Some aspects of the game are unforgiving. I like to think of plate discipline as one of those — either you have the ability to recognize good pitches and then put them in play, or you don’t.
The chart below uses Bill James material which I think best illustrates the uphill battle our roster faces in 2010. Looking at the chart you will notice the players name, then the area of the game evaluated, then the player’s ranking in his primary position, and then their rank across the game as a whole.
If you remember your bell curve math about as bad as I do then you’ll probably remember that 68% of the entire population fits within one standard deviation either side of the 50th percentile (between the 16th percentile and the 84th percentile).
Obviously, we want to see our players ranking at least at the 50th percentile against all MLB players and would prefer to see most fall in the 60th percentile and up more often than not. Unfortunately, our players fit in the lower end of the spectrum more often than not and, in many cases, fall well below average in numerous instances.
Take hitting for power – as you might expect, only two of our projected starters rank above the 50th percentile in the game and only three starters rank above the 50th percentile in hitting for average. That spells doom, but nothing spells doom better than when you look at our four corner “power” positions and where they rank across the board.
Unfortunately, it’s next to impossible for our players to take significant jumps up the ladder in these fields.. you either have the tools, or you don’t. Our players don’t have enough tools and that’s one good reason why they will be dominated by every other club. Not every day, but consistently throughout the year.
Enjoy the chart.
Hey very interesting stuff there Jake. Keep up the good work.
Unfortunately, it’s next to impossible for our players to take significant jumps up the ladder in these fields.. you either have the tools, or you don’t.
-Jake
So you are telling me that you expect Andrew McCutchen to stay in the lower third of CF base runners with his speed? And he will only hit for average at an “average Joe” rate? If players could never make “jumps in the ladder in these fields” then what would be the point of the minors? I am gonna have to disagree with that statement
> So you are telling me that you expect Andrew McCutchen to stay in the lower third of CF base runners with his speed?
I believe all youth have a chance to improve, some more than others. But history tells us that the degree of improvement will be slight overall except in extreme cases. Cutch’s running might indeed be one of those exceptions. We’ll see.
Jake, nice work indeed. What are the ratings of the guys we dumped…Wilson, Sanchez, LaRoche, Morgan, McLouth etc…
Good question…
To me it isn’t about what we had.. instead, it’s about the lack of spending to bring in talent while our youth develop. But here you go just the same:
Jake,
Grew up in Akron…We used to hit almost all saturday night 705 games a year plus some here and there from 85 till 2001 when i moved..I now do a baseball weekend in KC every year.. Stadium is great, parking lot is great, baseball is not by the home team, but i refuse to head back to Pittsburgh until Nutting sells..If he never does, I will never be back to PNC.. Still plenty of other options for diehard baseball fans.. Family still in Ohio..Hit Reds games on way home and Indians while in town.. I love the Pirates, I just hate Bob Nutting…By sounds of people i have met in Atlanta to see the Pirates, I am far from alone..Sad. btw, does your wife till still have kin on Royals active roster ?
> I will never be back to PNC.. Still plenty of other options for diehard baseball fans
you evidently aren’t alone!
> btw, does your wife till still have kin on Royals active roster ?
he’s with the Rockies this year
Jake,
Miguel Olivo ??? not sure why the Royals let him walk..I love Kendall but how much left does he have in the tank at the plate ?
btw, is Dayton Moore the worst gm in baseball ???
Thanks Jake.