After being shut out in the first two games of the NLDS, the Braves not only posted a crooked number on the scoreboard in Game Three, but staved off elimination entirely with a 6-5 win over the Dodgers. Ronald Acuna continued to make history, as the 20-year-old rookie sensation become the youngest player ever to hit a grand slam in postseason action. Game Four is set for Monday in Atlanta at 3:30pm CT.
As we look forward to three playoff games tomorrow, here are some items from three teams still active in the postseason…
- The Brewers made Craig Counsell’s continued employment as manager a requirement for any general manager candidate in 2015, owner Mark Attanasio told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “We interviewed seven or eight candidates, and I told all of them that Craig was going to be the manager,” Attanasio said. “So, that would have disqualified a candidate if they had a problem with that….That was a precondition to the job.” Counsell has paid off his employer’s faith by leading the Brewers into the NLCS, and quickly impressing observers along the way — eventual new GM David Stearns, the Brewers’ roster, and fans in Counsell’s home state of Wisconsin.
- Two shoulder surgeries and a right ankle injury limited Michael Brantley to just 101 total games in 2016 and 2017, limiting his productivity and sidelining him for all of the Indians’ run to Game Seven of the 2016 World Series. That long recovery period has made this season all the more special for the outfielder, who rebounded to hit .309/.364/.468 and 17 homers over 631 plate appearances and 143 games while helping the Tribe reach the postseason. “When you go through basically almost a two-year rehab, you don’t always know that you’re going to come back,” Brantley told MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. “Every day that I’m there to be with my teammates, that I’m healthy enough to be in that lineup, where I can joke around and know that I’m going out to left field to play with these guys, I’m very appreciative. I don’t take it for granted.” Monday, however, could mark Brantley’s last game in a Cleveland uniform if the Tribe is swept by the Astros, as Brantley will be a free agent at season’s end.
- “There’s a gigantic difference in how we use analytics here compared to Baltimore,” Yankees reliever Zach Britton told Fangraphs’ David Laurila. After coming to New York from the Orioles in a trade deadline swap, Britton was presented with lots of personally-focused data. “I’d never been exposed to that amount of information,” Britton said. “And it’s not just ’Here’s a stack of stuff to look over.’ …. I don’t want to get into specifics, but some of it is how my ball moves, both my sinker and my slider, compared to different hitters’ swings. It kind of opens your eyes to things you maybe didn’t think of when you didn’t have that information.” The Orioles are known to be looking for a more analytically-minded figure in their new general manager, though the team has a long way to go to catch up to the Yankees, who are known to have one of baseball’s best information departments. If Britton’s comments sound similar to Justin Verlander’s reaction to joining the Astros last season, it isn’t a surprise, as Britton noted that “If you look at the teams in the postseason, most are well-known for their analytics departments, especially the Astros.”
Yep, one of the chief reasons, I think, for not renewing Buck and Dan is their seeming lack of seamless communication between the front office and the field itself.
Yep, one of the chief reasons, I think, for not renewing Buck and Dan is their seeming lack of seamless communication between front office and field.
It is ownership that drives analytics. They have to decide what departments will be funded or developed. The Orioles lacked in analytics, scouting, international development and these are ownership and front office decisions. We were damn lucky to have made the playoffs while management had it’s head in the sand.
When everyone goes left you go right, RIGHT? RIGHT????
And yet Mets still don’t want to embrace analytics NYPost:
“But it seems unlikely a pure analytics-driven GM will be hired by the Mets. Fred would go out of his mind…” “If Fred had to sit in a room with a guy who had to explain to him analytics, Fred would blow his brains out.” https://nypost.com/2018/10/05/mets-get-snubbed-again-as-gm-search-is-off-to-rocky-start/
Britton/Verlander smarter than you, Wilpon? Yep.
I doubt it has anything to do with Wilpon’s intelligence. I’m sure he’d have no problem grasping the topic but he’s an arrogant billionaire who doesn’t believe in it or care to take the time to do so.
