There has been some talk recently about low home run rates in October being attributed to a de-juiced ball. I don't have any data on this claim, other than, allegedly, fly balls are travelling about four feet less in distance that the regular season ball.
I'm not sure how this would translate into home run totals, but there are a number of reasons why October HR totals would be lower simply because it is October. First, during the regular season every team plays every other team in the league. By definition, the average lineup faces the average pitching staff over the course of the season. For a playoff team, their lineup would face less than average pitching because their pitching is most likely above average and their lineup doesn't have to face their own pitching staff. But in October only the top third of teams play post season ball. Each lineup would face the top third of pitching staffs. As an example from this year, the Yankees set an all time record for HRs against another team, the Orioles. And the Orioles pitching staff set an all time record for giving up the most homers in a season.
But none of the Orioles pitchers are in the playoffs, so the Yankees won't be able to hit homers off of them. Additionally, playoff series have travel days during series and between series. And if a series does not go the full number of games, there are additional days off. Playoff teams can delete their least effective starters: their number five starters. If a team sweeps their division series, they can reset their rotation to their ace for game 1 of the LCS, skipping their number four starter.
In summary, only about the top 20% of pitching will be faced in the post season. This is why home run totals drop in October.
Showing posts with label Post Season. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Post Season. Show all posts
Monday, October 21, 2019
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Post-Season Wild Card Success
Recent baseball wisdom holds that wild-card teams can be more successful in the post-season than their division winning counterparts because they are usually the hotter team right at the end of the season. And, since more teams can be involved in a wild-card race than a division race, the team with the latest hot streak usually wins the wild-card. I've been thinking about wild-card teams a lot in the past several years, so I decided to do a study of wild-card teams in the post-season. The results were interesting.
There have been 18 post-seasons in the wild-card era; 1995-2012 (the strike in 1994 eliminated the first post-season with the wild-card format), with one wild-card team from each league. That totals 36 wild-card teams. For the sake of clarity, I'm only counting the wild-card team that won the one-game play-in for the 2012 season.
Overall, wild-card teams have won 34 post-season series and lost 31, for a .523 winning percentage of series. In the NL, the results have been even better: wild-card teams have a 20-15 series record, for a .571 winning percentage. If the Cardinals had won either of games 5, 6 or 7 against the Giants in the NLCS last year, that record would be 21-14, or a .600 winning percentage.
NL wild-card teams have fared better than AL teams overall, with NL teams going 10-8 in the NLDS compared to 9-9 for AL wild-cards in the ALDS. Those NL teams that make the NLCS have won a startling 70% of those, compared to only 33% in the AL. Wild-card teams have ten World Series appearances, winning 5 and losing five. The NL teams are 3-4 in the WS and AL teams are 2-1. One year, 2002, saw the two wild-card teams facing each other in the WS.
Looking at the data I compiled, it does seem true that the wild-card teams have an advantage in the post-season.
There have been 18 post-seasons in the wild-card era; 1995-2012 (the strike in 1994 eliminated the first post-season with the wild-card format), with one wild-card team from each league. That totals 36 wild-card teams. For the sake of clarity, I'm only counting the wild-card team that won the one-game play-in for the 2012 season.
Overall, wild-card teams have won 34 post-season series and lost 31, for a .523 winning percentage of series. In the NL, the results have been even better: wild-card teams have a 20-15 series record, for a .571 winning percentage. If the Cardinals had won either of games 5, 6 or 7 against the Giants in the NLCS last year, that record would be 21-14, or a .600 winning percentage.
NL wild-card teams have fared better than AL teams overall, with NL teams going 10-8 in the NLDS compared to 9-9 for AL wild-cards in the ALDS. Those NL teams that make the NLCS have won a startling 70% of those, compared to only 33% in the AL. Wild-card teams have ten World Series appearances, winning 5 and losing five. The NL teams are 3-4 in the WS and AL teams are 2-1. One year, 2002, saw the two wild-card teams facing each other in the WS.
Looking at the data I compiled, it does seem true that the wild-card teams have an advantage in the post-season.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Game 6 Collapses Lead to Temporary Game 7 Hope
The Texas Rangers' historic 2011 Game 6 collapse - two of them in one game, actually - is one of the all time greats. It will be remembered forever. The Rangers were one strike away from winning the World Series two innings in a row with two run leads to start each inning. Yet the ultimate in horrifying took place. Not only did they crumble to lose Game 6 in devastating fashion, the Rangers seemed to do the inevitable: lose Game 7 as well.
