Now all you have to do is express an unpopular opinion based on stats. Don’t forget to duck.

I’m guessing that because most of them have never played at a high level they can’t, or again are unwilling to, accept that factors such as emotion, adrenaline, momentum, plus the players ability to adjust contribute to results, both positive and negative.

Example;
“stranding runners is outside of Millwoods control”

The guy’s an attorney, he’s obviously pretty smart, but that quote is just obtuse.

And to paraphrase Mark Friedman, former producer of the Norm Hitzges show on the Ticket, now with ESPN radio: “I don’t trust stats after listening to Norm all these years. You can make them dance.”

Stats have their place. But numbers in sports certainly don’t tell the whole story. If they did, Danny White would be in the Cowboys Ring of Honor. Annnnd, how many Super Bowls did he win while piling up all those amazing stats?

And with respect to the strand rate – has somebody dug deeper to look at the tape or ask Milly if he pitching around people more with say 1B open, because he trusts his stuff more? In other words, maybe he’s putting on a few more people (unitentional, intentional walks) which is resulting in more LOB. Or perhaps his stamina is allowing him to FINISH frames, such that a reliever isn’t allowing inherited runners to score (like in 07) but instead Milly is getting them out.

My only point is that numbers can clue you into a situation that might need examining closer. But when you watch Millwood pitch this year, I can CLEARLY see that he isn’t benefiting from luck (lines drives being hit at people, incredible plays, etc.). I see a bunch of very routine, softl hit balls and I see him pitching to the occasion (bearing down when bearing down is needed).

That’s all.

In any event, LOVE the baseball talk as all of my friends are idiots.