06-28-2010, 03:05 PM
I wish that there was an all-encompassing pitching stat, but there doesn't seem to be one (yet). ERA+ is good, but it's basically an extension of ERA, which is somewhat flawed in the first place.
Being an actuary, you'll probably find the statistical side of baseball pretty fascinating.
One thing that makes the stats hold some weight is that there are over 100 years of detailed stats to compare and contrast. This makes certain absolutes indisputable, such as this fact: the one offensive stat that correlates closest to "winning," is on-base percentage (OBP).
At least historically, this is true. Another absolute is that stats fluctuate a lot from year-to-year, which means that there will always be exceptions to any rule.
Being an actuary, you'll probably find the statistical side of baseball pretty fascinating.
One thing that makes the stats hold some weight is that there are over 100 years of detailed stats to compare and contrast. This makes certain absolutes indisputable, such as this fact: the one offensive stat that correlates closest to "winning," is on-base percentage (OBP).
At least historically, this is true. Another absolute is that stats fluctuate a lot from year-to-year, which means that there will always be exceptions to any rule.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance