How Much Does *Spot in the Order* Matter to a Hitter?
This is tricky since sample size is usually going to be an issue when analyzing the importance of a hitter’s *spot* in the order. Pagan was hitting .243 in the leadoff spot this year. After he moved down to 5th, he’s 15 for 31 (.484ba, .556 OBP and a whopping 1.136 OPS!). Of course, for his career, he’s got a .293 ba in the leadoff spot, .269 batting fifth. But, I’m always more about what a player is doing *now* as opposed to what he’s done for his career and you can make a reasonable argument that Pagan was pressing in the leadoff spot and fighting his way through at bats (ie, wanting to hack but knowing he should take pitches).
More important than how Pagan is hitting now, The White Shark is showing that he’s filling the major gap we had at the top of the line up. He’s rolling with a .394 OBP. Again, small sample, but still a fantastic development. For his career (475 at bats) he’s got a .362 OBP in the leadoff spot and that alone is a good reason to give this dude an extended shot in the spot……
Crawford has struggled this year but has shown he’s more than a *good at bat* at times. He’s currently tied for the team lead in doubles and no one’s tacking on *free doubles* to his stat line. But he made it clearly known yesterday that he prefers hitting in the 2 spot, it’s where he hit in college and the minors, and he offers up a completely reasonable suggestion for why he likes it better: he sees more fastballs in the 2-hole. One game means nothing but it sounds like Bochy is going to take a look at B-Craw in the 2 spot for a while………
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The Giants are trying to Melvin Mora to fill in at third base. Yikes.
A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball 
Game was great yesterday! Eh… no idea how pics get embedded here — usual methods not working. Here’s a shot I got of Burriss stealing on Wainwright: http://magneticdiary.com/baseball/IMG_2335.JPG
nice. Email me a pic and I’ll post it in the main thread. bigflavor77@gmail.com
Young guys came through yesterday. Bravo!
I’m sure James has stats he can point to saying it doesnt matter (no offense James) but hitting order is one of those things in baseball where I I believe what I am seeing as opposed to the stats. I think the 2 hole is a important spot in the LU. Lots of plate appearances there and a good chance that someone is on ahead of you. A batter needs to be well rounded to handle it. Franchez was good in the slot because he can make contact for the most part. Cabrera is better because he can make contact OR take a walk. At this level it’s all about confidence and if Crawford is confident in the 2 hole and it gets him going hey give him a few games there but if he doesn’t pick it up and sustain it then down the order he goes.
Absolutely agree.
In turn, I agree with your absolute agreement.
Weatherproof games: Mets at Blue Jays, Braves at Rays, Rangers at Astros, Twins at Brewers
No worries that weather will cause any interleague play to be delayed as we kick off the final season of these isolated AL-NL contests. It will be in the mid-70s and sunny in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, New York, Washington and Philadelphia. Friday’s temperature will rise to the mid-80s in Denver and Kansas City. The three California hosts will each see some low clouds and even fog in the Bay area, but nary a raindrop expected to factor into the mix.
ESPN’s Matthew Berry is one of my sources for Fantasy League and I thought you guys would be interested in what he said about Melky . . . Melky Cabrera, OF, Giants (my rank: 92, overall: 123): As I was writing this column, I discovered that Eric Karabell already had written positively about Melky in his KaraBlog on Wednesday, but at 92, I am higher than Eric (he has him at 106) and higher than everyone else except AJ Mass, who also has him at 92. The thing about Melky isn’t that the production this year is a fluke (he’s on pace for 99 runs, 72 RBI, 23 steals, 9 home runs and a .333 average, currently 19th on the Player Rater for outfielders), and his production last year wasn’t a fluke (top-10 outfielder on the Player Rater). No, the fluke was that he got playing time last year, with more than 650 at-bats, when he’d had fewer than 500 in the three previous seasons. Underlying numbers suggest that last year was more the result of extra playing time than good luck. I don’t expect the batting average to stay at this level, but the rest is legit. He’s on pace for 675 at-bats this year and will be the Melky from last year. Just nobody but Eric, AJ and I realize it.
