Surprisingly low WAR

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by jayshum

For anyone interested, here's a link to the baseball-reference.com page that shows how WAR is calculated:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/a...position.shtml

Can they really reconstruct every game way back in time to get to these levels of detail on particular at bats? I mean you couldn't do most of this stuff from a box score.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Can they really reconstruct every game way back in time to get to these levels of detail on particular at bats? I mean you couldn't do most of this stuff from a box score.

I've always wondered the same thing about the fielding and base running components of WAR for players more than 20 years ago let alone 100 years ago. I think they do the best they can, but it's why WAR is just one way to try to compare players but not the absolute answer that some people try to claim it to be.

[gregndodgers]

Nettles does not get my HOF vote (not that anyone cares). I saw him play for years, and I hated that he made so many great plays against my Dodgers, but consider this:
1. He never batted .300 or better in any full season, his best being .276 in 78'
2. Career .248 hitter.
3. .225 batting average in 53 post season games.
4. 25 HRs in any season should not be a high bar for a third baseman, yet Nettles accomplished that only five times.
5. Career OBP of just .329.

His great defense and longevity (22 seasons) are what helps is WAR, but his very mediocre offense keeps him out of the HOF.

[packs]

I agree on Nettles. He joins a long list of Yankees who were great for the Yankees but not quite HOFers and I think that's just fine. It's also important to note that unlike many of his fellow Yankees greats not in the HOF, the Yankees did not retire his number like they did with some of his peers like Bernie, Posada, O'Neil or Pettitte. Though he was a captain.