|
Quote: |
|
|
|
|
Originally Posted by DieHardYankee26 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As for the original rant (really just the Yankee parts, except KB) :
Judge hitting 2 has more to do with the team than himself. It's about maximizing runs for the team. Moving him to 3rd would give him a few more opportunities to hit with a runner in scoring position, but it also lowers his chances to hit in general and gives him more chances with 2 outs and the bases empty. Hitting him 2nd gives him a chance to both drive in a runner if the leadoff guy gets on base or be the catalyst for the middle of the order hitters to be able to come up with a runner on base.
Kris Bryant had 5 less RBI hitting 2nd than 3rd in his rookie year (45-50), and scored 15 more runs hitting 2nd than 3rd (64-49). He created more runs for the offense hitting 2nd.
I don't think the Stanton thing means all that much, he hit 2nd with the Marlins the second half when he went crazy and was better from that spot last year. He's really streaky so his best stats will just be wherever he was when he got hot.
Pulling pitchers early is tough. Sure you have the Ryu example, then there's always Grady Little and even more recently, Terry Collins and Matt Harvey. People were calling for Boone to take CC out in the first inning of his game. It's easier to manage a bullpen when your starters are doing well, but that's not always the case. Even so, you never know when a guy is going to blow up. You'd probably rather have a fresh arm in there than just rely on waiting until the guy you have falters.
It's been said a million times but the shift wins for a lot of these guys if they go up there and slap a single the other way, which is a little odd only because we revere OBP so much. I understand if Joey Gallo goes up to the plate and has no shot of hitting one out, that's a win. But if he gets a bunt single and a walk or two, isn't that worth something? I guess it depends on construction of the lineup and how confident you are in the other guys pulling him up, which brings you back to why you have guys like Judge hitting 2. I do laugh everytime I see a guy hit a line drive up the middle right to the second baseman in the shift and people go "why's he always trying to pull the ball?" Always reminds me of Soup in the Show saying "if everything goes right, the ball goes up the middle". Well what happens when everything goes right, and you're out on a 4-3 groundout?
|
|
|
|
|
|
I will have to disagree with you on the Judge thing. A power hitter's job is to drive in runs, not set up the middle of the order for someone else.
Maybe I am old school, but to me a 2 hitter should be able to make contact and not strike out, move runners, and be able to hit and run. Teams need players like that, especially in the playoffs or in close games where you need to manufacture a run. If the Dodgers could have done that, Game 3 would not have been 18 innings.
Joey Gallo represents everything wrong with baseball today. Teams will never win with guys like that on their team. He's the next Chris Davis and we know how well that's working out with Baltimore. When they cut him, they will have to eat that horrible contract.