3. RBI, VORP or OPS? In other words, as stats go, do you lean toward the traditional, the computer-generated or the somewhat in-between?
SL: It’s hard to be a baseball fan and ignore statistics. I’ve written, on more than one occassion, that “Just as baseball and apple pie are staples of America, statistics and fathers are the hemoglobin of baseball.” Then again, one time Yankee Toby Harrah is often credited as saying “Baseball statistics are like a girl in a bikini. They show a lot, but not everything.” And, I believe that. When looking at baseball stats, context is king. But, also, as Joe Torre likes to say, you have to remember that there’s a heartbeat in the game as well.
When you sum this all up, I would say that I respect the traditional baseball stats but realize that they don’t tell you everything. And, I have a great appreciation for more modern sabermetric measures seen more frequently today. However, I think it’s extremely important not to lose sight of the fact that the game is played by people and not computers. I once read a line from another blogger where he said something like “Nothing in baseball happens on average.” To me, when it comes to considering baseball stats, nothing says it better than that statement.
8. Who’s been more important to the Yankees’ success over the last decade and a half: Derek Jeter or Mariano Rivera?
SL: During the regular season, it’s Jeter. And, this is mostly because of the role in plays in the Yankees offensive attack. To get that from the shortstop position is a huge plus. And, it’s been proven that you can take a talent less than Mo Rivera and have him close games during the regular season at a fairly consistent rate.
However, in the postseason, I give the nod to Rivera. This is especially true because of those two-inning saves in October. In a short series, turning a given contest into a 21-out affair (as opposed to having 27 outs) for your opponent is a pretty big deal. And, that’s what Mariano does in the post-season, 99% of the time.
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1. nycfan Posted: January 31, 2010 at 10:02 PM (#3451215)He really shouldn't have written this even one time
God, I want to make a followup joke to this, but I just can't stop thinking of adenosine triphosphate now and the obvious comparison there is a bit too on the nose to be funny.
Re: the jeter vs. Mariano discussion. I'm sure there is a way to quantify it, but it sure feels as if rivera has been the most important player during their postseason run.
"SEA WATER."
What is that, 45 years old?
And hemoglobin is the soup of vampires.
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