FanGraphs Power Rankings – 8/1/11
My stars, what a trade deadline we just had. With all the fascinating deals and hard-hitting analysis that came with it, both here and elsewhere (but especially here!) over the weekend and today, there has been so much trade-deadline talk that I tried as hard as possible to ease up on that score (though it’s just so hard…must…talk…about…trades!!!!). There were some big movers this past week, and one series in particular seems to have been key — the Reds whitewashing of the Giants over the weekend in Cincinnati. Entering the series, the Giants had won two of three for the week, and the Reds had lost their four for the week. But after the dust settled from the sweep, the Reds had vaulted six spots and the Giants had dropped six, the two nearly exchanging spots in the Rankings. Part of that has to do with the fact that the seven teams that occupy spots seven through 13 in the Rankings are only separated by .008, and part of it is due to the fact that the Reds so badly laid the smackdown on the G-men. Even after the series, where they outscored the Giants by 15 runs, the Reds are still thoroughly underperforming this season, but it’s still too early to write them off completely.
(As always click here to check out the methodology behind the Power Rankings.)
1. Boston: Last week – 1, WAR% – .684 (1), FAN% – .605 (1), TOTAL% – .657
If Jose Bautista is Mr. Plow, does that make Dustin Pedroia — who now only trails Bautista in the WAR race by 0.2 — the Plow King? We might not know until this winter, when he’ll have a chance to do a duet with Linda Ronstadt at the next Hot Stove, Cool Music.
2. New York Yankees: Last week – 2, WAR% – .670 (2), FAN% – .580 (2), TOTAL% – .639
The 2011 overshadowing of CC Sabathia continues unabated, as he can’t even net the highest Game NERD score for tonight.
3. Philadelphia: Last week – 3, WAR% – .616 (4), FAN% – .556 (3), TOTAL% – .595
In yesterday’s win over the Pirates, Raul Ibanez piled up a .761 WPA. It was his second-best game by WPA in the past 10 years (.850 on 7/21/02), and the 12th time in the past decade he had a game with a WPA greater than .500. And it also cemented his never-ever-ever-ever-to-be-replaced status in the Phillies’ lineup, no matter how many crappy games he subsequently strings together.
4. Texas: Last week – 4, WAR% – .622 (3), FAN% – .525 (7), TOTAL% – .590
In looking at Heath Bell on Friday, there seemed like there were enough red flags that his price tag was going to outstrip his value, and in acquiring Koji Uehara and Mike Adams instead of Bell over the weekend, it would seem that the Rangers saw some of those same red flags as well.
5. St. Louis: Last week – 5, WAR% – .580 (6), FAN% – .512 (12), TOTAL% – .558
While no one expected Matt Holliday to steal 28 bases a year like he did in 2008, his subsequent decline to 14, nine and now zero steals is a bit surprising, as are his matching declining Speed Scores.
6. Milwaukee: Last week – 7, WAR% – .5674 (7), FAN% – .519 (9), TOTAL% – .551
Mark Kotsay knows that whether you play half the game or the whole game, you still get a whole snow cone at the end of the game. So he’d rather play half game, he’d rather play half game!
7. Cincinnati: Last week – 13, WAR% – .5673 (8), FAN% – .494 (17), TOTAL% – .543
Joey Votto is apparently not ready for Cincinnati’s season to be over.
8. Arizona: Last week – 12, WAR% – .581 (8), FAN% – .463 (25), TOTAL% – .542
I wish Joe Paterson would hurry up and throw more innings so we could tell for sure if his run this year is for real or not.
9. Los Angeles of Anaheim: Last week – 8, WAR% – .563 (9), FAN% – .488 (19), TOTAL% – .5382
I’m not sure who was more disappointed, Angels fans who had hoped for a trade this weekend, or Lost fans after its series finale, but at least the creators of Lost can laugh at themselves.
10. Colorado: Last week – 9, WAR% – .5293 (t-13), FAN% – .556 (3), TOTAL% – .5381
While it’s way too early to call him legit, Juan Nicasio has been pretty good so far — his 3.17 K/BB is 25th best in the Majors among starters who have thrown at least 70 innings.
