Control the Transmission: What Do You Want on TV?

The standard TV introduction of a player at bat.
I was watching a playoff game the other day and the introduction of a Dodgers hitter caught my eye. The standard AVG/HR/RBI numbers were displayed, but only for the series. I believe it said .222 (2 for 9), 0 HR, 1 RBI. The particulars aren't all that important.
I wondered how many people found that graphic useful. It does give a quick snapshot of that player's performance in the postseason so far, so that's a point in its favor. In fact, that's the probably the point of postseason player graphics. During the season, however, the same AVG/HR/RBI graphic is ubiquitous. Some broadcasts throw a curve and include such new-age stats as OBP, but chances are you're stuck with the good old Triple Crown components.
I'm going to go out on a limb and assume we can agree there are better ways to describe a player's offense than using batting average, home runs, and runs batted in. This is hardly a new exercise, but my challenge to you is to create a new player graphic that includes the information you think the average fan watching should have. Your graphic will debut on Opening Day next year, so there isn't time for fans to hit the books over the winter like Ned Yost. As you might expect, there are some ground rules:
- You must have at least three and at most four statistics. After all, even big HDTV screens can only fit so much.
- The statistics have to be easily explained and understood just through relatively brief spoken explanation. There isn't time to explain in depth or show formulas. Assume it's a perfect world and all broadcasters are competent enough to explain statistical things.
- The same categories have to be shown for all players. It would be nice to show speed-oriented stats for fast guys and power-oriented stats for sluggers, but it's not allowed. Life isn't fair and your bosses want you to keep it simple for the production truck.
Will you stick with AVG/HR/RBI because they're widely understood and easy to grasp? Will you shake things up and add a relatively simple stat like OPS even though it has flaws? Will you add something less well known that you really like? Make your case...
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34 comments
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Comments
AVG / OBP / SLG
Tells you pretty much everything you need to know about the hitter, without having to skew value by adding together on-base and slugging. Then you’d want a plate appearances indicator at least. And I think everyone knows what those 3 numbers mean.
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
by Jordan M on Oct 14, 2009 12:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
And I think about how much easier it would be to discuss baseball if this were the case every time I see that box
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
by Jordan M on Oct 14, 2009 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's my problem
Over the last 2.5 seasons I’ve been visiting this site, I’ve come to put away my love of sac bunts, stolen bases, and batting average. (Thanks for enlightening me Brew Crew Ball!)
But even though I understand (or at least have a working knowledge) of many of the new and improved metrics, I don’t know enough to say what’s a good number.
For example, batting average is easy. Everybody “knows” that a nice round number like .300 is the mark of a “good” hitter. And I suspect that this is a big part of the reason why batting average remains a popular metric despite its major limitations.
But I can’t tell you that I have a good grasp of what makes for a good OBP, SLG, or of course OPS. Obviously, when I see Hardy or Hall OBPing below .300 I know it sucks and that Prince getting on at a .400+ level that it rules. But the more middle of the road cases are a lot tougher.
If somebody ever feels like it, maybe s/he could post a “Complete Idiots Guide to SaberMetrics” post so that when us newbies see “Player X is OPSing at a certain level” we know if that’s good or bad or somewhere in between.
I also think HR should continue to be involved because—let’s face it: Chicks love the longball.
Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com
by stigmo on Oct 14, 2009 12:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
AVG/OBP/SLG seems good.
I think you and other people would get a good feel for what constitutes a good OBP and SLG after those stats are used for a while. A .340 OBP is about average most years. Slightly lower I beleive. I don’t know where an average SLLG would be. I would guess about .430-.440 depending on position. I will fluctuate more. Add OPS or leave it off.
Give him an offspeed pitch down and in. He will swing and miss.
by cooper82 on Oct 14, 2009 1:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I should have added
We know a .300 BA is good because we have had BA drilled into our heads since we were young and are familiar with the stat. Of course BA is incredibly misleading. A very good player could have a .250 BA while a poor player could hit .300. Compare Estrada to Weeks in 2007. Weeks year was way better yet he hit .235.
.278/.296/.403
.235/.374/.433
Give him an offspeed pitch down and in. He will swing and miss.
by cooper82 on Oct 14, 2009 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
League Average SLG is about .415
I’m fairly certain, anyhow
I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."
~Jeff Sackmann
by Charlie Marlow on Oct 14, 2009 2:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
use all + stats
Avg+, OBP+, SLG+
that way it’s simple – above 100 = good, below 100=bad.
by PagsBrewCrew on Oct 16, 2009 6:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice topic. IMO, They need to do something like this.
I know it’s not realistic, but, they need to have 2 channels for each game. One would be as it is currently, for the casual fan, who’s not all that concerned with statistics, at least not enough to think about them non-stop when watching a game. The other feed needs to be analgous to CNBC’s HD feed:

