Good morning and happy Monday! As promised, I have a few new recommendations and few “best of” from the past few weeks, as we mark the beginning of the “second century” of Musings: BEST NON-FICTION BOOK Moneyball, by Michael Lewis. This is the first of several books of late that explains the emergence of metrics and the intrusion of data and statistics into the rooms populated by scouts. It explains how the lowly Oakland Athletics, with a paltry budget, could field a pennant winning team. It also challenges data that has been sacrosanct for a century but may not tell a meaningful part of the story (e.g., pitcher’s won-lost record or a batter’s RBI), when things as simple as making contact and getting to first base with walks can make the difference. The movie, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill is entertaining, inspiring and humorous. Both the book and the movie are worth the investment of your time.
#101 Musings from the Bunker 6/22/20
#101 Musings from the Bunker 6/22/20
#101 Musings from the Bunker 6/22/20
Good morning and happy Monday! As promised, I have a few new recommendations and few “best of” from the past few weeks, as we mark the beginning of the “second century” of Musings: BEST NON-FICTION BOOK Moneyball, by Michael Lewis. This is the first of several books of late that explains the emergence of metrics and the intrusion of data and statistics into the rooms populated by scouts. It explains how the lowly Oakland Athletics, with a paltry budget, could field a pennant winning team. It also challenges data that has been sacrosanct for a century but may not tell a meaningful part of the story (e.g., pitcher’s won-lost record or a batter’s RBI), when things as simple as making contact and getting to first base with walks can make the difference. The movie, starring Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill is entertaining, inspiring and humorous. Both the book and the movie are worth the investment of your time.