BILL JAMES'S REFINED DEFINITION
Given the various dictionary definitions, it may be fair to say there is no real consensus on exactly what the word “Sabermetrics” means. A better definition than read in various dictionaries may be warranted. As a starting point to reach an improved definition, let’s look at what Bill James has said about the word since his first try in 1980.
In an attempt to clarify things for his readers, James again addressed the meaning of the word in The 1981 Baseball Abstract. He characterized his definition of the word as purposefully broad, encompassing many types of studies and analyses. He also clearly distinguishes sabermetrics from the simple use of numbers or statistics for arguments sake (the kinds of arguments sports writers might make in their columns, e.g., this player is better than another player, this player is declining in performance because their various baseball numbers are changing, etc.). He writes, “sabermetrics by its nature is unemotional, non-committal” and that “good sabermetrics respects the validity of all types of evidence” -- in my view, this clarifies the word for us. The definition is becoming more descriptive of the pursuit of baseball knowledge, the activity of baseball research.
In his 1984 Baseball Abstract James wrote “I’m sort of a baseball agnostic; I make it a point never to believe anything just because it is widely known to be so.” James is a skeptic, in the best sense of the word.
And recently Bill had a discussion on his web site where he also added some important clarifications about the field of Sabermetrics. He said, “Sabermetrics invents way[s] to address the Big Picture questions” and the following:
“Sabermetrics is NOT about who is better than who or where players should be rated; not at all. It is about Why Teams Win, and How the Game Changes, and Why the Game Changes, and Why the Game Works.” -- Bill James, from “Hey Bill” Q and A answer of 3/15/2014 (http://www.billjamesonline.com/hey_bill/)
P.S. Two highly recommended readings on Bill James:
"He Does It By the Numbers" by Daniel Okrent: http://tinyurl.com/kmuugfn
"The Professor of Baseball" by Ben McGrath: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2003/07/14/030714fa_fact1