Pretty much every stat that you possibly could consider relevant can be shown, and not get in the way of the game, unless you’re on a smaller set, in which case, sorry, you’re stuck with the traditional stats.
I’d watch it.
by Mykenk on Oct 14, 2009 12:46 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
Be cool, and relax. Take a breath, take ten paces back.
The coolest motherfunker on the planet.
by Dikembe Meiztombo on Oct 14, 2009 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dude, my ADD would go crazy
I love it
I think it's the grunt that does it for me...
by kirbir on Oct 14, 2009 6:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
HBP / SF / Delayed Steals (dSB?)
Ryan Braun: He loves it.
by SRB on Oct 14, 2009 12:51 PM CDT reply actions 3 recs
Is that the Kendall graphic?
An alternative task might be to come up with the list of 3 statistics that would put a Brewers batter in the best light. Some could have multiples like Fielder and Braun while others like Kendall and Hall could be a challenge.
Flip it and find the 3 statistics that make Braun and Fielder look like chumps.
by ecocd on Oct 14, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
BILL HALL:
Congratulatory High Fives: 75
by Rubie Q on Oct 14, 2009 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm probably in the minority on this ...
But I’m fine with the traditional Triple Crown stats on the broadcast. When I’m watching the game, I’m more interested in the game itself — the strategy, pitcher-hitter battles, etc. I don’t need to see Prince’s wOBA on the screen; if, for some reason, I want it, I can find it with two clicks of the mouse.
by Rubie Q on Oct 14, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'm OK with it too
I just think though average is not irrelevant, average by itself is. If you just stuck an OBP in there I’d be OK with it. But I’d still prefer avg/obp/slg to the triple crown stats.
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
by Jordan M on Oct 14, 2009 5:41 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm assuming...
…that nobody has said KuG yet because it’s a no-brainer. Right?
Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com
by stigmo on Oct 14, 2009 1:27 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
of course
"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
by Hyatt on Oct 14, 2009 2:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Really, I could do with season stats as well as playoff stats
Just as a way to compare whether that hitter is producing at, below, or above the level he did during the regular season.
I could also due with the standard slash stats in place of HR and RBI, although its sort of fun to see those numbers as well.
All in all, I don’t personally care, unless you’re all about educating folks who don’t really know much about baseball. I can dig up and (by and large) process to a fairly decent level of understanding most of the metrics used. So it wouldn’t really do a huge amount for me. Although, at many ballparks now, OBP and SLG are displayed on the scoreboard. So…to not have them on TV seems odd.
I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."
~Jeff Sackmann
by Charlie Marlow on Oct 14, 2009 2:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
for playoffs
and for the first month of the next season (or 50ABs, whichever comes LATER), stats for the immediately preceeding regular season should be displayed along with their current stats.
If a player is a rookie, display either their spring training stats, or if that’s not applicable, their most recent minor league stats (and note as such)
I get pissed off at the 1.000 batting percentages after 2 ABs without context.
by PagsBrewCrew on Oct 16, 2009 6:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Here's my four...
1) Players yearly wage (in $000,000s)
2) DIfference between player’s stated weight and their actual weight (in pounds)
3) Player’s stated political leanings (on a scale from 1 – left communist – to 10 – fascist).
4) Players fashion sense on a scale of 1-10. All scoring to be done by Witrado.
If that was introduced I could die a happy man. Plus it finally gives baseball a decent scale that works as well for pitchers as for hitters…
"I hope your name is Rick"
by MrLeam on Oct 14, 2009 4:03 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
I can't believe no one suggested
Teh hawtness rating (sponsored, of course, by Taco Bell or Chili’s)
I think it's the grunt that does it for me...
by kirbir on Oct 14, 2009 6:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I would like the same thing for hitters as FSN has for pitchers out of the bullpen.
As the hitter walks to the plate, the whole list of stats comes up including his splits against the handedness of pitcher he is facing. That way you could also include around 10 or so stats, as well.
by NoahJ on Oct 14, 2009 6:26 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I'd like to see batted ball charts.
And not just home run or hit charts, the ones that say how often the player hits a ground ball to the left, middle, and right, and fly ball left, middle, and right.
by Yar Nivek on Oct 14, 2009 7:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Loves to hit: Premium Hates to hit: Premium
If mlb.com thinks that’s worth paying for, well then god knows it would make a good graphic.
"It may sound hollow, it may sound unrealistic, it may even sound stupid to some people. We still think we are in it," - Mark Attanasio
by GoCrew on Oct 14, 2009 7:14 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I pay for it. Apparently.
Insert Shrug here.
by Mykenk on Oct 14, 2009 8:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
GRIT
And all substantial variables for the overall score.
"I'll warm up with you anytime"
-JJ Hardy
by ufoboy90 on Oct 14, 2009 8:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Does "calls a good game" fit in there too?
Or “handles the pitching staff well”?
I don’t have a category for "washed-up guys who may or may not be dominant big-league closers sometime soon."
~Jeff Sackmann
by Charlie Marlow on Oct 14, 2009 10:14 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
PA/BA/OBP/SLG
With OBP/SLG, I can tell how well he has played. PA let’s me know how representive his OBP and SLG might be of his true talents. The inclusion of BA let’s me know what kind of player he is. His walk rate and isolated power, specifically. If I was allowed a 5th stat, I might pick strikeouts. Then I even know if he’s a high BIP guy.
What erks me is getting the stats (any of them) for a guy after a month. If it’s a player I don’t know from the opponent’s team, I don’t give a crap about how well he’s done after 25 games. I want to know how likely it is that he’s going to do well or not right now.
by rluzinski on Oct 15, 2009 3:29 PM CDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs
I think i just suggested this above
so if so, I apologize for my redundant posting. I think I said it in a different way though;)
by PagsBrewCrew on Oct 16, 2009 6:38 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

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