Author: Ryan Pollack

Book Review: Trading Bases

Trading Bases

A Story About Wall Street, Gambling and Baseball
(not necessarily in that order)
 
by Joe Peta
 
A Baseball Book Review
Monte Cely
(512) 310-9777
                                               
            “To Caitlin, an 8 WAR wife, with a replacement-level husband.” Reading this opening dedication to the author’s wife, I knew I would probably enjoy this book. I wasn’t disappointed. 
 
            Trading Bases is essentially an autobiography by Joe Peta, a Stanford MBA and baseball fan. Due to circumstances beyond his control, Peta finds himself physically disabled and unemployed after a 15-year career as an equities trader. To keep himself financially and emotionally sustained while recovering from a serious automobile accident, the author decides to use sabermetrics and risk-management principles to “invest” in a baseball betting fund.
 
            Peta uses Bill James’ “pythagorian theorem”, WAR and other sabermetric approaches, along with a concept he calls “cluster luck”, to develop a betting edge against Las Vegas baseball oddsmakers. He has solid success in 2011, leading to his creation of a baseball betting “fund” and the writing of this book.
 
            Peta’s story is filled with anecdotes and examples of his equity trading experiences and how those informed his approach to the development of his baseball betting model. He gives concrete examples of his use of sabermetrics to find inefficiencies in the odds developed by Las Vegas sports books. He then reports month-by-month results for his baseball betting “fund”. He does all of the above with humor and a flair for the dramatic. He makes the math very accessible via numerous well-chosen examples.
 
            This book is a quick read and should be an enjoyable one for a baseball or investment fan, and definitely a must-read for anyone who is both!
 
Here are the key statistics:
 
Book: Trading Bases – A Story about Wall Street, Gambling and Baseball
Author:  Joe Peta
Author’s Credentials: Peta is a former Wall Street market maker and hedge-fund stock trader. This is his first book
Published: 2013, Dutton; ISBN 978-0-525-95364-7            Length: 369 pages
Price: Retail list – $27.95; Online – from $17.95 + shipping.
 

Ready for Baseball at February Chapter Meeting

Thirteen members and friends of the Rogers Hornsby SABR Chapter met at Iron Works BBQ in downtown Austin Thursday night, February 21. 

Jan Larson reported on his visits to spring training sites in Arizona earlier this week.  Jan was at the Reds/Indians complex in Goodyear and the Diamondbacks facility in Scottsdale.  Jan brought a batting-practice home-run ball that he corraled, plus spring training rosters.  Jan had opportunities to speak to sports reporter Tim Kurkjian and Indians OF/1B Nick Swisher, among others.

Monte Cely reported on his visit to Hermosillo, Mexico for the 2013 Serie del Caribe.  Highlights included the new Estadio Sonora, sell-outs on all seven days of the tournament, and Mexico’s dramatic 18-inning victory in the final game to take the title on their home turf.

Jim Griffin will be visiting Kissimee, Florida for a collegiate softball tournament and some Astros spring training.

The quiz topic, in keeping with the Caribbean Series having been hosted in Mexico, was "Beisbol Latinoamericano, con un sabor mexicano" (Latin American baseball – with a Mexican flavor).  Jim Baker took the prize, an official 2013 Serie del Caribe – Hermosillo ball cap, with a very good score of 15 correct answers out of a possible 25.  See the quiz here.

Other topics included remaining free agents to be signed and the prospects for everyone’s favorite teams.

Our March meeting will be Tuesday, March 19 at 6pm back at Iron Works BBQ. 

Beisbol Latinoamericano – con un sabor mexicano

Beisbol Latinoamericano – con un sabor mexicano

"Latin American baseball – with a Mexican flavor"

(presented at the monthly meeting on Feb. 21, 2013)

(Move the mouse over the blank space to see the answer)
1.  This year’s Serie del Caribe was held in Estadio Sonora in what Mexican city?

Hermosillo, Sonora, Mex.
2.

Match the four countries’ playoff winners to their home cities

Yaquis                                   Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

Navegantes Magallanes     Caguas, Puerto Rico

Criollos                                  Cuidad Obregon, Mexico

Leones del Escogido           Valencia, Venezuela

 Yaquis de Ciudad Obregon, Mex

Navegantes Magallanes de Valencia, Ven

Criollos de Caguas, P.R.

Leones del Escogido, Santo Domingo, D.R.
3.

The Mexican winter league is officially called the Liga Mexicana del Pacifico (abbreviated LMP) and consists of eight teams.  Match the team nicknames with their host cities:

Aguilas                          Mazatlan

Algodoneros                Culiacan

Caneros                        Hermosillo

Mayos                           Los Mochis

Naranjeros                   Mexicali

Tomateros                   Ciudad Obregon

Venados                      Navojoa

Yaquis                         Guasave

 Aguilas de Mexicali

Algodoneros de Guasave

Caneros de los Mochis

Mayos de Navajoa

Naranjeros de Hermosillo

Tomateros de Culiacan

Venados de Mazatlan

Yaquis de Cd. Obregon
4.