After such a Game 6 collapse, a Game 7 win seems as doomed as the Game 6 choke was shocking. But upon further review, something interesting happens. With the four most famous Game 6 collapses (that I can remember), the losing team went on to take an early lead in Game 7.
In the 2011 World Series, the Rangers shook off the loss to take a 2 run lead in the top of the first inning in game 7. But fate overcame their lead and the Cardinals won.
Now for the other three Game 6 collapses I remember. In 1986, the Boston Red Sox, up 3 games to 2 over the New York Mets, took a two run 10th inning lead. In the bottom of the frame, they got the first two outs before disaster struck. Three straight Mets singles scored a run and put the tying run at third. With two strikes, the Sox were one strike from winning the World Series. A game-tying wild pitch uncorked by Bob Stanley was the replacement. The third out then went through Bill Buckner's legs, completing the Game 6 catastrophe. But the Sox shed the pain and took an early 3-0 lead in Game 7 that lasted until the 6th inning before the Mets completed their comeback.
In the 2003 NLCS, the ever cursed Chicago Cubs held a 3 games to 2 lead over the wild-card expansion Florida Marlins. With their ace on the mound, the Cubbies took a 3 hit shutout into the 8th inning with a 3 run lead. Five outs from their first World Series in a million years, Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with Cubs outfielder Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball at the wall. The Marlins answered with 8 runs, dashing the hopes for the evening, and no doubt for another several decades. But although the Cubs were the only one of these four teams to not score first in Game 7, they did score five unanswered runs to take an early 5-3 lead before the Marlins completed their comeback.
Now for the largest, latest collapse in baseball history. The 2002 San Francisco Giants were thrashing the Anaheim Angels (or whatever they were named back then) in Game 6, 5-0. Their ace was on the mound with a two-hit shutout in the 7th inning, just 8 outs away from their first World Championship in almost 50 years. A couple of singles brought a pitching change. A brain-freeze low-inside target given to a low-inside hitter resulted in a 3-run homer, cutting the lead to 5-3 before getting out of the inning. The 8th inning saw the best bullpen - and most overworked - melt down for another 3 runs to the surging Disneylanders after cutting the countdown to five outs away. Robb Nen's career ending arm blowout was the red carpet to the G-Men's crash and burn. In Game 7, the Giants scored first, early, but that didn't last as Livan Hernandez responded with a Psychology 101 mental breakdown case study, giving up four runs to eventually complete the flushdown.
[Note to whiny Cubs fans: Quit complaining that Dusty should have taken the pitcher out during Game 6. He DID take the pitcher out in Game 6...one year earlier, and look at the results!!! You were doomed either way.]
These Game 6 meltdowns seem to reveal that the teams could rebound, take the field the next day, and perform well enough to take the lead in Game 7. But the ultimate result is a less extreme come-from-ahead loss in Game 7.
[Update: I neglected to include the umpire induced Game 6 meltdown of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. Essentially two outs away from a Cards ring, Don Denkinger botched a call at first base that triggered a 2-run Royals game winning rally. The Redbirds were shutout the next day 11-0. I guess this shows my theory is only good from 1986 on.]
After such a Game 6 collapse, a Game 7 win seems as doomed as the Game 6 choke was shocking. But upon further review, something interesting happens. With the four most famous Game 6 collapses (that I can remember), the losing team went on to take an early lead in Game 7.
In the 2011 World Series, the Rangers shook off the loss to take a 2 run lead in the top of the first inning in game 7. But fate overcame their lead and the Cardinals won.
Now for the other three Game 6 collapses I remember. In 1986, the Boston Red Sox, up 3 games to 2 over the New York Mets, took a two run 10th inning lead. In the bottom of the frame, they got the first two outs before disaster struck. Three straight Mets singles scored a run and put the tying run at third. With two strikes, the Sox were one strike from winning the World Series. A game-tying wild pitch uncorked by Bob Stanley was the replacement. The third out then went through Bill Buckner's legs, completing the Game 6 catastrophe. But the Sox shed the pain and took an early 3-0 lead in Game 7 that lasted until the 6th inning before the Mets completed their comeback.
