Imitation is the sincerest form of lack of creativity.

I wonder if the American Idol people will send BPro a "cease-and-desist" letter.

I find this whole concept absolutely ridiculous and probably the first real example of BP jumping the shark, moreso than the Rose thing.

BP sells themselves as hard-core analysis. If they need new blood (which I agree they absolutely do), then they should bring in the best analysts they can.

I like Brian Cartwright a lot. If BP feels that his analysis would enhance the quality of the site, then they should hire him, regardless of how he does is a ridiculous half-baked contest. If BP does not feel that his analysis would enhance the quality of the site, then they shouldn't be selling his analysis to subscribers, regardless of how he fared in that contest.

This is an exercise of corporate masturbation. They're selling themselves as some kind of "gatekeepers" of quality baseball analysis, whereas their publication is old and stale compared to the Hardball Times. And at the Hardball Times, as far as I can tell, they bring in people who they think will contribute quality analysis, not hold a lame contest to amuse Dave Studeman and an internet vote.

Some interesting articles. My vote goes to Matt Swartz, whoever he is.

Is it too early to dismiss each columnist as boring self-indulgent rubbish yet?

I've been critical of BPro in the past, but I don't think this is such a terrible idea.

It's clear that they have a pretty severe shortage of writing talent right now, especially on the analytical side with Silver having gone basically AWOL.

This format is gimmicky, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that they will come out of this with a decent writer or two.

It's better than doing nothing and resting on their nonexistant laurels. They need to shake something up.

lame contest to amuse Dave Studeman

New handle alert!

as far as I can tell, they bring in people who they think will contribute quality analysis, not hold a lame contest to amuse Dave Studeman and an internet vote.

This is true, Dave demends cash for a spot. No internet contests, no checks, no IOU's.

Looking through the entries, you see that the real talent of a columnist is in choosing subjects and writing, not doing analysis. Ken Funck's article on The Good Face is interesting and original, but some of the others fall into the "boring analysis of a boring subject" trap.

It's interesting to compare Matthew Knight's article on strikeouts and batting averages
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8895
to Posnanski's blog entry on the same subject
http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/05/13/considering-jack-cust/

It's not really fair to compare a beginner to Posnanski, who I'm convinced could just carry a tape recorder around all day and transcribe any thousand consecutive words into an interesting, literate column. But that's the competition.

The thing I'm surprised not to see is a column using PitchFX. Maybe it's just me, but I see years and years and years of material in PitchFX, and if I were BPro or Hardball Times, I'd be getting into it in a big way. (Incidentally, does anybody know how to get a PitchFX database?)

This format is gimmicky, but it's not out of the realm of possibility that they will come out of this with a decent writer or two.

They probably will, but they don't need all this ridiculousness to get new writers. Several of these guys write *now* well enough and have enough insights that they would be a worthy addition to BP, so why make them jump through hoops?

And at the Hardball Times, as far as I can tell, they bring in people who they think will contribute quality analysis, not hold a lame contest to amuse Dave Studeman and an internet vote.

A lame contest to amuse John Brattain would actually have been a pretty fun idea.

Jeff Euston is the guy who created Cot's Contracts. He has my vote simply because of the stellar resource he created with that site, which is as good a reason as voting for him because he did a nice job in this ridiculous contest.

Byron Lescroart using his bio section to write a panegyric about Baseball Prospectus is simultaneously hilarious and nauseating.

1st?

Making it even more ridiculous is that they allowed Brittany Ghiroli to enter the contest by linking to a piece she already wrote for MLB.com ... ?

Probably all of these guys could have done that.

Frankly, I'd rather read something by Chris Jaffe or Steve Treder instead of something from some guy who wants to be the next Voros McCracken.

Have Carrie Underwood write articles and have each new post accompanied by a photo of her in lingerie.

The thing I'm surprised not to see is a column using PitchFX. Maybe it's just me, but I see years and years and years of material in PitchFX, and if I were BPro or Hardball Times, I'd be getting into it in a big way.

