Kimmi

Think of it beyond just the 25 man roster. The best team includes players on the 40 man who have a realistic chance of being called up. You play your best 25 as much as reasonably possible, but you also want the best 40 man or when the inevitable injuries occur.

Now you're just being silly.

Ted Williams, thank you for taking the time to make that post.

I can agree with the idea that when you're feeling good, you perform better. I think that holds true in just about any field, not just sports. I would not call that clutch or choke, however.

You are one of the most level headed and fair posters here. You always bring up good counter arguments, which I've told you before, is kind of annoying.

I have always thought that there is a better way to spend money than on relievers. I think Kimbrel will be fine, but outside of that, I agree completely with this post.

It doesn't make much of a difference, but it still makes a whole lot more sense.

I'm with you Jack.

Not sure that I agree completely, but your idea that the best hitter should hit 2nd makes a whole lot more sense than having him hit 3rd.

And this is how it should be. We should not be spending a fortune on relievers. We should be able to find them 'out of nowhere'.

For those who scoffed at the suggestion that ERod start the season in AAA (before the injuries to Price and Pom), sending Hernandez down shows that teams do not and cannot operate under the idea that you play your best 25 players period. For various reasons, the best players do not always make the 25 man roster.

This really doesn't have anything to do with the topic of clutch specifically, but it does relate to the idea of what the stats say versus the 'I know what I see' argument. Here is part of an article by Evan Drelich: BASEBALL 2017: Dombrowski brings an old-fashioned approach By Evan Drellich April 01, 2017 1:33 PM A strong reliance on what his eyes tell him, on what he thinks his eyes are showing him, should be expected. An acceptance of what others have dismissed -- on imprecise statistics like RBIs, on fuzzy concepts like clutch hitters -- is not in itself reason for condemnation. But if Dave Dombrowski is guided primarily by empirical truths he has accepted in more than 40 years in this game, then he faces an uphill battle he may not realize is so steep. The Red Sox president of baseball operations may know what he's seen. What's unclear is how much weight he gives to what he hasn't seen. Gathering, hearing all the information available is one thing. Applying it all properly is another. In a market where his every move and comment will continue to be picked apart, Dombrowski's visualization of the game makes him an outlier from executives who likely more often question their own experiences. The biggest question facing the top Sox boss is how much he questions himself. I think Drelich makes a good point about maybe it's not what you've "seen", but more about what you can't see or haven't seen. I have no doubt that you guys have experienced what you call 'clutch'. As I've said, I've experienced those moments myself. But, perhaps it's not really clutch, but something else.

This may be your best post in this thread.

You are not going to like this, but a team that stages a rally does so mostly due to luck and randomness and/or because they are the better team. Your last sentence is simply not true.

No one is asking you to ignore the human aspect of the game. You are willing to accept what you believe without proof, but you aren't willing to accept something that goes against what you believe, even though there is strong evidence of it.

I don't think that people stick with their known routines because they are stupid, but rather because they are stubborn and because we are creatures of habit. The example cited in the article is an extreme case given just to make the point. The author does go on to say that the player cannot alter everything he knows because that would create more problems with mechanics etc. In other words, he is not suggesting an all or nothing approach. The author is just suggesting to keep an open mind. Sabermetrics have shown that much of what has been believed for decades is simply not true.

LOL I understand. I would welcome your input here whenever you have the time.

No kidding! Woohoo!

Coincidence? I think not!

Nice.

On the topic of players embracing analytics, I read a good article today from Pinstripe Alley: Stubbornness Among the Anti-Analytics Crowd is Understandable Here's an excerpt: For athletes at any level, confidence is essential to success. But confidence may be more than just believing in one’s ability to complete a task. It is possible that a true, genuine belief that one is doing something “the right way” inspires confidence. For example, imagine a pitcher who is 100% certain that the best way to pitch is to throw a fastball down the middle every time. In this example, his belief is completely unwavering. Even an ERA over 9.00 will not change his mind. It is entirely possible that this imaginary pitcher will be as confident as anyone. This is a short-handed example of why some players and coaches are so hesitant to embrace sabermetrics. In many cases, doing so would mean questioning a large bulk of what they thought to be true within the game of baseball. In a sport that is routine-driven and requires the peace of mind to balance out the highs and lows, opening their views up to scrutiny can be detrimental to their performance.

Great defense - period. As I mentioned above, I love a well-pitched, well-defended game. Give me a pitcher's duel over a slugfest any day of the week. Chicks do not dig the long ball!

Yup, and I imagine this will be a short term move until Hanley is ready to play the field.

I have not, hence the 'quote me correctly". You are quoting nonsense, and we both know that I don't post nonsense.

I'm with you, and even more so, a perfect game. There is nothing better than a well-pitched, well-defended game. I enjoy it when a pitcher can make a batter's knees buckle or make a batter look silly with a great pitch. I could also go with the 10 strikeout game.