Again, an FL post . . . Related to my last post and something I absolutely believe in too, is not “paying” for saves in Fantasy League. I think Flav has said this on more than one occasion too. Berry riffs on this below:
“Brett Myers, RP, Astros (my rank: 250, overall: 188): I think Brett Myers will be traded. It’s a terrible contract that Houston wants to get out of, and teams always need bullpen help at the deadline, especially teams that can absorb payroll (Red Sox? Yankees? Angels?), so I just don’t think he’ll be the Astros’ closer all year. But more to the point, you’ll see that in general I am lower on closers than my colleagues. Why? Say it with me, kids. Never. Pay. For. Saves. Not in a 10-team mixed league. Here’s a list of guys who started spring training as the clear-cut closer or got the first save of the season for their teams: Andrew Bailey, Carlos Marmol, Hector Santiago, Ryan Madson, Joakim Soria, Jordan Walden, Javy Guerra, Mariano Rivera, Grant Balfour, Huston Street, Brian Wilson, Kyle Farnsworth, Sergio Santos, Drew Storen. Fourteen guys, and you can make a strong argument that Heath Bell should be on the list. Saves always come into the league, and I say it every preseason to those who say, “The uncertainty is why you gotta get a sure thing.” Who is a sure thing? Three weeks ago, you would have said Rivera. I don’t pay for saves in the preseason, and I am sure as hell not paying for them after half the teams have had turnover. Your best closers so far are Jim Johnson and Fernando Rodney.”
I like his last sentence especially. HAHAHA.
BF: You’re 8:35 post last night was one for the ages…
Mora! Mora! Mora!
thanks. That one just sort of spilled out of my keyboard. Took about 2 minutes to write.
Was seriously laughing out loud on that one…
Great stuff…
ha! ha! ha!
Yes! Just had a chance to read that.
I guess BC hasn’t read http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-benefit-of-batting-eighth/
For his brief career, Brandon has hit .216 batting in spots other than the 8, .204 in the 8. He has actually put up avgs. in the 7 spot that we’d all be pretty happy with out of him over an entire season. He had been 4 for 21 in the 2 spot before yesterday. I’m still optimistic that he can put up acceptable numbers this year, and play the defense that was expected of him.
That said, the idea of putting a low OBP/OPS guy like Crawford in a spot that every analysis I’ve ever read about line ups identifies as one where a good hitter can make a real difference to your scoring output is completely lame. It also defies COMMON SENSE. As far as the Brandon Belt baiting goes, whatever.
Hitting 8th is tough on anyone so I’m sure craw is glad to be out of there. For a real comp, tho, I’d be more interested in stats for everyone else that has hit there this year for SF. Melk isn’t really a patient hitter/high OB type either, at least less so than Belt. Also, I wonder if bochy intends to leave craw in there vs. LHP. I do think the kid would have benefited from having a vet mentor to help him at the position defensively, where his struggles have been more disappointing to me than his offense.
Listening briefly to sabes and T yesterday was quite enlightening. Sabes did not sound like an apologist or a BS artist or like bochy post game. He said he was relieved to be at .500, burriss should not be bunting with guys in RISP, he was in town to see FS and thought he was near ready before the latest setback, and said they need to figure out if he is coming back or not and make a decision about how to go about things if “not” is the answer.
T asked good questions and sabes didn’t duck any of them, at least the part I heard.
The whole spot in the order thing is interesting to me because after the first inning the whole order is in flux. Each pitcher has a book on how he wants to pitch a guy and yet situations can change both the hitting and pitching approach for the players. If a guy is hitting second does he get better pitches because the pitcher is thinking about the guy hitting third or is it based on he’s in a certain situation more often? I don’t know. But, some players do seem to be more comfortable in a certain slot.
When Bonds first came to the Giants he liked hitting in the fifth slot. As I recall Dusty had to meet with him before moving him in the order to bat third. When Kent went into a slump the Giants swapped him and Bonds in the order (so Kent would see better pitches). I don’t know why he’d see better pitches to hit. I’d think the pitcher would be pitching him tougher to keep him off base but it worked.
The stats are out there but to really analyze it would you need to include the situation and or who’s following them in the order? I don’t know, it’s an interesting topic though.
