Tim Kurkjian: Arrieta and Matusz looking good

[atomic]

You do when you look at his CAREER and notice he has a career .851 OPS with RISP and an .854 OPS with RISP and 2 outs as was shown. If you're trying to make the argument that 2011 in that department is what he'll become, I'm more than interested in why you think that, if it's grounded in real analysis. Somehow though, I suspect this is Oldfan throw it against the wall and hope it sticks logic more than anything else.

Why would I call myself Old Fan? I am not old. I am in my 40's. My wife is only 33. I am young fan.

[DrungoHazewood]

How is it cherry picking. I picked stats that matter and picked 3 players randomly. I didn't even look at any other players stats. He is an awful player that you don't need stats to back it up if you actually watched the games.

Performance in almost any split like RISP or runners on or late and close trends toward career averages for almost all players. Mark Reynolds has an .815 OPS for his career, an .851 with RISP, and an .870 with runners on. Andino has a .634 overall, a .608 with RISP, and a .588 with men on. Fielder has a .929 overall, a .900 with RISP, and a .909 with men on.

What all of that really means is that in 2012 it's likely that Reynolds, Andino, and Fielder will hit about as well in clutch situations as in non-clutch situations. Citing single-season numbers with RISP is little better than reading tea leaves or chicken entrails.

[ShaneDawg85]

Why would I call myself Old Fan? I am not old. I am in my 40's. My wife is only 33. I am young fan.

It's a reference a previous poster on this site.

[DrungoHazewood]

Well that is an opinion that could be valid but it wasn't the argument. The argument was Reynolds was more valuable at 3rd because he would have a higher offensive WAR.

If you think that, then I don't think you don't really grasp what the argument is.

[atomic]

It's a reference a previous poster on this site.

I thought people were suggesting I was previously on here as OldFan.

[DrungoHazewood]

It's a reference a previous poster on this site.

A previous poster whose schtick was to constantly yell about how his knowledge from having watched 125 years of Oriole baseball and having been a backup first baseman on his high school team in 1962 was infinitely more valuable than any saber gobbeldy gook. Oh, and get off my lawn you stupid kids.

[DrungoHazewood]

I thought people were suggesting I was previously on here as OldFan.

I think there's enough difference between your polemics and his to make that unlikely.

[atomic]

A previous poster whose schtick was to constantly yell about how his knowledge from having watched 125 years of Oriole baseball and having been a backup first baseman on his high school team in 1962 was infinitely more valuable than any saber gobbeldy gook. Oh, and get off my lawn you stupid kids.

Stats are useful. But you need more than just stats to judge a player. If you were just looking at stats you would under estimate the value of players like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith.

[Can_of_corn]

Stats are useful. But you need more than just stats to judge a player. If you were just looking at stats you would under estimate the value of players like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith.

No you wouldn't since the stats show that Brooks was the greatest defensive third baseman ever and Ozzie Smith was one of the two greatest defensive shortstops ever.

[ShaneDawg85]

Stats are useful. But you need more than just stats to judge a player. If you were just looking at stats you would under estimate the value of players like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith.

Um, no, you wouldn't. If anything, the stats would match what you saw with your own eyes, especially when you consider that in terms of defensive WAR, Brooks Robinson has the highest defensive WAR value of anyone in history. Know whose #4? Ozzie Smith.

[hendu]

I am sad that you have spent your life in your mothers basement. It explains a lot. But get a job and get a girlfriend. Or boyfriend if that is your choice

First of all, he was kidding. Secondly, someone calling your idiotic statement idiotic is worse than you being suggestive about someone's sexual preference, or even worse that it has anything to do with this board? Go away now.

[atomic]

First of all, he was kidding. Secondly, someone calling your idiotic statement idiotic is worse than you being suggestive about someone's sexual preference, or even worse that it has anything to do with this board? Go away now.

I was not suggestive about someones sexual preference. If you found something negative in that statement then it is probably because you are homophobic. So don't put your issues on to me.

[Florida_Osfan]

How does where a player is drafted affect what you think of the guy once he is in the major leagues? It doesn't matter. Plenty of guys in later rounds have become stars. Plenty of players drafted at the top of the first round have been busts.

Calling me the idiot. Most of you don't even go to games but spend you entire life on a message board. And I know what winning teams look like. My first game Brooks was at third and Belanger at Short. Blair in center. And McNally on the mound. It is obvious most you know little about baseball. You undervalue fielding ability. You undervalue making contact and moving the runner along. You don't know the differenance between a quality starter and a guy who isn't major league material.

Look at all you guys supporting Mark Reynolds. He can't field. Has limited range. Terrible clutch hitter. Why do you like him? Because he hits solo home runs when the game is out of reach?

Says the person who has nearly 500 posts in 5 months, that people spend their "entire lives on a message board." Chill out man.

Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. How do you not understand that a 1st round pick is worth the extra effort? How about seeing your investment through? If I'm an organization that gives a player 5mil to sign with my team, I'm sure as heck going to get my money's worth of investment. But I guess your path of tossing perceived garbage onto the waste heap is how you'd deal with it. I'd rather give Matusz his options to see if he develops into the pitcher many scouts predicted he'd become.

And what does Mark Reynolds have to do with Matusz or Arrieta? Where is the logical connection? That people like him? Chicks dig the long ball - and if you don't like him, power to you. But people who haven't gone onto full hate mode would rather give the guy more than a few innings of ST (game 1, day 1) before sticking a fork in him.

[DrungoHazewood]

Stats are useful. But you need more than just stats to judge a player. If you were just looking at stats you would under estimate the value of players like Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith.

You do realize that the stats say that Brooks and Ozzie were average hitters with astounding defense, right? The stats say that Brooks' glove by itself was more valuable than some HOFer's entire contributions as a ballplayers.

[Sports Guy]

You do realize that the stats say that Brooks and Ozzie were average hitters with astounding defense, right? The stats say that Brooks' glove by itself was more valuable than some HOFer's entire contributions as a ballplayers.

Of course he doesn't know that.