Bob Nightengale's Feature Article Spotlighting Brewers Success

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Frisbee Slider]

What a neat article! It does make me wonder what data or algorithms do the Brewers use that other teams overlook?

Most surprising: 

They are scoring an NL-leading 5.6 runs a game and 3.41 ERA. (Over past month)

[Frisbee Slider]

I think the Brewers are very logical. Don’t pay aging veterans more money than they are worth. Very few players are better in their 30s than they were in their 20s.

Other than Jesse Winker, bringing in good people that make the clubhouse an enjoyable place to play.

[Thurston Fluff]

I think the Brewers magic power is finding ways to make the assets a player has valuable as much or more thanthe ability to find undervalued assets. 

[Samurai Bucky]

I'm thinking it is a derivative of Moneyball.  You don't have to hit the ball 115 mph to be successful.  You don't have to have a launch angle of 33 degrees to be successful.  Find that makes the player successful and build upon that.

Brice Turang had an interview on a podcast a few years ago.  He said, "[It is very unlikely] that I will mishit a home run."  Get him to hit the ball to all fields.  Yes... get him to hit the ball harder, but don't mess up the thing that makes Brice Turang Brice Turang.

The pitching lab is a great example, too.  Take what a pitcher does well and augment it.

Finally, get high-character guys in the clubhouse.  This not only includes hard work, but lifting each other up on and off the field.  Adames exemplified that last year.  It seems like they are doing the same thing this year.

If I ever had a chance to talk to Hoskins, Frelick, or any of the Brewers, I think I would talk more about the team aspect of things than the baseball side of things.  I don't know if that makes sense or not.  I just enjoy this team.

[Playing Catch]

27 minutes ago, Samurai Bucky said:

I'm thinking it is a derivative of Moneyball.

Are you suggesting that merely standing still on 1st base isn't the ultimate goal of winning baseball games?

[RightFieldCoder]

1 hour ago, Samurai Bucky said:

I'm thinking it is a derivative of Moneyball. 

I think it's the definition of the "Moneyball" system defined in the book. It wasn't about using OBP vs Avg. The book was about market inefficiencies. What stats are the market undervaluing? Players good at only those stats are going to be ignored by other teams. That makes them cheaper on a per value added. Now that every team understands OBP and valuing SLG > Ks those stats are no longer "Moneyball". Speed, defense and pitches per PA seem to be the undervalued stats the Brewers are looking for.

[rickh150]

The Brewers seem to be valuing small, short-armed guys who can get to the hard fastball. The value is that they also can play defense and steal a base..