Commentary on Moneyball Statistics July 2005

The accompanying Excel spreadsheet gives evidence for GM acumen in Brassworld. At the halfway point of 2005, Ray Martin distinguishes himself with the best marginal win per million dollars spent. Many of the GMs continue to dominate these rankings. Still, there have been changes of note. Baltimore was one of the better GM’ed teams in 2004 with a final rank of 2 extra wins per extra mil spent; currently this team is worst in Brassworld. This year those large contracts apparently are being spent on players who are struggling or over the hill. The Cobb division betrays its namesake as being the least competitive in Brassworld with both worst GM numbers overall and worst winning percentage.

Plum Island though in 2^nd place in the standings in the Ruth division has a definite edge on Portland in Moneyball. Plum Island is still flush with cash and could either buy some help now or will be in a better position to compete for free agents next fall. If they spent as much as Portland has and won at the same rate, the Greenheads would be in 1^st place now. The Ruth division is overall the most competitive both for GMs and the teams on the field although the gap is quite narrow with respect to the GM performance as the Aaron division also spends wisely.

Ray Martin has transformed himself into a GM savant apparently as last years numbers showed him to be 4^th best in an admittedly tough division; now all of a sudden he leads all Brassworld in marginal wins. LaFontaine Park has slipped a little and Virginia has slipped a little more but they have enough GM genius surplus that they still look headed to the playoffs. The Aaron division is just percentage points behind the Ruth for best winning percentage in Brassworld; last year they finished in the same position.

Last year it was noted that Northwoods spent very little money, just the minimum, in fact to field a team with a final winning % of .432. Ordinarily to spend the minimum would be expected to give a winning % of .300. This year Northwoods continues to show the best GM acumen in the division but the Maryland GM is right up there as well just as he was last year.

Moneyball at Half Season 2005 Spreadsheet