Gerritt Cole

[mauconnfan]

I know how to prove which is the bigger advantage... give Gallagher some Spider Tack and let's replay the CMU elimination game.

Gallagher? You mean smashing watermelons?

I don’t need proof of what the bigger advantage is a pitcher can use any advantage he wants if a ML hitter knows what’s coming he’s going to hit it hard quite often. Or take the pitch as require despite movement.

 

[storrsroars]

Gallagher? You mean smashing watermelons?

Pat Gallagher, who, in the most important game of the year, was tipping his pitches so they looked like watermelons to the hitters.

 

[Icculus]

Nice try Red Sox/Astros fans.
Nobody buys your sanctimonious over-reaction. It's not going to distract anyone from what your teams did.
Pitchers have been altering the baseball with foreign substances (or an emery board) since the dawn of time. The Hall of Fame is full of pitchers who did this. Heck, there was probably some pine tar on the rock that David slung at Goliath. It is in no way comparable to taking steroids to the point that your actual head gets bigger or using tv cameras in the outfield to systematically steal signs.

 

[Waquoit]

Hilarious. Knowing what pitch is coming to a major league hitter is just a small advantage suddenly to Sox and Astros fans. My God this is funny!

I never had a problem with stealing signs, even when Bobby Thompson did it. Have better signs.

 

[jibsey]

There is a difference in the way the Red Sox and Astros stole signs and pitchers using adhesives to improve spin rate. The Astros appeared to be wired with an electronic setup. Different.

 

[UCDaveD]

I never had a problem with stealing signs, even when Bobby Thompson did it. Have better signs.

Have better signs? What exactly do you suppose they do, use telekinesis?

 

[Waquoit]

Nice try Red Sox/Astros fans.
Nobody buys your sanctimonious over-reaction.

No one more sanctimonious then a Yankee fan. They still don't think Reggie Jackson stuck his ass out on purpose.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Nice try Red Sox/Astros fans.
Nobody buys your sanctimonious over-reaction. It's not going to distract anyone from what your teams did.
Pitchers have been altering the baseball with foreign substances (or an emery board) since the dawn of time. The Hall of Fame is full of pitchers who did this. Heck, there was probably some pine tar on the rock that David slung at Goliath. It is in no way comparable to taking steroids to the point that your actual head gets bigger or using tv cameras in the outfield to systematically steal signs.

This is a funny post. Sports make people say stupid things.

 

[The Viking]

This pitching stuff is just as performance altering as steroids were. The only difference is putting something in your body compared to on your body.
Take a look at batting averages and how they plummet as the spin rates get higher. Its in a lot of these articles now.
I give credit for baseball trying to end it and suspect offensive numbers will start to rise significantly in the next 2-3 weeks...between this and the hot weather

 

[Scoe]

Um, wrong.
Cheating is Cheating.
Period.

You seemingly are say some people are better cheaters than others. They're all bad.

Um, wrong.
Cheating is Cheating.
Period.

You seemingly are say some people are better cheaters than others. They're all bad.

I don’t advocate cheating I know it has always gone on and will continue too. I was joking about bringing back steroids btw. The Astros level of cheating is on a whole other level.

 

[Samoo]

Every UConn or basketball thread here goes off the rails after 10 posts, yet you guys are somehow able to stay on subject about something completely unrelated to basketball or UConn for three full pages. This site never ceases to amaze me...

 

[djct1999]

I find football close to unwatchable now.

Not if you play fantasy and watch the RedZone. Seven hours of commercial free football is awesome in the fall/winter.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

The reason averages are so low is because MLB and it’s franchises has been incentivizing the HR. Teams would rather have a guy with a .230 BA, 40 HR, 100 RBI, and 150 K’s than a guy who hits .310, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 30 SB and 75 K’s.

It’s not the pitcher’s fault (or the field dimension’s fault) that a hitter down 0-2 doesn’t look to make contact to send it opposite field. The game has changed for the worse within the last 5-10 years because of this power-minded approach.

Yeah I don't think this is right. Homeruns are down over the past half decade. Velocity is way up. In the 70s guys weren't throwing 90 mph sliders on the black. the percentage of pitchers hitting high 90s is through the roof compared to prior generations.

 

[Psolo12]

Yeah I don't think this is right. Homeruns are down over the past half decade. Velocity is way up. In the 70s guys weren't throwing 90 mph sliders on the black. the percentage of pitchers hitting high 90s is through the roof compared to prior generations.

Agreed on this, also seeing alot of different arms/arm slots based on the increased importance of relievers makes a big difference. And they all throw 95+ now.

 

[superjohn]

Yeah I don't think this is right. Homeruns are down over the past half decade. Velocity is way up. In the 70s guys weren't throwing 90 mph sliders on the black. the percentage of pitchers hitting high 90s is through the roof compared to prior generations.

Is that accurate? It's my understanding 4 of the last 5 full seasons in MLB have the largest homerun totals in the history of baseball.

