Evaluating mlb pitching

As a MLB baseball fan and sports bettor, you probably know that one key element in any baseball game is the pitching. A solid pitcher can completely shutdown an opposing side. What happens when you have two very good pitchers going at it? Usually the game is low scoring—no matter how good the hitters are. Just the opposite can happen when to sub-par pitchers take the mound. Knowing how to properly evaluate pitching is key to winning your baseball bets. However, evaluating can be a complicated task. Just what should we pay attention to? That’s the purpose of this article. We will discus what’s important to look at and use the past performance of real pitchers to illustrate these points. It’s time to play ball.

ERA

The most common mistake for those wagering on MLB baseball has to be simply looking at the pitcher’s ERA. The ERA is important, but you have to dig a little deeper to get the full story. Let’s take a look at Chicago White Sox pitcher Freddy Garcia. Let’s imagine that it’s late in the season and he’s on the mound with his 3.87 ERA. It would be easy to look at that and decide that he’s a good pitcher. However, looking at his stats deeper tells a tale of two pitchers—home and away. Let’s compare.

1.At home, Garcia has a 4-5 record. On the road he is 10-3.

2.At home, his ERA is 4.38. On the road his ERA is 3.40.

3.At home he gave up 17 home runs 38 walks. On the road he gave up 9 home runs and 22 walks.

4.He pitched 10 more innings on the road.

So what does this data tell you? For one, it tells you that Freddy Garcia is not a good pitcher at home. By looking deeper into the ERA and where the game is being played, you can get a better picture of just who’s taking the mound for a game.

Team Performance

Another area you want to look at is team performance, which looks at how well the pitcher has performed against the team. While you can look at history, it’s best to look at the current season and only pull in history if there are no current season performances. The reason is simple; teams change, at least a little, each year. Let’s keep looking at Freddy Garcia to see why team performance is so important. Take a look at a couple teams Garcia pitched against in 2005 and the outcome.

1.Garcia pitched four games against Detroit and had a 2.61 ERA.

2.Garcia pitched four games against Cleveland and had a 2.63 ERA.

3.Garcia pitched three games against Seattle and had an 8.35 ERA.

4.Garcia pitched two games against Oakland and had a 3.46 ERA.

By looking at team performance, we can see that Garcia’s outcome fluctuated and there are certain teams that he just does not do well against and others he dominates. We just looked at ERA here, but you can drill down further and look at overall pitching performance such as: hits, walks, home runs, innings pitched and so forth.

Inning Count

The last area of our discussion involves inning count. It’s vital that you know how deep, on average, the pitcher goes into games. If the pitcher is known for 5-6 inning outings, then you know the bullpen will be a major factor in the game. If this is the case and the team’s bullpen is suspect, you have to devalue the starting pitcher some. If you have a pitcher that normally works 7-8 innings and the team has a dominant closer and possibly a very good setup man, then you can focus more on the starting pitcher. Here’s an example list of pitchers and their 2005 averages.

1.Freddy Garcia 7 innings.

2.Randy Johnson 6 2/3 innings.

3.Pedro Martinez 7 innings.

4.Jose Contrares 6 13/ innings.

5.Livian Hernandez 7 innings.

In the case of Randy Johnson and Jose Contrares, we would have to discount their ability slightly if their team’s bullpen was not solid. Getting 7 innings of work out of a starting pitcher is good and about the average.

So the next time you go to bet baseball, look at who is pitching and do a little evaluating. It will pay off in the end.

Winter trips to warm you up

Do you need a break from the cold? If you need to thaw out then consider taking a vacation to a warm weather destination. You will return tan, refreshed and ready to brave the rest of the winter. Here are some suggestions for taking a winter holiday.

First off, you need to decide how long you can get away and how much travel you want to do. Since most of the U. S. is cold in winter you’ll have to go south to find warm weather. If you only have a few days then it makes sense to keep your winter trip close to home since you don’t want to spend a large part of your holiday on a plane.

Consider visiting southern Florida which has loads of options and tropical weather throughout the winter. Miami is fantastic for visiting the beach, soaking up the sun and enjoying the nightlife of South Beach. If you want a slower pace and fewer crowds, consider the Florida Keys. Key West is a quaint city full of bed and breakfasts with plenty to do for the entire family including water sports and nightlife.

A bit farther (but not by much) is the Caribbean. You’ll need a passport and the flights are more expensive but it is well worth it. There are tons of tropical islands from which to choose and there are French, Dutch, British, Latin and other influences to give you some culture. The Dominican Republic is know for its inexpensive all inclusive resorts; included in the packages is accommodation, food, transfers and water sports.

