- The phrase “True Yankee”. Yes, I’ve used it before, myself. And it was funny when Fire Joe Morgan started using it to make fun of people who used it seriously. But it’s done. Stop using it.
- Using twelve stats to make a point when they all tell you the same thing, some are worthless, and you could get by with just one or two. For example, ARod leads the league in RBI, Runs, HRs, extra-base hits, total bases, slugging percentage, pre-game chicken meals, bunts with runners on second and third in the fifth inning trailing by one run with two outs. Seriously, ARod leads in homeruns, extra-base hits, total bases, AND he managed to rack up a nice SLG, too? Wow, you had me at hello. On offense, OPS is fine. Maybe split it into OBP and SLG. Or better yet, come up with a decent incarnation of VORP and tack on a good fielding metric. That’s all I need.
- Stupid uses of “statistics”. Bill Simmons recently ranked Marshawn Lynch #14 in his fantasy football guide because “every season, without fail, one rookie RB puts up a ton of fantasy points. Since Lynch is the obvious candidate this year, I’m overvaluing him and sticking him here.” Um no. If anything, you just presented an argument for NOT drafting any rookie runningbacks early. (I apologize for taking a Bill Simmons column so seriously, but it was the first example that came to mind.)
- Traditional writers who are proud not to understand “new-age, uber-geek, living-in-your-momma’s-basement” stats. Not everything I read has to include in-depth analysis. But being proud of your own ignorance is becoming a little too American for my tastes.
- Non-baseball writers who think we take their baseball comments seriously. Yes, you, Peter King. Your stories about the Red Sox are charming, but tell me as much about baseball as your coffee stories.
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Sky is a baseball fan and racket sport afficianado living in upstate NY. His favorite color is orange and is just about ready to give up on his life-long dream to become the next Magnus ver Magnuson (World's Strongest Man). His favorite baseball teams are the Yankees and Red Sox, proving that there's hope in the Middle East.