Pitching, Speed and Defense Win Championships, Right?

by James Kannengieser on Nov 5, 2009 12:30 AM EST

Yankees 2009 team numbers, with MLB rank in parentheses:

Pitching

ERA: 4.28 (11th)
FIP: 4.32 (13th)

Baserunning

Stolen Bases: 111 (11th)
EqBRR: -6.4 (20th)

Defense

UZR: -17.6 (19th)
PADE: -0.39 (13th)

Hmm, not overly impressive. Let's look at some batting numbers:

wOBA: .366 (1st)
OBP: .362 (1st)
SLG: .478 (1st)

The goal is to score more runs than you allow. Hitting, pitching, defense and baserunning are all factors in this run scoring/prevention balance. The Yankees had the 2nd best run differential in baseball this season and they did it without the benefit of great pitching or above average defense. Home runs are not evil and pitching alone does not win championships.

On a personal note I'm glad this nonsense is over. My RSS Feed won't be clogged with stories about Chase Utley being the greatest 2nd baseman of all-time or ex post facto results-based 2nd guessing of Joe Girardi's decision to go with a 3-man rotation. Now we can get down to the offseason business we know and love - trade and free agent rumors, 90% of which turn out to be totally bogus.

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Comments

Pitching, speed, and defense...

and a $200+ million payroll. That’s the most important part.

by BobbyV_Incognito on Nov 5, 2009 12:50 AM EST reply actions

+1

by erich10031 on Nov 5, 2009 1:05 AM EST up reply actions

Or, if you don't have money, grission.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 5, 2009 1:11 AM EST up reply actions

+1000

Gangsta

by Jadden Hopkins on Nov 5, 2009 8:58 PM EST up reply actions

I gotta figure out a way to streamline my RSS.

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

by squid92 on Nov 5, 2009 12:58 AM EST reply actions

At least Utley may finally get the respect he deserves

On the downside, those same people also think that Damon advancing to third was the “turning point” in the game, and one of the smartest plays in world series history.

by vivaelpujols on Nov 5, 2009 4:21 AM EST reply actions

This is true

A couple of the Yankee fans at the card table last night were debating whether Matsui or Damon was the WS MVP, the latter based solely on his base running in Game 4.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Nov 5, 2009 9:29 AM EST up reply actions

Damon had an awesome World Series though

he had two of the best at-bats I can remember in recent World Series memory (both with 2 outs in the 9th inning with the Yankees either tied or losing). He seemed impossible to get out.

"[The Giants] beat us down. We were beat by a grown-man team, a team we want to be like one day. They came in here and took it to us. Out-manned us, out-gunned us. ... It wasn't even close." - Raheem Morris, 9/27/09

by cjmulrain on Nov 5, 2009 10:41 AM EST up reply actions

Irrespective of that:

The discussion I listened to was focused solely on his base running in Game 4. The idea was that his stolen bases were sufficient to cause him to be the MVP. That’s a little bit nuts.

"He's definitely mixing it into his repertoire. That's French for 'repertoire' " - Keith Hernandez

by Catsmeat Potter-Pirbright on Nov 5, 2009 4:13 PM EST up reply actions

Well,

Yankee fans aren’t known for their intelligence, rational thought, or even being semi-cognitive human beings. There mostly known for praising clutchiness and shouting down every argument by saying how many rings their team/player has.

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

by Evan_S on Nov 5, 2009 4:34 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed, James K. Good pitching ALWAYS beats good hitting...

unless it doesn’t. Thanks for the reminder!

by JE on Nov 5, 2009 6:40 AM EST reply actions

Having Mariano Rivera

has made life for Yankee managers so easy over the years. In any playoff game if the yanks had a lead after the 7th the game was essentially over. Along with the extra days off in between series and travel days having a reliever like that while not as important during the regular season gains tons of value in the playoffs.

by MetsKnicksRutgers on Nov 5, 2009 8:28 AM EST reply actions

+1

For using the phrase ex post facto relating to baseball.

You don't cheer for the Mets. You drink for the Mets.

by Kevin H on Nov 5, 2009 8:31 AM EST reply actions

You can build champions with pitching, fielding, and baserunning

but you can only build CHAMPTIONS with gaudy slugging numbers in bandbox stadiums and a team of intolerable jackasses.

by KeithsMoustache on Nov 5, 2009 9:09 AM EST reply actions

+1

these teams are so alike, it’s scary.

