Stat-friendly and stat-unfriendly baseball writers

[Versatile]

I'm as big of a stat lover as there is

Given everything else in that post, do you believe your own line?

 

[Songbird]

Yes, but even I know my limits and just want to sit and veg and watch simple baseball sometimes.

 

[buckweaver]

I've wondered if the SABR diehards watch baseball for the fun of it anymore or if every little thing about the game now is stat-oriented. Or were they always wired to be stat-obsessive?

Sigh.

As I have said repeatedly, the "SABR diehards" watch more baseball and enjoy more baseball than anyone I have ever met in my entire life.

And yes, the stats are part of what makes baseball fun to us.

Why are you sighing? It's a legitimate question.

When Johnny Lukewarm hits into a double play with the bases loaded are the SABRs already calculating the infinite number of stats involved or just vegging to see what the next batter does?

I'm as big of a stat lover as there is, but sometimes you just wanna watch a pitch and a swing and a glove dude make a play without thinking of 42 instant stats.

And JC, that's correct: They watch a helluva lot more, but at some point does their scientific mind take over and they forget the simplistic beauty of the game?

Edit: "a" legitimate.

Sorry, dude. This question makes no sense to me.

 

[JC]

I think people can enjoy the game in a lot of different ways. I imagine the number crunching and stat breakdown is done after the game.

Although I am always defending the numbers side of these debates, I honestly don't get to deep into WAR and a lot of the new stats. I just can't stand when people dismiss things because they don't or are too lazy to try to understand them. That is not directed at you XAN.

 

[Songbird]

JC, I wouldn't take it as anything directed toward me.

And if you don't understand it, Buck, then I can't explain it any clearer and perhaps not every question is meant to be answered.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Although I am always defending the numbers side of these debates, I honestly don't get to deep into WAR and a lot of the new stats. I just can't stand when people dismiss things because they don't or are too lazy to try to understand them.

As noted earlier, this is kind of where I'm at, too.

And this is directed at Xan (although in a non-aggressive way):

I reject two of your premises:

(1) That "vegging out" necessarily equals "enjoyment;
(2) That the game's "beauty" lies in its "simplicity." Quite the contrary, for me.

 

[Songbird]

Eh. Some days your mind likes getting lost in the stats, other days you just want to watch the guys play ball.

Most days both.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Eh. Some days your mind likes getting lost in the stats, other days you just want to watch the guys play ball.

Most days both.

I can't "veg out" and enjoy something.

I have to be engaged.

That might be stats.

That might be in-game tactics.

That might be carefully watching hitting and pitching mechanics.

Usually all of the above, simultaneously.

There are a lot of tools in my baseball-watching toolbox.

 

[Songbird]

VORP -- Vegging Over Replacement Priorities -- is in my toolbox but sparingly used.

 

[Dick Whitman]

I shouldn't say I never kick back and enjoy it in a very casual way.

I actually really enjoy watching games with my son and explaining what's going on in very simple terms as he begins to understand sports. Particularly this sport.

It spawns unexpected delights. This summer, there was a play where A.J. Pierzynski was tagged out at home plate. He thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. So now, whenever we play baseball, I always have to tag him out at home plate after he runs around the house, i.e. "the bases."

Fun to watch the game through a child's eyes.

 

[Norrin Radd]

I've wondered if the SABR diehards watch baseball for the fun of it anymore or if every little thing about the game now is stat-oriented. Or were they always wired to be stat-obsessive?

Sigh.

As I have said repeatedly, the "SABR diehards" watch more baseball and enjoy more baseball than anyone I have ever met in my entire life.

And yes, the stats are part of what makes baseball fun to us.

My father is a massive baseball fan. He hates statistics.

He instead spends the whole game analyzing how the dudes are playing physically, how they square their shoulders to throw and "show their hip pocket!" because he wants to put this in motion on the stupid softball field. It is impossible for anyone in my family to enjoy watching baseball games with him.

I'll take the stats geeks.

 

[Moderator1]

buckweaver the poster (and buckweaver in real life) is one of my favorite people on the planet ever. great, great guy. His wife is wonderful as well. Two better people you will not find. His way of enjoying baseball is a lot different from my way of enjoying baseball. And that's fine. Each of us can dig the game in our own way - one of the things that makes it great.

But from a journalistic end, those writing for a general readership are trying to impress the "seamheads" if they use a lot of "non-traditional" stats. I read a story recently heavily on ERA+ and I stopped. Meant nothing to me. I'm guessing the majority of those who attend games and read about their teams aren't "that" into it and don't understand the extra stats. Keep it simple and, if you must go "advanced" to make your point, explain it simply.

For publications geared to the more "sophisticated" follower of the game, fine. For general audience, no.

Keep your damn sliderules out of my game!! And get off my lawn.