Bad Baseball Statements

[NAHSTE]

Damn. I didn't realize Heyward was so shitty this year.

He had a really slow start then missed a month after his appendix was removed. Since then he's been solidly above average, and he's been raking in June (.297/.350/450). He was having some really bad batted ball luck early on in the year which has started to correct itself somewhat - had a .343 BABIP in June and his season figure is still in the .240s.

Besides the hilarious aspect that he went 2-3 with a 2RBI double and the go-ahead homer last night, it's a really bizarre time to write an attack piece on Heyward. He's been on a tear anyway, and this was about the time last year that it clicked for him. Was batting .233 at the start of last June, then hit .348 with 6 HR over the next month and never looked back.

[NAHSTE]

Since that column was posted on Monday, Heyward is 7-15 with 1 HR, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R ... and Jeff Francoeur was DFA'd by the Royals.

Exact same careers paths, though.

[Pitty]

Since that column was posted on Monday, Heyward is 7-15 with 1 HR, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R ... and Jeff Francoeur was DFA'd by the Royals.

Exact same careers paths, though.

Uptons still suck doe.

[FirstTimer]

"There is no cause for concern over Starlin Castro's slump/regression"
-CCS Beisbol Forum

[Villain]

Since that column was posted on Monday, Heyward is 7-15 with 1 HR, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 4 R ... and Jeff Francoeur was DFA'd by the Royals.

Exact same careers paths, though.

People had been making that same Francouer/Puig analogy two weeks ago. We get it, small-sample-size blah blah blah. You can't use Jeff Francouer to invalidate every player's hot start.

[NAHSTE]

From the shoutbox ...

he also has similarities to Bo Jackson, except that his start has been better and he's a superior physical specimen. why didn't you post those?

well he's taller and weighs more. just about the same amount of speed....

Should be fairly obvious who is responsible for such asinine claims.

[Slateman]

"Gold glove caliber defense"*

Look, I consider GG defense and elite defense to be the same. To me, elite puts you in the top 10% at your position. So, the two or three best at that position. This is, surprisingly, few people, yet every fan of every team claims that some player plays "GG caliber defense." No, you idiot, they play good defense. Maybe they play very good defense. But chances are, they aren't the best at their position.


I hear this shit all the time, especially about a guy like Danny Espinosa. He's a very good defender at second base. He's never once placed in the top 5 of UZR or DRS. He is very good, no question. Has a strong arm, and lots of range. But he isn't the best. He isn't elite. He doesn't play "Gold Glove caliber" defense, so stop saying it, mkay?


* I'm ignoring the fact that the GG is little more than a popularity contest. How else do you explain Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutcheon, and Adam Jones getting GGs over Chris Young, Michael Bourn, and Mike Trout?

[NAHSTE]

"Gold glove caliber defense"*

Look, I consider GG defense and elite defense to be the same. To me, elite puts you in the top 10% at your position. So, the two or three best at that position. This is, surprisingly, few people, yet every fan of every team claims that some player plays "GG caliber defense." No, you idiot, they play good defense. Maybe they play very good defense. But chances are, they aren't the best at their position.


I hear this shit all the time, especially about a guy like Danny Espinosa. He's a very good defender at second base. He's never once placed in the top 5 of UZR or DRS. He is very good, no question. Has a strong arm, and lots of range. But he isn't the best. He isn't elite. He doesn't play "Gold Glove caliber" defense, so stop saying it, mkay?


* I'm ignoring the fact that the GG is little more than a popularity contest. How else do you explain Matt Kemp, Andrew McCutcheon, and Adam Jones getting GGs over Chris Young, Michael Bourn, and Mike Trout?

I think I have a post somewhere in this thread on the "Gold Glove caliber" label as well, it's thrown around all the time by Braves fans when evaluating Freddie Freeman, which make it even more hilarious since he's below average defensively.

[Warner2BruceTD]

From another board...

So other than wins and allowing less hits (both significantly), and a shakier bullpen, Felix is better. Hmmm.

The problem with basing your whole argument and analyzing stats to the extent you have done with era+ and ballpark stuff is that you fall into a hole and lose the element of subjectivity. Which baseball is the most subjective of all major sports. How much is dependent on matters out of a particular pitchers hand?

I would argue it is easier to pitch in Seattle. Less stress. Klieg lights a whole lot less bright. It's 10Pm on the east before half of their games start

Having to spend so many nights in or near Detroit has to also effect mentality. Compare the two cities crime rates and even look at clean air reports. Have statistical models accounted for that?

Who has won bigger, more important, games? Has a model been developed to give weight to a game based upon how "big" it was? Certainly pitching in front of 20k fans against the Astros in a meaningless game between two sub .500 teams should mean less than a stout road performance in a pennant race. Even if in that game while garnering a no decision Felix allowed one less walk

Don't get me wrong. Bill James and sabermetrics have their place but the danger is losing sight of common sense stuff and falling way too far into a statistical hole

Yes, he cited Detroit's crime rate & lack of clean air as a factor in the Cy Young race. And he wasn't trolling.

[NAHSTE]

Having to spend so many nights in or near Detroit has to also effect mentality. Compare the two cities crime rates and even look at clean air reports. Have statistical models accounted for that?

Having to spend so many nights in or near Detroit has to also effect mentality. Compare the two cities crime rates and even look at clean air reports. Have statistical models accounted for that?

Having to spend so many nights in or near Detroit has to also effect mentality. Compare the two cities crime rates and even look at clean air reports. Have statistical models accounted for that?

[Primetime]

By far one of the best things I've ever read. Thank you for blessing me with these current feels.

[Warner2BruceTD]

From the Reds comment section:

Can someone tell me what is wrong with Joey Votto? For over month, he has been playing like he is in dream land. Sometimes, he appears to want to be anywhere other than in a baseball park. I even thought that maybe he is in love. You know when young men fall in love, their minds are everywhere, but where they should be. I was there once

Have you ever seen a team with no gas, just pathetic, lackluster to say the least, what more can I say, In the clutch - strike out or double play is the name of this team. Bruce - SO, Votto - Judy hitter and begs for walks. Where's the RBI man to bat them in? With Votto's money - one would hope that he would stop umpiring while batting - foul off the close ones and make the pitcher pitch. As far as the Reds swinging at the first pitch - wouldn't it be nice to see what the pitcher has or hasn't. Swinging at the first pitch doesn't help your hitting - just helps the pitcher! Oh boy, need new blood in there! What can I say....

Should have kept Alonso.

[NAHSTE]

WAR blows.

I remember SC this year after the Cards signed Beltran trying to spin how they mightnot miss Pujols since Beltran and Pujols had similar WAR's last season.

WAR IMO is built on subjective metrics that ignore massive amounts of context.

Good thread would read again.

[Woy]

https://twitter.com/JoshDBresser

Mostly everything this guy says. He's a real hoot when the Reds are struggling early in the season.

[Warner2BruceTD]

https://twitter.com/JoshDBresser

Mostly everything this guy says. He's a real hoot when the Reds are struggling early in the season.

https://twitter.com/mrnewspaperguy/status/457964796697411584