Considering baseball’s status as a sport beloved around the world (though particularly in North and South American countries as well as Japan, it is hardly surprising that a multitude of blogs have sprung up along the way. Most of these seem to narrow their focus to news, movements, and machinations involving only one particular team. However, many others enjoy discussing the subject from a far broader perspective. Some harbor a passion for the sport’s rich history; some enjoy debating sabermetrics; some find particular fascination with stadiums, and many, many more – no matter the focus, baseball fans hoping to read more about favored teams or elements of the sport have somewhere to turn for information and engagement.

1. Baseball Musings : This intensive, impassioned resource by former STATS liaison and Baseball Tonight host David Pinto. In addition to his frequently updated blog on myriad baseball and baseball-related topics, the site also hosts a Kindle feed, a free toolbar download, a podcast, a radio show, a fantasy baseball player network, a massive player and statistics database, retro jerseys for sale, and many more features to stimulate fans of the sport. One currently ongoing project involves presenting a short career and statistical review of every player in Major League Baseball. Pinto posts them in alphabetical order at the impressively swift rate of more than one per day.

2. The College Baseball Blog : While MLB enthusiasts seem to comprise the majority of baseball bloggers, those more entranced by college and university teams still have plenty of sites available that cater to their interests. TCBB delves deeply into the sport, and their staff collectively attends over 100 games per season. Archives currently stretch back to the 2008 season only. Even when a year’s games have yet to begin, the writers post updated information on schedules, players to watch out for, news, stories of charitable work, signings, and interviews. They stay exceedingly busy throughout the year, regardless of whether or not there are games to watch. Those preferring Major League Baseball may find some of the featured content of some interest, given that many of the players discussed on the blog occasionally graduate to playing at a professional level.

3. Bats Blog : Although the blog covers MLB games, news, and stories, Bats Blog does lean heavily towards discussions regarding the Yankees and Mets. Hardly surprising, considering sports journalists for The New York Times generate all the content. All 4 of the participating writers offer opinions and insights on the game, with every blog post marked by a small graphic containing the logo of the teams mentioned. This makes for quick, easy browsing when seeking stories on a favored player, stadium, or team. Bats Blog boasts a healthy comments section as well, with a number of lively conversations and debates taking place.

4. Major League Baseball Blog : MLBB concerns itself with every single aspect of professional baseball, including news, trade rumors, fantasy teams, entertainment, and even discussions on the steroid controversy that swept through the sport. Most of the writers seem to take unapologetically blunt, honest, and opinionated stances on the topics at hand. Readers must prepare themselves for the possibility of a written assault decrying their particularly beloved teams and players. However, for the sake of objectivity, they actively ask for writers representing every team in the league in order to provide a multitude of perspectives and possibilities.

5. Sully Baseball : TV producer and comedian Paul Francis Sullivan delivers a relaxed, colorful commentary on Major League Baseball through his laid-back blog. Though an admitted Red Sox fan, Sullivan applies his breezy brand of humor to every team in the league. His most interesting articles involve musings on baseball history – at once informative and comfortingly funny. Every post overflows with real passion and interesting insight.

6. The Baseball Analysts : Baseball fans who enjoy poring over and debating statistics have plenty to love and appreciate about this site. Written with a style akin to academic journals, the contributing writers explore a staggering amount of statistics relating to almost every facet of the sport. Their reach extends far beyond the MLB, with articles exploring the minor leagues, college baseball, and even historical teams and players. This enticingly comprehensive resource appeals to those who love flavoring their baseball talk with numbers to support their claims.

7. BaseballGB : Baseball carries with it a reputation as a quintessentially American sport, and while its popularity seems most heavily concentrated in both Americas as well as Japan, it still garners fans worldwide. Featuring the work of British writers and baseball fans, BaseballGB covers the MLB most often. However, they also enjoy promoting the National Baseball League, teams located in Britain and beyond, fantasy baseball, and the fandom in general. Regular articles include weekly guides to what games to watch, scoring questions, web picks, book reviews, and more. They even hope to offer a comprehensive wiki revolving around the MLB as soon as possible.

