Morning Mound Visit: sabermetrics news - 3/16/19

FanGraphs | Devan Fink: Hey, we know that name! In his first FG piece, Devan talks about how the pitch clock likely isn’t being enforced during Spring Training, and how it is has had a largely negligible impact on spring games. It could shave off a minute, or even quite a few minutes, but that hasn’t been seen just yet.

Banished to the Pen | Bill Thompson: Carlos Royer played in the 1901 Cuban Winter League, and it was a year that should not be forgotten. With a 232 ERA+ and 6.3 WAR, and a playoff performance that put his WAR above 9, it was one of the best seasons ever for a Negro League player. There are always articles about how great Babe Ruth was, for example, but there were other Babes playing at the same time... who just never got the recognition they deserved.

ESPN Insider | Bradford Doolittle ($): Bryce Harper has triggered a ton of intrigue due to his move to Philadelphia, and especially whether he can replicate his legendary 2015. It puts him in the category of the Ted Williams’, Jimmie Foxx’s, and Joe DiMaggio’s of the world with a season that great that young, but it’s hard to tell if his career arc will be more like Reggie Jackson, a Win Shares comp, or Jose Canseco.