It's a holiday where I am.. how about you? I actuallly wanted to have a bigger post ready today, as I prefer to start the week off with a more substantial post, and then do shorter ones later, but wasn't happy by how I did it... For any bloggers/ blog readers out there: what days do you prefer to post/read more substantial pieces, and what days do you just browse around?

In the meantime, I didn't want to leave the blog empty on a Monday, so here is some stuff on interest:

• For prospect mavens in particular: check out (the beginnings of) this cool study by TucsonRoyal on players' states of origin. TR always has interesting questions to ask and takes objective paths to finding some answers.
• mgl presents some research on average pitcher/hitter performance based on times through the order. By the fourth time through, the pitcher is, on average, not doing any worse than he did the second and third times through. Is it because if a pitcher is getting through the fourth time, it's because he's just that good anyway?
• Matt Swartz evaluates the recent performance of various systems for projecting offensive players and finds a winner. Hint: it's not invented by the same guy who predicted the outcome of the 2008 presidential election. Anyway, SPOILER ALERT: CHONE did the best overall, with PECOTA right behind (although it overvalues speedy playes), ZiPS is better with three true outcomes players, and OLIVER (Brian Cartwright's souped-up Marcels) is definitely a contender, despite its recent provenance, which I think is very cool.
• Fun with small sample sizes: FanGraphs has UZR up and running. The Mariners are in the lead! Jack Z. is a genius!
• I'm going to do the platoon project, but after spending too much time getting a certain way of doing it ready and find the the reward wasn't worth the work, I've simplified things and will have the initial stuff posted sometime between tomorrow and Thursday. I'll make the final decisions on what players to "project" myself, but there's still time to read up on it and slip in a suggestion here if you would like me to look at a particular player.