Prospect evaluation may be the most difficult part of any sport. After all, the best way to judge a player is based on their previous production, but we don’t have that luxury with prospects- we are forced to project how they’ll fare playing at higher levels, which is a burdensome task. As this process has garnered the attention of the public more, however, it is … Continue reading It’s Time To Fix How We Evaluate MLB Prospects
As baseball analysts shift towards evaluating players with advanced statistics, calculating a player’s overall value has become essential. To do so, the common fan uses Wins Above Replacement (WAR), a statistic that measures a player’s value compared to a replacement-level player- a 1 WAR player is worth about one win above a replacement-level player, for instance. The convenience of a “tell-it-all” statistic like WAR cannot … Continue reading Meet VOA, a Statistic That Captures an MLB Player’s Value Better Than WAR
When we evaluate an MLB team’s roster, we tend to just look at their opening day starting lineup, which is referred to as their “starting nine”. However, as teams get smarter, it’s clear that we can no longer make those types of evaluations. After studying winning teams, one common theme became apparent- their “starting nine” is more like a “starting twelve”. So, how are these … Continue reading Why a Catcher Timeshare (and a Platoon at Any Position In General) Is a Great Strategy For MLB Team-Building
Once upon a time, prospects were more valued as trade chips by fans of MLB teams than anything else, and young players, in general, weren’t seen as super valuable compared to established players. However, that time is past us- fans now care a great deal about their team’s top prospects, and front offices are more reluctant than ever to trade them. Therefore, public prospect rankings … Continue reading Creating an Ideal Model For Evaluating MLB Prospects
Every offseason, the NFL draft process is a very extensive one for analysts, front offices and fans, who do as much research they can to dictate what is the right approach to take to bolster their team’s roster. However, during this time, fans get a lot their information from draft analysts, but unfortunately, they are often misinformed. Even worse, teams fall into this same trap, … Continue reading The Ten Greatest Misconceptions About The NFL Draft
Between hiring head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Joe Brady, while cutting ties with franchise favorites Cam Newton and Greg Olsen, it’s safe to say that the Panthers have undergone a lot of turnover this offseason. However, in an attempt for some sort of long-term continuity, they’ve reached an agreement with running back Christian McCaffrey on a four-year, $64 million extension. This deal makes … Continue reading Panthers Make Major Team-Building Error Extending Christian McCaffrey
With the NFL Draft fast approaching, we’ll hear a lot about the foundational positions in football, and how finding players at those positions is paramount. That conventional wisdom is correct, but what follows isn’t. For a long time, quarterback, left tackle, and edge rusher have been considered the most important positions in football. However, that is not the case; as the style of play has … Continue reading How NFL Teams Can Take Advantage of Positional Value When Building Their Roster
Yesterday, we took a closer look at positional value in baseball, and how front offices can use it to gain a competitive edge over other teams. However, there is an even greater flaw that front offices can capitalize on, and it’s with evaluating prospects. Currently, we aren’t modifying our prospect boards enough to account for positional value, but that has to change. In this article, … Continue reading Altering The Process Of Evaluating MLB Prospects
MVP Sports Talk 