OT: Alex Cora's Philosophy

[Waquoit]

What crossed my mind tonight was how the hell did he hit a dinger off that pitch. He's just a pro hitter.

 

[superjohn]

What crossed my mind tonight was how the hell did he hit a dinger off that pitch. He's just a pro hitter.

Yankee Stadium.

 

[CTBasketball]

So...while the Sox are not as hot...they're still among the top couple teams. Is it worth noting that...JD Martinez has a history of lisfranc injury...and he just fouled one off his foot and had to hobble around for a while?
I'm too lazy to look up to see if it was even the same foot or not but, even tho '04 changed absolutely everything...as a Sox fan, these things cross yer mind....

Both teams will be in it all summer and fall. This series proved that.

Should be a fun one to watch.

 

[Marat]

What crossed my mind tonight was how the hell did he hit a dinger off that pitch. He's just a pro hitter.

As they kept showing replays of the ball going beyond Judge's glove, I noticed a guy wearing a UConn shirt the row behind to the left. Wondering if it was anyone from the Yard.

 

[AreBee1969]

Yankee Stadium.

Band box. Can't stand that place. People say that about Fenway because of the Pesky Pole and the short left field. How many HRs curl around the Pesky Pole for a cheap HR over the course of the season? How many long fly balls die in Fenway's deep right field? In Stanton's first two ABs Tuesday night (HRs) he would have been 1-2 with a single at Fenway.

Case in point, last year, Benintendi had 5 dingers in 35 ABs in Yankee stadium and 7 HRs in 283 ABs at Fenway.

 

[UConnStats]

Band box. Can't stand that place. People say that about Fenway because of the Pesky Pole and the short left field. How many HRs curl around the Pesky Pole for a cheap HR over the course of the season? How many long fly balls die in Fenway's deep right field? In Stanton's first two ABs Tuesday night (HRs) he would have been 1-2 with a single at Fenway.

Case in point, last year, Benintendi had 5 dingers in 35 ABs in Yankee stadium and 7 HRs in 283 ABs at Fenway.

It’s not even a question, it’s fact. Fenway suppresses HR totals for both LHB and RHB. It’s still creates more offense than average though because of the extra cheap doubles and even singles. Just an unconventional hitters park.

The new Yankees Stadium is a crazy HR park, especially for lefties. Look at Granderson and Gregorius’ power splits home and away at the park. Night and day. Smart of the Yankees to go get lefties who would benefit the most from it, though. I shutter to think what Harper could do there if they can reel him in.

 

[mauconnfan]

Band box. Can't stand that place. People say that about Fenway because of the Pesky Pole and the short left field. How many HRs curl around the Pesky Pole for a cheap HR over the course of the season? How many long fly balls die in Fenway's deep right field? In Stanton's first two ABs Tuesday night (HRs) he would have been 1-2 with a single at Fenway.

Case in point, last year, Benintendi had 5 dingers in 35 ABs in Yankee stadium and 7 HRs in 283 ABs at Fenway.

Band box - hilarious. Almost everywhere is a band box now - Cincy they fly our of there like mad, Baltimore has nothing to stop fly balls, Colorado is a joke. Bogarts flied out to left center the other night at Yankee stadium it's over the Green Monster with ease. Fly balls which are can of corn in most parks carom off the wall at Fenway for doubles all the time helping guys averages. Numbers are relative to their home parks and it's the same for all there's no advantages or disadvantages don't kid yourself. Like Boggs lived off the LF wall Mattingly would've had 100 doubles a year if his home park was Fenway. Visa versa Boggs would've had 25 dingers a year at NY.

Most parks have a quirkiness to them, it's called baseball live with it. If your guys were such good hitters they would've hit more like Martinez did to win it, they do have the option while playing there you know.

 

[superjohn]

Band box. Can't stand that place. People say that about Fenway because of the Pesky Pole and the short left field. How many HRs curl around the Pesky Pole for a cheap HR over the course of the season? How many long fly balls die in Fenway's deep right field? In Stanton's first two ABs Tuesday night (HRs) he would have been 1-2 with a single at Fenway.

