Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros, Jun 25, 2009 1:05 PM CDT
by Stephen Higdon on Jun 25, 2009 1:00 PM CDT
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PrintKansas City Royals at Houston Astros, Jun 25, 2009 1:05 PM CDT
Current Series
Royals lead the series 2-0
| Tue 06/23 | WP: Zack Greinke ( - ) SV: Joakim Soria LP: Russ Ortiz ( - ) |
1 - 2 loss |
| Wed 06/24 | WP: Joakim Soria ( - ) SV: John Bale LP: Jeff Fulchino ( - ) |
3 - 4 loss |
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Kansas City Royals Thursday, Jun 25, 2009, 1:05 PM CDT Brian Bannister vs Brian Moehler Partly cloudy. Game time temperature around 95.
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**sigh** I know I advocated for Kepp to hit somewhere other than the eight hole early in the season, but that was when he was only hitting LHP. My wish for the rest of the season, is that Cecil Cooper will put more thought into what it is that he is doing on a daily and inningly basis.
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I guess there are some benefits to being unemployed
including getting to watch day games.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
Amen to that
At this point, it might be the only benefit. Unfortunately, I’m going to miss the first few innings while I go in search of gainful employment.
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
by Stephen Higdon on Jun 25, 2009 1:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Paulino is penciled in for Saturday
I threw up in the back of my mouth reading that.
The Crawfishboxes
A good friend of mine used to say, "This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains." Think about that for a while.
Anyone else find it disheartening to see Pence and Berkman batting 5th and 6th?
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 1:16 PM CDT reply actions
No less disheartening than
to note we have only 5 decent bats out of the 9 starters, and no one on the bench who is a dependable pinch hitter.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
makes you appreciate Jose Vizcanio, Orlando Palmerio, Bill Speirs, Daryl Ward.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions
Mike Lamb
actually, all those teams had good benches. Makes sense, because those were good teams.
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Eric Bruntlett, Luke Scott,
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 1:34 PM CDT up reply actions
I didn’t like the fact that Bruntlett got thrown in that deal to Philly.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions
Royals go up 1-0.
Guillen with lead off double and advanced to third on a bad throw by Pence on the next fly out.
Pena not playing today
surprised Moehler didn’t drill anybody in retaliation for the stuff last night.
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Lance at the plate
after making a solid bid for the 2009 “Billy Buckner Award” last night.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Home run
redemption of sorts.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Okay, so Lee doubles
partly because of the shift the Royals employ.
I was reading a recent column on Bill James’ website, and he was talking about how shifts were, in general, just bad strategy. The human mind tends to think that, if something works more often than not, then it’s worth doing. But that’s not the way games work. Sometimes a strategy needs to work 80% of the time to be a good one.
And shifts, he said, just increase the likelihood of very bad things happening (XBH, mainly) too much, and decrease the likelihood of other bad things happening (regular hits from pull hitters) too little to be worthwhile. It was interesting stuff.
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What John Dewan always says, when I question the wisdom of the shift, is "How can it not work? If you put the fielders where the ball is most often hit, how can that not increase your chances of making the play?" But the problem with the theory is this: that the traditional alignment of the fielders maximizes the areas that are covered and minimizes the areas that are redundantly covered, and this minimizes the areas that are uncovered. As Craig Shipley says, "They put those fielders there for a reason."
When you employ the shift, what happens is that you increase the areas that are redundantly covered, thus increasing the areas that are uncovered. You thus increase the areas where the ball becomes a hit, or (especially) an extra base hit. That’s why the shift doesn’t work: it increases the areas of redundant coverage, thus inevitably increasing the areas of no coverage.
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Such strategies should be employed carefully
because when they fail, the results are usually disastrous – turning a routine ground ball into a double, for example. Like everything else, there are times when shifts make sense and times when they don’t. That requires a manager with a keen sense of analysis and feel for the game. I can think of 3 of those who are currently managing, perhaps 4.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
That's probably right.
It’s like the intentional walk or sac bunt: as a general strategy, these are just bad things to do. But there are certain situations where doing either is the right strategy: either the chances of it blowing up in your face in this instance are relatively low or the payoff should it succeed is relatively high.
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so who do you think
has the managing acumen to pull off using it?
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LaRussa probably. The Red Sox probably give Francona a buttload of computer print outs to tell him the right decisions. Dierker used to claim that the Braves under Bobby Cox were the best at fielding alignment of any team he played against.
I'd include Torre on that list
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Basically, on the sac,
the general rule is “play for one run only when you think it will win the game outright” or “only when there is absolutely nothing better to do” (such as with a batter up who will very likely not get a hit or very likely might hit into a DP).
Otherwise, ixnay on the acsay…..
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
mgl claims that the sac bunt analysis is so complex...
that no manager can possibly figure it out on their own. (Of course, I’m sure mgl would be more than willing to do the statistical analyses if they would hire him.) He brings game theory into it, and thinks that you have to use the sac bunt enough in bad situations to affect the 3d baseman’s positioning.
a bit like bluffing at poker
just to keep the opponent guessing a bit.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
I would think it might depend on the batter's ability/willingness to adjust.
