Navybuttons Thoughts On Baseball

[navybuttons 15]

My intuition against a batter like guerrero may have been the exact opposite where he's the kind of batter it's terrible to give a free ball against.

 

my brain isn't working trying to solve this.

[CobaltBlue 662]

I think I've brought it up before...but I always wondered if it'd be possible to pull a trick play that would basically be an intentional wild pitch. It may be impractical...but the idea being that if you had the right kind of backstop and had practiced it enough...you could intentionally get a rebound that allowed you to tag a out a runner at third that's going for the plate. It may just be too risky to try it, but I think if successful, it could dissuade runners a bit in the future.

[The Machine 210]

Ok, so I was looking for this gif regarding what Cobalt said:

 

 

when I came across this gif:

 

 

and now I need to know what happened on the next pitch.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

Another thing that may or may not be worth mentioning is that catchers have been known to talk a lot of shit to batters, which I would imagine could be pretty disruptive. But I think it was in Baseball Between the Numbers where they did a pretty convincing job of demonstrating that catchers don't really have any ability to effect the pitcher/batter match up, and that their value is only variable in catching runners and stopping balls. I think the myth they were concerned with was a catcher's ability to "handle" pitchers, but unless I'm missing something it should also suggest that no one is meaningfully shit-talking anyone into a worse hitter.

 

To me, this is sort of more of a case for your thought, "I think shows that at the highest levels it's extremely difficult to rattle competitors."

[NickCave 194]

NavyButtons was obviously revenge-trolling but I still want to talk about baseball theory. I AM SO TORN

[navybuttons 15]

oh, bumout.

[The Machine 210]

But I think it was in Baseball Between the Numbers where they did a pretty convincing job of demonstrating that catchers don't really have any ability to effect the pitcher/batter match up, and that their value is only variable in catching runners and stopping balls. I think the myth they were concerned with was a catcher's ability to "handle" pitchers, but unless I'm missing something it should also suggest that no one is meaningfully shit-talking anyone into a worse hitter.

 

Pitch framing. Fan Graphs has done some good stuff about the effects of it and who does it well.

[NickCave 194]

Pitch framing. Fan Graphs has done some good stuff about the effects of it and who does it well.

 

Yeah, somehow it turns out maybe catchers are more important than pitchers. Bengie Molina is like Bonds.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

Interesting. Link(s)?

[The Machine 210]

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/on-framing-and-pitching-in-the-zone/

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/all-star-break-pitch-framing-update/

 

There's more if you search it out.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

Thanks. I guess I shouldn't get my information from a ten-year-old article.

[The Machine 210]

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

They really need to get rid of the officials and just track these things digitally. I don't know if I really think that, but baseball fans would lose their ****ing twats, so it's my new pet cause.

[The Machine 210]

I do think the strike zone shouldn't be called by humans anymore. You would still have an umpire back there for hit batters, foul tips, stepping out of the batter's box, etc., so the union wouldn't complain about loss of jobs.

 

How quickly could the strike zone box relay a signal to the umpire to say if it's a strike? Like he wears a buzzer and it buzzes for every pitch in the strike zone. The umpire would still be back there giving the strike call and the emphatic strike three calls, but the only difference is that he isn't the one making the determination.

[NickCave 194]

I do think the strike zone shouldn't be called by humans anymore. You would still have an umpire back there for hit batters, foul tips, stepping out of the batter's box, etc., so the union wouldn't complain about loss of jobs.

 

How quickly could the strike zone box relay a signal to the umpire to say if it's a strike? Like he wears a buzzer and it buzzes for every pitch in the strike zone. The umpire would still be back there giving the strike call and the emphatic strike three calls, but the only difference is that he isn't the one making the determination.

 

100% this forever. Zero judgment. Perfection.

[David_Sklansky 1,903]

I'm glad we all agree, but some haters better show up soon or I'm going to have to swing back the other way.

[The Machine 210]

Oh look, a new article about the strike zone, specifically the "lefty strike."

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-changing-reality-of-the-lefty-strike/

 

 

That box to the left is off the plate.

[CobaltBlue 662]

I might've mentioned it on here before, but I don't understand why this isn't happening.

 

Found an article a few years ago that suggested starting a better offensive player in the three-spot during an away game to give him an at-bat, then immediately sub for him defensively in the bottom of the inning. Then there was follow-up discussion...

 

"Well, the hypothetical that the guy in the article posits is that in away games against a RHP, the Braves could start Eric Hinske at SS and batting third. They note that he's not capable of playing shortstop, but that doesn't matter, since he'll never have to play defense. They'd sub Alex Gonzalez into SS in the bottom of the inning. Gonzalez isn't going to be as big of an offensive threat, but he's our natural SS.