If you have more time and money then consider taking a winter vacation in the Southern Hemisphere which is summer during the U. S.’ winter. Rio de Janeiro has the world famous beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana with Sugar Loaf as a rugged mountain backdrop. Since Rio is a large city, it boasts five star hotels, fine dining and many nightlife options. Another holiday destination south of the equator is Australia. The Gold Coast is full of sun and sand options and the cities of Sydney and Melbourne have a European feel. If you’re up for some adventure then visit the interior and explore the outback.

Southeast Asia is a popular destination due to its affordability and richness in culture. Singapore is not only full of sights, luxury hotels and culture but it is known for being a very clean country. Malaysia has many white sand beaches and islands with accommodations ranging from simple bungalows to lavish resorts. Thailand is another country brimming with ancient sights and gorgeous beaches and its people are known for their hospitality.

If you need to find some warm weather then there are many options for winter vacations. Take lots of pictures and don’t forget your sunscreen!

How to build a profitable property portfolio

As more and more of us look for better ways to secure our financial future than investing into stocks and shares or relying on our government to provide for us in our old age, so interest in purchasing property as an investment asset is increasing.

After all rarely do careful investments made into real estate lose a purchaser money, whereas all too often investments made into pensions companies or on the stock market fail to come to fruition - is it any wonder therefore that more people want to know how to build a profitable property portfolio?

Here are ten top tips that expert property investors abide by when looking for property that they can do up and resell or rent out for profit. If you want to learn the tricks of the trade then read on…

1) Speak to letting agents and do your own research, find out how much rent you think you can comfortably get from a given property type in a given location. With that figure confirmed and in mind never pay over 100 times more than the monthly rental figure for a property. I. e., if you’re sure a property will return you GBP 700 a month do not pay more than GBP 70,000 for that property and you will then achieve a good rental yield.

2) Understand and harness the power of OPM – other people’s money! Never over commit your own personal wealth to a pure investment property, instead use loans, mortgages and credit facilities and put down the smallest deposit possible. Preserve your own wealth at all costs.

3) Don’t invest in future potential, invest in real potential. If an area is considered to be up and coming because in the future it will benefit from better infrastructure never bank on the investment being made…just know that if an area has already arrived and a particular property is already profitable, the future prospects for that property are already assured and make a far better bet than speculating to hopefully, maybe, potentially one day accumulate!

4) Don’t make it personal – an investment is a pure profit making enterprise therefore don’t get emotionally attached to any particular property, remain as objective as possible.

5) When letting property let it unfurnished because you will have enough to cope with getting the rent out of tenants and keeping on top of property upkeep without having to locate someone to fix a leaking washing machine or replace a broken crockery set.

6) Seriously reconsider plans to renovate and refurbish to sell on for profit. Unless you’re a builder and an interior designer and you have friends in the trade to help you and get you materials at cost you will end up paying more than you intend to pay and eating away at your profits. Yes money can be made from renovation property but it is far easier to make money from rental property!

7) Learn all you can from the wealth of brilliant books that have been published by property investors and real estate millionaires. You can bet your bottom dollar that all those who give seminars on making money from real estate are actually making their money from you attending their seminar – whereas if a successful property portfolio owner has committed their knowledge to print you cannot afford to overlook their wisdom.

8) Do hands on research – get out on the streets, visit letting agents and estate agents, look at property prices, rental rates, the popularity of a given area and only when you are certain about a location and a property type should you make a commitment to buy real estate.

9) If you do your homework and keep revising your facts and figures you should be confident in your own decisions and not be swayed by others who might say your plans will never work. You have to have dreams and ambitions and visualize all your hopes and hard work coming to fruition. Keep your feet on the ground and don’t be swayed by the negativity and limitation of others.

10) Be financially pessimistic. Always underestimate your returns and overestimate your outgoings that way at best you’ll be spot on with your earnings and at best you’ll be rewarded for practical and careful budgeting.

The demonetization of the east

In December 2002, Poland decided to purchase 48 F-16 Falcons from Lockheed Martin Corporation - an American defense contractor. Pegged at $3.5 billion, this is the biggest defense order ever issued by an east or central European country. The financial package includes soft loans and a massive offset program - purchases from Polish manufacturers that more than erase the costs of the deal in foreign exchange.

Offset in all its forms - including co-production, licensing, subcontracting, and joint ventures - is not uncommon in the defense industry. It is being offered even to far richer clients such as Israel. But in central and east Europe it is more prevalent than the West realizes.