In the 2003 NLCS, the ever cursed Chicago Cubs held a 3 games to 2 lead over the wild-card expansion Florida Marlins. With their ace on the mound, the Cubbies took a 3 hit shutout into the 8th inning with a 3 run lead. Five outs from their first World Series in a million years, Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with Cubs outfielder Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball at the wall. The Marlins answered with 8 runs, dashing the hopes for the evening, and no doubt for another several decades. But although the Cubs were the only one of these four teams to not score first in Game 7, they did score five unanswered runs to take an early 5-3 lead before the Marlins completed their comeback.
Now for the largest, latest collapse in baseball history. The 2002 San Francisco Giants were thrashing the Anaheim Angels (or whatever they were named back then) in Game 6, 5-0. Their ace was on the mound with a two-hit shutout in the 7th inning, just 8 outs away from their first World Championship in almost 50 years. A couple of singles brought a pitching change. A brain-freeze low-inside target given to a low-inside hitter resulted in a 3-run homer, cutting the lead to 5-3 before getting out of the inning. The 8th inning saw the best bullpen - and most overworked - melt down for another 3 runs to the surging Disneylanders after cutting the countdown to five outs away. Robb Nen's career ending arm blowout was the red carpet to the G-Men's crash and burn. In Game 7, the Giants scored first, early, but that didn't last as Livan Hernandez responded with a Psychology 101 mental breakdown case study, giving up four runs to eventually complete the flushdown.
[Note to whiny Cubs fans: Quit complaining that Dusty should have taken the pitcher out during Game 6. He DID take the pitcher out in Game 6...one year earlier, and look at the results!!! You were doomed either way.]
These Game 6 meltdowns seem to reveal that the teams could rebound, take the field the next day, and perform well enough to take the lead in Game 7. But the ultimate result is a less extreme come-from-ahead loss in Game 7.
[Update: I neglected to include the umpire induced Game 6 meltdown of the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1985 World Series. Essentially two outs away from a Cards ring, Don Denkinger botched a call at first base that triggered a 2-run Royals game winning rally. The Redbirds were shutout the next day 11-0. I guess this shows my theory is only good from 1986 on.]
Monday, October 10, 2011
Big Dogs Home for LCS
The ALCS and NLCS are being played without the presence of the Yankees, Red Sox, Phillies, Giants, Braves and Rays. All of the teams that are supposed to be there aren't. It's also the first LCS since 2005 without an Eastern division team in either series. Although this is generally welcome to me, the absence of my Giants is specifically troubling.
In any case, I'm reverting to rooting for the lesser of the remaining evils. That means the Milwaukee Brewers are my choice to win it all. If I had to pick a pecking order of the teams still in it, I would pick the Brewers first, then the Tigers, then Rangers and lastly the Cardinals.
In any case, I'm reverting to rooting for the lesser of the remaining evils. That means the Milwaukee Brewers are my choice to win it all. If I had to pick a pecking order of the teams still in it, I would pick the Brewers first, then the Tigers, then Rangers and lastly the Cardinals.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Shutting Philly Up
This has nothing to do with the outcome this evening, but it is simply amazing just how quickly 46,000 raving lunatic fanatics wearing red can become mute. The deafening roar changes to recording studio hush at the crack of an opponents bat like no other venue in sports. I wonder why that is?
The raucous rooters in Philly were silenced tonight by the Cardinals' rally. It reminded me of the Giants effect on the crowd last year in the 2010 NLCS. The contrast is simply stunning.
The raucous rooters in Philly were silenced tonight by the Cardinals' rally. It reminded me of the Giants effect on the crowd last year in the 2010 NLCS. The contrast is simply stunning.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Expanded Playoffs With More Teams?
There's a proposal for expanding the playoffs for 2012. Each league would have an additional wild card team. Normally I would be opposed to such a thing, as I think there are more than enough teams in the post season as it is. I don't like the wild card either. Eight out of 30 teams make it (more than 25%), and that's too many. But depending on how the format works, I might just be for it.
What would work for me is to add an additional wild card team for each league, but the two wild card teams in each league could have a one game play-in the day after the regular season is over to determine who plays in the regular format. That way, no wild card team could feel safe with a late season surge to gain the wild card that carries over into post season and ends up winning the World Series just because they're the hottest the latest. But an additional series between those two teams that allow all other teams an extended time off? No way.
