Sabremetrics are HOT
It’s time to admit it. I’m a math nerd. I was in AP Calc in high school. But my final grade was a D, does that count? I suppose being on the Physics Team means there’s not talking my way out of the math geek label.
Lately I’ve been obsessed with Moneyball, by Michael Lewis
Sabermetrics rocks my socks though. I was a crappy statistics student in college, but when there is some meaning behind the statistics, I go crazy. CDC infection rate stats, Labor and Census stats, everything. This my children is the reason I was a social science major. I’ll get someone to check the math for me, I’ll do the analysis.
Right now in my head I’m pondering math and using slicing and dicing of datasets for work in a similar manner to sabermetrics. (Sorry, but even the name is cool. It reminds me of champagne saberage!)
I use Quicken, and it’s possible to put that information into a spreadsheet. So I wonder if I have a tendency to spend more on the weekend on dining than I do during the week. Can I hold down my dinner expense if I have a bigger lunch? It’s crazy and I have no time for this, but I’m seriously contemplating doing this kind of analysis. I am sure there is a PF blogger out there who’s done this. I can’t possibly be the only one to think of this.
ps - I love Michael Lewis. Liar’s Poker
sfgal wrote:
My friend was just telling me about the “liar’s poker” book. he’s frequently plays poker online for extra money. i’ll have to check it out since you mentioned the dramatic writing style. i’m always looking for different books with interesting styles to learn from.
a “D” in AP calc! wow. and i thought i was the only person who didn’t get calc … i got a “D” in pre-calc.
Posted on 15-Feb-07 at 1:38 pm | Permalink
Lazy Man and Money wrote:
Mapgirl, you might want to check out my post on Baseball Mogul (http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/baseball-mogul-whats-that-have-to-do-with-money/).
You can actually download and play the software for free. I’m in a league with other stastically-minded baseball lovers. And while we are talking math nerd, I tape Numbers on CBS on Friday nights.
My math career ended with a D in Multi-Variable Calc in college. Calc is evil.
Posted on 15-Feb-07 at 2:12 pm | Permalink
mapgirl wrote:
SFGal, Liar’s Poker isn’t really poker. It’s a balls and bravado bluffing game. The book is actually about bond arbitrageuers and their insanity.
LazyMan, I’ll have to check it out when I find some free time. Thanks for pointing it out.
Posted on 15-Feb-07 at 2:26 pm | Permalink
sfgal wrote:
Ahhh, that would make sense about the baseball. I remember seeing your comment on the Washington Post about the baseball states. go figure!
Posted on 16-Feb-07 at 12:48 am | Permalink
philskaren wrote:
http://philskaren.blogspot.com/2007/02/i-love-graphs.html
We all have a bit of “nerd” in us. I love graphing and looking at graphs. That’s part of what draws me into the PF blogs, all the different graphs on everyone’s blogs.
(Oh, and Calc was pretty awful for me as well. Thank god you don’t really use in in pharmacy.)
Posted on 24-Feb-07 at 8:23 pm | Permalink