This Week in Baseball 3/30 - 4/6

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

IronPigs laid an egg tonight, one hit all night in a 4-0 loss. I did get to meet the Phillies' president David Montgomery briefly. Very pleasant individual.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Everyone who isn't watching the Pirates-Braves game right now (so basically everyone I guess) just missed Bobby Cox pulling the rare Pitcher-Left Field-Pitcher move with Chris Resop over a 3 batter stretch. Haven't seen anyone break that move out since high school. I don't remember ever seeing it used in the majors.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Everyone who isn't watching the Pirates-Braves game right now (so basically everyone I guess) just missed Bobby Cox pulling the rare Pitcher-Left Field-Pitcher move with Chris Resop over a 3 batter stretch. Haven't seen anyone break that move out since high school. I don't remember ever seeing it used in the majors.

 

I remember reading about that in The Book and the authors saying that no one had really tried it in the majors. Interesting.

[devo 0]

What is it, exactly?

[Bored 0]

Over in the game thread on BTF, someone referenced this game between the Mets and Reds in 1986. Davey Johnson flipped between Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell, putting Orosco in right field when McDowell pitched, and McDowell in left while Orosco pitched with Mookie Wilson switching to the other corner.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Let me see if I can find some examples.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BO...199307150.shtml

Jeff Nelson pitches, moves to LF and then pitches again.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LA...199110010.shtml

Roger McDowell pulls the trick for the LA Dodgers.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Over in the game thread on BTF, someone referenced this game between the Mets and Reds in 1986. Davey Johnson flipped between Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell, putting Orosco in right field when McDowell pitched, and McDowell in left while Orosco pitched with Mookie Wilson switching to the other corner.

It's worth mentioning that it occurred due to necessity. The Mets had several players ejected and were out of position players.

 

[Bored 0]

Davey Johnson used to pull such tricks. Let me see if I can find some examples.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BO...199307150.shtml

Jeff Nelso pitches, moves to LF and then pitches again.

And I notice in that game a 20-year old Mike Hampton gets his only career save.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

One more, Les Lancaster.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CH...199006131.shtml

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Over in the game thread on BTF, someone referenced this game between the Mets and Reds in 1986. Davey Johnson flipped between Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell, putting Orosco in right field when McDowell pitched, and McDowell in left while Orosco pitched with Mookie Wilson switching to the other corner.

Im gonna play dumb to the official rules of baseball..but I always thought you couldnt pull a pitcher and put them back in? Im guessing moving a pitcher to another position doesnt constitute pulling the pitcher then, so I wonder why this isnt done more often..

[Smartly Pretty 0]

...It's not done more often because if the ball is hit to the pitcher in left field you're fucked.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

...It's not done more often because if the ball is hit to the pitcher in left field you're fucked.

 

It's left field. You don't have to be that competent to stand out there and catch the ball. Probably not a good idea to do it all the time, but I hardly think that the defensive downgrade from the standard LF to a pitcher is that big of a deal.

[Dandy 0]

Tell that to Adam Dunn.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Tell that to Adam Dunn.

 

 

I get to watch Manny Ramirez 162 times a year. I know what bad left field defense looks like.

 

Which sort of brings me back to my original point. Is the defensive downgrade from Dunn to a pitcher so sever that you couldn't try it once in a while to take the platoon advantage?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

...It's not done more often because if the ball is hit to the pitcher in left field you're fucked.

 

It's left field. You don't have to be that competent to stand out there and catch the ball. Probably not a good idea to do it all the time, but I hardly think that the defensive downgrade from the standard LF to a pitcher is that big of a deal.

I was thinking a speedy CF or an aware 3B/SS could cover a good portion of LF if the need would arise though if the ball is hit deep down the LF line it would be a problem. the 3B/SS wouldnt be much help if there were runners on though.

 

I was just thinking how smarter it would be to do this than to have a lefty specialist go up against a right handed batter to get to another left handed batter or worse pull the specialist after the first lefty batter.

[Dandy 0]

Dunn has actually improved tremendously. There is a perceived lack of hustle at times, and he still hesitates while deciding where to throw the ball to, but he no longer runs routes like Magellan.

[Krankor 0]

The Kansas City Royals SWEPT the Detroit Tigers in three games in Detroit. KC is the last undefeated team in the bigs. Amazing stuff. I like their team, but I didn't think they'd get hot this early. Hopefully they keep it up and make the AL Central a fun mess to watch.