What would work for me is to add an additional wild card team for each league, but the two wild card teams in each league could have a one game play-in the day after the regular season is over to determine who plays in the regular format. That way, no wild card team could feel safe with a late season surge to gain the wild card that carries over into post season and ends up winning the World Series just because they're the hottest the latest. But an additional series between those two teams that allow all other teams an extended time off? No way.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Black (and orange) Friday Radio Replay
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving when all things business start early. Well, the Giants' flagship station, KNBR, decided to have their own Black (and orange) Friday. Starting at 6am, they played all four Giants clinching games in their entirety - including celebrations, interviews and post game shows - in consecutive order. The game 162 clincher against the San Diego Padres, the game 4 clincher against the Atlanta Braves, the game 6 clincher against the Philadelphia Phillies and the game 5 clincher against the Texas Rangers. It all ended at about 11:30pm.
What a day of baseball on the radio. All the best games for all the best reasons. I managed to tape half of the NLCS clincher and all of the WS clincher. These should be great for rainy days.
What a day of baseball on the radio. All the best games for all the best reasons. I managed to tape half of the NLCS clincher and all of the WS clincher. These should be great for rainy days.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Tim Lincecum and the List of Giant Victims
This post-season, Tim Lincecum emerged as the dominant pitcher in baseball. Or did he? He was 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA, walked 9 and struck out 43. He went head-to-head with and beat three pitchers who were supposed to beat him a total of four times. Derek Lowe in the NLDS, Roy Halladay (the "best" pitcher in baseball the last three years) and Cliff Lee twice (the unbeatable post-season pitcher). If you could have any pitcher on the mound to clinch the World Series, who would it be? Well, I certainly wouldn't pick Lowe, Halladay or Lee. Lincecum won game 1 of each post-season series, plus the clincher in the World Series. What more could you ask for?
But before I brush this off, I want to look at the rest of the Giants staff. Matt Cain started three games, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21.1 innings, putting him in the category with all-time elites. Madison Bumgarner went 2-0 in three starts and a relief appearance with a 2.18 ERA. He pitched the NLDS clincher and a key shutout of the Rangers in the WS. And although Johnathan Sanchez went 0-2 in the post-season, he had a 4.05 ERA. He tossed a shutout in the Giants' game 162 clincher over the Padres, and started the game 6 NLCS clincher against the Phils. Javier Lopez was an unsung hero out of the pen, and Brian Wilson was on the mound in all four Giants clinchers, game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 clincher vs. the Braves, game 6 clincher vs. the Phillies and the game 5 World Series clincher against the Rangers.
Overall, the list of Giants victims is amazingly impressive. Mat Latos (the ace of the best pitching staff for most of the year), Derek Lowe, Derek Lowe again, Roy Halladay, Cole Hammels, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, Tommy Hunter and Cliff Lee again. Now that's domination.
But before I brush this off, I want to look at the rest of the Giants staff. Matt Cain started three games, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 21.1 innings, putting him in the category with all-time elites. Madison Bumgarner went 2-0 in three starts and a relief appearance with a 2.18 ERA. He pitched the NLDS clincher and a key shutout of the Rangers in the WS. And although Johnathan Sanchez went 0-2 in the post-season, he had a 4.05 ERA. He tossed a shutout in the Giants' game 162 clincher over the Padres, and started the game 6 NLCS clincher against the Phils. Javier Lopez was an unsung hero out of the pen, and Brian Wilson was on the mound in all four Giants clinchers, game 162 vs. the Padres, game 4 clincher vs. the Braves, game 6 clincher vs. the Phillies and the game 5 World Series clincher against the Rangers.
