The MVP Machine

[reiks12]

The author of The MVP Machine was interviewed on Sox Machine. I would give it a listen if you haven't yet, its today's ( June 24th) episode. The interview talked about how the Dodgers and Astros will be dominating the league for years based on how much money they put into their farm teams and approach in development. Verlander and Cole have revamped their careers based on Astros analytics, and the Dodgers have been able to turn around a lot of careers around.

Listening to how the Astros' farm teams are dominating at every level (stats wise) it makes me feel awful about what we have outside of our top 3. It also worries me that the Twins have taken notice and have also adjusted their developmental approach to hitting. Look at their at their prospects. It is paying dividends for them so far, and its becoming clear they won't be a one and done type of team. Look at what the Dodgers have been doing with their young players. Now look at us.. Burger, Collins and Fulmer, and how our top prospect had to go to his high school pitching coach for guidance.

 Its a scary thought to think we have a window of contention, whereas teams that are taking their farm systems seriously will be able to become yearly competitors thanks to a stream of minor league depth. How far behind is our organization really? In Big Data Baseball the book made numerous mentions on how the Sox were one of the last teams to start paying attention to analytics. How much do they believe in them these days and to what extent?  

 

[ron883]

It does seem like the Dodgers and Astros are putting out stud after stud from their systems. I'll have to give this a listen. Heard nothing but good things about The MVP Machine

[bmags]

There is a thread on this book in futuresox forum. 

It is an excellent book.

As even seen in the book though, the sox are mentioned, but they are trying to play catch-up. Matt Lisle was hired as a hitting analytics coordinator, but the astros have integrated that with every coach in their system.

But a lot of the book is about driveline and trevor bauer, and about how players may now have the resources to control their own development, too.

The stuff on pitch design (using edgartronic) that bauer basically invented along with kyle boddy are really fascinating. And that's the stuff you read, and think "oh are the sox doing this to help Burdi re-discover his slider faster?". And you hope so!

There is also a part on k-vests, which the mariners bought a ton of, that you read and think "oh shit buy one for Madrigal!".

But you don't know that the sox aren't, but I woudl guess they are more providing resources for players to follow than being as prescriptive as some of the teams like Rays/Astros/Dodgers and now twins.