This year, Brandon Crawford has seen a higher percentage of fastballs than everyone else on the team w/ 70 PAS except Burriss and Blanco:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=70&type=4&season=2012&month=0&season1=2012&ind=0&team=30&rost=0&age=14,43&players=0
Here are the stats from last year:
http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=70&type=4&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0&team=30&rost=0&age=14,43&players=0&sort=1,d
Note the percentage for Franchez. What players SAY is often complete horseshit.
Yes, an interesting topic. I think the Clown makes a good point that after once through the line-up, situations change. Where it really comes into play for me is that most times, the guys at the top of the LU are going to get more ABs.
With the Giants, outside of Melky, the sample sizes (for this year) are very small, and it makes it almost impossible to gauge an impact.
And what is more important in the two hole? Average? OBP??
Outside of Melky, no one has more than three games in the two hole (12 ABs each). Those three are Theriot, Arias, and Gillaspie (BA OBP listed below).
Theriot – .000/.077
Arias – .167/.231
Gillaspie – .250/.250
Belt – 2 games, 7 AB. .143/.300
Melky: 23 games, 94 ABs. .287/.352
And of course, Crawford had 5 ABs yesterday (his first time in the 2 hole this year). .400/.400
As Dirt said…give the kid a chance there and if he doesn’t sustain it…back down the line-up you go.
So, if you believe that stats are the true definition of who is best in the 2 hole, then you would certainly have to look at lifetime splits for all the players. I think there is something to be said for a players comfort level, too.
yes, it’s true that the leadoff guy often only *leads off* once a game. But he comes up usually 5 times a game and getting him on base before your best hitters is critical to scoring runs. So the OBP for a leadoff guy, whether he leads off an inning or not, is vital…….
James—again, i think you’re missing the point. Crawford’s APPROACH to hitting 8th sucks. He’s all messed up expecting junk but getting fastballs and vice versa. Simply put, he’s a little fucked in the head with the pitcher hitting behind him.
Batting him second allows him to *expect* a fastball more often. That should clear his head a little and allow him to hit better. Again, he’s always hit in that spot. Why question what he says? If he feels more comfortable in that spot he’ll likely hit better. Now, what the opposing pitchers should start doing is throw him a shitload of breaking balls/off speeds stuff. He’d hit .111 if they started doing that, lol
A pretty expensive placebo for someone we hope will give us a 650-700 OPS. Brandon Belt expects to play regularly. That would clear his head. He’s always been a regular. If he feels more comfortable playing regularly, he’ll likely hit better. He may even start to see some fastballs 🙂
Ideal situation, if blanco was on 1b, a LH at the plate is going to have more of the right side open; if blanco were to steal 2b, he should be able to hit the ball to right side to advance him or bunt to make 3b field it and accomplish the same. In order to allow blanco a chance to steal, next hitter might have to take some pitches. Given enough confidence, it’s also a chance to H/R—if the SS is covering you have another hole opened up to be taken advantage of if the pitch is outside. Best case scenario you have guys at first and third, and even with a ground ball hopefully stay out of the DP.
Really dunno who on this team would be best at this; good for the kid if he had a good day and feels more confident. Goes for blanco and pagan too; hopefully at sando’s return SF has all cylinders clicking.
They will mix it up depending on match-ups, but think ultimately, it’s Blanco, Pagan Cabrera Pablo Posey Belt as the top 6 most of the time. Crawford Arias fight it out for 7th.
fwiw, Pagan just.240/.305/.681 in April for his career, while he’s been at his best in May….337/.392/.849.
I love box scores…interesting day in the NL, where 84 runs were scored and two teams lost despite scoring 7 runs. Braves take over first as they pound nolasco for 7 hit and 4 runs in 4 innings as his ERA climbs to 4.10 (not against us). J MacDonald of Pitt (ex dodger) Ks 11 Nats in 5 and two thirds…are Nats contender or pretender? JA Happ and a couple relievers shut out the brew crew in Houston (miss Prince much?) as Mil falls to 5th in division with 22 losses; only cubs and pads have more.
Cahill goes 5 innings at Coors and gives up 5 hits 3 BBs HR each to tulo and jordan pacheco (???), 4 ER but DBs come back and score 9 runs in last 5 innings and beat the Rox. Brothers blows the save and gives up 4 and then Bettencourt gives up two run HR to Upton in the 9th. Poor tulo, I feel for the local kid–he’s obviously playing hurt, on a bad team with terrible pitching (gave up 13 hits and 9 walks yesterday) going nowhere. They had bases loaded with none out in the ninth vs. JJ the Putz and couldn’t score–a K followed by the GIDP from ramon hernandez to end the game.
