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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good things take time ...., February 28, 2005
This review is from: Baseball Prospectus 2005: Statistics, Analysis, and Insight for the Information Age (Paperback)
To those kvetching about the "late" publication date ... stop and consider this:
The Series ends late October (and for the writeups on at least 2 teams, this is a critical point).
It takes a significant amount of time from the end of the season to:
* process the data on 1600 players from the Majors and Minors
* consider the subjects to write about in the team essays, and then do the background research on them
* allow for the free agency signing period to pass, which allows for better commentary on expected valuation of players on their new teams
Also consider that the BP crew is also still producing daily commentaries and analysis for their website, and that for many of them, BP is NOT their "real job". So .. let's cut them a little slack.
I noticed the foreword was written on January 10 (just days after the end of the FA signing period) ... and the 600+ page book arrived on shelves a little more than 7 weeks later ... in MY mind, that's NOT a bad turnaround time ...
As for roto drafts being held just as pitchers and catchers report, well, THAT seems a bit foolhardy.
Its a balancing act between the timeliness and relevance of the data, and the publisher's desires as to when to get the book out. From the publisher's point of view, there is really little reason to get a baseball book out in late January/early February ... not enough potential buyers are thinking of baseball.
Anyway, as for this year's edition of the BP, its everything I've come to expect from the gang, and their PECOTA system has been a godsend for my drafting strategies.
I subtracted a star for the numerous typos ... yeah, its a petty gripe. Perhaps they didn't have enough time to proofread?
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19 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but Far From Perfect, March 20, 2005
This review is from: Baseball Prospectus 2005: Statistics, Analysis, and Insight for the Information Age (Paperback)
The Baseball Prospectus is an excellent resource, and a fun browser for baseball fans. The Pecota projections give a sense of how the player might perform THIS year, and whether he's more likely to improve or decline from last year. The little analytical paragraph on each player is priceless, and often very funny.
On the other hand, there are a couple of problems...
The first is the authors' theological insistence on not allowing the stats for Runs Scored, RBIs, Wins-Losses, or Saves to show up anywhere. We all get it, these stats are problematic and subjective and don't always reveal the true contribution of a player to his team. But hey, those are all stats that every single fantasy league in the country counts. So the tens of thousands of guys with fantasy teams who are looking for some insights into some of the key statistical categories will be disappointed. This book, open alongside of the Bill James Handbook, should give you all the data you need.
The second problem is really about the format. The Bill James Handbook lists all the players alphabetically, and that makes sense for fantasy coaches. The Baseball Prospectus, however, lists the players by team. But even where a player has changed teams and the authors note that fact, the Prospectus insists on listing him with his old team.
I think the Bill James Handbook --because it uses the stats and format most convenient to fantasy owners-- will be a better buy if you're only getting one book. Fantasy owners are less interested in the collection of talent on any particular real-life team than in being able to assess the whole universe of players. So the Bill James book is better-suited to fantasy owners.
On the other hand, the Prospectus --because it groups players by team and doesn't bother with some of the key fantasy stats-- is probably more suited to the guy watching a game on TV who wants to read about the specific players on one team. The Prospectus's statistical analysis showing the value of a particular player to the team and park he plays for, and vice versa, also support the notion that this book is better-suited to someone focused on one team or game.
In short, both books have strengths and weakneeses. I bought them both and enjoy them side-by-side. But it depends on what is your primary interest.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
..., March 9, 2005
This review is from: Baseball Prospectus 2005: Statistics, Analysis, and Insight for the Information Age (Paperback)
The thing that impresses me most about this book is the sense of humor used throughout. Its not just stats, figures, and predictions. The writers actually let their personality shine through. I really bow to the editor of this for not squelching the creativity. I found myself laughing harder at something things said in this than at most Simpsons episodes. Definately recommended.
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