Umm…Pittsburgh Pirates Poor Team Chemistry ? Wha?

Mar 25, 2014; Bradenton, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen (22) and first basemen Gaby Sanchez (17) race before the start of the spring training exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays at McKechnie Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN The Magazine states the Pittsburgh Pirates poor chemistry in the clubhouse as one reason they are predicted to regress 14 games in 2014–most in Major League Baseball.  The only thing wrong with the article is that it’s bogus.  Keep reading to find out all the details.

We are watching a playback of the Pittsburgh Pirates wild card game against the Reds.  Most of these players will be back in 2014.  The idea of poor chemistry seems almost hilarious.  But anyway, here’s the scoop:

Chemistry 162 is a feature in the latest ESPN the magazine.

This article seems like it used analytics to develop a number that has never been developed before for a team’s clubhouse chemistry.  We didn’t believe it at first glance, and when we show you some more investigative work, you might not believe it either.

First off, sub groups are common in any workplace.

Second, isolation factor?  What the hell?

Okay, before you drive yourself insane reading the Chemistry 162 article, realize that most all of it is complete shit.  Oh, we know you are in utter shock right now.  ESPN and horseshit?  But anyway, here is a clip from the article if you are too lazy to read it.

The article that debunked the ESPN chemistry project is right here ORGANIC CHEMISTRY AND TRICK ANALYTICS

Make sure you read it.

Our favorite paragraph from Jack Moore’s very well written debunking is here:

"The thing is, when something has been impossible to quantify for 150 years, there’s usually a reason. My natural suspicions of anyone claiming to have neatly solved a 150-year-old problem were confirmed when I read the phrase “proprietary team-chemistry regression model,” the high-finance jargon Jeff Phillips used to describe the system developed by himself and group dynamics experts Katerina Bezrukova of UC-Santa Clara and Chester Spell of Rutgers. The solution to chemistry is here. We’re not going to tell you what it is, but you should totally believe us anyway."

Go read the article; we are going to keep watching the Bucs rip out the Reds’ soul again.

Oct 6, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates players including Starling Marte (6) , Russell Martin (55) , Jason Grilli (39) , Marlon Byrd (2) and Andrew McCutchen (22) celebrate after game three of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports