Field of Ignorance April Announcement
We are currently going through some internal changes. Please stay tuned.
Read MoreSabermetric Formulas
Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP)
(H – HR) / (AB – K – HR + SF)
A pitcher’s average on batted balls ending a plate appearance, excluding home runs. Based on the research of Voros McCracken and others, BABIP is mostly a function of a pitcher’s defense and luck, rather than persistent skill. Thus, pitchers with abnormally high or low BABIPs are good bets to see their performances regress to the mean. The league average for modern pitcher BABIP is around .300.
Defensive Efficiency (Def Eff)
1 – ((H + ROE – HR) / (PA – BB – SO – HBP – HR))
Def Eff is the rate at which balls put into play are converted into outs by a team’s defense. It can be approximated with (1 – BABIP), if all you have is BABIP.
Marginal Payroll/Marginal Wins (MP/MW)
(Team Payroll – (28 x League Minimum Salary) / ((Team Winning Percentage – .3) x 162)
MP/MW a measure introduced by Doug Pappas which evaluates the efficiency of a club’s front office by comparing its payroll and record to the performance it could expect to attain by fielding a roster of replacement-level players, all of whom are paid the major league minimum salary.
On-Base Percentage (OBP)
H + BB + HBP / AB + BB + HBP + SF
Slugging Percentage (SLG)
TB / AB
On-base Plus Slugging (OPS)
OBP + SLG
Runs Created (RC)
(H + BB) x TB / AB+BB
Tyler Wasserman
Vice President, Analyst
Wasserman is a sophomore studying Sport Management and Business at Syracuse University. He is intrigued by how front offices run, and how they canbe run more efficiently. Currently a game day marketing intern for Syracuse’s Athletic Department and having previously worked with Stony Brook University’s Athletic Department, Wasserman is excited to be getting an opportunity to examine Major League Baseball. He has had a passion for baseball his entire life and is a diehard Yankee fan who hails from Long Island, New York.Wasserman will bring his opinions and a taste of statistical analyses to Field of Ignorance.
tjwasserman@fieldofignorance.com
Read MoreDavid Mohajer-Rahbari
Marketing Coordinator
Mohajer-Rahbari is a Los Angeles native who has spent his life trying to fully understand the world and those around him. His curious mind led himto seek out the essence of problems and determine creative and strategic solutions.
After receiving a BA in Philosophy from UCLA, David attended a certificate program in Marketing and Advertising at UCLA Extension. It was there that he discovered his skills in cultivating the relationship between brand and consumer.
Since then David has acted as a consultant for afew small businesses, specializing in Brand Management and Integrated Marketing Communications. David, a long time friend of the site’s founder JesseBehr, has now been recruited as the Marketing Coordinator of Fieldofignorance.com to monitor and manage all aspects of the site’s marketing efforts.
dmohajer@fieldofignorance.com
Read MoreSeth Mumy
Fantasy Expert and Analyst
Mumy, 22, resides in Los Angeles and has always been entrenched in the world of sports both as a player and analyst. Although his hometown Dodgers have not captured a World Series title in his lifetime, Dodger Blue flows through his veins.
Mumy will be contributing frequently to Field of Ignorance as the local fantasy baseball guru but will also often play the role of devil’s advocate. Although he agrees that there are glaring inefficiencies regarding how money is spent in baseball, he feels strongly that baseball has to hold true to its traditions. His fantasy baseball resume is extremely impressive and he understands the intricacies involved in both a standard 5×5 league and deeper leagues which use advanced statistics.
Read MoreMatt Pagano
Staff Writer
Pagano is a Sport Management major at Syracuse University. He worked with the Staten Island Yankees this past summer as a Ticket Sales intern, andassisted with event management at Richmond County Bank Ballpark while keeping track of the stadium inventory. His experience with a Minor League Baseball team provides ‘Field of Ignorance’ with a unique insight on how players are scouted and developed to one day contribute at the Major League level. Having grown up in Edison, New Jersey, Pagano has been a diehard Yankees fan his entire life.