11. Atlanta: Last week – 11, WAR% – .553 (10), FAN% – .506 (14), TOTAL% – .5375
Congrats to Freddie Freeman, this past week’s BABIP’er of the Week. Freeman outdistanced the pack with a .652 BABIP last week.
12. San Francisco: Last week – 6, WAR% – .546 (11), FAN% – .519 (9), TOTAL% – .5368
In dealing a potential future ace for Carlos Beltran, Brian Sabean made it crystal clear that he adheres to Tracy Jordan’s world view.
13. Tampa Bay: Last week – 10, WAR% – .534 (12), FAN% – .537 (5), TOTAL% – .535
Many expected B.J. Upton to be traded this past weekend, but it doesn’t seem all that shocking that Tampa held on to him. Yes, he could get expensive in the very near future, but if the Rays can float the cost, Upton is a better option than Sam Fuld. Fuld was a nice story, and he has a nicer glove, but 83 wRC+ players are fourth outfielders, not starters.
14. New York Mets: Last week – 16, WAR% – .527 (15), FAN% – .519 (9), TOTAL% – .5245
While I appreciate R.A. Dickey’s competitive fire, perhaps he should complain about the Mets’ front office less and thank them for resuscitating his once-flagging career more.
15. Detroit: Last week – 14, WAR% – .5293 (t-13), FAN% – .512 (12), TOTAL% – .5237
The Edwin Jackson and Ubaldo Jimenez trades made more headlines, but Detroit’s acquisition of Doug Fister was just as significant. Fister has a 3.0 WAR for the year that is tied for 22nd among qualified pitchers — a hair under Jackson and more than a half-win better than Jimenez — his xFIP numbers show no home-road split whatsoever this season and as Zach Sanders noted, he won’t be arbitration-eligible until 2013.
16. Florida: Last week – 15, WAR% – .520 (18), FAN% – .525 (7), TOTAL% – .522
Chris Volstad is full of mystery. In his fourth Major League season, he would seem to be a veteran, yet he is just 24. And his 5.58 ERA would seem to paint him as an underachiever, but SIERA paints a much more encouraging picture of the Florida right-hander.
17. Toronto: Last week – 17, WAR% – .526 (16), FAN% – .488 (19), TOTAL% – .513
Hey Colby Rasmus, we get that you’re eager to both impress your new team and show Tony La Russa how wrong he is about you, but Bubballa, you don’t need to swing at every pitch in order to do so. Relax.
18. Chicago White Sox: Last week – 18, WAR% – .525 (17), FAN% – .488 (19), TOTAL% – .512
Over the past calendar year, the only shortstops who have been more valuable than Alexei Ramirez are Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes. Chicago’s Ramirez has been worth 1.4 more wins than Florida’s Hanley Ramirez.
19. Los Angeles Dodgers: Last week – 19, WAR% – .505 (19), FAN% – .488 (19), TOTAL% – .499
Nothing like a little National League pitching to make Juan Rivera look like a Major League hitter again.
20. San Diego: Last week – 21, WAR% – .474 (23), FAN% – .494 (17), TOTAL% – .4804
Small sample-size hilarity — in 37 plate appearances at PETCO Park this season, Jesus Guzman has a 333 wRC+. But in all seriousness, Guzman has done incredibly well at the dish since his call-up — his 289 wRC+ last week was tops in the NL — and if he doesn’t embarrass himself with the leather he just may stick around awhile.
21. Chicago Cubs: Last week – 20, WAR% – .466 (24), FAN% – .506 (14), TOTAL% – .4796
Overheard in Jim Hendry’s office this weekend: “What is Ed Wade doing down there in Houston? The Astros were contenders, just like we are!”
22. Minnesota: Last week – 24, WAR% – .445 (27), FAN% – .537 (5), TOTAL% – .476
If there was one persistent trade rumor that just didn’t make any sense, it was Denard Span to the Nationals for Drew Storen. It didn’t make sense that the Twins wanted to trade their starting center fielder and arguably best player of 2011, and it made even less sense that the Nats were balking at including the closer on their non-contending team that might throw 80 innings this season.
