FanGraphs Evaluates Postseason Manager Decisions
MLB postseason managers face intense scrutiny over every pitching change and pinch-hitter. According to FanGraphs, its October report cards evaluate these high-leverage choices based on process rather than raw results. Jon Becker recently reviewed the four managers who lost in the Wild Card round, and the site expanded its analysis to include the Division Series losers, starting with Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees. Every October, FanGraphs grades each playoff manager, focusing on their in-game decisions while noting that many important parts of the job are not visible from the outside. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images is credited for photography.
Evaluating Aaron Boone and the Yankees
Postseason grading relies heavily on pre-decision logic. Evaluating a pitching change requires looking at what a manager could reasonably expect to happen when calling on a reliever or bench bat. Bringing in a low-leverage pitcher for a high-leverage spot or deploying a right-handed specialist against unfavorable matchups counts as a flawed process. FanGraphs aims to balance objective analytics with the realities of dugout pressure, separating poor decision-making from unfortunate outcomes. Specific missteps include bringing in a mop-up man in a high-leverage spot or letting a righty specialist face Ben Rice.
Expanding Postseason Report Cards
The evaluation series moves systematically through the playoff bracket following the conclusion of each round. After examining the Wild Card exits earlier in the month, the publication added Division Series participants to the assessment queue. Members gain access to these evaluations alongside historical projections, leaderboards, and dark site viewing modes as part of the site’s postseason coverage rollout.
Postseason Manager Grading FAQ
What criteria does FanGraphs use to grade playoff managers?
Evaluators focus strictly on in-game decisions such as pitching changes and pinch-hitting choices. They judge these moves based on pre-decision process and leverage management rather than whether the resulting play succeeds or fails.
Who was evaluated first in the Division Series round?
Aaron Boone and the New York Yankees were the first Division Series losers featured in the updated report card series published on FanGraphs.
Who handled the Wild Card round evaluations?
Jon Becker wrote up the four managers who lost during the Wild Card round earlier in the month.
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