Aslan's Weekly/Monthly Chris Barnes/Joe Slowinski Statistics Nerd Thread: Part III

[Aslan]

Here we go again!!! Iceman, avert your eyes!





Here we have "strike rate" in terms of % over time.

It is simply a daily record of 'times strikes/first balls thrown'.

So the question is;

IS STRIKE % A VALUABLE STAT??

1) Is it worthwhile in general? Does it provide any insight into your/someone's game? If so, what?
2) Is it a stat that YOU track? Why/Why Not?

And, optionally;
3) Given this is Aslan (the great)…what does this chart say about his game (or lack there of) if anything?

[Aslan]

For me;

1) I think strike rate is a VERY valuable stat! It is currently one of my 4 GOALS that I set each season. Strike rate is just SO important nowadays with the way the game has changed. You still need solid spare shooting…but nowadays excellent spare shooters still can't win. You need the STRIKE ball as well. And the real magic of the strike is…it helps your spare shooting (because it eliminates the need). So it's a 1-2 punch.

2) I don't see much in this particular data set other than that:

A) It's obviously been declining.
B) It seems to have started declining shortly after the lanes went from wood to synthetic and the new coach thus far hasn't seemed to help it.

SO…there ya go!!! A new Nerd post for everyone's enjoyment!!

God I miss bowling! I WANT TO BOWL tomorrow!! But I've had to take a couple weeks off from the Sunday sport league because I got a dumb Code of Regulations class that I have to take this weekend and next weekend. THEN I'M BACK!! Just in time for the 39' USBC Master's pattern!

[J Anderson]

So the question is;

IS STRIKE % A VALUABLE STAT??

1) Is it worthwhile in general? Does it provide any insight into your/someone's game? If so, what?
2) Is it a stat that YOU track? Why/Why Not?

And, optionally;
3) Given this is Aslan (the great)…what does this chart say about his game (or lack there of) if anything?

1. Given the nature of the modern game this is the most valuable stat you've come up with yet. Anything over 5 means you're at least getting a double now and then. Under 4 you're probably not stringing them, just randomly sprinkling them through the games.

2. No. Too lazy!

3. If the trend of the graph continues, Iceman will petition the administrators to ban you from using the phrase "the great" in the same sentence with your name.

[mc_runner]

Ooh, I like this one.

1. Absolutely! To me it shows how effective you are at getting the ball into the pocket and consistency. If you're making changes to your game it's good for checking progress too. I really like the trend over time... that's definitely beneficial to progres.

2. Yep. Not on a timeline basis though, just through Pinpal.

3. I think it means you're working on a lot of different changes now and you're in the "down-phase" that happens before you put it all together. You've made and are making a lot of changes continually so you're seeing a long negative trend. Once you have it and get your approach committed to muscle memory (heard somewhere it's about 1,500 repititions... maybe from Rob?) it'll trend up!

[MICHAEL]

Is a strike a valuable stat! answer: YES, the more you have in a game the higher your score! If the question is, does keeping the stat have significance? No. Just throw more strikes, and forget about the past!

I think it was One of the finest Coaches out there, Big Rob in Vegas that said: Only think about the strike your throwing at that moment, don't look back, and don't look past the one in front of you!

statistically speaking, Stats are highly over rated!

Not only that, but they are: boring!! Your chart looks like the path of
a dolphin swimming in the ocean next to a cruse ship!



BUT keep them coming,,, I am sure there must be some NERDS on this site, that really get off on looking at the white dots, on blue back drop!!

[channelsurfer]

Why not use pocket percentage instead of strike percentage? Carry can be an issue of not matching up with equipment (surface, drill pattern or ball type), speed, rev rate or just playing the lanes wrong. Maybe the decline in strike percentage is due to condition change? But has your pocket percentage decreased at the same rate? If so find a new coach........

[J Anderson]

Why not use pocket percentage instead of strike percentage? Carry can be an issue of not matching up with equipment (surface, drill pattern or ball type), speed, rev rate or just playing the lanes wrong. Maybe the decline in strike percentage is due to condition change? But has your pocket percentage decreased at the same rate? If so find a new coach........

Good point. Given that most amateurs are going to get a few strikes that aren't also pocket hits, pocket % would be a truer indicator of how skillfully one is bowling.

The down side is that pocket % has to be observed and recorded as it happens. You can't get it by going back and looking at the score sheet. The other problem is that it's subjective. Many bowlers have a vague definition of what the pocket is. I've seen bowlers who just barely touched the 1 or the 3 pin turn around and whine that they got robbed because their ball had hit the "pocket".

[fortheloveofbowling]

Up to a certain skill level pocket percentage should be the stat measured between the 2. But once you get to a higher level pocket percentage especially on a house shot is pretty much worthless to track. I mean if you get lined up with your feet on a house you can spray it all over the place and hit the pocket.

[Doghouse Reilly]

Strike percentage is just for show, All it tells you is that either you made a lot of strikes or you didn't.

Knowing what you leave when you don't strike is more helpful, Are they mostly deflection leaves? washouts? Splits? Are you leaving mostly corner pins? etc. Knowing those you can work on improving your carry and in turn your Strike percentage will increase.

[Aslan]

Good point. Given that most amateurs are going to get a few strikes that aren't also pocket hits, pocket % would be a truer indicator of how skillfully one is bowling.

The down side is that pocket % has to be observed and recorded as it happens. You can't get it by going back and looking at the score sheet. The other problem is that it's subjective. Many bowlers have a vague definition of what the pocket is. I've seen bowlers who just barely touched the 1 or the 3 pin turn around and whine that they got robbed because their ball had hit the "pocket".

It's funny that you guys are debating pocket percentage. THAT is the next stat I plan on mapping. And as JAnderson points out…I actually am going to have to track that manually over the next 6 months before I can report on it. The Pinpal app doesn't help me there. So Part IV is gonna be a ways out.