Hok Talk: Analytics were not created to help front offices

Earlier this week, a small tiff was set off on baseball Twitter when former infielder Will Middlebrooks posted a tweet asking people to remember that analytics were created to work in the front office’s favor. Bill James immediately replied.

As the person who created analytics, I can tell you that this is 100% untrue. I didn't care anything AT ALL about helping the front office, and for the first 10 years after people started to catch on, I worked on behalf of players.

— Bill James Online (@billjamesonline) February 23, 2021 First, you must set aside the fact that Bill James didn’t create analytics anymore than I created the act of stuffing my face with Chinese food on a Friday night. You…