 

Basically, he says this: 'Eric Hinske is, of course, incapable of playing SS. But he won’t ever see the field if used in this manner, rather he’ll be subbed for Alex Gonzalez once the team has to play defense. Alex Gonzalez becomes the 12th Atlanta hitter of the game, increasing his ratio of defensive innings to plate appearances. You lose a few runs by having Gonzalez hit higher in the batting order during the rest of the trips through it, but you gain even more by replacing 60 or so of Gonzalez’s PA’s with those of Hinske (and a few of Hinske’s PA’s go to the next pinch-hitter, Joe Mather I assume).'

 

Someone brought up the problem of burning your best PH in the first inning in a situation that might not be a great scoring opportunity...but then someone had an absolutely awesome creative solution in the comments...

 

'Take it one step further:

Pencil the previous day’s starting pitcher into the lineup at SS batting third, then when his spot comes up decide if you want to use your pinch hitter (runner in scoring position, 1 out) or your defensive guy (bases empty, 2 out).'

 

That would be really awesome."

 

Like, why hasn't someone like Maddon done this?

[The Machine 210]

But now you've got your 6th or 8th or whatever best hitter batting 3rd.

 

It's an interesting idea for a team like the Red Sox playing in a NL park when they weren't planning on playing Ortiz in the field.

[The Machine 210]

[The Machine 210]

The season's worst called balls, or why catchers matter to balls and strikes.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-seasons-five-worst-called-balls/

 

This pitch was 1.5 inches from the center of the strike zone.

 

[CobaltBlue 662]

But now you've got your 6th or 8th or whatever best hitter batting 3rd.

Once you start flowing through the lineup, I'm not sure how much that matters. Like, he's not going to start coming up 3rd every inning.

[mrdannyg 274]

I might've mentioned it on here before, but I don't understand why this isn't happening.

 

Found an article a few years ago that suggested starting a better offensive player in the three-spot during an away game to give him an at-bat, then immediately sub for him defensively in the bottom of the inning. Then there was follow-up discussion...

 

"Well, the hypothetical that the guy in the article posits is that in away games against a RHP, the Braves could start Eric Hinske at SS and batting third. They note that he's not capable of playing shortstop, but that doesn't matter, since he'll never have to play defense. They'd sub Alex Gonzalez into SS in the bottom of the inning. Gonzalez isn't going to be as big of an offensive threat, but he's our natural SS.

 

Basically, he says this: 'Eric Hinske is, of course, incapable of playing SS. But he won’t ever see the field if used in this manner, rather he’ll be subbed for Alex Gonzalez once the team has to play defense. Alex Gonzalez becomes the 12th Atlanta hitter of the game, increasing his ratio of defensive innings to plate appearances. You lose a few runs by having Gonzalez hit higher in the batting order during the rest of the trips through it, but you gain even more by replacing 60 or so of Gonzalez’s PA’s with those of Hinske (and a few of Hinske’s PA’s go to the next pinch-hitter, Joe Mather I assume).'

 

Someone brought up the problem of burning your best PH in the first inning in a situation that might not be a great scoring opportunity...but then someone had an absolutely awesome creative solution in the comments...

 

'Take it one step further:

Pencil the previous day’s starting pitcher into the lineup at SS batting third, then when his spot comes up decide if you want to use your pinch hitter (runner in scoring position, 1 out) or your defensive guy (bases empty, 2 out).'

 

That would be really awesome."

 

Like, why hasn't someone like Maddon done this?

 

Other than that they'd probably put in a 'fair play' rule of some sort (or maybe already has one) that prevents a situation like this, I love it. Love it so much. Strat-o-matic guys should take note too!

[NickCave 194]

Well, one of the problems is, whomever your usual #3 (or #2 or whatever) is, he's getting pushed down in the lineup (as is everyone else), taking ABs away from your best hitters and giving them to a guy who has pinch hit or platoon talent.

[The Machine 210]

Once you start flowing through the lineup, I'm not sure how much that matters. Like, he's not going to start coming up 3rd every inning.

Well, one of the problems is, whomever your usual #3 (or #2 or whatever) is, he's getting pushed down in the lineup (as is everyone else), taking ABs away from your best hitters and giving them to a guy who has pinch hit or platoon talent.

 

Right, lineup construction is simple. You want your best hitters batting the most times. Traditionally your best hitters hits 3rd, but now the analytics crowd is saying he should really be hitting 2nd, even if he's a power guy.

 

I think he was probably put in the 3rd slot originally because RBI's. You need that guy after a couple batters so he can drive in runs. But like you said, once you start flowing through the lineup, it doesn't matter as much. Get him up earlier and more often.