SOB factor

[devildavid]

Currently 24th in runs scored.

 

That will improve as the season progresses.

[moonslav59]

Currently 24th in runs scored.

 

Some teams have players 21-23 games to our 20.

[mvp 78]

Some teams have players 21-23 games to our 20.

 

So you're saying their record should be more like 11 - 13?

[moonslav59]

So you're saying their record should be more like 11 - 13?

 

I'm saying a ranking should be based on runs per game not total runs, since some teams have player 4 more games than others, and it's early in the season.

[Bellhorn04]

I'm saying a ranking should be based on runs per game not total runs, since some teams have player 4 more games than others, and it's early in the season.

 

We're T21 in runs per game.

[Slasher9]

our offense has sucked thus far. does anyone really think otherwise and want to argue this fact?

[moonslav59]

We're T21 in runs per game.

 

See!

 

Much better!

 

[moonslav59]

our offense has sucked thus far. Does anyone really think otherwise and want to argue this fact?

 

nope!

[S5Dewey]

I detect a note of sarcasm.

 

Moi?

[Kimmi]

Yep. This team is getting a lot of runners on base - and then leaving them there. Since we all know that all hitting is random these guys are getting on base at random and are randomly being left there. We'l be ok. We just need for our luck to improve.

 

There's more truth to your sarcasm than you realize.

[S5Dewey]

There's more truth to your sarcasm than you realize.

 

If a person believes hitting is random then they have to believe what I said is true.

 

A person can't have it both ways. They can't say that hitting is random and then be concerned about hitters not hitting with RISP.

 

Let's hope our "luck" changes soon.

[Kimmi]

If a person believes hitting is random then they have to believe what I said is true.

 

A person can't have it both ways. They can't say that hitting is random and then be concerned about hitters not hitting with RISP.

 

Let's hope our "luck" changes soon.

 

I'm not trying to have it both ways. I said that there was more truth to your statement than you realize.

 

FTR, I never said that all hitting is random.

[a700hitter]

I'm not trying to have it both ways. I said that there was more truth to your statement than you realize.

 

FTR, I never said that all hitting is random.

Just the deviations from the averages are random.

[S5Dewey]

I'm not trying to have it both ways. I said that there was more truth to your statement than you realize.

 

FTR, I never said that all hitting is random.

 

Ok then... You've made it plain that you don't think that a player can 'turn it up a 'notch' in a clutch situation, and you don't think that hitting is random. So are you of the opinion that the only variations from random are when a player chokes?

[Kimmi]

Ok then... You've made it plain that you don't think that a player can 'turn it up a 'notch' in a clutch situation, and you don't think that hitting is random. So are you of the opinion that the only variations from random are when a player chokes?

 

Hitting involves skill, so hitting is not completely random. That's all.

[a700hitter]

Hitting involves skill, so hitting is not completely random. That's all.

Hitting is not random, but the hits are random?

[devildavid]

Hitting is not random, but the hits are random?

 

The random part is when the hits occur. Great hitters don't "try" to get a hit. They follow their approach and let the hits come as they may. Sometimes they come at the "right" time and sometimes they don't. Great hitters can't control things and gear up to get their hits when they count. They get their hits when they get their pitches to hit.

[S5Dewey]

The random part is when the hits occur. Great hitters don't "try" to get a hit. They follow their approach and let the hits come as they may. Sometimes they come at the "right" time and sometimes they don't. Great hitters can't control things and gear up to get their hits when they count. They get their hits when they get their pitches to hit.

 

With all due respect, you're trying to have this both ways here.

 

On the one hand you say that great hitters don't "try" to get a hit. On the other hand you say that they get their hits when they get their pitches to hit.

 

So when Pedey and Bogaerts reach out and 'serve' a ball into right field is it that they're trying to get a hit or is it that they're not trying to get a hit but just got a pitch they could handle? Because it looks to me like they're trying to get a hit.

Edited April 28, 2017 by S5Dewey

[devildavid]

With all due respect, you're trying to have this both ways here.

 

On the one hand you say that great hitters don't "try" to get a hit. On the other hand you say that they get their hits when they get their pitches to hit.

 

So when Pedey and Bogaerts reach out and 'serve' a ball into right field is it that they're trying to get a hit or is it that they're not trying to get a hit but just got a pitch they could handle? Because it looks to me like they're trying to get a hit.

 

Those reaching out swings could be "their" pitches or it could be a weakness in their approach. It depends on how often it succeeds. Pedroia seems to have a weakness for low outside pitches. They are attempting to hit the ball whenever they swing the bat, but that is not the same as being fooled by a bad pitch. And every swing is not about trying to get a hit. Sometimes it is just about trying to get a piece of the ball on borderline pitches. And sometimes it is simply being fooled by a pitch. There is no try, there is only do.

