Morning Mound Visit: sabermetrics news - 8/18/18

The Orioles theoretically with Rafael Palmeiro; emergency WAR; Acuña vs. Soto; Dusty Baker on everything

FanGraphs | Sheryl Ring: The Orioles are languishing with Chris Davis as their first baseman, but what if, theoretically, they had now-independent leaguer Rafael Palmeiro on their team? Based on his recent hitting he is projected to be about replacement level, which would not only be remarkable, but better than their current first base situation.

Baseball Prospectus | Russell A. Carleton ($): WAR unfortunately assumes that players are fungible, and any position-to-position adjustments are basically accounted for using linear-weighted run values. That’s not true, as in emergency situations where new players start a position, the new player performs significantly worse than their position-specific counterpart. The only times it would make sense is for a pitcher, utility catcher, utility infielder, or fourth outfielder replacing someone at their designated position.

The Ringer | Michael Baumann: So, who ya’ got, Ronald Acuña, or Juan Soto? Both are going to have great careers, I would imagine, but Baumann makes the case for Soto, because although both are in limited company for performance at their age, there is almost no precedent for a 19-year-old having a .420 OBP.

The Athletic | Ken Rosenthal ($): If you’ve watched the Nationals’ struggles this year; well, so has Dusty Baker. In a wide-ranging interview that covers the Nats, collusion, and racism in baseball, Baker reflects on his time in the game, his missed opportunities, and his possible vindication now that his former team is in a tailspin.