No matter what you write, at some point, someone is going to disagree with it or take umbrage with something you said or have some comment about it. This is a universal truth that everyone who puts fingers-to-keys knows, accepts, and embraces; constructive criticism is the way to bettering yourself as a writer and as a person. That doesn’t mean, however, that there are comments that don’t get under our (my) skin. One on yesterday’s post, and those of that ilk, is the one I’m referring to. In this comment which you can check out for yourself, a commenter suggested that I “watch a game or 2″ and not be so focused on stats. I consider myself a reasonably calm person (most of the time), but this set me off (well, the most that an internet comment can, anyway).
Since the 2006 season, I could probably count on two hands the amount of games that I haven’t at least followed on Gameday or Twitter. I watch or listen to every single Yankee game and I couldn’t possibly watch more. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know this. Those of you who read this blog consistently know this. I could watch baseball with no stats, no analysis, nothing…and I’d be just fine. But I choose to watch with those things because they’re a supplement to something great. They help me enjoy a game that I’ve loved since I knew what it was even more. They help me fill in the gaps. They help me remember what happened because they are a representation of the game…they tell a story in a way that appeals to me. The way they tell a story isn’t for everyone, and that’s fine with me. I don’t care how you enjoy your baseball, so long as you enjoy it.
As I write this, I know I’m taking it too seriously, but I’m okay with it (for now, at least). What bothered me so much about the comment is that it implied that I–along with those other writers who use advanced metrics–am not fully prepared when I sit down to write and that’s insulting. The community of writers who make up that informal group–be they the others and I here at TYA or the wonderfully talented staffs at blogs like River Ave Blues, Pinstriped Bible, RLYW, IIATMS–makes up some of the most well informed, well spoken, and most devoted fans and writers of the Yankees and baseball in general. While we may look at the game through a slightly different lens, we’re still all watching the same game and the condescension present in a comment like the one yesterday will never cease to irk me.
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13 Responses to A tiny rant
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TIQ IQ
Can’t let let small stuff like that get to you brotha. As someone who still plays ball at 27, I would say I tend to go with what I see more than what the stat line reads at the end of a game, but I still read every article at TYA, ITATMS and AAB4AR every morning because you guys provide great, entertaining analysis with the benefit of advanced metrics, even if some are over my head. Metrics can also cut through some biases that people who “actually watch a game or 2″ may unknowingly have. Take a SS who looks sloppy on every play, never fields a ball cleanly, but somehow makes every play vs a slick-looking fielder who under/overthrows, and has poor positioning and awareness. Our eyes may tell us he’s the better defender, but metrics can cut through the eye candy and highlight the results. Anyway don’t sweat the small stuff and please contine to keep it pimpin’, pimpin’.
Dude, you simply aren’t going to get away with writing that Swish is somehow a better or more valuable defender than Cano without eliciting a snarky remark or two about watching the games. You should know that. You may have felt the comparative statement regarding Cano and Swish somehow buttressed your essay but it appeared to me to have been unnecessary as it was off topic (comparing player “A and B”) and was at best a conclusory remark that was not supported factually in the body of your text (no metrics or observational data regarding Cano’s defense). Simply put I think the resulting comment although rudely phrased may have been more the result of a questionable writing choice than one spawned by a lack of analytical skill or acumen on your part.
By the way I disagree with your conclusion regarding the defense of Cano and Swisher. Based purely on watching their play over several years Cano is a superior defender with greater positional range who plays at a more valuable defensive position than does Swisher. I do agree that Swish is a fine right fielder and a valuable offensive piece. Relax, if they really hated your stuff they wouldn’t read it it.
Cano has a cannon for an arm, and has some slick fielding hands, but he in no way is a range wizard. He’s one of the slower infielders around, and his range looks limited both with the eye and any metric used to measure it. He makes up for this by being able to flick the ball across the diamond with the best 2nd base arm I’ve ever seen.
Cano clearly plays a more important position on the diamond, and a position harder to find someone who is the level of player Robinson is, but he isn’t a superior defender. He isn’t a terrible defender but I would never use superior to describe what he does in the field. Cano makes flashier plays, Swish sometimes makes plays look harder than they should be, but at the end of the day both of there overall defense is average to slightly above it. Cano gets the advantage simply for the position he plays and his arm.