I haven't read any of the articles, but I would see a lack of PitchFX finalists as among the competition's few virtues. IMO, a little bit of PitchFX goes a long way, and a lot of PitchFX tends to say a whole lot of nothing much.

FWIW, I agree with No. 16 here.

Ken Funck's article on The Good Face is

Writing about a BTF poster is certainly an interesting way to approach this contest.

Is Stuart Scott hosting? Will he close each episode by saying "hugs and hand pounds?"

why make them jump through hoops?

Because they can (apparently).

Frankly, I'd rather read something by Chris Jaffe or Steve Treder instead of something from some guy who wants to be the next Voros McCracken.

FWIW, I agree with No. 16 here.

Why thank you kind sirs! Here you go then.

Actually, I wouldn't mind being the next Voros - but I suck at math so it's not an option.

Wait, am I the only person at THT who Studes forced to sing and dance prior to getting the gig? Jaffe -- did Dave make you dress up and take video of you too?

/Best regards

over/under on hits on http://images.google.com/images?q=Brittany Ghiroli

Not much originality at all. Just regular BP fare reheated, which isn't bad, but I expected better. If BP has reached the point where it's just going to be a midget army of Joe Sheehans, it's gonna be pretty dull. I was expecting something different like, I dunno, something on the status of baseball in Europe or an Angell like ode to something. Instead we get the Ibanez signing analyzed, with bonus mystery A, B, C formulation. I'm mean, really? How I long for the days of Huckabay and Jayzerli.

Pass

IMO, a little bit of PitchFX goes a long way, and a lot of PitchFX tends to say a whole lot of nothing much.

That's at least in part because nobody has done basic roadmapping like figuring out how much pitch location, break, etc. affect balls in play. Does the effectiveness of a pitch depend on the rest of a pitcher's arsenal, or is it a function of the pitch's own intrinsic properties? There's a huge goldmine of interesting things to look at.

I agree that looking at one pitcher's PitchFX data, without any context, can be tricky and uninformative.

The fact that anyone thought Ghiroli's column was among the 10 best -- or 100 best -- submitted is a bad joke. Her column is completely banal. It felt like something one would write for a college newspaper.

And are these even complete sentences?

The pure joy in the hugs from player to player. The exaltation of James Shields, who triumphantly held up a newspaper photo with the caption, "They're In!" And manager Joe Maddon clutching a bottle of Dom Perignon 1999 Classic that was waiting on his desk post-win.

I only skimmed the 10 entries but there are others in there as well that were completely underwhelming.

Wait, am I the only person at THT who Studes forced to sing and dance prior to getting the gig? Jaffe -- did Dave make you dress up and take video of you too?

/Best regards

I won't tell you what John did to me. And I was already there when he joined!

I stopped subscribing to BP this spring, but I think it's a fine idea. The articles all appear to be free content. If it opens up the door to someone that wouldn't have been noticed otherwise that's a good thing. And even if someone doesn't win it doesn't it mean they still can't write for the site (and sadly I think of Dave Holmes losing to that Jesse kid on MTV as an example).

(and sadly I think of Dave Holmes losing to that Jesse kid on MTV as an example).

Holmes's comic turn on Reno 911 is revelatory.

The BP guys are all wow we've got some great submissions for you guys, but I'm guessing behind closed doors they're pretty underwhelmed. Well, maybe not Carroll, he's a self important blowhard idiot.

Colin should be in there.

Who gets to be Simon?

Perhaps a "vote for the worst" campaign might be in order.

I was disappointed that Brian Joura didn't make the cut (while I think the contest is ridiculous, I like the work of several of the finalists quite a bit).

Matt Swartz is one of the most underrated analysts around. The work he's done for The Good Phight and Statistically Speaking is incredible.

I find this whole concept absolutely ridiculous and probably the first real example of BP jumping the shark, moreso than the Rose thing.

I can think of lamer stunts.

I can think of lamer stunts.

True, but that one wasn't my doing!