What kind of player is the most valuable?

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A running back who gains 1 yard per carry (no more, no less)
A baseball player who gets 1 single per game (no more no less)
A shooter who gets 1 3-pointer per game (no more, no less)
 

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easily the baseball player. he could bat around 350 in this scenario, if not better.

As soon as he gets his single. substitute him out. He's not always going to get his single on his first at bat of course, but not on his last at bat every time either.
 

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at first it seems like the baseball player. but the RB who gets the 1 yard every single time is probably who you want.
 

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at first it seems like the baseball player. but the RB who gets the 1 yard every single time is probably who you want.

Yes if you knew for a 100% fact that he gets exactly 1 yard every single time you basically only need 9 yards to get a first down . You can go for on 4th and 1 at your own 11 yard line .
 

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easily the baseball player. he could bat around 350 in this scenario, if not better.

As soon as he gets his single. substitute him out. He's not always going to get his single on his first at bat of course, but not on his last at bat every time either.

If he doesn't ever walk, that .350 batting average is also an ops of .700, which is pretty horrible.

Given the parameters, it must be the basketball player. Leave him on the bench until the final possession, then if down by only 1 or 2, he will hit the game winner (if he were to miss, he would fail to make his quota and the entire exercise fails). You could do the same thing with the baseball player, but I don't think the perfect opportunities would come up enough. The football player would be the worst use of a roster spot
 

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If he doesn't ever walk, that .350 batting average is also an ops of .700, which is pretty horrible.

Given the parameters, it must be the basketball player. Leave him on the bench until the final possession, then if down by only 1 or 2, he will hit the game winner (if he were to miss, he would fail to make his quota and the entire exercise fails). You could do the same thing with the baseball player, but I don't think the perfect opportunities would come up enough. The football player would be the worst use of a roster spot

No the football player would be best because he is the only one you can use over and over again.

The basketball player can only make 1 three.
The baseball player can only get 1 hit.

The football player can carry the ball every single time it's 4th and 1.
 

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No the football player would be best because he is the only one you can use over and over again

You can leverage the baseball or basketball player to get a batting average or shooting percentage of 1.000 in game winning or game tying situations. You don't get to do that with the football player. Also, football teams convert one yard situations at much higher rates than baseball or basketball teams get hits or make three pointers
 

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This is a debate for the ages lol....

Personally I would go with the running back.
 

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You can leverage the baseball or basketball player to get a batting average or shooting percentage of 1.000 in game winning or game tying situations. You don't get to do that with the football player. Also, football teams convert one yard situations at much higher rates than baseball or basketball teams get hits or make three pointers

It don't matter the percentage or which one is more difficult .

When a football team punts on 4th and 1 at there own 11 yard line 100% of the time it really don't matter what the perceived odds would have been on making the FD by chance .

Football teams have 4th and 1s in almost 100% of there football games.

Basketball teams in many games have games where a 100% 3 is not even important.


And the most important advantage that you probably did not even think about is not just 4th and 1.

If you get 7 yards on first down and its 2nd and 3 all you have to do is give it to the running back 3 times for a 1st.

Or if it's 3rd and 2. Two 1 yard carries for a 100% first down .


The 1 yard RB has many more used other then 4th and 1.

The 1 yard running back is the only one of these 3 fictional players who serves more then one function .
 

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a running back that gets 2.5 yards per carry would almost guarantee you to win every game
 

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This is really not a fair question.

The football equivalent to the basketball and baseball player would be a running back that gets exactly 20 yard on 1 carry.

For the simple fact that the RB can be used over and over again in many different scenarios makes the RB the only possible correct answer to this question .
 

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It don't matter the percentage or which one is more difficult .

It absolutely does. How often is a team in a fourth and one or third and one situation? How much will it benefit them to make it (as bad as fourth and one on the 11 is, first and 10 on the 12 isn't so great either)? How much better off are they than the alternative? How likely is that to turn what would have otherwise been a loss into a win?

For the NBA three point shooter, it will turn a loss into a win at least eight times a year for a .500 team (based on NBA overtime games and push rates on the 1, 2 and 3).


If you get 7 yards on first down and its 2nd and 3 all you have to do is give it to the running back 3 times for a 1st.


Second and short is more advantageous than first and ten in the NFL:
http://archive.advancedfootballanalytics.com/2008/09/2nd-down-and-1.html
 

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I think it is the baseball player but not positive.

You can bring him to bat at the key moments of the game. Bases loaded two outs ... he is good for two runs basically (certainly more often than just 1) with his single. You need only see the percentage of games won by exactly 1 run to see how important this is. Imagine having this guy available for any extra innings game.

The football player will get you extra possessions. I can't determine how many without either doing a ton of work (If I could figure it out, I won't waste the time doing it) but he will definitely get you out of a punting situation. That is almost like a turnover. Teams that win the turnover battle do very well in football.

The basketball player is by far the least valuable.
 

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On the baseball thing I was using the assumption that he had to start. If he can come off the bench then yes the baseball player would be the most important because he would be batting .1000 off the bench .

The way the question was asked made it seem like the baseball player had to start the game
 

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It absolutely does. How often is a team in a fourth and one or third and one situation? How much will it benefit them to make it (as bad as fourth and one on the 11 is, first and 10 on the 12 isn't so great either)? How much better off are they than the alternative? How likely is that to turn what would have otherwise been a loss into a win?

For the NBA three point shooter, it will turn a loss into a win at least eight times a year for a .500 team (based on NBA overtime games and push rates on the 1, 2 and 3).




Second and short is more advantageous than first and ten in the NFL:
http://archive.advancedfootballanalytics.com/2008/09/2nd-down-and-1.html

When an NFL team goes for it on 4th and 1 zero percent of the time in a non game saving situation it matters not what the odds are if they would have gone for it.


And you need to get this 4th and 1 stuff out your mind.

Any 2nd and 3 or 3rd and 2 also gives you a first down 100% of the time.

There is no 1 shot a game basketball player who would ever be that valuable .
 

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CHop is right, the multiple use of the RB makes him the most valuable. If the Basketball can make a single 3 per quarter or per half or if a Baseball player can hit a single 2x a game or the RB has a limit of once per qtr or half. Things would be more evened out... maybe
 

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You're pretty much describing Jerome Bettis at the end. He couldn't do much else, but he was pretty valuable for that Superbowl team at short yardage and goal line. I'll take the RB.
 

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