Avery Jacobsen, a 22-year-old diehard Orioles fan from Lancaster County, Pa., and a recent Loyola University Maryland graduate, caught both Coby Mayo’s homer in 4th and Blaze Alexander’s double in 5th tonight.
Jacobsen didn’t even see the double until his friend, Kyle Weaver, saw it coming. Jacobsen caught it, then gifted that ball to a young fan behind him.
“You got to give balls to kids. You want them coming back to the ballpark.”
It's not analytical baseball or old school baseball. If you can only understand one side, that's a big problem. This age of baseball is about blending the two together. Analytics are a tool to help maximize a roster, identify strengths and weaknesses in a player without bias or emotion. If used correctly, it's a tool to help player performance. Once the game begins, it's about “old school" baseball. Preventing runs defensively/pitching and scoring runs on offense. It's that simple. It's about the fundamentals of the game. Finding a way as a player that day to win every at-bat I take or pitch I throw. Days when I free great, days when I feel terrible. Understanding what it takes physically and mentally to do that is just as important as understanding spin rate, launch angle, wOBA, OPS+, etc.
@HiMyNameIsJC_ Look, Elias did a fantastic job rebuilding this franchise from the bottom up, but something has to change. The offensive philosophy is not working. You can’t keep blaming the manager and the coaches. Injuries have hurt, but that being said, yes, he needs to go.
@justin31047753 I love what the Orioles have done system wide, rebuilt the entire minor league system, international signings, the Dominican Academy……..but as far as how the analytics are applied in the majors, to me is a huge problem. The game is taken out of Albernaz’s hand.