Comments on: Erick Aybar: Not As Bad As You Might Think

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 04:40:03 +0000

Aybar played in 141 games this year and had 554 plate appearances. In order to reach 711 plate appearances total, the second player would need to average just about 7.5 plate appearances a game over 21 games. For reference, that’s almost double what Aybar averaged this year.

Also, getting a replacement level performance isn’t as easy to predict as you’re making it out to be. I picked up Aybar half way through the season and he rewarded me with a .310 AVG, 8 HR, 15 SB, 55 R, and 31 RBI in 332 PAs. That’s a great start, until you consider that he was replacing Rickie Weeks and his .166 average with poor counting stats. Coming into the year, Rickie Weeks looked far superior to a replacement level player and yet combining him with only Aybar’s good months still results in a worse player than your Aybar + replacement level player example.

By: Steve 1

Steve 1 — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 03:38:57 +0000

Truth. I used him pretty extensively in multiple leagues.

By: Eno Sarris

Eno Sarris — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 03:33:06 +0000

I think you’re hating on him more than you need to, that was the point of the piece. Those numbers with Yunel, don’t focus on Yunel’s name. He’s just a replacement level guy, and there were four or five of them if you count one dollar guys. One of those dudes was available in your league. And if you missed five days while they decided about the DL stint, and you took ~15-20 PAs away from the Aybar + RL combo, you’d STILL have a guy that was equal to Andrus, the number 11 shortstop this year.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 02:38:49 +0000

I usually enjoy your articles very much, Eno. But this is selection bias at it’s absolute worst… “Using him the right way would have produced a top-twelve shortstop even.”

So the right way to use him is in a league where Yunel Escobar was on waivers all season (in CBS leagues Yunel was owned in 80% on opening day and 50%+ thru week 26), drop Aybar on July 22 (even though he didn’t go on the DL until July 27, retroactive to the 22nd), then pick him back up immediately? And also to know when to sit him and pick up Yunel to play him in the other 9 games he missed when he wasn’t on the DL?

What up Eno? Why are you trying so hard to paint a rosy picture for Aybar? You have a thing going on with momma Aybar or something? If so, there has got to be better ways to earn brownie points…

By: Eno Sarris

Eno Sarris — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:07:50 +0000

Sorry, i updated the chart to hopefully clear up confusion. I did want people to guess on player B but in retrospect maybe it was a little easy.

By: Persona non grata

Persona non grata — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:04:17 +0000

johnncuff has it right: Player B is Elvis Andrus. Yunel Escobar is the “waiver caddy” in example B that one could have used when Aybar was on the shelf.

By: Greg

Greg — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 21:04:02 +0000

No. It isn’t.

Just look at the batting average. Yunel Escobar had a .253 batting average this year, while player B (Elvis Andrus) had a .286.

By: Atari

Atari — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 20:29:25 +0000

Player B is Yunel Escobar.

By: johnnycuff`

johnnycuff` — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 18:21:30 +0000

you didn’t actually reveal who player B is so i’ll go ahead and steal your conclusion to say aybar + replacement = elvis andrus