Comments on: Flags Fly Forever Pt. One

By: lookatthosetwins

lookatthosetwins — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:08:46 +0000

I don’t really get how comparing the total win value of 4 guys vs 3, or 7 vs. 4 really helps us decide who the better team is. The 2009 outfield is much better than the 2006.

By: Aaron Schell

Aaron Schell — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:09:33 +0000

I’m new to your website and absolutely love it. Thanks for the great work.
As far as the WBC goes I hear a lot of fantasy owners and american fans in general throwing it under the rug. I think the WBC offers a chance for baseball to grow in other countries and to other fans that don’t for whatever reason get into MLB baseball, maybe because they live in a city that doesn’t have a home team. It gives them a chance to cheer for the american team or cheer against the american team, I don’t thhink it matters as much that the players aren’t up to there midseason form its what jersey they put on. Besides as much as I hear us fantasy guys complaining MLB knows we aren’t going anywhere and we’ll be fans as long as we play this game and at the same time grow the sport of baseball for the better.

By: Jason T

Jason T — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:14:49 +0000

I love watching Japanese baseball too. I guess it makes me think of what maybe the Negro Leagues might have been like (playing style wise).

While I’m not a big fan of the WBC, I’m always happy for more baseball.

By: Nathan

Nathan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:02:15 +0000

I’m wondering how the +12.5 positional adjustment for catchers was derived. Because of both the lack of UZR at the position and the small sample size of catchers changing positions, it would seem to be very different from the other positions. I assume it isn’t arbitrary, but I’m stumped.

By: Russell

Russell — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:38:24 +0000

Maybe we should sort our players into a “Negro” and an “American” team? To level the playing field.

Oh wait, that’s horribly offensive.

Oh wait…

By: Jeff Akston

Jeff Akston — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:24:27 +0000

I would be interested. I just did a quick excel query of the batters in the WBC in ’06 and compared their ’05 and ’06 OPS+ (just did a sumproduct so it’s not 100% accurate)

Total
’05 OPS+ 115.41
’06 OPS+ 112.67

Under 27 during ’06
’05 OPS+ 110.98
’06 OPS+ 118.46

Between 27-32 during ’06
’05 OPS+ 118.67
’06 OPS+ 114.03

33 and Over during ’06
’05 OPS+ 110.71
’06 OPS+ 102.92

Chang in AB was pretty unremarkable for the group. Up 11% those under 27. Unchanged for those 27-32. Down 7% for those over 33

Looks like the guys in their prime would be the easiest sample to remove the factor of aging. Guys between 27-32 who improved their OPS+ more than 15%:
Juan Rivera, Vernon Wells, Carlos Beltran, Carlos Lee, Alfonso Soriano

Guys who declined more than 15%:
Michael Young, Placido Polanco, Juan Encarnacion, Derrek Lee, Arod, Randy Winn

By: mkd

mkd — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:03:17 +0000

I dig the WBC because it pits STYLES against each other. The fluid, slap-happy Japanese game against the flamboyant, smiley Dominican game against the clearly roided Cuban game against the indifferent, sluggardly American game*. Mostly though, I just love Japanese baseball and will embrace anything that puts it on TV.

*do I sound like an 1890s race theorist? I do don’t I? Dangit.

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:31:58 +0000

Any tournament that a guy like Stubby Clapp can excel I am all for! Actually, it is a pretty big waste of time given the pitchers aren’t stretched out, the hitters have no timing and only a handful of countries take it serious…

By: R.J. Anderson

R.J. Anderson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:31:23 +0000

Homeplate security!

By: R.J. Anderson

R.J. Anderson — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:27:39 +0000

Quite honestly, I’m not much of a WBC fan either.