Making Bitter Calculations with a Slide Rule Applesauce: Computers like Texas, Old Sportswriters like LaRussa, Baseball Nerds Like New WAR Graphs

Meet the Mets

Patrick Flood examines all the starting pitching free agent contracts from the last decade or so. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Fortunately, the Mets have no money to spend on pitching.

In light of Rany Jazayerli's must read study over at Baseball Prospectus, (if you haven't seen it, here's parts one and two.) Toby Hyde takes a look at the Mets 2011 High School draftees. I am a bit more bullish on Evans than Toby is, if only because Evans is very, very polished for a prep player, and I think he has a pretty high floor for a high school kid. Mr. Hyde also takes a look at the early returns on Jefry Marte and Juan Lagares from the AFL.

Here's a handy dandy list of all the Mets prospects and semi-prospects playing offseason ball.

There's only one #frenchtober

Beyond the Boxscore's Giant Computer Prediction Matrix has spit out Texas over St. Louis in Five. Of course, they don't play the games in SQL, or whatever it is you nerds use, now do they?

Chris Carpenter is fine everybody, he's fine.

Fangraphs' Ryan Martin takes a look at the closers for your World Series combatants.

David Freese does not have the necessary grission to face the Rangers. Someone get David Eckstein on the phone. He is not afraid of any team, or getting his uniform dirty.

Arthur Rhodes is getting some RINGZ.

Around MLB

I can't imagine why the Red Sox and Cubs negotiations over compensation are taking so long.

John Lester enjoys the occasional clubhouse beer, okay? Are we finished with this story now? No? Okay, just checking.

If you want to completely kill a morning of productivity, Fangraphs has updated their WAR graphs to allow unlimited comps and have added some other neat-o features.

BP's Ben Lindbergh examines what the Robin Ventura hiring might mean for the ChiSox.

Craig Calcaterra throws down the trolling gauntlet at James Kannengeiser's feet.