http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/ Baseball. Baseball. And then a bit more baseball. Thu, 23 May 2013 04:26:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26273 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:58:02 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26273 Ausmus has a lifetime batting average of .252 which is not horrible for a “defensive” type catcher. Last year he batted .292 which there are more than a few players on the Dodgers who wish they had that batting average, especially in limited play.
His work ethic and game preparedness are known throughout the league and he will no doubt make a good major league coach or manager in the future.

]]> http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26272 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:20:31 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26272 In the 2009 Hardball Times Annual, Craig Wright did a study of batting statistics with Mike Piazza compared to other catchers on his teams, controlled for plate appearance in a season for each pitcher. This is a large step forward from catchers’ ERA because it controls for pitchers and largely controls for the quality of the defense and for park effects. Compared to his ‘mates, Piazza was -.007 in BA, -.012 SLG, and -.013 OBP for a -25 OPS in over 26,000 matched PAs. From this, he concluded that Piazza’s defense was awesome and he really contributed to the success of his pitchers.
I repeated his methodology with several other catchers, Ausmus among them. Ausmus is -.002/-.006/-.012/-18 in over 22,000 matched PAs. I’d love to give you a run value for this, but the matched PA approach doesn’t lend itself to that. If Piazza’s defense was awesome, Ausmus’ is pretty darn good. I can give the names of a few who aren’t, but I’d like to have a larger group not chosen because of their reputations as being particularly good or bad game callers.

]]> http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26271 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:47:09 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26271 No, my daughter is 6 and weighs something less than 50 pounds. My point, slightly exaggerated, is that Ausmus may not hit at all.

]]> http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26270 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:45:22 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26270 Jeez dude, I hope your daughter doesn’t read this and cry because you said she weighs over 295 pounds…or whatever his career lifetime average is.

]]> http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26269 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:30:27 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26269 Is Diane Sawyer available for comment?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bbw/2002-05-08/insidepitch.htm

]]> http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/26/the-dodgers-have-agreed-to-terms-with-brad-ausmus/comment-page-1/#comment-26268 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:29:57 +0000 http://localhost/wp/nbchbt/?p=3576#comment-26268 Is Diane Sawyer available for comment?
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/bbw/2002-05-08/insidepitch.htm

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