John Hart
GDT 5/3 - Weird Lineup Today
- Thread starter Southcack77
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John Hart
Whether by luck or design he's playing extremely well. The new analytics positioning is helping him in the field and his increased launch angle is helping prop up that slugging. Good stuff.
Southcack77
Well-known member
If you have some sourcing for the Braves increased used of analytics in defense or hitting, I'd appreciate links so I can get a feel for what they are doing.
I haven't really seen much on that topic.
Is this your way of saying you weren't wrong?
Jaw
It's OVER 5,000!
I haven't looked for anything about it online, but Chip and Joe discussed it a bit during a game a week or two ago. I don't recall many details, just that the team has someone analyzing each hitter's data and making recommendations on defensive placement.
Hudson2
Well-known member
I don’t have the link but even Snitker was talking about how much he’s had to learn about analytics since AA has came over.
https://www.mlb.com/braves/news/braves-paying-attention-to-analytics-data/c-272604954
Haven't seen anything regarding the hitting but they are going about defense differently.
Jaw
It's OVER 5,000!
And this - https://www.myajc.com/sports/baseba...improve-their-defense/Fbms0uohY2XB2C0IkYGjkI/
“Every day we have a meeting. We have a hitters’ meeting and we have cards sent to us in our lockers,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said, referring to index-like cards that each position player has tailored for him each day by the analytics staff. The cards list the opposing players’ tendencies and recommended defensive positioning.
...
When Lane Adams replaced right fielder Nick Markakis during a double-switch recently, TV cameras picked up the moment when Markakis stopped and gave Adams the card Markakis had for right-field positioning in that night’s game.
Eric Young, a veteran former player and coach who’s in his first season as Braves first-base coach, handles the team’s outfielders and gives them all the analytics information. Third-base coach Ron Washington goes over all the analytics with his infielders.
...
“It makes sense,” Freeman said. “They’re not just doing data over 30 balls, they’re doing it over years. Obviously the numbers don’t lie, so we’ve been playing the numbers and it’s working out so far.”
Snitker said, “Alex Tammen is the one that heads all that up with his guys, and they’ve worked really hard. They’ve put a lot of time into all that information that they give us. And again, it’s like we said, it’s a tool. And it’s a really good tool. Just the daily information that we get on the game we’re about to play is pretty extensive compared to what we’re used to here (in the past).
“It’s stuff that the guys are using and it’s good information, and it works. It’s not always going to work; it’s baseball. You play percentages. It’s not going to be 100 percent all the time. But I’ve been impressed with what we’ve done so far.
“The players have bought in, and I think the coaching staff has done a tremendous job of using the information and getting it to the players. I think the coaches are doing a spectacular job of getting it to the players. They’re not just beating them over the head with dull stuff. It’s useful information.”
Certainly not about our previous dinosaur front office.
DirkPiggler
Well-known member
I wonder if the launch angle is an intentional change he made in the offseason, or if it's flukish.
Positioning changes would also include the infield shifting against LH pull hitters as well. It has to help reduce his territory and thus the number of balls he can't get to when Albies is basically playing in short RF.
If this holds up, it could possibly bring more LF options into play next season. If we can scheme around their defensive deficiencies to a degree we might be able to expand the pool of candidates.
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I'm more skeptical of the launch angle change. Could be SSS noise but either way it's working right now.
Kurt is someone else who has dramatically changed his launch angle over the past few seasons and that is something I think will be permanent for the time being.
Southcack77
Well-known member
Good article, thanks:
By Mark Bowman MLB.com @mlbbowman
Apr. 17th, 2018
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ATLANTA -- As the first few weeks of this season have elapsed, Braves manager Brian Snitker has become even more appreciative of how the adoption of a much heavier analytical approach has aided his team's defense, primarily in the outfield.
"It's good information and it works," Snitker said. "It's not going to work every time. This is baseball. You play percentages and it's not going to be 100 percent all the time. But I've been impressed by what we've done so far and how the guys have bought into what we're doing."
View Full Game Coverage
The adjusted positioning has seemingly aided right fielder Nick Markakis, who has been successful with each of his three attempts to make a 3-star catch (anything with a catch probability between 51-75 percent). He was 7-for-17 on those plays last year.
Markakis' terrific diving catch
Markakis' terrific diving catch
00:40
Apr. 2nd, 2018
"The daily information we receive every day about a game we're about to play is pretty extensive in comparison to what we're used to," Snitker said.
Snitker admits he did not know much about a heavy analytics approach before Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos joined the organization in November. Anthopoulos hired director of Major League operations Alex Tamin, who oversees an analytics department that has been significantly enhanced since the front-office staff was overhauled this past offseason.
Tamin's department organizes data which he relays to the coaching staff on a daily basis to devise game plans. First-base coach Eric Young discusses the information with the outfielders and third-base coach Ron Washington handles the infielders.
Each of the outfielders takes the field with a card that spells out where they should be positioned defensively in different situations against each of the opposing team's batters.
Statcast™ data shows the Braves' outfielders have consistently played a little deeper this season. Looking simply at games played at SunTrust Park, the left fielders have been positioned on average 305 feet from the plate, as opposed to 300 ft. in 2017. The center fielders' starting position has moved from 317 ft.to 323 ft. and the right fielders have moved from 286 ft. to 298 ft.
"There's a lot that goes into that," Snitker said. "It's pretty much a group effort every day preparing for that game we're going to play. They've changed some things according to the makeup of our ballpark in terms of where they position guys. It's just amazing with all the in-depth studies."
The Braves haven't needed to tinker much with center fielder Ender Inciarte, who has won two consecutive National League Gold Glove Awards. But until Ronald Acuna Jr. arrives they will continue to provide assistance to left fielder Preston Tucker, who has at least exceeded the expectations of those who considered him to be a defensive liability.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com.
By Mark Bowman MLB.com @mlbbowman
Apr. 17th, 2018
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ATLANTA -- As the first few weeks of this season have elapsed, Braves manager Brian Snitker has become even more appreciative of how the adoption of a much heavier analytical approach has aided his team's defense, primarily in the outfield.
"It's good information and it works," Snitker said. "It's not going to work every time. This is baseball. You play percentages and it's not going to be 100 percent all the time. But I've been impressed by what we've done so far and how the guys have bought into what we're doing."
View Full Game Coverage
The adjusted positioning has seemingly aided right fielder Nick Markakis, who has been successful with each of his three attempts to make a 3-star catch (anything with a catch probability between 51-75 percent). He was 7-for-17 on those plays last year.
Markakis' terrific diving catch
Markakis' terrific diving catch
00:40
Apr. 2nd, 2018
"The daily information we receive every day about a game we're about to play is pretty extensive in comparison to what we're used to," Snitker said.
Snitker admits he did not know much about a heavy analytics approach before Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos joined the organization in November. Anthopoulos hired director of Major League operations Alex Tamin, who oversees an analytics department that has been significantly enhanced since the front-office staff was overhauled this past offseason.
Tamin's department organizes data which he relays to the coaching staff on a daily basis to devise game plans. First-base coach Eric Young discusses the information with the outfielders and third-base coach Ron Washington handles the infielders.
Each of the outfielders takes the field with a card that spells out where they should be positioned defensively in different situations against each of the opposing team's batters.
Statcast™ data shows the Braves' outfielders have consistently played a little deeper this season. Looking simply at games played at SunTrust Park, the left fielders have been positioned on average 305 feet from the plate, as opposed to 300 ft. in 2017. The center fielders' starting position has moved from 317 ft.to 323 ft. and the right fielders have moved from 286 ft. to 298 ft.
"There's a lot that goes into that," Snitker said. "It's pretty much a group effort every day preparing for that game we're going to play. They've changed some things according to the makeup of our ballpark in terms of where they position guys. It's just amazing with all the in-depth studies."
