Over Analyzing Baseball

Sabermetrics is merely meaningful data about a baseball game and its players.  The demand for technology and information in all walks of like isn't going away any time soon.  My kids have more processing power in their hands than my company had in its data center 25 years ago.   People want more data not less.  It is time to evolve.....lets start with that blinking VCR. 

I don't need to watch any more games with Angel Hernandez umpiring behind the plate(or the base paths for that matter) to become  a louder voice for more technology or better scrutiny by MLB over the quality of work done by its umpires, or both!

The same could be said for Dan Iassogna behind home plate yesterday for the Orioles/Nats game.  He was having a really bad day behind the plate.  I'm really surprised both managers were still in the game when it ended.  He missed a lot of strikes mostly for the O's....no question about it.  Without technology there is no way to hold these guys accountable for a bad performance. 

You can't take technology out of anything.  It is the reason we have safer helmets and better equipment.  It provides us with valuable information right at our finger tips.  

At some point we will have every variable covered.  I know there is something to be said regarding keeping things simple.  The problem is things aren't simple.

Umpiring is changing.  We partnered with MLB Umpiring Association to find the best candidates.  Just a couple weeks ago they did a camp in Georgia.  They have decided to scout for umpires just like clubs scout for players.  It might take quite awhile, but I think we will see improvement in umpiring at all levels.  To me the most obvious improvement needs to be calling pitches.  In fact, technology has shown us just how bad some of the calls are. I know how difficult it is to call balls and strikes, but it would be better if it were improved.  I actually think there are some amateur umpires that are better than the professionals at calling balls and strikes.

I have never understood why one umpire would have a different strike zone than another umpire.  Right now we have balls called strikes and strikes called balls.  Sometimes it gets ridiculous how bad the calls are. Technology is putting it on display.  Umpires are no different than players, some are much better than others.  The good ones deserve a lot of respect.  All that said, I would hate to be an umpire.  

During my 17 years operating the Area Code games, traveling to the tryouts, several players emerged during the 6 days in Long Beach. I personally visited each teams dugout talked with the scouts who coached the teams and the scouts who watched the games. A few players exhibited the 6th tool.

Bobby Bradley RHP from Florida was one of my favorites. He called me from Florida 2 months before the games. He said "how do I get in the games". Learned later that he was 6'0 and weight 160 lbs. He said "I have the best curve ball in America".

I placed Bobby on the same team with Josh Beckett and told Bobby he would pitch behind Beckett on Friday night at Blair Field.

Beckett and his personal catcher toured the talk show in Southern California. On Friday night Beckett reach 97 mph in his three innings then departed with his personal catcher, the catcher's father for dinner.

Now Bobby Bradley is pitching his three inning. His 1st pitch starts at the batter's head and finished at the knees. 300 scouts said the same name "Bert Blyleven".

That night "back to back" 1st round drafts. How do you measure the 6th tool.

"Inner arrogance" is a factor.

Bob