May 30, 2003

posted by corpse at 10:03 AM on May 30, 2003

Can I pop in to ask what stat WHIP is? I've never heard of this and can't break it down on my own. Oh, and Go Topes!

posted by Ufez Jones at 10:41 AM on May 30, 2003

I hit 3rd once this week, but otherwise it's been a stagnant week at #4. I am hoping everything starts to come together for my team, soon. happy birthday to my favorite outfielder, (who should be tearing the cover off the ball for the S-Topes any day now) Manny Ramirez.

posted by jerseygirl at 11:27 AM on May 30, 2003

I'm going to need a bit of help to overcome catfish. I've pretty much maxxed out my points in the pitching categories and I don't see myself gaining too much ground in the hitting ones any time soon. I don't have the sluggers/cleanup hitters that you need to get the RBI and HR totals, and I don't have any of the leadoff guys on good teams to get the Run totals. And I deliberately slagged the SB category because it's too one-dimensional (except for studs like Soriano).

posted by grum@work at 11:54 AM on May 30, 2003

Rev, so low WHIP, like low ERA, is better? Not sure I see the need for such a similar measure.

posted by billsaysthis at 01:49 PM on May 30, 2003

It's possible to have a high WHIP and a low ERA, and vice versa. If I give up: a single a walk a double play another walk an error scoring a run a walk a strikeout that's a 4.00 WHIP and 0.00ERA If I give up: a strikeout a strikeout a solo-home run a fly-ball out that's a 1.00WHIP and 9.00ERA The first one indicates a great deal of luck, the second one indicates a bit of bad luck. In general, I'd rather draft pitchers with a low WHIP than a low ERA. Usually they are concurrent, but if there is a difference, I go for the WHIP number. (a WHIP lower than 1.30 is considered good and anything below 1.00 is fantastic)

posted by grum@work at 02:16 PM on May 30, 2003

It's used by lots of places for evaluating a pitcher, especially relief pitchers. The last thing you want is a pitcher who gives up a lot of hits/walks in his appearances when they usually come into the game with men already on base. In terms of common use, it's only appearing in baseball-only locations. So it's rare to see the stat pop up on TV or in your local newspaper. In comparison, a ranking from common to very rare: Wins -- ERA -- AVG against -- K/9 (strikeouts per 9 innings pitched) -- WHIP -- K/BB (strikeouts/walks ratio) Surprisingly, this is also the reverse (in terms of future success, in my opinion) of measuring the effectiveness of a pitcher.

posted by grum@work at 04:00 PM on May 30, 2003

Does anyone else not like the K/9 stat? I'd rather a guy who throws 220 innings and strikes out 165 than a guy who throws 150 innings and strikes out 150. Total strikeouts, that's a much better stat, IMHO.

posted by therev at 01:30 PM on May 31, 2003

I don't like that our pitching stats are so heavily weighted towards strikeouts. Three categories?

posted by wfrazerjr at 03:51 PM on May 31, 2003

last year we had a Ground Into Double Plays pitching stat. I found that odd.

posted by corpse at 05:18 PM on May 31, 2003

You want to have a good balance of rate stats (ERA, WHIP, K/9, K/BB) with counting stats (IP, Wins, CG, K, SV). Having just counting stats would allow someone to win the categories by simply rotating through a large set of pitchers (by dropping and picking up new ones every day, based on when they start), and having just rate stats would allow someone to win by removing all their pitchers after the first week when their stars build up insurmountable results (1.00 ERA, 12K/9, 6.00K/BB by throwing a complete game 1ER, 12K, 2BB game). As it is, we have a good balance (5 counting and 4 rate). I think having an emphasis on strikeouts is probably a good thing since that's the single most important thing for a pitcher to do: throw strikes. If you have a non-power pitcher, he's probably a control pitcher and has few walks as well, meaning he's helped by the K/BB instead of the K/9 or K categories. If you have a power pitcher, he builds up a good K/9 and total K, but might be too wild to have a great K/BB rate. My only suggestion is that we either increase the number of hitting stats to equal the number of pitching stats. With a 6/9 ratio of hitting/pitching, it becomes obvious that whoever is near the tops in pitching has an advantage by leading more categories (unless they are absolutely brutal in hitting). My choice for non-pitching stats would be: Runs, RBI, SB, Hits, HR, OBP, SLG, K (inverted...less is better), Assists, Errors (inverted...less is better). This would cover the gamut of contact hitters (Hits, OBP), sluggers (HR, RBI, SLG, but punish those with high K rates), on-base machines (Hits, OBP, Runs), typical leadoff hitters (Runs, SB) and good fielders (high assists, low errors). Jeez...I just don't shut up sometimes...

posted by grum@work at 10:12 PM on May 31, 2003

I personally think defensive players should be recognized in Fantasy ball leagues. Making errors can absolutely kill your team and I think that fantasy baseball never recognizes how crucial good defense is. My team is collectively achieving about 3 hits and 1 run per day over the last week. Everyone is in a slump and my has stunk. I've watched Wakefield, Thomson and Valdes all blow large leads and wins this week. I'd be depressed if, you know, I didn't have a real life too.

posted by therev at 03:24 PM on June 01, 2003

Therev, i agree, and would love to see some defensive stats. Stink. Stank. Stunk! — the narrator of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas"

posted by wfrazerjr at 03:31 PM on June 02, 2003

Manny Ramirez wears a glove?

posted by wfrazerjr at 11:04 AM on June 03, 2003

"Yes Manny, those pants do make you look fat."

posted by therev at 02:43 PM on June 03, 2003

Trade him to me! I take ALL players headed for long stints on the DL!!!! You NEED Derek Lowe now!

posted by wfrazerjr at 09:50 PM on June 03, 2003

Uh, jgirl ... I had FIVE guys on the DL as of last week. Take your violin and go home. :P Oh, anyone want Sosa? LOL!

posted by wfrazerjr at 11:09 AM on June 04, 2003

Uh, jgirl ... I had FIVE guys on the DL as of last week. Take your violin and go home. :P whoa. my sympathies. definitely sucks more to be you :P

posted by jerseygirl at 01:59 PM on June 04, 2003

No. I still don't like AI, but I'm a business woman. So there.

posted by jerseygirl at 04:34 AM on June 05, 2003

You mean I could have gotten Kearns for a reliever? You were asking for Kevin Brown from me!

posted by corpse at 08:53 AM on June 05, 2003

Manny. Make a difference. Did you just use those two things in the same sentence? And it always sucks more to be me. :P Haha!

posted by wfrazerjr at 04:57 PM on June 05, 2003

Number of titles Manny has helped the BoSox win? Your Honor, I rest my case. :P

posted by wfrazerjr at 10:00 AM on June 06, 2003

I thought we WERE talking the real game, otherwise why would we have started with his shortcomings with the glove? And I don't think you are being defensive or sensitive — you're sticking up for your guy. You'd make a good manager. :) Oh, and I just like emoticons.

posted by wfrazerjr at 01:40 PM on June 06, 2003

Ummm, ok ... now I'm lost. Who was? I was just commenting on ... oh, nevermind!

posted by wfrazerjr at 03:20 PM on June 06, 2003

hush, Grum, or I shan't invite you out for baseball, pints and poutine when I visit Toronto in a couple months.

posted by wfrazerjr at 05:06 PM on June 08, 2003