Case in point, last year, Benintendi had 5 dingers in 35 ABs in Yankee stadium and 7 HRs in 283 ABs at Fenway.

It certainly is a great place for guys like Benintendi and Granderson. Guys like Judge, Giancarlo, and Sanchez are going to hit a million homers wherever they play so it doesn't matter for them. A guy who should feast at the stadium is Greg Bird. Injuries are robbing him of what should be be one hell of a career. Hopefully he can now finally be healthy for a while.

 

[AreBee1969]

Band box - hilarious. Almost everywhere is a band box now - Cincy they fly our of there like mad, Baltimore has nothing to stop fly balls, Colorado is a joke. Bogarts flied out to left center the other night at Yankee stadium it's over the Green Monster with ease. Fly balls which are can of corn in most parks carom off the wall at Fenway for doubles all the time helping guys averages. Numbers are relative to their home parks and it's the same for all there's no advantages or disadvantages don't kid yourself. Like Boggs lived off the LF wall Mattingly would've had 100 doubles a year if his home park was Fenway. Visa versa Boggs would've had 25 dingers a year at NY.

Come on, LCF in Fenway is 379, only 20 feet shallower than Yankee stadium in that area with a 37' wall. If it clears the Monster with ease, Yankee stadium ain't holding it.

There was an article by a mathematician a few years ago that showed the average home run that went over the Monster would have been out in EVERY major league park. I can't find it for the life of me right now.

I agree, the ball is flying out of parks everywhere. Players are bigger and stronger, the ball is reportedly juiced, and parks are being built to keep fans excited and oblivious to the fact they just blew a week's salary on their visit. That said, the Eastern League made the Yard Goats put a 13 foot net on top of a 12 foot wall to cut down on HRs on the 317 foot right field line (Which is deeper than both lines in Yankee stadium.) Fenway was built to fit between the streets of Boston 100+ years ago. The Yankees had a blank canvas in 2009 and built what they built. As far as advantages or disadvantages, when you play 81 games in one place, it's smart to build a team to take advantage of it. Kudos to Cashman for doing that.

 

[superjohn]

Come on, LCF in Fenway is 379, only 20 feet shallower than Yankee stadium in that area with a 37' wall. If it clears the Monster with ease, Yankee stadium ain't holding it.

There was an article by a mathematician a few years ago that showed the average home run that went over the Monster would have been out in EVERY major league park. I can't find it for the life of me right now.

I agree, the ball is flying out of parks everywhere. Players are bigger and stronger, the ball is reportedly juiced, and parks are being built to keep fans excited and oblivious to the fact they just blew a week's salary on their visit. That said, the Eastern League made the Yard Goats put a 13 foot net on top of a 12 foot wall to cut down on HRs on the 317 foot right field line (Which is deeper than both lines in Yankee stadium.) Fenway was built to fit between the streets of Boston 100+ years ago. The Yankees had a blank canvas in 2009 and built what they built. As far as advantages or disadvantages, when you play 81 games in one place, it's smart to build a team to take advantage of it. Kudos to Cashman for doing that.

I hear what you're saying but the Yankees would hit the most homers in the majors regardless of where they're playing.

 

[intlzncster]

Come on, LCF in Fenway is 379, only 20 feet shallower than Yankee stadium in that area with a 37' wall. If it clears the Monster with ease, Yankee stadium ain't holding it.

There was an article by a mathematician a few years ago that showed the average home run that went over the Monster would have been out in EVERY major league park. I can't find it for the life of me right now.

I agree, the ball is flying out of parks everywhere. Players are bigger and stronger, the ball is reportedly juiced, and parks are being built to keep fans excited and oblivious to the fact they just blew a week's salary on their visit. That said, the Eastern League made the Yard Goats put a 13 foot net on top of a 12 foot wall to cut down on HRs on the 317 foot right field line (Which is deeper than both lines in Yankee stadium.) Fenway was built to fit between the streets of Boston 100+ years ago. The Yankees had a blank canvas in 2009 and built what they built. As far as advantages or disadvantages, when you play 81 games in one place, it's smart to build a team to take advantage of it. Kudos to Cashman for doing that.