8. Baseball Pilgrimages : Unifying a love of baseball with a love of travel, Baseball Pilgrimages shares stories of visits to major league, minor league, and independent stadiums across the United States. With an eye to the past, present, and future, the blog offers detailed, well-researched articles and photo essays on the architecture and landscaping that makes baseball possible. Their especially bittersweet “Abandoned Ballparks” listing offers a glimpse into how the needs of teams shift over time.

9. Baseball In-Depth : Blogger Brad Templeman offers easily digested articles featuring straight facts and quick stats. Comprehensive lists occasionally undercut by brief blurbs undercut the majority of the content, making this something of a haven for baseball fans also harboring a love of numbers and detailed research guides.

10. Baseball Reflections : This incredibly in-depth resource involves articles on an extremely broad variety of topics relating to baseball. Book reviews, season coverage, interviews, news, fantasy leagues, analytics, and many, many other aspects of the game end up covered on Baseball Reflections. Sabermetrics aficionados find themselves especially enjoying the section dedicated exclusively to analyzing and discussing statistics.

11. Ivy League to MLB : Oakland Athletics pitcher Sean Haviland weighs in on his transition from Harvard to professional baseball. He delivers commentary on the sport from a position entirely unique to most baseball bloggers, and does so with an easygoing style and openness to having readers and fans alike contact him to express their opinions. He does write about football on occasion as well, though the vast majority of the content involves his thoughts, ideas, and charts regarding his chosen sport.

12. Flip Flop Fly Ball: Entertaining, informative, and serving as a wonderfully aesthetic treat, artist Craig Robinson blends art, baseball, and a love of research together to offer intriguing, educational, and expertly constructed infographics. Some of his pieces focus on other sports, and some provide humorous observations. In addition to the infographics, Robinson also shares his photography and drawings relating to baseball, though he does intend to set up a larger portfolio website in the near future. Those who derive enjoyment from the arts as well as the athletics have plenty to appreciate when it comes to the content features on this absolutely delightful blog. The fantasy play-by-play game between the Wu-Tang Clan and the E Street band especially stands out for its imaginative and impressively detailed depiction.

13. Jorge Says No! : A look at baseball from an economics perspective, Jorge Says No! focuses mainly on trades and trade rumors, contracts, and free agency in baseball. Every scenario that comes to the writers’ attention ends up analyzed from a multitude of different perspectives, with variables thrown in to illustrate the myriad directions in which the situation could possibly go. Intelligent and insightful, Jorge Says No! has a lot to offer fans who enjoy analyzing baseball through an economic – occasionally statistical – filter.

14. Management by Baseball : For fans interested in learning how to incorporate components of the game into their everyday lives, management consultant and former baseball reporter Jeff Angus combines business and sports to create a valuable resource for two different disciplines. He takes cues from the best baseball managers, breaking down their strategies and philosophies into bits and bites suitable for a multitude of other businesses. Even corporate types who prefer football, golf, tennis, or other sports over baseball may still walk away from this blog with at least something to think about.

15. Jockish: Jockish is The Onion for baseball fans. Satirizing current news and trends in baseball, fact and fiction collide to create an entertaining commentary on the state of the sport. Come here for the laughs and the parodies, but do not mistake this for a reliable source of information on baseball. While most stories boast some roots in reality, it becomes difficult to find them within a sea of fantasy.

16. MLB Depth Charts : MLB Depth Charts provides consistently updated information on any changes to a team’s roster. Trades, free agency, injuries, and contracts all come into play, and they concern themselves with every organization in the league. Fantasy players and those interested in following all the movements of their favorite teams alike may benefit from the exhaustive work of blogger Jason Martinez. He even invites debates and arguments on his commentary should his research prove less reliable than initially thought.