Read MoreScouting Report: Catcher Adam Ehrlich
Organization: St. Louis Cardinals
DOB: 12/13/1992
Birthplace: North Hollywood, California
HT/WT: 6’1’’/ 200 lbs
Bats/Throws: L/R
Position: C
Body Type: Athletic, thick 6’1” frame. Has put on a lot of muscle over the past year, originally listed at 180-185 lbs and is now just south of 200. Ehrlich’s growing well into his body as his top half continues to mature. Bottom half provides a set of strong legs. Also has a set of big, tough hands that can already handle professional velocities. Body comparison to Milwaukee’s Jonathan Lucroy.
Abilities: Using a slightly open stance, Ehrlich has a long, flat swing plane with a balanced stride. He has the power to drive the ball, but won’t be your perennial homerun threat (think plus gap power). Can take the ball to any part of the field, but his strength lies in lefty-pull power. Could become a doubles machine. Great plate discipline with pitch recognition skills. His baserunning speed is above average for a catcher, but by being a catcher, it’s unlikely he’ll swipe bags at the big league level. Keeps a focused field awareness, both on defense and on the basepaths. Rarely turns his attention elsewhere.
Behind the dish, Ehrlich’s a natural defender. He has thrown in some time at first, but won’t be leaving the backstop anytime soon. His durability at such a young age is his best attribute, with a surplus of stamina to “catch all day long and make it look easy and graceful.” (BaseballBeginnings.com). His catching game is fluid, effortless, and with more instruction, could essentially be flawless. Has strong average arm strength with the projection of a plus arm as his throwing mechanics improve. Thanks to his quick feet and an even quicker release, his outstanding POP times have been listed in the 1.85 to 2.00 second range. He projects to POP closer to 1.80-1.90 once he perfects his footwork. Called games his senior year at Campbell Hall, not something you see from most high school catchers.
Ehrlich already has a tremendous knowledge of the game and continues to work hard to refine his baseball skills. Has a willingness to do the little things, and won’t question getting dirty. His ability to receive and adjust a pitcher’s game plan is far surpassed what his age group would usually show. Maturity is coming along nicely for the 18-year old.
Weaknesses: Hitting skills are still raw. His long swing plane mentioned before can work against him. His elbows usually stay close together, but when they begin to separate, his swing becomes even longer than it already is. Ehrlich’s plane should be shortened to create a more compact swing. His leg kick is inconsistent and can be very high during the load. Has a slow pivot out of the batter’s box, which doesn’t matchup with his quick feet on defense. Lacks trust in his ability to use his natural power. He attempts to take the ball the other way when he should be pulling inside pitches. He must become assertive with pitches on the inside part of the plate. Also, he’s too patient at times. While he was pitched around on multiple occasions his senior year, Ehrlich would watch hittable pitches go by.
Defensively, his arm strength is still developing. He occasionally rushes himself with an aggressiveness to catch runners stealing. Has trouble fielding well-placed bunts. His receiving skills are above average for a young catcher (glove beats pitches before they hit the strike zone, keeps hands steady to secure a strike), but he has a tendency to stab at the ball. Could use some work on blocking pitches, especially breaking balls in the dirt. He’s been game-calling for just over a year, but those skills are relatively underdeveloped. Still has confidence to communicate with his pitchers.
Conclusion: It’s rare to find high school catchers that are as defensively sound as Ehrlich is. However, he cannot rest on his laurels. As he strives for consistency, his abilities as a natural catcher could lead him to the big leagues. Offensively, his hit tool is far from polished, but does show promise. Ehrlich has multiple mechanical issues to iron out, including his swing and stance, and must learn to trust his own talent. If he can hone his skills at the plate, I can project a future .255-.260 hitter at his peak, 8 to 10 homeruns a year. Not out of the question for him to hit 20+ doubles during a full-length season. Having only played at the high school level, it should take Ehrlich four to five seasons before he reaches the Majors. It’s possible his value can exceed his status as a sixth round pick up.
Originally posted on Scout.com
Read More