Analytics are great (I make a lot of $$ off of them actually) They don't always tell the story for all players though. There are some players (Garcia seems to be one of them) who consistently outperform what the analytics say they will. There are also some that consistently underperform what their numbers say they should. We have done a pretty good job over the past several years of identifying those guys, sometimes we can get them to perform closer or up to what their analytics say, many times they never do though. All teams use analytics (to varying degrees) but the key is knowing how to use them, identifying players who have the ability to catch up to their numbers and those that likely won't, and also identifying players who outperform theirs and understanding that they likely will continue to do so It isn't nearly as cut and dry as some try to make it out to be
The thing about analytics is that they are a much more dependable tool for determining future results than past results are. But you are right. They are not perfect and not all encompassing. And, yes, the secret to success is determining when actual results will be better or worse and capitalizing on that.
After you account for every possible variable, you wind up with just the history of every player and each pitch of every PA with a sample size of ONE. Analytics is about probabilities and significant numbers of the data, not accounting for every deviation. It's not about calculating the probability a bird will fly into a Randy Johnson fastball.
Astros really didn't seem to want the guy back. I will say this, I cannot think of the last time I have ever seen a player so visibly angry that he got hurt right before his free agency. I hope for he and his family he got what he wanted from the Mariners.... but the Astros are going to tee off on him.
I always liked his fire. And there is no doubt that he appeared to care more about doing well and winning than most. Bottom line though, is that he just does not have the control or fastball shape to be better than the 4th guy in the bullpen. And therefore he is only valuable on a team until he hits FA salary threshhold and/or cheaper options come available.
I think his reaction to getting injured had to do with potentially losing a chance to pitch in the post season after being mostly stuck on the bullpen bench in 2022. Now if the reason for that was a FA showcase, I'm not sure.
I heard it had to do with free agency. He had supposedly talked about free agency numerous times and wanting to get himself in a good position. It could have been multiple reasons. I don't blame Stanek.... a dominant post season for him is the difference between a one year deal for the league minimum and possibly getting a 3/21 type deal. Most players think about it - he just couldn't keep it in.... Josh Hader had a similar situation and flat out told his manager "no" about pitching after the Brewers in arbitration used how often he was pitching against him. I like guys that care - I like the guys that view the game as life or death in the moment - it is the reason that for as big a POS that Pete Rose is, fans love him on the field....... it's why I will always respect Hector Neris.... he wanted to win. It is why people can rip Bonds or Clemens - but those ****ers cared more than the fans how they played.... can't say that for everyone, there are some players that really didn't care much.... the Angels have one of those guys. It's his right, but doesn't mean I have to like him as a fan.
I'll give you Clemens (he's a pitcher)...but there's a hell of a lot of difference b/t him and your average "run through the wall" player...who ya got? Rex Hudler? Who is Indeed a Redass? This is a great article: https://theathletic.com/944782/2019...d-ass-baseballs-most-colorful-turn-of-phrase/ Giants manager Bruce Bochy once used the term to describe Randy Johnson, who burnished his reputation after a frustrating start in San Francisco. It was in 2004, when Johnson was pitching for the 111-loss Diamondbacks, and he had just been pulled from an eventual loss to the Giants. The Big Unit headed for the visiting batting cage at Oracle Park — lumber in hand — and smashed everything that wasn’t nailed down. The whole time, a witness recalled, Johnson could be heard yelling. “This is how you hit!” the Hall of Famer screamed between cuts. “This is how you hit!”
I'm not sure why the Bananas schtick is so popular. Even accepting that it isn't real baseball I still found it boring AF. Good on them though for finding a creative way to get people to the park.
Popular for being popular? It was actually very disappointing for me. They played frequently against my local team, the Macon Bacon (Season ticket holder), and it was a fun rivalry. Then they quit playing baseball.
The White Sox....... and secondly, Scott Boras are quite happy about this. I could see Boras sending out a text that the asking price for his two remaining pitchers have gone up another 40 million. As for the Yankees, well they always have Carlos Rodon to fall back on.........lol