The ball is definitely juiced. That's been shown very clearly in the numbers. Significantly up since the new ball was introduced.

 

[intlzncster]

As far as advantages or disadvantages, when you play 81 games in one place, it's smart to build a team to take advantage of it. Kudos to Cashman for doing that.

If you're building a park, you want to build for homers. Fans want dingers. Helps you win if you construct the right roster (incl pitchers) for it. Helps your guys stats so players want to play there. etc

I hear what you're saying but the Yankees would hit the most homers in the majors regardless of where they're playing.

I think that's universally acknowledged. Both points above are true.

 

[mauconnfan]

If you're building a park, you want to build for homers. Fans want dingers. Helps you win if you construct the right roster (incl pitchers) for it. Helps your guys stats so players want to play there. etc



I think that's universally acknowledged. Both points above are true.

Again, not too many Colorado players have left that stadium and been as successful. Baltimore is a huge advantage because the dimensions are a shoe box all around. They say in the spring to summer time at Wrigley 80% of the time the wind blows out like mad. Cincy the ball flies out, Houston is quirky and it also flies there. Yankee obviously RF to RC and LF to LC nice dimensions for HR's, Fenway LF can be both detrimental and helpful for HR's but certainly helps the average with short fly balls scaling off the fence on its way down. I mean the list goes on and on but everyone gets to hit there when playing the other team so if you're a good hitter take advantage of these situations right? Problem is these guys aren't great hitters anymore, they all want to pull the ball and load up to hit hit it high and long so shame on them. The game has changed there aren't enough Boggs, Gwynn's and Mattingly's who can take advantage of fields dimensions or even care to. The loaded ball, the loaded players and the need to for the long ball has changed the game. It's still fun to watch but to not see the changes in the players, the expectations (.300 hitters are few and far between) and ball right now is crazy. It's a damn super ball.

You're right the new fans are getting what they're looking for.

 

[mauconnfan]

Come on, LCF in Fenway is 379, only 20 feet shallower than Yankee stadium in that area with a 37' wall. If it clears the Monster with ease, Yankee stadium ain't holding it.

There was an article by a mathematician a few years ago that showed the average home run that went over the Monster would have been out in EVERY major league park. I can't find it for the life of me right now.

I agree, the ball is flying out of parks everywhere. Players are bigger and stronger, the ball is reportedly juiced, and parks are being built to keep fans excited and oblivious to the fact they just blew a week's salary on their visit. That said, the Eastern League made the Yard Goats put a 13 foot net on top of a 12 foot wall to cut down on HRs on the 317 foot right field line (Which is deeper than both lines in Yankee stadium.) Fenway was built to fit between the streets of Boston 100+ years ago. The Yankees had a blank canvas in 2009 and built what they built. As far as advantages or disadvantages, when you play 81 games in one place, it's smart to build a team to take advantage of it. Kudos to Cashman for doing that.

I need to see that mathematician's findings because it's wrong and I guarantee those numbers/dimensions are even inflated in LF but who's to say? Yankee Stadium is built for lefties no doubt but the Yanks have mostly righties that have power who can use it too, you guys won a game because of the short porch so more guys should hit it like Martinez did kudos to him for being a good hitter. As I said at Fenway I've seen rockets hit the wall for singles/doubles that would've been bombs anywhere else and I've seen fly balls drop over the wall that would be a can of corn in most parks for sure, it's give and take but it's not a huge gap.

