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Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell criticizes Astros’ recent tilt toward analytics but says he doesn’t want GM job

The Houston Astros remain in need of a general manager after surprisingly cutting ties with incumbent James Click earlier this offseason. So enter Jeff Bagwell?

The franchise legend and Hall of Fame first baseman has been a close advisor to club owner Jim Crane for some time, and the idea that he might be in for a larger and more formal front-office role gained credence when Bagwell reportedly helped negotiate José Abreu’s recent free-agent contract with Houston. On Tuesday, Bagwell leveled what seems to be thinly veiled criticism at Click and his data-driven approach:

“This game is played by humans, not numbers,” says @baseballhall of Fame Jeff Bagwell, who admits that he personally thinks the #Astros front office went too far toward analytics under James Click. #LevelUp pic.twitter.com/GPHj804qOC
— Jose de Jesus Ortiz (@OrtizKicks) November 29, 2022

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 29, 2022 at 12:35 PM | 23 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: analytics, astros, jeff bagwell

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1. Walt Davis Posted: November 29, 2022 at 12:50 PM (#6107163)

As long as humans have facial hair like that, I'll trust the numbers.

2. Barry`s_Lazy_Boy Posted: November 29, 2022 at 12:57 PM (#6107165)

Analytics only got them to four World Series in six years. I guess it would have been six out of six if they were old school.

3. Steve Parris, Je t'aime Posted: November 29, 2022 at 01:10 PM (#6107169)

Bagwell: "Pass."

4. base ball chick Posted: November 29, 2022 at 01:18 PM (#6107170)

ol jeffy poo has not never been famous for his brainz to be real nice about it. he's all not liking them numbers because i disbelieve he can count to more than like 20. anyone besides me ever heard him talk during a ball game when he's a guest? sigh

he would win the biggest idiot evah contest if he was dumb enough to get crane to appoint him GM. "advisor" is a lot less public and easier to not gt blamed for saying dumb stuff

5. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: November 29, 2022 at 01:41 PM (#6107174)

The Astros day-to-day operations are being run by Andrew Ball, who began as a blogger on SB Nation.

6. Jose is an Absurd Sultan Posted: November 29, 2022 at 01:59 PM (#6107178)

I feel like there are about 29 other teams in baseball that are more worthy of criticism for their recent performance than the Astros.

7. Booey Posted: November 29, 2022 at 02:05 PM (#6107181)

Bagwell's never struck me as a genius - even by professional athlete standards - but TBF, the game was more interesting and certainly more entertaining to watch when analytics were a much smaller part of it.

8. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: November 29, 2022 at 02:26 PM (#6107185)

As long as humans have facial hair like that, I'll trust the numbers.

Dude looks like a member of the wrestling Von Erich family. Seems about as smart as one, too.

9. Itchy Row Posted: November 29, 2022 at 02:51 PM (#6107192)

he personally thinks the #Astros front office went too far

So the Astros are Hitler.

10. Cris E Posted: November 29, 2022 at 03:28 PM (#6107210)

As if the garbage can cheating and the invasion of Poland wasn't enough of a clue. Of COURSE they're Hitler.

11. Astroenteritis Posted: November 29, 2022 at 04:00 PM (#6107223)

As if the garbage can cheating and the invasion of Poland wasn't enough of a clue.

Come now, it wasn't Poland, it was The Bronx.

12. Astroenteritis Posted: November 29, 2022 at 04:05 PM (#6107230)

Yes, it really sucks that the emphasis on analytics has hamstrung the franchise so much the last 6-7 years.

If Crane is going to go down this road I'm going to really enjoy the last 2-3 years of this competitive window, because that window is going slam shut with shattered glass flying everywhere.

13. Jaack Posted: November 29, 2022 at 04:46 PM (#6107237)

You have to give Jim Cran some credit here - most meglomaniac owners burn the team to the ground before they ever win a championship, let alone two. He's shown some real restraint.

14. Darren

Posted: November 29, 2022 at 04:59 PM (#6107239)

Bagwell was really good at baseball and probably knows a lot about it. He may have insights that go beyond analytics. The human side of performance is also getting a lot of attention from smart front offices now, too. Let's give him a chance.

15. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: November 29, 2022 at 05:03 PM (#6107241)

So Bagwell has assumed the Joe Morgan, analytics suck but when I was playing I did all those little things that added up to me becoming a HOF player, mantle.

16. The Duke Posted: November 29, 2022 at 06:18 PM (#6107254)

Reggie Jackson and Jeff Bagwell are reprising the Dave Stewart/TLR days. It will likely go about as well.

I like the Abreu signing - seems high but also seems like he had a lot of interest

17. Tony S Posted: November 29, 2022 at 06:19 PM (#6107255)

What part of "four pennants and two WS rings" does Bagwell object to?

18. Itchy Row Posted: November 29, 2022 at 06:29 PM (#6107256)

What part of "four pennants and two WS rings" does Bagwell object to?

Probably "four" and "two." Pennants are won by humans, not numbers.

19. Jaack Posted: November 29, 2022 at 07:05 PM (#6107257)

Probably "four" and "two." Pennants are won by humans, not numbers.

Don't be too harsh, he might have learned to count on his own World Series rings.

20. cHiEf iMpaCt oFfiCEr JE

Posted: November 29, 2022 at 08:31 PM (#6107268)

So Bagwell has assumed the Joe Morgan, analytics suck but when I was playing I did all those little things that added up to me becoming a HOF player, mantle.

Indeed. While Morgan was a slam-dunk HoFer, Bagwell arguably owes his ticket to Cooperstown to the rise of analytics.

21. KronicFatigue Posted: November 29, 2022 at 08:39 PM (#6107270)

As long as humans have facial hair like that, I'll trust the numbers.

I can't believe you actually got me to RTFA. Or at least look at it.

22. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: November 30, 2022 at 12:00 AM (#6107287)

This whole situation is bizarre. “Guy who was hugely successful according to analytics” criticizing “team that just won the World Series using analytics” for using analytics.

23. What did Billy Ripken have against ElRoy Face? Posted: November 30, 2022 at 12:10 AM (#6107288)

This whole situation is bizarre. “Guy who was hugely successful according to analytics” criticizing “team that just won the World Series using analytics” for using analytics.

Like so much else, it follows the logic of tribalism, not the logic of logic.

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Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell criticizes Astros’ recent tilt toward analytics but says he doesn’t want GM job

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