17. Recondite Baseball : Now unfortunately defunct, the archives at Recondite Baseball nevertheless have much to offer baseball fans. Intriguing lists and statistics draw from baseball’s history as much as its present, rendering its information timeless rather than timely. Writer Theron Schultz combines several of his fevered passions together to provide readers with an astoundingly comprehensive look into baseball’s historical and sabermetric obscurities. Where so many sites focus on the now, Schultz looks at the then in order to dredge up interesting facts and figures threatened by loss to the passage of time. He is open to correction should the research he discovers proves unreliable or false, and he hopes that other baseball fans and historians will find use in the confirmed data.

18. Sabernomics : Economics, baseball, and sabermetrics comprise the core of author J.C. Bradbury’s blog. He methodically calculates the true value of teams and players using a complex formula involving their statistics, determining whether or not they meet, exceed, or fall short of their given value. Beyond that, he looks at many other statistical and economic elements of baseball, including aging rates, why wins should not determine a pitcher’s success, and so much more. Sabernomics stands as required reading for anyone with a love for the subjects Bradbury enjoys discussing and sharing.

19. United States of Baseball : Featuring a preview of a recent book on baseball humor, United States of Baseball provides more than just pithy quips regarding the sport. They present bizarre statistics, provide a number of talking points as well as question and answer sessions, and try to dispel many myths regarding the sport. It makes for a fun, entertaining, and educational resource that takes a more lighthearted stance on the subject matter than many blogs of its ilk.

20. The Hardball Times : Updated daily, The Hardball Times serves as a comprehensive online news source for baseball fans. Like a traditional newspaper, it delves into as many facets of the sport as possible, from sabermetrics to history to trade rumors, everything in between, and probably some things that lay beyond as well. Even fantasy baseball receives a fair amount of coverage to assist those entrenched in the hobby. They even publish a yearly annual for their most ardent readers. Every baseball fan can find something to love and appreciate about this impassioned blog.

21. AaronGleeman.com : As the proprietor of this general interest baseball blog, Aaron Gleeman focuses quite a bit on the Minnesota Twins – however, other teams still receive a reasonable amount of attention as well. He also occasionally shares some of his favorite stories entirely unrelated to baseball and even holds votes for fantasy spokeswomen for the site. But his writing is pretty solid, and Gleeman clearly loves baseball, so purist blog readers still have plenty reason to check him out.

22. Baseball Notebook : Baseball Notebook continues the content of the delightful yet unfortunately now-closed Baseball, Etcetera, which still exists in archive form. Here, retired military postal clerk, newspaper production worker, and platemaker Andrew Godfrey updates daily with interesting posts revolving around baseball history and its present. His relaxed, almost reassuring writing style conveys points and commentary in a manner that even novices can process. Baseball fans with a particular affinity for history and statistics will very much appreciate what Godfrey has to say about the sport.

23. Baseball in Wartime : With the steroid controversies, debates over player salaries, and overarching, frequently addressed fan malaise over the New York Yankees and their repetitive World Series dominance, the storied and fascinating history of professional baseball and its participants oftentimes finds itself pushed under the bleachers. Ignoring the fans’ insatiable lust for drama brought on by decades of needlessly sensationalized media and the cult of celebrity, Baseball in Wartime quietly offers a peek at one aspect of the sport that frequently and tragically finds itself overlooked. Author Gary Bedingfield writes extensively on MLB players and staff who participated in World War II. He combines baseball history with one of the most influential and world-changing events of the 20th century to provide readers with a compelling resource on a time in baseball many rarely have the chance to learn about and understand. Baseball in Wartime is a real treat for anyone nurturing a love of baseball, world history, and the surprisingly frequent intersections between the two.

24. Beyond the Box Score : Baseball fans with a passion for sabermetrics will absolutely love this blog, which places its heaviest emphasis on statistics and matriculation. However, content expands beyond mere numbers, and Beyond the Box Score also keeps track of injuries and the disabled list, baseball history, book reviews, information on international teams, and many other facets of the sport. Comprehensive and intelligent, all baseball fans may find something here catering to their interests.

