Coming to Terms

[Greg Pappas]

At 54-years old, the bulk of my life has been accustomed to traditional stats like Wins & ERA, AVG (BA), HR's & RBI's, with an occasional 'new' stat like OBP & SLG integrated into the mix. This integration was slow and easy to adapt to. Like a new pair of glasses, these stats were better lens' when looking at how to determine a player's value. Now I find myself a bit overwhelmed trying to come to terms with Spin Rate, Swinging Strike Rate, K Rate, etc. It's like cramming for a test you hadn't even studied for. LOL! 

Progress is, by definition, "forward or onward movement toward a destination." This new age of statistical assimilation is progress.  While a bit much at first, in time it will be the new norm.  Such is life... out with the old, in with the new. I have a ways to go to learn it all, but appreciate having a place filled with people who can help with that.  I imagine I'm not alone.

 

[DirtyBird]

The traditional stats are “effect” (or results) stats.

The new stats are “cause” stats.

If you only really care about results, you can ignore all the new stats.

[weams]

18 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

The traditional stats are “effect” (or results) stats.

The new stats are “cause” stats.

If you only really care about results, you can ignore all the new stats.

Very true. I'm not really a big how to get there guy anyway!

[weams]

5 minutes ago, weams said:

Very true. I'm not really a big how to get there guy anyway!

My judgement of how a club is is when they are in some type of playoff. Fighting to advance. You know, in the lottery of MLB postseason. How to get there is somewhat irrelevant. To me of course. 

[weams]

7 minutes ago, weams said:

My judgement of how a club is is when they are in some type of playoff. Fighting to advance. You know, in the lottery of MLB postseason. How to get there is somewhat irrelevant. To me of course. 

Now I love the excitement of that last month getting there, but earning the accolades of national performers and pundits is not part of my need. In fact, I like my chip.

[jabba72]

The different WAR's from different websites, I find myself not wanting to integrate them when forming an opinion. I love the OPS stat. WHIP and K9 I like also. Fip is slowing coming into my consciousness when looking at a pitchers stats 

[Greg Pappas]

9 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

The different WAR's from different websites, I find myself not wanting to integrate them when forming an opinion. I love the OPS stat. WHIP and K9 I like also. Fip is slowing coming into my consciousness when looking at a pitchers stats 

Yeah, those stats came after OBP and SLG, and are have been part of what has become part of normal baseball discussion, though I'm still a bit slow on some (like FiP). These newer terms are the ones I'm struggling with. It'll take time, but I'll get there. 

Exit Velocity is about as simple as it gets... how hard a ball is hit. There really doesn't seem to be a learning curve with that one.

[Dr. Unk]

1 hour ago, Greg Pappas said:

At 54-years old, the bulk of my life has been accustomed to traditional stats like Wins & ERA, AVG (BA), HR's & RBI's, with an occasional 'new' stat like OBP & SLG integrated into the mix. This integration was slow and easy to adapt to. Like a new pair of glasses, these stats were better lens' when looking at how to determine a player's value. Now I find myself a bit overwhelmed trying to come to terms with Spin Rate, Swinging Strike Rate, K Rate, etc. It's like cramming for a test you hadn't even studied for. LOL! 

Progress is, by definition, "forward or onward movement toward a destination." This new age of statistical assimilation is progress.  While a bit much at first, in time it will be the new norm.  Such is life... out with the old, in with the new. I have a ways to go to learn it all, but appreciate having a place filled with people who can help with that.  I imagine I'm not alone.

 

I'm about the same age, and I'm struggling with all of the new analytics, but if it helps us get to the World Series, then I'm all in.

[TommyPickles]

I think OPS is one of the most important stats in the game.

[Greg Pappas]

59 minutes ago, Dr. Unk said:

I'm about the same age, and I'm struggling with all of the new analytics, but if it helps us get to the World Series, then I'm all in.

I hear you.

56 minutes ago, TommyPickles said:

I think OPS is one of the most important stats in the game.

Yes, it's among my favorites now.

[Can_of_corn]

3 hours ago, TommyPickles said:

I think OPS is one of the most important stats in the game.

wOBA fan here.

OPS isn't weighted. 

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

wOBA fan here.

OPS isn't weighted. 

wOBA is definitely better but you can’t easily calculate it yourself and it’s not available anywhere but Fangraphs.   If you look at the slash components of OPS you can get a sense of whether OPS is skewed in a favorable/unfavorable way (e.g., of two players with the same OPS, the one with the higher BA/OBP will usually be the one with the higher wOBA).

[Ruzious]

I'm comfortably numb (Do I have to pay Pink Floyd a quarter for that?) to the fact I'm likely always going to be 10 to 15 years behind in the stats.  But if the glass is half full - that means I'm way ahead of what I used to be.    

WOBA?  Sorry, noba.