Bill Mueller and the death of the ground-ball single up the middle.

[Bellhorn04]

"Up the middle!"

 

That was Joe Buck's call when Bill Mueller hit his game-tying, history-changing single off Mariano Rivera in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS.

 

Last night, the Astros made their final out when Gurriel drilled a grounder up the middle. It went right through the box past Snell, but it was fielded easily behind second for the out.

 

It seems to me that once upon a time a hard-hit grounder up the middle that got past the pitcher was an almost guaranteed hit. Singles up the middle were actually kind of cool.

 

Now with all the changes in defensive positioning it's usually an out.

 

One more reason, I guess, that hitters are focused so much more on launching it instead.

[jacksonianmarch]

I’m hoping guys style themselves like Lemahieu. Hit the ball the other way when it’s pitched there. Pull when indicated. Up the middle when you can. The only reason for shifts is the hitters were predictable. Be unpredictable and you can’t shift

[moonslav59]

I’m hoping guys style themselves like Lemahieu. Hit the ball the other way when it’s pitched there. Pull when indicated. Up the middle when you can. The only reason for shifts is the hitters were predictable. Be unpredictable and you can’t shift

 

I agree. If more players learned to use the shifts to their advantage, teams would stop using it against them. I'm not sure that's going to happen anytime soon.

 

Bell is right, though, and as more and more players swing for the fences every AB, their out locations become more predictable.

[moonslav59]

Bill Mueller.

 

What a fun guy to watch.

 

(BTW, for those who just love hating on the "selfish" Manny, how about when Manny sat out the final game to make sure his teammate, Mueller, would win the batting title?)

[mvp 78]

Mueller is my favorite Sox 3b of all time.

[notin]

Mueller is my favorite Sox 3b of all time.

 

Over Boggs?

 

Over your man-crush Devers?

[Slasher9]

"Up the middle!"

 

That was Joe Buck's call when Bill Mueller hit his game-tying, history-changing single off Mariano Rivera in Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS.

 

Last night, the Astros made their final out when Gurriel drilled a grounder up the middle. It went right through the box past Snell, but it was fielded easily behind second for the out.

 

It seems to me that once upon a time a hard-hit grounder up the middle that got past the pitcher was an almost guaranteed hit. Singles up the middle were actually kind of cool.

 

Now with all the changes in defensive positioning it's usually an out.

 

One more reason, I guess, that hitters are focused so much more on launching it instead.

 

great post. the game has definitely changed when it comes to ground balls. Sad!

Mo laying on the ground on that play is an awesome memory.

[mvp 78]

Over Boggs?

 

Over your man-crush Devers?

 

I’m a Boggs hater.

 

Yes, more than Devers.

[moonslav59]

Mueller is certainly one of my faves at 3B, along with Petrocelli & Beltre (too short-lived).

[redsoxrules]

Players need to learn how to bunt to stop this shift non sense

[Bellhorn04]

Players need to learn how to bunt to stop this shift non sense

 

It's either bunt or launch. They're going with launch.

[notin]

Players need to learn how to bunt to stop this shift non sense

 

Won’t happen. As Bellhorn said, they’re going with launch. 30 home runs translates into more money than 30 bunt singles...

[notin]

I’m a Boggs hater.

 

Yes, more than Devers.

 

A Boggs hater?!?! For shame. How can you hate the man who starred in the SyFy original movie “Swamp Shark”?

[Bellhorn04]

A Boggs hater?!?! For shame. How can you hate the man who starred in the SyFy original movie “Swamp Shark”?

 

I'm with mvp. Boggs is my all-time least favorite Red Sox player of any note. I even dislike Clemens less than Boggs.

 

I have to admit that I would like Boggs better if we had won it in 1986. Which may not be fair, I realize.

[notin]

I'm with mvp. Boggs is my all-time least favorite Red Sox player of any note. I even dislike Clemens less than Boggs.

 

I have to admit that I would like Boggs better if we had won it in 1986. Which may not be fair, I realize.

 

Excuse me. Swamp Shark.

 

As a fellow fan of garbage television, I would think you should appreciate that about him...

[redsoxrules]

Won’t happen. As Bellhorn said, they’re going with launch. 30 home runs translates into more money than 30 bunt singles...

 

You'd easily score more runs with bunt single. They shift no matter how many baserunners there is. You don't hit a hr everytime your at bat.

[moonslav59]

You don't have to bunt, although that can work. Just hitting the other way works, too.