 The LMP has some colorful and unique team names.  Match the team nickname to its English translation:

Aguilas                        Sugar cane growers

Algodoneros              A native tribe and a river in Sonora

Caneros                     Eagles

Mayos                         Deer

Naranjeros                 Cotton growers

Tomateros                 Orange growers

Venados                   A native tribe from the north of Mexico

Yaquis                      Tomato growers

 Aguilas-Eagles

Algodoners – cotton growers

Caneros – sugar cane growers

Mayos – a tribe and river in Sonora

Naranjeros – orange growers

Tomateros – tomato growers

Venados – deer

Yaquis – a tribe from the north of Mexico
5.

 What Mexican-born player has hit the most career MLB home runs?

 Vinny Castilla – 320
6.

What Mexican-born pitcher has the most career MLB wins?

 Fernando Valenzuela – 173
7.

Name the Mexican-born player to win an MLB batting title.

 Beto "Bobby" Avila – .341 with ’54 Indians
8.

The site of the 2013 Serie del Caribe, Estadio Sonora, will replace a 40-year-old stadium in Hermosillo for next season’s LMP games.  That stadium was named for the "Mexican Babe Ruth", the all-time Mexican Leagues home run champ.  Name him.

 Hector Espino, who hit 783 professional HRs
TB

Rodrigo Lopez started the championship game of the 2013 Serie del Caribe on the mound for Mexico.  He is also the active leader in MLB wins by a Mexican pitcher.  How many does he have?

 81

 

 

February Meeting

We will be gathering at Iron Works BBQ located at 100 Red River in downtown Austin on Thursday, February 21 starting at 6:00 p.m.

There is a small parking lot on-site, a larger lot on the south side of Cesar Chavez plus large pay lots across the street to the east.  Please RSVP to Jan Larson at jan.a.larson@gmail.com if you plan to attend.

SABR Day Lunch

A small but enthusiastic group of Hornsby Chapter members met at Romano’s Macaroni Grill in the Arboretum area in Austin on Saturday afternoon, January 26 to celebrate SABR Day.  Various topics were discussed including the recent Rangers Caravan luncheon that was attended by Monte Cely and Monte’s upcoming trip to the 2013 Serie de Caribe (Caribbean World Series) in Hermosillo, Mexico.  Mike Dillon (Florida) and Jan Larson (Arizona) also reported on making plans to attend Spring Training.

Norman Macht’s Icebreaker Quiz

Norman Macht’s Icebreaker Quiz: Vice Presidents, Homonyms and Nursery Rhymes

by Norman Macht

Presented at Sventh Annual Winter Meeting on Jan. 12, 2013

(Move the mouse over the blank space to see the answer)
  Vice Presidents
  
1. Murders made them presidents and a Hall of Fame pitcher

Andrew Johnson, Lyndon B. Johnnson and Walter Johnson
2. A vice president from Texas and an Astros manager
 John and Phil Garner
3. The first vice president and the winning pitcher of three games for Pittsburgh in the 1909 World Series John and Babe Adams
4. A resignation made him president and a Hall of Fame pitcher
 Gerald and Whitey Ford
5. The vice president who becamepresident and resigned and a manger of the Reds and Braves who finished 6th in each of the four years he managed
 Richard and Russ Nixon
6. Woodrow Wilson’s vice president and a record-holding relief pitcher
 Thomas and Mike Marshall
7. A vice president who was elected president and the manager of the 1927 pennant-winning Pirates
 George and Donie Bush
8. Lincoln’s first vice president and a 20-game winner for the 1939 Dodgers
 Hannibal and Luke Hamlin
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second vice president and a Hall of Fame shortstop
 Henry and Bobby Wallace
  Homonyms: players whose names sound alike but are spelled differently  
10. A schoolboy and a preacher
 Rowe and Roe
11.

A Hall of Fame first baseman and a Hall of Fame second baseman

 Foxx and Fox
12. A Hall of Fame outfielder and Hall of Fame first baseman
 Joe Kelley and George Kelly
13. A Montreal pitcher for 13 years and a manager in Milwaukee, Montreal and California
 Steve Rogers and Buck Rodgers
14. This Braves reliever struck out Pete Rose for the final out in the game that broke Rose’s NL record 44 game hitting streak Gene Garber
15. He was traded by the Phillies for Steve Carlton in 1972 and a 22-game winner for the 1945 pennant-winning Cubs
 Rick Wise and Hank Wyse
  Nursery Rhymes: Name the player who appears in the nursery rhyme. Example: Hickory dickory — Dock Ellis or Doc Gooden (but the rest will use last names)  
16. Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden _______? Heinie Groh
17. Mary had a little ________, its fleece was ________ as _______.
 Mike Lamb of Astros and Rangers, or Ray Lamb of Dodgers and Indians; Roy White of the Yankees; JT Snow of the Giants
18. Little Jack ________
 Bob Horner of the Braves
19. Little Miss ________
 Billy Muffett of Cardinals, Giants and Red Sox
20. Jack and Jill ran up the ________
 Bill Hill, Carmen Hill or Marc Hill
21. Baa, baa ________ Joe Black or Don Black
22. London __________ Rocky Bridges or Tommy Bridges