Quote: Animalman said: However, I also believe that statistical analysis in baseball is, by far, the best way to objectively evaluate an individual's value, assuming you look at the right stats, in the right context.
i'll agree that, for objective comparison, stat-vs-stat is really the only "fair" judge. but i'll also hold, strongly, that watching player A vs player B, rather than their stats, will often give you a more realistic and appropriate read -- allbeit a more difficult one to debate on message boards.
for example, i'd readily nominate jeter as mvp in most any season, despite (many) others having monumentally higher stat lines.
Quote: Animalman said: Beane hasn't written any books to my knowledge(though he had a book written, in part, about him, by Michael Lewis).
aye, thats the main one i was refering to. "moneyball"
Quote: Animalman said:
Quote: amazingly great players, both. but i can't exactly support the claim that they are clubhouse champions or cubscout den mothers.
I didn't make that claim.
true, but i refuted it all the same, as it is my argument that the intangible aspects of the game that leaders like bernie provide have more merit than it sounded like you had given credit for.
Quote: Animalman said: They were both hitting well in August, and August was a big month for the Yankees, so I give them credit for that. The other side of that coin also applies, though, and over the course of the season(as evidenced by their statlines), they've had more downs than ups.
well, for that argument, matsui has had more downs than any of the four this season (hand asplosion, aside)
Quote: Animalman said:
Quote: and, frankly, i can't accept a point of view that feels their removal isn't disruptive -- even if, in the end, sheff and matsui prove the better pair.
Well, I'm a little perplexed by the notion that something can be disruptive, but better. Maybe it's semantics, but, to me, disruptive implies worse.
nah.
you can hire a bunch of NFL linebackers to be on your college scrimmage team, too, to kick some ass. humorously, even. but it'll still be a disruption to the former team.
Quote: Animalman said: Hurm. Where does that leave Sheffield? Cabrera, Abreu, Damon, Sheffield, Matsui. Even with Matsui DHing, that's four outfielders. Unless Sheffield is hurt to the point where he won't be near ready even by the playoffs, that doesn't seem like a wise move.
sheff, believe it or not, has been training to play first base.
that'd basically be platooning first base, DH, and the entire outfield until one "clicks". and, if i'm not mistaken, this could be put into practice as early as the yanks' next series, against baltimore.
