MLB data-driven changes are ‘good and bad’ for baseball: Alex Rodriguez

Former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez told FOX Business that changes in Major League Baseball driven by the now widespread use of analytics are both “good and bad” for the game.

“I think sabermetrics is great and there’s an enormous space for it in baseball. I just think it’s not everything and all,” Rodriguez said during an interview with FOX Business’ Connell McShane on Tuesday.

Rodriguez said the human element and totality of a baseball player should be revealed before leaning completely on sabermetrics to determine the success of a player in the league.

“Baseball is a human game,” he said. “There’s a heartbeat involved, there’s moods, there’s injuries, there’s character, there’s DNA.”

The 14-time MLB All-Star and 2009 World Series champion with the New York Yankees is taking the lessons learned from his 22-year career as one of the greatest professional baseball players in history to the field of business and the broadcast booth.

Rodriguez has become a breakout star as a baseball analyst for FOX Sports and ESPN. He joins former Red Sox player David “Big Papi” Ortiz and first-ballot Hall of Famer and five-time All-Star Frank Thomas as a studio analyst for the 89th annual MLB All-Star Game on FOX Sports.

“Besides the World Series, there is no bigger day in baseball than the All-Star Game,” Rodriguez said.