Rob Neyer Chat 11/24

Harrison (New Jersey): Rob - if you're the Yankees, why would you want to be tied for 4+ years to a player who may not be able to hit, doesn't have a long term position and can't be benched/dropped in the lineup because of his name and reputation? How can people criticize the Yankees for trying to manage their organization rationally?
Rob Neyer: You might have noticed, Harrison, that some significant percentage of baseball fans are not significantly rational.

Fans are (for the most part) rational, Rob. But that doesn't mean the only thing we want to maximize are wins. For that matter, that's not the only thing the Yankees want to maximize, either.

From: http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/35669

over 1 year ago J-Doug 5 comments 0 recs |

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I must live in a weird part of the world,

because 90% of baseball fans I know are completely irrational, suggesting trades to me that the Mariners should trade Doug Fister and Brandon League for a guy like Hanley Ramirez. FISTERS ERA WAS SO GOOD!

Just my personal experiences though.

by 200tang on Nov 25, 2010 3:22 AM EST reply actions

No, that sounds normal.

This whole ‘rational fan’ thing seem weird to me. The word ‘fan’ evens comes from the word ‘fanatic’. While a lot of baseball fans know a lot about baseball, I don’t think they’re on the whole very rational about personnel and upper management decision making.

by QuinnTheEzkamo on Nov 25, 2010 3:49 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I disagree with this too, J-Doug.

1. Fans are for the most part irrational.
2. Fans don’t care about profits.

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by Justin Bopp on Nov 25, 2010 11:46 AM EST reply actions

Why would a fan care at all about profits?

Fans care about being entertained, that’s what they would like to maximize. Doesn’t always mean increasing profits, often means exactly the opposite.

Blogger and Editor, Rational Pastime Blog. Twitter: @RationalPastime.

by J-Doug on Nov 25, 2010 6:49 PM EST up reply actions

Wanting the Yanks to overpay for Jeter perfectly rational

On the condition that you value a Yankees team with Derek Jeter more than you would value a Yankees team with some extra cash and maybe an extra win or two.

Rationality has absolutely nothing to do with what you prefer to maximize, and everything to do with how you go about maximizing it. De gustibus non est disputandum.

Blogger and Editor, Rational Pastime Blog. Twitter: @RationalPastime.

by J-Doug on Nov 25, 2010 6:54 PM EST reply actions