May
18
2011

Is Sandy Sticking To His Sabermetric Ways Mentioned In Moneyball?

An article by Clayton Collier

In the chapter on Sandy Alderson in Moneyball, one of the biggest things Alderson was credited for was how he ran his minor league system. Alderson runs a franchise like a military style boot camp. He has specific rules, and wants these rules and regulations enforced properly by his respective managers, especially in the minors.

In an effort to impose plate discipline on the minor and major league hitters, Alderson created a rule, mostly applying to minor leaguers, that no batter can move up in the minors unless they have a minimum of one walk per ten at-bats.

While reading Moneyball, I wondered if this philosophy which he used in Oakland would still be used once he got here with the Mets. After looking over a few stats, it has become apparent that Alderson still abides by this rule very heavily.

One example is the recent call up of Ruben Tejada. Tejada was tearing up Triple-A while Chin-lung Hu continued to be just embarrassing. Many, myself included, began to question why Tejada wasn’t being called up sooner. The reason, it seems, is because it was not until late this past week that Tejada reached the 1 walk per 10 at-bats mark on May 12th.

Granted it was not immediate once he reached the 1/10 mark, but I believe Alderson had wanted to call up Tejada, but was still sticking to his own strict standards. After Hu once again failed to deliver on Monday, he finally made the move. Tejada had 15 walks in 150 at-bats exactly.

Another example was Paul DePodesta’s recent comments about Kirk Nieuwenhuis. He praised Captain Kirk saying that he likes what he sees out of the 23-year old outfielder. Obviously he is having an all around spectacular season, but the fact that he has 25 walks in 144 ABs may factor into DePodesta’s great praise.

On the other hand, neither Nick Evans, Justin Turner, Fernando Martinez or Jason Pridie had reached the 1/10 BB/AB mark when they were called up, so maybe things aren’t as strict as they once were.

Maybe Alderson is looking at OBP as whole considering that both Turner and F-Mart had OBPs over .360 in Triple-A before their respective call-ups?

It was well documented that Pridie was a pure defensive decision and as for Evans, well, the Mets really had few choices on the 40-man roster, so there wasn’t much for Alderson to do, but promote him despite his mediocre numbers.

Could it be a sign that Alderson has become more lenient in how he runs his minors?

Or is it that the Mets simply have not had the roster depth for Alderson to enforce this rule?

I think it might be a mix of both.

About the Author: Clayton Collier

Clayton, a Long Island native and die-hard Mets fan, started writing online about three years ago. He is currently a Journalism major with a minor in Broadcasting at Seton Hall University. Although very disappointed with the current state of the team, Clayton remains hopeful that the young prospects in the farm system will bring the Mets back to a respected franchise in baseball once again. Besides writing for MMO, Clayton is also a staff member at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall's modern active rock radio station. You can contact Clayton by following him on Twitter: @Clayton_Collier or E-mailing him at MaybeNextYearMets@yahoo.com

11 Comments + Add Comment

Tomterif May 18, 2011 at 1:40 pm

I cannot believe that Alderson would stick to such a ridiculous rule in determining who gets a call up. I’m sure he wants all the hitters in the organization to be patient–and that’s a good thing–but quantifying it that way would be nuts. I’m sure it’s not an across the board standard rule.
- Clayton Collier May 18, 2011 at 2:55 pm
  
  I may have to double check the book, but I believe in Oakland Alderson did not promote any player unless they had 1BB/10 Ab
Mookie May 18, 2011 at 2:53 pm

If the Mets had applied a standard like that globally throughout the entire system, some of the Mets best prospects would have never been promoted including Jose Reyes who would still be stuck in Rookie Ball or Low-A Ball. If Alderson thought that was a good rule, he is sadly mistaken.
- Clayton Collier May 18, 2011 at 2:57 pm
  
  Good Point, I think it wasn’t a defining rule but more to make the point that he wanted his prospects to learn plate discipline.
- jdon May 18, 2011 at 4:24 pm
  
  Possibly, but if patience could have been ingrained in Jose at an early age, what kind of player would he be now? Before you answer, think of all the bad pitches he swings at. And remember, he is no bad ball hitter, like some.
The Coop May 18, 2011 at 2:59 pm

I think it’s funny that so many people are jumping off a ledge because of moves they THINK Sandy Alderson will make. He didn’t have much to work with and wanted to operate within a budget (about time someone did), and hasn’t even drafted yet. I say relax and have some beer, because if people keep freaking out over non-moves, then it’s not going to be fun to be a Mets fan anymore…
Mr North Jersey May 18, 2011 at 3:34 pm

OK so which is it? Is Alderson abiding by the rule heavily or isn’t he?

At one point you say “Alderson still abides by this rule very heavily” the rule being “that no batter can move up in the minors unless they have a minimum of one walk per ten at-bats” then you provide all of one example “Tejada”.

You then suggest that it may not be “very heavily” by noting “neither Nick Evans, Justin Turner, Fernando Martinez or Jason Pridie had reached the 1/10 BB/AB mark when they were called up, so maybe things aren’t as strict as they once were.”

Tejada was called up out of necessity in my opinion not cause he reached some benchmark. With the 2 players that normally would be at 2b now playing corner positions due to the loss of Ike & Wright. Add Hu’s inability to hit and the opprtunity for Tejada to not just ride the bench but to actually play a cosiderable amount while he is here and the decision to bring Tejada up becomes clearer.

Now what is needed is for Tejada to take this time to show he should remain here going forward similar to what Pridie has done.

Still the idea Tejada is here due to the benchmark you suggesred is one i don’t personally prescribe to.
- Clayton Collier May 18, 2011 at 3:56 pm
  
  Well Why wasn’t he called up two weeks ago? Hu has been terrible for weeks.
  
  And I was giving both ides of the argument… I wasn’t answering the question. I was leaving that up to the commentors.
  - Mr North Jersey May 18, 2011 at 4:34 pm
    
    I believe I already stated why in my opinion he wasn’t called up. Cause the Mets had Turner and Murphy playing 2nd and those 2 are now playing corner positions while Ike & Wright are on the dl.
    
    Now if your point was to merely point out both sides of the argument for readers to decide that is fine but then statements like “After looking over a few stats, it has become apparent that Alderson still abides by this rule very heavily.” may have been better phrased to show that.
    
    As it stands it doesn’t read as you asking readers to decide but more a statement of declaration as something you believe to be instead. At least that was how I perceived it. I’m glad I was wrong and you instead was just putting it out there as a suggestion for others to ponder.
    
    At any rate my opinion still is unchanged. The idea Tejada is here due to the benchmark you suggested is one i don’t personally prescribe to.
    - theonlymaskman May 19, 2011 at 9:12 am
      
      The correct word is ascribe, not prescribe. I hate to see the same error repeated. The better phrasing would be: The idea that Tejada is here due to the benchmark you suggested is one to which I do not ascribe.
  - Metsie May 19, 2011 at 1:30 am
    
    Because Daniel Murphy was still playing 2B?
    
    Tejada got called up for no other reason than because David Wright and Ike Davis is hurt and we needed both our 2Bs to play the outer corners leaving just Hu as the lone 2B
    
    Not because Tejada finally got the walk he needed.
    
    Cause if that actually WAS true this team will be doomed to see that Beltran playoff called strike on a daily basis!

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