There's the smug minority that think it's all about make-believe statistics, and there is the obtuse majority that looks at a 162-game baseball schedule through the same lens as it does a 16-game NFL season.
This line detracts from an otherwise good article about Mauer's contract situation. I read this to mean that everybody's an idiot -- the smug minority and their made-believe statistics and the regular morons.
What Patrick doesn't appreciate is that these "make-believe" statistics have correlation to actual performance on the field. Yep, OPS, a statistic that Mr. Reusse derides, has a higher correlation to runs scored than AVE, a statistic that isn't make believe, I suppose. Let's face it -- if Patrick can't handle OPS, more complex statistics are going to be beyond his ken. Therefore, they must be ridiculed. And, of course(!), someone who wants to quantify performance thinks it's all about the statistics and don't actually enjoy the game.
It's too bad that Reusse doesn't have a friend like me. I have friends who enjoy baseball even though they don't care about statistics at all. And that's perfectly fine. But I imagine it would be easier for me to demonize those people if I didn't know them. Likewise, it's easy for Reusse to believe that someone who cares about stats might also care about, well, anything else baseball-related, because he probably doesn't really associate with anyone who is into advanced stats. Which is too bad, because at times, I think that Reusse can be a great writer, and overall I think he's a good writer.
Would you grant Reusse three wishes?
I've seen ubelmann's reactions in game logs. Clearly, he doesn't enjoy the game
Just a guess, but OPS is being used enough in mainstream media that I doubt Reusse is referring to it in his "make-believe statistics." I'm thinking he's referring more to VORP, WARP, xFIP, etc.
I do think it's funny that a lot of people who make fun of these stats (or those who use them) have no problem talking about quarterback rating in football.
If Reusse wants to discuss make believe stats, he should talk about MVP vote totals.
One of the guys at Fire Joe Morgan made that precise commentary once. Seriously, that's a nutty-bar stat, and yet it's still given notice, while these advanced baseball stats are "make believe." What a simpleton.
Granted, a large percentage of football players are simple enough to say "it's all about wins" and will argue to death that the other 39 guys don't matter - a good quarterback is just one who wins. You take Peyton and 39 children, and I'll take 40 NFL players, and not one of them is a natural QB. You know who's gonna win? I bet I do.
I have actually heard, with my own ears, Reusse denigrate OPS as a made up stat.
Gawd, I sure hope no one read this article to the Dazzleman...
If Dazzle had a Kindle, it could read to him, but I don't think we have to worry about that happening any time soon...