WAR! What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothing!

[DOUGHBOYS]

There is hardly anyting that gets me going more than somebody reciting a WAR of a player.
Whoever said 'WAR is Hell' was way ahead of their time.
WAR means even less than Hell to me. To me, it means NOTHING.
Putting a number next to a players name to accentuate their worth as a player is stupid.
It is amazing to me that somebody can quantify Jason Heyward as the best player in baseball when he can't hit well, or stay healthy, or even much of a leader....But, he can play a helluva right field. WHAT?!?!
Yes, at one time last year, Heyward had the highest WAR of any player in baseball.
I could go to a million baseball fans from the Yahoo Kid to THE Fantasy Gods and nobody would say that Jason Heyward is the best player in baseball. Yet, a set of numbers say he is.
And we like our numbers, don't we.

AH WAR! HUH! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?
ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN'
SAY IT AGAIN!
WAR! I DESPISE!
WAR IS AN AN ENEMY TO ALL MANKIND
THE THOUGHT OF WAR BLOWS MY MIND
WAR HAS CAUSED UNREST AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION
INDUCTION! DESTRUCTION! WHO WANTS TO DIE?!?

Ok, maybe Edwin Starr wasn't talking about fantasy baseball WAR....but he could have been!
There have been some very laughable stats to come out and this is the big one for me.
For this stat to be credible, they are going to have to quit the practice of giving so much credence to a right fielder.
Right field is where we hide our worst player!
It's where a Manager puts a relief pitcher if he wants him to stay in the game to get the next hitter out.
It's where lumbering guys like Mark Trumbo go. Or aging players like Shane Victorino. Or Carlos Beltran.

Quantifying WAR is like quantifying the best person in a room.
There are just too many factors going into the equation to master the problem.
Yet, it didn't stop the WAR mongers.
They think they can quantify wins above replacement.
Even though the moving parts on each side are ever moving.
Silly.

Who would you rather have more?
McCutchen or Heyward?
Stanton or Heyward?
Trout or Heyward?
Whether being a fantasy player or a Manager of a baseball team, the answer would be the same in almost any case.
And really, I'm not trying to pick on Heyward.
My target is WAR, itself. Heyward just happens to be their poster boy.
WAR's friendly fire slays him.
And me.

[Glenneration X]

Who would you rather have more?
McCutchen or Heyward?
Stanton or Heyward?
Trout or Heyward?
Whether being a fantasy player or a Manager of a baseball team, the answer would be the same in almost any case.

Well of course Dough. They all had higher WAR than Heyward last year.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Who would you rather have more?
McCutchen or Heyward?
Stanton or Heyward?
Trout or Heyward?
Whether being a fantasy player or a Manager of a baseball team, the answer would be the same in almost any case.

Well of course Dough. They all had higher WAR than Heyward last year.

Not while the year was being played out, Glenn.
Heyward was consistently higher during the year.

[Glenneration X]

Who would you rather have more?
McCutchen or Heyward?
Stanton or Heyward?
Trout or Heyward?
Whether being a fantasy player or a Manager of a baseball team, the answer would be the same in almost any case.

Well of course Dough. They all had higher WAR than Heyward last year.

Not while the year was being played out, Glenn.
Heyward was consistently higher during the year.

Just funnin' ya Bud. See you in 3 days!!!

[DOUGHBOYS]

Can't wait to see you, Glenn!!!

[Edwards Kings]

Dan,

Gonna be great being in a Main Event league with you this year. Looks like another (typically) tough one. And you'll get to see me visit the foul-up fair real time.

[NorCalAtlFan]

i figure your are tearing yourself up about pick 1 wayne. trout or freeman, trout or freeman? i get it. go with your heart

[DOUGHBOYS]

Sooooo looking forward to that Main Event.
So many friends and folks we 'know', it'll almost have the feel of a home league for me.
Wayne, with me in your league, your odds of grabbing Joey Votto rose almost 7 per cent!

[Edwards Kings]

i figure your are tearing yourself up about pick 1 wayne. trout or freeman, trout or freeman? i get it. go with your heart

Yes, I will. I will go with my heart. Have I told you how much I love money?

[Edwards Kings]

Wayne, with me in your league, your odds of grabbing Joey Votto rose almost 7 per cent!

You know if Votto is still there in the 5th for you, your hands will start to shake, sweat will break out, eyes will glaze over...got to have that OBP fix....

[DOUGHBOYS]

Ha!
I can honestly say that Votto has never been a thought for me in a draft during the last three years.
Meaning that his price point has never been tested while in a draft. I've seen him being taken as late as the eighth round in a draft with me and I had really never considered him, even at that point.

You made me look at my 1B list.
I have Votto 23rd among first basemen. Not a purposeful swipe at Votto. Remember, that I am just a guy and we can place players where we feel will help us the most. I like a skill set or one skill on 22 first basemen more than Votto. Looking at an old notebook, I had him ranked third earlier in his career.

He has every possibility of being...wait for it ...a ..... 'value pick!'


Edit- I saw him hit a first pitch home run in a spring training game.....Then, the next at bats, he 'worked' a walk and strike out.
In one day, he showed what he could be, but more importantly for us, what he is.

[NorCalAtlFan]

Ha!
I can honestly say that Votto has never been a thought for me in a draft during the last three years.
Meaning that his price point has never been tested while in a draft. I've seen him being taken as late as the eighth round in a draft with me and I had really never considered him, even at that point.

You made me look at my 1B list.
I have Votto 23rd among first basemen. Not a purposeful swipe at Votto. Remember, that I am just a guy and we can place players where we feel will help us the most. I like a skill set or one skill on 22 first basemen more than Votto. Looking at an old notebook, I had him ranked third earlier in his career.