[S5Dewey]

Those reaching out swings could be "their" pitches or it could be a weakness in their approach. It depends on how often it succeeds. Pedroia seems to have a weakness for low outside pitches. They are attempting to hit the ball whenever they swing the bat, but that is not the same as being fooled by a bad pitch. And every swing is not about trying to get a hit. Sometimes it is just about trying to get a piece of the ball on borderline pitches. And sometimes it is simply being fooled by a pitch. There is no try, there is only do.

 

A WEAKNESS?? That's called 'hitting the ball where it's pitched', something both Pedey and Bogaerts are very good at.

[devildavid]

A WEAKNESS?? That's called 'hitting the ball where it's pitched', something both Pedey and Bogaerts are very good at.

 

It's a weakness if they don't get hits and it is out of the strike zone. Hitting the other way on a pitch in the strike zone is fine. Reaching for outside pitches out of the zone usually leads to less success. An inside out swing can also be used to go the other way. And yes, these are all done on purpose to attempt to get hits. but they are also part and parcel of a hitters overall approach. Some players use the whole field and some don't; some are dead pull hitters. You stick with the approach that works for you. The hits come or they don't accordingly, not according to how hard you "tried" to get a hit in each particular at bat.

[S5Dewey]

I'm not trying to have it both ways. I said that there was more truth to your statement than you realize.

 

FTR, I never said that all hitting is random.

 

Your position about randomness in hitting (especially in clutch situations) has been very consistent. If it's not a repeatable skill then it's random.

 

So, like being clutch, since getting hits is not a repeatable skill it has to be random.

 

Actually I've always thought that there's a lot of luck in hitting - or at least in the result of hitting the ball. When a ball is hit between that both the 3B & the SS almost get to - but can't - there was a lot of luck in getting that hit. When an outfielder dives and catches the ball in the webbing of his glove he was lucky to have been playing where he was because if he'd been one step farther from where he caught the ball he wouldn't have been able to make the catch. I don't think any player can strike the ball with pinpoint accuracy to put the ball where he wants it nor do I believe that any fielder can accurately predict the exact spot where the ball will be hit. There's a factor of luck involved in it.

 

I'm not saying hitting is all luck. IMO when a player squares up on a ball he has a better chance of getting a hit. Like everything in baseball, it doesn't work EVERY TIME but he has a better chance of getting on base with a hard-hit ball then with a dribbler.

If you believe that good luck/bad luck evens out over 500 AB's then luck is a wash and the difference between a good hitter and a weaker hitter is the result of how well he strikes the ball, his hitting technique and his strength. But there's still some luck involved in it.

[S5Dewey]

It's a weakness if they don't get hits and it is out of the strike zone. Hitting the other way on a pitch in the strike zone is fine. Reaching for outside pitches out of the zone usually leads to less success. An inside out swing can also be used to go the other way. And yes, these are all done on purpose to attempt to get hits. but they are also part and parcel of a hitters overall approach. Some players use the whole field and some don't; some are dead pull hitters. You stick with the approach that works for you. The hits come or they don't accordingly, not according to how hard you "tried" to get a hit in each particular at bat.

 

No, no, no, no, no.

 

When Pedey takes a low and outside pitch and 'serves' the ball to RF he's TRYING to do that. Anyone who's played baseball knows that it's easier to hit an outside pitch to the opposite field than it is it "inside out" it. And it's a lot easier to hit a bloop hit over the infield by going with an outside pitch than it his to "inside out" it. An inside out swing usually results in a line drive, which is why LH hitters like to hit to the wall in Fenway - it's a line drive rather than a bloop hit.

 

The strike zone is an arbitrary area designed to give a hitter the best chance to hit the ball, but that doesn't mean that the strike zone is the only area in which a hitter can control the flight of the ball. It's just where MOST hitters can do it. It's easier to take a low and outside pitch and serve it to the opposite field because the batter is hitting the ball where it's pitched, but only if the hitter has good bat control.

[devildavid]

No, no, no, no, no.

 

When Pedey takes a low and outside pitch and 'serves' the ball to RF he's TRYING to do that. Anyone who's played baseball knows that it's easier to hit an outside pitch to the opposite field than it is it "inside out" it. And it's a lot easier to hit a bloop hit over the infield by going with an outside pitch than it his to "inside out" it. An inside out swing usually results in a line drive, which is why LH hitters like to hit to the wall in Fenway - it's a line drive rather than a bloop hit.

 

The strike zone is an arbitrary area designed to give a hitter the best chance to hit the ball, but that doesn't mean that the strike zone is the only area in which a hitter can control the flight of the ball. It's just where MOST hitters can do it. It's easier to take a low and outside pitch and serve it to the opposite field because the batter is hitting the ball where it's pitched, but only if the hitter has good bat control.

