What do you think about all the analytics in today's game?

[Chewbaccer]

Personally, I think a lot of them are useful, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't take in all information available to you and give yourself the best chance to win accordingly. Defensive shifts if done right save a lot of hits.

There's a lot of it I don't like and don't agree with though.

For one, I'll never agree that a strikeout is just another out. If the bases are empty, then yeah, there's not much difference between striking out and having a home run robbed. You have a runner on third with 1 out and the infield playing back, that groundball to short is a whole lot more desirable. Plus putting the ball in play forces the defense to make a play. I'd like to see the number of batters that reach base via error per year compared to the number that reached on a wild pitch on strike 3.

And I don't like that a lot of starting pitchers aren't being allowed to face a lineup for the third time. Yeah, if the pitch count is up there, if if the guy is laboring, take him out, but if he;s still dealing with a reasonable pitch count, stay with the hot hand.

And when you talk with some of the extreme nerds, they'll tell you that there is no such thing as clutch. I can't even begin to describe how wrong that is.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

I like the analytics. they may overdue it sometimes but personally i think thats better then doing not enough

 

[Voltaire26]

Personally, I think a lot of them are useful, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't take in all information available to you and give yourself the best chance to win accordingly. Defensive shifts if done right save a lot of hits.

There's a lot of it I don't like and don't agree with though.

For one, I'll never agree that a strikeout is just another out. If the bases are empty, then yeah, there's not much difference between striking out and having a home run robbed. You have a runner on third with 1 out and the infield playing back, that groundball to short is a whole lot more desirable. Plus putting the ball in play forces the defense to make a play. I'd like to see the number of batters that reach base via error per year compared to the number that reached on a wild pitch on strike 3.

And I don't like that a lot of starting pitchers aren't being allowed to face a lineup for the third time. Yeah, if the pitch count is up there, if if the guy is laboring, take him out, but if he;s still dealing with a reasonable pitch count, stay with the hot hand.

And when you talk with some of the extreme nerds, they'll tell you that there is no such thing as clutch. I can't even begin to describe how wrong that is.

I think I agree with you post 100%. Also, sometimes managerial instinct comes into play. Two years ago the analytics people were saying Justin Verlander's career was over. Analytics is a tool to be used in conjunction with others to get the best probable result.

 

[StanMarsh51]

I think I agree with you post 100%. Also, sometimes managerial instinct comes into play. Two years ago the analytics people were saying Justin Verlander's career was over. Analytics is a tool to be used in conjunction with others to get the best probable result.

Verlander's an anomaly however...I mean, how many starters pitch better from ages 33-35 than ages 30-32? You just can't reasonably expect that, and he's done it.

 

[Indrid Cold]

Is Verlander the new Clemens?
Jeez, wouldn't that be depressing...

I enjoy analytics a lot, but you also need to sit and watch the games. I have most of the Bill James Baseball Abstracts as well as the Historical Abstract...the great thing about the HA is that it is just chock full of great stories. James' essay about Ernie Lombardi is a masterwork and opened my eyes to a very possible link between Willard Hershberger's suicide and Lom's attempts to end his life after his baseball career had ended.

 

[Voltaire26]

Verlander's an anomaly however...I mean, how many starters pitch better from ages 33-35 than ages 30-32? You just can't reasonably expect that, and he's done it.

That just it, everyone has to be taken on their own merit. Analytics are useful in predicting or assessing risk, but in the end manger instincts are necessary for success.