Overall, the list of Giants victims is amazingly impressive. Mat Latos (the ace of the best pitching staff for most of the year), Derek Lowe, Derek Lowe again, Roy Halladay, Cole Hammels, Roy Oswalt, Cliff Lee, CJ Wilson, Tommy Hunter and Cliff Lee again. Now that's domination.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Post-Season Records and Trends
Here are the post season records of the eight 2010 playoff teams:
0-3 Minnesota Twins
0-3 Cincinnati Reds
1-3 Atlanta Braves
2-3 Tampa Bay Rays
5-4 New York Yankees
5-4 Philadelphia Phillies
8-8 Texas Rangers
11-4 San Francisco Giants
A playoff trend being set by the Philadelphia Phillies:
2008 - Won the World Series
2009 - Lost the World Series
2010 - Lost the NLCS
A post-season trend set by the San Francisco Giants:
27 years - between the 1962 and 1989 pennants
13 years - between the 1989 and 2002 pennants
8 years - between the 2002 and 2010 pennants
9 days - between the 2010 pennant and 2010 World Championship
0-3 Minnesota Twins
0-3 Cincinnati Reds
1-3 Atlanta Braves
2-3 Tampa Bay Rays
5-4 New York Yankees
5-4 Philadelphia Phillies
8-8 Texas Rangers
11-4 San Francisco Giants
A playoff trend being set by the Philadelphia Phillies:
2008 - Won the World Series
2009 - Lost the World Series
2010 - Lost the NLCS
A post-season trend set by the San Francisco Giants:
27 years - between the 1962 and 1989 pennants
13 years - between the 1989 and 2002 pennants
8 years - between the 2002 and 2010 pennants
9 days - between the 2010 pennant and 2010 World Championship
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Reason The Giants Out-Hit Their Post Season Opponents
The Giants came into the post-season with arguably the weakest lineup. Yet, they out-hit their opponents on the way to a World Championship. This surprised many experts, as well as many Giants fans. But there's a very simple reason they out hit their opponents. It's one of those things in life that is so blatantly obvious that everybody completely misses it. I missed it. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.
They out-hit their opponents because they're the one lineup that never had to face the Giants pitching staff.
They out-hit their opponents because they're the one lineup that never had to face the Giants pitching staff.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Road Warriors
Guess which teams had the two best home records in baseball this year, and in which order? Well, if you don't know, you could figure it out easily by looking at the title of this post. Yup, you guessed it. The Atlanta Braves were #1, followed by the Philadelphia Phillies at #2. And the Giants beat each team on the road in that same order to win the pennant. Games 3 and 4 in Atlanta in the NLDS and games 1 and 6 in Philly in the NLCS. A 4-1 road record vs. awesome home teams.
Friday, October 22, 2010
No Respect
Well, the Giants aren't getting much respect nationally. Just tonight, MLB Network was doing highlights of the Rangers beating the Yankees to win the AL pennant, and the talking heads started yakking about how the Rangers matched up against the Phillies. Harold Reynolds interrupted the party and inserted, even if a bit hesitantly, "The Giants...may...MAY...win this thing." I know you need to earn your respect, but really.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
SHOCKING!
"Schocking!" That's how MLB network described the Giants' 3-1 NLCS lead over the Phillies. Shocking? To whom is it shocking? Oh, everybody who thought the Phils would roll, that's who.
"Phils in five."
"Uh, I don't know about that. We should give the Giants more credit than that. Phils in six."
Yes, that's the way most of the people "in the know" talked about the series before it began. Neither scenario is possible now. And of course, game 1, where Tim Lincecum outpitched Roy Halladay, was the Giants lone half-expected win.
I simply haven't had time to blog about these games so far, I've been so busy late at night watching highlights from the games I haven't been able to see on TV. Anything can happen on any day in baseball. Anything can happen in October, including the Phils rebounding to win. But the Giants winning the pennant can also happen. And that can happen tonight. GO GIANTS!
"Phils in five."
"Uh, I don't know about that. We should give the Giants more credit than that. Phils in six."
Yes, that's the way most of the people "in the know" talked about the series before it began. Neither scenario is possible now. And of course, game 1, where Tim Lincecum outpitched Roy Halladay, was the Giants lone half-expected win.
I simply haven't had time to blog about these games so far, I've been so busy late at night watching highlights from the games I haven't been able to see on TV. Anything can happen on any day in baseball. Anything can happen in October, including the Phils rebounding to win. But the Giants winning the pennant can also happen. And that can happen tonight. GO GIANTS!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
And The Giants Win...Three Days and Two Nights in Philly
Well, the Giants did it. They beat the Braves in four. It was an intense series, with each game being the only one-run games in all the division series. Now to move on to the NLCS. But what exactly did they win? Baseball has a formal division championship, a formal pennant and a formal world champion. The winner of the division series has no flag, ring, etc. They just get to move on. So with that, the Giants win a three-day, two night trip for 25 to Philadelphia. GO GIANTS!
Monday, October 11, 2010
The Torture Continues
Last month, the Giants announcers described the way the Giants play - and win - as torture. And it has become the team slogan. Torture.
Well, the torture continues. Game 3 gave the fans a severe case of torture yesterday. What amount of torture can you receive when your pitcher tosses a two-hit shutout? Well, if you're leading 4-0 or 6-0 or 10-0, not much. But when almost the entire game has a 1-0 score, it's torture. That means that every single batter the pitcher faces during the whole game is either the potential tying run or the potential go-ahead run. That's torture.