23. Kansas City: Last week – 26, WAR% – .500 (20), FAN% – .420 (29), TOTAL% – .473
The Royals are one of just three teams (the Reds and Rangers are the others) that have a wRC+ of 100 or better, as well as positive marks for both UZR and Bsr.
24. Washington: Last week – 22, WAR% – .479 (22), FAN% – .457 (26), TOTAL% – .472
I bet you didn’t know that Jonny Gomes, Gene Freese, Jeff Francoeur, Don Hurst, Matt Kemp, Travis Lee, Ryan Ludwick, Jerry Lynch, Craig Monroe, Bob Robertson, Shannon Stewart and Marcus Thames are all tied for 638th place all-time at home runs with 115, did you?
25. Oakland: Last week – 25, WAR% – .465 (25), FAN% – .481 (23), TOTAL% – .4702
Jemile Weeks has had a pretty nice start to his Major League career, but the very-early returns on his hitting from the right side are less than stellar (43 wRC+).
26. Cleveland: Last week – 23, WAR% – .480 (21), FAN% – .451 (27), TOTAL% – .4698
The Indians decline continues, as their WAR% has fallen all the way from .673 in the Rankings’ first week down to .480, nearly a 200-point collapse. Ubaldo will only be able to do so much.
27. Pittsburgh: Last week – 27, WAR% – .457 (26), FAN% – .438 (28), TOTAL% – .450
Hey Neil, where’s the beef? Since 2007, Neil Walker had posted ISO’s of at least .167 at any place he stayed more than 20 games, but this year his ISO is a measly .129.
28. Baltimore: Last week – 29, WAR% – .414 (30), FAN% – .500 (16), TOTAL% – .445
Searching for something nice to say about the Orioles…hey, remember when they would show Camden Yards on The Wire? That was cool and junk.
29. Seattle: Last week – 28, WAR% – .429 (28), FAN% – .469 (24), TOTAL% – .443
Pitching has been the Mariners’ biggest strength all year, but after trading 40 percent of their starting rotation this weekend, things could get pretty ugly in Seattle the last two months of the season.
30. Houston: Last week – 30, WAR% – .427 (29), FAN% – .370 (30), TOTAL% – .408
When one stolen base threat leaves, another blossoms in his place. Grab Jason Bourgeois now before one of your enterprising league-mates does.
Paul Swydan used to be the managing editor of The Hardball Times, a writer and editor for FanGraphs and a writer for Boston.com and The Boston Globe. Now, he owns The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, an independent bookstore in Acton, Mass. Follow him on Twitter @Swydan. Follow the store @SilUnicornActon.
LOLORADO
Agreed. Colorado and AZ above Atlanta and SF? Really?
I just think it’s hilarious that the pre-season fan rankings still count for almost a third of the total ranking.
I think it’s hilarious how bad you are at math.
@Tom B Are you talking to me? Because, well, they do. Do the math yourself if you want.
Ok, They have played 107 games… which is roughly 2/3 of the season… so the season WAR gets 2/3… the FAN % gets… how much?
Pedroia’s charge up the WAR leaderboard is even more impressive given the context of him hitting like .240 at the end of May, with a .685 OPS and .320 wOBA. In two months he’s raised his average to .309, his OPS to almost .900, and his wOBA to .399…
I shudder to imagine what his numbers would be like right now if he wasn’t being overly cautious with his knee early on. The guy has been an absolute monster.
The biggest contributer to the Sox, though, is the fact that 3 of the top 10 (And 2 of the top 3) positional players by WAR in the MLB are in their lineup.
.391/.471/.677/1.148 since June 5th (227 PA’s).
While playing elite defense.
And stealing 21 bases in 24 attempts.
Detroit getting Fister reminds me so much of when Detroit got Washburn. The numbers make it seem like they did well to acquire him, but I can’t help but feel the outcome will be similar.