 

[navery12]

Is that accurate? It's my understanding 4 of the last 5 full seasons in MLB have the largest homerun totals in the history of baseball.

Home runs are definitely up over the past few years, but I agree with his overall point. Pitchers are just way too good right now. I don't even think it's that players are selling out for HRs outside of a few, they're just completely overmatched

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Is that accurate? It's my understanding 4 of the last 5 full seasons in MLB have the largest homerun totals in the history of baseball.

I mean homeruns are down from 5 years ago. We are seeing historically low batting averages and historically dominant pitching. I think chalking that up to "teams are emphasizing homeruns" misses the mark. It seems hard to deny that pitchers are exponentially more overpowering than they were 40 years ago.

 

[Icculus]

No one more sanctimonious then a Yankee fan. They still don't think Reggie Jackson stuck his ass out on purpose.

When I woke up this morning, I would've never thought that I'd be reading about Mr. October's backside today. What a world.

 

[superjohn]

I mean homeruns are down from 5 years ago. We are seeing historically low batting averages and historically dominant pitching. I think chalking that up to "teams are emphasizing homeruns" misses the mark. It seems hard to deny that pitchers are exponentially more overpowering than they were 40 years ago.

I kind of like it, things got so out of whack for so long with no names hitting 30-40 homeruns, good pitchers were being taken to the woodshed. It's like how out of whack the NFL is with passing and the NBA is with three pointers. There's clearly a very recent swing the other way towards pitching. The three major sports all seem to have major problem with balance nowadays that need to be addressed.

 

[navery12]

I mean homeruns are down from 5 years ago. We are seeing historically low batting averages and historically dominant pitching. I think chalking that up to "teams are emphasizing homeruns" misses the mark. It seems hard to deny that pitchers are exponentially more overpowering than they were 40 years ago.

To quantify, this has been the trend and the 2021 pace is currently 5571. The 2020 total over a full season would have been 6621 so its looking like 2 straight years of a decline.

 

[Icculus]

This is a funny post. Sports make people say stupid things.

I agree 100%. Sports make people say stupid things.

 

[Waquoit]

It seems hard to deny that pitchers are exponentially more overpowering than they were 40 years ago.

Mostly, because they don't have to throw 9 innings anymore I'm thinking.

 

[Scoe]

Analytics has effected the game too. No one steals bases anymore aside from maybe PRs I can’t stand the strategy of not trying to steal when you have one of your sluggers up because you take the bat out of his hand, so what improve you odds to get a run, they walk him so what put pressure on the pitcher. The Yankees never steal when Judge is up at the plate (it could be Gardner on 1st) and it drives me nuts

 

[UCDaveD]

Analytics has effected the game too. No one steals bases anymore aside from maybe PRs I can’t stand the strategy of not trying to steal when you have one of your sluggers up because you take the bat out of his hand, so what improve you odds to get a run, they walk him so what put pressure on the pitcher. The Yankees never steal when Judge is up at the plate (it could be Gardner on 1st) and it drives me nuts

Does it though? A successful steal would, but what about the times where the runner is thrown out? Is the ROI worth the risk? I’m curious what the analytics say as I truly don’t know.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t advocate cheating I know it has always gone on and will continue too. I was joking about bringing back steroids btw. The Astros level of cheating is on a whole other level.

Steroids never left.

 

[navery12]

Does it though? A successful steal would, but what about the times where the runner is thrown out? Is the ROI worth the risk? I’m curious what the analytics say as I truly don’t know.

I haven't looked recently but I believe the cutoff is somewhere around a 75-80% success rate for SBs to be positive value

 

[Scoe]

Steroids never left.

Will always be there but not as rampant.

 

[UCDaveD]

I haven't looked recently but I believe the cutoff is somewhere around a 75-80% success rate for SBs to be positive value

Interesting. I’m sure that teams are analyzing all kinds of things to inform these decisions. Pitcher’s time to plate, catcher’s pop time, etc.

I love steal attempts personally. They’re exciting plays. But I understand why they’d be down if the calculus doesn’t justify them.

 

[Scoe]

Does it though? A successful steal would, but what about the times where the runner is thrown out? Is the ROI worth the risk? I’m curious what the analytics say as I truly don’t know.

Thats my point analtycis has micro managed everything, to the point where teams are afraid to take a risk. You have a fast guy in your lineup who can steal bases you should be able to steal a base whenever you want doesn't matter who is up at the plate.

You know sometimes I often wonder why teams dont steal 3rd more often for instance you have a lefty on the mound and a righty batter up (who is to the left of the catcher) throwing off the catchers vision a little that extra second makes all the difference.

 

[mauconnfan]

I never had a problem with stealing signs, even when Bobby Thompson did it. Have better signs.

Stealing signs from 3rd base coaches is part of the game, from a CF camera like the Sox and Astro's this isn't even in the same realm of baseball cheating. I hope you're kidding seriously!