FanGraphs - Research/Writing
FanGraphs.com is a behemoth in the baseball analytics world. With industry leading statistics commonly referenced on baseball broadcasts, ESPN, and even by the players themselves, FanGraphs has lifted the veil on information that used to be exclusive to those inside the baseball industry.
Writer and Researcher
As a writer at FanGraphs.com I write in-depth analysis on player performance or statistical trends in the baseball world. Aside from these projects I also do various other written work like breaking down transactions, writing previews and recaps of games, and hosting live chats with our readers.
My goal at FanGraphs is to create readable articles that entertain as well as inform for a statistically savvy baseball audience without alienating those eager to learn more about advanced statistics. I use extensive graphics, like edited videos and images to help connect the reader to what I'm seeing and to draw conclusions with statistics. In the end, I hope to show my readers something that they haven't seen before, or give them a different way of looking at something they've seen a hundred times.
I have accomplished a wide-range of research and published pieces. I’ve had my work featured and discussed on baseball broadcasts, and had media personalities and insiders read and appreciate my work. You can find all my written work on my author page, and I've highlighted a few of my favorite projects below.
Whit Merrifield Swipes a Bag
A lot of little things can go into a successful stolen base. In this article I break down the sequence leading up to Whit Merrifield stealing a base and give insight into how he was able to get such an amazing jump off of the pitcher.
“Base stealing is much more than a runner going top speed, though; it’s a mental and physical duel between the base runner and the pitcher. [...] What makes Merrifield the best base stealer in the game at a time when he’s far from the fastest player in the game is that he’s a master of this duel.”
In the following gif I overlaid the pitcher’s previous pickoff attempts to showcase the timing that Whit Merrifield was taking advantage of.
Community Response:
“Absolutely phenomenal article, love stuff like this.”
”Such a great read – love this kind of baseball stuff.”
”I love seeing players who are still active in the running game, especially without elite speed. Great article.”
The Perks of a Rangy First Baseman
In the most heavily researched article of my career I looked at the positioning of first basemen (often an afterthought when it comes to defensive importance) and how changes in how teams are aligning their defense is shining a light on the gap between good and bad defensive first basemen.
I highlighted how teams are positioning their first basemen in relation to where hitters typically hit the ball and found that many first baseman aren’t positioned far enough off of first base. This is likely due to many first basemen not being quick enough to play far off the bag and still return to the bag when a grounder is hit to another position.
“In an era where defensive positioning has started to lessen the required range for infielders, first base seems to be the exception, as the right-handed shift is requiring them to cover more ground while still staying near the bag. Shortstops, second basemen and third basemen aren’t intentionally out of position the way first basemen are. Having a first baseman that is able to play closer to the hitter’s tendencies while still having the quickness to get back and undertake the more traditional first base duties is a valuable asset, but one that not all teams are able to employ.”
Community Response:
“This is perhaps my favorite article I have ever read here. Baseball is such an amazing sport.”
”Really interesting article. I’ve seen more righty shifts than ever this year, and this analysis on it is awesome.”
”This article is fantastic, amazing how there are still ways baseball can be played better.”
How Brandon Crawford’s New Swing Turned Things Around
Early in the season I noticed some dramatic changes in Brandon Crawford’s approach and output at the plate. After years of decreased offensive performance he was all of a sudden crushing the ball. I used video research to breakdown his swing and highlight the changes that he and the hitting coaches had been working on.
“In 2019, Crawford was quite upright, almost leaning backward, before starting his swing. Now he seems to be in a more meaningful hitting position from the start. His stance is built with more purpose, with his front leg open, possibly as a way to provide better balance with a more hunched upper body and extended arms, and his hands are far from his body with a much quieter setup overall [...] the bat head is dropping more quickly in the new swing, which allows Crawford to swing up through the pitch plane.”
By looking at his statistics throughout Crawford’s career I was able to see statistically significant improvements in his groundball rate and barrel rate to help support and translate the changes seen in the videos.
“This time last year, Crawford was losing his grasp on an everyday role at an age when you don’t usually get it back. It’s only been about 400 plate appearances since then, but his turnaround has been quick and meaningful. This season, he’s walking at a career-high rate and on pace for 35 homers when he’s never hit more than 21 before.”
Crawford’s turnaround was sustained throughout the year, leading to career highs in numerous offensive categories, as well as mentions of my breakdown on Giants broadcasts this season.
Community Response:
“I love it when a veteran goes thru a couple years of back sliding and manages to make adjustments to have a good back 9 of their career.”
”Great article!”
”Nice article. If season ended today he would probably be 5th in MVP voting, which is wild to think about.”