How To Evaluate Relievers

[Joshrapley]

Just a quick one, been playing the game for several months now and have primarily focused on Ratings rather delving too much into stats.

Just started a new game and what to focus more evaluating stats. I'm playing as a small market team with emphasis on Defense. I am using OBP and wOBA for Batters and WHIP and ERA+ for Pitchers.

So my question is should I be judging my Relievers with the same metrics as starters? Obviously there stats are of a lot smaller sample so wasn't sure if another stat should be taken into account.

Also I am in a HR park, therefore I assume ERA+ helps take that into consideration?

Correct me if I am wrong as new baseball.

[drhay53]

I also use FIP- in evaluating pitchers. It's the park-adjusted version of FIP. A lower number is better for FIP- for instance a number of 80 means that pitcher is 20% better than the rest of the league in park adjusted FIP.

FIP combines walks, strikeouts, and home runs into a number that tells you how the pitcher does without needing anything from his defense. So a pitcher with a great FIP will strike a lot of people out without giving up walks or homeruns. In fact, FIP- is really the first stat I use in evaluating pitchers, and seems to me to be especially important for relievers, as they're usually coming on in a jam where strikeouts and homeruns are disproportionately important.

[Chillidog]

Originally Posted by drhay53

I also use FIP- in evaluating pitchers. It's the park-adjusted version of FIP. A lower number is better for FIP- for instance a number of 80 means that pitcher is 20% better than the rest of the league in park adjusted FIP.

FIP combines walks, strikeouts, and home runs into a number that tells you how the pitcher does without needing anything from his defense. So a pitcher with a great FIP will strike a lot of people out without giving up walks or homeruns. In fact, FIP- is really the first stat I use in evaluating pitchers, and seems to me to be especially important for relievers, as they're usually coming on in a jam where strikeouts and homeruns are disproportionately important.

new to all of this sabermetrics, when I played the game (IRL) we did not have them. so a quick question based on what you say above


in FIP- if a rating of "80" means the pitcher is 20% better, then I would assume that a rating of "60" means he is 40% better?


meaning the lower the rating number the better the pitcher is? (at least if solely basing it on "FIP-"

[drhay53]

Originally Posted by Chillidog

new to all of this sabermetrics, when I played the game (IRL) we did not have them. so a quick question based on what you say above


in FIP- if a rating of "80" means the pitcher is 20% better, then I would assume that a rating of "60" means he is 40% better?


meaning the lower the rating number the better the pitcher is? (at least if solely basing it on "FIP-"

Yes, that's right. The number away from 100 is the percent different from league average for that pitcher, for that year, adjusted for park factors.

I wish OOTP had ERA-, which would have the same order as FIP-. ERA+ is opposite; a higher value is better.

It's also kind of weird to interpret; for instance, an ERA+ of 123 means that the league is 23% worse than the pitcher (not that the pitcher 23% better than the league). ERA- is just better (see, i.e. ERA+ Vs. ERA- - Beyond the Box Score)

It's a minor point but it would be nice to have ERA- just because those two statistics are my first go-to look at a pitcher's performance.

When the FIP and ERA disagree, that's when you get to dig into things like BABIP, K/BB, etc. to really see what's going on. Generally, if FIP is good and ERA+ is bad that likely means there's some bad luck involved. But I've had a pitcher go 3 years with a decent FIP while his ERA+ stayed horrid. So there's not an exact science to figuring out exactly where things are going wrong. Sometimes guys just aren't as good in higher leverage situations so their stats look fine yet they seem to give up every big walk, every big homer, etc.

I watch all my games (as GM) and it gives me a better feel for this kind of pitcher.

[bwburke94]

If you want ERA-, then post in the suggestions forum. You'll probably get a response there.

[Chillidog]

Originally Posted by drhay53

Yes, that's right. The number away from 100 is the percent different from league average for that pitcher, for that year, adjusted for park factors.

I wish OOTP had ERA-, which would have the same order as FIP-. ERA+ is opposite; a higher value is better.

It's also kind of weird to interpret; for instance, an ERA+ of 123 means that the league is 23% worse than the pitcher (not that the pitcher 23% better than the league). ERA- is just better (see, i.e. ERA+ Vs. ERA- - Beyond the Box Score)

It's a minor point but it would be nice to have ERA- just because those two statistics are my first go-to look at a pitcher's performance.

When the FIP and ERA disagree, that's when you get to dig into things like BABIP, K/BB, etc. to really see what's going on. Generally, if FIP is good and ERA+ is bad that likely means there's some bad luck involved. But I've had a pitcher go 3 years with a decent FIP while his ERA+ stayed horrid. So there's not an exact science to figuring out exactly where things are going wrong. Sometimes guys just aren't as good in higher leverage situations so their stats look fine yet they seem to give up every big walk, every big homer, etc.

I watch all my games (as GM) and it gives me a better feel for this kind of pitcher.

I.m in front of my game now, but I do not see "FIP-" only "FIP" (without the minus) and ERA+. I have looked at both Pitching Stats 1 and Pitching Stats 2.

where do I find FIP- ?

[drhay53]

Originally Posted by Chillidog

I.m in front of my game now, but I do not see "FIP-" only "FIP" (without the minus) and ERA+. I have looked at both Pitching Stats 1 and Pitching Stats 2.

where do I find FIP- ?

You have to make a custom view, it's in the pitching stats section.