Remind me again why the Mets didn’t rebuild the dimensions of Ebbets Field…they copied everything else about it

by cjmulrain on Nov 5, 2009 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

The outside of Citifield is still nicer looking than Yankee Stadium

Haven’t been to Yankee Stadium yet (not that I plan on going) so I don’t know how it is on the inside

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

by Evan_S on Nov 5, 2009 12:16 PM EST up reply actions

it's pretty nice.

you should try it just to see it. go for interleague, just don’t get in a fight.

by fxcarden on Nov 5, 2009 9:22 PM EST up reply actions

I actually like it

not quite as much as Citi Field, but I like the fact that they tried to stay true to the original Yankee Stadium. If you took Lou Gehrig on a time machine and dumped him in front of the two Yankee stadiums side by side and asked him which was the one he played in, he’d probably guess the new one.

by cjmulrain on Nov 5, 2009 9:25 PM EST up reply actions

To me, the fact that it's so similar makes me ask

what’s the point? Yankee Stadium was an iconic stadium, the city is broke, if you’re keeping the same design just keep the same stadium, it’s not like they needed a new one.

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

by Evan_S on Nov 5, 2009 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

luxury boxes and club seats

because, you know, they didn’t have enough money to spend on free agents beforehand

by JoshNY on Nov 5, 2009 11:38 PM EST up reply actions

well

it’s similar to what Yankee Stadium looked like before the Renovation, which was more or less a complete rebuild. This is really the 3rd Yankee Stadium

by cjmulrain on Nov 5, 2009 11:48 PM EST up reply actions

Would've been nice with a short porch in right.

Imagine what a healthy Wright, or Beltran could do with a 300’ right field wall? Or Piazza in his prime…

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Nov 5, 2009 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

i lobby baseball gods

for a half decent Mets season 2010.

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Nov 5, 2009 2:26 PM EST reply actions

Half decent = .500 ?

I lobby for a full ~~decent~~ awesome Mets season 2010.

by Michkin on Nov 5, 2009 2:44 PM EST up reply actions

meaningful games in june

i think that’s the most we can ask for at this point

I.M. Forme
"When you get yourself into trouble is when you feel you have to do something, and then you get yourself in trouble." --Omar Minaya

by itsmetsforme on Nov 5, 2009 2:45 PM EST up reply actions

I'm asking for a healthy 2010,

that will result in meaningful games in September.

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

by Evan_S on Nov 5, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

if we're still relevant by the end of spring training i'll consider it a good start

by KeithsMoustache on Nov 5, 2009 4:29 PM EST up reply actions

June ?

that late ?

I was thinking Memorial Day.

by fxcarden on Nov 5, 2009 7:04 PM EST up reply actions

I was thinking April Fools

"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 Nov 6, 2009 6:39 AM EST up reply actions

James has lobby for a "Queens Bombers" lineup.

by fxcarden on Nov 5, 2009 7:04 PM EST reply actions

"Trade and free agent rumors, 101% of which turn out to be totally bogus"

by Michkin on Nov 5, 2009 7:08 PM EST reply actions

LOL

Just saw this comment after a NY Post article about the Mets challenges in the division next year:

“The Mets need to focus on Pitching and defense. That is what wins games. Glad the Yankees won the series. Maybe we can take some examples from them. When you pay top dollar for players make sure they can deliver.”

Did he actually watch any of the World Series this year?

by cjmulrain on Nov 6, 2009 1:42 PM EST reply actions

I just realized how the Yankees REALLY won the Series...

They did it by sucking up ALL the good Sports Karma in NY.
It’s their fault the Mets had all those injuries!
It’s why the Jets and Giants are suddenly on losing streaks.
Let’s not even talk about basketball.

The Yankees won, and every other sports team in NYC is cursed.

I also blame them for Global Warming. Goddamn Yankees!

by erich10031 on Nov 8, 2009 11:13 PM EST reply actions

No kidding

It makes no sense to compare pitching and hitting across leagues. Of course their pitching will look worse when the non-DH league is thrown in.

The Yankees were tied for 3rd in the AL in ERA, and 4th in SB.

by schmenkman on Nov 9, 2009 4:35 PM EST reply actions

A fair point

but take it a step further and the Yankees’ ERA+ was 100, good for 9th in the AL out of 14 teams. Exactly league average.

by James Kannengieser on Nov 9, 2009 5:02 PM EST up reply actions

ERA+ ?

James, sorry for the ignorance, but what does ERA+ control for? I assume one thing is park factor, and since Yankee stadium was slightly pitching-favorable this year (surprisingly, given all the HRs), that pushes up the ERA+. Is that the only adjustment?

by schmenkman on Nov 9, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions