Spring Training Stats

[Markrw50]

What do you find as the best source of Spring Training Stats? Are there specific indicators you look for?

[Michael@HQ]

You might want to search for prior threads on this topic too.

I usually look at USAToday.com for Spring Training statistics and do so just two days before draft day, so at least I'm looking at as large a sample as possible.

For batters, I look for increase in ISO (which is SLG - BA) based on John Dewan's research. For pitchers, I look at Dom and Com ratios, paying attention especially to any pitcher who is auditioning a new pitch.

I'm also reading RotoWorld.com for news about who is starting, who the closers are, etc.

Keep in mind that spring training probably tells us more about playing time outlook for April than it does about skills evaluation.

[sfwilly]

I always look at MLB.com.

[Savoy Special]

ISO article?

For batters, I look for increase in ISO (which is SLG - BA) based on John Dewan's research.

I haven't been able to find this article. Could you please post a link to it?

[Lion]

Here's the thread with a link to John Dewan (I just posted Dewan's name in our Search function bar, and it popped up): http://forums.baseballhq.com/showthr...ighlight=dewan

This thread is fascinating to read, especially in light of its early identification of Jose Bautista's breakout in 2010. One reader says that Bautista is the only guy on the "improved-slugging-in-the spring-and therefore-likely-to-improve-this-season" list that is not on a roster in his league. And he's thinking of picking him up. Another reader says do it, especially in light of Bautista's strong September 2009. And it's hilarious to read yet another subscriber's take (April 5, 2010): "I am not an expert on spring training indicators but Mr. Batista is a career .238 hitter in 1,754 at-bats with only a little bit of power. I'm just not buying spring theories. My main concern with attempts to equate spring training to the regular season is that they are not at all the same ...."

I've been dead wrong in public before, but luckily not on this one. And all I can say is: Learn from your mistakes. And in fairness, several of the players ID'd on the list in the thread did not maintain their power in the regular season, for a variety of reasons. Others did beyond Bautista, including Stubbs and Rasmus.

[Whistler]

I seem to recall some correlation between SP SBs and seasonal likeliness to steal

[jackb]

I have found the local Phoenix area newspapers to be very informative during spring training.

[Astros34]

Spring Training Stats

Baseball-reference has them along with something called OppQual, which quantifies the quality of the opposition based on what level they played at last year. Pretty cool! Joe Sheehan pointed that out in his last newsletter.