When two pitchers toss two-hit shutouts with 1-0 leads, that's double torture. Lincecum did it in game 1. Sanchez did it for most of game 3. With 2 out and 2 strikes in the bottom of the 8th, and a runner on, the pinch hitter was the potential go-ahead run. And he hit a home run. Torture. If the score had been 5-0 it would have not been a bit deal. Then with 2 strikes and 2 outs in the 9th inning, the Giants one strike away from losing - torture - Freddie Sanchez gets a hit up the middle. Huff drives him in. The Braves make an error. Giants take the lead...for a few minutes anyway. Torture. Then in the bottom of the 9th with a one run lead, Wilson gives up an infield hit to bring the winning run up to the plate. Torture. When Matt Cain pitches a gem, and the bullpen torches it in the 8th inning, that's torture. When Buster Posey hits into a double play in extra innings with the bases loaded instead of driving in the winning run, that's torture.
You know what else is torture? The only one-run games in the whole post-season so far have been every single Giants game.
Well, the torture continues. Game 3 gave the fans a severe case of torture yesterday. What amount of torture can you receive when your pitcher tosses a two-hit shutout? Well, if you're leading 4-0 or 6-0 or 10-0, not much. But when almost the entire game has a 1-0 score, it's torture. That means that every single batter the pitcher faces during the whole game is either the potential tying run or the potential go-ahead run. That's torture.
When two pitchers toss two-hit shutouts with 1-0 leads, that's double torture. Lincecum did it in game 1. Sanchez did it for most of game 3. With 2 out and 2 strikes in the bottom of the 8th, and a runner on, the pinch hitter was the potential go-ahead run. And he hit a home run. Torture. If the score had been 5-0 it would have not been a bit deal. Then with 2 strikes and 2 outs in the 9th inning, the Giants one strike away from losing - torture - Freddie Sanchez gets a hit up the middle. Huff drives him in. The Braves make an error. Giants take the lead...for a few minutes anyway. Torture. Then in the bottom of the 9th with a one run lead, Wilson gives up an infield hit to bring the winning run up to the plate. Torture. When Matt Cain pitches a gem, and the bullpen torches it in the 8th inning, that's torture. When Buster Posey hits into a double play in extra innings with the bases loaded instead of driving in the winning run, that's torture.
You know what else is torture? The only one-run games in the whole post-season so far have been every single Giants game.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Quality Post-Season Umpiring Needed
Calls for instant replay in baseball continue. Numerous instances of bad calls in the playoffs are highlighted with greater fervor and scrutinized with greater technology. I'm not going to address instant replay here, but rather focus on the quality of umpiring.
I'm not as concerned with bang-bang calls that could go either way. If it looked like he was safe, but the super slo-mo hi-def replay showed he was out by 1/4 inch, it's just not much to gripe about. What gets me is when two players are stuck at the same base, they both come off the base by five feet, the player with the ball tags both of them out while standing still, yet the umps screw up by not calling both of them out. Six umps are watching the same play, and not one of them can see the obvious? Why not have a conference then?
A great piece of ump teamwork was on the Rollins/Howard/Matsui double play. Rollins caught a bloop pop with his glove on the ground, then stepped on second and threw to Howard. The throw was wide, and Howard came off the bag with the batter/runner beating the throw. Matsui started walking off the field, and Howard tagged him. What to do? This play was logistically complicated. The replay showed that Rollins caught the bloop, but his stepping on second (just in case the ump blew the catch call) added confusion to the play. And even in the replay, Howard really did have his foot on the bag when he caught the throw. His heel came off first, but his toes were still on the bag when the ball hit his glove, even though he was in the process of coming off the bag. The TV announcers missed this. But he eventually tagged Matsui.
Here's how complicated this all was: Did Rollins catch the popup? How did this affect his stepping on second? How did this affect the play at first? Was his throw to get Matsui doubled up or the batter out? Did Howard need to tag Matsui? Did Howard get pulled off the bag? Did Matsui walk off the field because Rollins caught the ball in the air and doubled him off first or because he didn't but stepped on second base? Both Rollins and Howard made double efforts just in case the umps missed either call. Rollins touched second in case the umps missed his catch. Howard tagged Matsui in case the umps saw the catch because the umps might call him off the bag. But, all the umps were in on a conference and made the right call. Double play. Why didn't this happen for the two runners caught off third?
