Us VS. Them

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DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Us VS. Them

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Wed Feb 19, 2020 12:24 pm

We take into account sabrmetric statistics. It is our job to analyze as many statistics as possible to ascertain where to draft players.
Some sabrmetric statistics pertain to fantasy baseball. Most do not.
As stated before, sabrmetrics go to stat is On Base Percentage. They love the base on balls for a hitter.
In our game, unless speedy, the base on balls, for the, most part is a wasted at bat.
We can only root for one good outcome when a batter on our roster, devoid of speed, walks, and that is a run scored.Woo hoo.

I have noticed that sabrmetricians have lessened their attack on a batter striking out.
Wow, when Adam Dunn, Mark Reynolds, or Chris Davis would strike out umpteen times, you'd think these players were lucky to be in baseball.
Now, not so much.
You know why?
Because it isn't the Adam Dunn's or Mark Reynolds or Chris Davis of baseball who are striking out the most.
It is our most talented players.

Who lead baseball in striking out last year?
In the past, sabrmetricians would embed the villan in our minds through constant columns condemning the player.
Now, without looking, I'll bet you can't name that player.
I couldn't. I had to look it up.
It was Eugenio Suarez.
Suarez who has seen his star rise to new heights after hitting 49 homers last year.
A player who is going in the sixth round of drafts this year.

Even more amazing is the fellow who finished one strike out behind Suarez.
Ronald Acuna Jr.
That's right.
The number one Overall pick in most drafts would have been roundly ridiculed by sabrmetricians and embraced by us.
Acuna Jr. struck out 188 times.
We don't care. We just don't care.
As far as we're concerned, he can strike out 288 times.
As long as he provides fantasy goodness.For sabrmetricians, Acuna Jr. is not embraced.
His OBP was a mere .365
They wonder, how we can view a player as tops on our list when striking out two and half times per every walk.
They wonder why we embrace a player with the same OBP as Adam Eaton.
The thing is, we don't give a rat's ass what Acuna Jr. does when not making contact with the ball.
And this is the disconnect from sabrs and fantasy enthusiasts.

When Acuna Jr. makes contact, shit happens.
It feels almost like playing a pinball machine. The Sabrs want to focus on what happens with quick drains and we want to focus on 100 bumpers being hit in one play.
We play an action game.
Sabrs focus on non-actions.
Sabrs believe a walk is earned while an RBI is lucky.
Fantasy players believe that a walk is a waste and an RBI a treasure.
When a Sabr sees a caught stealing, he'll say, "Wasted out"
When we see a caught stealing, we'll say, "Can't steal without trying"

We look at the game through different eyes.
But I can see Sabrs stance on striking out softening.
When the best players in baseball are striking out the most, they have to.
All but two players (Odor and Wil Myers) in the top ten of striking out are being taken in the top eight rounds of drafts.
Here's the list...

Suarez- 189
Acuna JR- 188
Alonso- 183
Harper-178
Soler- 178
Odor-178
Villar- 176
Story- 174
Hoskins- 173
Myers- 168

As far as OBP, fantasy players in the NFBC look at the stat. Just not with the reverence of Sabrs.
Sabrs trumpet Rhys Hoskins, who is on the strike out list by the way.
Hoskins walked 116 times last season. Second most in baseball.
For Sabrs, an OMG!
For us, nothing.
We dropped Hoskins from the third round last year to the eighth or ninth rounds this year.
In our game, you walk for show and you hit for dough.
Hoskins hit .226
No player with at least 525 at bats had a lower batting average.
In their eyes, Hoskins has enhanced a part of his game.
In our eyes, Hoskins has deteriorated.
And so it goes between the two camps.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

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