End this 4 Game Losing Streak Sunday Game Thread

[D-train]

Yipee and sabermetrics have led to our best hitter performing his worst while in the 2 hole.

Oh yeah and Aaron Judge hits 3rd for the Yankees. Jose Ramirez hits 3rd for the Guardians. Bryce Harper hits 3rd for the Phillies...

So guess what... Sabermetrics and analytics can fuck right off.

Don't be so self-critical of your commendable attempt at sabermetrics and analytics.

Hey Harmony... riddle me this... why is it that one of the most analytic-forward organizations in baseball continues to be unable to field quality offenses?

Why does one of the most analytic-forward organizations continue to ruin perfectly good hitters the minute they put an M's jersey on?

Seems to me it's all bullshit...

Most analytically forward orgs in baseball?????????? Did Jerry tell you that??? The continue to go with Haniger over Raley despite this!

[Seattle or Bust]

Don't be so self-critical of your commendable attempt at sabermetrics and analytics.

Hey Harmony... riddle me this... why is it that one of the most analytic-forward organizations in baseball continues to be unable to field quality offenses?

Why does one of the most analytic-forward organizations continue to ruin perfectly good hitters the minute they put an M's jersey on?

Seems to me it's all bullshit...

Most analytically forward orgs in baseball?????????? Did Jerry tell you that??? The continue to go with Haniger over Raley despite this!

They're so fucking stubborn.

Which is my whole point around them ruining good players... their forcing platoons kills momentum.

Why would you sit Raley when he was at his hottest possible... same with Rojas...

Garver hits a bomb, goes 2 for 4 and he sits the next day in favor of a righty platoon.

It's so fucking dumb and does not consider psychology of players.

[D-train]

It's like the unpaid interns are making the lineup decisions but it can't be that because even unpaid interns are that idiotic.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

I for one think Julio should get a bit more selfish and develop a bit of a mean streak.

It's not just a 45-50 game experiment. He's hit in the 2-hole in 141 games which is the position he's hit the most in. I don't think it's coincidental and there's a large enough sample size to conclude that he doesn't fit the round hole that analytics are trying to force him into.

1. 107 games - .896 OPS 121 OPS+
2. 141 games - .719 OPS 80 OPS+
3. 44 games - .965 OPS 139 OPS+

^^^
If you can't look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that for whatever reason he doesn't look comfortable hitting in the 2-hole... I really don't know what to tell you.

And I'd be very surprised if he didn't know that he struggles from that position in the lineup. Hitters know these things.

And from what I hear, Servais doesn't set the lineups. It comes from Hollander and Dipoto aka Robot 1 and Robot 2.

I agree that his batting profile would seem better suited for the 3-spot, but what about hitting 2nd would cause him to have worse numbers? Is it all psychological? I find that hard to believe. Other than 1st innings doesn't he bat 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th+ in the order roughly equal numbers of times. Does he bat worse in 1st innings, or worse with no runners on base? Does he approach at-bats differently depending on where he bats in the lineup? I don't think so. I just think he either has a massive flaw that pitchers are taking advantage of this year (like inability to lay off inside pitches with 2 strikes or he decided that every ball he makes contact with will have an exit velocity of at least 150 mph.

[Seattle or Bust]

It's like the unpaid interns are making the lineup decisions but it can't be that because even unpaid interns are that idiotic.

I genuinely think the computer prints the lineup and they go with it.

There's really no deviating from what analytics say until it's just irreparably harming the team.

It got to that point with Julio... eventually you just have to say that him hitting in the 2-hole isn't going to work... so finally they made the change.

But their stubbornness hurt the team and they're unwilling to go back and reflect on it. Because they keep repeating the same stupid shit.

[D-train]

I honestly think Stanton cut internet access to the clubhouse a few years ago to cut costs.. No computer would sit Mitch for Luke.

[Seattle or Bust]

I for one think Julio should get a bit more selfish and develop a bit of a mean streak.

It's not just a 45-50 game experiment. He's hit in the 2-hole in 141 games which is the position he's hit the most in. I don't think it's coincidental and there's a large enough sample size to conclude that he doesn't fit the round hole that analytics are trying to force him into.

1. 107 games - .896 OPS 121 OPS+
2. 141 games - .719 OPS 80 OPS+
3. 44 games - .965 OPS 139 OPS+

^^^
If you can't look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that for whatever reason he doesn't look comfortable hitting in the 2-hole... I really don't know what to tell you.

And I'd be very surprised if he didn't know that he struggles from that position in the lineup. Hitters know these things.

And from what I hear, Servais doesn't set the lineups. It comes from Hollander and Dipoto aka Robot 1 and Robot 2.

I agree that his batting profile would seem better suited for the 3-spot, but what about hitting 2nd would cause him to have worse numbers? Is it all psychological? I find that hard to believe. Other than 1st innings doesn't he bat 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th+ in the order roughly equal numbers of times. Does he bat worse in 1st innings, or worse with no runners on base? Does he approach at-bats differently depending on where he bats in the lineup? I don't think so. I just think he either has a massive flaw that pitchers are taking advantage of this year (like inability to lay off inside pitches with 2 strikes or he decided that every ball he makes contact with will have an exit velocity of at least 150 mph.

I think there is a psychological influence on it.

My guess is he's spent the majority of his baseball career hitting 3rd in lineups. Do it enough and your brain gets wired to the timing and feeling of hitting in that position in games.

Growing up, I often heard people say that MLB players are very superstitious and routine oriented. I wouldn't mess with that routine in favor of analytics if the player is showing you they're being affected.

[Donn Beach]

Explain it? They tried him hitting 2nd, you can't understand something unless you try it. 45-50 games is SSS. There's all sorts of other issues to be factored in. His putting up those numbers and hitting 2nd could be purely coincidental and probably is. But this is about them forcing him to do it and there is no evidence of that at all. From everything I've heard from julio he really doesn't care where he bats. And servais is such a hugger I can't imagine him forcing a player to do something they don't feel comfortable with. Go find Julio complaining about being forced and you will have something

I for one think Julio should get a bit more selfish and develop a bit of a mean streak.

It's not just a 45-50 game experiment. He's hit in the 2-hole in 141 games which is the position he's hit the most in. I don't think it's coincidental and there's a large enough sample size to conclude that he doesn't fit the round hole that analytics are trying to force him into.

1. 107 games - .896 OPS 121 OPS+
2. 141 games - .719 OPS 80 OPS+
3. 44 games - .965 OPS 139 OPS+

^^^
If you can't look at those numbers and come to the conclusion that for whatever reason he doesn't look comfortable hitting in the 2-hole... I really don't know what to tell you.

And I'd be very surprised if he didn't know that he struggles from that position in the lineup. Hitters know these things.

And from what I hear, Servais doesn't set the lineups. It comes from Hollander and Dipoto aka Robot 1 and Robot 2.

You honestly believe hitting 3rd as opposed to 2nd explains a 40 point difference in OPS+? Then i don't know what to tell you. But if that's the case it begs the question, if you can get such dramatic results, why not try moving other players around in the lineup? If it's so important to Julio what could it do for the rest of the team. Maybe Garver and polancos issues are due to being batted in the wrong spot in the lineup

[Seattle or Bust]

I honestly think Stanton cut internet access to the clubhouse a few years ago to cut costs.. No computer would sit Mitch for Luke.

When the computer uses large sample sizes and screams at you that righty platoons against lefties are superior... I think it would and does.

[Donn Beach]

You know that analyzing platoon splits analytically requires very large sample sizes, like 1500 at bats. If they are making platoon decisions with less than that then it's not analytics that's the issue, its how they are using the information.