Comments on: ALCS Preview: The Infields http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/ A New York Yankees Blog Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:34:36 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ALCS Preview: The Bullpen | River Avenue Blues http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626713 ALCS Preview: The Bullpen | River Avenue Blues Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:31:15 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626713 [...] on Friday evening, we’ve been taking our time previewing the series. We’ve already looked at the infielders, the starters, and the managers, so now we’ll hit the relief [...] [...] on Friday evening, we’ve been taking our time previewing the series. We’ve already looked at the infielders, the starters, and the managers, so now we’ll hit the relief [...]

]]> By: Ferb http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626534 Ferb Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:35:01 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626534 Yup, me too. Loved watching it on lifetime with my mom all the time. And then Designing Women came on... ugh. Yup, me too. Loved watching it on lifetime with my mom all the time. And then Designing Women came on… ugh.

]]> By: Don http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626284 Don Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:08:53 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626284 Very good point Chris about the Yanks' edge in overall team defensive efficiency as per the Hardball Times. Very good point Chris about the Yanks’ edge in overall team defensive efficiency as per the Hardball Times.

]]> By: RichYF http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626248 RichYF Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:23:25 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626248 I am pretty sure this will get lost in the shuffle, but I think this is faulty logic. UZR is one measure of defense. Probably one of the only ones available. Does that make it entirely accurate? I guess that depends on how you feel about other statistics that are available that weren't 20 years ago that are respected today (wOBA, the +'s, etc.). I would have to defer to someone much older than myself, but if I said that standard counting statistics were the best way to measure a player's worth, would you agree (AVG, HR, RBI, R, etc.)? Probably not. Mostly because there are other metrics available that look deeper into the actual value of a player. UZR is all that is available at the moment. It is thought of as one of the best (although I think ZR has some merit amongst statisticians). The point is that UZR shouldn't be the tell-all statistic. And citing it shouldn't guarantee anything. It obviously has merit and it obviously gives an argument support, but to think that (as an early metric of defense) it isn't flawed, is faulty logic. UZR tells us that Morales is a probably better fielder than Teixeira, but it's just one portion of the equation. To say that Brandon Inge has as much power as Matsui or Dye because he has similar HR/2B numbers is flawed. We obviously know that SLG is a better judge of power, so we look there and see how low he really is. I honestly don't know if Morales (along with 15 other qualified 1B) are better than Teix at first, but if UZR is correct then it seems that Teix is actually not very good at all at first. One question I have about UZR is how does it deal with shifting? Does it take in to account where the player is positioned? Jeter shades up the middle more this year and I think Teix plays more off the line. Does this matter? I don't have answers, I'm just not 100% sold on any ONE statistic as a measure of ability (without any doubts). I am pretty sure this will get lost in the shuffle, but I think this is faulty logic.

UZR is one measure of defense. Probably one of the only ones available. Does that make it entirely accurate? I guess that depends on how you feel about other statistics that are available that weren’t 20 years ago that are respected today (wOBA, the +’s, etc.).

I would have to defer to someone much older than myself, but if I said that standard counting statistics were the best way to measure a player’s worth, would you agree (AVG, HR, RBI, R, etc.)? Probably not. Mostly because there are other metrics available that look deeper into the actual value of a player.

UZR is all that is available at the moment. It is thought of as one of the best (although I think ZR has some merit amongst statisticians). The point is that UZR shouldn’t be the tell-all statistic. And citing it shouldn’t guarantee anything. It obviously has merit and it obviously gives an argument support, but to think that (as an early metric of defense) it isn’t flawed, is faulty logic.

UZR tells us that Morales is a probably better fielder than Teixeira, but it’s just one portion of the equation. To say that Brandon Inge has as much power as Matsui or Dye because he has similar HR/2B numbers is flawed. We obviously know that SLG is a better judge of power, so we look there and see how low he really is.

I honestly don’t know if Morales (along with 15 other qualified 1B) are better than Teix at first, but if UZR is correct then it seems that Teix is actually not very good at all at first.

One question I have about UZR is how does it deal with shifting? Does it take in to account where the player is positioned? Jeter shades up the middle more this year and I think Teix plays more off the line. Does this matter? I don’t have answers, I’m just not 100% sold on any ONE statistic as a measure of ability (without any doubts).

]]> By: The Ghost of Scott Brosius http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626228 The Ghost of Scott Brosius Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:00:03 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626228 Yeah that person was me. Idk, i like to think I'm an objective and intelligent observer, but I guess I can let passion for my guys color my judgement, at least when i think the other merits are basically even. I guess that kind of slightly biased loyalty is considered quaint these days. Oh well. I'm sticking with tex. Yeah that person was me. Idk, i like to think I’m an objective and intelligent observer, but I guess I can let passion for my guys color my judgement, at least when i think the other merits are basically even. I guess that kind of slightly biased loyalty is considered quaint these days. Oh well. I’m sticking with tex.

]]> By: The Ghost of Scott Brosius http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626216 The Ghost of Scott Brosius Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:50:56 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626216 i don't understand what "better than" even means if it doesn't refer to some kind of impact on the game. That's what I meant by "game-impacting." if you're not better in a way that impacts the game, not the outcome but the game itself, than you are simply not better i don’t understand what “better than” even means if it doesn’t refer to some kind of impact on the game. That’s what I meant by “game-impacting.” if you’re not better in a way that impacts the game, not the outcome but the game itself, than you are simply not better

]]> By: All praise be to Mo http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626185 All praise be to Mo Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:24:56 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626185 Maybe he can pitch the 8th inning too. /Francesa'd Maybe he can pitch the 8th inning too.

/Francesa’d

]]> By: Ed http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626183 Ed Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:20:48 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626183 Yeah, you did give explanations all over this thread. But they came while I was reading the older comments and writing that. Yeah, you did give explanations all over this thread. But they came while I was reading the older comments and writing that.

]]> By: tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626133 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:30:27 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626133 <b>but if you want to defend it [UZR], you probably want to argue that the things it measures are more significant than the things it doesn’t measure. The larger the difference in significance, the better UZR is.</b> I have said that all over this thread, and countless others. UZR measures the most important part of defense. It has flaws, but it's flaws are not significant enough to remove it as the central and predominant way for evaluating defense. but if you want to defend it [UZR], you probably want to argue that the things it measures are more significant than the things it doesn’t measure. The larger the difference in significance, the better UZR is.

I have said that all over this thread, and countless others. UZR measures the most important part of defense. It has flaws, but it’s flaws are not significant enough to remove it as the central and predominant way for evaluating defense.

]]> By: tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside http://riveraveblues.com/2009/10/alcs-preview-the-infields-18425/#comment-626131 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:27:19 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=18425#comment-626131 Tangible, yes. Important? Not very. Not nearly as important as converting balls in play into outs. Tangible, yes.
Important? Not very. Not nearly as important as converting balls in play into outs.

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