Dear Rotoman,
Will Eric Young’s move to Milwaukee lead to a significant increase in steals? Davey Lopes seems sure to turn him loose more often than Don Baylor did, does that increase EY’s value?
Sincerely,
Looking for a steal
Without looking into it too deeply (figuring out how much they ran before Baylor’s and Lopes’ arrival with the Cubs and Brewers), what’s striking is that Don Baylor sent runners 103 times last year, Lopes sent them 102. Both had a success rate of 65%, which is about the breakeven rate.
Much more of a factor is Young’s health and his age. It would be natural for a 35 year old to run less, though there have been some notable recent exceptions to that canard. Still, I wouldn’t count on him running any more than he ran last year and maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
It’s doubtful anyone else will be expecting him to.