According to numerous studies, barter-like arrangements (known throughout the region as "compensation") constitute between 20 and 40 percent of all transactions in the economies of the former Soviet bloc. Corporate debts to suppliers, payments for goods and services, even taxes - all have a non-cash component or are entirely demonetized.

The implosion of communism led to a rapid shrinking of the manufacturing base and the evaporation of the agricultural and mining sectors in many countries in transition. Export-derived earnings in hard currency collapsed even as millions lost their jobs and their purchasing power. Unemployment affects one fifth of the population in Poland, one third in Macedonia and three fifths in Kosovo, for instance.

Rather than remonetize these cash-bleeding economies, the IMF imposed strict austerity programs on the entire area, further eroding disposable incomes and intra-regional trade. Countertrade, barter, buyback, offset, clearing, technology transfer and other non-cash dealings flourished.

Moreover, the clearing system of the now defunct eastern trade bloc, COMECON - the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA), was based on effective barter and the use of a fictitious "wooden" ruble. From Hungary to Cuba, communist countries were coerced into outlandish terms of trade, often beneficial to the Soviet Union or to a member in need. Mounting debts led to the disintegration of the entire edifice and Russia was reduced to giving east European countries aircraft and other weapons systems in lieu of cash disbursements.

Russia reimburses Kazakhstan with (shoddy) goods for leasing the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Until 2000, it was common practice in the Russian Federation to pay wage arrears, inter-enterprise debt and back taxes in kind. Russia and Turkmenistan accept food and other commodities, semi-finished products and construction services from Ukraine, Armenia and Belarus in exchange for their gas debts and, in Russia's case, for disposing of Ukraine's nuclear waste.

The recipients often complain of the quality of the products or services they receive - and of recurrent breaches of delivery schedules and quantities. But they have little choice. Ukraine is one of Turkmenistan's major export clients, for instance. Nor are these exchanges post-communist phenomena. Canadian firms, led by AECL - Atomic Energy of Canada Limited - were forced to accept Romanian goods for their nuclear reactors throughout the late 1980s.

There is a general misconception that barter is a thing of the past. Far from it. In the last six months of 2002, payments-in-kind to Gazprom, the Russian energy behemoth, have tripled due to an increase in its tariffs. The use of "veksels" (mostly corporate promissory notes) surged 60 percent. Hence the rise to prominence of barter experts, such as Igor Makarov, who, as general manager of Itera, oversaw Gazprom's sales of gas throughout the Commonwealth of Independent States.

As prices are adjusted to reflect waning state subsidies, consumers' purchasing power diminishes and countertrade transactions burgeon. A global recession coupled with the woes specific to transition from communism to capitalism herald an era of unmanageable inter-corporate debt. In tiny Macedonia, it is thought to have surpassed $600 million in 2001 - close to one fifth of GDP. The bulk of such debt is ultimately settled by barter.

Proponents of barter trade - mainly a proliferation of Western consultancies, financial boutiques and trading companies - count their advantages thus (from the Export911.com Web site):

"Countertrade provides a means of trade with countries using a blocked currency - currency that is not readily convertible into other currencies - or lacking the foreign exchange, thus removing the difficulties and risks in a trade financing and paving the way for a successful deal that otherwise would fail. Countertrade also provides a means to preserve foreign exchange reserves by eliminating the use of hard currency."

The US Embassy in Moscow counters by describing the nefarious effects of barter on the Russian economy:

"In Russia, the barter system is used for various reasons: monetary risk, lack of money, illicit enrichment, tax evasion and to continue business operations beyond viable economic life. The system creates numerous negative effects, namely: low tax receipts, price distortions, oversupply of products, ineffective monetary policy instruments, imprecise economic measurements, and, as a consequence, poor public policy decisions. Barter is tolerated and sustained because of short-term management perspectives, its value as a social safety valve and poor application of bankruptcy laws."

The demonetization of the economy and the distortion of the price signal (which ensures the proper allocation of economic resources) are not the only pernicious effects of non-cash business.

Barter transactions tend to enhance the militarization of the region. No one wants Russian TV sets or Ukrainian stockings. But MiG fighter planes and Kalkan and Grif patrol boats are in great demand. Turkmenistan, for instance, has built an entire Caspian Sea coast guard out of its gas-for-goods agreement with Ukraine signed last year.

Non-cash transactions are an integral part of the informal sector of the economy, estimated to constitute at least one third of the region's total gross domestic product. They are impossible to track, let alone tax. They are conducive to capital flight and offshore stashing of export proceeds. Technically, barter deals are a kind of non-tariff barrier as they interfere with the free market by binding specific buyers to given sellers. Hence the recent Russian-Chinese agreement to ban non-cash transactions in their border areas.

