Are the Yankees Struggles Tied to an Over-Reliance on Analytics?

by

Oct 2, 2023

When talking about the New York Yankees, one can’t ignore the elephant in the room: the over-reliance on analytics. The franchise’s decision-making, notably under Aaron Boone, has increasingly moved from traditional MLB strategies to complex mathematical analyses. This shift has raised eyebrows and stirred debates, with many fans nostalgic for the classic baseball approach: get a runner on first, move him to second, and then get that all-important hit to bring him home.

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However, it’s not just the nostalgia that’s feeding the criticism. The Yankees’ recent acquisitions, namely Billy McKinney and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, have left many wondering about the efficiency of their analytics department. If these are the players the data suggests they should be targeting, it raises questions about the quality of that data.

Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers have proven that the analytical approach can work, having used it to significant success. These teams have managed to find the right balance between analytics and baseball instinct. They’ve shown that while analytics can provide valuable insights, it shouldn’t come at the cost of baseball intuition.

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Looking at the Cincinnati Reds, it’s clear that analytics isn’t a one-size-fits-all game. The Reds seem to have found a unique way to analyze their data, resulting in surprising performances from previously overlooked players.

Then there’s the Seattle Mariners, another team proving that an analytically-driven front office can produce results. They seem to have the recipe down, striking a balance between data and baseball sense.

But back in the Bronx, it feels different. It feels like the Yankees are in a rut, caught in the quagmire of numbers, graphs, and algorithms. And while analytics is undeniably the future of the sport, perhaps it’s time for the Yankees to reevaluate their approach. Not to discard analytics completely but to rediscover the essence of baseball within it. Because at the end of the day, baseball is as much about heart and soul as it is about numbers.

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Thumbnail photo via Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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