Newer stats are moving to the mainstream—there is no question about it. The general fans are starting to understand more and more as the years pass. OPS (which is still VERY basic) is starting to become a generally recognized statistic, and we are starting to see better metrics pushed to the masses.
The more that the common sports sites push these statistics, the more the mainstream will begin to understand and accept them.
It is a slow process—which is quite aggravating given the simplicity of what we are trying to get across. One statistic simply tells a much fuller story than another. It’s not too difficult of a concept, and if explained appropriately, people will understand.
This is the case with nearly every “old school” statistic compared to the contemporary ones. Batting average, RBI, fielding percentage, etc… They all tell a much smaller portion of the story than the contemporary numbers.
The problem, I am beginning to realize, isn’t the difficulty of understanding the statistics, but the difficulty in the read itself. People reading about sports don’t want to take time to read long-winded articles with numbers, explanations, and comparisons spread throughout them.
They want their information, and they want it quickly.
It isn’t that the general sports fan is avoiding new numbers for the sake of staying “old school,” but that the people trying to explain the numbers themselves are writing these articles to impress others in the business and have other agendas more important than educating the masses. The more business like the article is and the more in-depth the analysis in the piece is, the more they feel they have accomplished.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. Some people stick around and read the articles and learn, and others just skim through them and miss the entire point of the article. It is hard to put blame on the writer for fully explaining himself, but they simply aren’t pushing their product the correct way, in my opinion.
These same people who have alternate agendas are the ones who get upset at those who speak of the sport with flawed opinions.
Well, if you want to educate the masses, speak to the masses. Speaking to yourself and to the rest of the saber-driven community only further segregates the “new” and “old school.”
The reason for the ignorance we see from the “old school” is the smug nature of the “new school.”
I don’t wish to point out certain sites or certain writers to get my point across; they are spread throughout the web.
Not all saber-driven blogs are operated in this nature, and again, I enjoy reading them because I care to take the time out of my day and want to learn as much as I can. However, the masses don’t.
With the attention span of the average American shrinking by the second, the quicker the point gets across the better. The saber community needs to realize that in order to get the masses on your side, you must appeal to them. The appeal is a quick, informative read. Even though it may be difficult to get an entire case study posted in one article, posting a link to that study in a smaller article may be a wiser way to go.
I know, this article is long-winded itself and it seems as if I’m contradicting myself. But in this case, I’m aiming this towards the saber community and they, obviously, don’t have a problem with reading a thousand words and understanding certain opinions.
Paul Lebowitz (@PRINCE_OF_NY on twitter) wrote an article today pointing out how pompous some of the “stat zombies,” as he calls them, can be. The knowledge they have is useful, but their means of operation is becoming a problem. Altering the opinions of the general consensus is not easy to do, and rather than doing it in a condescending manner, a more genuine and simplistic approach would be more affective.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com