LOL jarrod washburn
The Giants position here is laughable and renders this list usless.
… less useful than than an ‘e’ in ‘useless’.
But more useful than Ulysses
I don’t get how SF’s tWAR lost .20 pts in a matter of one week, after picking up Beltran and his 3.7 WAR. He is that 3.7 WAR player, now playing for SF, right? It should come with him.
Crazy
Carlos Beltran’s previous contributions don’t transfer when he transfers teams. Those stats will still be reflected with the Mets. Only Beltran’s contributions as a Giant will be reflected in the Giants’ total. Also, the Giants got waxed this weekend.
@Paul that may be the way it is, but it’s a little asinine, don’t you think? If these rankings are meant to measure ONLY performance so far this season, then fan% should be 0 from week 1. If they’re meant to predict future performance, then the contributions of a player acquired through trade should come with him. Subtract out the contributions of whoever that player is replacing if you must, but the fact of the matter is Beltran will spend the rest of the year playing RF in SF, Pence will spend the rest of the year in PHI, and Jiminez won’t be pitching for COL in another game this year.
I can understand why you wouldn’t necessarily want to just go adding and subtracting WAR willy nilly, but unless you want the rankings to be a straight WAR leaderboard, you need to have some subjective element, and pre-season rankings are not nearly good enough.
@Viliphied Your point is well taken, and will be taken into consideration when we look to make changes.
Two counters – 1) I don’t think we can guarantee future performance for traded players, so I’m not sure I’m comfortable adjusting a team’s WAR like that. 2) I’m not convinced that using FAN% as a subjective measure “breaks” the Rankings. Yes, Colorado has underperformed, but they are 13th in WAR% – that’s really not all that far off from 10th. And as an aside, that’s why we break out the two percentages, for those who would like to just go by in-season #’s. I think there could very well be changes made next season, but we are taking a more cautious approach in exacting change during this first year because we’d like to have a more complete body of work to examine before we head back to the lab. Thanks much for the comment(s).
@Paul I largely agree with your first point. My original thought was to use ZIPS or something to gauge the addition, but that would still be really tough, and honestly, you want the WAR% to be the objective part of your power rankings, like actual record in most other ranking systems.
Re: your 2nd point, I think “breaking” may be a little bit too far, but expectations for a team fluctuate wildly through the course of a season, especially since for most teams, the team taking the field today/tomorrow is wildly different than the team that took the field on opening day, often in ways no fan could have predicted (Jiminez, I’m looking at you). Using Fan%, unless it was continually updated throughout the season, completely fails to account for the changing makeup of a team.
Colorado’s Fan% was made under the assumption that Jiminez would be an ace with the team all year. SF’s was made thinking Posey would be playing all season, and Huff would be closer to his career performance than his 2009. The Braves thought they’d have McCann all year, the Yankees fans thought Colon would pitch like… well, Bartolo Colon, etc, etc, etc.
@Viliphied That’s not a bad suggestion. Maybe we should crowdsource The Fan Standings each month of the year. Something to talk about anyway…
“Also, the Giants got waxed this weekend.” Good ESPN rationale.
“I don’t think we can guarantee future performance for traded players, so I’m not sure I’m comfortable adjusting a team’s WAR like that”
1) We can’t guarantee future performance for any player. 2) Beltran will definitely be more than the .02 WAR he replaced (Ross). 3) That difference in WAR really should be reflected in your tWAR. It’s SF’s now, no question. To believe otherwise is to believe that Houston would remain the same, sad team once somehow acquiring Doc, Lee, Felix and CC.
You see how ridiculous that is?
This is a complicated suggestion, but I think it has some merit. How about, instead of using crowd sourced WIN%s, crowd source playing time and use a projection system (like ZiPS) to fill in performances, creating a projected team WAR. this could be more easily updated to include personnel changes and injuries, while still being an “anchor” for a wildly over or underperforming team. It might be complicated to set up, but I think it would be more accurate.
You do realize that when you have the Colorado Rockies ahead of the Braves and Giants it gives ZERO credibility to this list right?
