Here are what I think are the basic discoveries:

1. The park a player plays in has a huge effect on his production.

2. Giving up outs to gain bases (one-run strategies, "productive outs") are usually a bad idea.

3. Walks are important, and depend on the batter as much as the pitcher. Batters are not simply the recipients of gifts from bad pitchers.

4. There are usually young players, either in the majors or the minors, who can replace established players over 30.

2. Giving up outs to gain bases (one-run strategies, "productive outs") are usually a bad idea.>

I've always thought that - ever since I watched my brother play organized baseball when we were kids.

With only 3 outs until a team's at bat is over, it seemed incredibly wasteful to sacrifice.

And even before Bill James, I read in Time magazine [yes, Time!] that statistical analysis showed base stealing was only productive if you were successful more than two thirds of the time, and yet MLB was only successful two thirds of the time.

One thing is that he seems to think hitters can always learn to become more selective hitters, and walk more and get better pitches to hit. Miguel Tejada was the example of a hitter who refused to learn in "Moneyball." (Never mind that he was MVP that year, with 34 HRs, 108 runs, 131 RBIs. He didn't walk enough!)

And he was big on taking college players over high school players. This makes some sense--taking high schoolers is a crapshoot. But it's a crapshoot with some potentially big winnings.

Here are some results of the 2002 Beane was so pleased with as told in "Moneyball." The A's had five first-round selections, all college players: Nick Swisher, Joe Blanton, Ben Fritz, Jeremy Brown, Mark Teahen.

That's one good player, one average pitcher, and three washouts.

Meanwhile many high school players were chosen in the first round, and many were washouts. But the HS players taken included Zach Greinke, Prince Fielder and Scott Kazmir (all taken before A's first pick) and Jeff Francoeur, Matt Cain, James Loney, Denard Span and John Mayberry.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/d...

<1. The park a player plays in has a huge effect on his production.

2. Giving up outs to gain bases (one-run strategies, "productive outs") are usually a bad idea.>

If the parks have such a large influence on offensive performance, wouldn't they also have a dominant effect on strategy as well? "One-run" baseball is obviously a bad idea in Colorado, but might be the best strategy in a pitcher's park like, say, Oakland.

This may cheer you up as MLB spring training will be here before ya know it!

49ers made it to the NFC Championship (lost to Giants) then next year, Super Bowl (lost to Baltimore), then lost the NFC Championship game (Seattle), and then lost their coach.

Useless information department:

Next Sunday will be the 17th meeting between Manning & Brady. 4 previous postseason meetings have home team winning, 2-2.

There are 3 coaches who have won NCAA championship and Super Bowl, can you name them?