Getting the call right by using all umpires, if necessary, is where baseball needs to make its first improvement. It should be done at the slightest question of a call. If an ump blows a call and all the other umps see it, there should be no hesitation in reversing it. That's the way it works in my kid's soccer league, and there's no problem. When 50,000 fans, five umps, 50 players, a TV crew and two managers see things one way and a lone ump sees things another way, there should be no shame in admitting there might be a problem and help from others is welcome.
I'm not as concerned with bang-bang calls that could go either way. If it looked like he was safe, but the super slo-mo hi-def replay showed he was out by 1/4 inch, it's just not much to gripe about. What gets me is when two players are stuck at the same base, they both come off the base by five feet, the player with the ball tags both of them out while standing still, yet the umps screw up by not calling both of them out. Six umps are watching the same play, and not one of them can see the obvious? Why not have a conference then?
A great piece of ump teamwork was on the Rollins/Howard/Matsui double play. Rollins caught a bloop pop with his glove on the ground, then stepped on second and threw to Howard. The throw was wide, and Howard came off the bag with the batter/runner beating the throw. Matsui started walking off the field, and Howard tagged him. What to do? This play was logistically complicated. The replay showed that Rollins caught the bloop, but his stepping on second (just in case the ump blew the catch call) added confusion to the play. And even in the replay, Howard really did have his foot on the bag when he caught the throw. His heel came off first, but his toes were still on the bag when the ball hit his glove, even though he was in the process of coming off the bag. The TV announcers missed this. But he eventually tagged Matsui.
Here's how complicated this all was: Did Rollins catch the popup? How did this affect his stepping on second? How did this affect the play at first? Was his throw to get Matsui doubled up or the batter out? Did Howard need to tag Matsui? Did Howard get pulled off the bag? Did Matsui walk off the field because Rollins caught the ball in the air and doubled him off first or because he didn't but stepped on second base? Both Rollins and Howard made double efforts just in case the umps missed either call. Rollins touched second in case the umps missed his catch. Howard tagged Matsui in case the umps saw the catch because the umps might call him off the bag. But, all the umps were in on a conference and made the right call. Double play. Why didn't this happen for the two runners caught off third?
Getting the call right by using all umpires, if necessary, is where baseball needs to make its first improvement. It should be done at the slightest question of a call. If an ump blows a call and all the other umps see it, there should be no hesitation in reversing it. That's the way it works in my kid's soccer league, and there's no problem. When 50,000 fans, five umps, 50 players, a TV crew and two managers see things one way and a lone ump sees things another way, there should be no shame in admitting there might be a problem and help from others is welcome.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Priceless
World Series Ticket: $200
Airfare: $595
Hotel: $95
Seeing Manny take a mulligan off the first tee shot tomorrow morning: Priceless
Airfare: $595
Hotel: $95
Seeing Manny take a mulligan off the first tee shot tomorrow morning: Priceless
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Phillies Have To Win
If the Phillies don't win the NLCS, then it's either the Dodgers and Angels in the World Series, or the Dodgers and Yankees. How could I watch either of these matchups?
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Frozen Division Series
With the other three series being sweeps, the already snow-delayed Phils/Rox series now has sole attention of everybody in baseball. If this thing goes five games with another delay or two, the other teams might just go into hibernation...
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Go Phillies?
The Phillies are the only team in the playoffs that I don't have a problem with their winning the World Series. I hate, Hate, HATE the Dodgers. I hate the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels. I dislike the Cardinals and Rockies.
So, I'll root for the Phils. First, they're playing the Not-Giants in the NLDS.
[Update: In the comments section, shallowfrozenwater asks about the Twins. I noticed this after I posted it. Shows you where the Twinkies are in my thinking. They don't nearly exist. I don't like their stupid dome and their homer hanky World Series titles. So, they are the lesser of four evils in the American League. Phils/Twinks?]
So, I'll root for the Phils. First, they're playing the Not-Giants in the NLDS.
[Update: In the comments section, shallowfrozenwater asks about the Twins. I noticed this after I posted it. Shows you where the Twinkies are in my thinking. They don't nearly exist. I don't like their stupid dome and their homer hanky World Series titles. So, they are the lesser of four evils in the American League. Phils/Twinks?]
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