MLB 2018 regular season thread

Who would you rather have?

* 59 homers, 132 RBIs, .281 avg, 1.007 OPS, 168 hits, 32 doubles and triples combined

* 31 homers, 113 RBIs, .318 avg., .897 OPS, 214 hits, 47 doubles and triples combined

 

The RBI differential is what makes that decision an easy one ...

 

Yeah I'm not sure that's exactly the case study that demonstrates the issue, Songbird.

 

I'm trying to see what the issue is for those who hate the stat.

I don't say it's an end-all be-all stat. But it's certainly not a dinosaur stat.

 

It’s right there with Wins and saves.

 

Have we not tried to explain it? To review, it doesn't tell us anything about player performance that other stats that isolate player performance do not, and it introduces a high risk of unreliability due to (1) its dependence on the performance of other players; and (2) fluctuations within small sample sizes.

 

No, show me some data.

Fluctuations within small sample sizes? Your erection for small sample sizes is large lately.

If Player A has 324 at-bats with runners on base, is that a "small sample size"?

 

It’s also lineup dependant.

 

I acknowledge that.

 

In 1994, Tony Gwynn batted .298 with runners in scoring position and .394 overall.

In 1997, Tony Gwynn batted .459 with runners in scoring position and .372 overall.

 

The question isn't whether or what it captures, but is what it captures significant. As you acknowledge by stating it is dependent on situation, it isn't significant. Players do not have an ability to hit for RBIs, the have the ability to hit for power and not make outs so those things are more significant and are better measures of talent and contribution.

 

Not sure what I should take from this.

Though I looked and in '94 (134 PA's) he had 47 RBIs with RISP and in '97 (179 PA's) it was 99 RBIs.