A Realistic View at 2021: Part III

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

But what about a stool?

 

If he were smart, he'd refuse to catch that...

[notin]

@alexspeier

The Red Sox still believe Chris Sale - who tested positive for COVID-19 last Thursday - is on track to be cleared by the MLB/MLBPA joint committee to pitch tonight against the Orioles.

 

If he was unvaccinated, he would have had to miss 10 days (return on Monday).

 

I can’t get too mad about this COVID outbreak on the Sox. It’s at least nice to see our defenders catch something…

[Bellhorn04]

If he was sitting in a chair behind home plate, he would have caught it.

 

Sanchez needs a butterfly net.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Sanchez needs a butterfly net.

 

... and a goalie stick. And lend it to Vazquez.

[mvp 78]

But what about a stool?

 

Armchair is to Quarterback as Stool is to Catcher.

[moonslav59]

Agreed -- I hate the box. It is imperfect, misleading, obtrusive, manipulative, and a crutch that all networks think they should follow suit with, to impose upon viewers.

 

Relying on a fake outline is like a business that requires male employees to wear neckties to contrive importance... because, you know, someone somewhere once thought it was a good idea -- even though ties ensure no respect whatsoever, and look ridiculous flapping on a windy day or dangling in a bowl of soup.

 

I think the rectangle is useful, but we have to realize it is not perfect.

 

Balls that are breaking, and even fastballs are falling and will hit the catcher's glove lower than where it goes over the plate.

 

We can also see that pitches that hit the same spot are sometimes called ball and sometimes strikes.

[mvp 78]

I think the rectangle is useful, but we have to realize it is not perfect.

 

Balls that are breaking, and even fastballs are falling and will hit the catcher's glove lower than where it goes over the plate.

 

We can also see that pitches that hit the same spot are sometimes called ball and sometimes strikes.

 

It's not perfect, but probably better than the umps themselves.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I think the rectangle is useful, but we have to realize it is not perfect.

 

Balls that are breaking, and even fastballs are falling and will hit the catcher's glove lower than where it goes over the plate.

 

We can also see that pitches that hit the same spot are sometimes called ball and sometimes strikes.

 

Serious question: Since we all know that the distance of a batter's "letters to knees" or even the unofficial "belt to knees" fluctuates with every single individual, do networks ever expand or constrict dimensions of the box to reflect each individual strike zone? It sure doesn't look that way to this viewer....

 

Btw, wouldn't modern computer tech have a way to automatically and instantly update every at bat accordingly?

[moonslav59]

Serious question: Since we all know that the distance of a batter's "letters to knees" or even the unofficial "belt to knees" fluctuates with every single individual, do networks ever expand or constrict dimensions of the box to reflect each individual strike zone? It sure doesn't look that way to this viewer....

 

Btw, wouldn't modern computer tech have a way to automatically and instantly update every at bat accordingly?

 

Interesting points.

 

Maybe they measure every player and feed the dimensions into the computer, or just go with 1 set strike zone or 2-3 based on your official height.

 

[mvp 78]

Serious question: Since we all know that the distance of a batter's "letters to knees" or even the unofficial "belt to knees" fluctuates with every single individual, do networks ever expand or constrict dimensions of the box to reflect each individual strike zone? It sure doesn't look that way to this viewer....

 

Btw, wouldn't modern computer tech have a way to automatically and instantly update every at bat accordingly?

 

If we can make self driving cars that intentionally turn into pedestrians, we certainly can make software that recognizes each player's individual strike zone.

[moonslav59]

If we can make self driving cars that intentionally turn into pedestrians, we certainly can make software that recognizes each player's individual strike zone.

 

It should not be based on batter stance, though.

[notin]

If we can make self driving cars that intentionally turn into pedestrians, we certainly can make software that recognizes each player's individual strike zone.

 

The cars turn into pedestrians?? Like some freakish hybrid mix of a Transformer and a werewolf???

[mvp 78]

It should not be based on batter stance, though.

 

You would want one k zone for all players? An automate k zone based on the average height of every player?

 

The rulebook says the actual k zone is called differently.

[mvp 78]

The cars turn into pedestrians?? Like some freakish hybrid mix of a Transformer and a werewolf???

 

These cares aren't THAT smart. Just smart enough to run over some meatbags. Just wait until the update that allows for cars to charge themselves. They'll no longer need humans. The future is the Cars universe. Ka-chow!

[moonslav59]

The cars turn into pedestrians?? Like some freakish hybrid mix of a Transformer and a werewolf???

 

No. I said "stance."

