FanGraphs Chat – 3/20/13





Dave is the Managing Editor of FanGraphs.

9 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Youdaman!
13 years ago

Yelich, Puig, and Hamilton all caught my eye in ST, but will start the year in the minors. Who do we see first this season?

Alex
13 years ago

“No, I’m saying you’re not a scout.”

Neither was Mike Newman, but you don’t seem to think his observations are meaningless.

I also like the implication that their is some big distinction that allows scouts to notice the exact same thing without getting caught up in the numbers, but no one that isn’t a scout can’t.

AJB
13 years ago
Reply to  Alex

You said this:

“He’s getting much more consistent break on his breaking stuff than he did previously. His 2 seam FB moves far more than his 4 seam FB, which keeps hitters from sitting on the 4 seam and teeing off on it when they get it.”

What data do you have that is not outcome related that makes this true?

Do you have pitch f/x data that shows his breaking stuff is “more consistently breaking”?

Do you have pitch f/x data that shows one specific fastball “moves” more than another?

Do you have non-outcome data that suggests what hitters are “looking for”?

Alex
13 years ago
Reply to  AJB

Yes, having watched him pitch last year and this year, the difference is night and day. You don’t need pitch f/x data to see that. It is obvious just from watching. He isn’t throwing spinners that stay up and out of the zone, and he is getting better plane and run on his 2 seam than he does on his 4 seam (both last year and still this year). These things are obvious just from watching him. Amazingly enough, people were able to figure out similar things before the advent of pitch f/x. That is why scouts exist.

Science
13 years ago
Reply to  AJB

Can your own eyes’ produce empirical data? Why yes they can.

Are the circumstances of said observation an important consideration in assessing such data? Yes they are.

Is the professional title of the observer relevant to the probity of such data? Not definitively.

Should we deal with one another in good faith?

Jesus H. Christ
13 years ago
Reply to  Science

Fuck you science.

Science
13 years ago
Reply to  Science

Jesse is a lousy catcher and medicore DH.

Alex
13 years ago
Reply to  AJB

FWIW from KLaw: “I have heard good things from people who’ve seen [Teheran], yes. Commanding the FB better, CB looks better.”

So now that we know scouts have said, the formerly meaningless performance is now meaningful. Thank God for scouts, because no one else who had watched him could have told you the exact same thing.

aifh
13 years ago

Start having chats on ussm again. Its ridiculous how many questions you took about Casper wells. Nobody else cares.