A shift for Carlos Lee is definitely bad strategy, because he is more than willing and able to go the other way. In fact, he is looking to go the other way on 2 strike counts.
A shift against Berkman is probably bad strategy for similar reasons. Berkman is versatile hitter and hits it the other way enough to make that a risky strategy. Berkman has also been willing to bunt for a hit against the shift.
Some hitters are such pure pull hitters who refuse to consider adjusting that it might be OK. I am guessing the shift against Ryan Howard might fall in that category.
Another problem with the shift is that its effectiveness may change depending on whether the ball is hit in the air or on the ground.
Homerun Berkman
1000 career RBIs
ands 1001 creer RBI
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 1:32 PM CDT reply actions
I hope Astros win this game
They should have won the first two games of the series. Iinstead we go two hard body punches.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 1:41 PM CDT reply actions
We only scored 4 runs in total-
hard to feel like we should have won.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
yeah
that last inning had, what, the second and third Astros extra-base hits of the series? No, the Astros didn’t deserve to win either of those games. Nor did the Royals, really.
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I would disagree with that to the extent that..
Both games were well pitched. If you have good pitching, you should be able to win games with low hitting results.
true
but I think there was a lot of offensive ineptitude. Particularly for last night’s game.
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probably so.
my only point is that you could say both teams deserved to win if it was a pitching duel. I think both KC pitchers were good. The Astros’ defense probably was bad enough to say they didn’t deserve to win (particularly, Berkman’s fielding play in the 9th). If you are going to win in low scoring pitching duels, you better bring your defense.
and if a frog didn't have a big butt
it would bump on the ground every time he hopped :)
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
yeah
it’s a little silly to be talking about who “deserved” to win, anyways.
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They lead 2-1 going to the ninth last night
and threatened enough to win Tuesday if they could come through. I believe they outhit theRoyals by decent amount Tuesday (but I may be wrong)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 1:52 PM CDT up reply actions
They had 10 hits Tuesday all singles.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions
Tell me that's not the manager's ultimate responsisbility...
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
yes, particularly since Cooper said that...
when he took the job. He said he would guarantee that the defense would improve under him.
2008
Didn’t the defense have a pretty good year last year?
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:07 PM CDT up reply actions
yeah, it was
but that was last year, and the infield isn’t that hot right now.
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yes.
So, I believed him. But if he has that ability, Coop has to take responsibility for bad defense this year.
Miguel Tejada
would make any managers defense look bad.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions
but he was excellent last year
maybe he’s just worse this year because of age and decline. But, in any case, Coop hasn’t done anything (it appears) to motivate Lee, either.
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There is no hope
For Carlos Lee, he should be in the AL as a DH
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions
How many outs do the Astros give the Royals this inning
goodness
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:01 PM CDT reply actions
Arguably Astros should be out of the inning
and they have not recorded an out yet
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions
and we pay the price for sloppy fielding - ouch!
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Ugh
and more ugh
Royals on a roll
yet lead only 3-2 (but with runners on second and third with no out)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:04 PM CDT reply actions
Just remember
Each loss get’s the Astros closer to making some moves that will help the club in the future.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:06 PM CDT reply actions
it makes us look at losses as a good thing, long-term.
And I don’t like rewarding failure.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
I’m not saying for a better draft slot, It’s more so to trade some of the older players such as Tejada, Valverde, Pudge, and bringing up some of the younger players. Although keeping some of these guys may bring the Astros compensation.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
oh
well, I think you underestimate Drayton’s never-say-die attitude.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
lol
I don’t underestimate it, I fear it. Always the optimist I look for the silver lining =)
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I was going to say that, but I let it go.
The team’s record is about where it was last year, and the position in the division is better. And the team last year went through its worst stretch in the next couple of weeks, meaning that this team will probably have a better record near the mid way point. So, based on Drayton’s experience, he could well think things look good.
Wow - I thought Pudge was about a mile from the plate,
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Replay shows that Pudge touched the plate
then stepped away and caught the throw from Moehler
Pudge getting the “2nd base courtesy call.”
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
It's Q - not Pudge
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Brian Moehler kept his composure
and got out of the inning (almost single-handedly)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:10 PM CDT reply actions
He's so good that the umps have missed the call
a few times this year, calling him out when he was clearly safe.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Berkman is lucky
He probably should not have tried to for second (butnow that he’s there – it’s a good thing)
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions
When Carlos Lee scores
they should call it a “jog” instead of a run.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Tie game as Carlos Lee scored on fly out
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:20 PM CDT reply actions
Furbish and refurbish
To correct Bill Brown, “Furbish” is a word. The definiton looks very similar to the definition of “refurbish.”
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:27 PM CDT reply actions
Good afternoon?
