Ballfields & Blackboards

Latest Episodes:

Episode 8 -- Likable and Unlikable Sports Figures, Limits of Analytics, MLB Shifts Aug 06, 2019

Show notes

Who are our most liked and disliked sports figures? What are the limits of the use of analytics for managerial decisions in sports? Are extreme shifts for defensive purposes bad for baseball and should they be limited?

Episode 7 --NBA Free Agency, MLB Home Run Problem, and Equal Pay for Women's Soccer Jul 12, 2019

Show notes

We examine the forces behind the moves in the recent big moves in the NBA free agency and trade market. Then we discuss whether MLB has a crisis on its hands with the explosion of home runs and what they might do about it. Last, we look at the issue of whether the difference in pay for the US National Women's and Men's soccer teams is about discrimination or economic fundamentals

Episode 6 -- Issues Facing MLB Jun 13, 2019

Show notes

We discuss the ongoing pace of play and length of game problems for MLB, automation of calling balls and strikes, Rougned Odor, Dallas Keuchel, Craig Kimbrel, and player pay

Episode 5 -- NHL Playoffs, NBA Playoffs, MLB Expansion May 08, 2019

Show notes

We consider the NHL's strengths and weaknesses, the revival of scoring in the NBA over the past 20 years, and the cities on MLB's short list for possible expansion sites.

Episode 4 -- Tiger Woods' Popularity, NBA Playoff Format, MLB Strikeouts Apr 10, 2019

Show notes

We examine how the dominance of some superstars like Tiger Woods and some teams boost the popularity of a sport rather than diminishing it. We at the best of 7 playoff format for the NBA, and possible fixes for the high rate of strikeouts in MLB. We finish with a little bit on Bruce Pearl.

Episode 3 -- Harper & Machado Contracts, NCAA Basketball Tournament, Fan Experiences Mar 06, 2019

Show notes

We address whether the new contracts for Manny Machado and Bryce Harper make sense, the positives and negatives of NCAA men's basketball, and differences in "fan experiences" particularly for teams we have followed such as the Mets or Kentucky basketball.

Episode 2 -- NFL Viewership, MLB Pace of Play, and Atlanta as Soccer Central Feb 08, 2019

Show notes

We consider the decline in the 2019 Super Bowl viewership in context with the uptick in viewers for the NFL regular season and playoffs. We examine pace of play proposals for MLB along with how Atlanta has become a soccer center in the U.S.

Episode 1 -- MLB Free Agent & NFL Coaching Markets Jan 16, 2019

Show notes

Looking at questions of whether mega contracts for free agents like Bryce Harper or Manny Machado make sense for clubs and why picking good NFL or college coaches is so difficult.

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