You've read a few articles and play in a softball league. I have no doubt you'd do a better job at managing a pitching staff at the MLB level.
Dombrowski (or Damus): Call sixhopper now!
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No, but some of the "baseball studies" cited might be examined a little more thoroughly, as might some of the political ones.
I remember a number of studies that cited much higher WHIPS for most starting pitchers in innings 7-9, encouraging managers to follow the course that they are on. I think that improvement for the Tiges more likely could be realized by letting Benoit sit on the bench with Raburn, at least until Mid - May.
This piece of wisdom comes from an expert who has misspelled the names of Smyly (Smiley) and Maddon (Madden), couldn't remember Victor Martinez's first name (Vince) and got the Orioles and Sox managers mixed up (Davey, throwing gas on the fire in Boston), in the past couple of weeks.
My defense is that I can't help it if the Smyly and Maddon parents couldn't spell, or if Mrs Martinez misnamed Vince.
As far as Boston is concerned I would guess that there are a number of fans that wish I had the right name.
My lack of "smarts" is underscored also by the fact that I am letting my wife drag me away from the "garden off Eden", that is Sand Key, back to the lair of the influence peddlers in D.C. for five months . Leaving tomorrow unless I can arrange a coup to overthrow the family dictatorship.
Based on that , I wouldn't believe much that I said either Ty, but then you never did.
"I am letting my wife drag me away from the "garden off Eden", that is Sand Key, "
So sorry to hear that. My dad just came back from Venice/Englewood. Hated leaving the weather but likes being back around family.
"I remember a number of studies that cited much higher WHIPS for most starting pitchers in innings 7-9, encouraging managers to follow the course that they are on."
We're not debating on taking out the SP. It is when they take out the SP, and put in a reliever who mows them down in, say, the 7th - and then gets replaced with the "8th inning guy." MANY baseball fans believe you take out a reliever when he struggles - and NOT because the inning just changed. Even "matchups" are subjective. Your righty SP faces lefties all the time. Why can't a RP?
It's a good baseball debate with good points all the way around - sans the sunshiner edicts that no decision should be questioned, since the 'deciders' (I knew you'd like that one) are professionals. That is akin to a citizen never questioning a politician, because THEY are professionals. You know, from being in DC, that you must always question EVERYTHING they do, because of 'group think,' they are most often times completely wrong.
"Garden of Eden"
My barber here is a great guy - one of those NY transplants that knows local bookies, thinks Sinatra was the greatest guy etc. - very street knowledgeable with a good sense of humor.
He tells me that there are old guys like me that come in there all of the time and start talking about going back "home" for some extended period. He says all of the guys want to stay here year around, and the women want to go back for some extended period of time.
He says that these guys go on and on with various reasons for why it makes sense to leave. After some time the barber says, "does your wife have family back in that area"? - - - -Well yeah, but . .
Good debate on pitcher change, but I know that Sixer, in his arguments, has extended it often to managers not letting the starter throw long enough. Reasonable debate point.
If I were the arguing type I would make a case for some team trying a plan in which they had a sets of pitchers which would have starters (most, not JV types) go five and have another finish the four, or have two sets of two innings guys. I think stats for many pitchers, like Rick and Max for example, would show that replacement early in the third time through the order would result in a positive over time.
It would drive traditionalists batty. Since I am not the arguing type, however, I will not suggest it.
Leyland tends to be robotic when it comes to these sorts of decisions.
He expects them to do their job. He then puts in the next guy to do his, no matter how the preceding guy did, and so on. He doesn't really deviate from his pre-conceived ideas of 7th, 8th, and 9th inning pitching, among other things. So, we get this: A pitcher that did a fine job is pulled for the next guy for no real reason, because that's how he does things.
This worked in 2006. It worked last year. Did it work in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010? Not as well, overall, and, in some cases, not well at all.
I'm not suprized. Are you? After this many years, is anyone?
Speaking of suprized: Is it "suprised," or "suprized?" I'm too lazy to look it up.
I always thought you were a regular social butterfly, but you're just trying to generate conversation, and taking the hit for the entire MB for your contributions.
Awright...you like doing it. You've got a line in the sand, and you won't cross it.
That's ok. I just keep redrawing mine...
I knew you would help me.
Unfortunately, I'm at the age where I suffer from CRS (can't remember sh*t). I'll forget, and use that wrong spelling, soon enough.
Don't take it personally. It's all that weed I smoked when I was a kid.
<<we get this: A pitcher that did a fine job is pulled for the next guy for no real reason>>
it is what it is because that's the way he drew it up.
back-to-back games calling for the same scenario -- 7,8,9: Dotel, Benoit, Valverde -- the liklihood of them ALL being effective both times is low %. with no margin for error in one run games,an effective Dotel or 7th inning guy should be kept in.
<<<<< Leyland is very robotic. He doesn't know how to adjust if something goes wrong. We've also seen it in his lineups. >>>>>
I can't argue with you on that one...It'll drive you nuts if you let it...
<<Designating an assigned inning to a reliever is very, very, very, silly if you ask me>>
we're talking about Leyland here...this is what you get with the man
"Leyland is very robotic. He doesn't know how to adjust if something goes wrong. We've also seen it in his lineups. "
I agree with this, especially in regards to his bullpen moves. I thought Porcello would have been a good bring in the 8th yesterday (Lord knows he should be fresh). But Leyland stays so much by "the plan" it is sickening at times.
I think he is better at adjusting lineups than people give him credit for, but many people would like more knee jerk reactions when people are under peforming (ala Raburn/Inge). I can understand that for sure. But this doesn't bother me as much as the bullpen moves.