Use of Sabermetrics

[NBECoach]

Keep 2 sets of stats.. 1 for games vs. good teams and 1 for all games.

We play 3 to 5 games vs. Poor pitching and that can skew the numbers.

 

[djcarter1966]

I can only tell you from a true Sabremetrics standpoint this won't work for travel softball, for the opposition it might help you pre scout and not go into the first inning blind but it's not going to do for you what it does for MLB and it all comes down to two words "sample size". As far as telling you what your girls are doing it is as one poster said it's confirmation of what you should already know but that does have some merit.

So I would say defineatly use it it should help a little but don't expect it to work any miracles.

 

[uncdrew]

I simply think the sample size is too small.

And by time I'm comfortable with the sample size, the season is basically over.

Also, I have yet (in my whopping two seasons) been surprised by the data. I know who's pounding the ball and who isn't. I know who has been robbed a few times by great plays, and those three hits over 30 ABs can completely change the data.

That said, I do value contact %, Hard Hit balls, and low strikeout percentages.

I think the Quality At Bat stat in Game Changer is silly and could cause coaches to make some bad decisions. We're 10U and I simply don't value walks too much, because sometimes it means they simply aren't swinging the bat. I don't value long at bats either. They aren't fouling off 5 in a row because they're fighting off wicked rise balls -- they're fouling off 5 in a row because they are completely over-powered by a 45 mph fastball. :-D

As far as where to position your best hitter. I too feel lower in the lineup is better than the traditional #4 spot (or #3 spot). I could make the case for #2 spot.


All that said, I have an absolute blast spending my Monday lunch hour in my office pouring over the data from the weekend's tournament.

 

[uncdrew]

Keep 2 sets of stats.. 1 for games vs. good teams and 1 for all games.

We play 3 to 5 games vs. Poor pitching and that can skew the numbers.

Fine point.

Some of the girls rack up hits against the slow pitchers and then K against anything decent.

 

[CoachKevin]

This is our metrics from fall 18' thru fall of 19' across 66 games and 48 different teams (not all teams I have records from) . The last two girls were additions in fall of 19' and metrics were zeroed out due to low AB's. Definitive have areas to improve on. Not sure im buying the lineup by wOBA though... doesnt take into account bunt/slappers, situational, and available runners for roster batting.


View attachment 16560

I'm lost here, 66 games and your #1 has 58 AB's? I would think 66 games, the AB's would be well over 100..... even counting the BB's and HbP equals 67 total.... She only bats once a game?

 

[SESwildfire]

I'm lost here, 66 games and your #1 has 58 AB's? I would think 66 games, the AB's would be well over 100..... even counting the BB's and HbP equals 67 total.... She only bats once a game?

Ab are not plate appearances.
Stated i was missing games from my data also....
Also missing reach on error, fielders choice etc

If i had to guess im missing about 10 games of data i need to transfer over from fall.

 

[cnardone]

I love stats. And I appreciate the advanced / modern stats we are talking about.

But when I hear saber metrics I think MLB advanced regression and statistical analysis. Not only is the sample size too small, the collected data could be very iffy. Most all all, the truth is there are not a whole of people capable of actually doing the MLB style analysis that drives these decisions.

 

[SESwildfire]

I'm lost here, 66 games and your #1 has 58 AB's? I would think 66 games, the AB's would be well over 100..... even counting the BB's and HbP equals 67 total.... She only bats once a game?

Ya know thinking about this more i went off our record 45-21 over that time span. Thinking im missing more data than i thought bc roe and fc ars counted as abs. Now i gotta figure out how many games of data this really is.

 

[GunnerShotgun]

The "sample size" argument is a little nauseating. That really only applies to the batting line-up and that is just ONE aspect of the game where you should be applying analytics. Too many people want to throw out "sample size" as a reason to dismiss analytics with baseball/softball.

Baseball and softball have been "solved" under the current rule sets. We know when to steal/bunt/slap and just as important, when not too. We know how to optimize our lineups. We know when to throw strikes and when to intentional throw balls. We know how and when to shift our defense all over the field.

As a coach you owe it to your team to put them in the best position to win the game and you do that with analytics.

Talent wins 9 out of 10 times so lets not make this bigger than it is. I always coached for that 10th game where I make all of the right calls and the opposing coach did not optimize his choices. If that 1/2 run helped my team win then I did my job.

 

[Fury_Mike]

One thing that I do struggle with when using sabermetrics is that it does not take into account trends. I could have a hotter in my top three YTD, that in her last 14 games might be bottom ⅓