Off Topic
Bikin Nation Turns It's Lonely Eyes to Keith Williams
April 1, 2064 As spring campe wound down, word came that Bikini shortstop Keith Williams had signed a front-loaded, three-season extension that would net him $24M and would seem to cement him as the club's shortstop going forward. We suppose that makes sense. Williams has always looked like he should be something like a superstar. Or at least a plus-gloved kid who could hit just a bit, which in the BBA makes you something close to a superstar at short.
At question, though, is what shortstop will show up one year over the next.
Williams has been mercurial that way.
Described in the press as an under-performer.
The facts of the matter, though, shed a t least a bit of a different light on situation. Removing a particularly dismal 2061, the now-26-year-old has averaged roughly 2.5 WAR per season, perhaps slightly over league average, despite having two years where injuries cut his time to only 107 and 120 games. He has been a 101 OPS+ performer on his career, which at shortstop, puts him in the upper third. So the rep is maybe tarnished in ways that it shouldn't be.
What's harder to combat, though, are the defensive metrics.
Now, look, we all know defense is super-hard to figure out. The numbers can be whacky, especially in smaller sample sizes. And Williams' are particularly bamboozling.
Bottom line: Discounting his rookie season, Williams has, by EFF metrics, been better than league average every year. But look at those Zone Ratings! WTF, OOTP? Right?
So, anyway, as the season gets ready to start anew, fans are once again wondering what shortstop is going to show up this year. Or, rather, whether Williams might (now that he's 26) be heading to his peak and post a 3+ WAR season, which, given he can pull off one of those 1OPS+ offensive performances, seems to be completely dependent upon the glove. Will a $24M contract settle him down? Will that kind of financial security help him ease into his career?
No one would like to know better than Williams himself.
April 1, 2064 As spring campe wound down, word came that Bikini shortstop Keith Williams had signed a front-loaded, three-season extension that would net him $24M and would seem to cement him as the club's shortstop going forward. We suppose that makes sense. Williams has always looked like he should be something like a superstar. Or at least a plus-gloved kid who could hit just a bit, which in the BBA makes you something close to a superstar at short.
At question, though, is what shortstop will show up one year over the next.
Williams has been mercurial that way.
Described in the press as an under-performer.
The facts of the matter, though, shed a t least a bit of a different light on situation. Removing a particularly dismal 2061, the now-26-year-old has averaged roughly 2.5 WAR per season, perhaps slightly over league average, despite having two years where injuries cut his time to only 107 and 120 games. He has been a 101 OPS+ performer on his career, which at shortstop, puts him in the upper third. So the rep is maybe tarnished in ways that it shouldn't be.
What's harder to combat, though, are the defensive metrics.
Now, look, we all know defense is super-hard to figure out. The numbers can be whacky, especially in smaller sample sizes. And Williams' are particularly bamboozling.
| Year/Team/League | G | ZR | EFF |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2059 Bikini - MLB | 142 | -6 | 0.969 |
| 2060 Bikini - MLB | 105 | 4.6 | 1.021 |
| 2061 Bikini - MLB | 132 | -0.5 | 1.011 |
| 2062 Bikini - MLB | 150 | -1.2 | 1.004 |
| 2063 Bikini - MLB | 119 | 4.9 | 1.02 |
Bottom line: Discounting his rookie season, Williams has, by EFF metrics, been better than league average every year. But look at those Zone Ratings! WTF, OOTP? Right?
So, anyway, as the season gets ready to start anew, fans are once again wondering what shortstop is going to show up this year. Or, rather, whether Williams might (now that he's 26) be heading to his peak and post a 3+ WAR season, which, given he can pull off one of those 1OPS+ offensive performances, seems to be completely dependent upon the glove. Will a $24M contract settle him down? Will that kind of financial security help him ease into his career?
No one would like to know better than Williams himself.