2021 mlb playoffs

We were in the car the other day and my wife went to play her one of her favorite podcasts (Smartless) and the guest was Joe Buck, so I said, let's listen to something else.  And she said, what's wrong with Joe Buck?  And I really didn't have an answer. I said something about him trying to pump up the storyline of the day like it's the invasion of Normandy, but that could be any baseball duo on ESPN. I said it bugs me how every time a ball makes it through the zone without being crushed he says "Good Pitch" and "Good Swing" every time a guy takes a cut and fouls one off. But that was all I had, so I said, I don't know,  I just don't like the guy.

So what is it?  It can't be his hair or his height or his wife or whatever.  That's lame.  So is the daddy thing.  Nobody seems to mind the Albert family or Carey family. Why does everyone dislike Buck? 

BTW, McCarver was different. There were very good,  specific reasons not to want to hear him call a game. 

I don’t get why people hate Buck. A person can get hired because of a famous father. But a person doesn’t become the number one broadcaster (in two sports) because of his father. If an analyst is good the play by play guy is almost irrelevant. Buck works with two of the best in Smoltz and Aikman.

When an analyst is bad the broadcast is bad. Jerry Remy is an example of a bad analyst  He tells you what you just saw. He has no idea why it occurred. Plus his hitting philosophy goes back to the 70’s and 80’s as a banjo hitter. He couldn’t hit the ball out of the park if he retrieved the ball,  picked it up and hit it again (seven career homers, only 140 career doubles)

Kevin Harlan is a noticeably horrible play by play guy because he tries to make ordinary plays sound like big play excitement based on their potential rather than actual result.

So should Snitker have pulled Anderson after 5 no-hit innings?  Obviously it worked.

Interesting strike zone tonight.

Without being results-oriented:

- 39/37 strikes to balls

- Only 1 really clean inning

- Have a lead and an locked-in pen that very likely can secure that win

- Need him rested as much as possible for a possible game 7

With all that in mind, it’s the correct call imo.  

@PTWood posted:

Interesting strike zone tonight.

Interesting would be one word. You are being kind.

Trying not to get banned. 😂

A sign of analytics going too far (and replacing good common sense) is the Astros batting starting pitcher Zach Grienke in the 8 hole in a must win World Series game. There is no world where that makes sense. Front office decisions like this that are being forced down a manager’s throat are driving good baseball men out of the game. I’m looking forward to seeing spineless Rob Manfred present a World Series trophy to the Braves after woking them out of hosting the All Star game.

@PTWood posted:

Interesting strike zone tonight.

Glad to see many noticed the extremely tight strike zone last night especially on the inside part of the plate.   I found myself scoffing at the TV (regarding the umpires) last night and I really don't care who wins the World Series.   If I was a fan of either team, I would have lost my mind.

I'm really done with the home plate umpiring in these playoffs.  Some will argue that if every pitcher gets squeezed by the home plate umpire that is fair.  My response is no, they are to enforce the strike zone set by MLB...no inserting your own personal strike zone when you feel like it.  These umpires have been calling balls and strikes all year.  They've seen hundreds of thousands of pitches, and that is the best they got.  Pathetic.

We can't bring the robo home plate/automated strike zone umpiring system in soon enough!  JMO.

@adbono posted:

A sign of analytics going too far (and replacing good common sense) is the Astros batting starting pitcher Zach Grienke in the 8 hole in a must win World Series game. There is no world where that makes sense. Front office decisions like this that are being forced down a manager’s throat are driving good baseball men out of the game. I’m looking forward to seeing spineless Rob Manfred present a World Series trophy to the Braves after woking them out of hosting the All Star game.

The world where it makes sense is the world where your catcher batted .179 in the regular season and is 3 for 37 in the post season coming into the game.  The dude couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.  

Greinke comes out and goes 1 for 2 and once he is pulled you know you will pinch hit for any reliever that comes up in the lineup. Hard to argue it wasn’t the right decision.

If you need one hit and your only two options are Grienke and Maldonado, who are you sending to the plate?  

Greinke career BA .225

Maldonado career BA .212

@22and25 posted:

The world where it makes sense is the world where your catcher batted .179 in the regular season and is 3 for 37 in the post season coming into the game.  The dude couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.  