Advanced stats advanced shmats, that’s an F’ing joke…
You do realize you’re the 20th person to post this and not understand what the list is about or how it is constructed right? Gives you ZERO credibility.
I completely understand how it’s formulated. That doesn’t make it worth my time when it’s result is so crude.
Well, the advanced stats have Colorado at #13. Their rank is inflated by the FAN%, and of course we should always remember to never listen to the fans.
Look, I realize that it only took you 17 seconds to type that comment. But it would have taken the same 17 seconds to click the link under the intro that explains the Rankings’ methodology. Just sayin’.
And you can’t change the methodology mid season because…?
Usually when we realize something is broken, we take steps to fix it.
It’s not broken, you’re just trying to make the list something it’s not.
Usually when you realize you’re doing something wrong…
Ok Tom, what’s the list supposed to be?
The problem is that when someone says that Yuniesky Betancourt is the best hitter on the Brewers I don’t need to understand their methodology, I just know they’re wrong.. See how that works??
No, the methodology is not perfect. on the other hand, tearing the entire thing down because a couple of things “look wrong” is rather far fetched. as for the “Betencourt is the best hitter on the Brewers” example, Yes, I would like to know how they reached that conclusion. Totally irrelevant to the discussion, but it would be pure comedy.
If you want to believe that Pedroia’s defense makes up for almost 200 points of slugging be my guest. But considering the wild fluctuations of UZR you would be kidding yourself. Once again Fangraphs proves that it is the most absurd, theoretical of all baseball websites. Stick to Baseball Reference WAR, people.
I don’t get this. “Considering the wild fluctuations of UZR” — Pedroia is an elite defender by any way of measuring it, and by looking at it on a seasonal basis or a career basis. This year isn’t some fluke with Pedroia’s UZR – every defensive rating system has him as the best defensive 2B in baseball.
And, fwiw, total runs at billjames has Pedroia ahead of Bautista at this point (along with Ellsbury).
The whole argument is kind of pointless though, Pedroia has 6 war on b-ref, 6.6 on fg, either way he’s been the 2nd best player in the AL this year and the gap between he and Bautista exists but isn’t enormous.
The credibility of UZR is questionable. Therefore, giving it as much weight as Fangraphs does takes away from those people such as Bautista who, you know, absolutely pound the ball. Start here:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=11476#commentMessage.
Ok, question UZR. Total zone and +/- both have Pedroia as an elite defender in baseball.
“The credibility of UZR is questionable.”
In small samples, when other metrics give contrary indications, yes.
With Pedroia, there is an enormous sample and every metric available confirms its findings.
While that is true, Welp, there isn’t any history supporting Pedroia’s 20.5 UZR/150 this year. 2/3 of a season does not support Pedroia’s defense being twice as good as it’s been in the past.
UZR is awful. for infielders. OF’s its fine, but infielders its completely awful. DRS and rPM, TZL, are all much better for Infielders. Pedroia is still elite with those too.
I can’t believe you’re still using UZR. Just put it on hold and wait for FIELDf/x.
Even Sean Smith, the creator of Baseball Reference’s dWAR, admits that UZR is superior to his Total Zone for seasons when the data is available. Total Zone just crunches some retrosheets and doesn’t even look at ArmRuns. There’s no reason to pick on UZR specifically — all defensive metrics are shaky enough that multiple seasons of data ought be used.
UZR is “questionable,” but it is better than TZ. Even the guy who invented TZ says so ( http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/measuring-defense-for-players-back-to-1956/ )
I think the main point is that we place too much confidence in the defensive metrics in general. None of them are nearly advanced enough that we should be trying to get anything more than a general idea of how good a defender is out of them.
… and trying to take anything more than a general idea from them is user (reader) error.
Tom, fWAR uses UZR as far more than a general idea. Were you honestly not aware of this? Or were you just trying to be snarky
Guys, BR’s WAR weights defense on a run-by-run basis, just like Fangraphs’ does.
