Because I Can

You can get the complete works of Bach at Amazon.com for $108 (HT: Marginalrevolution). This takes up 155 CDs. The product description does not reveal the complete runtime, so I will make some estimates.

Let's assume that each CD is filled to the brim - 80 minutes apiece. In that case, it's about 207 hours, which is over 8.5 days of continuous Bach. Suppose you listen to music only in the car on the way to work, and that you have a 30 minute commute each way. If you buy this set and get it when you return from work on March 2nd, you will not finish until two days after Christmas, December 27th.

It is much more likely that the average length of these CDs is closer to 72 minutes. If that is the case, then the total playing time reduces to 186 hours, and you will be done by November 27th.

Sticking with that 72 minute assumption, suppose then that you encode this into a 192kbps MP3 file (a slightly higher sound quality than the standard 128kbps). In that case, it will take up 16194.55 megabytes. The largest iPod currently available, at $332.49 on Amazon, has a capacity of 80000 megabytes, so it can hold this collection nearly five times over. For $100 less, you can get a 30000 megabyte iPod, but that's only enough for the complete works of Bach twice.

Labels: Economic Stuff, Fantasy

If you don't play fantasy baseball, then you should. It will teach you a whole lot about major league baseball, moreso than you would have thought. Most significantly, you will learn that there are more good players than you knew. It can also teach you a bit about the game, like the importance of WHIP (walks + hits per inning pitched).

A good fantasy team is not the same as a good baseball team, and there are different things to keep in mind. But there are still several tips as to how to have a good fantasy baseball team.

1) Depth. While it's important to get your superstars early in the opening rounds, don't forget the importance of having players that get the job done all the way down. You get a few utility players, so this is tricky. Pitching depth is key too, and that can also be hard.

2) Know what stats a player can control. A pitcher will generally be consistent with IP and K numbers generally. WHIP is also not out of their control entirely, although it is somewhat. But stats such as ERA, Wins, and Saves depend on the team. ERA factors in defense; there's more to good defense than just not bobbling the ball. Wins and saves are hugely depenent on team factors. The offense has to put up more runs than the other team, which can be nasty for a pitcher on a team like Tampa Bay, and defense has a lot more to do with run prevention than one might thing. Saves require a save situation, which means that the game has to end with that team up by 1-3 runs.

For hitters, AVG, R, RBI, HR, SB can vary too. SB varies on opposing catchers and pitchers as well as that player's manager, but otherwise is generally consistent. Home Runs can be consistent too, as can average. Runs and RBI, though, depend on batting order. A player moving from batting 3rd to batting 4th, for example, will score fewer runs but will likely have more Runs Batted In. Further, players whose teammates are more likely to get on base get more RBI, because there are more guys on in front of them.


3) Oppurtunity Costs. In the draft, remember to pick players based on how useful they'll be to you. If you draft Albert Pujols in the first round instead of Chase Utley, for example, you'll get a better overall player. But remember that you have available slots based on position, so your second base slot will not be nearly as good, whereas you could wait a couple rounds and still get reigning AL MVP Justin Morneau. Know which positions have more depth than others; there are lots of good first basemen and outfielders, but not so many catchers or second basemen. As for pitchers, starters carry more weight because they pitch more innings, so get really good starters; better to get Johan Santana and Brad Lidge than K-Rod and Jeff Weaver.


4) Free agents. There are going to be plenty of players nobody has on their team, and they may be good. People may have not noticed them, or they just got promoted, or they might have just been injured. Look them up, and maybe shuffle your lineup. Players can be streaky, though, so be careful.

5) Look for good overall. I'd take Fernando Rodney over Todd Jones 7 days a week because he'll give me a better ERA, WHIP and K count, even if he doesn't do saves.

6) Don't play favorites. You might like a player or they might be on your favorite team, but if they're sucking, drop 'em.

Pujols is the best overall, but because of the comparative value, I'd be flipping a coin between Chase Utley and Johan Santana for my first overall pick. Daisuke Matsuzaka is intruiging. The DH utility spots are few, but there are few good DHs to go for. David Ortiz, Travis Hafner and Jim Thome are still up there. Frank Thomas may be lower on the totem pole, although Piazza may still be eligible as a catcher, and if so still a good catcher to have.

Labels: Fantasy, MLB

I am currently in the 7th week of fantasy baseball. I constantly adjust the team, and last week I actually placed first in my league (of 10, if you recall). My lineup for last week was

Batters
Lopez - C
Molina - C
Sexson - 1b
Kent -2b
Glaus -3b
Crosby - ss
Bay -of
Gibbons - of
Griffey - of
Kearns -of
Ichiro - of
Zimmerman - utility
Wiggington - utility

Pitchers
Contreras
Gonzales
Gordan
Halladay
Hernandez
Jenks
Penny
Sheets
Verlander

I've made a few changes since then, though, and I think I just about have my lineup set for next week. Scott Kazmir of the Devil Rays has been pitching well, and the impression that I get is that he is the real deal. Felix Hernandez needs refinement, and might get sent down to the minors. I've also switched Javy Lopez for another former Atlanta player, Johnny Estrada, behind the plate. Sexson is out because the reason he's not hitting is a bone bruise, and I put Gibbons at first and added rookie-of-the-year candidate Prince Fielder. I also have Robinson Cano as a utility player, as the Yankees second baseman is hitting well, even though he is a terrible base stealer, and I put Wiggington on the reserve list since he's kinda been fading. Also I switched Gagne and Sheets (I had Gagne on reserve) since Gagne will be back, and he will be Gagne when he's back. My season may yet be salvaged.

Labels: Fantasy

The blog is called "Because I Can" for a reason.

I'm doing CBS Sportsline's Fantasy Baseball. Just for fun, I'll also do an all-Dodger team, which will have a new lineup thanks to Eric Gagne's new surgery. As far as I know, Friday is not the Canadian April Fools Day.

Anyway, the way it's set up, you get a roster of up to 24 players. You can draft up to 22 players, and then pick up 2 more off waivers. You get 22 Starters, strangely enough, with 9 pitchers, one of each of the infield positions, 2 catchers, 5 outfielders, and 2 non-pitcher "utility players," which is where you'd have to put David Ortiz. My opening bunch is as follows

Pitchers
Roy Halladay
Brad Penny
Ben Sheets
Jose Contreras
Felix Hernandez
Bobby Jenks
Tom "Flash" Gordon
Chris Reitsma
Mike Gonzalez

Outfield
Ichiro Suzuki
Ken Griffey, Jr
Jason Bay
Jay Gibbons
Milton Bradley

Infield
Troy Glaus - 3B
Bobby Crosby - SS
Jeff Kent - 2B
Richie Sexson - 1B

Catcher
Javy Lopez
Bengie Molina

Utility
Ryan Zimmerman - 3B
Jacque Jones - OF

Soriano went quickly, but he becomes a good player to have this season as you can put him in when you need a spare outfielder, and otherwise play him at second. As for my guys, Gibbons can handle outfield and also first. Zimmerman keeps me covered at third.

There are 10 teams per league. I get ranked in categories each week, and then I get 11-ranking, that is if I finish first in ERA, I get 10 points. The categories are

Pitching
ERA, K, WHIP, W, S

Offense
BA, RBI, H, HR, SB

Why no defense, I don't know. You could have a punishment score for errors, bonus points for outfield assists, fielding percentage, etc.

I've never done a fantasy league before actually. I'll see how this goes. I'm optimistic.

Labels: Fantasy