We're not quite the Mariners!

[cmathewson]

His statistics dont support that.

 

His OPS with bases occupied last year was over 1.000.

 

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://widgets.sports-reference.com/wg.fcgi?css=1&site=br&url=%2Fplayers%2Fsplit.cgi%3Fid%3Dmauerjo01%26year%3D2012%26t%3Db&div=div_bases"></script>

 

RBIs are a matter of opportunity. Willignham got a lot more RBIs primarily because he had Mauer on base at a .416 clip ahead of him. Meanwhile Denard Span had an OBP of .342. Ben Revere? His OBP was .333. So, you see, Mauer didn't have many opportunities to drive guys in. When he did, he hit very well.

[DaveW]

So what is everyone's thoughts on WAR?

[Aaron Cross]

Exactly...but he's old school :-) Let's not put RBI into context, let's look at the final

number and make judgements on those.

Don't knock an old timer for calling himself old school. Being old school is not a bad thing. I will admit the Willingham comparison was eye opening to me. You win. All in all, what I'd really love to see from Joe is to mash a few more gappers into the RF/CF gap a little more often.

[LaBombo]

Don't knock an old timer for calling himself old school. Being old school is not a bad thing. I will admit the Willingham comparison was eye opening to me. You win. All in all, what I'd really love to see from Joe is to mash a few more gappers into the RF/CF gap a little more often.

 

No, he's ok, there was a smiley!

 

Hey, even the guys at fangraphs scratch their heads over Mauer's approach at the plate in some situations. Here's a link to a fun article about Mauer's refusal to swing at 3-0 pitches, including a breakdown of a situational RBI opportunity.

 

###Spoiler Alert if you're going to read it. If not: ###

 

 

Mauer went over t**h**r**e**e y**e**a**r**s without swinging on 3-0.

 

Holy crap. I knew he didn't swing much on three oh, but... man. The consolation prize is that over the last three seasons, when Mauer doesn't walk on a 3-0 he's batting .469/.863/.656 after that count.

[DaveW]

Don't knock an old timer for calling himself old school. Being old school is not a bad thing. I will admit the Willingham comparison was eye opening to me. You win. All in all, what I'd really love to see from Joe is to mash a few more gappers into the RF/CF gap a little more often.

 

I would also like to see Willingham with elite defense and speed on the base paths. At the end of the day Mauer is who he is, and that is a hall of fame catcher.

[Aaron Cross]

In terms of HOF, the next five years will decide. If he has five more 2012's, obviously he's in. If you mix in a couple more 2011's, I'm not so sure.

[ScottyBroco]

Thanks for the graphic but I will show some of my students this in class tomorrow since we are learning percents and fractions.

[DaveW]

In terms of HOF, the next five years will decide. If he has five more 2012's, obviously he's in. If you mix in a couple more 2011's, I'm not so sure.

Yes, if Mauer ends up getting injured significantly the rest of his career he may not make the hall of fame but you are really stretching at this point.

[ThePuck]

Yes, if Mauer ends up getting injured significantly the rest of his career he may not make the hall of fame but you are really stretching at this point.

 

 

I know fans who have pretty much guaranteed he won't make the HOF and that it's silly to even think people should be talking about the possibility...

[jay]

So what is everyone's thoughts on WAR?

 

I'm going to fall for this one...

 

WAR is a great tool to get a quick overall valuation on a player and is easy to understand as a concept (not calculate). Use of WAR helps bring "old schoolers" closer to the "new school". It is one of the better single number valuations. But, in my mind, we can't quite use it as the end-all-be-all just yet because it has a ways to go in a few areas --

 

- defensive metrics: it's crucial to include this in player value, but we just aren't incredibly accurate at putting values on this today (especially for C, 1B)

- positional values: this is accounted for and a large factor, but we miss team specific situations, ie - when a player may not be at his best value position due to roster composition.

- situational hitting/pitching: certain players are more skilled in this than others and we can't properly value the player capable of grounding to the right to score/advance a runner compared to those who swing away.

 

So, as long as we keep a margin of error in mind and don't try to use it to proclaim that my guy with 3.6 WAR this year is better than your guy with 3.4 WAR... then let's get our WAR on.