2008 Woodie Awards
The Rundown
Baseball Has Become All About the Numbers Game
Stephen Pinto, Sports Editor, Emeritus
Issue date: 4/18/07 Section: Editor Columns
Forget the bunt, the hit-andrun,
and the stolen base. Get
used to the homeruns, the walks,
and even the strikeouts. This is
Moneyball now.
For as long as I can remember,
I have followed baseball. I
consider myself as having been
a fan of the game for most of my
adolescent life. However, I do
not consider myself as having
been a knowledgeable baseball
fan until about three years ago.
That is when I read Michael
Lewis' book, Moneyball.
At the time, the book about
Oakland A's general manager
Billy Beane was still stirring up
controversy and dialogue in the
baseball world. For many, it was
a radically different approach to
the game that most fans were
simply uncomfortable with.
Instead of old-time baseball
scouts, ivy-league graduates
were running the show - and
they were winning.
Their methods were highly
resisted at first but are slowly
becoming accepted into mainstream
baseball knowledge.
Stats like OPS (on-base plus
slugging) for batters and WHIP
(walks and hits over innings
pitched) are relatively new.
Both, and plenty other stats,
help to more accurately give
fans an insight into a players talent
level.
Even today, though, there is
plenty of resistance against it.
But for a young, educated college
audience, such as the fans
at St. John's, there is hardly any
reason not to accept "new"
baseball.
You do not have to be great
at math or have an undying loyalty
to computers, as some
would have you believe. It really
is just a matter of logic and
some simple percentages.
For instance, on-base percentage
is now generally accepted
as a very important stat for a
hitter. It was not always so,
though. The reasoning for it is
quite simple: it measures how
often a baseball player is not
making an out. Not making an
out leads to more runs which
give the team a better chance to
and the stolen base. Get
used to the homeruns, the walks,
and even the strikeouts. This is
Moneyball now.
For as long as I can remember,
I have followed baseball. I
consider myself as having been
a fan of the game for most of my
adolescent life. However, I do
not consider myself as having
been a knowledgeable baseball
fan until about three years ago.
That is when I read Michael
Lewis' book, Moneyball.
At the time, the book about
Oakland A's general manager
Billy Beane was still stirring up
controversy and dialogue in the
baseball world. For many, it was
a radically different approach to
the game that most fans were
simply uncomfortable with.
Instead of old-time baseball
scouts, ivy-league graduates
were running the show - and
they were winning.
Their methods were highly
resisted at first but are slowly
becoming accepted into mainstream
baseball knowledge.
Stats like OPS (on-base plus
slugging) for batters and WHIP
(walks and hits over innings
pitched) are relatively new.
Both, and plenty other stats,
help to more accurately give
fans an insight into a players talent
level.
Even today, though, there is
plenty of resistance against it.
But for a young, educated college
audience, such as the fans
at St. John's, there is hardly any
reason not to accept "new"
baseball.
You do not have to be great
at math or have an undying loyalty
to computers, as some
would have you believe. It really
is just a matter of logic and
some simple percentages.
For instance, on-base percentage
is now generally accepted
as a very important stat for a
hitter. It was not always so,
though. The reasoning for it is
quite simple: it measures how
often a baseball player is not
making an out. Not making an
out leads to more runs which
give the team a better chance to
Be the first to comment on this story