I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge and show my appreciation for two writers. First, Richard Lederer has taken the time to write a full review for each of the 12 Baseball Abstracts written by the Godfather of all baseball blogs, Bill James. Rich’s efforts are simply stellar, I found myself reliving the glorious pleasure I experienced when I was first exposed to James in the mid-eighties. Th Abstracts were a revelation, a stunning expose’ of the dynamics behind the scenes in the game I loved.
In fact, I loved baseball more after reading them. Rich’s reviews are outstanding, and deserve your attention. For those of you who weren’t there when James exploded on the baseball world, the reviews will help give you a sense of what it was like. For those of you who were, they’re a great trip down memory lane. And the last review, of the last Abstract, finishes with Bill’s exit, stage right letter.
…. Because it is time to go, friends. I’m breakin’ the wand, exit stage right. I hereby release any and all of my formulas, theories, and other systems of analysis to any other analyst who wishes to use them and call them by name (runs created, value approximation method, etc.) either for private or economic use, even by Elias should they so desire. I’ll be doing other things, writing other books. I won’t be hard to find. I hope that some of you will enjoy those other books. I know that some of you won’, and that’s all right, too. It’s been good.Bill James
Sabermetrician, Retired
February 1988
As Rich points out, it was better than good, it was revolutionary. Bill James changed the game of baseball for the better, in ways to numerous to count. Thanks to Rich for the work in reviewing the Abstracts, and many many thanks to Bill for writing them.
