Posted by MikeT23 on 3/6/2014 12:37:00 PM (view original):
The "problem" with advanced stats in this case(and most of them) is everything won't show up. Giambi being in the wrong spot on a cut-off, Giambi refusing to throw home for the force instead choosing to tag 1B, Giambi breaking towards 2B on a grounder and leaving no one to cover 1st.
I'm sure he knew his limitations so he wouldn't force a throw or put himself in a position where he'd make a bad one but he was really bad at 1B.
The "problem" (why are we using quotation marks?) with not using stats and just relying on your memory is that your memory is a million times more flawed than the stats.
We've been over this before so I'll keep it brief, but it's unlikely you saw every play Giambi made or didn't make, and even if you did, it's even more unlikely you remember anything but the most remarkable plays several years later, and even if you somehow remembered all the unremarkable times Giambi did something right, it's even less likely that you saw and remembered the plays for all the other first basemen so that you had something to compare Giambi's defense to (also ignoring the fact that you aren't a scout or professional evaluator and you had limited access to video footage of Giambi's defense).
Maybe everything doesn't show up in the stats (not everything does) but even less (much, much, much, much less) shows up in your memories of Giambi's defense.
3/6/2014 12:49 PM (edited)