Cubs, Cardinals, & Brewers all losing at the moment.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Jawdroppingly bad defense
what’s going on here?
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:31 PM CDT reply actions
I never thought I'd ever say this
but the Astros have totally let Moehler down in this game.
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I have said this several times...
but Quintero’s throwing has been terribly inaccurate subsequent to going on the DL.
for a guy with a supposed world class throwing arm...
way too many Q throws go past the 1st baseman, 2d baseman, and 3d basemen. And in his rehab games after the DL stint, he was making the same throwing errors at Round Rock.
He's only an average catcher defensively
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions
I don't know about that.
Last year, at least, he showed a strong, accurate arm. And he seemed pretty good at blocking pitches.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
scouting reports had Quintero's arm as one of the best in the majors.
at least in previous years. but he has shown inaccuracy this year which even a bad catcher shouldn’t make.
He needs to get it back
because his hitting is definitely not the reason he is with the Astros
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
To put in a picher
who makes the fielders more comfortable.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
actually...didn't mean to pick on him.
just seemed like an opening. I actually have some hope for Wesley being good for the remainder of the season.
My thinking was that the fielders clearly
couldn’t play well for Moehler, so a replacement was called for.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Most Ued Sentence of the Game
by Bill Brown, “Nice work by Moehler to limit the damage….”
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Why would Carlos Lee break in his glove?
Not like he uses the thing.
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Wesley Wright
I think he’s a great prospect – hope we keep him.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Cubs and Cardinals BOTH LOST
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:50 PM CDT reply actions
Brewers down 4 in the 5th
Could be a clean sweep on the afternoon.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Suddenly Brewers down only one
4-3
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 3:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Wesley Wright strikes out the side
Give him a hand, everybody, he’s only 15!
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
That's a higher IQ
than Drayton’s….
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Is he from one of the
South American countries?
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions
heh
no, but the birth certificates in Alabama can’t be that reliable, either.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
Birmingham, Alabama
he was once “Wesley in Birmingham”
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
He is not my son
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 2:57 PM CDT up reply actions
We believe
He was born in Montgomery, went to high school in Birmingham…
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
A website says he went to high school in Goshen
southeast of Montgomery
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions
I hate the Mets so much
that I can’t even be happy when they beat the Cardinals….
I even pull for the Braves against the Mets – that is real hate!
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
Too many strikeouts for Wright
Things going way to well, so Cooper has to pull him
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
to be fair
putting Wright on the mound is always playing with fire, but you’re right.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
Chris Sampson
isn’t a bad choice to replace him.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 3:07 PM CDT up reply actions
No problem with Sampson
In fact, he’s done so well I’m surprised we’ve kept him.
"Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs"
-Earl Weaver
fortunately,
it looks like Bourn was just trying to bunt for a hit
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
Juan Cruz...
didn’t he cost the Royals a first round draft pick because he was Type A?
that’s a high price for a reliever.
true, but he was really kickass over the past few years.
This year, not so much.
Still, a really good middle-reliever/setup man is kind of a luxury that a team like the Royals can’t afford.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
I recall when Juan Cruz and Carlos Zambrano were called up at the same time...
as 21 or 22 year old rookies. Both were supposed to become the core of the Cubs’ starting rotation (behind Prior and Wood). And Cruz was widely viewed as a better pitching prospect than Zambrano. Cruz had an electric fastball.
Why would you
try to stay out of a double play with Bourn at the plate?
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions
maybe...
he’s trying to keep the game moving, he is good buddy’s with Selig. A Selig has been complaining about the longer games.
by Timothy De Block on Jun 25, 2009 3:22 PM CDT up reply actions
I HATE YOU COOP I HATE YOUR DUMB ASS
FUCKING HIT-AND-RUN BULLSHIT@!!!!!!!!
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
See, he lulled me into a false sense of security by not having
Bourn sac-bunt Erstad to 2nd. Then he did something even more stupid.
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Lee is lucky the 1st baseman dropped that ball.
Carlos didn’t even speed up his trot when the shortstop made the play on the ball and it was clear it would be a long throw.
If there's any time to run to first that was it
and Carlos Lee barely jogged
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions
he seemed genuinely disappointed
that he reached base, too.
Your friendly neighborhood Dreamshake mod.
Jose Valverde to close
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 3:44 PM CDT reply actions
ASTROS WIN 5-4
Finally!!
With Cardinals, Cubs and maybe Brewers losing. it’s a good day
Also Berkman may have broken out of his most recent slump.
Astros fan for life
by Joe in Birmingham on Jun 25, 2009 3:54 PM CDT reply actions
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Current Series
3 game series vs Rockies @ Minute Maid Park
|
Colorado Rockies
Friday, Apr 6, 2012, 6:05 PM CDT |
||
| Sat 04/07 | 6:05 PM CDT | |
| Sun 04/08 | 1:05 PM CDT | |
NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Cincinnati
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Milwaukee
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.14.2012 at 6:04 PM CST)
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