 

Players that crouch, should not have smaller strike zones.

 

It should be based on height or actual measurements between 2 points of every player's bodies, as players with the same height make have different measurements between the knees and letters.

[mvp 78]

No. I said "stance."

 

Players that crouch, should not have smaller strike zones.

 

It should be based on height or actual measurements between 2 points of every player's bodies, as players with the same height make have different measurements between the knees and letters.

 

The Eddie Gaedel hater has logged on.

[notin]

These cares aren't THAT smart. Just smart enough to run over some meatbags. Just wait until the update that allows for cars to charge themselves. They'll no longer need humans. The future is the Cars universe. Ka-chow!

 

So this is like a prequel to Bumblebee, which was a prequel to the Transformers movie, which was a prequel to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which was a prequel to Transformers: Dark of the Night, which was a prequel to… you get the idea…

[moonslav59]

The Eddie Gaedel hater has logged on.

 

I'm all for smaller strike zones for smaller players. I'm not for shrinking the zone for players that crouch vs standing more upright.

 

Am I missing something?

[notin]

I'm all for smaller strike zones for smaller players. I'm not for shrinking the zone for players that crouch vs standing more upright.

 

Am I missing something?

 

So maybe a Quasimodo hater?

[mvp 78]

So this is like a prequel to Bumblebee, which was a prequel to the Transformers movie, which was a prequel to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, which was a prequel to Transformers: Dark of the Night, which was a prequel to… you get the idea…

 

I thought it was dumb that Megatron turned into a gun. Made no damn sense.

[moonslav59]

So maybe a Quasimodo hater?

 

Altuve hater.

 

Are you for setting the strike zone based on a crouch?

 

Altuve's would be about 10 inches top to bottom.

[mvp 78]

@SmittyOnMLB

Boston Red Sox to use Tanner Houck out of bullpen during final postseason push; ‘Everything will be on the table’

[moonslav59]

@SmittyOnMLB

Boston Red Sox to use Tanner Houck out of bullpen during final postseason push; ‘Everything will be on the table’

 

With 4 days off in the last 18 days, it makes sense

[illinoisredsox]

The major league strike zone defined as:

 

The official strike zone is the area over home plate from the midpoint between the batters shoulders and the top of the uniform pants - when the batter is in his stance and prepared to swing at a pitched ball - and a point just below the kneecap.

 

That top part sounds like a real PITA for an ump to figure out. Bottom of shoulder or armpits or something sounds a lot more determinate.

 

We have to remember that the rectangle only depicts the front edge of the plate. The real zone is a pentagonal prism between the above upper and lower limits. I certainly can see why some of the breaking balls just above the top of the zone could drop over the plate in the zone and look high per the rectangle. I suppose a big breaking slider could so it as well.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

The major league strike zone defined as:

 

 

We have to remember that the rectangle only depicts the front edge of the plate. The real zone is a pentagonal prism between the above upper and lower limits. I certainly can see why some of the breaking balls just above the top of the zone could drop over the plate in the zone and look high per the rectangle. I suppose a big breaking slider could so it as well.

 

Good point -- which makes viewing the box even less reliable: the 2D outline isn't representative of the actual 3D (or as you point out 5D) zone.

 

As for high breaking balls, some umps give up on them out of the hand or when they reach the plate -- but because of the depth of the actual zone, we viewers see some called balls hitting the target mitt "in the window" as Eck calls it...

 

Let's hope Sale's slider is vicious and cutting deceptively out of the zone tonight!

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

A hard-earned DP

 

Oops, wrong thread

Edited September 17, 2021 by 5GoldGloves:OF,75

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Sox may have to figure out an "injury" to an infielder so they can add Joe Churches to the postseason roster.

[moonslav59]

See, the Jays can lose.

 

Not every trend continues forever.

[moonslav59]

Bobby Dee's long climb has finally brought him to .800.

 

.507 on May 6th

.595 on June 8th

.647 on July 28th

.708 on Aug 23rd

.755 on Sep 4th

.800 on Sep 17th

 

Not counting tonight...

.873 in 82 games since May 7th (21 HRs 66 RBI)

.934 since June 10th

1.118 since July 29th

1.225 since August 25th

[moonslav59]

OPS Leaders

.902 Schwarber (2 teams) .877 BOS

.879 Devers

.873 Bogaerts

.864 JD M

.818 Renfroe

.800 Dalbec

.793 Verdugo

.776 Arroyo

.772 Kike

.710 Plawecki

.671 Vaz

 

(Iggy 1.152 in 23 ABs, Shaw .933 in 35 ABs)