Stop with the Analytics Questions

[DrungoHazewood]

11 hours ago, hoosiers said:

These are the analytics questions I would like to see answered:

- How many people do you intend to hire into the Analytics group under Sig?  How many do we have now?  How long until we expect to have all positions in the group hired?

- Will you attempt to first re-create the databases of information you had in Houston?  Approximately how many databases/systems of analysis will you try to re-create?  What systems are they (assuming one database/system for draft prospects, one for minor leaguers and one for major leaguers and perhaps a database/system of information to point out weaknesses/strengths of our players and opposing players?  How long will it take to get each system/database in place?  Most generally, how long until you will have the same information at your fingertips as the GM had in Houston?

And how much can they leverage open-source or commerically available data to catch up?

[jamalshw]

Analytics is nothing more than an analysis of data and information. It's right there in the word. GMs, owners and coaches have been using stats and information (scouting and otherwise) to make decisions since the advent of the sport. Analytics isn't new. The term may be and the way the data is analyzed and leveraged is the key. I think it's best to think of analytics as a method of decision making. We always make decisions based on information and data, the problem is when we make a purely "gut" decision that information is usually skewed to what we may have seen in a small sampling or what we believe to be true. Often, we find information that backs up preconceived notions rather than looking for an using information that contradicts. That's the more valuable information.

Really, the one think I want out of Sig and company in terms of analytics is a more systematic way of analyzing and using the information. That means the statistics and metrics as well as the scouting information and all other information available. 

If we're going to get constant questions about analytics asked, lets make them actually make sense. As how we're planning to blend hard statistics with scouting in player acquisition and development decisions. Ask about the tools that are going to be used to help synthesize the information into useable data. Asking if analytics are important and how important they are is meaningless. It's important. It's always been important. We've always used and analyzed information. We're--hopefully--going to be doing that differently going forward. That's the important part. 

 

[DrungoHazewood]

9 minutes ago, jamalshw said:

Analytics is nothing more than an analysis of data and information. It's right there in the word. GMs, owners and coaches have been using stats and information (scouting and otherwise) to make decisions since the advent of the sport. Analytics isn't new. The term may be and the way the data is analyzed and leveraged is the key.

I agree with your whole post.  But to focus on the quoted part, the primary difference between today and 100 years ago is that today we have instant access to unbelievable amounts of data that can be leveraged to advantage, and needs to be because the competition is doing this and doing it better all the time.

In 1940 it was quite an effort to try to figure out who the all time top 25 in doubles was.  Most of the reason Tommy McCarthy is in the Hall of Fame is that nobody had access to his career numbers and how they compared to anyone else.  There were players in the pre-WWII era who didn't know when they got to a big career milestone like 3000 hits or 300 wins.

[weams]

44 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I agree with your whole post.  But to focus on the quoted part, the primary difference between today and 100 years ago is that today we have instant access to unbelievable amounts of data that can be leveraged to advantage, and needs to be because the competition is doing this and doing it better all the time.

In 1940 it was quite an effort to try to figure out who the all time top 25 in doubles was.  Most of the reason Tommy McCarthy is in the Hall of Fame is that nobody had access to his career numbers and how they compared to anyone else.  There were players in the pre-WWII era who didn't know when they got to a big career milestone like 3000 hits or 300 wins.

 

[wildbillhiccup]

17 hours ago, baltfan said:

Jeez, I have watched multiple MASN interviews with Elias and Sig.  stop asking, “How important is analytics.”  Asked and answered. 

How about these questions:

How do you go about filling out a scouting and coaching staff this late in the season?

How many scouts do you believe you need? 

What parts of the farm system do you believe need the most work?

Is there someone you are looking to have work with Davis?

has Bobby Dickerson been considered to stay in the organization?

 

 

I'd be fine with it if the reporters actually did their homework and dug deeper (i.e, do you plan to implore more shifts? will you be targeting players with a high OB%, etc.) but I'm convinced that to most of them analytics is just a buzz word and they have no idea what it actually means in relation to baseball. 

[nadecir]

Besides "analytics" is rather old news already, machine learning and artificial intelligence is the new up and coming in-thing in baseball.

Imagine computers watching thousands and thousands of baseball, trying to determine what small factors that give insight to the best prospects or the best way to play the game.  Things like can a 16 year old prospect hit an 86 mph slider with a significant spin rate down in the count with a high outgoing velocity, and whether this is predictive of whether this prospect can be successful in the majors at 22.  Or do you get better results by moving your center fielder two feet in on a 2-2 count to certain hitters in a tie game with no outs in the 8th innings with a relief pitcher who has a average 92 mph fastball?  

Baseball data is easy to find everywhere now.  The easy stuff is common knowledge - things like defensive shifts against hitters, very young players becoming better and even more valuable, etc. etc

The upcoming revolution is baseball is more use of artificial intelligence in decision making. Computers can watch a lot of baseball, analyze all sorts of data from the videos, and then figure out the small things that make a really big difference.  The baseball organizations that discover these small things that are most likely to produce the best outcomes will be the most successful.  The idea for any organization is to discover them first.

[Redskins Rick]

37 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I'd be fine with it if the reporters actually did their homework and dug deeper (i.e, do you plan to implore more shifts? will you be targeting players with a high OB%, etc.) but I'm convinced that to most of them analytics is just a buzz word and they have no idea what it actually means in relation to baseball. 

I am probably not the average baseball fan.

But, I prefer less chatter from the announcers who are trying to prove how smart they are.

Leave the stats to the popup screen folks, which is helpful for those times, I am watching the big screen at Buffalo wild wings or Greene Turtle.