OT Jackie BradleyJr

[BigErnMcCracken]

It should be a well played series. I'll watch. But I'll be rooting for the mid-budget ($157 mill) Dodgers from the league that still plays real baseball!

honestly, I like that you seem so bothered by this.

 

[tentoes4rings]

If you have to ask, then you're part of the problem. Not dissimilar to the 1% demanding tax cuts.

Recognize your good fortune. Enjoy it. But be aware that you've been put into an advantageous position that benefits your chosen club as without it, your team likely wouldn't be in playing right now.

You can’t be serious. Because of a ruling on one play, you’re concluding the Sox wouldn’t be playing now if the call was reversed? You do realize I hope that EVEN with the two runs there’s no guarantee Houston wins that game and with a win that night AND last night the series would still be going back to Boston. Take off your Red Sox hatred glasses and try to write something that remotely makes sense.

 

[storrsroars]

You can’t be serious. Because of a ruling on one play, you’re concluding the Sox wouldn’t be playing now if the call was reversed? You do realize I hope that EVEN with the two runs there’s no guarantee Houston wins that game and with a win that night AND last night the series would still be going back to Boston. Take off your Red Sox hatred glasses and try to write something that remotely makes sense.

I wasn't talking about that play in regards to the Sox still playing. That was about MLB economics. But thanks for your constructive comments and contribution to the conversation.

 

[Husky25]

The lesson as always? I'm an idiot (in the 2004 Red Sox meaning of the term)...

I got my 6 innings out of Price, it was a gem, and Verlander won't be pitching that bridge inning in game 7.

Of course Guccioni's strike zone was all over the place, but the Astros were pressing way too much and Boston turned out to be the better all around team.

 

[storrsroars]

honestly, I like that you seem so bothered by this.

Which part, the DH/non-DH or the lack of a salary cap?

 

[the Q]

That analogy might work if there were a competing league that played 3 on 3. Which could actually be fun to watch at a pro level. In those rare instances where you end up with 4 on 4 in hockey (including goalies), it's entertaining.



What reference?

I'm an old fart. But I do believe in advanced metrics for the most part.

There was a 90s commercial with the Braves pitchers with the tag line “chicks dig the long ball”

 

[the Q]

Which part, the Dan Hurley/non-Dan Hurley or the lack of a salary cap?

I’m again caps and “investing in your product” taxes (credit: Joe Sheehan)

 

[intlzncster]

So you're a chick?

In the NL, pitchers came to bat 4805 times during 2018. There are 15 teams. 162 games. That's 1.977 plate appearances per game by pitchers per team. Less than two. Since complete games are all but meaningless these days, the last 4-5 innings you'll generally see pinch hitters instead of pitchers at the plate.

fwiw, over the past three years, the difference between AL offense output and NL offense output is negligible.

That's 4805 at-bats nobody wants to see. Well, minus a few cause there's a couple guys who rake.

And the whole 'strategy' thing is dumb. The strategy it so basic it's practicially jr high logic problem. The most average of programmers could write a program that would nail the right choice 95% of the time.

Even more importantly, I don't want my pitcher having ANY extra opportunity to get hurt. That alone is a perfect reason to install the D H. Too much money is wrapped up in these guys to risk it. It's like putting your quarterback on the kicking team.

 

[intlzncster]

1) yeah pitchers hitting is abysmal. They are so mad and so many bench players are wasted on useless pinch hitting solely because of it.

People using bumgarner to try and justify it need to realize bumgarner isn’t a good hitter either. He’s pretty bad too.

2) I’m happy that someone else besides me got hit with the dan hurley autocorrect for the designated hitter.

One of, if not the, only guy I wanna see hit consistently would be Ohtani.

It's weird being excited for an automatic out.

 

[tzznandrew]

Count me with those who think the DH is stupid and that the NL should keep its rules.

I don't think it's at all a problem for the WS, and it necessitates interesting adjustments.

I'm not against innovations. I love modern stats. I also think, though, that we should be working to keep the game fast moving and not entirely based on the HR. Baseball games that are all strike-outs and HRs are about are boring relative to games that allow rallies to build and force managers to make interesting choices.

 

[the Q]

Count me with those who think the Dan Hurley is stupid and that the NL should keep its rules.

