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[Purple Cheeto]

That moment was the moment that cemented my eternal Yankee fandom.

I listened to this game on a little pocket radio, eating pizza I bought from a little corner parlor in Flatbush and died when Edgar won it. I was a kid then, like 11 or something.

Mattingly would never get his title

Still...you gotta trust the ace.

I was 13 and I had a radio in my bedroom and I remember staying up way past my bedtime listening to Dave Niehaus call that series. I think my parents me watch on TV until bed time and then I just listened to the rest on the radio (although we watched all the ESPN games with the radio on because fuck Chris Berman).

I've read and enjoyed this series, but I think the Fangraphs glossary is probably a softer first-time landing into saber stuff. I like that most of what they've written about advanced metrics is couched in terms of how to use the numbers, and less about how and why they were derived.


Just threw up in my mouth a little.

Yeah, I admit it is SUPER MATH HEAVY and not for the faint of heart. The Fangraphs glossary is a much more digestible intro. I would not call Graham's series required reading and if the OP only reads one link I posted I would want him to read Joe Pos' piece (which has no math in it) because Joe Pos is the best.

 

[evil solrac v3.0]

I'm going to need more information OP. What are your preferred hot dog toppings?

WW III to start over condiments?

At Fenway, ketchup and onions. At home, ketchup, relish and mustard. Key ingredient, ketchup.

you're one of the good ones.

Had to post in this thread.

Baseball is the best sport ever to watch, IMHO.
You're already doing the right thing by watching the 27-time world champion New York Yankees, so you're good there. I'd advise you watch some games by other teams too so you can see some different variations of modern team styles:

- watch the KC Royals and their exciting high-average, aggressive-on-the-basepaths baseball.
- watch the powerful pitching of the Mets, or the different styles in the Dodgers' rotation

There's good strategy links in here already, so you're pretty well-covered there.
Additional strategy stuff:

- advanced sabermetric statistics are cool, but never avoid the reality of the eye test; in other words, don't deny yourself the right to believe that guy hitting 98HRs and driving in 200RBI is a good player even if the sabermetrics say he's the worst player in the league because of some freshly-conceived defensive astrophysical equation. Don't ignore sabermetrics...just don't take them as the only rules.

- bunts are great for leadoff men, pitchers, close games and slumpbusters. That guy in a .200, no hits in 30ABs slide might as well get himself going with even a cheap bunt hit. You might even disrupt a defensive shift too!

- BBQ sauce is the ultimate tiebreaking condiment. Fuck ketchup.

- tough a rain delay out. There is baseball at the other end when the rains are over. - and if there isn't (and you're at the game), you get another ticket for the replacement game.

- when in doubt, trust the ace.

why Captain? WHY!?

This game definitely went for the Trust the Ace moment for both teams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr0OFs1HQ7U

this still hurts. 21 years later and it hurts.

 

[kris.]

ketchup is great, but nothing beats even a mediocre bbq sauce imo.

 

[zer0das]

The most important rule of baseball is play baseball "the right way" or Brian McCann is going to make sure you have a bad day.

 

[Shake Appeal]

The most important rule of baseball is play baseball "the right way" or Brian McCann is going to make sure you have a bad day.

The most important rule is to have fun and always flip your bat.

 

[styl3s]

don't bunt 1st to 2nd.
Mustard goes on Hotdogs.
Posey was out. Heyward is better.
the cardinals are Satan in baseball form.

That should get you started.

My man.

As some others suggested just kinda dive into it.

 

[gamz]

The most important rule is to have fun and always flip your bat.

Speaking of bat flips. The best batting routine ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoqanZJkwxU

 

[Log4Girlz]

It's neat how the pressure is on the pitcher not to allow a hit. That's the opposite of cricket I believe, where the pressure is in the batsman (batter) to always score a hit.

 

[ReAxion]

It's neat how the pressure is on the pitcher not to allow a hit. That's the opposite of cricket I believe, where the pressure is in the batsman (batter) to always score a hit.

Not necessarily all on the pitcher. Strikeouts are fascist and all that. Fielders gotta make plays.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

It's neat how the pressure is on the pitcher not to allow a hit. That's the opposite of cricket I believe, where the pressure is in the batsman (batter) to always score a hit.

Depends on the pitcher. In some cases it's easily the opposite if a pitcher's really in a groove and the other lineup knows it has no chance.

See Bumgarner 2014 postseason as an example!

 

[vwnut13]

If I were to recommend some books to learn the strategies of the game I'd go:

• 
  [*]Watching Baseball Smarter - Zack Hample
  
• The Science of Hitting - Ted Williams

Ugh, Zack Hample.