Giants get more walks 9 than hits 8, plus 3 cards errors and score 7. Mets continue to surprise, hammering the Reds 9-4. Wright is now hitting .411—weren’t the Mets supposed to be out to salary dump this guy?
I watched both the Giants game and this one yesterday willieD. As I indicated numerous times going back to Spring training, the Rockies have ZERO pitching. Even Nicasio was the shits yesterday – although he allowed just one run on two hits and struck out seven – he also issued five walks and was gone after 4 innings, having thrown 106 pitches. No one was more visibly frustrated than manager Jim Tracy, who watched his pitchers walk nine batters (one intentionally), turning a 3-0 lead after four innings into another defeat. He wasn’t too happy in the post game interview. It takes a lot to get him upset and he was visibly upset with his team.
Colorado’s pitching staff owns a 5.00 ERA, by far the worst in the National League. Entering Thursday’s play, only the Cubs and Padres had issued more walks than the Rockies. And opposing batters are hitting .286 against Colorado pitching.
He’s hitting second because Burriss and Culberson are playing. Now, if hitting second provides a temporary increase in production as it did for Rowand hitting lead off in 2009 (astoundingly, he hit .294, .341 OBP, .809 OPS in 201 AB), by all means they should ride it as lomg as possible.
Give it a month, and that’s absoloute tops. He’ll end up back in 7th or 8th, but look, that he’s actually now producing enough anywhere is great news if his defense settles down, as it seems to have. He’s hitting .258 the last month, obviously, most of that has not been from the two.
It’s now pretty much a given that Arias will move to second base when Panda returns, and if you do the LU math, there is no way Crawford is going to be in the 2 . IMHFO.
Melvin Mora?
Hopefully that rumor has no legs, since at age 41, Melvin probably doesn’t either …
Mora has 11-year-old quintuplets. He’ll sign any offer that gets him out of the house.
lqtm dirt . . . good one.
Supposedly (this via MLB Trade Rumors) Mora’s agent has received offers from both the Reds and Giants.
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/05/venezuelan-links-mora-escobar-cervelli.html
Makes Orlando Hudson sound really good…
Here’s the breakdown from the 2 hole:
Arias:
G 3, AB 12, .167/.231
Cabrera:
G 14, AB 94, .287, .352
Pagan:
1 G, AB 5, .200, .200 (He is .458/.556 in the 5 hole – 31 ABs). I like that better with Blanco in the lead-off
Belt: 2 G, 7 AB, .143, .300
Let MudBug hit in the 2 hole until it is apparent he shouldn’t.
Well,that’s probably the plan. But at most it lasts until Panda is back.
There is actually a great deal of information on the significance of the batting order, it would be worthwhlie reading.
You’ll hate this name, but “The Book” has good stuff. Here’s an excerpt that’s very relevant today:
“Batting Order: If nothing else, we will consider this book a true success if all thirty teams were to never put a below-average hitter in the second spot. While the proper strategy will only gain you a few runs, why do something that is otherwise clearly wrong?” More to come!!! Sorry.
Mike – is the title actually “The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball?”
If so, the chapter is called Batting (Dis)Order…
If so, I’ll check it out…always looking for new baseball-related books…
Willie, I agree about boxscores. They are endlessly fascinating. I don’t always have time to dig deep into that day’s boxscores, but they are very interesting, and not just for the player stats of the day. I like to see how long the games went. I want to know the attendance. I realize it’s the paid attendance and not how many actually showed up, but still…..interesting. 30,000 will pay for tickets in the middle of the hottest summer weather in KC to watch their beloved last-place Royals; but the Braves, competing for a playoff spot, could have 22,000 on a Tuesday night game.
Jim Tracy was mentioned….I’ve never seen a manager as bummed out looking as Tracy looked the other night against the Giants when they had the camera shot of him with his down on the rail, looking very defeated.
his head down on the rail
Probably a bad meal.
One Hole- traditional thinking is correct- OBP is King. Blanco.
