Game of Chance

Alex Reisner
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SPORTS

Game of Chance is a weekly podcast about baseball stats, history, and culture which puts current events in a historical context and constantly questions what we think we know about the national pastime.

  1. 04/15/2011

    Game of Chance 20: Fielding Statistics

    There have been many attempts over the years to quantify defense. Despite claims that current stats describe 60% of fielding, it’s my opinion that little progress has been made. However, a new technology is coming which will soon change everything.

    14 min

  2. 04/07/2011

    Game of Chance 19: Predictions

    Spring is the time for guessing which players will have that long-awaited breakout season, which teams will surprise everyone and win a pennant, which ones will completely fall apart, and anything else that might happen in a baseball season. But calling them “predictions” doesn’t make them any better than “guesses,” even when the experts are talking.

    9 min

  3. 10/01/2010

    Game of Chance 18: The Unbreakables (Part Two)

    Is Ty Cobb’s .366 lifetime batting average really an unbreakable record? What about Barry Bonds’ 762 career home runs? Or Nolan Ryan’s 5714 strikeouts? And will anyone ever hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season?

    13 min

  4. 09/24/2010

    Game of Chance 17: The Unbreakables (Part One)

    The breaking of records is often surrounded by controversy. We have a tendency to defend the past as somehow superior to the present. Which of baseball’s great records are unbreakable because a player was extraordinary? And which because the game has changed? What records are the most interesting to think about?

    11 min

  5. 09/16/2010

    Game of Chance 16: Tough Guys

    In 1972 Steve Blass suddenly lost the ability to control his pitches. Thirty years later, the same thing happened to Rick Ankiel. We expect professional athletes to be stoic, unaffected by danger and injury, but the culture of baseball can have profound consequences on the performance of even the most elite athletes.

    13 min

  6. 09/10/2010

    Game of Chance 15: Why Baseball Has Statistics

    Right from its beginnings in the 1800s, baseball has been accompanied by a barrage of numbers. Why are statistics so important to baseball? Why did they develop so naturally, and why have they remained so fascinating for so long? What makes baseball different from football, basketball, and hockey?

    11 min

  7. 09/03/2010

    Game of Chance 14: Pitch Counts

    In the past month two pitchers have been pulled from games while in the process of throwing a no-hitter. In general, pitchers today don’t throw as many pitches as they used to. What’s the deal with pitch counts? Do they really help keep pitchers healthy? Or do they prevent them from building the endurance they need to have long careers?

    12 min

  8. 08/26/2010

    Game of Chance 13: The Legend of Derek Jeter

    Derek Jeter is often referred to as the second best shortstop ever. Is this accurate? Where does Jeter fit among the greats?

    10 min
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5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Game of Chance is a weekly podcast about baseball stats, history, and culture which puts current events in a historical context and constantly questions what we think we know about the national pastime.

Information

  • Creator
    Alex Reisner
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2011
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Alex Reisner
  • Show Website
    Game of Chance