Here's another AI explanation for a question about Hollanders views on spring training. Probably a pretty good rundown of whats spring training is about
Hollander GM value of spring training statistics
Based on his tenure as Seattle Mariners General Manager and EVP of Baseball Operations, Justin Hollander—alongside President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto—tends to treat spring training statistics with a high degree of skepticism, valuing them primarily for logistical, health, and skill-alignment purposes rather than as predictors of regular-season performance.
Hollander’s approach to spring training, as evidenced by his comments and team strategy, focuses on the following:
Process Over Results: Hollander focuses on how players are performing within their routines, their physical health, and their "swing decisions" (such as chase rate and contact quality) rather than raw batting averages or ERA in March.
Health and Conditioning Checks: A primary, high-value use of spring training for the front office is to ensure players are recovered from off-season injuries, such as monitoring pitchers' velocity and stamina in their return to action.
Role Identification and "Balance": The front office uses spring training to see how different roster pieces fit together, specifically testing lineup combinations to maximize power and manage strikeouts.
Developmental Milestones: For young players, spring training is used to gauge if they are ready for the next level, particularly for prospects on the cusp of the Major Leagues, as demonstrated by his evaluations of Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan.
Contextualizing Statistics: Hollander, along with the organization, acknowledges that early-season, cold-weather conditions (such as in Arizona) can skew offensive results.
I asked if the games are important. It seemed to think so
Yes, you can run a spring training camp without exhibition games by focusing solely on practice, inter-squad scrimmages, and conditioning. However, it is not recommended, as exhibition games are crucial for building game-day stamina, testing prospects, and providing game-speed reps that simulations cannot replicate
