Angels (Detmers) vs Red Sox (Sandoval): 09/08/26, 6:45 PM

[drewski6]

25 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

If Anthony breaks Bonds's BB record, I'll be very happy. 

Not debating that.  I would be too.

[drewski6]

5 minutes ago, NHNative said:

Does this mean that each man is that % likely to strike out or they strike out that % of the time?

;-)

I think it means that when Anthony strikes out, 25.5% of the time its looking. 

[notin]

1 hour ago, drewski6 said:

Catch a pitcher by surprise thinking they can toss a "get me over" for strike 1.  Not here.  Swing it early and swing it often.

To me, letting a fastball go by in the zone for strike 2, and then waving at a slider low and outside running away for strike 3....Your mess up was strike 2.

Jump on em.

Are we seriously trying to tell Roman Anthony how to hit?

Back in 2003-2007, when the Sox were a team of Walk Machines that lead to possibly the best 5 season stretch in team history, there were lots of folks doling out the same advice.  “They let too many strikes go by!”  Yet they kept watching and kept winning.

Sometimes, it’s just not broken…
 

 

 

[notin]

1 minute ago, drewski6 said:

I think it means that when Anthony strikes out, 25.5% of the time its looking. 

1 out of 4 is looking?  Is this really a problem?

[NHNative]

4 minutes ago, notin said:

1 out of 4 is looking?  Is this really a problem?

Looking at what?

[FredLynn]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Taking a strike 3, even if you have a high walk total - is not the sign of a good eye. Its the sign of an overly passive approach.  I dont like the mindset. Be aggressive and look to eat.  Confident.  Oh no, I better not swing at a ball is too beta 4 me.

When you have two strikes on you you have to try to make contact with a good pitch and hopefully at least foul it off to give yourself another chance. Too many of the Sox hitters are either watching strike three go by without trying to make contact or, in many cases (Story, Duran, Rafaela etc) chasing too many balls that aren’t even close to being strikes.

[notin]

2 minutes ago, NHNative said:

Looking at what?

Apparently not quoted sections of posts…

[mvp 78]

7 minutes ago, notin said:

Are we seriously trying to tell Roman Anthony how to hit?

Back in 2003-2007, when the Sox were a team of Walk Machines that lead to possibly the best 5 season stretch in team history, there were lots of folks doling out the same advice.  “They let too many strikes go by!”  Yet they kept watching and kept winning.

Sometimes, it’s just not broken…

2004: Team Total 27.8% called 3rd strikes 👀

Manny Ramirez 37.9

Bill Mueller 33.9 

They both also contributed to the 10.1% BB rate which was 3rd highest in MLB (league av was 8.5).

[notin]

4 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

2004: Team Total 27.8% called 3rd strikes 👀

Manny Ramirez 37.9

Bill Mueller 33.9 

They both also contributed to the 10.1% BB rate which was 3rd highest in MLB (league av was 8.5).

And that was back in the days when there were no challenges and more Angel Hernandez…

[JoeBrady]

2 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Taking a strike 3, even if you have a high walk total - is not the sign of a good eye. Its the sign of an overly passive approach.  I dont like the mindset. Be aggressive and look to eat.  Confident.  Oh no, I better not swing at a ball is too beta 4 me.

I'm not sure where to look that up.  How many called strike 3's has he taken, compared to walks?

[JoeBrady]

1 minute ago, JoeBrady said:

I'm not sure where to look that up.  How many called strike 3's has he taken, compared to walks?

I just looked on BR.  On 3-2 counts, he has 11 Ks and 14 walks.  Even if all 11Ks were looking, it will feels like a good percentage.  FWIW, I don't disagree that he is occasionally passive, but that might be an experience issue.  I liken to a poker game where you are stepping up a little in rank.  My guess is that it is natural to be more conservative until you get a little more comfortable.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Fascinating chart, MVP.

And it basically lists all current Red Sox batters... except a few who never watched a third strike go by that they didn't Bugs Bunny at:

Story, Duran, Abreu, Rafaela, Contreras.

I crack me up.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

There is a poster named Bagwell Anderson.  Damn I wish I had thought of that, I remain pissed at that trade.

Sox were due a stinker, and with Pablo on the mound this was a good time to throw one out there, even against the Angels.  Let's go out and win another series.  

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, vegasbob said:

A lot of taking strike 3 could be misguessing the pitch

You'd need a whole lot more data.  On 3-2, if the pitcher beats you with a good pitch near the corner, you're probably better off taking the pitch and hoping for the call.  On 0-2, you have to swing at every close pitch.

But what I think damages a lot of hitters, is that they are afraid to let a 0-2 pitch go by.  The only way to get to a reasonable hitter's count is by gambling on occasionally tough pitches.

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, drewski6 said:

Taking a strike 3, even if you have a high walk total - is not the sign of a good eye. Its the sign of an overly passive approach.  I dont like the mindset. Be aggressive and look to eat.  Confident.  Oh no, I better not swing at a ball is too beta 4 me.

Interesting definition of beta.  To me, being afraid of striking out is too beta.  With guys like Story and Duran, the pitcher doesn't have to worry about giving them something to hit, until it is 3-2, which it never gets to.  Depending on the count, if you think it's a ball, take it.  Work the count to your favor.  work the pitcher.  Let the other team know that they need to throw you a hittable pitch.

[JoeBrady]

4 hours ago, notin said:

Not uncommon for hitters with high BB rates to also have elevated K rates.  Anthony has a high BB rate…

Since 2017, the leaders in strikeouts are:

• Suarez
• Judge
• Schwarber
• Olson
• Teoscar
• Swanson
• Happ
• Chapman
• Goldschmidt
• Adames
• McMahon
• Ohtani
• Castellanos
• Devers
• Yelich
• Harper

Just guessing, but I think everyone on the list has been on at least one AS game.

[moonslav59]

I'll take a 50% K rate, if the guy gets on base 35% and hits 20-30 bombs.

[drewski6]

15 hours ago, JoeBrady said:

Interesting definition of beta.  To me, being afraid of striking out is too beta.  With guys like Story and Duran, the pitcher doesn't have to worry about giving them something to hit, until it is 3-2, which it never gets to.  Depending on the count, if you think it's a ball, take it.  Work the count to your favor.  work the pitcher.  Let the other team know that they need to throw you a hittable pitch.

This isnt how hitters hit.  They dont cover the whole plate.  They try to guess right pitch coming, and location and swing if they get a pitch where they are looking.  They arent sitting there like hm, looks like a slider, thats goona run out of the zone, not gonna swing.  They arent trying to work counts for the sake of working counts.

You can and should waive at and look like a fool when you are getting a low slider and you are predicting a low fastball.  Thats what a slider is designed to do.  And the problem if its a 3-2 count, is that you let it get to a 3-2 count.  The only fastballs that you shouldnt swing at are ones that are not where you are looking.  You have to stay the ready for the fastball, now if you are looking high and its low, you can let that go if you dont think you can adjust in time.  But you attack the pitches.  You go up hungry.  Looking for your pitch.  You dont go up there trying to work a walk unless you are a 7,8,9 hitter.