September 11, 2012

BP Announcements

Support the Fans' Scouting Report

by Ben Lindbergh

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If you're wary of defensive stats, fancy yourself a fine judge of talent, or simply prefer to mix your stats with crowd-sourced scouting, boy, have I got a gift for you: the 2012 Fans' Scouting Report. For almost a decade, Tom Tango has been asking fans for their annual assistance in assessing players' defensive abilities. Once enough responses are in, we get to look up the answers to all kinds of interesting questions, like "Whom do the fans think takes the slowest first few steps?" (Adam Dunn.) Or, "Whom do the fans think has the worst reactions/instincts?" (Also Adam Dunn.) Or even, "Whom do the fans think has the worst hands?" (Again, Adam Dunn. Hey, he does other things well.)

To see the full results from 2011, click here. To submit a report for 2012, click here. Remember not to look at any defensive statistics while rating players. "But I've already looked at some defensive statistics," you might be thinking. "What if they influence my opinion?!" The solution is simple. Clear your mind and meditate quietly until you can't remember whether Derek Jeter's career FRAA is a high number or a low number. Then vote. But maybe don't vote for Adam Dunn, unless you skipped the first paragraph.

Padres, Marlins, and Dodgers fans are especially needed. As I write this, only nine Marlins fans and nine Dodgers fans have filled out reports. The Marlins fans, I can understand—nine Marlins fans might actually be a quorum. But Dodgers fans? You should be ashamed of yourselves. And after all that money the Dodgers spent at the deadline! Go vote.

Ben Lindbergh is an author of Baseball Prospectus. Follow @benlindbergh
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