Will Scioscia ever get over it? Just ONCE, fake it.
Last night was a prime example of a time NOT to have that play on....because it was Trout at the plate. Hot shot back to Cain who bobbles it and immediately throws home.
If the stupid contact play is not an automatic for Scioscia in every like situation....
Cain has to look at 3rd...and Trout is safe by a mile at first. Bases loaded.

I hate the contact play, only because MS refuses to switch it up, ever. Too predictable.

Jesus, you whine incessantly here! Will a day ever go by that you don't make a thread about Scioscia?

Been quite a few days actually. But since it puckers up your rear end so much to hear it, maybe I should do it more often.
You can't disagree with me, because I am right in this instance, so you whine.
WAAAA.

< Will Scioscia ever get over it? Just ONCE, fake it. >

As long as it is more successful than not the answer is probably "no". What purpose would faking it serve?

More successful than not?

Absolutely, I would guess somewhere in the 75-85% range.

It would be interesting to know the success rate. It would make sense to only do it with batters that can go the other way. If you have a dead pull hitter at bat, then maybe not.

Just like Scioscia' overrated squeeze play, less then 50% success rate.

I think your guess is way off...and success is subjective...
If success means giving up an out for ONE run, and not playing for a big inning...I would guess it might be a 50-50 proposition..
But in a case where you have 2nd and 3rd, and no outs, or 1 out...and maybe the fastest player in the majors at the plate...WHY make it an automatic play?
My big problem isn't with the play itself, if done as the game situation calls for. My problem is that Scioscia does it EVERY TIME, no matter what.

The contact play does not mean you are not playing for a big inning. The batter is still trying to get a hit. It simply means the runner on 3rd leaves upon contact.

If that is the case, it makes more sense to go partway, and wait to see if the ball gets through.
Better to have 2 runners in scoring position, than always having a guy get thrown out at the plate.
And I am not buying the 75-85 percent success thing, when the ball is hit in the infield , either.

< The batter is still trying to get a hit. It simply means the runner on 3rd leaves upon contact. >

That's something a lot of people don't seem to understand, I bet if the runner left on contact on a HR they don't even notice. They only want to count the times it doesn't work and that is why they don't understand why its done, that it is successful a lot more times than not. It simply wouldn't make sense to do it otherwise. Also, if it didn't work as often as it does it seems to me that DiPoto's sabre guys would be preaching "don't do it", and there has been no evidence of that.

The Contact Play will be with you always, even unto the consumation of the world. Get used to it. Every manager uses it.

No. I watch games in both leagues, all over the majors.
Nobody uses it every time like Scioscia does.
Nobody.

I dislike it more than most. I don't think it is successful more than 50% of the time, and the resulting out puts a guy on second, MAYBE, rather than a guy on third.

I was watching the pre-game yesterday and Jose was discussing it with GA. Garrett said the players for the most part really liked it as it "took the decision" out of our hands and heads. "We knew we were going to go."

The reason Mike's playoff record after 2002 is so abysmal, is that he pulls this carp, and plays for a run, too often....and in big games.

Hard to believe.

They complain about EVERYTHING.

Do you know how often a hitter drives in a runner from 3rd with less than two outs?

Just curious.

What's the difference between a runner at 3rd and two outs and a runner at 2nd and two outs?

A wise person would know those numbers prior to commenting on a policy. You're obviously a wise person, so what are those numbers?

If that is the case, it makes more sense to go partway, and wait to see if the ball gets through."

Going partway doesn't really work with a drawn-in infield. And if the infield isn't drawn in, the defense is conceding the run anyway.

Scioscia doesn't always do it, either. With no outs, the contact play is bad -- but Scioscia only runs it with one out. I don't recall seeing the Angels do it lately with zero outs.