 

A good, consistent swing is the best approach to hitting. If you start going after bad pitches you have less chance of hitting safely. Look at how many outside pitches Pedroia flails at and misses. He actually hits better with pitches at the top of the strike zone. A good pitch away is easier to hit to the opposite field than one out of the zone. Going after bad pitches is not the mark of trying to get a hit. I think it is quite rare for a hitter to actually control where the ball is hit and is more random than it appears to you.

[SoxHop]

Let's trade for Knuckles Odor and be done with it.

 

I agree. We get Odor and get back Coco Crisp. The way that guy slipped the haymaker was legendary......... no one will mess with us......

[SoxHop]

I agree. We get Odor and get back Coco Crisp. The way that guy slipped the haymaker was legendary......... no one will mess with us......

 

I was on a team that wasn't great but good one time. But we had MAJOR BRAWLERS......for me it was scary.......... every game there was this tension going on....... at almost every point there could be a flare up........ and there was no question the whole bench was going to charge in if something erupted. ............

[cp176]

I think our team may not be the brawling type. Heck, most of them are pretty small and other than Hanley and Moreland, the rest look like young kids.

 

What are Betts, Pedey, Panda, Sale, Benintendi going to due in a brawl other than get their butt kicked.

 

But as far as toughness. I would point to example of Betts and Benintendi's catch over the wall.

 

I think they have a different toughness, just not the brawling type.

 

If you are suggesting that the bigger the guy is then it naturally figures that he must be tougher in any way be it physical or mental, I can't buy that one at all. That old expression ain't the size of the dog that is in the fight that matters it is the size of the fight that is in the dog really does ring true.

Now if the suggestion is that we aren't sending really anybody to the plate that just looks a little intimidating from a pitcher's perspective, you might be on to something. We have a whole bunch of potentially good little hitters. With Ortiz, even when he was a little off, pitchers knew that any mistake could cost them dearly. I don't think that anybody is intimidated by this group to feel the need to pitch around anybody. Napoli or Encarnarcion regardless of how they are playing at least give the impression that they can still change the complexion of a game with one swing. As in something other than a single or a double.

[mvp 78]

If you are suggesting that the bigger the guy is then it naturally figures that he must be tougher in any way be it physical or mental, I can't buy that one at all. That old expression ain't the size of the dog that is in the fight that matters it is the size of the fight that is in the dog really does ring true.

Now if the suggestion is that we aren't sending really anybody to the plate that just looks a little intimidating from a pitcher's perspective, you might be on to something. We have a whole bunch of potentially good little hitters. With Ortiz, even when he was a little off, pitchers knew that any mistake could cost them dearly. I don't think that anybody is intimidated by this group to feel the need to pitch around anybody. Napoli or Encarnarcion regardless of how they are playing at least give the impression that they can still change the complexion of a game with one swing. As in something other than a single or a double.

 

That is very true. My 8 lb chihuahua used to hold her own against my 100 lb pit bull. Now she holds her own against a 75 lb hound dog and no longer has front teeth.

[cp176]

That is very true. My 8 lb chihuahua used to hold her own against my 100 lb pit bull. Now she holds her own against a 75 lb hound dog and no longer has front teeth.

 

ain't that a fact - it's them little ankle biters that you have to watch out for. Particularly if they are gummers - be they human or otherwise.

[SoxHop]

If you are suggesting that the bigger the guy is then it naturally figures that he must be tougher in any way be it physical or mental, I can't buy that one at all. That old expression ain't the size of the dog that is in the fight that matters it is the size of the fight that is in the dog really does ring true.

Now if the suggestion is that we aren't sending really anybody to the plate that just looks a little intimidating from a pitcher's perspective, you might be on to something. We have a whole bunch of potentially good little hitters. With Ortiz, even when he was a little off, pitchers knew that any mistake could cost them dearly. I don't think that anybody is intimidated by this group to feel the need to pitch around anybody. Napoli or Encarnarcion regardless of how they are playing at least give the impression that they can still change the complexion of a game with one swing. As in something other than a single or a double.

 

I was just talking brawl factor. Not any other factor.

 

It was a few days ago, but we were questioning why our team didn't plunk someone. If your pitcher has the balls to hit someone, your team better be the kind of people that are going to come out of the dugout and protect the pitcher if things go south.

 

There are brawling teams, there are teams that are so talented they don't need to brawl. It doesn't matter to me.

 

This team doesn't strike me as a brawling team, and I'm good with that. Their talent is amazing.

 

Yea...... it's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the fight in the dog that matters. I get it. But I see our outfield getting down and dancing to till the break of dawn to some tunes then stepping up with fists......... and I applaud them for that.

 

On a side note.... Chihuahua dogs should be eradicated from this earth..... they suck.......