One MLB team that apparently believes that the advanced stats movement has its detriments is the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported earlier this week that the Phillies believe that an overemphasis on stats and analytics has distracted third baseman Maikel Franco from playing to his full potential.
Per Heyman:
[Phillies bench coach] Larry Bowa expressed frustration with what he sees as an overemphasis on some new stats, such as exit velocity and launch angle, and Phillies insiders say some over there believe it’s all gotten into Maikel Franco’s head and distracted him from playing to his real ability.
The 24-year-old Franco is batting just .219/.277/.381 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 81 games this season. That pales in comparison to 2016 when he hit .255/.306/.427 with 25 home runs and 88 RBIs (albeit in 152 games).
Reliance on analytics has helped some hitters significantly improve their play at the plate, while others won’t get within a country mile of them. But the point at which an individual player’s dependence on advanced stats goes overboard is likely a matter of interpretation.
Image via Maikel Franco on Instagram
