Great Moments in Selection Bias

Yesterday, the Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers opined -- ridiculously, I noted -- that the Cubs should waive Carlos Zambrano. Tribune readers agree: Your team wants Carlos Zambrano? Go ahead, take him. That's what I proposed after Zambrano turned in another knuckleheaded performance on Sunday at U.S. Cellular Field. I suggested Cubs GM Jim Hendry put him on waivers and essentially give him away if any team would take on his salary. It struck many as a radical idea, but not most. To my great surprise, I am in the majority on this one. The Tribune received more than 11,000 responses to a reader poll, and 57.2 percent of you agreed with me. I wouldn't crow if I were you, Phil. To vote in that poll, you had to have read to the end of your column first. Such a sample is, by definition, unscientific inasmuch as it ensures that only blithering idiots will respond.Click here to learn about THT's download subscriptions.