Two- traditional thinking is wrong. The 2 hitter should be one of the best hitters on the team as he bats in in situations about as important as the #3 hitter, but more often. He should be one of the 3 best hitters on the team. Melky
Three- Should be a god hitter, but he hits a lot with two out nobody on. The two should actually be a better hitter than the 3.HRs are important here. Posey
Four: should be the best hitter on the team with power. Pablo.
Five: sort of a second number 4. Belt
Six: A base stealing threat ahead of the singles hitters is ideal. Pagan
Seven and eight are the two worst hitters in order of worstness: Arias, Crawdad.
So here is the optimized line up. Belt is going to be disputed by some and he could easily be the 6 instead of the 5 but having a stolen base guy ahead of the soft hitters is key to the optimized LU, hence Pagan.
Blanco
Melky
Posey
Pablo
Belt
Pagan
Arias
Crawford
I’ve never understood the insistence that Posey hit 4th. With Sandoval out sure but once Sandoval comes off the DL, this should be the LU.
Thx for summarizing this.
You’re right…I like Pagan in the 5, Belt in the 6.
Sure, the numbers are limited for Pagan in the 5 – 31 ABs…but 458/.556. In the 6 hole – 1 game, 4 AB – .200/.400.
Belt: 5th – 8 AB, 0.00. 6th – 47 AB – .319/.429.
Or the easy way. The easy way will get you one or two fewer wins for the year. With the easy way, the 5 best hitters are 1 through 5 in any order. Then 6 though 8 are the 3 worst, with the best of those batting 6.
So the first five could be:
Pagan
Posey
Melky
Blanco
Pablo
6 thru 8 is then
Belt
Arias
Crawford.
The optimized LU gets them 88 wins. The EZ Way gets 86…
As I said, there’s a lot of info on this and I know a lot of disagreement from those who distrust the newer thinkers.If there is *reliable* disagreement from accepted sources, it will make interesrting discussion. http://www.insidethebook.com/
BTW, I’m not trying to pick a fight on Crawford in the two for now. With Burriss and Culberson playing, they just about had to get him far rar away. Mudbug, Culberson. Burriss, Pitcher six through nine is too horrifying to consider.
I get it Mike. With what we currently have, I think he warrants a look. If on the other hand, we were discussing the Cardinal’s line-up, no way in hell we are dicussing MudBug in the two hole…
Good stuff twin. What happens when a DH is involved? I’m thinking that 6 – 9 could be a bit more mixed up with descent results.
*** I’m not in favor of the DH, I was just curious. ***
Just wanted to get that disclaimer in before anyone thinks I’ve joined the pro DH.crowd.
John, I think it is a “crowd” of one . . . Nipper. Maybe a few other Flappers, but Nip for certain.
Yeah blade you’re probably right. I just wanted to be sure. But I was curious if the strategy was different or are the lesser hitters still 7-9.
I get it John…it is a valid question for as long as we have to live with that piece of shit aberration to the otherwise perfect game. I would think that it allows you to plug a better hitter into the top of the line-up, and adjust accordingly. Would like to hear Mike’s take on it, tho…
FUCK the DH. It should be banned and all references struck from the records. That is NOT baseball. Opinionated? Maybe…
I know chi, but next year it will come into play more with the whole inter league thing going all year.
John – Games will be more dispersed throughout the year, but there is not going to be a significant increase in the number of games. For example, this year 20 of the 30 clubs will play 18 interleague games apiece, with the other 10 (all NL teams) playing 15 each (this from an article I just read…link is included).
Next year EVERY team plays 20 interleague games. So, not a huge increase in the number, and hence, not a huge change in the way line-ups will have to be tailored for the interleague (DH…I hate to even use the word) games.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/rumblings120518/mlb-2013-interleague-schedule-huge-step-right-direction
Here’s the link from ESPN…I think it would be a lot easier to just kill the DH. Again…IMNSHO…it is NOT REAL BASEBALL.
That’s good to know. I dislike the interleague play as much as the DH. I keep thinking Bud is just trying to set it up so the NL will adopt the DH without him having to make a rule change.
I keep hearing that it is just a matter of time before the DH is in both leagues. Fuck…I hope not. The DH takes so much away from the game, such as a manager having to determine (when his starting pitcher is pitching a gem, and he has RISP with the pitcher up, what to do (pinch hit for him, or not). That scenario is completely lost in the AL.