 

Ryan Dempster looked good today after he settled down. Quality stuff. Kerry Wood also looked good the first two batters he faced in the ninth. Followed that up with a walk in Craig Counsell's at bat and didn't look good, but Counsell is a patient batter. Then he looked solid again to shut down Milwaukee against Jason Kendell. He was throwing crisp stuff in the mid 90's. Most of the Brewers batters never even got the bats off their shoulders. It was an encouraging performance.

 

Tell that to Adam Dunn.

 

 

I get to watch Manny Ramirez 162 times a year. I know what bad left field defense looks like.

 

I watched Ryan Braun out in left field today. They said he was doing great in preseason, he looked absolutely horrible. There were numerous times he literally was just guessing what direction to run to. That's going to be a trainwreck for the Brewers all season long. I enjoyed the botched fielding by Braun during one play today and then the next his replacement at third Bill Hall misplayed a ball that should have cleanly been fielded. Hall clearly would be a better fit in left, but Braun's fielding at third last year was terrible last season. Approximately, he committed an error every 4 games.

[Guest (Loggins Name)]

Over in the game thread on BTF, someone referenced this game between the Mets and Reds in 1986. Davey Johnson flipped between Jesse Orosco and Roger McDowell, putting Orosco in right field when McDowell pitched, and McDowell in left while Orosco pitched with Mookie Wilson switching to the other corner.

Im gonna play dumb to the official rules of baseball..but I always thought you couldnt pull a pitcher and put them back in? Im guessing moving a pitcher to another position doesnt constitute pulling the pitcher then, so I wonder why this isnt done more often..

It's just a fielding change, which you can make as many of as you want. It's just that fielding that position involves pitching. I'd say the reason you don't see it beyond high school, where the best of the best are often great pitchers, hitters, and fielders, is because it would be terrible baseball strategy with most weak-hitting pitchers.

 

watched Ryan Braun out in left field today. They said he was doing great in preseason, he looked absolutely horrible. There were numerous times he literally was just guessing what direction to run to.

Invader3k's sig lied to me. Guy looked for the ball as it was rolling behind him. If the Brewers traded him out to the American League, they could very well get half a team in return.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Why don't you often see teams move a pitcher to the field and back? There are a couple of problems with the move, one being that you have to take a hitter out of the lineup to do it. Since it is a corner outfielder, it is usually a good hitter. Second, teams carry five man benches, and seven man bullpens. In that scenario, pitchers are much more expendable than hitters. Heck, Charlie Manuel NOW can't get through a nine inning game without burning his bench.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

The Sox/Tigers game was notched at two. I took a shower, came back and it's tied up at five. Quality pitching, folks.

 

I love afternoon baseball, but I fear this Cubs game is going to cancel out anything productive from me for the day.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Bob Brenly just claimed that at a game in Candlestick Park, they had to use two pitchers in the outfield. I'm curious to see if this is the case (during Brenly's playing career).

 

Brenly is spot on. Here is the game.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SF...198609280.shtml

[Cartman 0]

Wow Tigers...Royals AND the White Sox? Yikes.

[snuffbox 0]

Holy shit, Billy Hall.

[Broward83 0]

I'd like to thank Soriano for not knowing how the properly play the outfield and allowing us to tie the game, then eventually win it.

 

To you sir, I say: Mucho gracias, Senor.

[Annabelle 0]

if anyone feels down about their team, watch a tigers game. awful. they have no problem getting on base. but then polanco and ordonez kill every rally. ya, those two.

 

and the bullpen.

 

i don't know, anymore.

[Annabelle 0]

oh ya

 

FUCK JASON GRILLI

 

fuck him two years ago, fuck him last year, fuck him now, and fuck him for the next two years because jim leyland will keep putting that worthless FUCK in the game at the most inopportune times. 3 pitches. 3 hits. 3 runs. i couldn't even do that if i tried.

 

its not a bullpen problem its a fucking jason grilli problem.

 

thats ll.

[Red Baron 0]

Alex Rios signed a six year/$64 million contract. Aaron Hill signed a four year/$12 million contract.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Nice way to celebrate that NL pennant, guys. Losing to the Cards 8-1 is not a way to get the season off to a nice start.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Os are winning 6-2. Trax actually pitched well and the bullpen has been excellent again. Millar, R.Hernandez and Mora have HRs.

[geniusMoment 0]

Josh Fogg is flat out terrible. There is no reason he's on the Reds roster, they have so many better options. Hopefully, after about 5 April loses he will be cut and Bob will eat another million to go along with the 3.5 million they ate when they cut stanton.