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2021 is almost here, and with it comes the 26th edition of the Baseball Prospectus Annual. This thread covers every contributor to the latest update of baseball's most comprehensive book, edited by @r_j_anderson, @euqubud, and @cdgoldstein. Preorder here! https://bookshop.org/books/baseball-prospectus-2021-9781950716876/9781950716845
This year, the foreword comes from @BoogSciambi. Ten years ago, at @baseballpro, he looked at how the baseball world could build a better broadcast. He returns to provide an update on our progress
After a disastrous 2020, where do the Arizona Diamondbacks sit coming into 2021? That's the million-dollar question posed in the essay by @GrantBrisbee, while the comments of @OutfieldGrass24 try to answer it.
The Atlanta Braves are still running up that hill coming into 2021. Essay by @mckinneykelsey and comments by @JATayler.
The Baltimore Orioles are in year 90, um, five, of their rebuild. See how it's going in the essay by @_beewilly and comments by Jake Mintz of @cespedesBBQ
It's the first Annual featuring Mookie Betts unaffiliated with the Boston Red Sox! The essay and comments from @greatstufftm enumerate why that's bad for Boston and baseball.
The Theo Epstein era is over. The Chicago Cubs' essay from @KendraJames_ explores the changes, from the personal to global, of the Epstein era, and comments from @cowhitchurch gloss an organization in transition.
With the team entering its most exciting period in a decade and a half, the Chicago White Sox essay is by @adburgosjr and comments are from @jrfegan
. @sridharpappu looks at what Joe Morgan and the '72 Cincinnati Reds say about the team’s current iteration and where they might be headed. Comments by Ken Funck.
For the Cleveland baseball team, the 2020 season was a microcosm of how COVID-19 changed the world and our committments to one another. The essay by @stephaniekays explores their relative position, with comments from @DariusA64
Sure, the Rockies are bad. But in a very real way, poses @ToLey88, they're actually ... good? But also still very much bad, according to comments by @suss2hyphens.
As the Detroit Tigers pulled out of a tailspin, they turned to A. J. Hinch. An essay from @craigcalcaterra explores his shot for redemption, and comments from @suss2hyphens explain the players behind that chance.
The Houston Astros enter 2021 at the end of some incredibly successful (if aided) seasons. The essay from @no_little_plans explores if the farm system can keep that up, and the comments from @DariusA64 allow readers to predict for themselves.
The Kansas City Royals enter the year with new ownership, and the essay penned by @justin_klugh tries to sell you on it. Comments from @CraigBrown_BP will show if optimism is warranted.
The Angels wield the closest thing to a George Steinbrenner in modern baseball, which is a blessing and a curse, according to @david_j_roth. Comments by @ginnysearle analyze the pieces of his empire.
In a world of uncertainty (TM), @robertfoconnell's essay explains why the Dodgers' championship was meaningful. @MATrueblood analyzes why they'll be good forever in the comments.
The Miami Marlins are still working toward an identity beyond obscurity. The essay from @emmabaccellieri and comments from @jaseidler give all the primer you need.
The Brewers not only locked themselves into Christian Yelich, according to @MATrueblood's essay and comments, they made an even riskier investment: into trying
When it comes to the playoffs, the Minnesota Twins are cursed. The future is nonetheless bright, as shown in the essay from @NathalieMLB and comments from @GawlowskiB
Le Rêve is said to have been painted in a day. The Mets will take a bit longer. Their connection? Both are owned by Steve Cohen. Essay by @jaseidler, comments by @bgrosnick
The Yankees need to demonstrate their commitment to winning throughout the entire roster, not just at the top of it, according to @pamsson. @mikegianella breaks down the whole team and then some in the comments.
The A's won a playoff series, but might lose the soul of their team, according to @NoahAFrank. Comments by @ginnysearle expound on what it would take to win more.
The Philadelphia Phillies are at an inflection point in deciding whether they're pot committed or looking at sunk costs. They just hired a guy who loves to go all in. Essay by @Baer_Bill, comments by @justin_klugh
The Pittsburgh Pirates are—news flash—not good. The essay from @alex_kirshner and comments from @KatePreusser meditate on what might finally fix that.
Although the San Diego Padres had a great 2020, they have their heights set on more than a Wild Card round win. The essay from @zcrizer and comments from @ChemTorres21 contemplate what the next step looks like
Using some gory mathematical details, @pizzacutter4 locates the soul of the Giants: in its Brandons. Comments from @JonHegglund
It's been two decades since the Kingdome came down, writes @EmilyNemens, and the Mariners are perpetually rebuilding. Comments by @nathan_h_b break down Dipoto's machinery for doing so
The St. Louis Cardinals have struggled to reach previous heights of late, and their insistence on tradition (and poor self-scouting) might be getting in the way of progress. Essay by @JasmynWimbish and comments by Ken Funck
The Tampa Bay Rays are baseball's Rorshach test, argues the essay from @elizabethastrom. The comments from @TRancel show why you can always make out a looming success.
With their new ballpark opened
With their new ballpark opened
Without any home team spectators, will the Texas Rangers make their ballpark's second season memorable? The essay from @foolishbb and comments from @hoodieandtie assess the organization.
The Blue Jays became an American ballclub in 2020, writes @kamilahinkson, and at times struggled with that Americanness. @rumhamlet examines a team with a bright future in the comments.
The Washington Nationals should have spent the year basking in their 2019 championship, instead of quarantining. @clintonyates asks what's next for the fandom, while @sydrpfp & @jatayler analyze the roster
The NPB got less stateside coverage than other Asian leagues this year, but according to analysis by @Kazuto_Yamazaki in an essay and comments, the talent gap between it and MLB is narrower than you might think.
The KBO has seen the interest it's afforded by foreign spectators increase significantly in recent seasons. The essay and comments by @GawlowskiB indicate why.
The level of play in the CPBL is a little below that of MLB, but @DBITLefty explains in an essay and comments that its roughness also makes the league a lot of fun.
An essay from @ericnus explores the consolidation of the minor leagues and what that means for the future of MiLB, MLB, and baseball as a whole.
Altered in innumerable ways, last season will always stand out as one of MLB's oddities. @cran_boy's essay taxonomizes the many abnormalities of a season composed of them.
It'd be an understatement to call 2020 "strange," but @sobsey felt baseball's year without attendance gave us a new understanding of ballparks—as something alien. His essay explores that sensation.
Following a year marked by tragedy, @GoStevenGoldman explores the players (among other things) who we lost in 2020.
The end of the 2021 season also means the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement. @Marc_Normandin's essay explores the looming labor war
The WAR metric has by many been accepted as the catch-all stat it's billed as. @pizzacutter4's essay questions if we've come to understand it as too universal, making the same flaws as previous generations with other statistics.
The Annual will, as always, have the Top 101 prospects list. From @jeffpaternostro, @jaseidler, and @keananlamb
Last but not least, the Annual features the 2021 PECOTA projections, the latest iteration of our industry-leading player and team forecasts. You can preorder the Annual here! https://bookshop.org/books/baseball-prospectus-2021-9781950716876/9781950716845