I don’t know of any WAR calculation that actually downgrades defense — that would run counter to the point of WAR. I don’t know of any WAR calculation that tries to temper the wild fluctuations in defensive metrics either; it might be worth a shot creating one.
It’s not just a little defense, here. We’re talking about outstanding defense at a premium position versus average defense at a slugging position. This is confirmed by most defensive metrics as well as scouting.
Ibanez had a .376 wOBA in July, so he is not stringing together crappy games lately. Unfortunately, he has gone month-off/month-on through the first four months of the season. Shouldn’t Fangraphs look suspiciously at a negative WAR that is the result of a huge fluctuation in partial-season UZR? I think we ought to think in terms of regressed UZR when making single-season evaluations. Using rUZR, Ibanez’s 2011 is still crummy so far, but it’s not the abomination WAR is making it out to be.
Hey, advanced stats be damned. My 26th ranked Indians are still just 1 game in the loss column out of first and looking forward to seeing what Ubaldo can do in the AL Central. Stats are cool, but pennant races are cooler!
The #10 Rockies are probably jealous.
Awful division is awful.
People are going to be shocked when Arizona makes the playoffs. I don’t understand why the common thinking is that ATL and SF have it locked up, it’s not even close. Arizona is probably more complete than either of those 2 teams and has a very favorable schedule.
Just imagine next year with Parker and Bauer in the rotation.
More complete in what way, exactly?
did you forget that the giants got beltran, the braves got bourn, and the diamondbacks lost drew within the space of like two weeks?
I can’t believe I just read this here
How do you expect anyone to take this list seriously?
It is the biggest joke of a series this site has ever published.
So arizona and colorado are both ahead of the braves and giants? Really?
How can you possibly rationalize that?
Because that notion is completely and utterly false
you’re not very good at reading, are you?
“the fact that the seven teams that occupy spots seven through 13 in the Rankings are only separated by .008”
you’re not very good at critical thinking, are you?
if you were were, you would realize that a system that lumps together teams like the Rockies and DBacks with teams such as the Giants and Braves, is extremely flawed.
If the results show that all these teams are of almost exactly the same strength, then whatever characteristic it is that is being measured, is absolutely meaningless.
That or the system is flawed, as myself and many, many others have pointed out.
Also the methodology itselof is completely contradictory to the mission statement of these rankings:
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“In an effort to make this quantitative (that’s what we do around here, after all), we’re combining objective measures of 2011 performance with some subjective wisdom from our FanGraphs crowd.
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wait so this is quantitative because ‘thats what we do around here’?
yet the end of that sentence says:
=========================
“…subjective wisdom from our FanGraphs crowd.”
=========================
and then just a couple sentences later, we are told one of the 3 measure used is:
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“the preseason Fan’s Standings determined from readership input ( which we’ll call FAN% for short);
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so basically its not a quantitative analysis at all.
so i feel like either the calculations should be done differently or the intro to this series should be re-written to reflect the true nature of these rankings.
another thing that seems completely counter-intuitive from a site such as fangraphs that stresses the very limited reliability of small sample size is that the author stated the main reason the Giants took such a drastic drop is:
============================
“after the dust settled from the sweep, the Reds had vaulted six spots and the Giants had dropped six, the two nearly exchanging spots in the Rankings.
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a 3 game series in the middle of a 162 game schedule is the epitome of a small sample. the fact that one of the Giants starting pitchers that the Reds shelled (Zito) will not even be a part of the rotation going forward, makes the analysis even more ridiculous.
I mean are trying to determine whosgoing to be the best, or just what has already happened?
Because I can look at the box scores and standings anytime i want for the latter.
Senor Bautista no es macho,
Es solamente un borracho…
LINDA RONSTADT
Wait, What?!! The trade deadline passed? Man, I woulda gone hard for Alfonso Soriano and El Caballo.
