Adler: Q&A with David Cone on analytics, old-school broadcasters, and the new-school Yankees

From Lindsey Adler at The Athletic on September 28, 2018:

David​ Cone has,​ in recent years, established himself as​ the​ most prominent forward-thinking​ former player​ working in a broadcast​ booth​ today.​​ In his capacity on YES Network, he hardly shies away from using advanced statistics or speaking precisely what’s on his mind in, well, memorable phrasing. Around the league, many former players who have also taken to jobs as color commentators fall into the habit of criticizing the game today simply because the high-strikeout, high-slugging style of the last few years is different from what it was when they were down on the mound or in the batter’s box.

Cone is adamant that he still loves the game, and he loves the myriad talent running through the sport that is undoubtedly represented by his own former team in the Bronx. In this Q&A, we discuss the accessibility of analytics, the “get off my lawn” style of many of his contemporaries, how the modern version of baseball is in some ways better than the version in which he played, and who he’d start for the Yankees in the wild-card game next week.

Read the full article here (subscription required): https://theathletic.com/555034/2018/09/28/qa-yes-networks-david-cone-on-...