Wsporter, the post and comment Matt is referring to don’t make that claim about cano/swisher, all it says for cano is that he’s awesome. Not saying Matt hasn’t said that before, but that’s not what that “watch a game or two” comment was directed towards
I’m the one who made the comment…and I was talking about BOTH the Cano comment and blog where I made the comment. My 1st sentence states that it’s the 2nd time in a week to hear about Swisher’s great D.
I agree with the sentiment of this post. I have watched every Yankee game since 1995 and only miss the rare day games that happen when I’m at work (and I will follow those on gameday/mlb.tv) I’m big on sabermetrics because they add to my enjoyment of the game and help me appreciate it even more. The crowd of people that assume stat nerds aren’t watching the game are terribly misinformed. Usually the stat nerds are watching more than anyone else. If you care enough about baseball to delve into fangraphs and care about WAR, WOBA, UZR etc then you are probably someone who is very passionate about watching baseball. On the flip side of that coin, it’s annoying when some people get TOO attached to advanced statistics. Swisher a better defender than Cano? The stats may be on your side, but as someone who’s watched them play over the past 3 years I can tell you Cano is a lot better to these eyes, and I’d say if the metrics don’t show that than those metrics need work
Cano is a smoother player but does that mean he’s better on defense? Don’t get me wrong if I had to pick one over the other I would pick Cano, but it’s much closer than you are making it out to be. The metrics are clearly flawed, all defensive stats are behind where we want them to be, but even with the eye I don’t think Cano is some defensive god. I’d say he’s a solid second baseman, an above average one, with the best arm I’ve ever seen at second, but I don’t think he is one of the best defenders in the game.
Matt, thanks to the blessings of electronics and, more recently, portable digital devices, I too can count on my hands (and feet, alas) the number of Yankee games I’ve been forced to miss entirely due to family and professional obligations over more years than I care to count. And as much as I feel I have a pretty firm handle on my own sense of the state of the team at any given time, I just wanted to tell you that your efforts here and those of your colleagues at YA and a select few other fine sites are greatly appreciated. I don’t post comments too often, but know that my enjoyment of my favorite team and sport is made all the richer by my daily visits here — and when I occasionally run into someone, in the real or virtual world, who belittles or dismisses my opinion with the sarcastic “watch a game sometime” card, I remind myself there’s a difference between a fan and a fanatic and Churchill’s definition of the latter: someone who can’t change their mind and won’t change the subject. Your empathy is admirable, but such people bring nothing to the table to add to the enjoyment of our favortite game and are best left ignored and unengaged, as I suspect they likely are elsewhere in their private lives. Keep up the great work, and many thanks.
Matt your work speaks for itself. It’s on point and backed with facts. Don’t let one view get to you.
I agree with the ‘try watching the games’ remarks. I can remember them being said as far back as the second Bill James annual being discussed at work. Most of the folks discussing the books watched many more games than the ones making the comments.
I have a similar gripe, one that makes me want to post much less on this site than I used to: certain writers continually ripping a player far beyond what the player’s abilities or production call for, and then getting snarky when someone asks them to stop. Last summer, a writer here kept trashing Nunez, calling him excrement, saying he was below replacement level, etc. When I said I didn’t like it, he said if I didn’t like it, I should go to another blog.
Aloha Matt….take a deep breath and share a Maui-Wowee with me…smoke a bit of the peace pipe. Perhaps I hit enough of a nerve to warrant a rant, perhaps not. If no one guessed by now that I was the one who wrote that comment that motivated the rant. I made that comment as any native New Yorker might when they hear/read a blog that they disagree with. With sarcasm. When I said watch a game or 2, I wasn’t being literal…understand? Not literal, I never met you and don’t have the slightest idea how many games you watch or don’t watch. I read that Cano was the lesser of the 2 and then your gushing about Swish a 2nd time and simply was calling you on it. When I scream at the ump that he “needs glasses”…I am not literally insinuating that his vision is lacking, rather I disagree with the call, and I disagreed with your call. Girardi replaces him in late innings, end of discussion. Please re-read my comment again after you have cooled down and you will see that I state stats are great, and should be used to evaluate a players skill. I don’t see you ranting about that. So……chill, my brother, and don’t take yourself so seriously. aloha, Hawaii Dave….PS it never crossed my mind that you don’t watch games…I assume you do.
You summarized your role in the first paragraph better than I can probably write, so I won’t try restating my version of it. Just know that for every rare complimentary comment, there are the thousands of (mostly) silent readers who appreciate your work. I look forward to reading TYA every day. Keep your chin up and thank you for what you do.
I’m still trying to find the part where I said Swisher is a better defender than Cano is.