Countertrade deals are complex and multi-phased. If improperly structured, they leave a lot of space for corruption and worse. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that the military court of the Moscow garrison sentenced in April 2002 the former head of the Defense Ministry's Main Directorate of Military Budget and Finances, Colonel-General Georgi Oleinik, to three years in prison.

In a typical scam - oft-repeated in Chechnya - Oleinik absconded in 1996-1997 with some $450 million. The money belonged to Ukrainian firms and was paid out in the framework of a multistage barter deal. It was earmarked for the purchase of materiel for the Russian army. Interestingly, in his defense, Oleinik insisted that the deal was authorized by former Finance Minister Andrei Vavilov and other senior officials.

Still, in the long-run, barter is doomed. As more former Soviet satellites either divert their trade towards the European Union or join it as members, countertrade will be restricted to the financially backward economies of the former Soviet Bloc. In time, even these laggards will have to face market realities - especially the use of cash as the foundation of the price mechanism and the optimal allocation of scarce economic resources.

Put vernacularly, the citizens of barter-addicted countries will inevitably grow disenchanted with shoddy and shabby goods delivered late. Imports from and exports to cash paying destinations will surge. "Ghost" factories will close down, releasing capacity to more productive entrants. Cash-starved governments will deepen and widen tax collection. A foreign-owned banking system will do a better job of matching savings to investments. Barter will be reduced to a marginal, last resort, activity.

Artificial flowers a great alternative

Because flowers are so beautiful, most people do not think about the fact that they are really expensive or that they last so temporarily when cut. The good news is that there is an incredible alternative to using so much money on something that will only last a few days: artificial flowers. There are so many uses of flowers that you might be surprised to find out how much all of your flowers are actually costing.

Flowers. You see them growing in gardens or adorning elegant tables as the centerpiece or the dresses of young girls at the prom. They are given as tokens of love and affection to celebrate birthdays, Valentine's day, engagements, anniversaries, and other special days between lovers. They provide decoration at a variety of popular events like bridal showers, weddings, banquets and graduation ceremonies. For each of these important occasions, consider replacing real flowers with artificial flowers. You will not be sorry you did.

Artificial flowers are great. They look just like real flowers, so you will not have to worry about sacrificing one of the main reasons people love flowers: their beauty. Your friends and guests may not even know that you have used artificial flowers because their quality is constantly increasing. Whether you are planning a special party or looking for the perfect flowers to include in your bridal bouquet, you can be sure that the artificial flowers you choose will have all of the beauty you desire.

Often when planning for a large event, expense is something that must be taken into consideration. If you are looking for ways to save money, one of the first things to consider is the use of artificial flowers. The longer you have to look for the perfect flowers, the better deals you may be able to find. Artificial flowers can be found on sale at a variety of craft stores many times throughout the year. Almost any variety of flowers that you are looking to use are now made artifically, so don't worry that you will have to settle for kinds of flowers that you do not really like.

Perhaps the best benefit of using artificial flowers rather than real flowers is their longevity. There is nothing worse than picking the perfect bouquet for your centerpiece only to have it be dried out and wilted by the next day. And who really likes to give a gift that will last only a few hours or at most a couple of days? (Or, better yet, who likes receiving this kind of temporary gift?) With artifical flowers you can give a give that almost everyone enjoys, or you can decorate for your event or holiday and be sure that your hard work will last long after your guests go home. After the party is done you can give away the bouquets of beautiful artificial flowers as favors or parting gifts for to your family and friends.

Everyone agrees that flowers are beautiful, and most everyone agrees that they make a great gift or a perfect decoration. Spread the word and soon everyone can also agree that artificial flowers are a perfect alternative no matter the occasion.

Turbo charge your articles 6 ways to make them easy to read and hard to resist

A few years back, I found that the process of writing articles really isn't a process at all – it's an art, and it's a very elegant one.

There are so many ways to make an article easy to read for your audience it's mind-boggling.

While a debate rages on about whether articles should be dense and conversational or sparse and easy-to-read, I find myself in the middle, happy to write conversational articles with loads of impact.

The fact remains: People aren't going to read something that looks like it might take a long time to read. I'm a professional writer and I don't even like to read long articles. (To me, long ezine articles it shows a lack of discipline on the part of the writer.)

Here are a few maxims I've discovered and they've served me well in the past:

● Keep articles to anywhere between 400 and 700 words – anything more than that and you're asking for your article to have single-digit page views. Who wants that?

● Use sub-heds. Short for subheadings, these breaks in the content are mini-paragraphs that move the reader along in the story. I only employ these when I'm writing case studies or articles that approach the 700 word mark.

