http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/mike-pelfrey-gets-two-years-from-the-tigers/
Mike Pelfrey gets two years from the Tigers.
Fangraphs
http://www.blessyouboys.com/2015/12/4/9851590/mike-pelfrey-and-the-value-of-good-defense
One thing that will make Mike Pelfrey better in Detroit? Good defense.
bybtb
My knee jerk reaction was post #32. After reading these, I calmed down a little. Still, I don't like the signing. 1 year would have been better.
The Blessyouboys article is stretching it. There is no way to know how much defense will make, so the conclusions are reaching.
BABIP isn't just about defense. It is also about luck and talent level. BABIP, for a hitter or pitcher, normalizes over a greater sample rate. League
average-wise, BABIP is generally 45 points higher than BAVG
BABIP Last 3 years Away versus OPP BAVG
M. Scherzer .293 BABIP .214 OPP BAVG = .079 (.072 career)
J. Verlander .314 BABIP .253 OPP BAVG = .061 (.057 career)
A. Sanchez .317 BABIP .261 OPP BAVG = .056 (.045 career)
D. Price .284 BABIP .230 OPP BAVG = .054 (.049 career)
J. Zimmermann .314 BABIP .264 OPP BAVG = .050 (.053 career)
R. Porcello .303 BABIP .270 OPP BAVG = .033 (.031 career)
D. Fister .312 BABIP .282 OPP BAVG = .030 (.033 career)
M. Pelfrey .343 BABIP
.315 OPP BAVG = .028 (.024 career)
A. Simon .276 BABIP .255 OPP BAVG - .021
The bottom 4 are considered to be ground ball pitchers and the same conclusions can be drawn for other ground ball pitchers. They are going to have a close BABIP to their OPP BAVG.
Career vs last 3 years Away BABIP
M. Scherzer .310 Career BABIP vs .294 BABIP = -.016
A. Simon .290 Career BABIP vs .276 BABIP = -.014
R. Porcello .314 Career BABIP vs .303 BABIP = -.011
D. Price .287 Career BABIP vs .284 BABIP = -.003
J. Zimmermann .313 Career BABIP vs .314 BABIP +.001
D. Fister vs .308 Career BABIP vs .312 BABIP = +.004
A. Sanchez .310 Career BABIP vs .317 BABIP = +.007
M. Pelfrey .333 Career BABIP vs .343 BABIP = +.010
J. Verlander .301 Career BABIP vs .314 BABIP = +.013
Is the change due to defense, talent or luck? Has not Scherzer and Porcello had their best years the past 3 seasons and has not Verlander and Sanchez had their worst? That would imply change in talent or luck and not defense. BABIP is not a be all, end all stat to describing defense reaction to a ball in play. BABIP by itself tells you nothing. Coupled with a couple other stats, it can be a difference maker and only then.
Mike Pelfrey last 3 years Away
.315 BAVG .374 OBP .454 SLG .828 OPS 5.27 ERA 1.61 WHIP .343 BABIP
Mike Pelfrey Career Away
.309 BAVG .373 OBP .463 SLG .836 OPS 5.29 ERA 1.61 WHIP .333 BABIP
Pretty much the same stats despite the 10 point difference in BABIP.
Some sabermatics draw at straws to get to the conclusion they want. The BYB article cites Defensive Runs Saved (I despise DRS) as a bases for the Twins bad defense. Yet, UZR/150, Inside Edge Fielding and Total Defense had the 2015 Twins defense on par with Detroit's, or better.
2015 UZR/150 / DRS
1B
MIN 1.9 / 4
DET -6.8 / 0
2B
DET 8.5 / 20
MIN 2.6 / -4
SS
DET 8.0 / 3
MIN -2.0 / -10
3B
MIN -0.2 / 0
DET -8.7 / -7
TOTAL
MIN 2.3 / -10
DET 1.0 / 16
Hookslide has used UZR/150 in his past articles to make an argument. Now he wants to use DRS. He also only wants to use 1 year's worth of data.
If these are the same types that Detroit hired for their analytics, we are screwed. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and farts like a duck, well it must be...oh wait...a squirrel!