Have You Been Experienced?

by zogger on Apr 21, 2009 9:53 PM EDT

Hopefully you will get the Jimi Hendrix reference.

Anyway, I was thinking about a number of Pirates players that have not really played very much. They are starting Andy LaRoche, Nyger Morgan, and Brandon Moss-all of which have not played a full year in the majors. They have 2 SP that are really starting for the first time (Karstens and Ohlendorf). That is 5 players with less than a year experience. How does that stack up with some other teams?

I decided to use number of Plate Appearances for the 8 starters and Games Started for Starting Pitchers. I also gave the average ages.

Here are the numbers:

Team	Starting 8 PA	SP GS	Starting 8 Avg Age	SP Avg. Age
Pirates	13477	331	28.0	26.4
Marlins	9643	194	26.0	24.4
Reds	16734	518	27.5	27.4
Dodgers(1)	27388	356	29.5	26.0
Brewers(2)	26107	625	28.6	29.2
St. Louis(3)	14263	751	28.3	30.2
Mets(4)	31434	905	30.1	28.8
Cubs	23940	795	30.5	29.2
Phillies(5)	24470	1263	31.8	32.6

Notes:

1. Manny Ramirez and Furcal have 12,000 of the Dodger PA.

2. 13000 of the PA for the Starters are Kendall and Cameron

3. Lohse and Carpenter have 500 of the GS.

4. Delgato has 7000 of the PA and is 37.

5. Moyer has 639 GS and is 46.

It looks like to me that the Pirates are long on age and short on PA and GS.

Albert "The Great" Pujols is only 29 but he twice the plate appearces as Freddy Sanchez and Adam LaRoche. He also has more than Jack WIlson.

Reyes of the Mets is only 26 but has more PA than any Pirate but Wilson.

Jamie Moyer of the Phillies has more GS than the whole Pirates, Brerwers, Red, Marlins, and Dodger's whole staffs! Even if you subtract his starts, the Phillies staff still has more GS than the Pirates.

One observation is that the "better" teams seem to get their talent to the majors by age 22 and let them play. So far the Pirates don't have that kind of talent to promote yet.

Comments?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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Not necessarily stoned, but beautiful

I have nothing constructive to add

I made most of my life decisions at a Foghat concert... I stand by them.

by Chester J Lampwick on Apr 22, 2009 1:05 AM EDT reply actions

Interesting

Care to run the median ages instead of the average ages? I get that the Pirates aren’t super young, but guys like Moss and AndyL have already “experienced” The Call Up and sent down experiences, as have Oh and Karstens.

I wonder if, like PA and GS shows, using median age to mitigate the effect of 1-2 very old or very precocious players would make the Pirates seem younger. And I’m not sure if any of this is good, bad, both or neither.

by azibuck on Apr 22, 2009 9:12 AM EDT reply actions

I run the median ages and post!

I can run this when I get home and post. I agree it should take care of the few old guys dragging the average up.

by zogger on Apr 22, 2009 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

If 6 were 9

Keeping with the Jimi Hendrix theme.

Here is the updated table with median

Team S8 PA SP GS St8AvgAge SPAvgAge S8 Median SP Median
Pirates 13,477 331 28.0 26.4 28.0 26.0
Marlins 9,643 194 26.0 24.4 26.0 25.0
Reds 16,734 518 27.5 27.4 27.0 26.0
Dodgers(1) 27,388 356 29.5 26.0 29.0 24.0
Brewers(2) 26,107 625 28.6 29.2 26.5 29.0
St. Louis(3) 14,263 751 28.3 30.2 29.0 30.0
Mets(4) 31,434 905 30.1 28.8 31.0 28.0
Cubs 23,940 795 30.5 29.2 31.0 28.0
Phillies(5) 24,470 1,263 31.8 32.6 30.0 28.0

by zogger on Apr 22, 2009 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions