New school v. no school.

November 14, 2012, 9:13 AM
The Statistical Case Against Cabrera for M.V.P.
By NATE SILVER

It’s the traditionalists who are using statistics in a way that misses the forest for the trees.
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Last night I started watching a one hour program on MLB Network about the American Conference MVP award.  Brian Kenny was the only one who did not sound like a moron.  He even agreed with me that the best player is the most valuable.  The others could not even grasp this basic concept but instead stood on their heads and blabbed every conceivably dumb idea including the venerable value in the locker room, which stinks like the room itself.

It was so painful to hear I muted it and came back later.  Even relatively young media guys sounded like tobacco dribbling former players.

The former players were predictably confused.  Cal Ripken's younger brother Billy, who always seemed indifferent at best as a player, appears to think he's reborn as John McGraw.  Harold Reynolds ... well, the less said the better; not bright, not articulate, and now, officially, an old fart.  Larry Bowa makes much more of an effort to understand the new stuff even though he cannot come over from the dark side.

I'm not a SABRista, many of whom lose their common sense while wallowing in the numbers ... like failing to understand the nature of protection in the lineup.  See Miguel Cabrera: BB in Detroit starting in 2008: 56, 68, 89, 108, 66.  You think Detroit made the right move acquiring Prince Fielder to bat after Cabrera after AC teams had stopped pitching to him?   Forty-two fewer BB in 2012. Maybe the Prince is MVP.

Nah.  See my recent posts:

Saturday, November 10, 2012
Cabrera v. Trout, home/road.

Thursday, November 8, 2012
MVP: should money be considered?