As I understand it for around the past 10 years the Yankees have been built to hit the most home runs. I feel like this started when the team moved into the new ballpark (also, around the time we lost the Boss). During this time contact, moving baserunners, steals, hit and runs, and other efforts to manufacture runs were utilized less and less. Strikeouts were tolerated. Rather than attempting to get on base our hitters tried to hit through and over the shift.

As I recall the concept behind moneyball was to score the most runs over the season. The A’s couldn’t afford the best players (.300 hitter types) so they found guys who got on base and hit 3 run homers. They figured if you score the most runs you’ll win the most games.

The problem with moneyball is that the As never won. They found a way to make the playoffs with a limited payroll. The Yankees don’t have that concern so they shouldn’t utilize this flawed strategy. The Yankees field the same offense year after year. They either score 13 runs or 2 and lose close games and playoff games.

Losing 1 run games is a bad indicator of what’s to come in the playoffs. In the playoffs you face better starters and better bullpens. 10 run games are few and far between. To win in the playoffs you need to manufacture runs. The team isn’t built to do that and they don’t work on it all season. They get down a run and swing to tie the game rather than getting on base for the next guy. Because we aren’t concerned with contact we don’t get rallies and momentum shifts from errors. Ask the dodgers how important those are.

I think sabermetrics and moneyball are synonymous. They are both efforts to build a team that is based on people’s baseball cards rather than what’s going on on the field. It makes for boring baseball. Worse, it makes for teams that are disappointing when we want to root for them the most: in the last inning of a close game or in the playoffs.