The Braves haven't needed to tinker much with center fielder Ender Inciarte, who has won two consecutive National League Gold Glove Awards. But until Ronald Acuna Jr. arrives they will continue to provide assistance to left fielder Preston Tucker, who has at least exceeded the expectations of those who considered him to be a defensive liability.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com.
Southcack77
Well-known member
sturg33
I
It's worth pointing out that Markakis has been good in April each year with us. His OPS each year
2015 - 823
2016 - 836
2017 - 827
2018 - 848
The problem is, May always happened
2015 - 663
2016 - 544
2017 - 677
Hopefully he bucks the trend this year
Southcack77
Well-known member
It would be nice if they gave him a regular day off here and there. Let Camargo or Bautista have a go at a lefty every now and again.
That was mentioned a little on MLB Central - that Bautista may be moved around a bit (1B to give Freddie a blow once in a while, RF when needed) since Flaherty and Camargo have been productive. Don't think they mentioned a source - just that it seemed to make sense.
Like everybody else, I don't expect Flaherty to keep this up, but I hope that Snit will see the benefit in keeping everybody as fresh as possible by utilizing the flexibility he has. I think it'd also be nice to see him use Johan and Flaherty as defensive replacements for Bautista regularly, but I wonder if that might not be a little too much to ask given Jose's name clout.
Pretty hard to give Snitker much grief after the first month, I just hope he doesn't backslide and fall back into not using the information he's getting now - you've gotta think someone finally screamed at him about using Freeman too much earlier before he thankfully gave him a little breather this week.
jpx7
Very Flirtatious, but Doubts What Love Is.
Right for the first three years, “dead wrong” only for the fourth year if he keeps this up. But I’ll take it, because it means Markakis will have upped his play and the Braves will have opened their contention window a year early at the same time.
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Yeah up until this point I want to know how a large portion of the board has been wrong about Neck. He's been exactly who we thought he was.
I hope Markakis goes Contract Year the full year and he uses his veteran leadership to get us to the World Series.
Luckily, we have launch angle data for every year Markakis has been with the Braves:
2015 - 6.9*
2016 - 10.8*
2017 - 8.6*
2018 - 13.3*
A launch angle change typically manifests itself in an increased FB rate.
His FB% this year is 33.3%...his career number is 33.4%.
His LD% this year is 28.7%, easily the highest in his career, and 8% higher than his career mark (20.8%).
His GB rate this year 38.0%, easily the lowest mark of his career, and almost 8% lower than his career mark (45.8%).
His exit velocity on LDs the last 4 years have been: 91.4 (immediately after neck surgery), 92.7, 93.1, and 92.4.
Markakis is exactly the same hitter he's always been, he's just hitting more LDs and less GBs. He isn't hitting any more FBs than he normally does, so I don't think it's a launch angle adjustment.
My guess: he is simply hitting well right now, and the increased launch angle is due to hitting LDs rather than GBs, not from a change in launch angle.
2015 - 6.9*
2016 - 10.8*
2017 - 8.6*
2018 - 13.3*
A launch angle change typically manifests itself in an increased FB rate.
His FB% this year is 33.3%...his career number is 33.4%.
His LD% this year is 28.7%, easily the highest in his career, and 8% higher than his career mark (20.8%).
His GB rate this year 38.0%, easily the lowest mark of his career, and almost 8% lower than his career mark (45.8%).
His exit velocity on LDs the last 4 years have been: 91.4 (immediately after neck surgery), 92.7, 93.1, and 92.4.
Markakis is exactly the same hitter he's always been, he's just hitting more LDs and less GBs. He isn't hitting any more FBs than he normally does, so I don't think it's a launch angle adjustment.
My guess: he is simply hitting well right now, and the increased launch angle is due to hitting LDs rather than GBs, not from a change in launch angle.