2014 World Series thread

[RickStain]

And again I ask: Why does the skill/positioning thing matter? Outs are outs, defensive plays are defensive plays.

I'm guessing because of some convoluted theory (with no evidence whatsoever, mind you) that defensive positioning no longer applies in the postseason? Because retreating and retrenching in less and less defensible positions is preferable to admitting that the A's are good at defense and you were wrong.

 

[LongTimeListener]

There does remain the chance that defensive statistics are not as reliable as hoped, as well as the chance that they reflect pre-pitch positioning more than skill on the part of the defender.

Isn't the latter just half a dozen of one and six of the other, though?

Over time, sure. More often than not, the ball goes where it should.

In a short series, it sure helps to have a guy that can go get it when it doesn't go where it's supposed to.

 

[doctorquant]

There does remain the chance that defensive statistics are not as reliable as hoped, as well as the chance that they reflect pre-pitch positioning more than skill on the part of the defender.

Isn't the latter just half a dozen of one and six of the other, though?

Over time, sure. More often than not, the ball goes where it should.

In a short series, it sure helps to have a guy that can go get it when it doesn't go where it's supposed to.

Wait a minute, wait a minute ... what the heck do you mean "doesn't go where it's supposed to"?

 

[RickStain]

There does remain the chance that defensive statistics are not as reliable as hoped, as well as the chance that they reflect pre-pitch positioning more than skill on the part of the defender.

Isn't the latter just half a dozen of one and six of the other, though?

Over time, sure. More often than not, the ball goes where it should.

In a short series, it sure helps to have a guy that can go get it when it doesn't go where it's supposed to.

I worry that you think this makes sense. I kind of hope I'm missing the troll.

 

[LongTimeListener]

The shift data doesn't always work, is what I mean. Sometimes the ball goes to a different place. So fielders with range are more valuable.

But it does work a lot over a 162-game sample.

 

[RickStain]

The shift data doesn't always work, is what I mean. Sometimes the ball goes to a different place. So fielders with range are more valuable.

But it does work a lot over a 162-game sample.

Setting aside for the moment that you've provided no evidence whatsoever that the A's defensive success is due to shifting and not player abilities, you do realize that this is a completely worthless tautology, right?

"Sometimes the ball doesn't go where it should" is true. But "sometimes the good fielder misses because of bad positioning" is also true. Can't that hurt you in a short series? Can't good positioning help you in a short series?

Although I'm looking forward to sometime in the next few pages your inevitable opinion that the Giants intentionally hit balls against tendency during the regular season to screw up the charts for the postseason.

 

[LongTimeListener]

All right. I need to stop taking about the A's. This is the World Series thread, after all. I'm sure eventually positive variance will pay them back like a slot machine and we can talk about them then.

 

[Dick Whitman]

The A's are the only team that utilizes analytics, and it cost them again.

 

[exmediahack]

I like arguing about 1985 more than the 2014 Oakland A's.

 

[LongTimeListener]

I like arguing about 1985 more than the 2014 Oakland A's.

Touché.

Good luck in Game 2. But pish off for Game 1.

 

[poindexter]

I want to see how far the Royals winning streak will go.

 

[RickStain]

All right. I need to stop taking about the A's. This is the World Series thread, after all. I'm sure eventually positive variance will pay them back like a slot machine and we can talk about them then.

That's also not how slot machines work...