The clamour of insult throwers at this site have awakened me from slumber to join them and so I say, Paul Swydan: you are botched and ridiculous, few other animals are so stupid or cowardly. The commonest yellow dog has far sharper senses and is infinitely more courageous, not to say more honest and dependable. The ants and bees are, in many ways, far more intelligent and ingenious. The lion is more beautiful, more dignified, more majestic; the antelope is swifter and more graceful. The ordinary house cat is cleaner. The horse, foamed by labor, has a better smell. The gorilla is kinder to children and more faithful to his wife. The ox and the ass are more industrious and serene. You are a mountebank.
That insult was so creative that I just changed my team name in the FG Staff League to “The Mountebank’s.” Well played, @Ghost.
The montebank strikes again!
*mountebank 🙁
god the bitching about these is so freaking old. people, if you don’t like it, YOU DON’T HAVE TO READ IT!!
I really like the IDEA of these rankings, as do most of the people “bitching” about them. We just see ways to make them better, and would like to share those ideas
Exactly. If the reader is not interested in looking at an atypical perspective such as this one, I’m not sure why they would continue to complain here every week instead of simply going to one of the hundreds of sites with rankings designed to capture a snapshot of the most successful teams at a given moment.
I guess we’ll see if the rankings knew anything at the end of the year when the Indians and Pirates do or don’t make the playoffs.
Also, teams have made the playoffs before with negative run differentials so just making the playoffs doesn’t necessarily make you a power.
Just looked it up and Pit is 15th and Cle is 20th in Pythag Win% so FG’s rankings don’t look as crazy when you see that.
Pythag says Pit should be 52-54 and Cle should be 51-54.
pythag also has the Giants at 54-54 and the D’Backs at 57-51. I don’t understand all the outrage that is coming from those teams being close in the rankings, unless it’s the same butthurt Giants fans that bitched to no end about Bumgarner being left off the top 50 trade value list
So the consensus says this list is a useless exercise. I agree.
“They’re certainly entitled to think that, and they’re entitled to full respect for their opinions… but before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”-Atticus Finch.
Truly ironic that you said that while having your username as a To Kill a Mockingbird character.
Wow, haven’t seen that type of ownage on fangraphs in quite some time. Watch what you say next time, Scout.
Do you know what Cousin Jeffrey’s favorite animal is? The leopard! He likes the spots…
a comment by a seinfeld character that isn’t pointless? wow, well done uncle leo!
p.s. thanks for those tickets to the concert in the park
im digging the brian regan reference
I just like taking comfort in knowing at 30 games over .500, my Phillies have that No. 3 ranking locked down. We may not be sexy, but dang it, we’re No. 3!
With an offense, they could be #2.
replace UZR with DRS and Jose Bautista’s WAR jumps what… 5 tenths?
Use a real measure of defense instead of UZR which is just awful compared to rPM/DRS
“The credibility of UZR is questionable. Therefore, giving it as much weight as Fangraphs does takes away from those people such as Bautista who, you know, absolutely pound the ball. Start here:”
So, it’s okay to assume to that UZR is overrating Pedroia, but why do you not think it’s overrating Bautista? Who’s to say Bautista isn’t really a -10? Or worse?
The answer is because that’s what you want to believe. You can’t have it both ways. “I’m fine with this guy’s UZR but not this guy’s.” Sorry, doesn’t work that way. Either accept it or look at a different metric, all of which (as has been pointed out) say that Pedroia is one of if not the best defensive second baseman in the game, and he has been his entire career.
And by the way, ignore his UZR and Pedroia is still in the top 5 in MLB in WAR. This whole discussion is a red herring to begin with.
Thanks for linking to Colin Wyers by the way. He would be less of a joke if he didn’t end his pointless rant with “Here, look at BP’s box-score reading metric instead!”
Bill, the point of the article Wyers wrote was to wake people up to the fact that we do not have a truly accurate way to measure defense yet. Pedroia may well be an elite defender this year, but like others have said, is he really playing defense twice as well as he ever has in the past? If it were up to me I would weigh defense half as much as fangraphs does, or simply go with wRAA and some positional adjustments. Offense is still more important than defense. Fangraphs seems a bit infatuated with defense at the moment but many of us still think and question defensive metrics.