Greinke comes out and goes 1 for 2 and once he is pulled you know you will pinch hit for any reliever that comes up in the lineup. Hard to argue it wasn’t the right decision.

If you need one hit and your only two options are Grienke and Maldonado, who are you sending to the plate?  

Greinke career BA .225

Maldonado career BA .212

I don’t agree with you and a minimal statistical difference doesn’t change my mind.

You are telling your catcher (the most important defensive position player) that you have no faith in him as a hitter- and you are doing it on the biggest of stages. Players are human beings after all and that kind of message would be deflating and embarrassing to any MLB catcher. And what do you gain for sending that message? A few % points of BA? It’s not worth it. That’s the kind of thing analytic nuts don’t get.

Here's the data on last night. Pretty terrible.

@adbono posted:

You are telling your catcher (the most important defensive position player) that you have no faith in him as a hitter- and you are doing it on the biggest of stages. Players are human beings after all and that kind of message would be deflating and embarrassing to any MLB catcher. And what do you gain for sending that message? A few % points of BA? It’s not worth it. That’s the kind of thing analytic nuts don’t get.

He is a human with feelings, seriously?  If he was as soft as you suggest I doubt he would still be behind the plate.  The guy has been hitting in the 9 hole and being pinch hit for late in games.  It’s amazing that He is a bonafide, confirmed, no doubt about it offensive liability.  The Astros know it, he knows it, his mom and dad know it, hell, the girl handing out Chase Visa applications in the concourse knows it.  You want to coddle him in game 4 of the World Series now so he doesn’t suddenly become sensitive about it?

If the Astros pull off a win and get back to Houston they should consider DH’ing for him and letting the pitchers hit in the AL park😂

@22and25 posted:

The world where it makes sense is the world where your catcher batted .179 in the regular season and is 3 for 37 in the post season coming into the game.  The dude couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat.  

Greinke comes out and goes 1 for 2 and once he is pulled you know you will pinch hit for any reliever that comes up in the lineup. Hard to argue it wasn’t the right decision.

If you need one hit and your only two options are Grienke and Maldonado, who are you sending to the plate?  

Greinke career BA .225

Maldonado career BA .212

Maldonado is probably still a better hitter than greinke, you have to factor in sample size plus greinkes Wrc+ as a hitter is 59 (very good for a pitcher but still about about billy Hamilton level) and Maldonado is at 73.

Greinke was a talented hitter in HS (hit like 450 with 20 bombs or so in his HS career) but he is 38 and has barely hit the last years as he played in the AL.

Maldonado isn't a good hitter but still the better decision than greinke because he got regular at bats the last years and not like 30 at bats a year or so like greinke.

@22and25 posted:

He is a human with feelings, seriously?  If he was as soft as you suggest I doubt he would still be behind the plate.  The guy has been hitting in the 9 hole and being pinch hit for late in games.  It’s amazing that He is a bonafide, confirmed, no doubt about it offensive liability.  The Astros know it, he knows it, his mom and dad know it, hell, the girl handing out Chase Visa applications in the concourse knows it.  You want to coddle him in game 4 of the World Series now so he doesn’t suddenly become sensitive about it?

If the Astros pull off a win and get back to Houston they should consider DH’ing for him and letting the pitchers hit in the AL park😂

Yeah, that’s a ridiculous take. I’m not interested in any further discussion. I suggest you tell a key employee in your business (assuming you are in a position to do that) that you have no confidence in him - and do it in front of his co-workers, friends & family and see how that affects his performance.

The pitcher batting 8th thing isn't about saying the pitcher hits better Than the 9 hitter.

It is about essentially getting a second lead of hitter in front of the top of the lineup. That is Because teams don't play classic leadoff guys anymore at 1 and 2 but now put power hitters at one and two, Sabermetrics says your best hitter should hit second and leadoff should be one of the best hitters.

The pitcher 8th also has a slight disadvantage in that you give the pitcher a bit more ABs (0.1 PAs more per game than in the 9th spot) but still some math guys say it's worth it because you rather strand the 6 and 7 hitter than the 1 and 2 hitter.

