Stats. Giggity!

[blue911]

Why is it not a good benchmark? What would be a better benchmark?

Average Player which is actually definable

[nobleisthyname]

Except for the most part you can't replace a player with an average one. WAR allows you to see what value will be lost on your team if a player should go down and you have to grab a AAAA player to replace him. They've gotten pretty good at defining replacement level anyway.

[blue911]

Except for the most part you can't replace a player with an average one. WAR allows you to see what value will be lost on your team if a player should go down and you have to grab a AAAA player to replace him. They've gotten pretty good at defining replacement level anyway.

Who cares if you can replace the player with an average one? You don't need to create and artificial Replacement Player to judge the value of a major leaguer. In fact by judging them against fellow major leaguers you get a better benchmark. It is much more accurate to say Adam LaRoche had an OPS of .735 while the league average was .773 for all firstbasemen. While OPS wouldn't be used in reformulating WAR, the idea is use cleaner data.

[nobleisthyname]

Who cares if you can replace the player with an average one?

GMs for one.

It is much more accurate to say Adam LaRoche had an OPS of .735 while the league average was .773 for all firstbasemen. While OPS wouldn't be used in reformulating WAR, the idea is use cleaner data.

It seems your real argument is on the accuracy of a "replacement player". Like I said though, the calculators of WAR have gotten very good at calculating what a replacement player is. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/unifying-replacement-level/

[blue911]

GMs for one.

It seems your real argument is on the accuracy of a "replacement player". Like I said though, the calculators of WAR have gotten very good at calculating what a replacement player is. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/unifying-replacement-level/

It's Mitchel Lichtman's argument, not mine. If you think Cameron is in the same class as Lichtman then think whatever.

[nobleisthyname]

It's Mitchel Lichtman's argument, not mine. If you think Cameron is in the same class as Lichtman then think whatever.

1) Dave Cameron is far from the only proponent of WAR. That article is just a summary of recent progress in the calculations of a replacement player.

2) I having nothing against using Wins Above Average. But it's really just another angle of the exact same information and WAR is much more prevalent.

[blue911]

1) Dave Cameron is far from the only proponent of WAR. That article is just a summary of recent progress in the calculations of a replacement player.

2) I having nothing against using Wins Above Average. But it's really just another angle of the exact same information and WAR is much more prevalent.

There are many people that are proponents of an all inclusive rating system, yet there isn't close to a majority that one of the big three (fWAR,BWAR or WARP) are correct. What Lichtman is saying is stop screwing around with the data to make a "replacement" when you can build a cleaner model based upon actual data without excessive modifiers.

[houston-nat]

Just submitted an essay to FanGraphs Community Research. It contains neither graphs nor research. It's rather silly.

[comish4lif]

Just submitted an essay to FanGraphs Community Research. It contains neither graphs nor research. It's rather silly.

Silly sounds more like a Jason Parks piece.

[blue911]

Silly sounds more like a Jason Parks piece.

or Jason Wojciechowski

[HalfSmokes]

so, BP seems to be taking a huge shot at old school love of hustle- the whole piece is worth the read, but the conclusion is:

When you see your new superstar plodding down the line, remember what's at stake: only four singles a season—four singles that could come with a cost in playing time.

http://regressing.deadspin.com/quantifying-robinson-canos-lack-of-hustle-does-it-act-1525478158/@kylenw
(originally from BP, but still behind a paywall there)

[houston-nat]

http://www.fangraphs.com/community/better-stat-awareness-through-acronyms/

My new FanGraphs post!

[Squab]

http://www.fangraphs.com/community/better-stat-awareness-through-acronyms/

My new FanGraphs post!

Well done! I enjoyed it, post was definitely worth 2-3 BEERs.

[PebbleBall]

http://www.fangraphs.com/community/better-stat-awareness-through-acronyms/

My new FanGraphs post!

[wpa2629]

LOL those are hilarious

[nobleisthyname]

http://www.fangraphs.com/community/better-stat-awareness-through-acronyms/

My new FanGraphs post!

Time to show off my cluelessness...

You're Well-Beered Englishman? I always loved that username. Hilarious article too 

[houston-nat]

Two tweets by @EricFisherSBJ:
MLB Advanced Media unveiling at #SSAC14 new analytics system, optical tracking-based, measuring every play on field.
New MLBAM analytics system uses x, y, z coords. to measure movement of ball, every player. Distance, accel., flight/run path, etc

This is revolutionary. This is going to be huge.

You're Well-Beered Englishman? I always loved that username. Hilarious article too 

Thanks! Yup, I've been WBE for a couple years now.

[BrandonK]

Two tweets by @EricFisherSBJ:
MLB Advanced Media unveiling at #SSAC14 new analytics system, optical tracking-based, measuring every play on field.
New MLBAM analytics system uses x, y, z coords. to measure movement of ball, every player. Distance, accel., flight/run path, etc

This is revolutionary. This is going to be huge.

Thanks! Yup, I've been WBE for a couple years now.

Eric Fisher ‏@EricFisherSBJ  2m
New MLBAM analytics system will be tested this yr at Miller Park, Citi Field, Target Field with full MLB rollout for ’15. #ssac14

Awesome!

[Lintyfresh85]

Field f/x?

[Squab]

Two tweets by @EricFisherSBJ:
MLB Advanced Media unveiling at #SSAC14 new analytics system, optical tracking-based, measuring every play on field.
New MLBAM analytics system uses x, y, z coords. to measure movement of ball, every player. Distance, accel., flight/run path, etc

This is revolutionary. This is going to be huge.

I wonder if normal folk will have access to the data?

[Lintyfresh85]

I wonder if normal folk will have access to the data?

According to Brian Kenny, they will.

[varoadking]

Two tweets by @EricFisherSBJ:
MLB Advanced Media unveiling at #SSAC14 new analytics system, optical tracking-based, measuring every play on field.
New MLBAM analytics system uses x, y, z coords. to measure movement of ball, every player. Distance, accel., flight/run path, etc

This is revolutionary. This is going to be huge.

The only stats I care about are wins and losses... 

[blue911]

Field f/x?

Base running also

[Squab]

According to Brian Kenny, they will.

That's really awesome.

[Jordanz Meatballz]

Greatest catches measurable?