Josh Donaldson and the myth of the ‘New Moneyball’

The 2012 Josh Donaldson seems like Billy Beane’s offseason hopes coming true: a player the organization had high hopes for helping out during a playoff run. A former first-round pick and catching prospect with the Cubs who came to Oakland in the Rich Harden trade way back in 2008, Donaldson displayed skills that made it understandable why he’d fit into the Bay Area. He walked a good amount, struck out a good amount, hit for decent power, and was defensively strong and versatile. Despite just a .241/.289/.398 slash line (good for a 90 wRC+), Donaldson played a stellar third base (5.5 runs added in just 75 games) and totaled 1.5 WAR, a solid contribution from a low-salary player on the fringes of the 25-man roster.

The 2013 Josh Donaldson is Billy Beane’s wildest dreams coming true: a player the organization had high hopes for really figuring it out. At a time when Josh Reddick (.241 wOBA), Chris Young (.289 wOBA), and Eric Sogard (.268 wOBA) are all struggling at the plate, Donaldson is one of a handful of surprising Oakland hitters stepping up in a big way. The right-handed hitter is hitting .303/.387/.487, good for a 143 wRC+. His .380 wOBA is fourth among all third basemen in the major leagues, ahead of the likes of Pablo Sandoval, Adrian Beltre, Will Middlebrooks, and Manny Machado.

His defense isn’t as great as it was last year (according to UZR), but he’s still in the top third of all third basemen. This from a guy who hit .238 at 24 years old in the immensely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Driving Donaldson’s success is his high walk rate, which jumped from 4.8 percent last season to 12.4 thus far this year. It isn’t too much a surprise, given he had rates of 18.3 percent in Low-A ball, 14.8 in Double-A, and 12.9 in Triple-A; still, that puts him ahead of Miguel Cabrera among all third basemen (trailing only David Wright). Donaldson is a perfect microcosm of the A’s as a whole. No real superstars, but solid hitters up and down the lineup. Their shortstop has a .386 wOBA. Their center fielder is at .402. Both their catchers are above average hitters.

There’s a

In fact, the current installment has higher strikeout and walk rates than the 2002 version, as well as just as poor defense (a team total of -12.8 UZR so far this year, the worst in baseball). The A’s team walk rate is first in baseball, and the difference between them and the second team (Boston) is the same as the difference between Boston and the ninth overall team (Colorado).

Some people think the Moneyball strategy was idiosyncratic, a formula that would not work today. But homers and walks are still valuable, and there’s no indication of their decline. In fact, in lower run scoring environments, they’re as important as ever. Josh Donaldson is the new Scott Hatteberg.


Pat Andriola is an Analyst at Bloomberg Sports who formerly worked in Major League Baseball's Labor Relations Department. You can contact him at Patrick.Andriola@tufts.edu or follow him on Twitter @tuftspat
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DrBGiantsfan
10 years ago

There was really never anything new under the sun.  Decades ago, Earl Weaver said the secret to wining baseball games was great pitching and 3 run homers.  If that isn’t the best, most succinct summation of Moneyball, I don’t know what is.

obsessivegiantscompulsive
10 years ago

I’m not sure why you are highlighting Donaldson.  Sure, he’s doing very well right now.  But that’s because his BABIP is at a unsustainably high .344 right now.  Even the projections have him falling to .285, he just had a hot streak, and his wOBA is projected to drop to the low .300’s.

And BP famously examined why Billy Beane’s s**t didn’t work in the playoffs and found that one key element is having good defense, so it looks like Billy is regressing since defense is poor, as he’s never thought that closers was all that important either, which is another key component of a team going deep into the playoffs.  He’s never really got the “strikeouts are good” memo either, his pitching staff have always been in the middle of the AL.  Strike three, yer out Billy!

guest
10 years ago

You need a proven closer that has the “look” to get guys out when the stakes are high. When your team is winning by two in the bottom of the ninth, there are no outs, and no men on base. You have to put your clutch closer in because they have that mentality, that “it” factor to preserve a two run lead.

Never mind putting him in when there is one out, men on first and second in the 8th inning, and your team is winning by one. He must pitch in the ninth when it is the clutchiest situation.

Also, a run scored does not equal a run earned. Good pitching will always overcome good hitting. It doesn’t matter if you have 9 Adam Everett type bats in your lineup; if you have a good pitcher and defense, you will win. Beane doesn’t care about defense and closers, obviously.