Amazin' Avenue: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: Cottagers Confidential for Fulham FC Fans!

Joe Pos shares his love for Theo Epstein using a few quotes from a radio interview where Epstein defends J.D. Drew's value to the Red Sox, despite his lack of RsBI. For example:

"Based on his skill set, he’s always going to have underwhelming RBI totals. I couldn’t care less. When you’re putting together a winning team, that honestly doesn’t matter. When you have a player who takes a ton of walks, who doesn’t put the ball in play at an above average rate, and is a certain type of hitter, he’s not going to drive in a lot of runs. Runs scored, you couldn’t be more wrong. If you look at a rate basis, J.D. scores a ton of runs. And the reason he scores a ton of runs is because he does the single most important thing you can do in baseball as an offensive player. And that’s NOT MAKE OUTS."

I'm sharing this link only because I read stuff like this and I just can't imagine the same type of analysis going down in our own front office. Share my sadness, AA.

5 months ago Hobodan_tiny Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright 11 comments 1 recs  | 

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

exactly

If you want to talk about RBIs at all, talk about it as a percentage of opportunity

I don’t see why these eggheads can’t generate an expected RBI stat, divide a dude’s actual RBI by that, and put an end to this tedious debate once and for all.

If Ichiro batted middle of order for a good OBP team, he would have 100+ RBI every year. But he’s not an “RBI guy.”

"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it on the scoreboard?"

by hotspur on Oct 3, 2009 10:31 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

RBIs are an overrated stat

It’s the runs scored that matters. I could only imagine Omar doing something as incredibly stupid as what I’m about to describe:

Player A bats behind a powerful and feared player B. Player A will always get good pitches down the middle, and since the team’s no. 1 and no. 2 batters are OBP hogs, player A nets 115 RBI.

Omar trades a big player and some more (say Pedro Feliciano and hypothetical minor leaguer Moore Butts) for player A. Player A has no lineup protection, and the no. 1 and no. 2 players are OBP destroyers. Player A slumps horribly, gets booed by everyone, but still goes home with a $7.5 million. Mets lose 100 games for the first time in ages.

Any general manager who targets a player for their RBI production achieves the anti-greatness of an infamous Jim Duquette.

"The picture looked like I was in the dugout, but they got it all wrong. I absolutely was never in the dugout."
- Mr. B.V. Incognito

by sj10689 on Oct 4, 2009 5:31 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Lineup protection has pretty much been debunked

I’m lazy so hopefully someone else can post the articles disproving it.

"We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people."

by Evan_S on Oct 4, 2009 8:07 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Theres certainly cases where lineup protection exists.

Barry Bonds drawing 120 intentional walks in 2004 would certainly be far less likely to have happened if he had more potent hitter behind him. Most of the situations he was walked in were with men on base, would managers have made that move 120 times with A-rod hitting behind him? Did Paul LoDuca see more fastballs when Jose Reyes was on base? According to him he did, and I cant find any data to indicate the opposite (it may exist, but if it does I can’t find it). From what I see watching the game, players batting behind Jose definately see better pitches to hit, offering some form of lineup protection. It may be massively overblown by ESPN, but it does exist.

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Schmidtxc on Oct 4, 2009 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Yeah I agree with you

I’ve seen articles saying protection is a complete fallacy and others (ESPN) swearing it is a major factor in each game. I believe it does exist, but at a relatively minimal level.

"We must win and we must know how to win rather than win because we have statistical people."

by Evan_S on Oct 4, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I don't think the LoDuca thing

is what they mean when they say “lineup protection”

King of the bling come to lay down the evidence//Not George Bush, L-Millz be da president

by Sam Page on Oct 4, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

from the Book blog:

“As you know, we looked at "protection" in The Book, and we do see changes in hitting/pitching approach, but the overall production didn’t really change.

One thing I noticed in The Book is how the #5 hitter hits better than he does in other spots, presumably because the #3 and #4 hitters wore him out. There’s lots of great studies to be done in terms of the on-deck impact. "
I don’t think that protection is a major factor, although there is probably some.

by EtSuKe on Oct 4, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Who doesn't love Epstein?

"I dunno. I never smoked any Astroturf"
-Tug McGraw

by squid92 on Oct 3, 2009 11:23 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

I like how the cigar is right in the middle

"We're investigating the investigative procedure of the investigation of Tony Bernazard"---Omar Minaya (he really didn't say it but he would"

by firejerrynow on Oct 3, 2009 11:36 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

I laughed pi.cturing those words coming out of Omars mouth

"We're just as bad as the old Mets, but this time nobody's laughing"
-Dallas Green

by Schmidtxc on Oct 4, 2009 12:54 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Start posting about the Mets »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

Cbs_fantasy_baseball_promo

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of Amazin' Avenue's choice
The_buddha_by_lord_karsus_small
Mike Pelfrey: He Sucks, Or Are Those Who Say So Schmucks?
Buckner_small
Prospect Smackdown: Davis vs. Freeman vs. Morrison
Screenshot_small
Chris Carter: virtu and fortuna

Recent FanPosts

Small
40-Man Roster Management
Headshot_small
A Quick Poll: Francoeur versus Dukes
Mania_123wx118h_small
ALL-NL CENTRAL TEAM
Orosco_small
Jenrry Mejia poll
Small
Thinking about David Wright's 2010
Small
The Resurrection of Ike Davis

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

FanShots

Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

Recommended FanShots

Who should replace Reyes at the top of the Mets order? MLB The Show offers this hilarious suggestion.
Advice for Jose Reyes.

Recent FanShots

Joe Mauer signs 8 year extension with the Twins
Sean Green's Big Toe
Adam Rubin is leaving the Daily News for ESPNNewYork.com
Josh Fogg to be released
Stephen Strasburg sent to Minor Leagues; You hear that front office?
Mets Top 10 Prospects
Beimel's agent, Joe Sroba: "Talks with #Mets have fallen apart. Beimel is...
Shawn Bowman, Shortstop of 2010
Adam Rubin lobby for Mets opening day roster
Feliciano departs after taking liner off leg

+ New FanShot All FanShots >

Sponsors

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Chicago Cubs pitcher Angel Guzman, center, rubs the head of teammate Carlos Marmol, left, while chatting with Marmol and manager Lou Piniella, right, on the first day of baseball spring training Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010, in Mesa, Ariz. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

SB Nation's 2010 MLB Previews: Chicago Cubs, Seeking Redemption

New York Mets starting pitchers Mike Pelfrey, left, Johan Santana, center, and Oliver Perez watch as teammates take part in drills during spring training baseball Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

SB Nation's 2010 MLB Previews: New York Mets, The High Cost Of Low Expectations

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg throws during the second inning of  a spring training baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, March 9, 2010 in Viera, Fla. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Nationals Send Stephen Strasburg To Double-A Despite Impressive Spring

More from SBNation.com >


THE BIG GUY

Aa_avatar_small Eric Simon

THE INCREDIBLES

Blackfish2_small Alex Nelson

Mos_def_def2_small Sam Page

Aaavatar_small Mark Himmelstein

Best_infield_ever_small James Kannengieser

THE NEWS GURU

Wrightfront_small Joe Budd

THE POET LAUREATE

Hamheadshot__1__small Howard Megdal