And then there is just the principal of the matter. You play the game…you come to the field with a glove AND a bat. EVERYONE who plays has to hit. It’s just how the game was originallly designed, and how it is meant to be.
Have I EVER mentioned that I HATE THE DL??!!
See, here it is, 1:30 and I’m starting to wonder what the lineup will be (though nice take on the “should”). How many teams have that added fan bonus?
For the Bam Bam critics:
“Crawford has worked tirelessly with hitting coach Hensley Meulens on getting his hands and front foot in hitting position sooner.”
and
“I give Bam Bam a lot of credit,” Posey said. “We went down a couple of days ago and I hit some off a tee. I’m trying to keep my front side closed, and he has some exercises to make me do that.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/17/SPJL1OJL0J.DTL
I don’t recall anybody crediting Carney for anything.
Other than being a loser (in relation to being a hitting coach)…
Yeah, I think the DH hits the NL within the next 2 years. Or whatver Slug’s tenure is. It’ll be his last act as Commissioner.
Fuck Chuck…I hope not…I may go postal and shoot a bunch of MFers…
Don’t shoot me, I’m only the piano player . . .
This ought to be interesting.
Blanco rf, Crawford ss, Cabrera lf, Pagan cf, Belt 1b, H Sanchez c, Arias 3b, Burriss 2b, Zito p
Hmmm…I would flip Belt/Sanchez…
Only because of the stats I threw out there for Belt 5 vs. 6 holes…and I think Sanchez has more of a chance of doing some damage in the 5…
There’s not even close to enough of a sample to say Sanchez would be a better 5.. what can’t be disputed is that Belt is the better hitter. OBP and OPS are not even close. And I was one of Hector’s first supporters., love the kid.Now of course Belt will pull an oh-fer and Hector will hit a dinger or two.
Twin…I get the small sample on Hector…was basing more on Belt’s number is the 5/6 hole. Either way…small samples all the way around. Probably not enough to debate…(and with that said…why the fuck did I even throw it out there…rhetorical question…)…
Speaking of suspending umps, Balkin’ Bob gets a day (a day!) off . . .
http://tinyurl.com/cjt8q8g
Huh. Pagan cleanup? That is interesting . . . Have they done that before while I wasn’t paying attention?
Nope…Bochy pulled another one out…
Historically – 14 ABs – ..286 .333 .429 .762 with two doubles and two RBIs…
“I dislike the interleague play as much as the DH. I keep thinking Bud is just trying to set it up so the NL will adopt the DH without him having to make a rule change.”
I agree with the clown on this too . . . That’s twice I’ve agreed with a clown today. Hmm . . . I will have to monitor my feet and nose this week – if either start growing and/or my nose turns bulbous and red, I am in trouble.
Steve – I know you don’t drink (booze)…but if that happens (feet and/or nose grow)…I recommend you start “drinking heavily!” 😉
That happens, count on it!
Trust chi on this one. He was pre-med
Pre-law. What’s the difference?
Speaking off…it is damned near beer-thirty! I’m ready for a cold one (or two or three)…
Some nums to chew during tonight’s game:
Zito vs. A’s: 1-4
“Battle of the Bay” overall: OAK 45-41
OAK@SF: 19-24
The one that really hurt: 2001. OK, I don’t have the numbers, and I don’t even know where to LOOK for the numbers, but I could’ve sworn the Giants went about 1-5 against the A’s (a playoff team that season, correct?), and the Diamondbacks, with no natural “geographic rivalry” were given 6 games against the Tigers. The Tigers lost 100+ games that season. I think the D-Backs went 6-0 against the Tigers.
The Giants lost the division (and missed the playoffs) by 2 games.
Well, that’s the way I sort of remember it, anyway.
I see where MLB Trade Rumors – with a nod to Dennis who said this yesterday or the day before – is indicating Sabean “kicking the tires” on Orlando Hudson. Personally, I hope he passes. In his prime, Orlando Hudson was never an elite option, but he was always a consistent producer (but was a two-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and a contributor to playoff teams). Now in his mid-30s, Hudson’s contact skills have been undergoing a slow erosion and last season he produced his first sub-.250 batting average. The O-Dog also continued to be dogged by injuries, as he missed 43 games with a variety of maladies.
