“When you are more focused with how other people are practicing their faith than how you are practicing it yourself, you have gone down the wrong path.” – Rany Jazayerli

Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) is a Chicago-area dermatologist, sportswriter, and co-founder of the Baseball Prospectus website. In 1998 he developed the statistical concept of Pitcher Abuse Points (PAP), which evaluates the impact of high pitch-counts in baseball.

In this episode of Deviate, Rolf talks to Rany about growing up the son of Syrian immigrant parents in Wichita (3:40); Rany’s move to Saudi Arabia at a young age, and his relationship with Islam, Syria, and America (14:30); the renowned 19th century Arab religious and military leader Abd el-Kader (19:00); perceptions and realities surrounding the Islamic faith and its place in American society (27:00); and Rany’s predictions for the upcoming baseball season (47:30).

For more recent articles from Rany, check out his Ringer article archive.

Notable Links

• A plea for tolerance, by Rany Jazayerli (ESPN article)
• Does This Suit Make Me Look Terrorist To You? (This American Life segment)
• Rany on the Royals (baseball blog)
• K.C. Masterpiece, by Rany Jazayerli (Grantland article)
• The Sweet Superstition of Rooting for the Royals, by Rolf Potts (Atlantic essay)
• Kansas City Star oral history of the 2014 AL Wild Card game
• David Schoenfield (ESPN editor)
• Obama’s Biggest Mistake, by Rany Jazayerli (Ringer article)
• Abd el-Kader and the Massacre of Damascus, by Rany Jazayerli (essay)
• Commander of the Faithful, by John W. Kiser (book)
• Emir Abd el-Kader (religious and military leader)
• Elkader, Iowa (town named for Abd el-Kader)
• Al-Assad regime (Syrian ruling family)
• Sunni Islam (denomination of Islam)
• Wahhabism (Islamic doctrine and religious movement)
• Nation of Islam (African-American religious movement)
• Dave Chappelle (American Muslim comedian)
• Lupe Fiasco (American Muslim rapper)
• Anti-Catholicism in the United States
• Islamophobia in the United States
• Mao II, by Don Delillo (novel)

The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel’s 2017 album Lumber.

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