Dumb baseball questions.

Fine Vol · 06-25-2008, 02:12 PM

1. Does a pitcher know what the weakness of every player he faces? IE this batter hated high fast ball ect....

2. Why pull Johnathan P. just because he gave up a run and now your down 1 run? He has only played 1 inning?

3.Who do you think is the best offensive team in baseball?

doozer · 06-25-2008, 02:16 PM

baseball is the most stat driven sport. pitchers and batters know everything about each other.

volfanbill · 06-25-2008, 02:19 PM

1. The good ones know. They may not have it memorized, but they keep a notebook of some sort with all that information. Surprisingly most catchers know as well. I would even say some catchers know more than some pitchers.

2. This is my opinion, but I'm sure it will vary (cue vercin). Papelbon is now programmed to pitch in game winning situations so he would be out of his element. Also you want Papelbon to be able to pitch in every save opportunity possible, so you don't want to tire out his arm. He's also been programmed that at most you get two innings out of him. Trying to stretch him out for longer is too much of a gamble for most managers to make.

3. Texas believe it or not. They rank in the top 3 in just about every offensive category that I'd be concerned with as a team. First in runs and SLG %, second in batting average and third in OBP %.

volfanbill · 06-25-2008, 02:23 PM

i will add it's too bad for texas that their team pitching ranks near or at the bottom of just about every pitching category I'd be concerned with.

(ok ok, as an A's fan I really don't sympathize for Texas too much).

Fine Vol · 06-25-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volfanbill

1. The good ones know. They may not have it memorized, but they keep a notebook of some sort with all that information. Surprisingly most catchers know as well. I would even say some catchers know more than some pitchers.

2. This is my opinion, but I'm sure it will vary (cue vercin). Papelbon is now programmed to pitch in game winning situations so he would be out of his element. Also you want Papelbon to be able to pitch in every save opportunity possible, so you don't want to tire out his arm. He's also been programmed that at most you get two innings out of him. Trying to stretch him out for longer is too much of a gamble for most managers to make.

3. Texas believe it or not. They rank in the top 3 in just about every offensive category that I'd be concerned with as a team. First in runs and SLG %, second in batting average and third in OBP %.

Thanks good post.

**vols kick balls** · 06-25-2008, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volfanbill

1. The good ones know. They may not have it memorized, but they keep a notebook of some sort with all that information. Surprisingly most catchers know as well. I would even say some catchers know more than some pitchers.

2. This is my opinion, but I'm sure it will vary (cue vercin). Papelbon is now programmed to pitch in game winning situations so he would be out of his element. Also you want Papelbon to be able to pitch in every save opportunity possible, so you don't want to tire out his arm. He's also been programmed that at most you get two innings out of him. Trying to stretch him out for longer is too much of a gamble for most managers to make.

3. Texas believe it or not. They rank in the top 3 in just about every offensive category that I'd be concerned with as a team. First in runs and SLG %, second in batting average and third in OBP %.

#3 is good long as Hamilton isn't out too long.

MG1968 · 06-25-2008, 03:23 PM

I have a dumb baseball question.

If a walk doesn't count as an at bat, why does a walk with the bases loaded give the batter an RBI?

volfanbill · 06-25-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vols kick balls

#3 is good long as Hamilton isn't out too long.

I think with the seasons Bradley, Young, Murphy and Kinsler are having should keep Texas' offense going. If the Texas top of the order doesn't slow down, Hamilton might get 200 ribbies this year assuming he doesn't miss a lot of time with this knee thing.

OrangeWilly · 06-25-2008, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MG1968

I have a dumb baseball question.

If a walk doesn't count as an at bat, why does a walk with the bases loaded give the batter an RBI?

A walk doesnt count as an AB because you cant punish the hitter for the pitcher not being able to throw strikes...You do award the hitter an RBI based on the hitters merit for drawing the walk, just a rule.

A BB does not count as an AB but it does count as a plate appearance. Its interesting that if a hitter has a consecutive game hit streak and walks four times the hit streak is still intact.

UTLCA · 06-25-2008, 04:12 PM

For some reason I don't think it does.

volfanbill · 06-25-2008, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UTLCA

For some reason I don't think it does.

if you draw a walk with the bases loaded, you are credited with an RBI. If you don't have any official at bats during a game, your hit streak continues. However, I'm not quite sure what "it" in your statement actually means. Willy is right on all accounts.

doozer · 06-25-2008, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volfanbill

I think with the seasons Bradley, Young, Murphy and Kinsler are having should keep Texas' offense going. If the Texas top of the order doesn't slow down, Hamilton might get 200 ribbies this year assuming he doesn't miss a lot of time with this knee thing.

Bradley is a bit banged up himself right now. although it doesn't appear to be serious, he's been playing in a limited role.

Vercingetorix · 06-25-2008, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by volfanbill

2. This is my opinion, but I'm sure it will vary (cue vercin). Papelbon is now programmed to pitch in game winning situations so he would be out of his element. Also you want Papelbon to be able to pitch in every save opportunity possible, so you don't want to tire out his arm. He's also been programmed that at most you get two innings out of him. Trying to stretch him out for longer is too much of a gamble for most managers to make..

Bill certainly knows how I think...

He's right; modern relievers (and especially closers) have been so conditioned to go one inning at a time that using them for more than that is somewhat of a gamble. The modern method of running a bullpen is basically to use as many guys as it takes, one inning at a time, saving the closer only for Save Situations and bringing in LOOGYs (Lefty One Out Guys) as needed. I think it's a dumb way to go about it, primarily because it's letting an arbitrary statistic (the save) determine when and how you use your best reliever. If I were a manager, I'd use my closer in all sorts of situations -- late and tied, two on and nobody out in the 6th inning of a one-run game, 8th inning but the heart of the order coming up, etc. But managers inevitably leave the closer on the bench when the game's on the line, waiting for a save situation that may or may not happen.

volfanbill · 06-25-2008, 08:54 PM

i just knew that would be a subject you would love to chime in on.

I think it goes beyond just the bench managers and coaches and since the "invention of the closer", the closer only feels comfortable in those end of game, pick up the save situations. I'm not a fan of how it's done either, it just is what it is.

OrangeWilly · 06-25-2008, 09:04 PM

This is a weird rule to me, but I understand why it is the way it is.

When the pitcher makes a fielding or throwing error which results in un-earned runs charged to himself.

I understand that when the ball leaves the pitchers hand he becomes the 9th fielder...but it just would seem to me that if the pitcher is the one that commits the error then the runs should be charged to him as earned runs since he had control of the play in question. It just has never made sense to me.

Any thoughts on this?