Before being released by the Friars, Hudson was batting just .211 with one homer, five triples and 11 RBI in 35 games.
Obviously, any veteran infielder would at least be looked at, certainly one who would basically be free. Could be wrong, but I thought Dennis predicted Sabean would actually sign him, though. As I said, Hudson’s BA is on a clear downward path to reach .000 sometime in 2114…
I can’t stand the DH either or this super-abundance of inter-league play planned for 2013 or the woodchucks I’m battling in the backyard.
How many DHs can a woodchuck chuck if UncaChuck can chuck the DH?
Gio, featured in my book, saw Sam Fuld walking to the Trop yesterday at 6:15 before a 7pm game, got out, had pix taken with Fuld, offered #5 a ride, and he declined, noting that walking is suggested as PT for hi. That is awesome!
…walking is suggested as PT for him. …
I don’t really hate the DH since I know it’s coming to the NL in the next few years. It’ll suck for us since we can’t seem to even find enough hitters to fill 8 spots in the order, much less 9. Remember who are DH was vs the Angels in the WS? Shingo. So we have a long history of trotting out shitty DH’s
Fuck I hope you guys are wrong!
Ditto.
You’ll get used to it after a year– it won’t seem so bad. But I agree, it’s not baseball. Baseball is one of those perfect games that didn’t need to be changed. DH, closer’s, pitch counts….all dumb. The way we played when we were kids was the best it ever got and it should have remained that way till now…
Spot on Flav. Unfortunately, Bud Selig has given baseball a couple of good things, but overall, he perpetuates the shady used car salesman schtick and that’s why sales and marketing often get a bad name because of people like him. I wish they had a “real” commissioner that wasn’t beholden to the owners or players, someone who plays it straight down the middle and his/her ONLY interest is protecting the integrity of the game . . . Sigh, I know it will never happen.
Most of the changes are actually agent driven or union driven. It’s all designed to specialize a player and ultimately make them more money and maximize the years they can play. The “hold” category is evidence of that. Lefty pitchers who can’t really pitch anymore survive as “specialists”. The DH is another obvious example.
Yeah, I recognize that, i.e., why I said, “a “real” commissioner that wasn’t beholden to the owners or players, someone who plays it straight down the middle and his/her ONLY interest is protecting the integrity of the game.” I have to believe that if Angelo Bartlett “Bart” Giamatti had not died of a massive heart attack at a relatively young age of 51, none of these things would have happened, since he was hard on the Union, as he was the owners.
But that’s water under the bridge and the clock isn’t going to be turned back.
Oh man…the games we played in the field behind my house….hell, some days we played from early morning until sundown…yes…that was baseball.
I just saw the clip of Kerry Wood striking out the last batter he will face in his career . . . He retired and his son was there to give him a hug. Heart warming and classy exit from the game.
I Remember that dude’s rookie year. Electric. I seem to remember watching him pitch a gm at Candlestick but it’s a hazy memory. Now he’s retiring and another reason I feel like an old man!
Just following on my ph, but it appears Verlander is about to throw another no no
I don’t really mind inter-league games. I realize they’re due to the greed of the owners but I think it’s cool for a little kid to get to see the All-Stars from both leagues play live at their home parks. Here in the Bay Area it never really mattered because you could go to a Giants *or* A’s game and see whoever you liked. I guess New York and a couple others as well. But some baseball fans don’t have that luxury.
Doesn’t seem like it should count against Pittsburgh ( yes, they hit worse than we do)..
I know. And check out the batting averages of that LU (minus McCutchen). Why would you ever throw AM a strike?
it’s gone with 1 out in 9th
I saw the end of the Philly/Red Sox game. Valentine went ballistic on an ump call, and got tossed. Valentine wouldn’t leave the field, and the ump started jawing at him, and the ump’s gum flew out and hit Valentine. Valentine got quiet and pointed at the ump, like ‘I got you, dude. Hitting me with the gum is going to get you in some trouble.’
And the replay showed…..the ump got the call right.
That is absolutely disgusting. Harming the manager is almost as bad as cat juggling . . .
Alas, the film had fish-teasing, plant-abusing, and dog-dressing, but no cat-juggling.