 

[superjohn]

Again, not too many Colorado players have left that stadium and been as successful. Baltimore is a huge advantage because the dimensions are a shoe box all around. They say in the spring to summer time at Wrigley 80% of the time the wind blows out like mad. Cincy the ball flies out, Houston is quirky and it also flies there. Yankee obviously RF to RC and LF to LC nice dimensions for HR's, Fenway LF can be both detrimental and helpful for HR's but certainly helps the average with short fly balls scaling off the fence on its way down. I mean the list goes on and on but everyone gets to hit there when playing the other team so if you're a good hitter take advantage of these situations right? Problem is these guys aren't great hitters anymore, they all want to pull the ball and load up to hit hit it high and long so shame on them. The game has changed there aren't enough Boggs, Gwynn's and Mattingly's who can take advantage of fields dimensions or even care to. The loaded ball, the loaded players and the need to for the long ball has changed the game. It's still fun to watch but to not see the changes in the players, the expectations (.300 hitters are few and far between) and ball right now is crazy. It's a damn super ball.

You're right the new fans are getting what they're looking for.

Plenty of good hitters playing now, in fact a couple of the best hitters ever are still playing.

I know what you're saying, MLB seems to have changed like the NBA has. Long ball is exciting and accounts for at least 1 run as opposed to a single or double so players are putting more loft in their swing. Same goes for the the 3 ball in the NBA. More value has been placed on it and future earning power is tied in. It's all cyclical. During the steroid era I'm sure people didn't think there would be so few .300 hitters now and so many no hitters.

 

[superjohn]

I need to see that mathematician's findings because it's wrong and I guarantee those numbers/dimensions are even inflated in LF but who's to say? Yankee Stadium is built for lefties no doubt but the Yanks have mostly righties that have power who can use it too, you guys won a game because of the short porch so more guys should hit it like Martinez did kudos to him for being a good hitter. As I said at Fenway I've seen rockets hit the wall for singles/doubles that would've been bombs anywhere else and I've seen fly balls drop over the wall that would be a can of corn in most parks for sure, it's give and take but it's not a huge gap.

I don't really see why anyone is upset about it. The Yankees could be playing their games on Mars and they would hit more homers than everyone else. It helps the lefties who aren't built like Paul Bunyan. It doesn't matter with the three Yankees who can hit it 500 feet.

 

[intlzncster]

Again, not too many Colorado players have left that stadium and been as successful. Baltimore is a huge advantage because the dimensions are a shoe box all around. They say in the spring to summer time at Wrigley 80% of the time the wind blows out like mad. Cincy the ball flies out, Houston is quirky and it also flies there. Yankee obviously RF to RC and LF to LC nice dimensions for HR's, Fenway LF can be both detrimental and helpful for HR's but certainly helps the average with short fly balls scaling off the fence on its way down. I mean the list goes on and on but everyone gets to hit there when playing the other team so if you're a good hitter take advantage of these situations right? Problem is these guys aren't great hitters anymore, they all want to pull the ball and load up to hit hit it high and long so shame on them. The game has changed there aren't enough Boggs, Gwynn's and Mattingly's who can take advantage of fields dimensions or even care to. The loaded ball, the loaded players and the need to for the long ball has changed the game. It's still fun to watch but to not see the changes in the players, the expectations (.300 hitters are few and far between) and ball right now is crazy. It's a damn super ball.

You're not wrong, but don't forget about Ichiro in there. He was doing it during this era for sure.

 

[intlzncster]

Plenty of good hitters playing now, in fact a couple of the best hitters ever are still playing.

I know what you're saying, MLB seems to have changed like the NBA has. Long ball is exciting and accounts for at least 1 run as opposed to a single or double so players are putting more loft in their swing. Same goes for the the 3 ball in the NBA. More value has been placed on it and future earning power is tied in. It's all cyclical. During the steroid era I'm sure people didn't think there would be so few .300 hitters now and so many no hitters.

It's even changed from a teaching perspective. With all the tech now, hitting coaches are focusing on launch angles and looking at exit velocity. They are trying to optimize homerun hitting.

Makes sense not just from a PR standpoint, but a strategy standpoint as well. On the one side you need to string together multiple hits to manufacture runs. On the other, one swing gives you runs.

