There is an interesting experiment being conducted by JC Bradbury (author of The Baseball Economist and one of the great examples of what the GMU PhD program can produce) that relates to the Wisdom of Crowds thesis. A-Rod is up for a contract extension with the Yankees, or will test the open market by being a free agent. The first-line prediction is a 7 year $244 million contract. If you would like a signed copy of The Baseball Economist get your prediction in over the next week in the comments section on Bradbury's blog.
As a Yankee fan, I am thrilled to see this discussion take away from discussion of the apparent Red Sox's World Series victory. Please will the Rockies catch on-fire again and start driving in some runs! I am now staying up way too late and going to bed way too disappointed. But hope springs eternal --- if the Red Sox's can come back from 0-3 against the Yankees in 2004, and 1-3 against the Indians in 2007, the Rockies can surely pick up the wins at home and make this a series. Go Rockies.*
*Might be one of the few times in my life I am routing for the National League team. But I follow the rule, anyone but the Red Sox's. The world was in a better equilibrium during those 86 years, some how things have been turned upside down. It must relate to the Bush years some how!