2010 MLB Season Discussion

[Cephius]

It's actually the Tigers with 37 errors. The Phillies are 19th with 28. There are really no good metrics to rate team defense, if you want to go by fielding percentage, the Twins are on top and the Phillies are 11th, and the Marlins are the worst. But with the way errors are handed out (you actually have to touch the ball to be assigned an error, lapses in judgement or balls that are simply missed aren't counted) there's really no way to judge it other than with your eyes.

[Conrad]

It's actually the Tigers with 37 errors. The Phillies are 19th with 28. There are really no good metrics to rate team defense, if you want to go by fielding percentage, the Twins are on top and the Phillies are 11th, and the Marlins are the worst. But with the way errors are handed out (you actually have to touch the ball to be assigned an error, lapses in judgement or balls that are simply missed aren't counted) there's really no way to judge it other than with your eyes.

Thanks. I'm not too well-versed in sabermetrics, and I haven't even tried to get into the defensive equations, but it does seem that it's harder to measure defensive stats than offensive ones since they're less quantitative.

[Trichocyst]

That's where the Phillies really miss Jimmy Rollins (and yesterday Placido Polanco). He just doesn't make those same kind of errors, or mental errors.

[Cephius]

For people who wonder why the Yankees and Mets are always on primetime, the Saturday game got the highest Fox rating since 2007, and the Sunday ESPN game got the highest ratings since Mike Piazza got beaned in the head. People watch... and not just in NYC apparently.

[Headspace]

Well they have huge fanbases, there's just fans of other teams who hate seeing the same teams...every single fucking week.

[*Shinzon*]

For people who wonder why the Yankees and Mets are always on primetime, the Saturday game got the highest Fox rating since 2007, and the Sunday ESPN game got the highest ratings since Mike Piazza got beaned in the head. People watch... and not just in NYC apparently.

They're big market teams that can both be very entertaining to watch. Even though people don't want to admit it sometimes, the mets have a really large fan base, especially in FL. It's why the subway series is so special. That call by john miller last night on the Arod strikeout was great btw. I think I've watched it 4 or 5 times lol. I fucking hate joe morgan though, guy doesnt know shit. Like apparently how Santana has a curveball.

[Bozo]

That's where the Phillies really miss Jimmy Rollins (and yesterday Placido Polanco). He just doesn't make those same kind of errors, or mental errors.

None of the regulars had an error yesterday. I think Shane should have caught that triple but I guess that leans more towards sabermetrics.

In the long run though, the Phillies are one of the best defensive teams.

[Cephius]

Really, defense is where Sabermetrics simply fails next to a good baseball eye who watches the plays. Things like zone rating and defensive win shares are decent for giving an overall idea at how good a player is at his position, but there are simply too many factors that are unquantifiable.

For example, defensive stats don't take positioning into account, so if Chawlie tells Polanco to hug the line and he misses a ball to his left, his stats take a hit when in reality he was positioned poorly by his manager. Tex's UZR is well below average but anyone watches him knows he's an elite fielder. There's no way to calculate the relative difficulty of a defensive play, the jump an outfielder gets, a 1B who saves an error with his glove... etc.

[Cephius]

Steve Phillips thinks the Nationals should trade Steven Strasburg for Roy Oswalt.

This man used to be the GM of the Mets.

[Moss]

bahahahaha that is idiotic

[Vagrant]

Steve Phillips thinks the Nationals should trade Steven Strasburg for Roy Oswalt.

This man used to be the GM of the Mets.

And that is exactly why he used to be the GM of the Mets and has been out of work ever since.

[Bozo]

Really, defense is where Sabermetrics simply fails next to a good baseball eye who watches the plays. Things like zone rating and defensive win shares are decent for giving an overall idea at how good a player is at his position, but there are simply too many factors that are unquantifiable.

For example, defensive stats don't take positioning into account, so if Chawlie tells Polanco to hug the line and he misses a ball to his left, his stats take a hit when in reality he was positioned poorly by his manager. Tex's UZR is well below average but anyone watches him knows he's an elite fielder. There's no way to calculate the relative difficulty of a defensive play, the jump an outfielder gets, a 1B who saves an error with his glove... etc.

I agree and really don't follow sabermetrics too much. But of course there will almost always be some stat freak to try and prove you wrong.

[Trichocyst]

Steve Phillips thinks the Nationals should trade Steven Strasburg for Roy Oswalt.

This man used to be the GM of the Mets.

He also thought this was a good idea:

http://celebdailyphoto.files.wordpre...ley-photos.jpg

Oh mandatory Scott Kazmir mention.

[Moss]

I agree and really don't follow sabermetrics too much. But of course there will almost always be some stat freak to try and prove you wrong.

UZR(ultimate zone rating) is actually a pretty good stat. iirc 1B is recognized as one of its shortcomings, but it does well with the other positions except C and maybe P

[Vagrant]

Oh mandatory Scott Kazmir mention.

Now I can't stand Steve Phillips but to be fair you can't blame Kazmir on him. He was fired well before that trade happened. It was Jim Duquette that made the Kazmir trade.

[Akiyama]

He also thought this was a good idea:

http://celebdailyphoto.files.wordpre...ley-photos.jpg

Oh mandatory Scott Kazmir mention.

God that is one ugly bitch

[Moss]

but that's the hot intern!

[Cephius]

I dunno if anyone has noticed but Scott Kazmir sucks balls now and is about 2 bad starts from being placed in the bullpen. Dude just lost his velocity. He just throws 91... and is still wild.

[Viq]

Sox are now 6-2 in their last eight. Those eight games just happen to have been against the Yankees, Twins, Phillies and Rays. Hopefully they can parlay this into a more sustained stretch of solid play when they get back to play scrubs in a few days.

[Akiyama]

as usual, massive lol for people who are quick to jump and bury teams about 45ish games into a 162 game season. While the Sox are a bit far back, and the Yankees are struggling.. you'd still have to assume the Rays keep up this wtf pace of winning. I'm sure somehow, the Sox will still find a way in.

And yeah, they are looking a lot better. Beckett needs to get healthy.