Well, yes, perhaps the operative term here is “pure.” Not sure—I’d have to hear/read more (and preferably somewhere other than the Post).
I’ll give you that one. Post is, by far, most negative coverage of their sports teams. They make me feel like their Yankee articles written by Boston Globe
But thought could trust this one, because it wasnt written by a Mr. Joel Sherman.
Analytics have always been part of the game. In little league you moved your flipped corner outfielders depending on a lefty or righty batting (I know because i was always moved to where they wouldn’t hit the ball -LOL). It’s just the crazy way it’s magnified today IMHO due to the juiced ball, how hard it’s thrown and hit. Never been as easy as today to hit an opposite field homer. Tennis anyone? Roscoe Tanner was the first to hit 100 mph on his serve but once it became returnable, it was often returned even harder.
Big difference between what you’re referring to and the level of advance analytics they use now. Britton and Verlander are vets and even they are saying that they’ve never seen it as deep and thorough as the Astros and Yankees employ. I mean, they simply didn’t have the means or maybe the thought, to measure spin rate, exit velocity, etc 10 years ago.
Not saying they don’t have a part. Technology has made it easier to track. Verlander for example is using the stats in how he pitches. Most however are just rearing back and throwing as hard as they can, without the ability to control location. Batters are ignoring hit opportunities in lieu of swinging for the fences. What we’ve seen for the most part is 3D video game baseball.They should be using the tools they have to make themselves better all around players.
Dewey…Andre Agassi would agree with that statement
How much does Wilpon have a say in on personnel decisions beyond payroll concerns? If he doesn’t, then why would he care HOW his manager went about his job beyond results? In fact, there’s a cost-savings aspect that often comes out of use of analytics, especially as it pertains to older free agents and finding under-valued players. Don’t understand.
Which of course regular older fans don’t get to see on TV because it’s ALL ON CABLE because FOX is busy showing more popular things like football.
And what is TCM anyway?
Enjoy your big fat riches bench players—I’m out!
Baseball has come a long way with analytics compared to the pitchers keeping a black book on hitters. You snooze, you loose!
Brantley would look mighty good in the pinstripes, and quite a bit cheaper than Harper I may add.
Only problem is where he’d play. Hicks and Judge are locks to be in the outfield opening day. Clint Frazier and Ellsbury will be back. Gardner has a team option.
They will more than likely not renew Gardner, and Ellsbury is not blocking anyone. Frazier will probably be used to acquire pitching.
I think they would pass on Harper for the reasons acarneglia mentioned. However, its quite possibly they pick up another outfielder for a much cheaper price tag. So Brantly might be a reality. Definitely more of a reality than Harper.
Frazier? He’s a buy low guy due to his injury history. No one is giving up even decent pitching for him unless either he’s a throw in or the return while talented also has warts. Frazier though could easily become valuable again (up to a point) next spring.
Of course he alone wouldn’t bring a pitcher of significance back.
Two years ago he would have. He was a pleasure to watch. Enthusiasm, speed and good skills. Hope he comes back strongly just in a different uniform. Same thing with Bird.
Nah, Im good, Brantley sounds like Ellsbury 2.0
He stayed healthy this year? Woah.
@bocephus I’ve been thinking the same for a couple of weeks about Brantley. His bat would be perfect for Yankee stadium and his left handedness, low k rate and high contact rate would be a complement to Judge, Stanton, Voit etc. However, the Yanks have a few in house options in Gardner, Ellsbury and Frazier (in terms of LF under contract) and Brantley by far is the worst of the bunch defensively. Not sure if there will be a match. This might be Brantley’s last chance at a decent 2 or 3 year contract. Not sure if the Yanks would want to go that far for him, especially given his defensive liability.
Brantley might be a one year stay in Cleveland situation
Brantley is a prototypical Giants signing.
Zach…. That’s what happens when you have more financial resources. Better analytics and scouting.
Not necessarily.
