Coming from a baseball perspective on this and speaking in general on analytics...

I think you can go too heavy in one direction or the other. I think analytics and "traditional" thought are best used together to make a most informed decision.

The funny thing about analytics in baseball is I think it has gotten so shifted in another direction of thought that the results are probably coming out in the wash.

I think where there is a disconnect with most fans that I see between the two is you have a stat where something should be done "in general" but I think a coach has to know his personnel and what they are capable of on an individual/group level to make that most informed decision.

Now I will say this- if that were my team I would want the coach to go for it. So I'm not saying that the right decision was made here but I think fans need to keep in mind that it's not always as easy as looking at a book from Bill James and doing what the book says.