San Diego Padres: Staying True to the Analytics by Limiting Paddack’s Innings

Front Office Analytic Teams Are The “New” Field Managers

Another trend we’re seeing in this “new age of baseball” is front office analytics dictating which players are in the starting lineup each day. I’m not talking about an MIT grad in full uniform standing next to the manager with a tablet in hand.

Actually, it’s a three-ring binder that holds video analysis, defensive stats and hitting spray charts of every possible on-field situation that could occur in a game. The analytics offer a number of paths to achieve success.

The importance of baseball analytics was brought to light in Michael Lewis’ book, Moneyball, and later, applauded by all for its importance in transforming the Houston Astros from cellar dwellers to World Series champions.

Now, I’m not trying to suggest that San Diego Padres general manager AJ Preller has become the de facto manager from his press level private box, but his input decides the outcome of games. Thus, baseball analytics has relegated the on-field manager into a mid-level management position by limiting the amount of in-game strategizing needed from them.

However, it hasn’t limit the amount of second-guessing done by fans or the media on botched pitching changes or the failure to score a base runner from third with less than two outs in the inning. At least, the binder can offer a better explanation for these miscues than most major league managers today. Like it or not baseball analytics is here to stay as franchises use this tool to win World Series titles today.