2015-2016 Hot Stove League

[Dan Gould]

9 hours ago, JSngry said:

 

Back in the real world, though, how many days until pitchers and catcher report is it now?

I think its right around Feb 20, maybe the 22nd.

[Tim McG]

Compared to guys who hit every day, you bet...it totally sucks. No argument here.

But my point isn't about comparing hitters to pitchers. I am speaking of the unknown intangibles which come with a guy at the plate who teams know very little about relative to hitting. Tim Lincecum, for example,  had a terrible OBP and BA but could lay down a bunt with the best of them. That moves the runners along. Plus, on very rare occasion, he could hit one or two out of the IF even for a HR. That is a real weapon IMHO and keeps defenses on their toes. Who knows what good can happen when the seemingly lowly pitcher comes to bat?

That is what makes the game exciting for me.

Besides, couldn't the same be said of the 7, 8 and 9 hole hitters whose BAs tend to be in the dumper?

Edited February 10, 2016 by Tim McG

[Scott Dolan]

No.

And once more, don't worry about AVG, just worry about OBP. Our 7-9 guys last year: .287, .280, and .311. Not great OBPs, but still FAR better than all but one (.283) of the top 50 pitchers in ABs last year. 

Conversely, 35 of the top 50 had OBPs under .200. 

Or, as you eloquently put it:

32 minutes ago, Tim McG said:

Compared to guys who hit every day, you bet...it totally sucks. No argument here.

No, no argument at all. 

Edited February 10, 2016 by Scott Dolan

[Tim McG]

Fair enough.

[JSngry]

Pitchers bunting...ask yourself this - if it's a true bunting situation, wouldn't you call for a bunt anyway? Or is it a bunting situation simply because the pitcher is up and that's the best you can hope for out of him?

If it's the latter, one could make the case that having a pitcher hit actually dilutes the purity of strategy by forcing the offense to "settle" rather than go forward with the best available option. Ron Washington loved the bunt with the Rangers, Elvis Andrus batting second would bunt if Wash even half looked his way, sometimes to move the runner, sometimes to get on. It's a weapon to be sure, but it shouldn't be limited to pitchers, and it shouldn't be a "well, that's all we can do with this guy" thing either.

Now don't get me started on the decline of bunting skills in all players, that's a whole 'nother subject right there, and....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Tim McG]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Pitchers bunting...ask yourself this - if it's a true bunting situation, wouldn't you call for a bunt anyway? Or is it a bunting situation simply because the pitcher is up and that's the best you can hope for out of him?

If it's the latter, one could make the case that having a pitcher hit actually dilutes the purity of strategy by forcing the offense to "settle" rather than go forward with the best available option. Ron Washington loved the bunt with the Rangers, Elvis Andrus batting second would bunt if Wash even half looked his way, sometimes to move the runner, sometimes to get on. It's a weapon to be sure, but it shouldn't be limited to pitchers, and it shouldn't be a "well, that's all we can do with this guy" thing either.

Now don't get me started on the decline of bunting skills in all players, that's a whole 'nother subject right there, and....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I think you can make the very same argument for a hitter who is in a slump. But here again, the pitcher could swing away or hit a SAC fly or whatever,

 too. It adds a certain unknown to the baseball equation.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Tim McG

[JSngry]

Dude, as we've seen, the mere presence of birds in the stadium adds a certain unknown to the baseball equation!

[Scott Dolan]

1 hour ago, Tim McG said:

I think you can make the very same argument for a hitter who is in a slump. But here again, the pitcher could swing away or hit a SAC fly or whatever,

 too. It adds a certain unknown to the baseball equation.

Tim, everything about baseball is a relative unknown. If it weren't, they wouldn't bother playing the games. 

But just like in football where you want your QB throwing the ball, your RB running the ball, your O-lineman blocking for the aforementioned players, etc...

You want to use your hitters to hit, and your pitchers to pitch. That's why you acquired them in the first place. It's their respective jobs. 

Either way, keep the rules as they are. Then when you play on our fields you can play using our rules. And when we come to your fields, we'll be forced to play by yours. 

[Tim McG]

Forced? Nah. Privileged...to play the game as it was meant to be played. 

Just sayin'. 

 

[JSngry]

"Remember Tony Phillips", today a statement rather than a question.

http://www.lonestarball.com/2016/2/19/11065162/tony-phillips-former-major-leaguer-has-died-at-the-age-of-56