25. Clem’s Baseball : Stadiums frequently flaunt just as much – if not more – character than the baseball organizations themselves. An exhaustive resource on current, former, and upcoming constructs, prolific blogger Andrew Clem analyzes the architecture of the buildings from an artistic and sociopolitical perspective. He writes extensively on how the stadiums may affect the surrounding community in positive and negative manners, offering some exceedingly insightful and intelligent reading for those who find the subject fascinating. In addition, numerous other articles and photos on elements of baseball beyond its homes abound throughout the site. Keep a keen eye out for news, statistics, and histories as well.

Baseball is a highly nuanced sport, intersecting with art, history, economics, politics, math, and myriad other subjects. These blogs celebrate and showcase how the dearly loved sport both influences and allows itself to be influenced by external disciplines, providing baseball fans with a heightened awareness of everything that goes into it. With something catering to almost every aspect of the sport, baseball fans have plenty of blogs to follow and appreciate when it comes to reflecting as well as nurturing their passion.

With the winter season upon us, the high heating expenses are not far behind. There was a time when the only to combat them was to stay away from the heater and suffer. However, in recent times there have been loads of advances in conservation, efficiency, and technology. Below are 8 painless ways to cut your electric bill that require a little time, less money, and can end up saving you hundreds, or perhaps thousands, of dollars across a short span of time.

1. Strip : According to the experts at Lowe’s, a 1/8″ space between a standard exterior door and its threshold is equivalent to a two square inch hole in the wall. Closing those gaps can save you up to 15% in heating costs and reduce the demand on your heating system. They also offer a guide on how to accomplish this at the beginner level. Only three tools, three materials, and a day is all it requires to weatherstrip your entire home.
2. Dodge The Draft : Cold air can seep in through your front, rear, or any entryway door. One of the best ways to deal with this is to install a draft dodger. As Seen On TV sells one for a considerable price. However, Green Upgrader shows you how to make one of your own at a fraction of the cost. All you need is some fabric and sewing supplies.
3. Find An Outlet : Another way drafts go in and out of the home is through the outlet and outlet covers, particularly the ones along exterior walls. Not to worry, there are special outlet and switch gaskets specially made to significantly reduce drafts. This store sells an entire kit for only $1.94.
4. Insulate : Water needs to be heated in the winter as well, so don’t throw money away by not insulating. If your water heater’s storage tank has a R-value of under R-24, adding insulation can reduce heat loss by 25-45%. The U.S. Department of Energy has tips on how to insulate both electric and gas heated water tanks. There are also other useful related guides.
5. Go Tankless : If you’re in the market for a new water heater, try a tankless one. They create hot water on demand so there’s no stored water needing to be continuously heated. They cost about $200 more than a standard water heater. However, the money you save by cutting your electric bills, especially in winter, can add up to that difference in just a few years. In addition, certain tankless heaters can qualify for up to a $1,500 tax credit.
6. Reflect On It : Radiator reflectors are insulation boards with aluminum or material on one side. When placed on the wall behind the radiator unit, they reflect heat back into the room, instead of allowing the heat to escape. An easy install for anyone looking to cut bills. They are also an inexpensive purchase at a hardware store, or you can make your own.
7. Program the Problems Away : A programmable thermostat allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day, and even different times on different days. Cut your winter electric bills by setting it to automatically lower the temperature when you leave for work and raise it an hour before you return home. The DIY network shows you how to choose one and install it yourself, all in less than two hours.
8. Watch Out For Carbon Monoxide : The leading cause of poisoning accidents in the United States, a common cause of it is poorly maintained heating systems. Also, since the symptoms seem like the flu, it is not taken seriously. This video from WebMD show you how to prevent and detect it. Don’t waste the money you saved on winter electric bills with costly medical ones.

With just a little time and money, you can save an impressive amount of your hard-earned pay by following the tips in these 8 painless ways to cut your electric bill this winter. And since they only have to be done once, these tips can save you tons of money for years to come. All you have to do is decide what to spend all that savings on.