He has every possibility of being...wait for it ...a ..... 'value pick!'

brings a tear to my eye Dan seeing you FINALLY come around on "value pick"

i guess you can teach an old dog new tricks

[DOUGHBOYS]

Ha!
I can honestly say that Votto has never been a thought for me in a draft during the last three years.
Meaning that his price point has never been tested while in a draft. I've seen him being taken as late as the eighth round in a draft with me and I had really never considered him, even at that point.

You made me look at my 1B list.
I have Votto 23rd among first basemen. Not a purposeful swipe at Votto. Remember, that I am just a guy and we can place players where we feel will help us the most. I like a skill set or one skill on 22 first basemen more than Votto. Looking at an old notebook, I had him ranked third earlier in his career.

He has every possibility of being...wait for it ...a ..... 'value pick!'

brings a tear to my eye Dan seeing you FINALLY come around on "value pick"

i guess you can teach an old dog new tricks

I kNEW you'd like that Bryan!

[NorCalAtlFan]

Ha!
I can honestly say that Votto has never been a thought for me in a draft during the last three years.
Meaning that his price point has never been tested while in a draft. I've seen him being taken as late as the eighth round in a draft with me and I had really never considered him, even at that point.

You made me look at my 1B list.
I have Votto 23rd among first basemen. Not a purposeful swipe at Votto. Remember, that I am just a guy and we can place players where we feel will help us the most. I like a skill set or one skill on 22 first basemen more than Votto. Looking at an old notebook, I had him ranked third earlier in his career.

He has every possibility of being...wait for it ...a ..... 'value pick!'

brings a tear to my eye Dan seeing you FINALLY come around on "value pick"

i guess you can teach an old dog new tricks

I kNEW you'd like that Bryan!

i'm getting too predictable. wayne, which atl jersey are you wearing, i don't want to clash?

[Edwards Kings]

Me? Nope, no jersey. Not wearing a shirt at all. Trying to be a distraction and they insisted I must wear pants, so topless is the best I can do. I need every advantage I can get.

You are picking 4th Bryan? Interesting spot. Assuming you won't have a chance at the fish entree ( ), are you hoping for a little Kershaw action?

[KJ Duke]

Me? Nope, no jersey. Not wearing a shirt at all. Trying to be a distraction and they insisted I must wear pants, so topless is the best I can do. I need every advantage I can get.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll bring some very dark glasses.

[Walla Walla]

Don't ever compare War with Fantasy Sports. To do so is an insult to all that have fought and died for our country.

[NorCalAtlFan]

Don't ever compare War with Fantasy Sports. To do so is an insult to all that have fought and died for our country.

it's officially live event time now that the resident HF has showed up

[Edwards Kings]

Me? Nope, no jersey. Not wearing a shirt at all. Trying to be a distraction and they insisted I must wear pants, so topless is the best I can do. I need every advantage I can get.

Thanks for the heads up, I'll bring some very dark glasses.

Beware the Moobs.....

[DOUGHBOYS]

Me? Nope, no jersey. Not wearing a shirt at all. Trying to be a distraction and they insisted I must wear pants, so topless is the best I can do. I need every advantage I can get.

You are picking 4th Bryan? Interesting spot. Assuming you won't have a chance at the fish entree ( ), are you hoping for a little Kershaw action?

I can take off my hat. The glare in everybody's eyes should render all drafters temporarily blind.
Go ahead, bring extra batteries for computers. Does little good if the screen isn't visible

[KJ Duke]

Me? Nope, no jersey. Not wearing a shirt at all. Trying to be a distraction and they insisted I must wear pants, so topless is the best I can do. I need every advantage I can get.

You are picking 4th Bryan? Interesting spot. Assuming you won't have a chance at the fish entree ( ), are you hoping for a little Kershaw action?

I can take off my hat. The glare in everybody's eyes should render all drafters temporarily blind.
Go ahead, bring extra batteries for computers. Does little good if the screen isn't visible

Need a strategy to counter this distraction technique. I could sneak the big dog into draft room after no feeding for 3 days. You'll both look like dinner ... at a minimum, you won't want to have any unattended Doritos lying around.

IMG_5191.JPG (101.44 KiB) Viewed 8212 times

[DOUGHBOYS]

Man, a dog would distract me. To know one is to love one.
I would give it some of that foo-foo food they serve at the Bellagio.
I'll keep the Doritos.

[Bronx Yankees]

Just thought I'd update the "WAR" thread in light of the recent Hall of Fame voting.

Here's a nugget for your consideration:

Mike Piazza - Elected to the Hall of Fame with 83.0% of the vote in his fourth year of eligibility. Career WAR = 62.5

Jim Edmonds - Permanently knocked off the ballot in the first year with only 2.5% of the vote. Career WAR = 64.5

Here's another interesting comparison:

Ken Griffey, Jr. - Elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot with the highest vote of all-time (99.3%). Career WAR = 77.7

Mike Mussina - Rejected by the Hall of Fame voters for the third straight year with only 43.0% of the vote. Career WAR = 82.2

I'm not questioning the elections of Griffey and Piazza, but I do frequently find the voting frustrating, as well as the current hyper-focus on WAR. Here's hoping the under-appreciated and well-deserving Tim Raines gets in next year in his final year of eligibility.

Mike

[NorCalAtlFan]

agree Mike on the hyper focus on the most flawed of metrics, WAR.

and agree on Raines. still boggles my mind that it's taken this long with him

[Bronx Yankees]

Yeah, Bryan, hopefully Raines will get in next year. One of the biggest snubs in recent memory, but at least he's now within striking distance.

Mike