Fangraphs: Brady Anderson and Analytics.

[weams]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/brady-anderson-on-analytics/

Anderson, who hit .256/.362/.425 over a 15-year career, isn't your typical ex-player. He spends a lot of time in the clubhouse - his multi-faceted role includes working with hitters - but he's equally comfortable interacting with the analytics department. A stat geek for most of his life, Anderson is well-versed in sabermetrics.

My dad's favorite player was Ted Williams. He was my uncle's as well. I had a poster of Williams' strike zone, with batting averages assigned, hanging on my wall when I was 12 years old. My dad and his family grew up in Los Angeles and my mother and her family are from Marblehead, Massachusetts. so Ted Williams was a frequent topic on both sides of my family. In retrospect its clear that my family's love for baseball, with Williams at the forefront, is the reason I determined that getting on base was the only goal a hitter should have. It was why I adopted that philosophy from a very early age

The number-one factor in the ability to draw walks is power, the ability to drive to ball into the gaps or out of the park with consistency. A player with power and a good command of the strike zone should get on base at a high rate That's why Frank Thomas lead the league in walks, while players like Juan Pierre will not. Factor in Thomas's lack of speed and Pierre?s great base stealing ability and you wonder why Pierre walked as much as he did and why Thomas didn't walk 200 times a year. At least that's what I wondered.

I used to imagine what Thomas would have done had pitchers refused to pitch to him the way they did Bonds. I felt they may have been able to frustrate him in a way that would never have worked with Barry. Barry was never willingly going to chase pitches out of the zone. Not ever. Frank may have, if pitchers had worked around him more.

[weams]

I personally benefited from having enough power to keep pitchers honest, which increased my walk totals. Because I was a base stealer, I got good pitches to hit in situations where true power hitters would not have. I knew my 20-homer power was my ticket to drawing walks and my base stealing ability was a way for me to hit 20-plus homers. So it drove me crazy, and almost prematurely ended my career, when I was given the take sign after getting to a 2-0 or 3-1 count during my first several years in the majors. I got to those hitter’s counts by knowing the strike zone and I didn't need help on what to do after I arrived there.

Brady Anderson VP

[Frobby]

Great perspective from Brady here.

[MdSooner]

I agree with Ted Williams philosophy of just getting on base.

I grew up a huge Reds fan because of Johnny Bench (from Binger, OK)

All those teams cared about was getting on base by any means necessary.

I have 2 Great stories about those Reds teams but are to long to type out.

But one concerns Mr Brooks Robinson (#5) and the world series. Which the Orioles won btw

And my opinion is you can not rely on stats. Stats lie. Either Yogi Berra or Billy Martin in the 70's (iirc) said if one foot is in an ice cold bucket and the other foot is in a hot bucket - you should be feeling fine

[Redskins Rick]

I agree with Ted Williams philosophy of just getting on base.

I grew up a huge Reds fan because of Johnny Bench (from Binger, OK)

All those teams cared about was getting on base by any means necessary.

I have 2 Great stories about those Reds teams but are to long to type out.

But one concerns Mr Brooks Robinson (#5) and the world series. Which the Orioles won btw

You should think about doing it sometime. Post it up in the Oriole History column.

[DrungoHazewood]

Good stuff. I knew, of course, that Brady was a sabermetric darling (women, stat geeks, workout freaks, is there anyone who doesn't like Brady?) as a player but didn't know he had an analytical bent. Kind of a stark contrast to the idea that the O's only hire coaches who teach players to swing hard and often just in case they can reach something.

[weams]

Good stuff. I knew, of course, that Brady was a sabermetric darling (women, stat geeks, workout freaks, is there anyone who doesn't like Brady?) as a player but didn't know he had an analytical bent. Kind of a stark contrast to the idea that the O's only hire coaches who teach players to swing hard and often just in case they can reach something.

Brady is a hidden gem of our organization. If anyone wonders where the clubhouse bond springs from, you do not need to look much farther than Mr. Anderson. His strength training and explosion techniques have improve our conditioning programs from top to bottom. He is well liked by the Angelos family, and for good reason.

[fearthenoodle]

Who would have guessed 20 years ago that it would be Brady Anderson, and not Cal Ripken, who was a future GM in Baltimore.

[Redskins Rick]

Who would have guessed 20 years ago that it would be Brady Anderson, and not Cal Ripken, who was a future GM in Baltimore.

The surfer boy used to use to like to hitch rides on the back of cars, while riding his skateboard.

[DrungoHazewood]

Who would have guessed 20 years ago that it would be Brady Anderson, and not Cal Ripken, who was a future GM in Baltimore.

I assume that statements like "(insert current player) is going to make a great (insert off-field job)" are rarely based on any objective facts. People often say Cal would be a great GM or owner or whatever. Why? What are his philosophies? Does he like to work long hours talking to other GMs, negotiating to obtain obscure minor leaguers? Will he hire the right kind of people, folks knowledgeable on the latest analytical techniques? What does he think of player valuation, and salary structure, and franchise profitability? Usually the answer to all of these questions is "I have no idea, I just think he'd be great in charge of stuff."

[weams]

I assume that statements like "(insert current player) is going to make a great (insert off-field job)" are rarely based on any objective facts. People often say Cal would be a great GM or owner or whatever. Why? What are his philosophies? Does he like to work long hours talking to other GMs, negotiating to obtain obscure minor leaguers? Will he hire the right kind of people, folks knowledgeable on the latest analytical techniques? What does he think of player valuation, and salary structure, and franchise profitability? Usually the answer to all of these questions is "I have no idea, I just think he'd be great in charge of stuff."

Brady Anderson is first to the Clubhouse each morning in the spring.

[Redskins Rick]

Brady Anderson is first to the Clubhouse each morning in the spring.

And as was Cal, first in and last out.

[DrungoHazewood]

Brady Anderson is first to the Clubhouse each morning in the spring.

I have no reason to believe that Brady wouldn't be a good GM. But I also have fairly little to go on that he would be good at it. Lots of people work hard and put in long hours.

[fearthenoodle]

I have no reason to believe that Brady wouldn't be a good GM. But I also have fairly little to go on that he would be good at it. Lots of people work hard and put in long hours.

I think there is some stuff to go on with Brady at this point. In the grand scheme of things, you are right that it is still probably "fairly little", but enough has been written about his contributions in a multitude of areas that I think we can at least have some idea.

[Can_of_corn]

I don't like to look at it as getting on base. I like to think of it as avoiding outs.

I liked this quote.

I had a conversation the other day where someone was explaining that Slugging Average overvalues extra base hits. I thought, well, it simply divides total bases by at bats and gives you a measure. It wasn’t until it was simply added to on base average to come up with OPS that it became overvalued, from which wOBA emerged, which is a brilliant idea.