How important are stats?

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Jun 12, 2015
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I think stats can be useful but you can tell who the hitters are, who your best pitcher is, etc without them. The person keeping the book is absolutely the key. I have seen some very, very creative score keeping.
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
I think stats can be useful but you can tell who the hitters are, who your best pitcher is, etc without them. The person keeping the book is absolutely the key. I have seen some very, very creative score keeping.
I was following an 8U machine pitch team from my DD's org in "Nationals" on GC. Over the 4 games I followed, their team, nor the team they played, made a single error according to GC.. :LOL:
 
Jun 8, 2016
16,118
113
As the kids get older/skill level of the competition gets better, the stats and eye test typically start to line up better. Errors are scored errors, weak popups are (usually) caught, etc., etc.
 
May 17, 2012
2,804
113
I was talking to a coach last night about playing time and batting order etc and he told me he never looks at stats. He told me you have to go by your eye because stats lie.

I believe stats can be deceptive, if you have a small sample size, but that direct observation or "eyeballing" is subject to all sorts of inaccuracies, biases and prejudices.

What say you?

Run don't walk away from any coach that uses the eyeball test or gut feeling for their decision making and coaching.

Every professional team now has an analytics department feeding management data to help with making decisions. Any coach that counters with "stats lie" is a dinosaur. Simply look at any sport (three point shooting NBA, NFL focus on passing, baseball all home runs and strike outs) and note how analytics has changed that sport within the past few years.

Those stats and analysis will trickle down to the travel teams. Smart coaches will use them; the ones that don't will be shown the door.

The General Manager is more important than the Manger now.
 
Last edited:
Jul 27, 2015
235
43
I have found coaches, like all people, see what they want to see. Going by just your eyes is terrible. If they actually look at stats, if keeps them honest.

My opinion, 30-50 point difference in batting average, in such a small season, in inconsequential. But difference of 100 points means something after you have played half a season.

I have lived through ridiculous "lets ignore the stats and go with the eye test" for a few seasons. Not fun, and it really hurts the team. Good for you to ask.





I was talking to a coach last night about playing time and batting order etc and he told me he never looks at stats. He told me you have to go by your eye because stats lie.

I believe stats can be deceptive, if you have a small sample size, but that direct observation or "eyeballing" is subject to all sorts of inaccuracies, biases and prejudices.

What say you?
 
Mar 4, 2018
126
28
Some stats can be deceiving, especially pitching stats in travel ball.

Example. The #4 pitcher on my team had the best ERA, and WHIP on the team I coached. The #2 pitcher had the 2nd best ERA, and WHIP on the team. The #1 pitcher had the 3rd best ERA, and WHIP.

My #1 pitcher pitched in most of the Championship games, and against the best team, we would play in Pool Play. The #4 pitcher would pitch a pool play game against teams that were not very good.
 

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