Like Tampa and Oakland. Right.
@kenm. Ummm….the cash strapped Oakland A’s were the first to embrace advanced analytics so I would think any team could gather intellectual talent and can show them how best to use their money, Sure, teams can outbid for talent but I don’t think there’s a huge disparity to get top front office talent.
One thing you can say about the current Yankee team, they built this team thru mostly drafts and trades using their own prospects. Bird, Voit, Torres, Didi, Andujar, Sanchez, Romine, Judge, Hicks, Stanton (although money was a factor), Severino, Gray and most of the bullpen outside of Chapman were all acquired via minor league system or trades using our own prospects. They’ve also done a good job scouting and drafting power arms late in the draft and turning them into starters or power bullpen arms. Just an outstanding job identifying buy low guys like Hicks, Didi and Voit too.
What’s so different about the Yankees and most other playoff teams? Red Sox signing Price and JDM as major free agents. Yankees: Chapman, C.C and Tanaka. Given the years committed to, Stanton should also be considered.
Yes; the anti-analytics people will choose to ignore that the Yankees analytics team identified Voit as one of the best-hitting first basemen in baseball even when he was in AAA and targeted him for quite a while.. I don’t know if his numbers are sustainable over a full season, but if he’s even 80% as good next year then he’s an absolute bargain and a great testament to the importance of modern analysis in baseball.
Orioles and Mets being killed here- and the Yankees praised – regarding use of analytics, yet both the O’s and Mets have each won the same amountof division titles in the past 7 seasons as NY. Plus, the Mets have been to a WS more recently than the Yankees.
Britton had his most dominant work with Baltimore, so obviously the lack of sabr info there was no factor in his success.
The effectiveness of analytics is subjective. Yankees and Mariners won 114 and 116 games, respectively, in seasons over the past 20 years before the heavy application of sabermetrics. If they are such a difference maker, why aren’t teams regularly wimning 110+ games or more?
I’m sure analytics have a place in evaluating players, but to think their application is going to alone change the fortunes of the Orioles and other terrible teams is pure folly. A strong, traditional scouting dept.is still the backbone of any successful club.
Actually as more teams as more teams truly embrace analytics and use them effectively, I believe we would see fewer 110+ winners as the playing field would begin to even out.
The difference between the Yanks and the Mets & Orioles is the speed in which they completed their rebuild because of their use of analytics and they are remaining contenders for multiple years. The Mets and O’s take forever to rebuild and after their resent playoff runs fell right back to sub par.
I would ask you this question … how many games are decided by one run? While i hate the “shift” defense this was created because of analytics as they studied a player and see that they are a pretty much a dead pull hitter. While now we have computers and cameras to go more in depth instead of the “blackbook” pitchers kept for themselves, it is still analytics and can easily make the difference in a game.
The shift predates analytics by decades. The shift was first used in the 1920s against Cy William’s and again in the 1940s against Ted Williams. It has been used over the years against extreme pull hitters but not near the frequency it’s used now.
The first use of the shift was actually noted in the 1870s. That’s 140+ years ago.
Analytics evens the playing field by allowing smaller market teams to compete similar to how the A’s and Rays did this year.
As for the “success” of the Orioles and Mets, the Yankees have many more wins over the past seven years then the O’s and Mets. Remember, some of the Yankees teams we had just 3 years ago were mediocre but still finished above .500
Cashman rebuilt the Yanks while still maintaining a good team on the field which the others didn;t do. Bad moves by both the Mets and O’s closed their windows fast, the contracts of veterans like Cespedes, Davis, Trumbo, Frazier, and Bruce hurt both teams big time. Not signing Machado was a big mistake by the O’s, they picked Davis over Machado.
Take out this year’s aberration and the Orioles and Yankees had almost the same amount of wins for those six years.
What if you don’t have money to just sign players that pass the eye test (ie The A’s and Rays)? Then what do you do?