Cubs did that a whole year or so. And there is some math suggesting it is marginally better

https://grantland.com/the-tria...eighth-chicago-cubs/

It is not much though, lineup analysis tools say it is like 1/20th of a run per game or so (8 runs over 162 which is a little less than a win)

@adbono posted:

Yeah, that’s a ridiculous take. I’m not interested in any further discussion. I suggest you tell a key employee in your business (assuming you are in a position to do that) that you have no confidence in him - and do it in front of his co-workers, friends & family and see how that affects his performance.

I am a little surprised at your inability to disagree about something without taking your ball and going home.

I find your take just as ridiculous, but I am at least willing to argue my point without taking it personal or getting personal.

If Greinke plus two pinch hitters in the 8 hole gives you a better chance to win you go with that lineup.   If the only reason not to do that is because Maldonado is mentally soft he shouldn’t be back there at all.

Where do you stand on pinch hitting for Maldonado in the 7th and 8th inning which has been a regular practice?  Is he too soft for that as well?  If not, what’s the difference. Both say, “ we don’t think you can get it done”.

@22and25 posted:

I am a little surprised at your inability to disagree about something without taking your ball and going home.

I find your take just as ridiculous, but I am at least willing to argue my point without taking it personal or getting personal.

If Greinke plus two pinch hitters in the 8 hole gives you a better chance to win you go with that lineup.   If the only reason not to do that is because Maldonado is mentally soft he shouldn’t be back there at all.

Where do you stand on pinch hitting for Maldonado in the 7th and 8th inning which has been a regular practice?  Is he too soft for that as well?  If not, what’s the difference. Both say, “ we don’t think you can get it done”.

I have played and coached at the college level and you haven’t. My perspective is formed based on experiences that I have had that you haven’t had. You don’t have a good understanding of the mental aspect of sports - as evidenced by the position you are taking on this issue. It’s not about taking my ball and going home - it’s about the futility of continuing a discussion with someone that can’t acknowledge a valid point that they don’t understand. I’ve given you reasons to back up my position. Your argument is based on a few meaningless points of BA - as well discussed by Dominic. You are entitled to your opinion but I’m not interested in talking about with you any further.

You haven’t given a valid reason, you made a pathetic  appeal to authority. Your position is that you pitched a little in college, and kept your toe in the game since, so you are uniquely qualified among us here to comment on managerial decisions in the World Series.  Not only that but it is beneath you to even entertain the arguments of such neophytes.  Did we all miss something?  How many MLB games have you played in or coached?

You have exactly zero experience managing professional players or games, same as the rest of us here as far as I know much less making decisions about how to handle the mental game of a 10 year veteran player in the World Series. Yet you want to position yourself as some greater authority on how those decisions should be made.

What a load of faux ivory tower horseshit?  While your experience may add some minor weight to your opinion, and don’t get it wrong it’s exactly that, an opinion and nothing more, you don’t know anything more about how or why this decision was made than anyone else here. If you have convinced yourself that your level of baseball experience gives you some far superior insights on this particular subject you are living with a profound delusion of grandeur.

Wrong on just about every count, but that par for the course for you. Best of luck on your journey.

And not a single rational supported argument from you.  All ego and emotions from an “inner circle” poser, par for the course for you. Best of luck maintaining the facade.

That’s fine. I have met a lot of dads like you that think they know more than I do. You aren’t the first. Best of luck to your kids.

22

are watching the game? The Astros GM has no back up catchers. Why?

Catchers defense, knowledge of pitchers, ability to throw out runners are primary. Hitting is secondary. Seven hitters need to step up. Have you ever received the ML pitcher in the bull pen or fielded the ML hitters ground ball. It is a different game. Your reflex action need to increase 50%.

Bob

@adbono posted:

A sign of analytics going too far (and replacing good common sense) is the Astros batting starting pitcher Zach Grienke in the 8 hole in a must win World Series game. There is no world where that makes sense. Front office decisions like this that are being forced down a manager’s throat are driving good baseball men out of the game. I’m looking forward to seeing spineless Rob Manfred present a World Series trophy to the Braves after woking them out of hosting the All Star game.

Even dumber would be to use Grienke as a pinch hitter....

Adbono and 22&25

Interesting how a professional veteran player can play the game!!

Bob

This is why we Chop, lets go Braves!

*PS Don ever try to catch a ball with your face! (actual Braves game footage from years ago and I "think" I hear Joe Buck) LOL