From: maj1@Ra.MsState.Edu (Mark "Beren" Jamison)
Subject: Re: Value of Stats
Organization: Mississippi State University
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 12:37:03 GMT

You know I usually let Dr Dave and company do all the talking, since they
are not only more knowledgable, but also more eloquent and coherent..

But..

In article <1992Jul21.220439.10887@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard) writes:
>In <1992Jul21.202050.10869@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca> sinhaa@maccs.dcss.mcmaster.ca (Anand Sinha) writes:
>
>>In article <1992Jul21.193135.6882@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca> 91287041@ramsey.cs.laurentian.ca (roger maynard) writes:

>>Actually, spring training is the one time when "nerds" say that spring training
>>numbers do not mean anything. Ever heard of "sample size"? I didn't think so
>>Roger. 
>

Actually Annand, not only has he not heard of "sample size",  he has forgotten
how many Pitchers who have already made the team throw BP pitches during
Spring practice games.. How else can you figure Clemens with a High ERA and
Gary Scott with an astronomical number of hits??

>
>>Do you ever get anything through your thick skull?? No one has said that
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>What is the purpose of this statement?  Do you enjoy being called a nerd?
>

What is the purpose of your counterstaement Roger?? Or do you actually resemble
the remark??


>>stats show you who the best player is.  They do HELP to show who the better
>>player is.  
>
>>READ MY LIPS ROGER AND THE REST OF YOU ::
>
>won't have this problem anymore because I won't be able to see your "LIPS".
>You are now parked in a different directory in a file named "kill".
>
>>STATHEADS(tm) ARE BASEBALL FANS FIRST. WE USE STATISTICS TO, IN OUR OPINION,
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Nobody is questioning this.  Why do you feel that it is necessary to say so?
>
>>GAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GAME. WE DON'T BELIEVE IN INSIPID STATS LIKE
>
>My opinion - and I don't have to spell it with my capslock on - is that
>stats can give you a distorted view of the game.  Certainly a different
>understanding and not necessarily "better".
>

Oh and would you care to explain how and why stats can give you a distorted 
view of the game??

>>"hitting .250 against LHP with runners on 3rd on a Sunday after a full moon". 
>>NUMBERS LIKE OBA, SLG, DA, HELP US TO APPRECIATE TALENT. 
>
>>As an example of this...Alfredo Griffin has long been one of my favourite
>>players. (Ok I admit this).  I was sorry to see him leave Toronto so that 
>>Tony Fernandez could play SS. I was glad that he was on the Dodger team
>>that won the WS in '88.  On the other hand, I hold no illusions about his
>>value to the Blue Jays in 1992. He has little or none, save that he may be
>>a good influence to the rest of the team. I'd be a good influence for less than
>                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>not likely...
>

And why is that Roger??

>>1/10 of the $1mil he's making this year. 
>>And, probably, I could generate about as much offense as Alfredo.  
>
>Well you have generated more offense in this post than Griffin is likely to
>produce this year... 
>

Only to anti-stat zealots  like yourself..

>>Now this does not take away that fact that I like
>>the player.  I just think that he is a waste of a position on the bench, and
>>will do little to help the Jays with the WS this year.  The statistics that
>>Alfredo has managed over the years only helps to prove that he is, offensively
>>and defensively, a liability.  His clubhouse spirit is not measurable, nor can
>
>Alfredo had, "statistically", the best range of any regular SS in the NL 
>last year.
>

So?? If he can't hit the ball, which in case you haven't noticed he has a 
very hard time doing, he shouldn't be around..

--
______________________________________________________________________________
                       Still looking for Luthien
maj1@ra.msstate.edu                                 maj1@camlost.b17a.ingr.com
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.baseball