to the IL or have been demoted. Injured players alone make up 51 percent of that total. The single season record for attrition (in the 12 years…

[MEMBERS ONLY] Memorial Day is the point in the calendar when I’ve typically advised readers to start taking the standings seriously. There is no magic to this day. In fact, from a statistical significance perspective, it’s really a random, mostly insignificant marker. But BABS does like to take a peek to see how players are…

Here’s hoping that your season has gotten off to a good start. That has not been an easy task thus far, with all the injuries and roster-shuffling. If you were hoping that this would be our first in-season update, I’m sorry to disappoint, but it’s still way too early. Remember that BABS is a long-view…

Not yet a member? JOIN HERE! In our final update, our focus is on spring training developments that may have affected our earlier expectations. We throw out some more players to target, especially those at the very bottom of the player pool. Doug, Pat and I will conduct our annual Longshot Caucus, I’ll share some…

Not yet a member? JOIN HERE! The more we take a deep dive into all the variables affecting the 2021 season, the more we realize what a morass we’ll be facing. What can we take away from the 2020 short season? What can we learn from 2020’s geographic schedule? What can expect from players who…

Not yet a member? JOIN HERE! Spring training camps have opened and we’re days away from the first games. As much as that sounds like a normal statement, we are still a good ways from normality. Ian Desmond has opted out of 2021, which could open the door for others to consider risk/benefit ratios, of…

Not yet a member? JOIN HERE! There is good news and there is bad news. The good news is that we’re getting smarter. The marketplace seems to be coming to terms with all the advice we’ve been doling out over the years and the results are in the rankings…. they ain’t half bad. BABS agrees…

Not yet a member? JOIN HERE! This is where you will find your new DASHBOARD on February 10. All links are here. It’s been nearly a month since my last post and we still don’t know if there will be a designated hitter in the National League. MLB says they are committed to playing out…

What can you say about 2020? Here are a few brief words from my Introduction in the just-released 2021 Baseball Forecaster: (When it comes to the pandemic,) I hope you have not been badly affected. I take solace in knowing that this is just our reality of the moment. Thankfully, reality is fluid and often…