 

[jibsey]

Both teams will be in it all summer and fall. This series proved that.

Should be a fun one to watch.

Not necessarily

 

[Tenspro2002]

It's even changed from a teaching perspective. With all the tech now, hitting coaches are focusing on launch angles and looking at exit velocity. They are trying to optimize homerun hitting.

Makes sense not just from a PR standpoint, but a strategy standpoint as well. On the one side you need to string together multiple hits to manufacture runs. On the other, one swing gives you runs.

It's not just that home runs are good, it's that ground balls are bad. If you hit the ball on the ground, you're getting maybe 1 base, possibly 2 if you place it exactly right. Most outcomes are bad -- double plays, failure to get the runner home from 3rd with less than 2 outs.

If you try to hit it in the air, you'll fly out or pop out more, but you'll also hit for extra bases more whether out of the park or not, and you'll also improve your chances of a sac fly, etc.

 

[mauconnfan]

Plenty of good hitters playing now, in fact a couple of the best hitters ever are still playing.

I know what you're saying, MLB seems to have changed like the NBA has. Long ball is exciting and accounts for at least 1 run as opposed to a single or double so players are putting more loft in their swing. Same goes for the the 3 ball in the NBA. More value has been placed on it and future earning power is tied in. It's all cyclical. During the steroid era I'm sure people didn't think there would be so few .300 hitters now and so many no hitters.

Yeah both MLB and NBA like the long ball and ,market it therefore the kids growing up are thinking that's the way. Heck they even advertised for a kids Home Run contact the other night on ESPN during the Yanks Sox game, I mean LL and young teens, that's not a good thing from my viewpoint but again things have changed.

Saw a stat a week or 2 ago where in all of MLB there were more K's than hits through that point of the year. That's a horrific stat for an old baseball guy like me and shows the change in philosophy overall in the game is not very good. But who's to argue, it's selling right now and because the players hit like they do baseball is smart in making the ball work to it's focus.

 

[intlzncster]

It's not just that home runs are good, it's that ground balls are bad. If you hit the ball on the ground, you're getting maybe 1 base, possibly 2 if you place it exactly right. Most outcomes are bad -- double plays, failure to get the runner home from 3rd with less than 2 outs.

If you try to hit it in the air, you'll fly out or pop out more, but you'll also hit for extra bases more whether out of the park or not, and you'll also improve your chances of a sac fly, etc.

Exactly. I should have said hitting coaches are focused on driving the ball (rather than HR specifically), over pure contact.

 

[the Q]

That's cool I played baseball too wish I worked a lot harder in high school and college but had fun nonetheless greatest game ever basketball is a close second

Yes it is. And nothing is close.

Baseball has the mental brutality of world class chess, the precision of gold and the fast twitch muscles of Olympic Weight lifting.

The chess match was my favorite part. I knew the pitchers better than they knew themselves after one time through the order.

 

[the Q]

Yeah both MLB and NBA like the long ball and ,market it therefore the kids growing up are thinking that's the way. Heck they even advertised for a kids Home Run contact the other night on ESPN during the Yanks Sox game, I mean LL and young teens, that's not a good thing from my viewpoint but again things have changed.

Saw a stat a week or 2 ago where in all of MLB there were more K's than hits through that point of the year. That's a horrific stat for an old baseball guy like me and shows the change in philosophy overall in the game is not very good. But who's to argue, it's selling right now and because the players hit like they do baseball is smart in making the ball work to it's focus.

But it’s alsk a big concern. Baseball is having less action than ever before. And the games aren’t getting shorter anyway.

But people will live with shootouts. I don’t recall many complaints about the game 5 of the WS. And if that game started at 7pm instead of 830 there would’ve been zero complaints.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Exactly. I should have said hitting coaches are focused on driving the ball (rather than HR specifically), over pure contact.

Hitting it hard is good. That's been known forever.

What's new is the idea that hitting it hard on the ground is a waste, and hitting it hard in the air is much, much better.