Comments on: Numbers Make Me Feel Stupid http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/ In-your-face baseball commentary Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:48:13 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Danny O http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-55216 Danny O Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:18:15 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/#comment-55216 Back in the day I used to play in those Sunday ultimate games in Prospect Park. We used to get riled when the soccer players would encroach on us. Such is life in a crowded city. Back in the day I used to play in those Sunday ultimate games in Prospect Park. We used to get riled when the soccer players would encroach on us. Such is life in a crowded city.

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]]> By: Sarah Green http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-55215 Sarah Green Tue, 08 Apr 2008 03:54:13 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/#comment-55215 That's a much lower percentage than I've heard before! I've generally heard 75%. That’s a much lower percentage than I’ve heard before! I’ve generally heard 75%.

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]]> By: Paul Moro http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-55214 Paul Moro Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:54:49 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/#comment-55214 Michael, I didn't want to make it seem like I was saying that guys like Tango was purposely disproving axioms or anything. They have far too much respect for the game to do that. But among those who think that statheads are ruining the game, that's unfortunately the unfair perception. JE, I don't know how bad the Parade Grounds were in the 80s. But it's not horrible now. There are still plenty of pebbles scattered about the infield. Consequently, if you slide or dive, you will get hurt. But it's not so bad that groundballs are impossible to field. More dangerous now are those guys who think it's perfectly OK to start a game of ultimate frisbee smack dab in the middle of left field. And yes, we purposely try to hit it their way. Michael, I didn’t want to make it seem like I was saying that guys like Tango was purposely disproving axioms or anything. They have far too much respect for the game to do that. But among those who think that statheads are ruining the game, that’s unfortunately the unfair perception.

JE, I don’t know how bad the Parade Grounds were in the 80s. But it’s not horrible now. There are still plenty of pebbles scattered about the infield. Consequently, if you slide or dive, you will get hurt. But it’s not so bad that groundballs are impossible to field.

More dangerous now are those guys who think it’s perfectly OK to start a game of ultimate frisbee smack dab in the middle of left field. And yes, we purposely try to hit it their way.

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]]> By: JE http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-55213 JE Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:13:47 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/#comment-55213 Prospect Park? Do you mean The Parade Grounds in the southwest corner of the park? Playing on those rocky infields in the mid-80s was brutal! Did the city ever do anything to make those fields quasi-presentable? Prospect Park? Do you mean The Parade Grounds in the southwest corner of the park? Playing on those rocky infields in the mid-80s was brutal! Did the city ever do anything to make those fields quasi-presentable?

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]]> By: Michael http://umpbump.com/press/2008/04/07/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/comment-page-1/#comment-55212 Michael Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:21:30 +0000 http://umpbump.com/press/numbers-make-me-feel-stupid/#comment-55212 Nice post. I don't think it is true that statheads want to disprove baseball axioms. I think statheads want to know if the axioms are true or not. I'm not going to believe something because Frankie Frisch said so. I'd rather believe it because it's true. And I would also argue that the notion that you steal when the odds are in your favor, instead of just sending virtually everybody in the hopes of "mixing up the defense", is a stathead notion. Perhaps over time, the value of the well placed steal (down by 1, 7th inning, pitcher with poor move to first, reasonably quick runner, selective, high average hitter at bat) has improved the percentage due to managers using more discretion. After all, one of the most statheady teams, my Red Sox, had the entire 2004 season hinge on a steal of second base. As the Baseball Prospectus book on that season said, you don't need to steal bases, as a rule...until you do. Nice post.

I don’t think it is true that statheads want to disprove baseball axioms. I think statheads want to know if the axioms are true or not.

I’m not going to believe something because Frankie Frisch said so. I’d rather believe it because it’s true.

And I would also argue that the notion that you steal when the odds are in your favor, instead of just sending virtually everybody in the hopes of “mixing up the defense”, is a stathead notion. Perhaps over time, the value of the well placed steal (down by 1, 7th inning, pitcher with poor move to first, reasonably quick runner, selective, high average hitter at bat) has improved the percentage due to managers using more discretion.

After all, one of the most statheady teams, my Red Sox, had the entire 2004 season hinge on a steal of second base. As the Baseball Prospectus book on that season said, you don’t need to steal bases, as a rule…until you do.

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