I don't think it's at all a problem for the WS, and it necessitates interesting adjustments.

I'm not against innovations. I love modern stats. I also think, though, that we should be working to keep the game fast moving and not entirely based on the HR. Baseball games that are all strike-outs and HRs are about are boring relative to games that allow rallies to build and force managers to make interesting choices.

Small ball is not coming back. It’s mathematically inefficient compared to today’s game.

You will some adjustments as teams try to adjust to the modern offensive tactics. But you’re not going back to the 80s royals

 

[the Q]

One of, if not the, only guy I wanna see hit consistently would be Ohtani.

It's weird being excited for an automatic out.

Ohtani is the best lh hitter in the al.

That’s just amazing. But he was also a superstar hitter in Japan. He is a legit generational talent.

 

[the Q]

Count me with those who think the Dan Hurley is stupid and that the NL should keep its rules.

I don't think it's at all a problem for the WS, and it necessitates interesting adjustments.

I'm not against innovations. I love modern stats. I also think, though, that we should be working to keep the game fast moving and not entirely based on the HR. Baseball games that are all strike-outs and HRs are about are boring relative to games that allow rallies to build and force managers to make interesting choices.

I also don’t want pitchers hurting themselves running the bases or hitting.

Steven Wright’s career has been seriously derailed because of NL ball.

And chin Mieng wangs career was destroyed by it.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm not against innovations. I love modern stats. I also think, though, that we should be working to keep the game fast moving and not entirely based on the HR. Baseball games that are all strike-outs and HRs are about are boring relative to games that allow rallies to build and force managers to make interesting choices.

I agree with this part, but what can you do? Advanced stats favor homers/launch angle vs stringing together multiple base hits.

Having a pitcher in there doesn't change this. It only adds a virtual automatic out.

The only thing I can think of is make ball parks bigger.

And fwiw, multiple base hits/runners makes for longer games than the occasional dinger.

 

[the Q]

I agree with this part, but what can you do? Advanced stats favor homers/launch angle vs stringing together multiple base hits.

Having a pitcher in there doesn't change this. It only adds a virtual automatic out.

The only thing I can think of is make ball parks bigger.

And fwiw, multiple base hits/runners makes for longer games than the occasional dinger.

The problem with baseball is not longer games imo.

Baseball ratings and attendance took off with the “steroid era” (although 4 expansion teams in less than a decade was just as big of a factor, if not moreso).

It’s more about the strikeouts and less action going on. Shrinking the strike zone is something that would increase action but destroy pitching staffs.

 

[August_West]

Even Bill Belichick consulting with Houston couldnt stop the Sawks!

 

[Husky25]

Even Bill Belichick consulting with Houston couldnt stop the Sawks!

The Patriots' defense isn't that good to begin with.

 

[tzznandrew]

Small ball is not coming back. It’s mathematically inefficient compared to today’s game.

You will some adjustments as teams try to adjust to the modern offensive tactics. But you’re not going back to the 80s royals

I don't care about whether or not it is efficient. I care about whether it is exciting. You can make it "efficient" by, say, limiting the total number of pitching changes a team can make in a game. Or by making rules that change the calculus around the shift. Things like that.

Having the pitcher up changes how offenses function around the fact that there is a near automatic out. It introduces a different strategy.

 

[tzznandrew]

I also don’t want pitchers hurting themselves running the bases or hitting.

Steven Wright’s career has been seriously derailed because of NL ball.

And chin Mieng wangs career was destroyed by it.

That doesn't bother me. I mean, I feel bad for them, for sure, but all sorts of people get hurt running the bases. Catchers do to. Great defensive specialists in the outfield. The game isn't and shouldn't be like football, where you have specialists on each side of the ball.

But, fine, we have the designated hitter in the AL. At least leave it out of the NL.

 

[storrsroars]

There was a 90s commercial with the Braves pitchers with the tag line “chicks dig the long ball”

I thought you were referring to something else being a pop culture reference.

That one I got. Not sure why that was even in question. I just asked if the person posing the question was a chick.

I also don’t want pitchers hurting themselves running the bases or hitting.

Steven Wright’s career has been seriously derailed because of NL ball.

