2023 Regular Season Thread.

[JL25and3]

But … but … but … batting average doesn’t count right?

Pretty much. I don’t know why it’s important that they had X number of innings without one hit. One hit in an inning doesn’t mean anything. The point is to score runs.

[ymike673]

Per Katie Sharp: Entering today, the Yankees had been hitless in 48.8% of innings this season. That's the highest rate in MLB.

That Cashman process is sure working great.

[ymike673]

Pretty much. I don’t know why it’s important that they had X number of innings without one hit. One hit in an inning doesn’t mean anything. The point is to score runs.

They have played plenty of innings this season where they had 2 walks and no hits. That one hit could have produced a run if it occurred.

[bucky]

But … but … but … batting average doesn’t count right?

I feel BA's been replaced by better metrics. But Hits matter. You are not going to win many games without Hits. BABIP and wOBA are nice but my favorite is wRC+. I like to say put the bat on the ball and good things happen. Watching the MIL series I was thinking I wonder if they practice Bloopers. I think they won 2 games with Bloopers.

We can't HIT.

Look I like Casey but there are professional hitting coaches out there that teach how to swing the bat. I could be wrong on this....Jeter had a 120 wRC+ for his whole career. We had a solid hitting coach Kevin (? I can't remember) but he went to someone in Tampa (I forget his name too) for fix his swing. JD Martinez did this and now this guy is the hitting coach for LAD.... I don't understand how a professional baseball team can hit so lousy.

[HelloNewman]

Pretty much. I don’t know why it’s important that they had X number of innings without one hit. One hit in an inning doesn’t mean anything. The point is to score runs.

As I pointed out. the Yankees are 23rd in runs scored despite being 6th in walks and 7th in home runs. So lack of hits is in fact the culprit in their failure to score. They're 29th in BA.

[Portbb]

Along the lines of scoring runs, just checked the RBI stat. The Yankees leader Torres has 65 RBI. That is tied for 91st in mlb for RBI.
The Yankee RBI leader has 65 in mid September. Amazing they’ve won as many games as they have.

[Art Vanderlay]

As I pointed out. the Yankees are 23rd in runs scored despite being 6th in walks and 7th in home runs. So lack of hits is in fact the culprit in their failure to score. They're 29th in BA.

I’m not sure why some people are surprised. The analytics people have been preaching that Batting Average doesn’t matter. I’ve heard both Boone and Cashman be dismissive of anyone that mentions batting average. I have maintained all along that it’s a bunch of BS. If your lineup is loaded with hitters with batting averages in the low 200’s it’s going to be difficult to string together hits and sustain rallies. Also, very tough to have an acceptable OBP if you’re hitting .200. Bottom line, batting average does matter, it always has and always will.

[HelloNewman]

I’m not sure why some people are surprised. The analytics people have been preaching that Batting Average doesn’t matter. I’ve heard both Boone and Cashman be dismissive of anyone that mentions batting average. I have maintained all along that it’s a bunch of BS. If your lineup is loaded with hitters with batting averages in the low 200’s it’s going to be difficult to string together hits and sustain rallies. Also, very tough to have an acceptable OBP if you’re hitting .200. Bottom line, batting average does matter, it always has and always will.

"Batting average doesn't matter" has been a canon of the faith of analytics for so long (it even dates to analytics' former branding as "sabermetrics") that questioning this dogma is likely to bring on defensive hostility or condescension. The thing is, if memory serves, early attempts to re-evaluate the importance of BA such as The Baseball Abstract never suggested it "doesn't matter," only that it had become vastly overvalued in fan and media perception. I think this was a fair and welcome point. But it being human nature to over-correct, the idea of BA as "meaningless" (or close to it) took root and now governs a lot of people's understanding, including, I'd argue, the general manager of the New York Yankees.

BA was an overvalued stat for generations, I'd agree. "Overvalued" isn't necessarily "meaningless" or even "unimportant," however. One loses sight of that distinction at one's own risk.

[Art Vanderlay]

"Batting average doesn't matter" has been a canon of the faith of analytics for so long (it even dates to analytics' former branding as "sabermetrics") that questioning this dogma is likely to bring on defensive hostility or condescension. The thing is, if memory serves, early attempts to re-evaluate the importance of BA such as The Baseball Abstract never suggested it "doesn't matter," only that it had become vastly overvalued in fan and media perception. I think this was a fair and welcome point. But it being human nature to over-correct, the idea of BA as "meaningless" (or close to it) took root and now governs a lot of people's understanding, including, I'd argue, the general manager of the New York Yankees.

BA was an overvalued stat for generations, I'd agree. "Overvalued" isn't necessarily "meaningless" or even "unimportant," however. One loses sight of that distinction at one's own risk.

All very good points and I agree 100%. And yes, the Yankees are at the forefront of taking it to an extreme.

[CalYankeeFan]

"Batting average doesn't matter" has been a canon of the faith of analytics for so long (it even dates to analytics' former branding as "sabermetrics") that questioning this dogma is likely to bring on defensive hostility or condescension. The thing is, if memory serves, early attempts to re-evaluate the importance of BA such as The Baseball Abstract never suggested it "doesn't matter," only that it had become vastly overvalued in fan and media perception. I think this was a fair and welcome point. But it being human nature to over-correct, the idea of BA as "meaningless" (or close to it) took root and now governs a lot of people's understanding, including, I'd argue, the general manager of the New York Yankees.

BA was an overvalued stat for generations, I'd agree. "Overvalued" isn't necessarily "meaningless" or even "unimportant," however. One loses sight of that distinction at one's own risk.

Hence, you have (or had) people on the Yankees staff who believed 9 Joey Gallo’s was the path to the World Series.

[JL25and3]

Of course BA isn't meaningless, but it's primary importance is its high contribution to OBP, which is what really matters.

And sure, there have been situations where a hit could have produced a run, but many more when exactly one hit in an inning wouldn't have made a difference one way or another. % of innings without a hit is definitely not a meaningful stat.

[Mixwell]

Pretty much. I don’t know why it’s important that they had X number of innings without one hit. One hit in an inning doesn’t mean anything. The point is to score runs.

You don't often score in innings where you don't get any hits.

[Mixwell]

As I pointed out. the Yankees are 23rd in runs scored despite being 6th in walks and 7th in home runs. So lack of hits is in fact the culprit in their failure to score. They're 29th in BA.

You guys are missing the big picture. Where do they stand in the rankings for EXIT VELO? That's better than any silly championship run.

[CalYankeeFan]

It is an interesting conversation. High OBP attributed mostly to walks while having a high number of strikeouts doesn’t produce many runs either. Put more than a 2-3 of those types in the lineup and you are asking for trouble.

The most successful teams seem (no data in front of me) to be the ones who string hits and walks with a productive out or two sprinkled in. It’s not the most original saying, but I compare those successful lineups to a machine…the ‘98 Yankees, the ‘05 Angels and the current Braves strike me as those types of teams. They can beat you so many ways and if one fails, someone is right there to pick them up.

[CalYankeeFan]

You guys are missing the big picture. Where do they stand in the rankings for EXIT VELO? That's better than any silly championship run.

Only if they hit strikes, and even then at the proper launch angle.