Why would you think that those scouts AREN’T using advance metrics as part of their scouting process? I really think that’s the point. They just talked about how the Yanks scouts spoke glowingly about Voit for a couple of years but were just recently able to match up with the Cardinals on a deal that made sense for both sides.
I would say that the Yankees scouting system is BETTER than years before because they implement the old school eye ball test but use metrics to confirm or rebut what the eye ball test might bear out.
I am waiting to someone to disproves analytics. Using it is making the game of baseball very boring. I’ve had season tickets for many years and now I have no interest in going. Sorry if I am old school, but baseball was a game not broken; so why did they have to change it?
It changed because small market teams didn’t have the money to compete with talent alone. They needed to find ways to increase their odds of winning with the talent they could afford… and it worked.
Then you’re going to be waiting forever. The reason why more and more teams are using them is that for the most part they work, and if you can get an edge by using all the information that you have available to you, you’re going to use it. If you don’t like it, tough, but it’s foolish at best to willingly ignore additional information that helps give you a clearer picture, no matter the area.
Statistics sometimes lie. They don’t look at the intangible’s like what Pete Rose brought to the team or Steve Carlton and his 27-10 season on a team that was brutally bad. But in any event, it appears many people agree with me, look at attendance! Whatever though, for me, a huge fan of the game, I find it boring to watch, and you’ll find many over 50 feel the same way.
Who do you think matters most to mlb teams? 50+ fans or little leaguers to millennials?
Yes, they are sometimes wrong, hence why I said that they work “for the most part” and not “always”. However, while they can sometimes fail, for the most part they DO work, which is why teams are relying more and more on them. Yes, you may not like it, but if you want whichever team you cheer for to do well, you have to accept that these advanced analytics are part of the game.
Besides, numbers have always been a part of baseball since the beginning. Before, it was numbers such as home runs, RBIs, batting averages, etc. Now, it’s recognized that those aren’t exactly good at telling what’s actually happening, so teams are relying more on numbers and analytics that do a better job of that. As more information becomes available, you use it to your advantage however you can. That’s not just how baseball works, that’s how many aspects of the world works nowadays.
I hear you and I don’t disagree. The reason why baseball is hurting from that generation is kids are too self absorbed in their video games. When I was a kid, I played baseball in the summer every day from sunup to sundown. Today, I don’t see kids playing anywhere near that. When it was raining or too dark out, we play Strat O Matic. So are they trying to turn the game into a video game? It’s not only analytics that bug me, it’s the fundamental play. Where is the bunting, hit n run, sacrifice and stealing? It’s too one dimensional. Strike outs or home runs. Baseball was perfect and played mostly the same for 100+ years. (Except DH) Give me 20 game winners, complete games and stop with all the pitching changes. Allow take out slides at 2nd and home. Thanks!
“What Pete Rose brought to the game.” Which are you referring to – him playing for the team he managed for years after his usefulness so he could break a record, while actively hurting his team? Or Rose betting on his own team? I don’t think we need advanced analytics to figure out these were both terrible ideas.
Agreed, this why front offices are taking over the game and managers like Buck and Garardi are out!
@bowadoyle I’m in my 40’s. I’m quickly learning that in today’s world if you don’t adapt then you will be phased out or lose ground. Analytics for the most part, help to justify ideas we previously had. How many times do you think a manager would position defensive players according to whether they expected the hitter to pull the ball or not. It’s not so foreign. Some of it is a little bit of bull but most of it is spot on. I hate seeing Greg Bird continuously pound the ball between 1st and 2nd into an easy out but it works.
But it was a thing of beauty watching Bird drop down three or four successful bunts because the opposing team over shifted him.
I love watching players bunting the opposite side of a shift. Personally I’d have individuals like Carpenter bunting every plate appearance until they quit putting a total shift on him. That seems only smart to me.
Someone needs to School the Cardinals John Mozeliak!! He’s pushing buttons. But he’s been consistently pushing the wrong buttons since 2013!!
will brewers change manager?