And chin Mieng wangs career was destroyed by it.

Kerry Wood's and Mark Prior's pitching careers were destroyed by actual pitching.

The game you want looks more like Home Run Derby than baseball.

When stats eventually show that the Rays and A's were onto something in using openers and no pitcher faces a lineup a third time, guess what, no no-hitters, no perfectos. That certainly takes away from the game. No bunting, no stealing... if you were in charge, this would become a game not worth watching. And that doesn't even begin to account for market size creating huge economic advantages for very few teams who are the Alabamas of MLB, effectively relegating half the league to current UConn football status.

Why not just go all Soviet in your game. You can field at 10 years old. You're a shortstop. You go to ballet class for the next 10 years. Another kid can hit long balls. He's a DH. Send him to Ivan Drago camp till he's 20.

I love much of what sabremetrics has brought. It makes arguing about baseball more fun. But so much of it is still not predictive or even necessary useful. There are huge flaws in defensive metrics and still somewhat in pitching. And baseball, like all sports, is a copycat league. If a team finds success in stringing together at bats and scoring enough to make the postseason, guess what - other teams will analyze that and copy it. Baseball is very cyclical that way. Pitching is dominant until it's not. One year it's bullpens are the rage. Next it's put your best hitter at #2. Until that year when many of the #2s have slumps and throw off the numbers.

If you can't freaking run or carry out basic things like swinging a bat without hurting yourself, guess what - that's on you, your preparation and your training staff. No "athlete" should be allowed to use your examples as excuses. Cripes, even Bartolo Colon can swing a bat and get around the bases and live to tell about it.

 

[Husky25]

I like the different rules if only for this same argument at World Series time. Every. Single. Year.

By and Large, the 9th batter in a National League lineup playing in American League park is still virtually an automatic out. National League teams don't typically build their team with a Designated Hitter in mind. They insert a Punch & Judy utility guy and call it a day.

The real strategy is actually on the AL team playing in the National League park. For instance, from 2004-2013 (and until he retired). The Red Sox had a decision of when they would sacrifice David Ortiz's bat, but also how to keep a players like Youk, Nappoli, or Millar on the field for their defense. This year, the Sox have an issue in the outfield. Back at the beginning of August, the choice was simple if they got this far. Jackie Bradley Jr. sits, Betts moves to center, and Martinez plays right. JBJ's .282 average since the All-Star Break and his ALCS MVP has presented Alex Cora with something of a dilemma.

 

[storrsroars]

I like the different rules if only for this same argument at World Series time. Every. Single. Year.

Excellent point. I do love a good argument.

By and Large, the 9th batter in a National League lineup playing in American League park is still virtually an automatic out. National League teams don't typically build their team with a Dan Hurley in mind. They insert a Punch & Judy utility guy and call it a day.

Depends on the team. There are generally only 10 games in regular season where an NL team would use a DH, but in Pirates case this year, those DHs accounted for a .349 OBP/.436 SLG/.785 OPS, which is better than the AL mean performance for DHs.

Some guys can't handle it as its an unfamiliar role with a specific mindset. OTOH, a guy like Kyle Schwarber and his .980 career OPS as a DH seem perfectly suited to it. Since he sucks as an OF, some AL team should grab that guy.

 

[the Q]

I don't care about whether or not it is efficient. I care about whether it is exciting. You can make it "efficient" by, say, limiting the total number of pitching changes a team can make in a game. Or by making rules that change the calculus around the shift. Things like that.

Having the pitcher up changes how offenses function around the fact that there is a near automatic out. It introduces a different strategy.

It induced bad baseball.

Pitchers hitting is bad baseball

 

[tzznandrew]

It induced bad baseball.

Pitchers hitting is bad baseball

Pitchers hitting is baseball. It's part of the definition of baseball for both leagues into the 1970s. That a pitcher isn't a good hitter is part of the tradeoff for having a good pitcher. It's like the strategy around players in the NBA who are great defensive players but bad shooters. Andre Roberson, for instance. Every league has this.

 

[storrsroars]

It induced bad baseball.

Pitchers hitting is bad baseball

Derek Jeter playing shortstop for his final five years was also bad baseball. Maybe he should've had a designated fielder.