Very cool piece written by John Walsh, who here presents his annual baseball arm analysis, which, as much as I tried to poke holes in it as I read it is a great study.
Basically he takes the five most crucial situations when a throw from the outfield is important. Then, by usuing play-by-play data he adds up how often the runner is thrown out or how often the runner is held. So here we see how both the skill and reputation of an outfielder’s arm affects a runner’s ability to advance.
The best arm in baseball during 2007 according to the study?
The guy in the photo up top.
There’s also a chart that, amongst other things, suggests Andruw Jones has the most overrated arm in baseball (I agree) and that Juan Pierre is, well, sh*t. It’ll be interesting to see how the Dodgers do with that combo. Might want to keep it in mind when drafting from the game’s best starting rotation for your baseball fantasia league.
I’m guessing Jackson will wince at the prospect of a data-laden x/y axis chart. But surely he’ll be tingling at the idea of Cuddyer having the best arm in baseball to be bothered too much.
PS: Please follow the link from the source the photo above is originally from, you’ll be treated to one of the best baseball photo essays I’ve ever seen by Catfish Stew.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Joel // Jan 8, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Who knew Cuddyer was plasticman?
2 jackson // Jan 9, 2008 at 2:15 am
I only mock that form of statistical analysis because i fear it and i’m too dumb to understand it. That said, if anyone in a Twins uniform comes out on top its fine with me.
The best arm I’ve ever seen in a game is Ichiro’s–at least the most deadly accurate and precise. The chart seems to suggest otherwise tho.
3 A.S. // Jan 9, 2008 at 6:58 am
Ichiro did pretty well. Griffey sure as heck didn’t though.
4 DannP // Jan 9, 2008 at 10:55 am
There’s been a big bandwagon effort to discredit A. Jones as a fielder during the past couple years…a lot of his supposed decline is really a decline in putouts, whihc has more to do with a decline in the Braves’ pitching. With good control pitchers (Glavine, Maddux) leaving it’s been harder to position Jones and so he’s caught fewer flies.
I think in this study his reputaton stands out, but the fact that he has fewer chances doesn’t show up. He might actually become a better fielder in LA just because the pitchers are better.
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