Major League Baseball and the Dawn of the Statcast Era PETER KERSTING a State-Of-The-Art Tracking Technology, and Carlos Beltran
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SPORTS Fans prepare for the opening festivities of the Kansas City Royals and the Milwaukee Brewers spring training at Surprise Stadium March 25. Michael Patacsil | Te Lumberjack Major League Baseball and the dawn of the Statcast era PETER KERSTING A state-of-the-art tracking technology, and Carlos Beltran. Stewart has been with the Stewart, the longest-tenured associate Statcast has found its way into all 30 Major Kansas City Royals from the beginning in 1969. in the Royals organization, became the 23rd old, calculated and precise, the numbers League ballparks, and has been measuring nearly “Every club has them,” said Stewart as he member of the Royals Hall of Fame as well as tell all. Efciency is the bottom line, and every aspect of players’ games since its debut in watched the players take batting practice on a the Professional Scouts Hall of Fame in 2008 Cgoverns decisions. It’s nothing personal. 2015. side feld at Surprise Stadium. “We have a large in recognition of his contributions to the game. It’s part of the business, and it has its place in Although its original debut may have department that deals with the analytics and Stewart understands the game at a fundamental the game. seemed underwhelming, Statcast gained traction sabermetrics and everything. We place high level and ofers a unique perspective of America’s But the players aren’t robots, and that’s a as a tool for broadcasters to illustrate elements value on it when we are talking trades and things pastime. good thing, too. of the game in a way never before possible. Tat like that. Tat input is part of the equation on “I’ve been with the Royals since the Major League Baseball is a sport that aspect of the system viewers already know, but whether you make the deal or not.” beginning,” said Stewart. “We have things continues to evolve as it expands. A unique as Statcast continues to grow and compile player “What’s happened in the last number of available; [with sabermetrics] it’s for the aspect of that evolution has always been the data, many teams are beginning to employ years with the high tech, so to speak, part of betterment of the game. We have information analytical side of the game. Stats have played a entire analytics departments to fnd new ways to baseball that has come about, it’s become very now that we never had before — so many things major role in baseball from the beginning, but exploit the advanced sabermetrics. important,” Stewart said. “And every club is into that have helped the game. It plays an important the more traditional stats like batting average, Art Stewart, senior adviser to Royals it [sabermetrics] and using it. Some go a little role in the game as we know it today ... In slugging percentages and Earned Run Average general manager Dayton Moore, knows all further than others. It’s an age that we are in baseball they can tell you Joe DiMaggio holds have been overshadowed by the emergence of about metrics. now. We had the money-ball age, and now we the record for 56 games, Ted Williams is the last advanced sabermetrics and Statcast. A legendary scout, Stewart has been been are into the analytic and sabermetric, the high- guy to hit .400, .406. Baseball is and always has Sabermetrics is a type of advanced stat involved in professional baseball for 65 years tech age. We’ve gotten a lot of good value out been a game of statistics, going way back. It’s system created specifcally for baseball analysis and is responsible for the drafting of more than of the people we have, and we have some good just to the point now that you gather so much and the measurement of in-game activity. 70 Major League athletes, including Bo Jackson people.” continued on page 22 20 THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG SPORTS continued from page 20 but we’re not. Everybody is diferent. Everybody new stat that comes along, ala WAR, people lean But in four games anything can happen in information.” throws the ball diferent, diferent irks here too heavily on stupid stats.” baseball.” Te overwhelming amount of new data that and there. We’re not all the same thing doing Wins Above Replacement is a sabermetric Te value of Statcast is documented and Stewart refers to is a goldmine for Major League it always in the same exact motion or frame or stat. real. Major league front ofces and fan bases front ofces. It has been pointed to as an integral whatever you want to say it as. But I know that “I think if you want to get a general idea have embraced the new era, and for good part of the development of championship each guy has his goods and his bads in the way of a player, take his tendencies like you would reason. It plays a major role in the game. But it caliber teams like the Red Sox and Cubs under he throws a baseball or hits a baseball. So it’s get from sabermetrics. Take what you see on is imperfect and it is cold, calculated and cruel. Teo Epstein. tough. I don’t really pay too much attention.” an everyday basis, and put them together, and Players aren’t robots, and they shouldn’t On top of the free-agency and scouting Hammel acknowledged the likelihood that you’ll get an idea of the player,” Moss said. “But have to be. Baseball is frustrating enough as it value Statcast and sabermetrics have provided, sabermetrics may have had a role in his signing. baseball is a game where you can go to a four- is — a game flled with failure, adjustments and organizations are searching for new ways to “I’m sure, yeah. All I know is what I bring game series and watch Miguel Cabrera play counter-adjustments. Athletes at the highest use the data to enhance player development to the table and what’s on paper and me as a against, even myself, and you can comaway level don’t have time for math. and injury prevention. But while the value of guy,” Hammel said. “Tat’s basically how I sell thinking that I am a way better player than advanced metrics and Statcast date has become myself. I’m not at home doing math problems Miguel Cabrera, which is just simply not true. For the full photo gallery, visit jackcentral.org. to fgure out how to get the next guy out. I am “I could see how it would sure that something was done in the ofseason to say, but the majority of it was ‘Was I healthy or work if we were robots, not?’ Tat was kind of the biggest factor in how but we’re not. Everybody is this ofseason went for me.” First baseman Eric Hosmer echoed different. Everybody throws Hammel’s sentiments on advanced metrics. the ball different, different Hosmer is coming of a successful run in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) where he irks here and there.” helped team USA win it all against team Puerto Rico. - Royals Starting Pitcher He batted .375 with three doubles, one Jason Hammel homer and fve RBIs in seven WBC games and was featured by Statcast on MLB.com where they showcased his speed from frst to home. undeniable to the business of baseball. Te Hosmer is entering his free-agency year players don’t appear as thrilled. with the Royals but isn’t concerned with how Te general consensus gathered in the stats may afect his value. Royals spring training clubhouse in Surprise, “I don’t really pay too much attention to Ariz., was one of indiference to the stats that stuf,” said Hosmer. “As players, you just phenomenon. Several players in the clubhouse go out and focus on what you can control, and declined to even comment on the subject. that’s how you prepare for a game and what type “I don’t really know,” said Royals of efort you give out in every game. I think centerfelder Billy Burns. “I don’t really get that’s something for a lot of people that do a lot all into it, but I guess it could be benefcial in of research in the game and work outside the certain areas. I just don’t know enough about it game that focus on that a lot.” to comment.” Tere is a defnite discrepancy in how the Tose who had more to say expressed Royals players value statistics compared to their skepticism on the value it had for the players. front ofce, but that’s normal. Sure it adds value “I don’t pay any attention to them,” said to the game, but for the players the game is too Royals starting pitcher Jason Hammel. “I’m fast to worry about metrics. sure there is a math equation for everything, but “Tat’s above my paygrade,” said Brandon math was one of my strong suits in school, and Moss, Royals left felder and frst baseman. I don’t feel like it really parlays anything into Moss is an athlete caught in the middle throwing a baseball, or hitting one.” of the sabermetrics dilemma. A player with Hammel, 34, signed a two-year contract amazing raw power coupled with a high worth a guaranteed $16 million with the Royals strikeout rate, Moss is an all-or-nothing hitter this ofseason that included a mutual option who receives as much fack, or more, from a fan for a third year.