Monday, November 10, 2008
Holliday’s split
Posted by Dave StudemanYou're going to hear a lot about Matt Holliday's Coorified batting stats as we wags debate the merits of this deal, but Dave Cameron (of the Fellowship Camerons) makes an important point. You shouldn't just take Holliday's road splits and assume those are a reflection of his actual talent. Everyone bats better at home, and players can adjust to new surroundings.
Dave gets around the issue by quoting Holliday's WPA/LI, which is an interesting way to look at things because it's adjusted for the home park. Holliday's 2008 WPA/LI of 3.98 was tenth-best in the majors last year. I'm not sure WPA/LI is the most reliable metric either, but the point is right on: Don't rush to judge Holliday by just quoting those stats away from Coors.
Dave was called a "national treasure" by Rob Neyer. Seriously. Comments about this article can be sent to him through the miracle of e-mail.