Note: I only write these after I have written the entire article. I take a good look at the text and then I try to insert a sub-hed every two or three paragraphs. This technique works wonders in making an article appear more readable.

● Use bullets, numbered lists, and bold sentences whenever you're writing the advice portion of your articles.

Quick Tutorial on Adding Status Boosting Advice to Your Articles

It's a must to have advice in your articles. This sets you apart as an expert in your field and makes you likable because you're helping to solve the problems of your prospects.

Here how I used advice in my articles:

● Make sure the advice is actionable – something to reader can do right now to reach a goal, eliminate a problem or become more efficient.

● Include the most important items at the top of the list and the least important ones at the very end.

● Finish strong with a final piece of advice that is not in the numbered list, bulleted list, or bold sentence category. I usually structure the sentence like this one: “Bottom line: Follow a set format to make writing articles easier.”

This allows the reader to leave your article with the one nugget of information that he can finally use to solve whatever problem may be hanging over him at the moment.

Now article writing can be fun because you have the right tools to ensure readers will want to read your articles.

Bonus! How to Put This Concept to Work in Your Articles

Write your articles out without thinking about these tips I just mentioned. Just empty your brain of all the information you have about a particular problem facing your audience and how they can solve that problem.

Then walk away from the article. Don't look at or think about it for at least three hours or so. Next, insert sub-heds to break up the paragraphs into bite-sized pieces. Format your advice into bullets, numbered lists or bolded first sentences.

You'll be surprised at how well your articles will look to someone who's first viewing it.

Doing this, in combination with a phenomenal headline, will send your article views through the roof. People will clamor for your articles and publish them both online, and in ezines.

Bali liveaboard scuba diving

What can be a more adventurous and fulfilling scuba diving vacation experience than liveaboard luxury yacht cruising and scuba diving in the tropical islands of Bali?

Contrary to what many scuba divers think, liveaboard scuba diving may not be as expensive as you think. In fact if planned properly, live on board diving vacations may even save you money and inconveniences. Firstly, you will on transportation time and costs traveling to your dive operator's boat and then after your dive, returning to your hotel or resort lugging your cumbersome scuba diving gear with you and repeating the same process for the next couple of days during your vacation in Bali.

Next, you save money on hotel or resort accommodation because since that you are living on the dive boats, there will be no need for hotel or resort bookings. Furthermore, you do not need to hunt for expensive meals in your hotel or resort since all liveaboard scuba diving packages will include delicious meals which will also mean that you will be probably having very fresh and delectable sea food caught by the crew while you are enjoying your cruise or are scuba diving.

The highlight of your liveaboard Bali vacation is that you can dive in many exotic dive locations instead of only the dive spots near where you stay. This is because since that you need not return to your resort or hotel to retire for the day, the liveaboard dive yachts will cruise away to far flung scuba diving locations while you are sleeping. This again saves you time and best of all, you get to save more money by diving in more places for the same price.

Here is a typical example of a liveaboard Bali scuba diving itinerary. It is a 7 days Bali scuba diving excursion.

Day One - Visit one of Bali's most interesting street on the way to Pemuteran & Menjangan North West Bali which will also include a stopover in View Point Restaurant Sanda. You will scuba dive in Pemuteran House Reef & Reef Project or Secret Bay in Gilimanuk

Day Two - Your liveaboard boat will cruise to Menjangan Island. You will be diving at the National Park, Walls, Anker Wreck, Coral Garden, buffet lunch on the white powdery sandy beach of the island. The boat will then land and send you to the north coast and visit a well kept secret Waterfall and a hot spring.

Day Three - Scuba diving activities will be at Amed Tulamben or Secret Spot, Drop Off, Liberty Wreck Dive (American battle ship sunk during WW2) & some wall diving.

Day Four - Some land excursion to enjoy the view of Bali's world famous terraced rice fields in the morning. Then your liveaboard yatcht will take you diving at the Blue Lagoon & White Beach. There will also be a night dive at the Blue Lagoon.

Day Five - Continue your Bali vacation by cruising to Gili Mimpang & Gili Tepekong or Gili Biaha for fantastic dive sites.

Day Six - More scuba diving activities at Gili Biaha or Nusa Penida or Nusa Lembongan. The sea at these diving locations could be rough at times, so the dives would very much be dependant on the weather. However, if the weather allow, you will be scuba diving in one of the most breath taking underwater scenery in the world.

Day Seven - More scuba diving at the Blue Lagoon, White Beach and the Channel and then off to Bali airport to your next scuba diving adventure.

So if you want to save time and money during your Bali scuba diving vacation, why not try liveaboard luxury boats instead?