Using obp and slugging percentage to make up the lineup

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Mar 21, 2013
164
16
Have any you guys used one of those computer programs that give you a batting order after putting in their on base percentage and slugging percentage? I don't think it takes into account the average though . How did it work out?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
Have any you guys used one of those computer programs that give you a batting order after putting in their on base percentage and slugging percentage? I don't think it takes into account the average though . How did it work out?

Yes that is the correct way (OBP and slugging) to make a batting lineup, this isn't the 1980's anymore. Having said that the difference between the optimal lineup and say a random lineup based on your gut instinct is small.

It's still best practice and it's one of 20 small things a coach can do to put his team in the best position to win.
 
Mar 22, 2016
505
63
Southern California
Yes that is the correct way (OBP and slugging) to make a batting lineup, this isn't the 1980's anymore. Having said that the difference between the optimal lineup and say a random lineup based on your gut instinct is small.

It's still best practice and it's one of 20 small things a coach can do to put his team in the best position to win.

Also, remember small sample size. You get what, 20 games in a season? I think it's worth using the stats to help make lineup decisions, but it's also important to know who is hitting the ball well but at people, who's a mess but getting balls to drop in, etc.
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
20 games sounds like rec. Leaque. You have a revolving door of players and as you mentioned sample size is usally pretty small. Usally they earn thier spot in practice more then games.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
A lot of baseball guys want to use stats to put together batting orders, but in softball teams rarely play enough games for stats to equalize.

If one girl rips a line drive that almost takes off the 3B head, but she makes a great catch in self defense and another girl hits a Texas leaguer off the handle, one it batting .000 and one is hitting 1.000, but with the game on the line in the 7th inning, which one do you want at the plate?
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
A lot of baseball guys want to use stats to put together batting orders, but in softball teams rarely play enough games for stats to equalize.

Maybe, but you would agree that OPB and slugging is the correct way? Your position is that it is correct but it may or may not yield a significant results is baffling. If it just leads to ONE extra win per season why would you not do it?

If you can generate one extra win by optimizing the lineup, and if you can generate one extra win by always bunting in the correct scenarios (and not bunting when you shouldn't) as a coach you are actually making a difference.

The converse is going by your gut and eyeball test...that's just ego in my opinion. You shouldn't coach by statistics and analytics only, but you need to be informed.

If I set my lineup optimally and the other coach does not now I have a small advantage in that game. If the other coach steals when they shouldn't I have another small advantage there. Add up enough of those advantages in one game and now we are talking about meaningful differences that will affect the outcome of that game.

As you pointed out it doesn't guarantee victory every game but if you do it enough times over enough games you will win more games.
 

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Maybe, but you would agree that OPB and slugging is the correct way? Your position is that it is correct but it may or may not yield a significant results is baffling. If it just leads to ONE extra win per season why would you not do it?

If you can generate one extra win by optimizing the lineup, and if you can generate one extra win by always bunting in the correct scenarios (and not bunting when you shouldn't) as a coach you are actually making a difference.

The converse is going by your gut and eyeball test...that's just ego in my opinion. You shouldn't coach by statistics and analytics only, but you need to be informed.

If I set my lineup optimally and the other coach does not now I have a small advantage in that game. If the other coach steals when they shouldn't I have another small advantage there. Add up enough of those advantages in one game and now we are talking about meaningful differences that will affect the outcome of that game.

As you pointed out it doesn't guarantee victory every game but if you do it enough times over enough games you will win more games.

As a coach I would use as many inputs as I can to determine the best batting order to help the team succeed, and OBP and Slugging percentage are just two data points a coach can use. You also have to factor in the fact that the scorekeepers DD's BA will be 0.070 - 0.100 higher than it should be...

I still remember having a dad ask us why his DD was batting 7th in the order when her batting average was higher than some of the players hitting in front of her...
 

TMD

Feb 18, 2016
433
43
Just listened to an interesting podcast about this very topic - "using statistics to set a productive batting order". It's part of a new podcast series that the NFCA is producing. This one features Matt Meuchel, Asst Coach at the Univ of Arkansas. It's worth a listen to hear about how one SEC school uses stats when thinking about batting lineup.

<a class="spreaker-player" href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/nfca/matt-meuchel" data-resource="episode_id=10457305" data-theme="light" data-autoplay="false" data-playlist="false" data-cover="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/images.spreaker.com/original/bd15fe7810aa786ca0b1b246f6e94815.jpg" data-width="400px" data-height="200px">Listen to "Matt Meuchel" on Spreaker.</a><script async src="https://widget.spreaker.com/widgets.js"></script>

If I'm not supposed to embed this kind of thing...sorry! Here is the direct link just in case:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/nfca/matt-meuchel
 
Mar 24, 2014
450
18
Just listened to an interesting podcast about this very topic - "using statistics to set a productive batting order". It's part of a new podcast series that the NFCA is producing. This one features Matt Meuchel, Asst Coach at the Univ of Arkansas. It's worth a listen to hear about how one SEC school uses stats when thinking about batting lineup.

<a onclick="_gaq.push(['_trackEvent', 'Outgoing', 'www.spreaker.com', '/user/nfca/matt-meuchel']);" class="spreaker-player" href="https://www.spreaker.com/user/nfca/matt-meuchel" data-resource="episode_id=10457305" data-theme="light" data-autoplay="false" data-playlist="false" data-cover="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/images.spreaker.com/original/bd15fe7810aa786ca0b1b246f6e94815.jpg" data-width="400px" data-height="200px">Listen to "Matt Meuchel" on Spreaker.</a><script async src="https://widget.spreaker.com/widgets.js"></script>

If I'm not supposed to embed this kind of thing...sorry! Here is the direct link just in case:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/nfca/matt-meuchel

Thanks for the post will check it out.
 
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