Few people understand the game of baseball at the level of statistician and author Bill James. The baseball savant is a student of the game and has written several books that have transformed the way the game is played and viewed.
This week, however, the well-known figure was heavily criticised by many in the MLB community for what appeared to be a lack of enthusiasm towards Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes debut.
For those that are not familiar with Paul Skenes, he is one of the top pitching prospects in the country and was the first overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. After a remarkable stint in the minors, Skenes has rapidly climbed up the club’s ladder and made his debut against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.
The buzz surrounding the 21-year-old’s first start cannot be understated. This was one of the most highly anticipated starts since Stephen Strasburg took the mound for the Washington Nationals in 2010. Many analysts and fans were excited to see what the young man could do, but James seemed to take a different approach.
“Let me know if Skenes turns out to be anything special. I don’t have enough brain cells left to worry about prospects who are supposed to be really good,” said James in a post on his X account.
Let me know if Skenes turns out to be anything special. I don't have enough brain cells left to worry about prospects who are supposed to be really good.
— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) May 11, 2024
Skenes ended up pitching four inning and eventually left the game with his team holding a 6-1 advantage. He struck out the first two batters he faced and finished with seven total strikeouts. The righty pitcher showed off a varied arsenal of pitches and had Cubs hitters off balance during the early stages of the game.
I wonder how much hate mail I would have gotten if I had actually said something negative about Skenes, or something negative about baseball.
— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) May 12, 2024
After receiving a barrage of criticism, James posted a follow up message on X stating he was curious what would’ve happened if he would have actually said anything negative about Skenes.
