Why the taco pal Trade is Awful
With the SB Nation trade deadline looming, TheGoodPhight pulled the trigger on what could go down to be the worst Blog Lorderial move in blog history, trading taco pal for Amazin' Avenue's Eric Simon and cash. At first, I dismissed this as nothing more than a joke. After all, the blogger breaking the trade, RememberthePhitans had previously been benched for messing up several game wrap scores. Alas, several other, highly reliable sources confirmed the trade. Shocked and devastated, I prepared to share my misery and anger at the blog lords with my fellow readers when I was hit by another shocking blow to the gut: they were rejoicing.
We didn't go around celebrating such trades, that was WIP crap! Yet as I scrolled, words claiming "championship", post after post belittling, ridiculing and disregarding everything taco pal had done for this blog flashed across my screen. If these sorts of things happen mere minutes after taco pal leaves, I shudder to think what the future of this blog holds. In a hope to restore normalcy, in a plea to your love of stats and sense of logic, after the jump, I give you statistical proof why trading taco pal was awful.
UZR
| Blogger | UZR |
| taco pal | 42.0 |
| schmenkman | 36.7 |
| PhillyFriar | 34.5 |
| Wet Luzinski | 31.3 |
| dajafi | 28.9 |
| David S Cohen | 26.5 |
| RememberThePhitans | 25.2 |
| WholeCamels | 23.2 |
| jonk | 22.0 |
| FuquaManuel | 15.4 |
| *lizroscher | N/A |
* UZR only applicable to bloggers with a minimum of 150 comments.
For those of you unfamiliar with UZR, it is a measure of how well a blogger can defend a stance on a particular topic. The formula takes into account the number of comments it takes a reader to agree with your point, L.O.G.I.C avg, how many recs a particular post or comment receives and the statistics to word ratio. UZR solves the problem of DEF avg, which doesn't take into account how long it takes for a blogger to defend a stance. DEF avg would have you think highly of FuquaManuel who is ranked #2 but this is only due to his high L.O.G.I.C; his snarky post often causes commenters to fight back and extend the legnth of arguments, which UZR takes into account. With the loss of taco pal, we'll have to hope he develops a new delivery or two this offseason to eliminate the snarkiness.
taco pal's great defense and UZR of 42.0 has earned garnered the respect of statheads and non-statheads, fans and rivals alike, drooling over his consistency year in and year out and has earned him his special corner in the blogosphere, Logic dome. Losing him will be very difficult if not impossible to replace.
REC vs wREC
| Blogger | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| taco pal | 15 | 23 | 37 | 26 |
| Eric Simon | 27 | 44 | 56 | 73 |
2008-2011 REC values
Eric Simon's REC may be attractive, but the problem with REC is it fails to take into account blog differences.
Amazin' Avenue is a known "Wrecker's Paradise" with only 2 stars needed to make an impact comment, while The Good Phight needs 3. Furthermore, REC fails to account for newer users trying to suck up to veterans or trolls implying the SHIFT key who throw off the numbers by lowering the stars required. Instead, we should use wREC, which uses a formula of weighted comments, the join date of commenters and average Recs per comment.
Behold the difference below:
| Blogger | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| taco pal | 47 | 69 | 94 | 123 |
| Eric Simon | 43 | 60 | 72 | 89 |
2008-2011 wREC values
WAR
A lot of people fail to recognize and give proper credit to how valuable taco pal's contributions are to this blog.
Yes hyperlink'd poems or tons of graphs are the sexier posts, but at the end of the day, it's not about being number one on the Top 10 plays or being voted for a SBNY, it's about winning the game. Post after post, taco pal has delivered consistent, well-thought posts that in the long haul, pull in more readers, more comments and more logical conversation. Don't take my word for it, the stats speak for themselves:
| Blogger | WAR |
| taco pal | 102 |
| lizroscher | 79 |
| PhillyFriar | 77 |
| Eric Simon | 76 |
| jonk | 68 |
| dajafi | 67 |
| schmenkman | 65 |
| David S Cohen | 64 |
| FuquaManuel | 62 |
| WholeCamels | 61 |
| Wet Luzinski | 60 |
| RememberThePhitans | 59 |
2011 WAR values
Conclusion
This is the worst trade in the history of trades. I would say Ed Wade is off the hook but I refuse to insult the memory of taco pal by blatantly disregarding all the good work he has done here with such a statement. While Eric Simon is a veteran and a great blogger, and while I will always root for TheGoodPhight, when taco pal returns to face our blog and pens a four-post sweep, I won't hesitate to say "I told you so".
17 comments
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21 recs |
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Comments
Rec'd.
"They say that nobody is perfect. Then they tell you practice makes perfect. I wish they'd make up their minds." - Wilt Chamberlain
Holy shit, I suck! (sabermetrically speaking)
The Good Phight, Big Black Kids, and now NotGraphs. Fun!
Man, you must have spent some time on this post. Rec’d for the details.
by phillyinportland on Jul 26, 2011 5:48 PM EDT reply actions
59? 59?!?!!?!!
It’s totally made up, but only 59?!!??!!?!
This post is awesome in so many ways. Today was just a great day of bloginess.
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Jul 26, 2011 8:53 PM EDT reply actions
That’s an awesome number for a rookie, don’t you know you’re in the running for the ROTY award?
by TwistyWristy on Jul 26, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
REC vs wREC
It’s been a coupla minutes and I’m still giggling about that one. If my wife were awake she’d asked me what I was laughing about and then get bored and tune me out halfway though my attempt to explain why this is funny. So thanks, TwistyWristy, for being someone with the right sense of humor for TGP followers.
"I am the Walrus?..... I am the Walrus." - Donny Kerabatsos
Thank you for the kinds words. I’m always happy when someone gets a laugh from my writing, especially if it can help ease the dark gloom this trade cast.
by TwistyWristy on Jul 27, 2011 10:20 PM EDT up reply actions
I have to disagree
People are underestimating the intangibles that Simon brings to the table. While taco pal has always been content to be the #2 or #3 guy on a good staff, Simon is a bona fide ACE who is also a vocal leader. His veteran presence will help our young bloggers to develop, and right the ship of those who have been struggling as of late (seriously, I’m not ready to call WholeCamels a bust, but he just doesn’t seem to show up for big games).
Bottom line, we’re going to need a guy like this come playoff time, and we can’t count on an unknown factor like TP. We’re in win now mode, and we need a gutsy, clutch blogger like Simon because these posts aren’t played on paper.
I still think we should flip PhillyFriar, dajafi, and schmenkman to Baseball Nation for Neyer though, before the deadline hits. I’m not worried about his contract. IT’S GO TIME!
I think the only rational explanation is “trade deadline frenzy.”
Why look'st thou so?' -"With my crossbow
I shot the Albatross."
by RememberthePhitans on Jul 31, 2011 12:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I would have approved this trade in the great bowa (bowa?) fashion
by SportingFanaticism on Aug 8, 2011 8:10 PM EDT reply actions
I'm just happy to be here.
And the good Lord willing, things will take care of themselves. But my poems are gritty. And at least I’m one sexy Ben Zobrist. I can live with that.

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