Analytics is a term baseball fans, and sports fans in general, have likely heard more of in recent years. Many front offices are turning to a numbers-based approach when it comes to their roster construction of teams. Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker made a brutally honest admission about analytics before giving Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy a compliment.

“I've always said that it's harder to manage against the person than it is against analytics or a computer because a lot of times the computer and analytics will tell you.. I respect Bruce (Bochy). He's got a lot of brains in the head up there,” Baker said, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

MLB analytics in today's MLB

MLB analytics have proven to work during the regular season. Winning 90-plus games is more than possible when relying on the numbers. They have faltered at times in the postseason though.

Teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays, who are known for their use of analytics, have enjoyed regular-season success in previous seasons. They have consistently faltered in the playoffs though. Baker isn't necessarily taking a shot at Tampa Bay, but he is saying that managing against someone who doesn't purely rely on numbers is more challenging.

Rangers-Astros ALCS

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Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Astros, Rangers

The Rangers and Astros are preparing to square off in the ALCS. Houston won the AL West and clinched a first-round bye. The Astros then defeated the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS. They are favored to win the series against Texas, but the Rangers have performed well in the MLB playoffs so far.

The Rangers upset the Rays in the AL Wild Card Series before doing the same against the American League's best team in 2023, the Baltimore Orioles, in the ALDS. Defeating the defending-champion Astros will be difficult, however.

The Texas-based ALCS projects to be an extremely competitive series. Two of MLB's legendary managers will go head-to-head with Baker and Bochy leading the way. The players will ultimately determine the outcome, but Baker and Bochy's decision-making will go a long way in this series.