Posted By:
jay behrensok, let's make this as simple as possible for you since you don't seem to get it. The discussion about the bell curve involved talent. Nothing more, nothing less. Talent is not quanitfiable, per se, so you thorwing numbers out there does no good in this situation. As I said, if you honestly believe that there was more talent in the 19c game than even early part of the 20c, then that is your choice, but you will be in the minority. As the game progressed and it's popularity grew and became a more acceptable way to make a living, more and more people started playing the game. This brings more and better talent to the pool. For much of the 19c, baseball was played by rich, white guys. Not exactly a huge talent pool to draw from.
If you want to put AVG under a bell curve, than that is what you have under that curve. Same goes for ERA, or any other stat you want to talk about. All I have ever talked about is TALENT under the bell curve. PLease stop confusing TALENT with AVG, ERA or any other stat. That's not what is being talked about.
Jay
My place is full of valuable, worthless junk.