Although it now often seems ages past,  it's really only been in the past five years that the chasm has been bridged between numeric analysis neos posting on blogs in their pyjamas, and the old school scouting types in their khakis with clipboards, stop watches, and 20-80 calibrated eyeballs.  Bavasi called it "squat" vs."quant". Of course, following the classic thesis->antithesis->synthesis dialectic, what we are seeing is the merging of the two modes into a new model. Even the Mariners, of all teams, now appear to be intent on setting up a department for number crunching.

Despite this evolution occasionally we yet see  pockets of good old baseball men still holding forth, like shadow figures in the mind of Rod Serling.  I offer to you one Dayton Moore, General Manager of the Kansas City Royals, and seemingly enamored of all things formerly Mariner.  Observe Mr. Moore talking about his team, the KC Royals:

SN: You mentioned Bloomquist. How do you see the situation at second base playing out over the spring?

 

…Willie Bloomquist is somebody who we felt is one of the most versatile players in the game. We think he's one of the better leaders in the game, and anybody who's ever been associated with him or has played with him will tell you that's the case. He has great character and is someone who's been part of pennant races as well.

You could dismiss this as the usual stuff that a GM says to the media. Moore is obviously not going to dis one of his players.  But in this case this Willlie is a guy DM voluntarily signed; he wanted Willie on his team. So we've got to think he actually believes this stuff.

Our prospects in Grass Creek are looking exceedingly fine!!!