Sickels on Seven Skills

This is sort of review material for those of us who have been reading John Sickels’ work for a decade or more, but Sickels provides a nice little primer on how he evaluates prospects. Three points stand out for me:

• Strike zone judgment is extremely important. Absolutely. Control the strike zone, control the game.
• OPS is not a perfect stat. There IS no perfect stat. But as short-hand and a way to make comparisons, it is useful. Obvious, perhaps, but worth mentioning because I think sometimes people forget this. Numbers are very useful when used properly, but they don’t tell the entire story.
• Numbers that are good in one league may not necessarily be good in another; context must always be considered. It’s not just a league thing; we can (and should) break this down within leagues as well. High Desert and Lancaster in the California League, e.g., are ridiculous hitter’s parks. Not long ago, I spoke with a guy who played in the Cal League a few years back. You should have seen his eyes light up when he talked about getting to bat at High Desert.

If you’re familiar with Sickels and his work, this will serve as a good reminder of his methods. If you are just now discovering him, this is a good place to start and familiarize yourself with his perspective.