help me out here, because I'm curious: if this is true, wouldn't a SABR manager then have a half-dozen very angry bench players because they never ever get to be used? Wouldn't a SABR manager then have a 19- or 20- man roster instead of 25? A SABR manager (and by this, I mean a manager that only manages with advanced metrics) would fail in probably most situations as a manager and wouldn't last very long. Real managers do use stats and even the advanced metrics (I'm sure that Roenicke has looked at them/used them in meetings with coaches and/or players) but they also must stroke the egos of players, unfortunately. There would be a massive revolt by the backup players, some of the guys in the starting lineup would eventually voice their displeasure that their friends aren't getting any playing time, and it could trickle down to the minor league players as well. You can still use bench guys, you can still use backups as much as need be. I don't think anyone is sticking up on the Brewers saying Craig Counsell and Josh Wilson need more playing time, though. My point is, you don't do things like: Having a LOOGY specialist come into face 5 RHBs because he "Has a decent screwball" even though he makes an average RHB hit like Pujols, or name your 8th inning guy to be a guy who makes lefties look like Joey Votto. You can rest Hart against a RHP who has a hard slider, because he hasn't hit that type of pitcher well in his career... you don't sit him against a guy because he's 1 for 4 in his career against him.