New Angels Third Base Coach Breaks Down His View of Analytics in Baseball Today
After the Los Angeles Angels announced that they were hiring veteran Ron Washington as their new manager, they also made a few coaching moves as well. One was bringing in Eric Young Sr. to be their new third base coach, and he follows Washington to the Halos from Atlanta.
Young Sr. has been the Braves first base coach since 2018, so he brings experience to the table. He also worked as a first base coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies over the years.
Young Sr. explained how he views analytics in the game today. He says that he is very comfortable with it, and how he will get through to the players.
“As far as the analytics, I understand it. I understand how they get it.“
Per Eric Young Sr. via Sports Talk With Devan Wade
While Young Sr. is fluent in how analytics work, he also wants the Angels players to not be as reliant on them. He wants them to focus on playing the game itself and letting the coaches handle everything else.
“I want [the players] concerned about playing ball between the lines. And I’ll make sure the information we get them outside the lines, they know very well and they understand it.”
Analytics have become a major part of the current baseball system, and teams have become more dependent over the years. It has been a big talking point about over-dependence, and how at times, it can end up hurting some teams.
But it's good that he wants to allow the players to be themselves, while also making sure that they get the relevant information that they need. The job of the coaching staff is to put players in the best possible position to succeed, and it sounds like they will do exactly that.