 

[CosmicQueso]

Ugh, Zack Hample.

Explain?

Oh, because he's a baseball collector or something?

Sure, but whatever. For the most basics of basics, the book's decent.

 

[arts&crafts]

Cheer for the Jays as this is the last year they may be good for a long time.

 

[brianjones]

Here is a link to a guide on how to fill out a score card like I promised. Just print some out and give it a try. It's how I learned the game going to Spring Training games with my dad every year as a kid.

Obviously you won't understand every single situation but over time you'll probably be able to score a game better than the actual damn scorekeeper.

http://www.baseballscorecard.com/downloads/tutorial.pdf

always wanted to do this .. seems like a fun way to stay engaged with a game even if the internet and the billions of apps have kinda made it irrelevant

 

[XiaNaphryz]

always wanted to do this .. seems like a fun way to stay engaged with a game even if the internet and the billions of apps have kinda made it irrelevant

It's most fun to do it while attending a game.

 

[loudbill]

Play the mlb video game and join a fantasy league. Thats how i learned about the nba

 

[CosmicQueso]

always wanted to do this .. seems like a fun way to stay engaged with a game even if the internet and the billions of apps have kinda made it irrelevant

I'll go to one or two Cal league afternoon games a year solo, grab a couple cold beverages and score the game. It's like a form of meditation, weirdly enough.

 

[Purple Cheeto]

Someone hooked me up with an web archive of the old Mike Sweeney story:

https://web.archive.org/web/20100113005830/http://progressiveboink.com/archive/sweeney/1.htm

If you like absurd things, you should read this.

 

[chicagocubsfan]

All the Cubs love in this thread :'&#8209

 

[Robdraggoo]

Ken burns baseball is a fantastic way to blow 12 hours of your life. Youll learn alot of the history of the game and about how the game is played as well

 

[Miggytronz]

ESPN's Sports Science has some really good baseball info on physics of the game.

 

[clav]

Remember that the pitcher can get hit, too. Let's play a game where the guy tossing stands in front of the batter.

https://youtu.be/n2CnL8xicv4

https://youtu.be/6xU0tVl_04I

Doesn't have to be all sad though. One of the best parts of baseball is the ejection drama. You rarely see that in other sports. However, there's also a lot of passive aggressive bullying (throwing pitches dangerously close to batters).

https://youtu.be/R3G-HPBmm_o

If you're new to the game I wouldn't even bother diving into strategy or analytics. Just focus on scenarios that make the game great.

You got one guy throwing a 90+ mph baseball 3 or more different ways, and another guy who gets 1-2 seconds to decide whether or not said pitch is a ball or a strike & whether or not he wants to swing at it, let alone make contact and hit it.

How fucking cool is that?

Once you gain more of a skill passion I'd look into:

- Hit & Runs
- Shifts and how to beat it
- Lineup moves/Subs
- Advancing runners
- Situational hitting

God damn there's so much to love. Also I don't know if you have a favorite team but find one and pick some guys you want to cheer for. If you're new to the game check out Clayton Kershaw or Paul Goldschmidt. Two guys I consider unreal when it comes to overall skill and awareness.

And of course, go Brewers

Been said that batters don't know why they swing at the ball.

They just kinda do whenever.

OP should go to a game and sit close to the cage to see what that's like. Absolutely ridiculous in real life. Nothing can really capture seeing a baseball tossed like that.

 

[Shake Appeal]

Ken burns baseball is a fantastic way to blow 12 hours of your life. Youll learn alot of the history of the Red Sox and Yankees and about games they played against each other

Fixed.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

For those who want to partake in the season discussion, the MLB regular season OT is now up!

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1203816

 

[TheSecondSpitter]

Hi,

I am a baseball fan living in Europe, on my second season with a MLB.tv subscription. Now I've read my fair share of rules and simple books (like Baseball für Fussballfans, "Baseball for Soccer fans"), so I can watch a game and roughly know whats going on.
Can you give me some hints to more in-depth books on the topic, especially strategy and statistics. I also tried playing OOTP, but man thats hard to get into.

Support the New York Mets.

You'll sleep easier at night.

 

[pettersson]

Hi Guys,

one last post before I switch over to the MLB OT. Thanks again for all the tips! I started reading "Moneyball" and will watch the Yankees game tonight (it's already past 6p.m. in Germany), Root Beer is in the fridge (I actually do like it)

Go Yankees!

Update: Aaaw, game was postponed :/ Going to watch some other game instead...

 

[kris.]

Support the New York Mets.

You'll sleep easier at night.

i'm sure, especially after last night