Comments on: How Cal Ripken, Jr. Hurt the Orioles http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/ Philadelphia Phillies baseball analysis that everyone can enjoy. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:22:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bill Baer http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Bill Baer Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:49:51 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-455 Thanks! Thanks!

]]> By: Jonathan http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-454 Jonathan Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:08:52 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-454 You can find a positional breakdown of the league averages at baseball reference. For example 1998 is here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?team=TOT&year=1998&lg=AL You can find a positional breakdown of the league averages at baseball reference. For example 1998 is here:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?team=TOT&year=1998&lg=AL

]]> By: Bill Baer http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-414 Bill Baer Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:25:03 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-414 Mada, good points. If you don't mind my asking, where did you get that league-average information? I couldn't find it. It's interesting to note that once he moved to third base, he really struggled to put up league-average statistics at that position. Mada, good points. If you don’t mind my asking, where did you get that league-average information? I couldn’t find it.

It’s interesting to note that once he moved to third base, he really struggled to put up league-average statistics at that position.

]]> By: Mada http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-411 Mada Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:00:56 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-411 While the point of this post may be true, it sure wasn't so easy to get "league-average" production out of SS or 3B during those years: Year/Ripken/League OPS at his position/(position)/advantage (ALL-CAPS mean >50 points of OPS advantage 1992/.689/.648 (SS) Ripken 1993/.749/.676 (SS) RIPKEN 1994/.823/.704 (SS) RIPKEN 1995/.746/.690 (SS) RIPKEN 1996/.807/.734 (SS) RIPKEN 1997/.733/.744 (3B) League 1998/.720/.738 (3B) League 1999/.952/.764 (3B) RIPKEN (!!!) 2000/.763/.773 (3B) League 2001/.637/.748 (3B) LEAGUE So Ripken had a 73-point OPS advantage PER SEASON over the rest of the league at shortstop during the years you claim he was hurting the team (of course that advantage grows if you remove Ripken himself from calculating league averages). Only after he switched to 3rd in 1997 did his performance vs the league suffer, and it looks like he was slightly below average in 3 seasons, a monster in a 4th, and ready to retire in a 5th. All in all, I believe this post misses the point about how difficult getting league-average production out of short/3B really is. While the point of this post may be true, it sure wasn’t so easy to get “league-average” production out of SS or 3B during those years:

Year/Ripken/League OPS at his position/(position)/advantage (ALL-CAPS mean >50 points of OPS advantage
1992/.689/.648 (SS) Ripken
1993/.749/.676 (SS) RIPKEN
1994/.823/.704 (SS) RIPKEN
1995/.746/.690 (SS) RIPKEN
1996/.807/.734 (SS) RIPKEN
1997/.733/.744 (3B) League
1998/.720/.738 (3B) League
1999/.952/.764 (3B) RIPKEN (!!!)
2000/.763/.773 (3B) League
2001/.637/.748 (3B) LEAGUE

So Ripken had a 73-point OPS advantage PER SEASON over the rest of the league at shortstop during the years you claim he was hurting the team (of course that advantage grows if you remove Ripken himself from calculating league averages).

Only after he switched to 3rd in 1997 did his performance vs the league suffer, and it looks like he was slightly below average in 3 seasons, a monster in a 4th, and ready to retire in a 5th.

All in all, I believe this post misses the point about how difficult getting league-average production out of short/3B really is.

]]> By: Bill Baer http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-408 Bill Baer Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:43:00 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-408 Nick, no doubt that a player's personality and reputation precede his actual production. Such is the case with Cal. I did not at all mean to imply that he was a mediocre player. He was absolutely not. As I mentioned, he revolutionized the shortstop position, and if you list all of the shortstops that played from 1982 to 1996, he's top-three easily, along with Barry Larkin and Ozzie Smith. Derek Jeter's personality and reputation precede his actual production, as a current example. His tumbling catch into the Yankee Stadium stands has turned him into a defensive God, when he is actually mediocre defensively. I will not question Jeter's offense, though. Career 122 OPS+ and 12 straight seasons of a 100 (league average) OPS+ or better. Jeter's a guy in the Ripken mold, though, and plays nearly every game if he can stand on two legs. Besides 2003, he's played in at least 148 games of 162 since 1996. As always, thanks for the comment. Nick, no doubt that a player’s personality and reputation precede his actual production. Such is the case with Cal.

I did not at all mean to imply that he was a mediocre player. He was absolutely not. As I mentioned, he revolutionized the shortstop position, and if you list all of the shortstops that played from 1982 to 1996, he’s top-three easily, along with Barry Larkin and Ozzie Smith.

Derek Jeter’s personality and reputation precede his actual production, as a current example. His tumbling catch into the Yankee Stadium stands has turned him into a defensive God, when he is actually mediocre defensively. I will not question Jeter’s offense, though. Career 122 OPS+ and 12 straight seasons of a 100 (league average) OPS+ or better.

Jeter’s a guy in the Ripken mold, though, and plays nearly every game if he can stand on two legs. Besides 2003, he’s played in at least 148 games of 162 since 1996.

As always, thanks for the comment.

]]> By: Nick http://crashburnalley.com/2007/10/26/how-cal-ripken-jr-hurt-the-orioles/comment-page-1/#comment-406 Nick Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:13:24 +0000 http://crashburnalley.com/?p=44#comment-406 Wow. It's weird, because I look at everyones stats. You name a player and chances are I have a good idea about their production. I'm the type of guy that looks at everything with a wayward eye, and I am relatively hard on the great players. I will look for that one little discrepancy. The thing is, I have never questioned Cal, and I honestly don't know if I've ever bothered to really look at his stats. I mean, I know what he's done, but I never really analayzed his line. I had to of been blinded by his streak, like everyone. It's weird. Good stuff as always. Wow. It’s weird, because I look at everyones stats. You name a player and chances are I have a good idea about their production. I’m the type of guy that looks at everything with a wayward eye, and I am relatively hard on the great players. I will look for that one little discrepancy. The thing is, I have never questioned Cal, and I honestly don’t know if I’ve ever bothered to really look at his stats. I mean, I know what he’s done, but I never really analayzed his line. I had to of been blinded by his streak, like everyone. It’s weird. Good stuff as always.

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