Yes, I can’t watch cat juggling, so didn’t include that clip . . . Fish teasing plant abusing, and dog dressing I AM DOWN WITH!
I like interleague, and hate the fake “geographic rivalry.” The Rangers get 6 games with the Astros. The Angels get 6 games with the Dodgers.
Gee, that’s really fair.
How the fuck does Josh Reddick already have 10 HRs?
Grab some pine, Meat!
We just signed Brad Penny to a minor league deal. The O-Dog can’t be too far behind.
Too much thinking is bad for the appetites.
Yup, walking our clean up hitter.
Hell of a LU Boch.
Speed- I like it!
The D-Backs get the Royals as a “geographic rival” this year. Don’t get me started….
I think I heard that it’s been that way 3 out of the last 4 years, Zumie…
Where you out drinking with Kent D. last night?
It was that or the Albuquerque Isotopes..
SHades of Rueben Sierra
Very nice, Arias. Thought that was a popup
I thought it was heading for the Coke bottle…
REGARDING THE DH: I met Nick Harrigan on the Number 7 train after a Mets-Giants game in 1979 or 1980. He (not me, Magnus) recognized my Giants hat and struck up a friendly conversation on a packed train. He introduced me to other Giants fans. As time went by, we met many times for games at Shea or even Yankee Stadium, always sitting behind home plate, often upper deck. He lived on Convent Avenue (not far, I believe, from the site of the Polo Grounds), worked at the big post office on Eighth Avenue near Madison Square Garden, and — if I recall correctly — had been to every Giants game in NY since the late 1930s! He was expert on baseball stats, jazz, and foreign films, castigating me for not knowing Mays’s career stats down cold, as he did, and other stats. He introduced me to a subculture of fans, some a tad eccentric, including one guy, possibly a Red Sox fan, who managed to be at every Yankees or Mets game (how about a job??) with a metal briefcase of data. My point? Nick was a fervent NL fan but vehemently argued FOR the DH. During a game, he’d point out how the lack of DH was a rally killer and that fans want runs. (Recent case in point in your defense, Nick: Tim Lincecum up with two outs and the bases loaded in a game that was tied at 1 or we were losing 1-0 last week. Made an out. Poof. Question: why CAN’T pitchers learn to hit? Why not?) Even after I moved back up to Syracuse from NJ, I kept in touch with Nick. Sometime around the late 1980s or early 1990s I could not reach him. (Was it before or after the 1989 WS?) I tried calling him from a game at Yankee Stadium, I seem to think. I know he had contracted lung cancer. He did not smoke. Gone. Not forgotten. A strong advocate of the DH. I didn’t budge in my opposition, but we had some entertaining “arguments” over the DH.
Giants need a DH……..Huff must be a defacto DH.
I’m the defacto DH at parties…Designated to get Hammered.
Went to games with a briefcase? The man loved his data.
actually it was a bit creepy; he would have trouble getting through security today, no doubt
DH? Say No. Say HELL NO!
Loving Crawdad in the 2 hole
Damn Blanco can fly.
Speed rules!!
but meth kills?
Pretty much.
All this talk about LUs had me just shaking my head at having Pagan in the 4th slot. Once again, Bochy knows more than me. I’m loving this.
Beltie time
Serves me right for starting an A’s P in our fantasy league. I loathe them from the depths of my soul even more than the Dodgers.
Damn
Speed, walks, a key hit or two, productive outs… the lineup “on paper” was interesting, the results even more so.
Take 3?
Who needs the DH? (grin)
Zito with an RBI.
Bwahahaha… walk in a run via Zito. giggity giggity!
A shut down inning from Zito. Damn.
Let me ask: Oakland As are being broadcast by Comcast California (not Bay Area), a SF based NBC company and the Giants are being televised by KNTV an Oakland based independent station? these inter-league games have interesting match-ups.
Leading the Giants in how many at bats per RBI ( up to Belt’s last AB)
1.Hector 5.5
2. Pill 6
3. Belt 7.1
I uess I had a hard time explaining that- those three have needed the fewest ABs to drive in a run.
Yes to Belt
So I woke up for no reason and turned on the game. good call brain my Gmen are raking
Belt! Woo Hoo! Nice sac fly…
Light ’em up Gigantes!