Bob Ryan: I don't think the "average" fan cares about advanced metrics in MLB

Considering that baseball announcers talk nothing but pablum and spliffle 75 percent of the time, would it be such a big deal to incorporate the next several tiers of stats during a game, and talk about them during the dead time?

Maybe it's time for baseball announcing to evolve. Maybe it's time for the boys and girls in the production truck to build some cool graphics to give the announcers something new and fresh to talk about during games. A baseball fan who watches baseball on TV is always going to watch baseball on TV so why not feed him new and fresh statistical data to start a new era of conversations.

Sure as hell can't hurt.

 

I'm with you on this.

I would have a lot more respect for Grace had he, for example, started a come-from-behind rally in the bottom of the ninth inning of a World Series Game 7 against the greatest closer in the history of the game to end one of baseball's most hallowed dynasties.

 

I think the dumbest and most off-base criticism I read of sabermetrics from guys like Ryan is that sabermetrics tell you some variation of "what a guy is hitting against left-handed veterans in the rain on Saturday afternoon games where the temperature is above 80 degrees."

In fact, sabermetrics is, in part, a reaction AGAINST such meaningless pablum.

 

I see a problem with Xan's proposal. The introduction of new subject matter involving mathematics would give announcers an infinite amount of opportunities to say MORE wrong things during a broadcast. It's probably better if they stick to what kind of pitch that was, discussions of replays and giving us the home towns of relief pitchers.

 

Maybe you hire a SABR seamhead to join TV/radio crews then.

Would it be so awful?

 

Broadcasting isn't easy. Neither is explaining statistical concepts in the very limited time (it only seems long) broadcasters have between periods of action in a ballgame. Introducing a third man in the booth for numbers could be useful, but it'd be extraordinarily hard to execute successfully. The use of stat-based graphics on TV broadcasts is doable, but I just don't know what you could do for radio.

 

It would guarantee I'd never again watch a game on teevee.

You can decide whether that's "awful" or not.

 

I'm not saying make that person the PBP guy or even the No. 2. Just a third person to offer numbers behind the numbers every so often.

Unless you like John Sterling masturbating into the mic 3 and a half hours a day.

 

I don't know. No offense, but to me that idea has "glowing puck" written all over it.

 

Brought to you by the good people of Kleenex

 

You just can't predict SJ posters, Suzy.

 

John you really creamed that one