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I think the successful organizations are those that are capable of using every tool in the toolbox, whether it be analytics or old school scouting. Computers can spit out useful information but the human element can never be completely removed. Knowing how to properly use this combination of information is especially important for managers. The spreadsheets can help a manager put players in a position to succeed on the field but a spreadsheet won’t help with clubhouse morale and the personal relationships that are necessary.
I also agree that the game is being harmed by all of the dominating pitching. MLB should implement rules to level the playing field more. Some ideas being mentioned are banning the shift, lowering and moving back the mound, and reducing the number of pitchers allowed on each staff which would force managers to go longer with the starter.
I’d go along with banning the shift. Solid line drives to the outfield shouldn’t be outs to the second baseman or shortstop.
I am against mandating the fielders must be within a certain area at the pitch. Hitters need to adapt to beating the shift. Most of the best hitters in baseball history were able to hit the ball to all fields. I guarantee that if players like Carpenter would change their approach to hit to all fields, the shift would cease.
BCRAN, thank you for your service….. sounds like you were a little busy the last 50 years! How’s your golf game?! hah
forsch, I also feel like there’s something I don’t like about defensive player placement restrictions. Offenses should punish the defense for shifting. Or at least they should try before I’d be in favor of new rules.
If MLB wants to go there, why allow the 1st and 3rd basemen to position way forward in a bunt situation? Why allow bringing the infielders in when trying to prevent a runner from 3B to score with less than 2 outs? Why allow bringing the outfielders in when the winning run is on 3B with less than 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th?
Euro, I love that last post. You said it all.
LOL. I’m a man of few words.
Actually I think I accidentally misplaced a game post in this thread, so I went back to delete it. I don’t think there’s a way to delete a post, so I just deleted all the characters from the post.
ChiTown – thanks for your post and best wishes. Golf game is fine, but the balls aren’t made the same way today. They don’t go as far. Lol.
Does anyone feel that the scores of today’s games are different from those of the past? Are there less 3-2~~2-1~~1-0 games nowadays? I don’t see how pitching is considered to be dominant enough to change the rules of the game.
Advanced or old school…. just love the game.
I think the successful organizations are those that are capable of using every tool in the toolbox, whether it be analytics or old school scouting. Computers can spit out useful information but the human element can never be completely removed.
Very true, gscott. Your statement reminds me of the hard lessons learned from 9/11. We strayed away from human intelligence and relied too much on the other technology INTs (signals and imagery). Those are great for assessing capabilities, but not as much for intention, e.g., why doesn’t this guy seem interested in learning how to land the plane? Just like analytics are great at assessing player capabilities, a real scout may have a better idea about relevant player habits, work ethic, attitudes, team loyalty, etc.
Bottom line is analytics should be thought of as a force multiplier and not a force eliminator, especially the part of the force that brings real experience into the equation.
Real experience, attitude, openness to adjustment, type of teammate, production under pressure, leadership qualities, willingness to work out and stay in shape, etc.
It’s not that easy for career pull hitters to all of the sudden start slapping hits to the opposite field.
IMO, if pull hitters want to continue to hit into a shift, they deserve whatever outcome happens. If they want to adapt, they will work on it. Carpenter was a hitter to all fields then changed his swing to be a pull hitter. If he doesn’t adjust back, he will continue his poor hitting.
Guys who have been pull hitters all their careers can’t just start hitting the ball the other way over night. Plus when the shift is on, pitchers will pitch to the inside of the plate.
For hitters I like On Base Percentage and Slugging.
For pitchers I like WHIP and ERA.
As with anything, these stats are heavily impacted by the line up around you as the pitches a batter will see depends on how the players around his slot perform.
With pitchers, good defensive play (flashing the leather) can help prevent a batter from reaching base and then prevent baserunners from translating into runs. An elite arm can cut down a baserunner or be respected enough that the runner will not go for the extra base or try to advance on certain fly balls.
No one has said that pull hitters have to change overnight. The shift has been around forever. Hitters have known it could happen but have choose to ignore it. Why should they ban a better way of getting a hitter out just because he doesn’t want to change his approach. If you want offense, let the hitter use a tee or make the pitcher lob the ball up there.
Wrapping Up the Mozeliak Series https://t.co/QzWyqQGkiD pic.twitter.com/CUUhPW6NTa
— viva el birdos (@vivaelbirdos) July 30, 2021
Well, when I asked the question completely rebuilding the staff with LeBlanc, Happ, and Lester was not quite what I had in mind…..Jeebus…
Going to be a fun few weeks watching which recently acquired pitcher is going to get DFA’d first. DFA Watch 2021!
Lester could really help this year because of his success against lefties, and maybe be extended into a LOOGY role next season.
This comes from national baseball writer Joe Sheehan.
I'd say Sheehan's latest newsletter sums it up pretty well. pic.twitter.com/ke1CtXnePd
— Alex Crisafulli (@alexcards79) August 4, 2021
I think most fans would be more accepting if they thought the front office had a clear plan and we were headed in a clear direction. Instead, we are stuck in neutral. We aren’t winning enough games to make the playoffs but yet we aren’t losing enough games to move up in the draft to acquire better talent.
My observation is that ownership decided to dial things back because of the pandemic, the front office decided to just ride things out until some bad contracts (of their own making) expired. 2021 was just going to be one of those years to muddle through and then try to win again 2022.
Then the Arenado opportunity fell in our lap and we saw the opportunity to get him without hurting the budget in 2021. Thanks again to the complete ineptitude of the Colorado organization. The Cardinals probably thought then that hey we can have the best of both worlds. We can hold the budget down in 2021, ride out the bad contracts, and still be good enough to win the division to keep the fans off of our back. And it looked like that plan might work for the first month and half of the season. But the Cardinals counted way too much on their vaunted depth which turned out to be a mirage. When the injuries hit the replacements turned out to be terrible and we went into a nosedive.
Now nobody seems to know what is going to happen or what direction we are headed. The fans don’t know, the media doesn’t know, and I am afraid the team doesn’t know.
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